All of the corpses had one horrifying thing in common—their faces had been completely peeled away, leaving behind nothing but smooth, bloodless flesh.
Just one glance was enough.
Anko Mitarashi instantly knew who the culprit was.
Her normally carefree and outspoken demeanor vanished. The moment that man's name surfaced in her mind, her entire body began to tremble uncontrollably.
"O–Orochimaru…"
"That bastard… Orochimaru!"
Fear, anger, and hatred twisted together in her chest.
"Oh no… He's entered the Forest of Death. Everyone inside is in danger!"
She turned sharply toward the Anbu accompanying her.
"Continue patrols immediately! Monitor every sector of the forest! Prevent Orochimaru's accomplices from causing chaos, and report all developments directly to Hokage-sama!"
"Yes!"
Without waiting another second, Anko sprinted toward the Forest of Death.
"Orochimaru… sensei…"
Her fists clenched tightly.
"It's time to put an end to everything."
Her resolve was admirable—but she had yet to realize that the gap between herself and the legendary Sannin was not something determination alone could bridge.
One intelligence report after another flooded into the Hokage's Office.
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat behind his desk, pipe clenched between his fingers. With each report, his expression grew heavier, the wrinkles on his face deepening like scars carved by time.
"How dare that scoundrel Orochimaru return to the village…"
An Anbu operative standing nearby spoke solemnly.
"Hokage-sama, now that he has reappeared, he will surely seek revenge against Konoha. A rogue ninja of his caliber poses an unpredictable and extreme threat."
"Should we suspend the Chunin Exams immediately?"
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, releasing a thick ring of smoke. Silence lingered for a brief moment before he shook his head.
"No. There's no need."
The Anbu stiffened slightly.
"The Chunin Exams are, in essence, a military display—a competition between nations and hidden villages to demonstrate their strength. If Konoha were to suspend them now, the entire ninja world would see it as weakness."
"Orochimaru is terrifying, yes. But if we take appropriate precautions and act carefully, he will not dare to cross certain lines."
"Yes, Hokage-sama."
At that moment—
"Hokage-sama!"
Iruka rushed into the office along with Team Seven.
"Please… take a look at Naruto and Sasuke!"
Hiruzen stiffened. His pipe slipped from his lips as he stood abruptly, eyes widening at the sight of the two unconscious boys.
"This…!"
Hinata quickly explained everything that had happened in the Forest of Death.
Hiruzen didn't need to ask who was responsible.
"So it truly was him…"
"His target is Sasuke… and Naruto as well?"
His gaze fell upon the marks on their backs.
"These marks… Cursed Seals. A power that forcibly amplifies one's abilities. Why would Orochimaru leave such a thing behind?"
Hinata hesitated, then spoke softly.
"He said… he wanted Sasuke to become his vessel."
"…Vessel?"
Hiruzen's expression changed drastically.
"Could it be…"
He turned sharply.
"Summon Anko immediately!"
An Anbu replied with difficulty.
"Hokage-sama… Anko entered the Forest of Death on her own, stating that she wished to handle the matter personally."
Hiruzen closed his eyes and sighed deeply.
"Why does she insist on carrying this burden alone…?"
"Find her. Bring her back immediately. If you encounter Orochimaru, do not engage—report at once!"
"Yes, Hokage-sama!"
Orders were issued in rapid succession. Under Hiruzen's command, Konoha moved like a finely tuned machine.
The Chunin Exams continued.
---
The Aftermath of the Forest
The first team to clear the second phase was the Sunagakure trio, setting a frightening new record.
Team Seven arrived second.
Had they not crossed paths with Orochimaru, they would likely have taken first place—just as Naruto loudly insisted.
But reality had no room for ifs.
Yakushi Kabuto's disguised Otogakure team arrived next.
Soon after, Guy's Team, Team Eight, and Team Ten followed. Other teams either failed to gather both scrolls or exceeded the time limit.
In total, seven teams—twenty-one genin—passed the second stage.
Meanwhile, Anko had located Orochimaru's trail and confronted him.
The result was inevitable.
She lost.
Yet, faced with his former student, Orochimaru chose not to kill her. Instead, he released her—mockery wrapped in mercy.
Anko was rescued by Anbu and brought back to the Hokage's Office.
Kakashi Hatake arrived shortly after.
"Anko," Hiruzen said gravely. "Take a look at Naruto and Sasuke."
Though shaken, Anko nodded and examined them.
"Yes… this is Orochimaru's Cursed Seal. And it's far more powerful than the one he placed on me."
Kakashi spoke quietly.
"I used the Evil Sealing Method to temporarily suppress it."
"But to completely stop it… we need an expert."
Anko gave a bitter smile.
"I'm no expert. Just one of his experimental subjects."
She paused.
"Still… years of suffering taught me a thing or two."
She activated her technique, stabilizing their condition. Soon, Naruto and Sasuke regained consciousness.
Naruto scratched his head, confused.
Sasuke remained silent, eyes lowered.
"I can only wake them temporarily," Anko said softly. "Removing the seal completely will take time—and it may be beyond me."
"Hokage-sama," Kakashi asked, "is there truly no way?"
"If I had more time… perhaps," Hiruzen replied. "But right now, I don't."
He turned to the boys.
"You cannot continue the exams."
Naruto's head snapped up.
"Why?!"
Hiruzen's voice hardened.
"You're in pain. Orochimaru is watching. You cannot fight freely."
"I won't quit!" Naruto shouted.
"Sasuke—you won't either, right?!"
Sasuke clenched his teeth, then nodded.
"I won't give up."
Hinata watched them, tears welling before she smiled.
Hiruzen looked at Kakashi.
"As their jonin leader… will you allow this?"
Kakashi smiled faintly.
"It's their decision."
Hiruzen sighed.
"This Team Seven…"
---
The Preliminary Battles
Thanks to their determination, the Chunin Exams continued.
All qualified genin gathered in the indoor training arena.
Might Guy burst into laughter upon seeing Kakashi.
"Kakashi! My eternal rival!"
"Has it started?" Kakashi asked lazily.
"Soon!"
Naruto scanned the room.
"Is this really everyone?"
At that moment, a sickly man stepped forward, coughing harshly.
"I am Gekkō Hayate," he said weakly. "Due to the number of survivors, we will hold preliminary matches."
Naruto yelled in disbelief.
"Even now it's still too many?!"
The real battles were about to begin.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)