Chapter 154:
"Hey! Where are you going?!"
Watching as Kawaki turned to leave without so much as a backward glance, Konohamaru called out.
"Are you stupid or something? Didn't you hear that dumb pig just now? He said the Kara organization sent two Inner members. Of course I'm running."
Kawaki replied as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"If you're going to run, why not come to the Hidden Leaf Village? We'll protect you," Konohamaru suggested.
"You guys have no idea how terrifying the name 'Kara' really is."
As he spoke, a twisted expression of fear appeared on Kawaki's face.
"Then how about joining S.H.I.E.L.D.?" A sly-sounding voice called out from nearby.
"Who's there?!" Kawaki turned toward the source of the voice.
Orochimaru and Jiraiya appeared, clearly having rushed over.
Just as Orochimaru was about to deliver a string of cool, highbrow lines to show off his superiority, he was suddenly interrupted by a voice.
"Hey, Gray Wolf, don't walk so fast!"
"…"
Orochimaru fell silent. In the past, he would have already cursed Jiraiya out for being a fool, but now, no matter what, he couldn't bring himself to speak. As one of the most renowned scientists in the ninja world, Orochimaru was very aware that there was something unusual about the current relationship between his body and Jiraiya's.
In other words, the habits of Gray Wolf were beginning to influence Orochimaru himself.
This was something Orochimaru simply could not accept. But betraying S.H.I.E.L.D. because of it? That wasn't even an option. Setting aside whether it was even possible, Orochimaru wasn't willing to part with all the bizarre and fascinating research projects at S.H.I.E.L.D.
The only reason he left Umbrella's underground lab this time was to find a way to resolve this issue.
Orochimaru was no shut-in mad scientist. He often went out to manipulate people, recruit kids to be his subordinates, and gather intelligence.
So he did know a bit about Kara.
Not much, but enough to know about "Vessel."
To gain the power of the Ōtsutsuki was also to risk being possessed by them—always in danger of being taken over and replaced.
Orochimaru was like the Ōtsutsuki, and Gray Wolf was like the Vessel who had gained Ōtsutsuki power. While Orochimaru was still in control for now, Gray Wolf's habits were slowly bleeding into him. Eventually, Orochimaru might not even be able to tell whether he was still Orochimaru—or had become Gray Wolf.
Since the Ōtsutsuki Clan considered themselves gods of the ninja world, they probably had extensive research on possession. That was what Orochimaru hoped to study.
Diligent and studious Orochimaru.
Sneaky and slippery Jiraiya.
"Who are you two?!"
Kawaki eyed the two suddenly-appearing wolves warily. He'd only just escaped from Kara and wasn't about to trust anyone so easily.
"Gray Wolf of S.H.I.E.L.D.," said Orochimaru.
"Red Wolf of S.H.I.E.L.D.," said Jiraiya.
"Be careful! These two are members of S.H.I.E.L.D.!" Sarada shouted in warning.
Even as she spoke, Orochimaru made the first move.
Gray Wolf flicked his small hand, sending out a swarm of snakes that slithered toward Kawaki.
Because she had to stay with the injured Konohamaru, Sarada couldn't assist in the fight. She could only watch anxiously as Kawaki battled Gray Wolf, silently praying that Shuyu and Boruto would arrive soon.
"You're really strong, huh." Orochimaru tried to lick his lips in his usual creepy fashion but could only manage the corner of his mouth due to a short tongue. After using Kawaki's strength to create distance, he spoke.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya didn't go help Orochimaru. Instead, he sneakily picked Sarada and Konohamaru as his targets.
"Toad Oil Bullet!"
"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"
He led with two jutsu without any preamble, making them easy for Sarada and Konohamaru to dodge.
Sarada activated her crimson Sharingan and threw a smoke bomb at her own feet.
The white smoke obscured her and Konohamaru from view.
Jiraiya didn't rush into the smoke but calmly waited for it to clear.
Just as the smoke began to thin, two spinning shuriken flew out—one ahead of the other—approaching Jiraiya from the left and right.
The instinctive reaction of a typical ninja in this situation would be to knock the first one aside, then the second.
But that was a trap!
As Jiraiya struck down the first shuriken from the left with his left hand, the second one on the right suddenly transformed into Konohamaru, who had a Rasengan ready in his hand.
Jiraiya, ever cautious, had kept one hand free—his right hand ready to cast a jutsu.
And he just happened to know a no-hand-sign version.
"Rasengan!"
"What?!" The two Rasengans collided, and Konohamaru's face showed his shock. "You can use Rasengan too?! Who are you really?!"
"Looks like you've still got a long way to go, Konohamaru."
Even though Jiraiya's Rasengan clearly overpowered Konohamaru's and sent him flying, he didn't press the advantage and attack further.
While fighting Orochimaru, Kawaki had also been watching the battle on Jiraiya's side.
"What's your relationship with Kara?!" Kawaki widened the distance again and turned toward Red Wolf. "What's your relationship with Koji Kashin?!"
"Koji… Kashin? Who's that?"
Of course Jiraiya didn't know who that was.
"I am Koji Kashin."
A giant toad descended from the sky, with Koji Kashin standing atop its head. Beside him was a woman—another Inner member of Kara, Delta.
From the moment he arrived, Koji Kashin had noticed Red Wolf. Not because of her seductive figure, but because she gave off a strange sense of familiarity.
Orochimaru grew irritated, though his voice remained cold. "What exactly are you staring at?"
"My bad, my bad."
Just from their codenames and appearances, Koji Kashin instinctively assumed Gray Wolf and Red Wolf were a couple.
Staring at another man's partner was bound to cause friction.
"Well, well. The ever-unflappable Koji Kashin actually looks troubled for once. How rare. Don't tell me you've fallen for that she-wolf?" Delta smirked at Koji Kashin, then turned her gaze to Red Wolf.
"It just felt familiar, that's all," Koji replied calmly, not angered by her jab.
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