Only a monster like Akira—whose chakra reserves rivaled that of a tailed beast—would dare to use a jutsu like that so casually.
At the exact moment Akira erased that fragment of Orochimaru's soul, far away in a shadowy corner of Konoha where Orochimaru was scheming with Kabuto, his face suddenly turned pale.
"That brat… actually forcibly erased a fragment of my soul?"
A deep trace of wariness flashed through Orochimaru's snake-like eyes. "What a terrifying individual. It seems he poses too great a threat to my plans. During the finals a month from now, I must find a way to lure him away."
For the first time, Orochimaru felt genuine fear.
Akira's methods were simply too incomprehensible—he could even destroy souls outright. Who could possibly withstand that?
---
Inside the sealing chamber, Sasuke slowly came to. He tried moving his neck and was shocked to find that the bone-deep pain had vanished.
He attempted to mold chakra—and that cursed seal didn't flare up at all.
A rare trace of a smile appeared at the corner of Sasuke's lips. He turned toward Akira. Though his expression remained cool as ever, his tone was noticeably more sincere.
"Thanks."
He knew very well—if Akira hadn't intervened, he'd still be suffering right now.
Akira waved it off with a grin. "Honestly, that seal might actually be an opportunity for you. That disgusting snake soul inside it has already been wiped out by me. What's left now is basically a pure natural energy receptor."
"It automatically absorbs natural energy—that's a higher-level energy than chakra. If you can learn to control it, your strength will skyrocket."
"Of course, it's going to hurt like hell at first—like you'd rather die—but if you've got the guts to endure it, the payoff will be huge."
"Before, it carried Orochimaru's will, so it made sense you didn't dare use it. Now it's clean as a blank slate—its only function is absorption."
"The side effect is that your body might mutate while using it—growing wings or horns and the like. Totally normal."
"Use it or don't—it's your call. But if you suddenly unleash too much chakra, the seal will still activate automatically. And when that violent natural energy floods your body, it could kill you."
Sasuke frowned deeply, silent for a long moment before speaking. "This… is really a form of power? Not some poison Orochimaru planted to kill me?"
He had always believed that sinister man intended to kill him.
Akira chuckled. "Giving you that thing was essentially a screening test. If you couldn't even endure that level of pain, you'd be trash in his eyes—no longer worth using."
"Don't forget—what Orochimaru wants is your perfect Uchiha body."
"So the seal is both a test and a power-up he handed you. It's just that now, I've 'cleaned' the power-up."
"Take my advice—there's no reason not to use this kind of strength. It'll make you a lot stronger."
Sasuke lowered his head in thought, then suddenly looked up, his eyes firm. "I'll master it."
Right now, his mind was filled with only two things—revenge and becoming stronger. Since Orochimaru had practically delivered power to his doorstep, there was no reason not to take it.
Seeing that Sasuke had made up his mind, Akira yawned. "Alright then, Kakashi-sensei, I'm heading out. Finally got a month off—I'm going home to catch up on sleep."
With that, his body turned into a streak of lightning and vanished with a whoosh.
Kakashi stared at the empty doorway and scratched his head helplessly. "For Akira, this exam really is just child's play. No challenge at all."
Just as Kakashi was about to pack up and leave, Sasuke suddenly called out, "Kakashi—teach me a jutsu. I want something that can kill in one strike… something that can take down Gaara."
Sasuke knew very well—the biggest obstacle in this exam, aside from that anomaly Akira, was Gaara.
With his current strength, facing Gaara would be suicide.
He needed a decisive, armor-piercing jutsu.
Kakashi studied him for a few seconds, his gaze settling on Sasuke's Sharingan.
"I can teach you one jutsu. But it's extremely difficult to learn—and the training is brutal. Are you sure you can handle it?"
Sasuke hadn't expected such a quick agreement. A fierce flame ignited in his eyes. "As long as it makes me stronger—even death doesn't scare me."
This Chūnin Exam had dealt him a heavy blow. Compared to those monsters, his strength felt like a joke.
Neji, Lee, Gaara—each one was enough to overwhelm him. As for Akira… Sasuke didn't even include him in the same category.
Akira wasn't human—he didn't belong in the rankings.
Sasuke felt that even if he trained himself to the brink of collapse, he'd only ever be left chasing Akira's shadow.
Sometimes, he even suspected Akira wasn't human at all.
Still, excluding that singular existence, Sasuke believed he had a chance to surpass the rest.
Kakashi sighed. "Calling it brutal training isn't an exaggeration. Back when I developed this jutsu, I went through hell. If you want to learn it within a month, you'll lose a layer of skin at the very least."
"But with your talent, getting the basics down in a month shouldn't be a problem."
"When Akira learned it, he just glanced at it once and… that was it. But forget him—he's an exception. By normal genius standards, you'll need a month of special training. This jutsu demands extremely high physical ability and dynamic vision."
"I'm only teaching it to you because you have the Sharingan. It's too fast—without the Sharingan's tracking ability, using it would basically be incredibly dangerous."
Sasuke frowned again.
"He learned it at a glance… that guy really is a monster."
"Kakashi… the jutsu you're teaching me—could it be the one you used to pierce Zabuza back in the Land of Waves?"
Kakashi shook his finger. "Not that one—that's the S-rank Lightning Cutter. What I'll teach you is its base form—Chidori, an A-rank jutsu. Once you master it, you can eventually develop Lightning Cutter or even stronger variations yourself."
"Akira also started with Chidori. All those flashy Lightning Style jutsus of his evolved from it."
"It's more than enough to deal with someone like Gaara and his 'turtle shell.'"
Unlike Naruto, Sasuke knew the value of an A-rank Lightning Style jutsu.
The Uchiha excelled at Fire Style, but most of their techniques were common C- or B-rank jutsu. A-rank techniques were exceedingly rare.
Even Itachi had only reached S-rank jutsu like Tsukuyomi after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan.
Ordinary jōnin typically used B-rank jutsus at most. A-rank jutsus were the signature skills of elite jōnin.
In the ninja world, A-rank already brushed the threshold of forbidden jutsu—S-rank was on an entirely different level, akin to strategic weapons.
Even Kakashi, the Copy Ninja, had only one true S-rank jutsu of his own—Lightning Cutter.
So for Sasuke to learn an A-rank jutsu as a genin was practically "favored son" treatment.
Of course, compared to Akira, it was nothing.
That guy had already mastered and evolved Chidori by the age of eight, even creating multiple S-rank forbidden jutsu that Kakashi himself had never seen.
That Soul Annihilation Jutsu just now? Definitely at least S-rank—possibly even beyond.
Sasuke took a deep breath, his eyes cold. "He's not normal. There's no point comparing myself to him. Kakashi, enough talk—teach me Chidori."
Kakashi nodded. "Alright. Since you're determined, we'll begin. But I'll say this upfront—the failure rate is high. Be prepared."
Even Kakashi couldn't guarantee success. Chidori was extremely demanding—something even the Sharingan couldn't simply copy. Whether Sasuke could master it depended entirely on his own ability.
With Kakashi now fully focused on training Sasuke, Naruto's original plan to get some personal guidance from him naturally fell through.
Unable to split himself, Kakashi passed Naruto off to Ebisu—the bespectacled, somewhat pervy instructor.
Naruto was reluctant beyond measure, but having someone to teach him was still better than having no one at all. At the very least, Ebisu was a Special Jōnin.
As for Akira, he went straight into full shut-in mode—barely stepping outside, not even past his own front gate.
He wanted some peace and quiet, but someone clearly had other plans.
He had only lazed around at home for a single day when Anko showed up at his door.
Standing in the small courtyard, Anko looked around and teased, "Oh? This little place of yours is actually pretty stylish."
A flash of lightning flickered across the second-floor balcony, and Akira instantly appeared in the courtyard, looking half-asleep. "Anko-nee, you don't usually show up without a reason."
He had been in seclusion, so being interrupted naturally put him in a bad mood.
Seeing his drowsy, mildly annoyed expression, Anko chuckled. "Didn't I promise you before? Once you pass the Chūnin Exams, I'd bring you the Ryūchi Cave summoning contract."
Akira scratched his head, looking confused. "But I haven't passed yet. The preliminaries just ended, didn't they?"
Anko waved her hand dismissively. "Oh, that's just a formality. The old man Third Hokage has already arranged everything. With your strength, becoming a chūnin is basically guaranteed."
"He's already said it—you're bound to make a splash in this exam. They've practically printed your certificate already."
Akira didn't seem particularly impressed and gave her a teasing look. "Sounds like you're just bored out of your mind. Finished proctoring and had nowhere to go, huh?"
Anko, the classic underworked government ninja, had plenty of idle time—and even more so now.
Having been exposed, she didn't get annoyed. Instead, she grinned and leaned closer. "And what about you? Everyone else is training like crazy this month, and you're just lying around at home sleeping."
Seeing how familiar she acted, Akira sighed helplessly. "Alright, alright, you're right. Where's the contract? Hand it over."
Anko raised an eyebrow. "You sure you want to sign it here? What if you summon something huge and wreck your nice little courtyard—don't come crying to me."
Akira glanced around and thought she had a point. If he accidentally summoned something like Manda on his first try, he might end up demolishing half of Konoha.
With that in mind, he casually placed a hand on Anko's shoulder. Before she could react, the scenery around them shifted instantly.
In the next moment, the two of them were standing deep within the forest behind Konoha—a secluded training ground Akira often used, several kilometers away from any residential area.
Out here, even leveling a mountain wouldn't attract attention.
Anko was stunned by the move, her eyes widening. "That's the Flying Raijin?! That was insanely fast! And you can teleport people without even breaking a sweat? That's ridiculous!"
"I remember the Fourth Hokage needed a bit of preparation to transport others. You make it look like a casual stroll."
Akira didn't bother explaining space-time ninjutsu. He simply held out his hand. "Anko-nee, enough marveling. The scroll."
Snapping out of it, Anko smiled and pulled out a massive scroll from her ninja pouch.
This was the entry pass to Ryūchi Cave. Anyone who signed the contract had to leave their name on it.
Akira unfurled the scroll with a whoosh, his gaze sweeping over the list of names.
Behind Orochimaru's sinister name, another stood out—"Nawaki." And after that, Mitarashi Anko.
Seeing Akira staring at the name, Anko's voice turned subdued as she explained, "Nawaki was Orochimaru's first true disciple—and Tsunade-hime's younger brother. Back then, Orochimaru treated him like his own son."
"Unlike me, who came later—he was the real successor."
"Unfortunately… he died young. Stepped on a landmine during the Second Ninja War."
"Even after Orochimaru became my teacher and started those twisted experiments, he'd still mention that name from time to time."
"I think… for someone as cold as him, Nawaki was probably his only weakness."
Of course, Akira knew who Nawaki was—one of the triggers behind Orochimaru's descent into darkness.
Watching a beloved disciple die in such a brutal way would break anyone. It was what pushed Orochimaru toward his obsession with immortality.
But Akira wasn't interested in old stories.
He bit his finger without hesitation and used his blood to write his name neatly in the blank space on the contract scroll.
After finishing, he glanced at Anko with a grin. "Anko-nee, if I accidentally summon some ancient beast, you think it'll flatten this mountain?"
Anko crossed her arms, looking unconcerned. "That's your problem, not mine. But with your strength, even those big snakes wouldn't dare act up. I doubt any summon here could actually threaten you."
In her eyes, if Akira could defeat Orochimaru himself, a few snakes were nothing.
Just as Akira was about to form hand seals and try summoning—
A ridiculously sleazy voice rang out from the distance:
"Ohooo! Out here in the wilderness—and there's a beauty?!"
Akira's mouth twitched, his brows instantly knitting together.
Anko, on the other hand, looked completely confused, not recognizing the voice.
They both turned toward the sound.
A white-haired man stood there, staring at them with a dazed, infatuated expression.
Akira froze on the spot. Anko's lips twitched violently. "What is he doing here?"
Even though he already knew, Akira played dumb. "Who's that? Why does he look like he's got a mop on his head?"
Anko pressed a hand to her forehead, looking exasperated. "That's one of the Legendary Sannin—Jiraiya-sama. His strength is terrifying—probably even stronger than Orochimaru. He's usually off wandering for 'research,' who knows when he slipped back into the village. What a headache."
Akira chuckled. "So that's the other Sannin. Well, well—looks like we've gathered two and a half of them already. The last one—that gambling addict—will probably show up soon too."
Anko's expression turned serious. "Don't be fooled by how unserious he looks. His strength is unfathomable—don't underestimate him."
Even though she knew Akira had defeated Orochimaru, that had been partly due to Orochimaru's carelessness.
Facing someone like Jiraiya—a true powerhouse—she still felt uneasy for Akira.
In her mind, if it came down to a life-or-death fight, Jiraiya would likely overpower Orochimaru.
Akira, however, reserved judgment. In his view, the two old teammates were roughly equal in chakra reserves in their normal states.
That said, Orochimaru hadn't yet reached Sage Mode at this stage.
That cold, snake-like man was obsessed with immortality, pouring all his energy into researching bizarre jutsus—and had an almost pathological fixation on the Uchiha's Sharingan.
If Akira didn't have knowledge of the future, he might have suspected Orochimaru had already uncovered the secrets of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
Just as these thoughts crossed his mind, footsteps approached from afar.
Jiraiya strolled over—with Naruto, the whisker-marked kid, trailing behind him.
From the looks of it, Naruto had already been taken under Jiraiya's wing for training.
Though judging by Jiraiya's casual attitude, he hadn't officially accepted him as a disciple yet.
The two approached. Anko gave a polite nod. "Jiraiya-sama."
After all, she had once been Orochimaru's student—she was no stranger to someone like Jiraiya.
Jiraiya squinted at her, pausing for a moment before breaking into a wide grin. "Oh? I was wondering which beauty this was—it's Anko-chan!"
As he spoke, his gaze roamed up and down in a way only men understood. "It's been a few years—you've developed quite impressively. That figure is something else!"
To be fair, Anko's figure was indeed striking—something that would turn heads anywhere she went.
Her height and curves were perfectly balanced—not too much, not too little.
The only pity was her usual tomboyish style and carefree personality. Otherwise, she'd easily rank among Konoha's top beauties.
Seeing Jiraiya's gaze grow increasingly inappropriate, even bordering on lecherous, Akira quietly stepped forward, positioning himself directly in front of Anko.
With a flawless, professional smile, he said, "So you're the legendary Jiraiya-sama of the Sannin. Truly, it's an honor to finally meet you—I've heard so much about you."