Orochimaru showed no reaction to Tian Yuan's arrival—only that massive Tyrannosaurus Rex trailing behind him puzzled the snake-sage.
The Tyrannosaurus Rex seemed to sense their gazes and roared proudly, as if to declare its might.
Of course, the beast had no inkling that anyone here could easily defeat it, and that Orochimaru could dissect it for research.
With a dinosaur's brain, such thoughts would never occur to it.
"Tian Yuan, what is that thing?" Anko asked, staring at the Tyrannosaurus Rex in bewilderment.
Uchiha Juken had already assumed a battle stance, ready to unleash a ninjutsu on the creature at a moment's notice.
"Tian Yuan, that must be your Summoning Animal," Orochimaru said, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly.
"I just captured it not far from here. Is it impressive or not?" Tian Yuan replied. "Sensei Orochimaru, I heard you have a Summoning Animal too—shall we spar?"
"Never mind. Store your Summoning Animal away," Orochimaru shook his head.
"All right." Tian Yuan feigned disappointment and recalled the Tyrannosaurus Rex.
While the others were largely unfazed, the merchant Sasaki Tai immediately bowed with the utmost respect. A child who wielded such a terrifying Summoning Animal was not to be judged by appearance.
"By the way, Tian Yuan, what about your Pikachu Summoning Animal?" Anko asked Tian Yuan after he stowed the Tyrannosaurus.
"Pikachu is here," Tian Yuan replied.
"Why don't you release it? I want to hug it to sleep," Anko said eagerly.
Tian Yuan glanced at her. "You're sleeping?"
"All right," Anko sighed. Tian Yuan could be easy to persuade—or impossibly stubborn.
That night passed quietly, with no enemy attacks.
The next day, Orochimaru led the group onward toward the Land of Birds.
Just as they neared the border, dozens of kunai shot out from hidden positions, striking Tian Yuan and the others, embedding themselves in their bodies. Even merchant Sasaki Tai was hit.
A stray ninja watching from the shadows stared in disbelief—Konoha ninja felled so easily? They had plotted this ambush with utmost care.
"Bang, bang." As the rogue ninja grinned, the figures pierced by kunai vanished in a flash—Substitution Technique.
The rogues froze. "We've been duped!"
"Not duped—your skills are too weak," a voice said. The rogues spun to face the speaker as he advanced.
"Bang." A young ninja wearing a Konoha headband met a kunai strike head on, his confidence unwavering.
"How is this possible?" the rogue gasped. A boy this young wielding such power—could he really be one of Konoha's ninja?
Tian Yuan's eyes hardened. Power coiled in his legs, then exploded as his right leg whipped forward like a whirlwind.
"Konoha Whirlwind."
His kick struck the rogue with crushing force, sending him flying through several trees before he crashed to a halt.
As Tian Yuan closed in, the rogue winced sympathetically—then tossed another kunai. It struck the ground before Tian Yuan.
"Tainted paper—detonation tag," Tian Yuan muttered, spotting the tag burning on the kunai's shaft.
"Boom." The explosion forced Tian Yuan to halt.
The rogue smirked and formed hand seals—preparing a lethal ninjutsu to finish off the Konoha shinobi.
As he completed the final seal, a kunai slid to his throat and sliced lightly.
Blood spurted, and the rogue's eyes widened in shock. With his dying gaze, he recognized the attacker: Tian Yuan, the Konoha boy who had faced him moments before.
"Compared to other villages' rogues, these wanderers grasp opportunities well—but their ninjutsu use is poor," Tian Yuan said to the fallen man, then vanished.
The rogue was only a Genin—strong for his rank, yet utterly defeated by Tian Yuan.
Afterward, Tian Yuan saw Orochimaru and Sasaki Tai seated calmly under a tree.
"Tian Yuan, you're quick—almost no time passed," Orochimaru said with a smile.
The snake-sage's approval of Tian Yuan grew—he even considered taking him as a disciple, though such thoughts remained fleeting. Geniuses could be unwieldy.
"Were there three enemies this time?" Tian Yuan asked.
"Yes—you each faced one rogue ninja," Orochimaru nodded.
"Anko's power still needs work," Tian Yuan observed.
"I know," Orochimaru said with a knowing smile. "That's why your Pikachu quietly stayed by Anko's side."
"Sensei Orochimaru," Tian Yuan said, "if one of us couldn't handle an enemy, would you intervene?"
"Of course—I am your teacher," Orochimaru replied, his eyes gleaming.
Uchiha Juken returned next, cool and composed—he too had slain his foe. Finally, Anko arrived, looking disheveled but uninjured.
"Tian Yuan, even without Pikachu, I could've defeated my enemy," Anko said.
"Of course," Tian Yuan smiled.
"Pika—Pikachu!" Pikachu chirped excitedly at his trainer's side.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。