After handling everything, Morkel turned toward the direction where Orochimaru had fled.
"Do you really think you can run away?"
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, who had only managed to escape a short distance, was still feeling shaken.
"My connection with Manda has been severed... which means Ye Yu—no, Morkel—must have killed him."
He sighed heavily, his mind racing.
"I haven't seen him in three years, and in that time, he's grown from a mere child into a merciless killer."
A bitter smile crossed his lips.
"Good thing I ran fast, or I'd be the one lying dead right now…"
But the scientist in him wouldn't stop analyzing.
"I need to develop a drug that can counter Wood Style as soon as possible. If I can also find a way to restrict his teleportation techniques, that would be even better."
Orochimaru muttered, shaking his head in disbelief.
"This kid is too strong. Even if ten of us joined forces, we wouldn't be a match for him."
A sigh escaped him as he lamented his own situation.
"If only I had a body like his…"
Just as he finished speaking, a quiet voice suddenly whispered in his ear.
"Maybe in your next life, you'll be reborn with a body like mine."
Orochimaru's entire body stiffened. His instincts screamed danger, and he spun around in alarm—only to find Morkel standing right behind him.
For a brief moment, fear gripped him. But then, perhaps realizing that escape was impossible, he calmed himself.
With a slow, deliberate tone, Orochimaru asked, "How did you find me? I don't have your Flying Thunder God mark on me..."
Morkel shrugged, spreading his hands.
"When I hit you earlier, my chakra lingered on you. And since I'm a sensory ninja, it was easy for me to track my own chakra."
Orochimaru twitched.
"Sensory ninja, my ass!"
The thought burned in his mind.
"What kind of sensory ninja masters every escape technique?! Not to mention insane taijutsu and genjutsu skills! This guy is an all-rounder!"
Morkel reached out.
"Well, it's time for you to surrender and come back to Konoha with me to collect my reward."
Even though he knew he couldn't defeat Morkel, Orochimaru wasn't the type to give up easily.
With a sharp whoosh, a snake shot out from his mouth, revealing a shining sword—the legendary Kusanagi Sword.
Morkel raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? You've been focusing on body modifications, haven't you?"
Unfazed, Morkel pulled out Kimimaro's bone blade from his back.
Orochimaru's eyes twitched.
"This guy not only killed Kimimaro but also took his bone sword?!"
A disturbing realization settled in his mind.
"That blade… it's literally Kimimaro's arm bone! Using a dead man's bone as a weapon… isn't that terrifying?!"
With a clang, Kusanagi clashed against the bone blade.
Morkel glanced at his weapon.
There were shallow scratches on the bone blade.
That was surprising.
"Kimimaro's bones are harder than steel. Yet, this sword left a mark… Impressive."
His eyes locked onto Orochimaru's weapon.
"This ancient blade looks oddly familiar… You know what? I think I'll take it."
Orochimaru immediately sensed Morkel's intentions.
"Crap! He wants my sword!"
The Kusanagi Sword had been his trusted weapon for years. Losing it would be a disaster.
Weighing his options, Orochimaru hesitated.
"If giving up Kusanagi means I get to escape, maybe it's not such a bad trade..."
He was about to negotiate when—
"Swoosh!"
Morkel vanished, reappearing behind him in an instant.
A clean, swift slash.
"Slash!"
Orochimaru was sliced in half.
But then—his bisected body wriggled, splitting into countless tiny snakes before reassembling itself.
Morkel smirked.
"You can put yourself back together after getting cut in half? Not bad."
But he wasn't here to kill Orochimaru. Instead, he clapped his hands together.
"Wood Style: Binding Technique!"
Vines burst from the ground, wrapping tightly around Orochimaru, restricting both his movement and chakra.
Orochimaru struggled, but it was useless.
After a long moment, his expression shifted from frustration to admiration.
"You really are something, Morkel."
Morkel didn't respond. Instead, he walked up and snatched the Kusanagi Sword from Orochimaru's grip.
But the moment he touched it—
"Whoosh!"
The blade transformed into a slippery snake, almost slipping from his grasp.
Morkel reacted instantly, tightening his grip on the snake's head.
Sensing a strange connection between the weapon and Orochimaru, he frowned.
"This sword… is somehow tied to you."
Orochimaru remained silent.
With a few swift sealing techniques, Morkel forced the sword back into its proper form.
Satisfied, he sheathed the Kusanagi Sword at his waist.
With that done, he grabbed Orochimaru and teleported away using the Flying Thunder God technique.
---
Konoha Village – The Next Morning
At the village gates, Kakashi, Naruto, and Sai were preparing for their mission to Tenchi Bridge.
Kakashi frowned.
"Where's Morkel? He's never late…"
Naruto looked uncomfortable.
"Uh… about that…"
He hesitated.
If he told the truth—that Morkel had infiltrated Orochimaru's hideout alone—the village might view it as reckless insubordination.
But Morkel still hadn't returned…
After weighing his options, Naruto sighed and decided to tell Kakashi everything.
Kakashi's reaction was instant.
"WHAT?!"
"He went into Orochimaru's lair alone?! That's beyond reckless!"
---
Hokage's Office
Tsunade was deep in paperwork when Shizune entered.
"Lady Tsunade, Lord Jiraiya has left the village again."
Tsunade sighed.
"That idiot can't sit still… Akatsuki's movements must have caught his interest."
She muttered to herself.
"When he returns, I'll force him to take a break… Maybe just sit in the park and talk like normal people."
Just then—
"Whoosh!"
A figure suddenly materialized in the office.
It was Morkel—with Orochimaru bound and unconscious at his feet.
Tsunade stared in shock.
Orochimaru, looking utterly humiliated, forced an awkward smile.
"Hello again, Tsunade."
The Hokage's shock quickly turned into rage.
Her eyes flared as she pointed at Morkel.
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"
"How could you act on your own like that?!"
Morkel expected a reward for capturing Orochimaru.
Instead—
"You're grounded for three days!"
Morkel blinked.
"Wait, what?!"
Tsunade folded her arms.
"And while you're at it, copy the Konoha Ninja Code. Until you understand what you did wrong!"
Morkel was speechless.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru, despite being tied up, smirked.
"Watching this guy get scolded… is oddly satisfying."
Tsunade pointed at Orochimaru.
"What are you grinning at, traitor?!"
With a wave of her hand, she ordered the Anbu to drag Orochimaru to Konoha's top prison.
The snake Sannin's smile vanished.
"Damn that brat!"
---
Interrogation Room – Three Days Later
Orochimaru sat in the dark room, smirking as he revealed Naruto's heritage.
Hearing the truth, Naruto's chakra flared violently.
A red aura surrounded him.
His eyes turned blood-red, his pupils slit-like.
The walls shook under the pressure of his chakra.
Tsunade's eyes widened.
"Orochimaru, shut up!!"
But it was too late.
Naruto, consumed by Nine-Tails' rage, whispered:
"Why?"
Darkness filled the room.
Morkel, watching from the sidelines, remained silent.
Because for once—
He agreed with Naruto's anger.