Chapter 10: The Hokage's Doubt
On the inside, Takahashi wasn't as calm as he looked. When Orochimaru's neck stretched toward him, his heart had skipped a beat. He knew exactly what would happen if that bite landed.
He had to focus 120%. Blocking the attack wasn't simple.
Everyone knew Orochimaru's neck was unnaturally flexible, and his attacks were unpredictable. In that split second, Takahashi's mind raced, simulating all the possible ways the attack could come. With both hands, he instantly blocked every possible angle.
That was why Orochimaru had been so surprised.
This kind of predictive skill was something even the Sharingan struggled with. Otherwise, Sasuke wouldn't have been tricked and bitten back in the day.
It was all thanks to the Super-Soldier Serum. It had given him powerful mental processing speed and predictive ability. The serum seemed to grant him vast combat experience, turning him from a rookie into a seasoned fighter in an instant.
His nerves still needed to get used to it—that would only come from more real fights. But even so, the rich fighting instincts it gave him made his subconscious reactions incredibly fast.
After that attack, no one dared to stay. Who knew what other monsters might show up if they went back to sleep? It was better to travel through the night and get back to the safety of Konoha as soon as possible.
No one objected. The moon was full and the sky was clear. It was perfect weather for a night journey.
On the other side, Orochimaru and his followers moved unhurriedly through the forest. They knew these lands well.
Orochimaru was still thinking about Takahashi's perfect body. His own organs were snake-like, and his senses didn't rely on sight. Through his unique perception, he could feel the condition of another's body. It wasn't 100% accurate, but it was close.
It was a body that surpassed the Uchiha and the Hyuga. And when Takahashi blocked him, there were no hand seals—it was pure taijutsu. What kind of physique was needed to achieve that? And that reaction speed, to make the right judgment in a split second and block his attack path... that precise judgment was something even Orochimaru himself might not be able to match.
A fanatical light burned in his eyes. Jirobo, walking beside him, didn't understand.
"Lord Orochimaru, is that boy really worth your attention? He seemed very ordinary to me. He doesn't even have a Kekkei Genkai. He's not even close to Kimimaro."
Tayuya had the same doubt, but she didn't voice it. She trusted Orochimaru completely. The master had his reasons.
Orochimaru was in a good mood, so he decided to explain a little. "What do you know? You can't judge things just by their surface. There is much in this world you don't understand. That boy... his body surpasses the limits of any bloodline limit."
His two followers were shocked. That kid?
Seeing their stunned faces, Orochimaru's smile grew even more sinister. "Just wait. I will have that body. I will become the ultimate being. And then I will return to Konoha in my most perfect form."
Hearing that hellish voice, the two shivered. They knelt, sweat dripping from their faces, making their presence in the dark forest even more unsettling.
Meanwhile, Might Guy's team pushed on through the night. They reached Konoha as fast as they could. Seeing the village gates, they all let out a sigh of relief. This mission had been too dangerous. A simple C-rank had suddenly turned into an A-rank nightmare. They hoped this wouldn't happen again; it was too hard on the nerves.
As soon as they returned, Guy told them to disband and go home to rest. They were to report back to the academy in three days to continue training.
Even ninja needed to relax. If they didn't, their spirits would break. Guys like Jiraiya writing his books... it was all a way to unwind.
Might Guy didn't rest. He went straight to the Hokage's office to report. He wanted to see what the Hokage would say this time.
But even if the Hokage wanted to take his student away, he wouldn't allow it.
Knock. Knock. Knock.
"Come in." The Third Hokage's slightly aged voice came from the room.
"Lord Hokage," Guy began. "The mission is complete. But the situation was strange. The enemy wasn't a C-rank threat as reported. It was a powerful team of five jonin and four chunin. The mission level was easily A-rank."
The Third Hokage stopped what he was doing and looked up, surprised. "What? How could the intelligence be so wrong? That rarely happens. What were your casualties? How many survived?"
His tone was heavy. Facing such a team, he wouldn't be surprised if only Guy had made it back alive.
"Five," Guy answered.
"Oh, five... that's a pity... Wait, what did you say?" The Hokage leaned forward. "I remember there are only five people in your team. Are you saying... zero casualties?"
Might Guy nodded, a proud smile on his face. "That's correct. Zero casualties. No one died. No one was even seriously injured."
The Third Hokage was taken aback. "And the enemy?"
"Four jonin and four chunin confirmed dead. The enemy captain was killed. One escaped."
"This is impossible," the Third Hokage said immediately. "If they sent a team strong enough to fool our intelligence, they were well-prepared. How could your team come back completely unscathed?"
Now Guy's face was beaming with pride. "That is thanks to one of my students: Takahashi. He single-handedly took down three of the jonin and two of the chunin."
The Third Hokage's mouth fell open. Had he heard that right? Was this kid the second coming of Minato?
No, not even Minato was that capable at his age. He had dismissed Guy's first report as a joke. But he couldn't dismiss a second one. Guy wasn't a man who joked about these things.
Now, he felt a genuine interest in this boy.
"Is that so?" the Hokage said, leaning back. "Since you speak so highly of your student, bring him to me. Let me have a look at him. This old man may not be able to teach him much, but I am still confident in my knowledge of ninjutsu."
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