Ch-28 The Shadow Guards' Secret Strengths

At this time in the Kazekage office.

As Rosa walked into the room, his eyes immediately focused on the sight of an unfamiliar figure occupying his chair. With a sense of irritation and indignation brewing within him, he spoke up with a displeased tone, asking the individual, "Excuse me, but may I ask what you are doing sitting in my chair?"

The sound of a voice, laced with a hint of femininity, carried through the air as a man emerged from the shadows. He spoke with a teasing tone, a hint of amusement audible in his voice, "Why is it that the Kage of every village seems to be so possessive of their seats?" His tongue flicked over his lips, as if savoring the taste of the words he had just spoken.

Rosa was startled to see Orochimaru but then his voice boomed out, heavy with anger and frustration as he addressed Orochimaru. He demanded an explanation, "Orochimaru, why did you choose to reveal yourself now? We had an agreement that you would only make your presence known during the Chunin exam, did we not?" The weight of his words hung heavy in the air, as he waited for a response from the notorious Sannin.

Orochimaru's voice was calm and measured as he replied to Rosa's accusations. He explained, "I understand our agreement, but I stumbled upon a group of individuals who caught my interest. I had no intention of revealing myself, but I simply couldn't resist the opportunity to observe them further."

Rosa's tone was incredulous as he asked Orochimaru for clarification. "Interesting guys? What exactly do you mean by that? And forgive me for asking, but you're a Sannin, how is it possible that you weren't able to defeat them?" His words were laden with disbelief, as if he couldn't fathom how someone as powerful as Orochimaru and he had fought him during third Ninja world war so he was surprised as how could Orochimaru have been bested by anyone.

Orochimaru's response was composed and measured, as he sought to explain his encounter with the group of individuals that had piqued his interest. "To clarify, I was merely testing their capabilities and didn't employ my full strength. However, I must admit that their coordination was almost flawless, and had they possessed more combat experience, the outcome may have been different. It's not that they were weak, but rather that their potential for growth is remarkable."

Rosa was taken aback by Orochimaru's words. He was well aware of the Sannin's incredible power and knew that if Orochimaru found these individuals to be of interest, then they must possess a unique set of skills or abilities. Rosa pondered the matter carefully, realizing that it was not something to be taken lightly. Despite the potential danger, he couldn't help but feel a sense of curiosity about these individuals and what made them so fascinating to Orochimaru.

"Who are these individuals? Did you manage to catch a glimpse of them?" Rosa inquired, his curiosity getting the better of him. He couldn't help but feel a sense of intrigue about the group that had captured Orochimaru's attention.

Orochimaru shared that they are members of the Uchiha clan and possess a unique skill allowing them to move through shadows similar to the technique of space-time ninjutsu.

Rosa was taken aback by the situation. "Were those guys sent by Konoha? I had no idea," he muttered as he paced back and forth.

"If they were from Konoha, I would have been aware of it. Therefore, it's safe to say that they are not. My guess is that they originate from Uchiha Karan. It's possible that you might not be familiar with this, but Danzo went as far as sacrificing many of his root ninjas to uncover the existence of 16 individuals under his command who are just as powerful as the five generals. These elite warriors, known as the Shadow Guards, are ranked from First to Fifteenth and operate in secrecy, with nobody knowing their specific strengths or when they'll strike."

"It appears that there is a need to modify the plan to some extent," spoke Rosa.

"Alright, I shall take my leave now and communicate the necessary information to Danzo. This way, he can make the necessary preparations," Orochimaru chuckled before disappearing from the Kazekage's office in a flash.

Following Orochimaru's departure, Rosa walked over to the window of his office and gazed out in the direction where Uchiha Emiko and her team were currently situated.

"I shall never tolerate the emergence of any unstable factors that may impede the growth and bring about instability in my village," muttered Rosa under his breath.

After that, he commenced the process of formulating a meticulous plan for the upcoming Chunin exams.
.....
Simultaneously, in the very hall where Emiko, Matsuda, and Hiroshi were currently residing, a group of five shadow guards materialized.

"Have you come across something significant? It appears that you have all been in a battle," inquired Emiko as she glanced at the attire of the shadow guards.

"Indeed, we had an encounter with Orochimaru during our search and were compelled to engage in combat against him. I am convinced that there is some sort of dubious activity taking place in Sunagakure," Eleventh stated.

"If I may clarify, are you suggesting that you battled against Orochimaru and emerged from the skirmish without sustaining any injuries?" Matsuda inquired.

"To be fair, Orochimaru did not employ his full strength, and we too did not exert our complete prowess. So, yes, we did manage to withdraw from the fight unharmed," Fifteenth explained.

"In the end, we were anticipating the need to utilize our trump card, but before we could do so, a Sunagakure ninja appeared, causing both parties to retreat," Twelfth recounted.

"Consequently, it can be inferred that he possess information regarding your abilities and identity," Uchiha Emiko concluded.

"Orochimaru is really powerful and smart, so he found out some things about us after we fought him, but not everything."said Eleventh.

"Let us wait and observe their actions carefully. We may gain a better understanding of their intentions during the Chunin exams," Emiko proposed.

"Would it be advisable to dispatch one of our shadow guards to inform Master Karan of this situation?" Eleventh inquired.

"No, it is not necessary. Besides, Master Karan has already provided me with a coin, which I can utilize in case the situation spirals out of control," Uchiha Emiko explained.

As Emiko held the position of leader during this mission, her team members attentively heeded her directives and departed accordingly.

As such, time elapsed, and eventually, the day of the Chunin exams arrived.