Unable to fully track Takeru's movement, Orochimaru was startled, raising his guard against Takeru to the highest level. His hands swiftly formed hand seals.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" The moment the seals were complete, his arm transformed into numerous large snakes lunging at Takeru.
Seeing the attack, Takeru didn't even bother dodging. The moment the snakes touched Takeru, they seemed to hit an intensely frigid air current. Instantly, they froze solid, and the freezing spread rapidly back towards Orochimaru.
Sensing danger, Orochimaru quickly canceled the technique, detaching the frozen snakes from his body to avoid being frozen himself.
Takeru paid no mind to his actions. He simply activated the power of his Demon's Extract.
Instantly, thick, massive ice walls erupted from the ground, encircling Takeru and Orochimaru within a ten-meter radius, sealing even the sky above.
Seeing this, Orochimaru's expression darkened. He could sense the ice's thickness wouldn't be easily broken in a short time, yet Takeru had summoned it instantly.
Moreover, Takeru's methods were bizarre. He couldn't even identify the ability Takeru used, and Takeru himself was like a porcupine.
Thinking this and seeing Takeru's gaze, Orochimaru took a deep breath, calming himself slightly.
"Who are you, really?" Orochimaru asked directly.
"Nara Takeru," Takeru replied, somewhat impressed by Orochimaru's composure.
"A Nara? And your goal? You don't seem intent on killing me," Orochimaru observed.
"You started it. I'm merely retaliating," Takeru said lightly.
"Is that so? Then I apologize for my actions, Takeru-kun," Orochimaru said after a moment of silence.
"I accept. But a mere verbal apology from one of the Legendary Sannin seems insufficient, don't you think?" Takeru nodded with a slight smile.
"What do you want?" Orochimaru understood, vaguely guessing Takeru's intent.
"Talking to a clever person saves effort. I want Ninjutsu. All the Ninjutsu you've collected. And Sealing Techniques. Including the Edo Tensei you're researching from the Second Hokage," Takeru said, narrowing his eyes.
Hearing this, Orochimaru's pupils contracted, 'I had never used Edo Tensei publicly, how did he know? Had someone leaked it?'
However, he quickly dismissed the thought. Very few knew, and they wouldn't dare betray him.
"I don't care about your other affairs. The Otogakure you founded, your research, even killing the Fourth Kazekage, or your plan to destroy Konoha," Takeru added, watching Orochimaru's indecisiveness.
Hearing this, Orochimaru grew even more unsettled. He couldn't fathom how Takeru knew so much, 'Had this guy read my mind?'
"Enough. Someone's coming. For now, hand over any Ninjutsu Scrolls you're carrying. Prepare the rest quickly. Don't try anything tricky, or I will kill you."
With a hint of threat, Takeru lightly stomped his foot. The ground beneath them erupted as if struck by a terrifying bombardment, creating a massive crater over ten meters in diameter. Inside the sealed space, Orochimaru felt intense discomfort.
Seeing Takeru casually unleash destructive power surpassing Tsunade's monstrous strength, coupled with the ice, lightning, poison dragon, and more, Orochimaru fell silent.
He then retrieved a scroll from his robes. With a brief summoning, six scrolls appeared before him, which he then tossed to Takeru.
Takeru caught them and summoned an alloy box from his item storage. After storing the scrolls, he returned the box to storage.
"Oh, and give me your Earth Scroll too. Saves me the trouble of collecting one," Takeru added after storing the scrolls.
Hearing this, Orochimaru nodded lightly and obediently regurgitated the Earth Scroll.
Finding it somewhat disgusting, Takeru used telekinesis to retrieve it, controlled some water to wash it briefly, and then stored it away.
"Then the deal is struck. I've marked you. Please gather what I want swiftly. Otherwise, I'll kill you." Giving Orochimaru a final reminder, Takeru snapped his fingers. The thick ice walls instantly shattered into powder and vanished.
Takeru then returned to a worried-looking Ui and Ritsu, picked them up, and swiftly vanished from the spot.
Though he had revealed much power before Orochimaru, Takeru didn't want Konoha aware of his full strength, or the exam might be disrupted.
Orochimaru, left behind, watched the direction Takeru departed with a complex expression. If not for the water from the melted ice and the massive crater, he might have thought he'd been under a Genjutsu.
But the vivid experience, and his discreet use of the 'release' confirmed it was all real.
As for Takeru, his reasons were simple. Asking for scrolls was purely for potential benefit. Though unsure if he'd ever learn Chakra, collecting Ninjutsu seemed useful.
As for not controlling Orochimaru to hand over the scrolls, Takeru had tried. But his Nen Needles seemed disrupted by Orochimaru's powerful Chakra, preventing control.
When developing this ability, Takeru considered this possibility. Nen Needles were near-inescapable for ordinary people but ineffective against the powerful.
Thus, they were suited for those in high positions but with weak personal power, whether in the main world or mission worlds.
There were several reasons not to kill Orochimaru. Primarily, while disgusting, Takeru didn't particularly dislike him. As an early major antagonist, Orochimaru was a compelling character.
And since Takeru could gain benefits from him now, there was even less reason to kill him.
…
"Long time no see, Anko," Orochimaru said, not leaving immediately after Takeru's departure, noticing the rapidly approaching Anko.
"You're a wanted S-Rank, ultra-dangerous criminal. Even if it costs my life, I'll defeat you here!" Anko said, looking at Orochimaru and the battle-scarred surroundings with a frown.
She was deeply puzzled, wondering who had forced Orochimaru to use such power. She naturally attributed the massive destruction to Orochimaru.
The potent venom, scorching lightning, water traces… all pointed to powerful Ninjutsu. Naturally, only Orochimaru here could have caused it.
"This is also part of my duty, taught by you, my former superior. My mission, Orochimaru," Anko said, despite her shock at his power, her hatred left no room for fear.
"Useless," Orochimaru remarked, noticing Anko's subtle movements and expression. His long tongue shot towards Anko, who leaped away, dodging.
Under cover of smoke, Orochimaru's tongue pursued, quickly ensnaring Anko's right hand, which held senbon, pulling her closer.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" With her right hand trapped, Anko attacked with her left. Five snakes extended from her left arm, striking the stationary Orochimaru. The snake heads bit down firmly, and Anko yanked, slamming Orochimaru against a large tree behind him.
Retracting her snakes, Anko rushed forward, pinning Orochimaru and driving a kunai through her own left hand holding him, nailing both their hands to the tree.
"Got you, Orochimaru! I'll borrow your left hand!" Anko then forcibly intertwined her right hand with Orochimaru's left, forming a seal.
"This seal is…!" Recognizing the seal, the previously indifferent Orochimaru showed surprise.
"Yes. You and I will both die here," Anko declared, looking seriously at Orochimaru.