Being a rogue ninja is worse than being Hokage.

"I thought it was Choji bringing me food."

Shikamaru, who had been busy at the Chunin Selection Examination Committee for most of the day, felt that the only thing worth being thankful for was being able to eat lunch on time during his lunch break.

He took the bento box from Ino's hand and looked at Ino and Sakura, who were excitedly whispering about something.

Shikamaru wisely chose to stay away from those two guys to avoid accidentally overhearing something he didn't want to hear.

Nara Shikamaru still sported his signature black pineapple-shaped hairstyle, but despite his constant complaints, he was well aware of his responsibilities as a Chunin.

Unlike Ino and Sakura, who were dressed in casual clothes.

Shikamaru carefully put on the Konoha Chunin vest, and the headband that represented his Konoha ninja identity was also sewn onto the side arm of the black tight-fitting long sleeve under the vest.

Shikamaru's question about Ino bringing him food remained unanswered.

Although they claimed to be visiting Shikamaru, the two girls had clearly forgotten about him.

Sure enough, women of every age have their own set of troubles.

This is so troublesome...

With that thought in mind, Shikamaru also thought of his troublesome mother and the even more troublesome Fifth Hokage.

"Oh, isn't this Yamanaka and Haruno?"

Just as Shikamaru was about to eat alone in peace, a boy dressed entirely in black, wearing a black hat with black earmuffs and purple paint around his eyes and mouth, walked out of the committee's office.

This boy was not a Konoha ninja; the Sand Village headband on his hat indicated that he was a Sand Village ninja.

"You're the one in charge of coordinating with the Chunin Exams from the Sand Village side this time, Kankuro."

Sakura nodded slightly as if to acknowledge Kankuro.

"Yes, then I won't bother you any longer. I was just about to take a rest."

Kankuro simply greeted everyone by chance and had no intention of stopping to chat. He was probably planning to find a quiet place to eat and rest alone.

Even though Konoha and Sunagakure eventually re-allyed, Kankuro and the Konoha ninjas consciously maintained the proper decorum surrounding the Fourth Kazekage's child, who had participated in the plan to destroy Konoha.

After the Konoha destruction plan, whenever Konoha and Sunagakure had a joint mission—such as the joint Chunin Exams—Kankuro was always the person in charge assigned by Sunagakure.

This was actually Sunagakure's way of showing goodwill to Konoha, indicating that Sunagakure would never again repeat the Konoha destruction plan.

Kankuro, the son of the Fourth Kazekage and the younger brother of the Fifth Kazekage, was, in a sense, a "hostage" that Sunagakure willingly handed over to Konoha.

All of this information was obtained by Sakura from her master.

Although Konoha has returned to peace, the Konoha destruction plan from three years ago still affects Konoha and Sunagakure in many ways.

"Sakura, this is not something you should be thinking about right now."

Shikamaru had been watching Sakura's reaction since Kankuro appeared. His way of comforting Sakura was different from Ino's; he was more rational and didn't care too much about whether Sakura would listen: "Thinking too much will only make you feel suffocated."

"If you really become Hokage in the future, you will only become a Hokage who holds real power, like the Fifth Hokage. The situation in Konoha and Sunagakure is different. You are also different from Temari, the Fifth Kazekage who currently holds real power under the control of Sunagakure's advisory group."

"The talent shortage in Sunagakure is the most severe among the Five Great Nations. The reason the Fifth Kazekage was able to become Kazekage is simply because, in Sunagakure, which suffers from a talent shortage, she is the only one who can command Jinchuriki—"

"Hey! Shikamaru!"

Ino quickly interrupted Shikamaru as he continued his increasingly profound speech.

Shikamaru also realized that he had spoken too much without stopping.

Ino and Shikamaru both instinctively looked at Sakura.

"I understand, thank you, Shikamaru."

Sakura simply smiled and accepted Shikamaru's advice.

Sakura's answer seemed to have quietly resolved the "crisis".

But all three of them fell silent at the same time.

--until--

"What a coincidence, Sakura is here too."

Kakashi Hatake's voice reached the ears of the three.

"Kakashi-sensei?"

Sakura called out Kakashi's name first, and was somewhat confused when she saw the silver-haired man who had suddenly appeared in front of her.

"Choji, what are you doing with Kakashi-sensei?"

Just as confused as Sakura was Choji Akimichi, who saw Kakashi coming over.

Choji is much fuller than he was when he was a child. He now has long, spiky brown hair and wears a red suit of armor with the character "食" (food) written on the front.

"We have a mission."

Kakashi replied.

"Sakura Haruno, Ino Yamanaka, and Choji Akimichi, the three of you will be immediately assigned to Kakashi's team and begin your mission."

……

"Task?"

Inside the pitch-black stone chamber.

The red-eyed boy looked at the light red-haired girl kneeling in front of him.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru said he has a mission for you, Lord Sasuke."

Tayuya, the only woman among the Sound Four, answered the boy's questions with great respect.

"Oh."

Uchiha Sasuke gave a soft snort and sheathed his Kusanagi sword.

He didn't reply and walked straight past Tayuya.

Even in such an ordinary posture, the aura emanating from Uchiha Sasuke made Tayuya feel terrified.

Chapter 25 Class Seven

Even though the distance between the wall lamps is extremely short, the light emitted by the wall lamps in the narrow, enclosed underground passage is still only enough to illuminate what is in front of you.

But for Sasuke Uchiha, who possesses the Sharingan, he can see much more clearly in dim light than ordinary people.

You will not feel that your view is obstructed as a result.

Sasuke walked unhurriedly down the narrow path.

As Sasuke swung his arms, the loose white kimono he wore, with its open chest and the red and white fan crest representing the Uchiha clan on the back of the collar, also swayed slightly.

Tayuya, who had previously been responsible for relaying the message to Sasuke, deliberately kept a step behind him, clearly indicating their hierarchy.

Tayuya was also dressed in a kimono, and both she and Sasuke had thick purple ropes tied around their waists—a very distinctive Orochi-style outfit.

"Orochimaru, you know I've been busy training—what kind of 'mission' requires you to specifically name me to carry it out?"

In the room at the end of the narrow passage, Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, was sitting weakly on the bed.

Standing beside Orochimaru's bed were three boys of similar age to Sasuke, all with thick purple ropes tied around their waists.

Sakon and Ukon, who have two heads, or rather, two brothers who share one body;

Kidomaru, with bronze skin and six arms;

Jirobo is a burly, fat man with only a small tuft of hair on his head.

as well as……

Sasuke tilted his head slightly, glancing sideways at Tayuya behind him.

The Sound Four all gathered in Orochimaru's room, and their positions subtly suggested that they would surround Sasuke.

"Don't exude such murderous aura, Sasuke. Tayuya also greatly respects your great strength."

Orochimaru spoke at the opportune moment, diverting the pressure that Sasuke was putting on Tayuya.

"So, what is the 'mission'?"

Sasuke's dark eyes were fixed on Orochimaru's forehead.

Although Orochimaru currently appears relaxed, the fine sweat on his forehead indicates that he is not in good health.

The burning of Orochimaru's soul by the Reaper Death Seal, and the rejection of Orochimaru's soul by the inferior vessel of the Undead Reincarnation.

All of this made Orochimaru extremely weak at this moment, and he was in great pain both physically and mentally.

“My informant, who I have planted outside, recently brought me some intelligence related to the Land of Fire.”

Orochimaru stuck out his long tongue. This guy truly lived up to his name; not only was he cunning, but his very body carried the habits of a venomous snake.

Sasuke's expression remained unchanged, as always.

They seemed uninterested in the information Orochimaru mentioned, simply waiting quietly for Orochimaru to finish his story.

"—It's related to 'Akatsuki'."

But Orochimaru's next words startled Sasuke slightly.

"Is it Itachi?"

Sasuke released his most genuine emotions without any concealment, and his murderous intent towards Itachi spread throughout the room.

Orochimaru could be so oblivious to Sasuke's murderous intent.

The Sound Four were all terrified by the intense killing intent emanating from Sasuke, and goosebumps rose all over their bodies.

"I'm sorry, no."

Orochimaru effortlessly restored Sasuke's usual composure.

"Recently... Yugito Nii, the Jinchuriki of the Two-Tails from Kumogakure, has suddenly disappeared."

"But not long after, news spread from the ninja black market that the bounty on this powerful female ninja who could perfectly transform into a tailed beast had been claimed."

Orochimaru patiently explained the whole story to Sasuke.

Sasuke, somewhat annoyed, urged Orochimaru, "I'm not interested in the Jinchuriki of Kumogakure. Just tell me the information about Akatsuki."

"Don't be so impatient, Sasuke, I'll tell you right away."