The thick, milky-white beam of dust escape light struck the spot where Orochimaru and Kushina had just stood, silently. The two had retreated in time and naturally sustained no injuries.
However, Roshi, who had just had the Four-Tails extracted from him, was not so lucky. As the white light dissipated, a bottomless, smooth circular pit appeared in the ground. Roshi's figure seemed to have evaporated into thin air, vanishing completely.
Failing to eliminate the enemy in one blow, a cold glint flashed in Onoki's eyes as he stared intently at Orochimaru, who was leisurely sealing the Four-Tails into a scroll.
"To snatch an Akatsuki beast from the Hidden Stone village right before my eyes, Orochimaru, you have quite the audacity!"
Onoki showed no sign of being a sneak attacker, and was the first to speak, questioning Orochimaru.
A killing intent surged within Orochimaru, yet his face remained placid, revealing no emotion. He slowly sealed the cooperating Four-Tails into a scroll, then casually tucked the scroll into his embrace. Only then did he look up at Onoki.
"As expected of Elder Two-Tailed Scales. To prevent the ninja world from finding evidence of the Hidden Stone village breaking ninja rules and wantonly slaughtering civilians, you're even willing to abandon your own village's Four-Tails Jinchuriki!"
"As a junior, my admiration for Elder Two-Tailed Scales is beyond words!"
Onoki's old face instantly darkened.
Orochimaru's sudden appearance had disrupted all his plans. Not only had Roshi's plan to release the Tailed Beast seal failed, but even his own life had been lost.
Being discovered by the Leaf village, and not immediately fleeing or killing all witnesses, Roshi's death was perhaps acceptable.
But Orochimaru sealing the Four-Tails of the Hidden Stone village right before his eyes made Onoki unable to sit still.
Disregarding his village's losses, Onoki shifted the focus of his words, speaking from the position of a victim and condemning Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, the Hidden Stone village came here under my personal leadership only after receiving a plea for help from the priestess of the Land of Demons."
"As for your help in eliminating the rogue Four-Tails Jinchuriki for the Hidden Stone village, the entire Hidden Stone village expresses its deepest gratitude."
"However, the Four-Tails is ultimately the property of the Hidden Stone village. Sealing the Four-Tails right before my eyes..."
"Orochimaru, isn't your action a bit too excessive?"
Onoki's speech had clarified to Orochimaru why his title of Two-Tailed Scales was well-deserved. Not only had he absolved the Hidden Stone village of the crimes of slaughtering civilians and violating ninja code, but he had also placed the blame of stealing another village's Tailed Beast squarely on Orochimaru's head.
As for Roshi bearing the label of a rogue ninja after his death...
For the sake of the village, he would forgive him, right?
Onoki thought to himself.
The children had never witnessed such shamelessness from adults before. The Hokage of a village, openly lying in front of witnesses, was utterly astonished by Onoki's political machinations.
Kushina, in particular, couldn't control her temper. Puffing out her chest, she was about to step forward to argue with the shameless old man.
"Old man, you..."
Orochimaru reached out and stopped the impulsive Kushina, shaking his head slightly and signaling that he would handle it.
Kushina stomped her foot resentfully, shot Onoki an angry look, and ran back to her companions for comfort.
"Rogue ninja?"
Orochimaru glanced playfully at the smooth, deep pit where Roshi had disappeared and then looked coldly at Onoki.
"If I hadn't dodged that Dust Release attack just now, would His Excellency the Tsuchikage perhaps have a different story to tell?"
Onoki slowly lowered his altitude, shaking his head with a serious expression.
"I have lived a long life, and as the Third Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone village, I haven't been in action much recently. When releasing jutsu, it's inevitable that my aim might be slightly off."
"Orochimaru, as one of the Legendary Sannin of the Leaf, you should be able to understand the difficulties of an old man, right?"
"But speaking of which, being able to dodge my Dust Release attack, Orochimaru, you truly live up to the title bestowed upon you by the 'Half-God' of the ninja world as a strong individual of the new generation."
"I acknowledge you!"
Onoki had indeed lowered his flight altitude, but his posture became even more imposing than before.
"Return the Four-Tails of the Hidden Stone village to me. I promise that I will send someone to the Leaf village later to deliver the reward for your help in eliminating this rogue ninja!"
A cold glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, and the cyan light surrounding his body slowly intensified.
"The last old man who looked down on me, made me look up, and wanted to take what was mine..."
"His strength was far greater than yours!"
"But she now..."
"Doesn't even have the right to rest her soul in the afterlife!"
"Onoki, if you don't want the Tsuchikage of the Hidden Stone village to pass to a fourth generation today, you'd better put away that expression of yours!"
"Otherwise..."
As Orochimaru spoke, his body, without any visible movement, simply floated into the air.
Seeing that Orochimaru possessed the same flying ability as himself, Onoki's pupils contracted sharply.
The threatening words Orochimaru had spoken, combined with his reaction speed in dodging the Dust Release sneak attack and his current display, made Onoki's vigilance towards Orochimaru rise to an unprecedented level.
"It's not the Earth Style: Super Weighted Rock Technique!"
"To be able to fly through his own power, this junior's strength..."
Having lost the advantage of air superiority, and with Orochimaru's reaction speed, Dust Release didn't seem likely to hit him.
Onoki weighed the situation and, with some reluctance, lowered his stance slightly.
"I never imagined your strength had reached this level. That old man Hiruzen Sarutobi is truly lucky!"
"However..."
Onoki said with genuine emotion, then his tone shifted:
"Orochimaru, Tailed Beasts are one of the most important strategic forces for each village. As the designated next Hokage of the Leaf, you should understand the significance of the Four-Tails to the Hidden Stone village."
"Return the Four-Tails to me, and I can make the decision that the Hidden Stone village will sign a defensive alliance agreement with the Leaf."
"After all, the Hidden Stone and the Leaf have no irreconcilable hatred, do they?"
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow, looking at Onoki with a half-smile, and shook his head slightly.
"Oh?"
"The Four-Tails Jinchuriki of the Hidden Stone village committed such heinous acts in the Land of Demons, even affecting the seal that the priestesses of the Land of Demons have guarded for a thousand years."
"You use the words 'rogue ninja' to absolve the Hidden Stone from this matter, and now you want to reclaim my spoils of war..."
"Onoki, are you perhaps too clever, treating everyone in the ninja world as a fool?"
"An alliance with the Leaf?"
"Do you... deserve it?"
As Orochimaru's sharp words fell, the sage mode chakra around him surged. The Sora no Tachi at his sleeve slowly extended, its tip pointing directly at Onoki's heart.
Fierce power instantly swept through the entire area, and a biting killing intent erupted.
"From today onwards, the Four-Tails belongs to the Leaf!"
"Get back to the Hidden Stone village. If you dare say another word of nonsense..."
"Die!"