At the Ninja Academy, the only techniques taught were the three basic E-rank jutsu: the Clone Technique, Substitution Technique, and Transformation Technique. None of these held any offensive power. So even though Amano Ren's chakra reserves had already surpassed those of a standard Genin, without an offensive jutsu in his arsenal, his chakra was of limited use. His only means of attack were taijutsu and ninja tools.
Given these conditions, this test was clearly unfair from the outset—especially with Orochimaru swallowing the bell.
After a moment of thought, Kushina jumped down from the tree and landed beside Amano Ren. With the bell swallowed, seizing it was now impossible. Their only option was to subdue Orochimaru. But with such a huge gap in power, subduing him was easier said than done. Still, cooperation could slightly increase their chances.
Seeing Kushina appear, Hokusei Yoru, who had intended to suggest working together from the start, also leapt down from his perch.
"Let's work together," Kushina said firmly, glancing at the two boys beside her.
Yoru nodded quickly. "It's our only chance."
Ren frowned slightly as he looked at his teammates. Cooperation was a viable strategy, but they had never worked together before—there was no trust, no coordination. Still, it seemed like the only option.
Orochimaru showed no reaction to all three of them appearing. In fact, he even discarded the kunai in his hand.
This was only his Shadow Clone. If the three students managed to damage it, the bell would fall out. In that sense, the test wasn't quite as impossible as it seemed.
"Go!"
Even though they agreed to cooperate, they had no plan, no shared rhythm. There wasn't even time to talk. So Ren simply shouted a signal and charged forward with a kunai gripped in his hand.
He leaned forward like a crouching leopard, sprinting straight at Orochimaru.
"That look in your eyes... not bad," Orochimaru remarked, a trace of admiration in his voice.
But Ren's movements were still far too raw. There were no feints, no trickery—just a straightforward charge, practically begging for a counterattack. Especially since it was a frontal assault.
Of course, Ren knew this too. But he also understood that Orochimaru wouldn't deal him a lethal blow in this kind of test. He wanted to see the difference between his own close-combat skills and Orochimaru's.
Day after day of training and breeze-through opponents at the Academy—none of that had shown him where he truly stood.
As Orochimaru remained unmoving, Ren's legs exploded with force, kicking up clouds of sand. When he was just a few meters away, he suddenly threw the kunai at Orochimaru's face.
Whoosh!
Orochimaru casually tilted his head. He seemed to see the kunai's trajectory clearly, letting it glide past his neck and sink into the woods behind him.
Ren had already closed the distance. Ducking low, he appeared right in front of Orochimaru. Under the Sannin's downward gaze, Ren planted his hands on the ground, using the recoil to send his right leg rocketing upward toward Orochimaru's chin.
Though Orochimaru could've easily dodged, he chose to block the kick directly. After all, the purpose of the test was to gauge their strength.
Ren's kick came with surprising force. Orochimaru crossed his arms to block it.
Boom!
The moment the impact hit his arms, Orochimaru realized he had underestimated Ren's strength. The blow launched him backward.
"Impressive power."
Surprised mid-air, Orochimaru barely had time to react before his ears picked up a familiar sound—the slicing whistle of shuriken.
Dozens of them came flying from the sandy mist below, aiming straight at him.
The sand here was fine and loose, easy to stir up into dust clouds that obstructed vision. In that sense, both sides were equally disadvantaged. Yet his opponents were still able to pinpoint his location—something didn't add up.
Even so, Orochimaru, even as a Shadow Clone, wasn't about to be bested by mere shuriken.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
He formed hand seals at lightning speed and exhaled a blast of fierce wind toward the incoming projectiles.
Whoooosh!
The wind scattered the shuriken, then swept down toward Ren and the others, tearing through the sandy mist.
Caught off guard, the trio were blasted away.
Yoru flew backward and slammed into a tree trunk, crying out in pain. Ren and Kushina, however, managed to twist in mid-air and plant their feet against nearby tree trunks, landing safely thanks to their taijutsu training.
But…
Just as they landed, a kunai embedded itself in the ground at each of their feet.
They stared down at the kunai, stunned and demoralized.
If this had been a real fight, those kunai would've pierced their hearts.
Ren and Kushina exchanged a look. Both saw the same unwillingness to give up in each other's eyes.
Ren turned away and began walking toward the fallen Yoru. So did Kushina.
Noticing the same intent, Ren suddenly stopped, letting her go instead. One person was enough to check on Yoru.
Kushina tilted her head slightly, unable to read Ren's expression. With a subtle swirl of emotions, she stepped forward, knelt beside Yoru, and helped him up.
This test had been a complete failure. It meant they'd have to return to the Academy for remedial training.
Their faces, their body language, even their silence—all were weighed down with disappointment.
Suddenly, Orochimaru's Shadow Clone dispersed with a poof, and three small silver bells clattered to the ground.
"A clone?" Ren stared at the dissipating smoke and the fallen bells. His expression shifted. They hadn't even managed to land a decisive blow on a clone?
The realization darkened his expression.
"I'm curious—how did you manage to find my location through the sand mist?"
A hoarse voice spoke from behind.
Startled, the trio turned around to find the real Orochimaru standing quietly behind them.
The sheer fact that he'd gotten so close without any of them noticing sent chills down their spines.
"I have sharp hearing," Yoru said weakly. "I heard your low breathing and guessed your position. Then I had Kushina throw shuriken in that direction with me."
Orochimaru's face showed a flicker of understanding. That explained why the shuriken had come in staggered waves.
Still, the difference in timing had been minimal, and considering the shifting angles and limited visibility, the coordination and accuracy were impressive.
He gave Kushina a thoughtful glance. This test had been designed to assess all three students. While he hadn't seen everything they were capable of, he'd seen enough.
"Same time tomorrow. Meet here again."
With that curt instruction, Orochimaru vanished without another word, leaving the three students staring at one another in confusion.
Ren understood immediately. The test had technically been a failure. But Orochimaru wasn't sending them back to the Academy after all.
Even though he wouldn't be held back, there was no joy in Ren's heart. His mind was consumed by the events of the battle.
Three years of training, and he was still so weak.
How long would it take before he could finally grasp the future he was striving for? When would the opportunity finally come?
Clenching his teeth, Ren didn't say a word to Yoru or Kushina. He simply turned and walked toward the residential area.
A moment later, Yoru realized what had happened and shouted joyfully, "We passed!"
Kushina also exhaled a breath of relief. She glanced toward Ren's back, lost in thought.