Naruto carefully stored away the Summoning Contract Scroll he had just swindled from Orochimaru.
Ryūchi Cave Summoning Scroll: Acquired.
Naruto wasn't particularly interested in the Summoning Beasts of the Three Great Sage Regions. He had obtained the scroll to give to Sasuke. What he was truly curious about was the Sage Mode practiced in those sacred lands.
He wanted to figure out whether there was a connection between Sage Mode and Ki.
A hunch tugged at Naruto's mind—if he could uncover this secret, perhaps his strength could reach a whole new level.
---
First Exam Location.
"I'm the proctor for the second phase of the exam, Mitarashi Anko. Everyone who passed, follow me."
As soon as Ibiki Morino announced the end of the first test, Mitarashi Anko came crashing through the window, exuding an overwhelming presence that instantly silenced the room full of Genin.
At this stage, Anko was still extremely cool and fierce. It was hard to imagine she'd one day become the somewhat comical "Mitarashi Sweet Potato."
"Forty teams made it through? Ibiki, your test was way too easy," Anko grumbled in dissatisfaction.
Because this Chūnin Exam involved more villages than usual, the number of participants was several times the normal count. So, despite Ibiki's psychologically brutal tenth question, a lot of people still passed.
"They're not bad," Ibiki said as his sharp gaze swept across the candidates.
"Whatever, I'll personally cut at least half of them down," Anko replied nonchalantly.
---
Second Exam Location.
Konoha's Training Ground 44—The Forest of Death.
One of the few remaining wild ecosystems in the Shinobi World. This ancient forest was filled with trees over a thousand years old and teemed with venomous snakes and deadly beasts. For the average person, even entering this place meant certain death.
Ironically, it was also the place Naruto, Sasuke, and the others sometimes snuck off to for training.
To them, this forest wasn't much different from their own backyard.
If they went straight to the central tower, it wouldn't even take an hour.
The rules for the second exam were simple: a scroll battle. Teams had to obtain their counterpart's scroll—by any means necessary—and reach the tower within five days.
"Sasuke, I've arranged a really strong opponent for you," Naruto said as they entered the forest. At this point, Naruto had already swapped his shadow clone out for his real body.
"Someone really strong—especially for you, right now."
Sasuke paused. "Stronger than Kakashi-sensei?"
"Of course. He's one of the Legendary Three Sannin—Orochimaru. Like your brother, he's an S-rank rogue ninja from Konoha. Though, he has been defeated by Itachi once before."
Regardless of whether Orochimaru had held back or had tricks left, a loss was a loss.
He had been defeated by a 14-year-old Itachi.
Hearing his brother's name, Sasuke's eyes instantly turned red.
He nodded seriously. "Got it."
"If your performance satisfies me..."
"I'll give you something nice as a reward."
The reward: the Ryūchi Cave Summoning Scroll.
Whatever Orochimaru's reaction might be upon seeing Sasuke use a summoning beast linked to his former domain, Naruto didn't care.
Everything was according to Danzo-sama's will.
Everything was part of Danzo-sama's grand plan.
Danzo-sama is the best.
If Sasuke could learn Sage Mode… imagine it: Sage Sasuke? Sage Susanoo? The thought alone was thrilling.
"What about me? What about me?!" Sakura shouted, waving her arms.
"You'll be in charge of healing Sasuke in a bit," Naruto replied flatly.
"Leave it to me!" Sakura thumped her chest—what little of it she had—with enthusiasm. The thud thud sound made Naruto twitch, afraid she'd dent what little was there.
"…In a bit?" Sakura blinked in confusion after a few seconds.
"The enemy's already here." Naruto suddenly stopped, eyes locking onto the tangled tree roots ahead. "You've been tailing us long enough—come out."
"Well, well... you noticed me." Orochimaru slowly emerged from beneath the ground, his raspy voice full of amusement as he looked over Team 7. "Much better than those useless brats."
"Him?" Sasuke gave Naruto a questioning glance.
Naruto nodded. "That's the one."
Boom.
Sasuke pulled a scroll from his pouch and gripped his sword tightly.
"Hehehe…" Orochimaru just stood there calmly, pulling out an Earth Scroll and licking it with his tongue, slowly and disgustingly swallowing it whole.
"If you want this scroll, you'll have to defeat me."
Looking at Orochimaru, Naruto was suddenly reminded of a certain self-proclaimed magician.
When it came to creepy weirdos, those two were neck and neck.
"Let the scroll battle begin!"
---
A cold, bloodthirsty killing intent surged forth, sending flocks of birds scattering from the trees.
Compared to this, Zabuza's killing intent was like a candle against the moonlight.
Orochimaru used killing intent as genjutsu, to disrupt all five senses, crush mental defenses, and overwhelm the opponent before the fight even began.
Many powerful ninja had fallen to this technique.
Only one person had ever reflected it back: Itachi Uchiha.
Watching Sasuke tremble, Orochimaru thought to himself:
Even though they're brothers… he's still far from matching Itachi.
"!"
But at the very moment Orochimaru thought of Itachi's name, it was as if Sasuke sensed it. His trembling stopped, and a sharp, aggressive chakra flared from his body.
Eyes locked onto Orochimaru, he growled:
"Don't say that name!"
His three-tomoe Sharingan spun wildly in his eyes.
"Dance of the Crescent Moon!"
Sasuke instantly launched into his signature Konoha-style sword technique.
Splitting into three images, he slashed at Orochimaru from three directions.
Both speed and power had greatly improved since his fight with Zabuza.
"Three-tomoe Sharingan!" Orochimaru licked his lips, excitement glimmering in his eyes.
Such talent…
I must have this body.
Though impressive, the Dance of the Crescent Moon wasn't enough to deal with Orochimaru.
All three blades struck—but Orochimaru's body dissolved into a puddle of sludge.
From a nearby tree trunk, another Orochimaru emerged.
Earth Style Substitution—Orochimaru's specialty.
"Nice technique," he said with genuine praise. Like a snake playing with its prey, he wasn't in any hurry to counterattack.
But Sasuke wasn't about to stand around. He used Body Flicker to instantly appear beside Orochimaru, slashing fiercely with his blade while simultaneously landing a heavy kick.
Sasuke's strength had grown rapidly—he was far stronger than he had been at graduation.
Taijutsu was Orochimaru's weakest area, but his Soft Physique Modification Jutsu, developed specifically to counter taijutsu fighters, made his body unnaturally flexible and resistant.
Despite Sasuke's physical prowess, it wasn't enough to seriously injure him.
If taijutsu doesn't work—then ninjutsu will.
"Chidori!" Sasuke's right hand exploded with crackling lightning, producing a piercing shriek like a thousand birds.
"Kakashi's jutsu."
Orochimaru knew Kakashi all too well.
"Too slow."
Sasuke struck Orochimaru again—but the body once more turned to sludge.
Another Earth Style Substitution.
From a tree trunk, Orochimaru's body emerged halfway out.
But Sasuke wasn't caught off guard. As if he had predicted this, he withdrew his hand and pointed his fingers directly at Orochimaru's location.
A wrist-thick laser burst forth from between his fingers, pinning Orochimaru against the tree.
"Chidori Spear!"
Standing coolly in place, Sasuke declared:
"Your tricks are useless against the Sharingan!"
Electric currents crackled through the blue laser, paralyzing Orochimaru's entire body as it pinned him to the tree.
Lightning > Earth.
Orochimaru couldn't perform Earth Substitution while pinned by the Chidori Spear.
"Hehehe… Uchiha Sasuke, you're making me want you even more."
Despite being pinned to the tree, Orochimaru showed no fear. Letting the lightning run through him, he only stared at Sasuke greedily.
He's improved a lot, Naruto thought, nodding with satisfaction.
Just then—
From deep within Naruto's mindscape, Kurama shouted:
"Hey, brat! Get over here—something's weird about that kid with the tail!"
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