As one of the legendary Sannin of Konoha, Orochimaru had personally led large armies into battle, and the killing intent he had accumulated over the years had become overwhelmingly dense, nearly tangible.
"Boom!" In an instant, this tangible killing intent turned Sakura Haruno pale with fright, as if she could see her own gruesome death, her body trembling uncontrollably.
Naruto also felt this oppressive aura; he couldn't understand how a participant in the Chunin Exams could possess such immense power.
His hands began to tremble slightly, as if even the flow of his chakra had become unsteady.
Sasuke, too, felt this suffocating murderous intent. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and his entire body seemed suppressed by an invisible force, making it nearly impossible to move.
His expression grim, he locked his gaze on Orochimaru and spoke in a low, firm voice: "There's no way a mere genin could have this kind of power. Who are you?"
"Heh heh heh… you'll find out soon enough." Orochimaru's long tongue slithered across his lips, producing a chilling sound.
A sinister smile curled at the corner of his mouth, and with a wave of his arm, several kunai shot directly toward Sakura Haruno.
Sakura was frozen stiff, as if bound by invisible shackles, and could only watch death approach, powerless to resist.
But at that critical moment, Naruto's roar exploded like thunder, shattering the silence around them.
"Like hell I'm just gonna stand here and die!" Naruto's eyes were wide with fury, as if some hidden power had been awakened by his rage. His body suddenly broke free from the restraint, and an unyielding will blazed within him.
At the same time, Sasuke let out a deafening roar. Every muscle in his body tensed, veins bulging as he desperately channeled every ounce of his strength, finally breaking free and rising to his feet.
Both of them struck almost simultaneously, deflecting the incoming kunai one by one. The sharp clang of metal echoed across the open field.
Far from angering Orochimaru, this scene only made his smile widen.
"Heh heh heh… you can still move. How surprising."
His greedy gaze remained fixed on Sasuke; the more talent Sasuke displayed, the more excited Orochimaru became.
In Orochimaru's eyes, this young life was nothing more than a tool to collect power—destined to become part of him.
"Who do you think Naruto-sama is?" Naruto grinned, his body suddenly blurring. In an instant, the Multiple Shadow Clone Technique unleashed dozens of identical copies of himself, charging menacingly toward Orochimaru.
"I've seen people with far more presence and strength than you," Sasuke said coldly, his tone dripping with disdain.
"Heh… such arrogance," Orochimaru's sinister laughter echoed through the air. He completely dismissed Sasuke's words.
In his mind, while there were indeed those in the ninja world who could surpass him, someone far stronger than him was practically nonexistent.
Even within the mysterious Akatsuki organization, only their leader met that standard.
As for Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru sneered inwardly.
In his view, losing to Itachi had been nothing more than carelessness. If given another chance, he would never make the same mistake again.
"This is bad."
Though Sasuke still put on a brave front, his words bold, his heart had sunk into an icy abyss.
The situation before him was far beyond his control.
It was true he had witnessed Roy's breathtaking battles and had seen Garp's earth-shattering punch at full power.
That punch had carried the force to tear apart half the sea—compared to that, Orochimaru paled into insignificance.
But Sasuke understood clearly: he was no Garp. With his current strength, facing the unpredictable and cunning Orochimaru was like throwing an egg against a rock.
His Observation Haki had already silently warned him—it was a warning from the depths of his soul.
"I'll just have to do my best and cause a commotion."
Sasuke resolved inwardly. This was Konoha; perhaps his cry for help would draw reinforcements from the village.
He quickly adjusted his mindset, taking up a defensive stance as if ready for battle.
"Still want to fight me?" Orochimaru tilted his head, a teasing smile forming on his lips. He licked his dry lips, seemingly looking forward to the coming "game."
To him, toying with these two young brats was nothing more than entertainment.
"Take this!" Just then, Naruto could no longer hold back. With a furious yell, a wave of shadow clones surged forward like a flood, charging at Orochimaru.
But these attacks seemed like child's play before Orochimaru. Countless small snakes slithered out of his body like dense arrows, swiftly tearing through the clones one by one.
Then Orochimaru's body twisted like a serpent, his face alight with a smug grin as he closed in on Naruto.
Naruto tried to leap away, but his foot went limp—a hidden snake had coiled around his ankle.
Orochimaru opened his gaping maw, ready to swallow Naruto whole.
"Bam!" At the critical moment, Sasuke appeared like a phantom, kicking hard at Orochimaru's face, only to have his leg casually blocked by one of Orochimaru's arms.
"That strength is far from enough," Orochimaru sneered. His body suddenly accelerated, lunging at Sasuke like an arrow loosed from a bow.
"Soru!" Facing the sudden assault, Sasuke remained calm. With a flicker, he vanished into thin air, reappearing around Orochimaru in an instant.
Then, "Rankyaku" was unleashed. Several razor-sharp blades of wind slashed through the air, slicing Orochimaru's body into pieces as a shriek of agony rang out.
These were the Marine Rokushiki.
But just as Sasuke prepared to seize the chance to pull Naruto away, Orochimaru abruptly stopped wailing. His body quickly regenerated, and that bone-chilling smile returned to his face.
"Just kidding," he said lightly. Everything before had been mere mockery.
Sasuke and Naruto exchanged glances, a chill running down their spines.
They knew the real battle had only just begun.
"What strange techniques."
Orochimaru licked his lips, savoring the power he had just sensed.
"Sasuke-kun, where did you learn these abilities? Is this merely taijutsu? Yet it seems far from ordinary."
A glint of obsession flickered in Orochimaru's eyes, and a twisted smile tugged at his lips.
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