I, Uchiha, will not be whitewashed!

Chapter 107 Roadblock!

The Four Purple Flame Array dissipated.

The purple light curtain peeled off from the sky like shards of glass, turning into specks of chakra light that flickered a few times in the sunlight before disappearing completely.

The main grandstand was a mess, with rubble, bloodstains, and railings broken into pieces.

There was still a pool of dark red blood where Orochimaru had knelt, and the grass sword stuck in the soil had been pulled out by Kabuto.

Minato stood at the edge of the stands, watching the direction Orochimaru had disappeared in, but did not give chase.

Jiraiya emerged from the ruins, and Sakumo Hatake sheathed the White Fang, wiping away the bloodstains on the blade the instant it was sheathed.

Mei Terumi had retreated to the area below the stands at some point, and Chojuro was protecting her as they walked towards safety. She didn't look back.

The chaos inside and outside the arena continued, with the remnants of the Sand Ninja and Sound Ninja creating disturbances throughout the village, and explosions and shouts of killing echoing in the distance.

"Jiraiya-sensei, could you please take some men to clear out the remaining enemies in the village?" Minato turned around, his speech slow but each word heavy. "The Sand Village and Sound Village have infiltrated both the east and west sides. The Anbu has already moved in, but we still need manpower on the east side."

Jiraiya nodded and took a few steps eastward. Then he stopped. His feet were rooted to the broken bricks, as if nailed to them by something. He turned to look at Minato, his lips moved, but no sound came out.

Minato looked into his eyes.

"I'll go after them—" Jiraiya's voice wasn't loud. "Sakumo, you go east for me."

Sakumo Hatake looked at Minato, who remained silent for a moment before nodding.

Without asking any further questions, Hatake Sakumo ran eastward. The sound of his sword sheath hitting his vest echoed briefly among the rubble before disappearing behind the ruins.

Jiraiya chased after Orochimaru in the direction he had fled.

Shuimen didn't look at him and ran westward.

Naruto is in that direction, and Gaara, the Jinchuriki of the One-Tailed Beast, is also in that direction.

Orochimaru's ability to hold out against three opponents for so long, and to be rescued by Kabuto, while the Sound Four escaped unscathed, is not a matter of strength.

Minato didn't want to kill him, Jiraiya didn't want to kill him, and neither did Sakumo Hatake. None of the three wanted to kill Orochimaru, or rather, none of them were prepared to kill him.

Only if three Kage-level figures held back could Orochimaru leave Konoha alive.

It's embarrassing, but that's the truth.

Jiraiya went after him not to kill him, but to ask why.

This question has been asked for decades, ever since the day Orochimaru defected, and we still haven't gotten an answer.

Minato jumped off the roof and landed at the edge of the woods. Ahead lay the battlefield between Naruto and Gaara.

North of Konoha Village, at the edge of the ruins.

Orochimaru, supported by Kabuto, retreated along a pre-planned route. His arms hung limply at his sides, blood dripping from his fingertips, and his steps were unsteady.

Dou's glasses reflected the firelight, and his expression was as calm as a machine.

"There are people ahead," Kabuto said softly.

A figure wearing a white mask with red patterns emerged from the shadows of the trees. It was Shisui. He didn't look at Orochimaru, but stepped aside to make way for him, gesturing to the two ANBU members behind him.

The two exchanged a glance and followed Zhishui in another direction.

"It's safe here. We haven't found anyone." Shisui's voice came from behind the mask.

Orochimaru walked past Shisui without stopping, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. "An Uchiha."

Dou didn't reply.

After walking a while, another person was squatting on the top of the ruins ahead, also wearing a mask.

Haku lowered his head, twirled the senbon between his fingers, and put it away. Behind him, three ANBU were crouching in a corner dealing with a Sound Ninja who had been knocked unconscious; no one noticed Orochimaru walking past them.

Haku stood up, blocking the way. Kabuto's hand landed on the kunai. Haku didn't move, glanced at Orochimaru, and stepped aside. Kabuto removed his hand from the kunai.

"Let's go."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smile again. "Interesting."

Moonlight shone through the clouds in the woods outside the village, spreading a layer of shattered silver on the ground.

Shuoge leaned against a tree trunk, his knife behind him and his mask tucked into his waistband.

He had been waiting here for a long time. Footsteps came from deep within the woods; there was more than one person.

Orochimaru walked in front, his left arm supported by his arm. The Sound Four followed behind, their faces covered in blood and sweat, some with torn clothes, and some still panting.

They saw Shuoge.

The four Sound Ninja stopped at the same time. Some drew their kunai, some formed hand seals, and some stood in front of Orochimaru.

Everyone's eyes were the same, fierce yet wary; the man before them was more dangerous than any of the pursuers they had encountered before.

Shuoge didn't move. Leaning against the tree trunk, arms crossed, he glanced at them as if they were a few hopping ants.

"You know about Flying Thunder God Technique."

"So here's the question."

"Who exactly are you trying to trap with that barrier?"

Shuoge asked curiously.

Orochimaru was not facing the Third Hokage, but a combination of the Fourth Hokage, Jiraiya, and Sakumo Hatake.

Mei Terumi, who was just watching the show, doesn't count.

Sakugo's gaze slid over the four and landed on Orochimaru's face.

Orochimaru twitched the corner of his mouth and straightened up from Kabuto's shoulder. The movement of standing up aggravated his wound, and blood dripped from his fingertips again.

"Shuoge-kun is not an enemy."

He raised his uninjured left hand and flicked his fingers lightly.

The Sound Four hesitated for a moment, then put away their weapons and stepped aside.

Orochimaru took a few steps forward and stood in front of Sakugo. Sunlight shone through the trees onto the two of them, their shadows trailing side by side on the ground like two wooden stakes driven into the soil.

"It seems your body has reached its limit." Shuoge's tone was completely flat.

"Shugo-kun is here, shouldn't he be concerned about my health?"

Orochimaru looked down at his hands hanging at his sides. Blood stained his clothes, the wound on his shoulder had reopened, and pain was drilling into his bones.

It was only a few miles from Konoha Village, and the pursuers could arrive at any moment. Sakugo's "subordinates" cleared the way one after another, giving him a chance to catch his breath.

Otherwise, why would I have time to argue about these things here?

"I told you, your head shouldn't be wasted in a place like this." Shuoge's voice remained unwavering. "Combat isn't for you. Scientific research is your true calling."

Orochimaru stared at him for a few seconds, and the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.

"Sakugo-kun, you're much more interesting than Danzo. Danzo only wanted power, but you want my brain."

He laughed, the sound aggravating his wound, causing a trickle of blood to escape from the corner of his mouth. "Alright. I'll go back alive and continue my research. The power of Ryuchi Cave will be enough for you to study for a while."

Having figured out Sakugo's purpose, Orochimaru couldn't help but relax a little.

Just as Orochimaru and the others were about to cross over Sakugo and leave.

But they found that Shuoge was still standing in the middle of the road, showing no intention of moving aside.

"Is there anything else, Sakugo-kun? This isn't a good place for idle chatter," Orochimaru reminded him.

He felt that Jiraiya wouldn't give up so easily.

If we don't leave now, we'll be entangled.