MTLNOVEL Chapter 65: Chapter 65
Life is full of surprises.
Sometimes, just when you need something most, it appears in front of you. Whether or not you accept it—well, that's your choice.
Sasuke stood in the corner of his hospital room, curtains drawn to block out the last remnants of twilight. The dim light traced shadows across the floor, as if echoing the conflict in his heart. He stared silently at the four strangers before him, still unsure.
Should I trust these people? Should I believe what they say about the legendary Orochimaru?
Five minutes earlier.
These four had disguised themselves as medical staff and slipped into his room without attracting attention. They quickly revealed themselves as subordinates of Orochimaru, one of the fabled Three Legendary Sannin. Their leader, a red-haired girl with a sharp tongue and sharper eyes, introduced herself as Tayuya. She claimed Orochimaru had taken an interest in Sasuke's talent—and wanted to offer him power.
Real power.
"So, Uchiha Sasuke, have you made your decision?" Tayuya asked now, her tone impatient. "Even the Kazekage of the Sand Village and your own Hokage were killed by Lord Orochimaru. Isn't that enough proof? It's an honor to be chosen by him. What are you still hesitating for?"
The pressure she emitted while using her curse mark was suffocating. Sasuke could still feel it crawling beneath his skin, and it unsettled him. But that same pressure was also tempting.
If I go with them... will I get that curse mark too?
Will I finally be strong enough?
Can I surpass Naruto?
He narrowed his eyes and asked in a quiet voice, "Did Naruto join you?"
Tayuya blinked in confusion. "What? Naruto? We're here for you."
Sasuke raised an eyebrow. "You're looking for geniuses... and you didn't even consider Naruto?"
"Who the hell is Naruto?" Tayuya asked flatly.
At that moment, Sasuke knew.
You don't even know who Naruto is?
Then everything you've said so far is a joke.
So you're just here to trick me… probably for my Sharingan.
Sasuke calmly walked over to the window, opened the curtains, and let the light in. The others tensed.
"What are you doing?" Tayuya asked, wary now.
Sasuke turned back and said, "You make an appealing offer. I admit, I want power. Desperately. But if someone really came to me for my qualifications... they'd go to Naruto first."
Then, with no warning, Sasuke flung the window open, jumped onto the ledge, and shouted as loud as he could:
"HELP! The people who killed the Hokage are in here!"
His voice echoed through the hospital corridor. All the guards in the area—Chunin and Special Jonin—heard it immediately and began rushing toward the ward.
Inside the room, the Sound Four stood frozen.
Wait, what?
Wasn't Sasuke supposed to be desperate for power? Hadn't Lord Orochimaru said he'd definitely agree?
What the hell just happened?
They didn't have time to process. With the Konoha ninja closing in fast, they bolted out of the room and leapt from the building.
Glass shattered in every direction—Ward 404 was a wreck.
Outside, the squad of pursuing ninja couldn't keep up with their speed.
But one person did.
High above, a Root shinobi stood still, unmoving. He hadn't made any effort to stop the intruders. He lifted his radio to his mouth and spoke.
"Lord Danzo. Uchiha Sasuke refused Orochimaru's offer."
On the other end, in a dark, windowless room, Danzo sat quietly on a futon. His old, scarred face remained expressionless as he listened.
After a moment of silence, he muttered, "Then it's not our fault. Orochimaru simply isn't persuasive enough."
He slowly opened his one remaining eye and stared into the darkness, gripping the radio tightly—then suddenly hurled it across the room.
"I finally got Hiruzen killed… and Jiraiya just had to show up out of nowhere. These fools will lead Konoha to ruin."
At today's emergency meeting, Danzo had petitioned to be named interim Hokage.
But Jiraiya had blocked him outright, stating he'd find Tsunade to take the role instead.
Danzo wasn't even allowed to hold power for a single day.
Far outside the village, the Sound Four were still fleeing.
"Haha! These Konoha ninja are so damn slow!" Kidomaru cackled. "They can't even keep up!"
"They're weaklings," Sakon scoffed. "I don't get why Lord Orochimaru is so obsessed with that Uchiha brat."
"Seriously," Jirobo growled, slamming his fist into a tree as he ran. "Sasuke nearly screwed us. If I see him again, I'll kill him myself."
But Tayuya was still frowning, something bothering her.
"We're not done," she said sharply. "When we report back, we need to tell Lord Orochimaru about that Naruto kid. Sasuke mentioned him more than once. I don't like it."
"Pfft, who cares?" Kidomaru spat. "Naruto or Birdman or whoever—if he shows up, I'll kill him on the spot."
The other three didn't argue.
They were Orochimaru's elite. They feared no one.
That is, until—
"If you want to kill me,"
"—now's your chance."
The voice came from Kidomaru's left. He turned—
And there stood a blond-haired boy with piercing blue eyes, smiling calmly.
When—!?
He hadn't sensed him at all. Not a single chakra fluctuation. Not even a sound.
And he would never get a second chance.
"Odama Rasengan."
A massive sphere of chakra erupted in Naruto's hand, glowing with violent energy, fueled by the Nine-Tails' power.
Before Kidomaru could react, the Rasengan smashed directly into his face—shattering his skull in a flash of red mist.
He died without making a sound.
The others screamed and scattered in panic, chakra bursting from their curse marks as they landed hard in the dirt below.
Tayuya activated her seal immediately, black lines spreading across her skin as she glared up.
"You're Naruto?"
Naruto didn't answer. He just looked down at them with a faint smile and spoke in a cold voice:
"You ruined my plan."
"So tell me—how do you want to die?"
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