"It seems there are many hot-blooded people in this exam. I'm really looking forward to it."
Anko licked her lips; her long, slender tongue was just like a snake's.
Ryun had already experienced her tongue firsthand; it was indeed extraordinary.
"Since you're all so bold, then first, sign the death consent form."
"People can die in this exam. If you want to withdraw, now is still the time."
"Otherwise, once this exam starts, you won't have a chance to back out."
After that, Anko explained the exam rules.
Simply put, everyone had to hold either the Heaven or Earth scroll and survive for five days in the exam site with a ten-kilometer radius, without bringing any food or supplies.
The way to clear was for one team to possess both the Heaven and Earth scrolls and then report to the central tower.
As for what means they used to get the scrolls along the way, that was something the ninjas themselves had to figure out.
"Finally, a piece of advice: don't die in there."
After explaining, Anko waved her hand and had her subordinates begin arranging for the ninjas to receive their scrolls.
After everyone had received them, at Anko's command, all twenty-eight teams of ninjas set off at once, and Ryun was naturally among them.
He led his team toward a corner, and the two Kusagakure ninjas behind him, though uneasy, could only obediently follow.
Ryun suddenly stopped, turned around, and looked at them with a faint, enigmatic smile.
The two quickly stopped and stood respectfully, waiting for Ryun's orders.
However, Ryun didn't immediately avenge Kaori. Instead, he looked behind the two of them.
Three familiar figures were quickly leaping over from that direction; they were Orochimaru and the other two Kusagakure ninjas.
But by now, they were no longer the three Kusagakure ninjas Ryun knew; they had been replaced by Orochimaru on their way to the exam site that morning.
"So, you actually waited for us obediently."
Orochimaru took out the Earth scroll and said, "I just saw, you have the Heaven scroll. Hand it over to us."
"After all, you three don't have any hope of passing anyway."
Ryun smiled slightly, took the scroll from behind his back, and said, "Alright."
Then Ryun threw the scroll toward Orochimaru, who caught it with a grin. The next second, the exploding tag detonated, engulfing Orochimaru in a violent blast.
At the same time, a hand extended from the ground beneath Ryun's feet, grabbing for his ankle.
Ryun used the Body Flicker Technique to appear on a distant tree, while Orochimaru climbed out of the ground completely unharmed; only a lump of mud remained on the tree stump just now, revealing it to have been a Mud Clone used by Orochimaru.
Orochimaru was a formidable person who possessed all seven chakra natures, so it wasn't strange for him to use any kind of technique, and he was also skilled in various forms of human modification.
If Ryun hadn't possessed the experience and abilities accumulated from many simulations, he would probably have been caught by now.
Orochimaru nonchalantly pushed back his hair, looking at Ryun with great interest, and said, "Very interesting. Who are you, really?"
"I'm very interested in that girl, Kaori. Where did you hide her?"
"There's no need for you to worry about that. But I'm also curious, who are you?"
Ryun asked knowingly, and Orochimaru smiled without speaking.
Only the two Kusagakure ninjas with Ryun looked utterly bewildered.
Of the six people from Kusagakure, excluding the supervising chunin, they were split into two teams. Orochimaru's team had been completely replaced, and Kaori, from her team, had also been replaced by Ryun.
That meant that before the exam even started, Kusagakure had already lost four ninjas.
With two dull thuds, two kunai pierced the throats of Ryun's two teammates—well, the Kusagakure ninjas were now completely wiped out.
"Sir, shall we take care of her?"
Orochimaru shook his head at his subordinates and said, "I have a feeling you're no match for him. Besides, the one here probably isn't his real body."
"Impressive. How could you tell?"
"Just from the fact that you recognized me and could still stand before me so calmly. There aren't many in the ninja world with that kind of confidence."
Ryun shook his head. If his real body were here, he would be just as calm.
Suffice it to say, Ryun's current strength had exceeded Orochimaru's understanding, which was a good thing for Ryun.
A ninja battle is a battle of information. Ryun possessed his own hidden strengths, while most of Orochimaru's information was transparent to Ryun, meaning Ryun already stood in an invincible position.
"So, Orochimaru of the Legendary Sanin, do you plan to keep wasting time with me here?"
"If you came for Kaori, I'm sorry, but I've already taken her as my personal retainer.
"I see. What a pity, too late—but if I ate you, would that still be in time?"
Then Orochimaru's eyes narrowed, and a fierce killing intent surged forth. A kunai pierced Ryun's chest.
Before Ryun could react, a large snake silently shot out from behind him and swallowed him whole in one gulp.
A look of joy had just appeared on the faces of the people with Orochimaru when it immediately twisted into shock.
The Orochimaru beside them melted directly into water, and a pair of Sharingan appeared before the real Orochimaru.
"Orochimaru, you can't escape this time."
Uchiha Itachi's contemptuous voice made Orochimaru's hair stand on end.
He believed his strength was not inferior to Itachi's, but he had lost to Itachi's eyes. His reason for coming this time was also to verify whether Sasuke's body was suitable.
To actually encounter an Uchiha here again meant that... no!
Orochimaru's pupils contracted as the chakra within him surged rapidly, dispelling the genjutsu.
Then he discovered, startled, that the jaw of the snake he had summoned was pierced through, and Ryun was nowhere to be seen.
The next second, a wave of scorching heat came from behind him,
Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Technique!
Utilizing his high-level Fire Release chakra affinity, coupled with top-tier chakra nature transformation and shape manipulation, Ryun shaped a colossal fire dragon with a head diameter exceeding ten meters—no, three of them!
The three fire dragons, claws bared and fangs showing, charged toward Orochimaru and the two ninjas beside him. Even before the flames closed in, the clothes on Orochimaru and his subordinates were already ignited.
A look of shock flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He hastily threw his two subordinates aside while he himself withstood Ryun's attack.
The scorching flames instantly burned away his outer skin, but were stopped by a strange force, unable to burn further.
When the flames dispersed, Ryun watched the charcoal-like Orochimaru unmoved, because Orochimaru certainly wouldn't die just like that.
This proved to be true.
Seeing that Ryun wouldn't take the bait, Orochimaru's body began to distort, and then a new Orochimaru crawled out from the original scorched skin sac—this was the Orochi Flow Substitute Technique.
This technique was one of the classic moves that earned Orochimaru the nickname "Scaly Scoundrel" (or "Cheater Snake").
He could use his own outer skin as substitute material and then transfer a new body out from his mouth.
Even if he had already been hit by an attack, Orochimaru could use this substitution technique to avoid damage; he could even evade Amaterasu with it.
Moreover, when Orochimaru himself used this technique, it didn't consume much chakra, which shows just how underhanded Orochimaru could be.
Orochimaru shook off the mucus from his body. Although there was still a smile on his lips, his gaze toward Ryun had turned serious.
Ryun's mastery of Fire Release just now was top-tier, with his chakra quantity, nature transformation, and shape manipulation almost maxed out. It was undeniably at the Kage-level for Fire Release.
Orochimaru knew the names of everyone in the entire ninja world who could use Fire Release at this level, and none of them would be here now, disguised as Kaori and participating in the Chunin Exams.
It seemed that for this Konoha Crush Plan, he would need to be wary of this variable standing before him.
"What, still want to fight?"
Ryun's chakra was currently low; after all, this was just a Shadow Clone. Although Ryun had used the Flying Thunder God Technique over the past two days to switch with the Shadow Clone and replenish its chakra, he still couldn't directly confront Orochimaru.
Of course, this was because Ryun didn't want to reveal the Yin Seal and Flying Thunder God in front of Orochimaru—at least, not now.
Otherwise, no matter how underhanded Orochimaru was, Ryun would have a way to make him face a near-death experience.
"It seems you don't want to fight anymore. Then how about we part ways here? Are you interested in this scroll? If you are, I'll give it to you."
Orochimaru took out the scroll. Ryun shrugged and said, "My teammates are all killed by you. What's the point of continuing to play?"
"Do me a favor, and then I'll disappear."
"Alright, I'm all ears."
"If they register casualties later, just say you killed Kaori too."
"No problem."
Ryun nodded, then dispelled the Shadow Clone.
Watching Ryun turn into white mist, the shadow in Orochimaru's eyes deepened by three more parts.
It was just a Shadow Clone after all?
Then what about his real body—