Chapter 293: Black Face Trio
Orochimaru looked at Kimimaro with an expression of 'greed'. Human trafficker Orochimaru had logged on.
Before he could even begin his 'abduction', he noticed that the ninja standing next to Kimimaro was looking at him with the same expression of 'greed'. It was exactly the same as the way he was looking at Kimimaro.
Orochimaru froze for a moment, then revealed a look of deep interest. This was the first time someone had stared at him like this.
Masahiko also snapped out of his thoughts. "There is no way Orochimaru can see through my Transformation Jutsu. As long as I speak reliably... Hmm, it's better if I just try not to speak at all."
"God!" Kimimaro called out to him, keeping a close eye on Orochimaru.
Masahiko's mouth twitched. Right now, he should probably play along and say: The ninja in front of you isn't an ordinary ninja. He's one of the legendary Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, Orochimaru the Swordless.
"God?" Orochimaru repeated, the smile on his face growing wider...
"Mist Village ninjas are behind us." Orochimaru turned slightly to the side. Behind him was a cliff, and below the cliff, a group of Kaguya and Mist Village ninjas were currently engaged in battle.
Kimimaro hesitated for a moment and glanced at Masahiko. Masahiko gave a slight nod, signaling that he could go.
As Kimimaro charged forward, Masahiko met those snake-like eyes.
"Now that I've run into Orochimaru, what should I do?" Masahiko pondered inwardly. "If I reveal my identity, he might run away, and finding him again would be a hassle."
Orochimaru spoke first. "Why does that child call you God?"
"Because I am God. Do you believe in God?" Having grown accustomed to his identity as God, Masahiko responded subconsciously.
Orochimaru licked his lips, giving Masahiko a look usually reserved for lunatics...
Dodging the topic, he asked, "Are you also from the Kaguya clan? Why aren't you joining the battle?"
Masahiko finally came to his senses. Adhering to the principle of not speaking so as not to expose himself, he simply shook his head slightly.
Orochimaru, however, filled in the blanks himself. "It seems the Kaguya aren't all madmen. There are still clansmen who know to preserve the clan's lineage."
He assumed Masahiko was a Kaguya elder protecting Kimimaro.
"That child has good aptitude. He truly shouldn't die in a place like this."
Masahiko nodded, still not speaking.
"Let him come with me. I can help you Kaguya preserve your final spark."
Masahiko shook his head.
"Do you think you can protect him well?"
Masahiko nodded.
"If you are not at ease, you can come to my place together with that child."
Masahiko was stunned for a long while before realizing that Orochimaru actually wanted to abduct him too.
Nod, nod, nod...
If he could follow Orochimaru and find his base, then things would be much more secure.
Orochimaru: "..."
I feel like something isn't quite right.
Without overthinking it, he turned to look at the battling Kimimaro.
Shikotsumyaku was just unreasonable. The eight-year-old Kimimaro was only at the Genin level, but against Mist Village ninjas of the same level, he practically achieved instant kills.
Even if his opponent was a Chunin, they could only stall him for a moment; they were no match for Kimimaro.
However, the injuries he sustained from his previous clash with Zabuza hadn't fully healed, and he gradually fell into a crisis.
"Are you not going to save him?" Orochimaru spoke up again.
Masahiko was startled. This was a test of his combat strength... He extended his right hand forward, striking a 'please go ahead' pose.
Orochimaru: "..."
As expected, there are no normal people among the Kaguya.
There was no helping it. He had just defected and urgently needed to build his own forces. Kimimaro was the most suitable candidate he had encountered these past few days.
Whether in terms of talent or personality.
As for the God in that child's eyes... he would just bring him along. Given enough time, he would naturally learn who the true God was.
What followed was a one-sided slaughter. Below the cliff was just a small battlefield. The Jonin battles were on the other side. A group of Chunin and Genin facing Orochimaru couldn't last... well, they lasted several dozen exchanges.
Masahiko watched with his mouth twitching. Orochimaru was really going all out to abduct Kimimaro. Against opponents he could clearly instant-kill with one move, he insisted on exchanging several blows to show off his strength and ninjutsu.
Doing so indeed achieved the desired effect. Kimimaro cast admiring glances at him, but his subsequent words made Orochimaru's face stiffen.
"Did God send you to save me?"
"That's right, I told him to come." Masahiko opportunely appeared beside him.
Orochimaru: "..."
Thinking back to Masahiko's gesture earlier, he surprisingly had no words to refute.
I really should have just taken the child. I shouldn't have expected an adult Kaguya clansman to be 'normal'.
"God!" Kimimaro's face was full of reverence.
Masahiko gently patted his head and looked at Orochimaru, only then noticing his expression wasn't quite right.
"Thank you for your assistance."
This sentence was quite normal. Very good, no chance of exposure!
"Young man, is he an elder of your Kaguya clan? Why do you call him God?" Orochimaru asked.
Masahiko's face fell. Orochimaru was suspicious after all.
But he heard Kimimaro reply: "God originally belonged to our Kaguya clan. He is omnipotent and omniscient, so naturally, he is God."
Masahiko almost laughed out loud inwardly. That burly man from earlier had really done him a huge favor.
"Omnipotent?" Orochimaru's signature lip-licking action appeared again. "That is truly amazing."
"Isn't it."
Masahiko was almost feeling embarrassed by this somewhat naive child. He cast his gaze forward. "The battle... is almost over. Let's go take a look."
Saying this, Masahiko felt a bit emotional. The Warring States period's great clan Kaguya was coming to an end just like this.
Seen by Orochimaru, he only assumed Masahiko was mourning for his clan.
Kimimaro originally wanted to charge in and fight, but was stopped by Masahiko, who brought him to a tree near the battlefield.
"God, don't I need to join the battle?" Kimimaro asked in confusion.
"No need, the battle is already drawing to a close."
In Masahiko's perception, only two Kaguya clansmen remained, one of whom was the burly man from earlier.
Kimimaro also saw all this clearly. "God, are we not going to save him?"
"They kept you locked up all this time, and you still want to save them?"
"It's not that he won't go save him, but that he can't." Orochimaru appeared beside the two.
"God is omnipotent!" Kimimaro glared at him and looked hopefully at Masahiko.
Orochimaru wore a half-smile, wanting to see how this 'God' Masahiko would wrap things up.
"It's too late," Masahiko said faintly.
The battle came to an end. The burly Kaguya clansman from earlier also had his chest pierced by a kunai.
As the sudden change occurred, as if struck by inspiration, the burly man saw Masahiko's trio before falling.
"First Clan Head! It really is you! My Kaguya will not perish!"
His death ended all his troubles, but this loud shout focused everyone's attention on the trio.
"First Clan Head?" Orochimaru thoughtfully took a few steps back, making Masahiko's face darken...
"The First Clan Head of the Kaguya clan? Ridiculous, who is playing God? Do you think he can live until now like that old immortal from the Uzumaki clan?!"
A disdainful voice drifted over, making Masahiko's face darken twice over...
"Watch out! That looks like Konoha Village's S-rank rogue ninja Orochimaru. It might really be the First Clan Head of the Kaguya. According to intelligence, Orochimaru can use a ninjutsu that toys with the souls of the dead, Edo Tensei!"
Masahiko's face darkened three times over...
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