Whoosh! Whoosh!
"This way."
Anko carefully sensed the feeling the Cursed Seal brought her.
Behind her, Ibara Keisen followed closely.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
After about half an hour, Anko finally stopped in a dark area.
She felt it; it was nearby.
"Anko, long time no see."
A sudden voice made Anko quickly turn her head; Orochimaru appeared behind her.
Swish!
Anko backhanded a Kunai, aiming it at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru smiled, easily deflecting her attack with his Taijutsu, and retreated backward.
Hiss! Hiss!
Two large snakes emerged from Anko's sleeves simultaneously, trying to entangle him.
Bang! Bang!
It was useless; Orochimaru moved gracefully, avoiding her attacks.
"Orochimaru, what are you doing in Konoha? Are you trying to harm other juniors again?"
Anko covered the Cursed Seal on her neck, glaring at Orochimaru as she questioned him.
"Heh heh, is that how you see me? I'm here to give someone power, the power he needs.
It seems you haven't slacked off these past years, but using my own techniques against me...
That's truly heartbreaking!"
Orochimaru chuckled.
"Today, I won't let you escape. Just stay in Konoha permanently."
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Anko didn't waste any words. Her goal today was to keep Orochimaru here.
Shuriken flew towards Orochimaru in a pincer formation, and she quickly formed hand seals.
As Orochimaru dodged the Shuriken, she unleashed a Fire Release technique into his opening.
Great Fireball Technique.
Boom!
Massive flames erupted, casting an orange-red glow through the forest.
Hiss! Hiss!
Orochimaru moved swiftly, using the Instantaneous Body Technique to evade her blockade. After stepping on a tree trunk to change direction, he avoided the Fire Release and appeared before Anko.
Large snakes emerged from his hands.
Entangling Anko.
"My target isn't you, my dear student. Just live well in Konoha.
I have no need for your body."
Orochimaru licked his lips, smiling.
"Body?"
Anko thought of the Cursed Seal on her neck. Was this guy after someone else?
Bang!
Anko turned into a log.
When she reappeared, she had already used Hidden Shadow Snake Hands to grab Orochimaru and his hand.
Ninja Art: Twin Snakes Mutual Death.
"Anko, look carefully before you fight, or people might say I didn't teach you well."
Orochimaru's voice suddenly came from behind Anko.
Anko's expression changed dramatically. She looked at the Orochimaru she was holding, which began to melt into mud.
Earth Clone?
When?
Buzz! Buzz!
Just as Anko was about to continue her attack, and Orochimaru, having lost interest, was about to slip away, a chaotic whooshing sound arose.
"Wind Release: Wind Demon Shuriken."
Orochimaru turned his head to see a Wind Demon Shuriken, enveloped in Wind Release, spinning like a windmill and rushing towards him.
Along its path, trees over thirty meters tall and several times thicker than a water barrel were cut down one by one.
Rumble! Rumble!
Buzz! Buzz!
The hum of the Ninjutsu's eruption made Orochimaru feel a strong threat.
If he were hit, he would die.
Rashomon.
Orochimaru slammed his hand on the ground, and a giant demon-headed gate rose.
Bang!
The Wind Release: Wind Demon Shuriken struck the Rashomon.
Buzz!
The clash of Ninjutsu and Summoning Jutsu produced a resounding impact.
The Shuriken, enveloped in Wind Release, slowly cut through the Rashomon. After a standoff of less than three seconds, the Rashomon disappeared with a 'bang', and the Shuriken continued to fly towards Orochimaru.
"An impressive Ninjutsu, to actually break my Rashomon."
In three seconds, Orochimaru had already left his original position. The attack could only graze him, continuing to fly into the forest behind.
Rumble! Rumble!
Countless trees fell...
"What was that?" The Anbu squad dispatched by Hiruzen Sarutobi stood on the treetops.
They watched the gate that rose from the ground, and that incredibly powerful attack.
Where the Ninjutsu passed, it had almost plowed the entire path.
"That's the Ninjutsu Rashomon, it's Orochimaru... The ones fighting him are likely Anko and Ibara, who went ahead. Let's go."
Seeing this, the Anbu Captain, being well-informed, understood whose Jutsu it was.
Nearby examinees, hearing the commotion, also used their abilities and witnessed the scene.
Their eyes widened.
Gulp!
"No way, is that the strength an examinee can have?"
All the confused examinees swallowed their saliva upon seeing it.
It can't be!
This is just the Chunin Exams!
...
"Hinata, did you see that?"
Shino's three-person team also heard the commotion.
Hinata's Byakugan veins appeared, and the situation in the distance was reflected in her eyes.
Penetrating through various sights, she finally saw it.
"That shouldn't be examinees. It's the proctor and another Konoha Ninja, fighting a terrifying enemy."
In her eyes, Orochimaru's Chakra was terrifying, like a white snake about to devour her.
Woof woof~
"Akamaru says he smells something terrifying. Don't go near it."
Inuzuka Kiba heard Akamaru's words and told the two.
Shino: "Then, let's still head to the Central Tower. Taking advantage of this opportunity, there might not be many people there."
"Mm."
...
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Sunagakure's Gaara's three-person team also arrived at the treetops and witnessed the explosive scene.
"Hey, is that the strength a Genin should have? This attack intensity...
Even your Absolute Defense, Gaara, couldn't block it, could it?"
Kankuro swallowed hard as he watched.
Temari observed for a moment and said, "That's... Wind Release. What a powerful Wind Release Ninja..."
"Hey, hey, with such a strong guy, will the plan go wrong?"
Kankuro asked worriedly.
"Idiot, Konoha must be under invasion, and they're dealing with the enemy right now."
Temari retorted.
How could a Genin have such strength? She glanced at Gaara.
Not everyone is a monster like that.
Gaara, with one eye missing, didn't reply to their words.
His missing eye had arrived at the battlefield.
He saw the three intensely fighting figures, and his Sand Eye rotated, finding nothing else.
"It's Konoha's people fighting Orochimaru," he said.
"That guy, the plan hasn't even started, and he's already causing such a huge commotion.
It's really troublesome." Kankuro complained.
If Konoha's alert level gets too high, the plan might fail before it's even implemented... Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.
Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique.
Combined Ninjutsu, crossfire.
After Ibara Keisen fought Orochimaru, Anko also reacted, no longer caring why Iron Wire was still present, and launched an attack with him.
One exhaled wind, the other exhaled fire.
Fire borrowed wind power.
Boom!
Another fierce attack.
Facing the raging inferno, Orochimaru sensed more people approaching, knowing they must be Konoha's Anbu.
"Anko, you've found a good target, and your strength is good too.
But that's enough for today. We'll catch up another time."
Before leaving, Orochimaru didn't forget to taunt them.
Then he was engulfed by the two's Ninjutsu.
Anko and Ibara Keisen stopped their Ninjutsu, looking at the charred forest path, breathing heavily.
The experience transfer from Ibara Keisen's mental space also slowly stopped.
Only a shell remained of the tag on his chest.
He tilted his head, and his entire body fell towards the base of the tree.
Swish!
Anko, suppressing her weakness, caught him, looking at him worriedly.
"Chakra exhaustion. Thankfully, it's not too severe."
A gentle expression on her face, she checked Ibara Keisen's Chakra loss, relieved that it wasn't too severe.
Whoosh! Whoosh!~
Just then, the Anbu arrived late.