"Why are you doing something so dangerous again?" Tsubaki (Xiao Chun) said, her voice filled with concern and dissatisfaction. "The last time you were injured in the Land of Waves, it wasn't easy. So, why are you getting involved in this mess again?"
"Don't worry," Shuimu reassured her. "No one found out this time. Even Orochimaru doesn't know it was me. I made sure to run far away."
Hearing that the situation wasn't too bad, Tsubaki visibly relaxed, though still wary.
"Then don't get close to the Forest of Death," she cautioned. "If you're caught, you'll regret it."
"I'm afraid I can't avoid it," Shuimu replied. "I'm a mobile candidate for the second Chūnin Exam. If something big happens, I have to see it through."
"With someone like Orochimaru involved, should we call ANBU?" Tsubaki asked, still concerned.
"Don't worry," Shuimu said. "It's getting late. Let's cook and eat first. We might get urgent tasks later, and we won't have time to eat."
Meanwhile, Sasuke Uchiha was in a foul mood. Their team had just repelled a lone ninja, but they hadn't managed to grab the opponent's scroll. Though one of the three had been victorious in a group fight, they still failed to capture the enemy, and the opponent had escaped.
"It's so hard to even beat a regular Chūnin," Sasuke muttered in frustration.
In the three-person team, Sasuke had always been the strongest, far surpassing the other two. But slowly, Naruto's extraordinary talent and enormous chakra were becoming more apparent, making Sasuke feel the pressure. Naruto's sea of chakra-based attacks—something difficult even for most Chūnin and Jonin—had begun to show his potential, creating more pressure on Sasuke.
What was even more frustrating was Haruno Sakura. She had always been someone Sasuke dismissed, but Sakura's ability to navigate traps and enchantments with ease had astonished him. In terms of raw skill, Sakura was far from a powerhouse, but her growth was undeniable.
On the other hand, Sasuke had only relied on his Sharingan and a handful of Fire-style jutsu learned at the Academy to hold his ground. Compared to his teammates, he felt his progress was stagnating.
"The vigilance is lacking... It's really disappointing," a hoarse, chilling voice came from a nearby tree.
"Who?" Sasuke quickly stood, ready to defend himself.
"I'm so careless," Sasuke muttered to himself. "After all those battles today, I was so exhausted, and someone got this close without me noticing."
The sudden voice startled Naruto and Sakura, and they quickly became alert.
"Sasuke Uchiha?" The voice spoke again. It was eerie, and Sasuke instantly recognized it. "We meet for the first time. My name is Orochimaru, and I've come to fulfill your wish."
Orochimaru, who had shed his Kushinin disguise, locked his eyes solely on Sasuke. He completely disregarded Naruto and Sakura, seeing them as mere pests.
"W-wish? Do you think you can persuade me with lies like that?" Sasuke growled, trying to hide the unease in his voice despite the terror Orochimaru exuded.
"Aren't you convinced?" Orochimaru responded calmly, unfazed. "Did the fight just now remind you of your weakness? Or perhaps the peace in Konoha has made you forget the hatred you carry for the man who slaughtered your family?"
At the mention of his family's murder, Sasuke's eyes flared with anger. "How do you know about that? Did you set up those traps earlier?"
"No, Sasuke-kun. I'm not the one who set the traps," Orochimaru said, his voice cold. "But as an orphan of the Uchiha clan, the lack of strength after losing your family without guidance is understandable. What's truly disappointing, though, is how easily you fell for such laughable traps."
Orochimaru's words were laced with venom, meant to break Sasuke's spirit. "With that kind of energy, when do you think you'll be strong enough to avenge your family?"
"Have you seen Uchiha Itachi?" Sasuke asked, his voice trembling with a mix of rage and curiosity.
"Oh, I've seen him," Orochimaru replied with a smirk. "He's quite the powerful one, isn't he? Konoha truly is the cradle of geniuses, and Itachi is proof of that. He's far above someone like you, though it doesn't show much."
Sasuke's fists clenched at the mention of his brother. "What do you mean? Who is Itachi Uchiha? What are you talking about?" Naruto interjected, confused. "By the way, you were behind that attack earlier, weren't you?"
"No," Orochimaru replied, his voice turning slightly amused. "It was the person who set the trap. I was attacked below, though I'm not sure who it was. I'm just a rat hiding in the shadows."
"Wait... what?" Naruto and Sakura were shocked by this response. If the person who launched the attack was as strong as Orochimaru, how had he survived it? And how was Orochimaru still seemingly unharmed?
Orochimaru, seeing the disbelief on their faces, didn't intend to waste any more time. It was almost time for Konoha to act.
"It seems you don't understand the reality of the world, Sasuke-kun. Let me show you the cruelty of being a ninja. First, you need to realize just how weak and helpless you really are."
With that, Orochimaru unleashed a terrifying illusion mixed with a murderous intent, causing the three Genin to lose their mobility.
The effect of the Genjutsu, combined with the overwhelming killing intent, paralyzed them with fear, making them feel the sheer terror of death.
Just as Orochimaru awaited Sasuke's reaction, Naruto suddenly broke free from the Genjutsu.
"What's going on?" Orochimaru was taken aback. "Isn't Sasuke Uchiha supposed to be the strongest here?"
Naruto stood with his face contorted in anger and fear, his features grotesquely distorted by a strange, animal-like chakra. His eyes, filled with anger and fear, bore an unsettling look.
Naruto quickly formed hand signs, and a swarm of Shadow Clones surrounded Orochimaru. With the clones came a barrage of kunai, all aimed at the rogue ninja.
Orochimaru didn't seem worried. He calmly summoned a massive snake with a wave of his hand. The kunai struck the serpent's thick scales, but they did little damage. With a swift flick of its tail, the snake destroyed the clones, leaving only smoke behind.
As the clones vanished, Naruto's fear and anger surged even more, and an unfamiliar crimson chakra began to pour out of him. His nails elongated, becoming sharp claws as he charged forward, looking more like a beast than a boy.