In Orochimaru's mental world. Watching the blood blisters swelling and growing larger across his body, Orochimaru's expression was exceptionally ferocious.
It was these blisters that bound him, stripping away control over his body.
He was fully aware that his body was being manipulated to raise a kunai toward his own throat, yet, trapped by the genjutsu, he was powerless to resist.
Such a humiliating predicament reminded him of his earlier encounter with Uchiha Itachi.
He, a renowned figure who had earned the title of one of the 'Three Shinobi' in the shinobi world, had been defeated by an Uchiha not even fifteen years old.
And that Uchiha hadn't even used his full strength.
Now, another Akatsuki member, another seemingly young opponent, had effortlessly subdued him with genjutsu.
That moment then was exactly like this moment now! "Damn it!"
Orochimaru was utterly humiliated.
Ido, meanwhile, strolled through Orochimaru's mental world with a casual air, as if she were touring some scenic spot.
Unlike others, Orochimaru's mental world was a fleshy expanse. Everywhere she looked, there were writhing masses of flesh, resembling some enormous digestive tract.
Most people would feel unease in such a space, but Ido was clearly not most people. While controlling Orochimaru to end himself, she explored with keen interest.
Outside the mental world.
The kunai in Orochimaru's hand was mere centimeters from his throat. Despite his desperate struggle against the genjutsu, his trembling hand still inched the blade closer.
Clang! At that moment, a kunai shot through the air, knocking the weapon from Orochimaru's grip, averting the crisis.
Yakushi Kabuto landed beside Orochimaru, swiftly completing hand signs before pressing his hands to Orochimaru's forehead, shouting, "Release!"
Instantly, Orochimaru's dazed expression cleared.
He staggered a few steps, his face grim: "Damn it, damn it!"
This was the second time Kabuto had seen Orochimaru so frantic. He quickly asked, "Lord Orochimaru, are you alright?"
"Move, that one's still nearby!"
Despite his burning rage, Orochimaru's wariness of the mysterious Akatsuki member prompted him to retreat.
Kabuto didn't hesitate, supporting Orochimaru as he activated the Body Flicker Technique. With a whoosh, they vanished from the scene.
Swish! Moments after Kabuto and Orochimaru fled, Kakashi arrived at their former position.
Soon after, two more gusts of wind signaled the arrival of Shizune and Sasuke from the outer perimeter.
"Yakushi Kabuto was working for Orochimaru? Damn it, we've been played!"
Shizune was both shocked and furious.
It was clear now.
The moment she saw Kabuto appear to rescue Orochimaru, everything clicked.
This trap had been set when Kabuto infiltrated the medical team, all designed to lure Uchiha Shinji out of the village.
The problem was that Orochimaru had long since defected. Whether it was planting Kabuto in the medical team, assigning a mission to Kurama Murakumo, or leaking news of Kurama Murakumo's peril to the Kurama clan, none of these were things he could easily orchestrate. There had to be an accomplice within the village, and their status was likely significant.
Sasuke, pushing his Sharingan to its limits, scanned the now-silent sea of trees around them, anxiously asking, "Where's Uchiha Shinji?"
Kakashi shook his head.
Though he was the first to arrive, he found no trace of Uchiha Shinji. Not only her, but even the spiritual form of the mysterious Akatsuki member who attacked Orochimaru was nowhere to be found.
Shizune, after searching fruitlessly, grew frantic: "What do we do now?"
Kakashi pondered for a moment before saying, "Uchiha Shinji was likely taken by the Akatsuki member who attacked Orochimaru."
Sasuke nodded: "Yeah, I saw it too. The moment that Akatsuki member appeared, Uchiha Shinji vanished, like…"
He hesitated, struggling to find the right words.
But Kakashi, familiar with the Fourth Hokage's 'Flying Thunder God Technique,' recognized the phenomenon. His expression grew grave: "If I'm not mistaken, what they used was a 'Space-Time Ninjutsu.'"
"Space-Time Ninjutsu?" Sasuke paused, then nodded. "Yes, that's it! Uchiha Shinji disappeared in an instant. My Sharingan couldn't be wrong!"
Shizune's face twisted with regret: "I never imagined Akatsuki was after Uchiha Shinji too!"
Kakashi's expression darkened further.
He knew all too well what being taken by Akatsuki meant.
Uchiha Shinji's meteoric rise in the shinobi academy had given him hope for the village's next generation, but now that hope was snuffed out before his eyes.
Sasuke clenched his fists, gritting his teeth: "Damn it!"
Shizune glanced into the distance, where intermittent booms still echoed from Tsunade's battlefield with Scorpion and Deidara, indicating her ongoing clash with the two Akatsuki members.
The thought of Uchiha Shinji being abducted by Akatsuki filled Shizune with guilt: "How am I supposed to explain this to Lady Tsunade?"
Elsewhere.
Orochimaru and Kabuto were fleeing at full speed, covering vast distances in mere moments, far from the battlefield.
Kabuto asked, "Lord Orochimaru, is the enemy still following us?"
"Likely!"
Orochimaru didn't look back, knowing it would be futile. Spiritual forms were unique, and visual observation wasn't reliable.
In fact, Orochimaru's hunch was correct.
Ido, like a playful child who'd found an amusing toy, was leisurely trailing Orochimaru and Kabuto.
The nature of her spiritual form granted her exceptional stealth.
At that moment, she had suppressed her spiritual form's chakra to the bare minimum, rendering it invisible to the naked eye.
In this state, only a highly skilled sensory shinobi or those with dojutsu like the Byakugan or Hogan, capable of piercing vision, could detect her. Ordinary shinobi stood no chance.
Of course, in this state, she couldn't use ninjutsu or genjutsu. Essentially, she could only drift like a phantom.
This was precisely what puzzled Orochimaru.
He could faintly sense Ido trailing him, but with her spiritual form carrying so little chakra, he couldn't fathom what she hoped to achieve by following.
After all, spiritual forms couldn't continuously generate chakra. Whatever chakra they had when they left the body was all they could use, depleting with every action. To replenish it, they had to return to the physical body and refine more chakra.