Habara felt that the current Orochimaru probably hadn't yet realized what elements stituted the "ultimate secret" of the ninja world. However, this brilliant disciple of the Third Hokage had already unsciously begun to collect these elements.

  This was actually very natural. Wood Release was very strong, the ventional means by which the First Hokage domihe ninja world, so Orochimaru wao research Wood Release. He discovered special individuals who could use natural energy and uood the reality of Sage Mode, so Orochimaru wao researatural energy.

  As for the three great dojutsu, the first, Byakugan, didn't i Orochimaru. The sed, he temporarily didn't uand the Mangekyo Sharingan, and without seeing Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru wasn't very ed about the Sharingaher. The third, the Rinnegan, was currently just a legendary thing.

  Things that ordinary ninjas couldn't tou their entire lives, for a high-end pyer like Orochimaru, were basically within reach with a little effort. However, although Orochimaru's first tact was with the "Tattoo Era," he would eventually yearn for the "Colored tact Lens Era."

  So now the key question was, who had "Koh," or rather, Yamato/Tenzo?

  No, it didn't really matter who had him. As long as Orochimaru uood that Wood Release was feasible and replicable, it was enough, because he had essentially mastered the method of using Hashirama's cells. If the experiment could succeed o could succeed a sed time. Just like after the experiment on Habara succeeded, Orochimaru didn't care at all about letting him go.

  For Orochimaru, everything was illusory; only knowledge was real.

  Habara thought to himself that he might very well see a "version-upgraded" Orochimaru. But not necessarily, what if Orochimaru discarded things like Wood Release and Sage Mode like worn-out shoes? It wasirely impossible, right?

  After quickly looking through the tents of this scroll, Habara rolled it up again, and then put away all the valuable things... This wasn't a library or a reading room, but a duhat hadn't been cleared of danger. No matter how bold Habara was, he couldn't do any reading or research here.

  Acc to Hotaru's pn, if Habara could successfully obtaihings, he should hand them over to Konoha and gain some bes. Because ordinary people could hardly uand what Orochimaru to, and even if they could uand the meaning of these things, they would choose to report him because Orochimaru was doing something too big.

  However, Habara wasn't an ordinary person. Sihese materials had corresponding value, he would definitely keep them.

  After obtaining the things hidden at the map's marked location, Habara didn't search for anything else in this underground space, because he believed in the professionalism of the Anbu ninjas – any useful items would have been taken away long ago.

  All in all, it was a successful exploration. Then Habara began to return along the inal path. At this time, it was about eight or nine o'clo the evening. His a time was retively early, because he felt that if it was too te, he would be more spicuous ag alone, and at this time there were still quite a few pedestrians oreets.

  Tap, tap, tap. The clear light scattered, shadows swayed, and footsteps echoed. For a moment, Habara had the illusion that he atrolling here like Orochimaru.

  And at this moment, just as Habara's right foot nded and his left foot hadn't yet lifted, an arm suddenly emerged from the ground below. Before Habara could react, in the blink of an eye, only his head remained above ground...

  His entire body below his head was buried in the ground.

  Earth Release: Earth-Style Decapitation Teique. The characteristics of this teique were very obvious, because a certain copy-ninja used it frequently.

  g! The oil mp Habara was holding was dropped to the ground. It shattered easily, and fmes spread with the spilled oil.

  A ninja, pletely covered in clothing and wearing a face paint mask, appeared in front of Habara.

  In the blink of an eye, Habara had been captured. In a sehis was the biggest crisis he had faced since Orochimaru's experiment, because the entire vilge of Konoha might bee his enemy.

  Habara thought he was being very cautious. He had waited a long time before returning to this underground space. He hadn't expected that choosing this pce would still be under surveilnce.

  In this narrow passage, Habara had bee a fish on a chopping board.

  "Answer my question. Who are you? Why did you e here?"

  The ninja asked Habara in an incredibly cold voice.

  "Anbu? Root?" Habara asked, while simultaneously trating his chakra throughout his body.

  Judging solely from the style of the mask, this ninja was more likely to be from Root, because Anbu ninja masks were mostly animal-shaped and particurly simple in design. This could still be distinguished from Root, but such things couldn't be definitively stated.

  "Answer my question."

  Habara's answer wasn't standard, so the ninja didn't hesitate to kick Habara's head directly!

  Bang!

  A loud sound echoed in the passage. Habara's wisted exaggeratedly to one side... One could only hope that the national football team could have this kind of kig power.

  This person was really ruthless.

  Fortunately, Habara didn't io be polite to him either.

  Huh?

  The ninja hadn't had time to retract his foot wheiced something unusual, because the feeling just now wasn't like kig flesh and blood, but like kig an iron pte... Okay, not "like." He looked down and saw that half of Habara's fad one side of his shoulder, buried in the soil, were covered by a yer of something bck.

  Then, a standard small sphere with a silvery metallic luster appeared in front of him.

  "Shit..."

  This ninja realized something was wrong, but Habara's attack was far faster than his movements. He could only instinctively raise his arms and cross them in front of his body. However, this simple defense was pletely iive.

  Secret Teique: Mercury Lamp!

  In this narrow enviro, there was no way for the eo avoid su attack range.

  tless sharp threads burst out instantly, and then the "Mercury Lamp" rotated a full circle under Habara's trol. Now that ninja was pletely beynition.

  Habara's peculiarity was that he didn't need seals to unch attacks, or even his hands a. Normally, who would have thought of that?

  "Whether you're an Anbu ninja or a Root ninja, you should have killed me immediately, instead to get information." Habara wasn't pretending. He was genuinely shaken. At this moment, his heart rate was incredibly fast.

  This enemy was silent wheed. If his first strike had been a killing blow, Habara wouldn't have been able to avoid it.

  Unfortunately, there were no ifs.

  Driven by the "sword box" on his back, he slowly arched out of the ground like an in, leaving only a rge hole in the ground.

  Habara reached out and squeezed his , feeling that his jaw was a little loose, and at the same time, blood flowed from his mouth. But he closed his mouth tightly, enduring the bloody taste and swallowing the blood.

  He wouldn't leave his blood at the se.

  Then he collected the mercury ball again, and without toug the corpse, he quickly left... He tried his best not to leave any traces.

  In just a few months, Habara's way of doing things had ged signifitly. On the one hand, he was indeed a little numb, and oher hand, Izayo's matter had also had a certain impact. In short...

  Even if the enemy was a legitimate Konoha ninja, Habara didn't hesitate to kill.