"Is this all the skill you have? The son of the Fourth Hokage, and the last survivor of the Uchiha clan... you truly disappoint me."
Still wearing the guise of the Grass ninja, Orochimaru licked his lips. Looking at the battered and exhausted Naruto and Sasuke, a mocking expression appeared on his face.
At this moment, facing Orochimaru, Naruto and Sasuke had no energy left for idle talk.
Both were panting heavily, their bodies covered in wounds, cutting a sorry figure. In contrast, Orochimaru appeared completely unharmed. The disparity between heaven and earth was glaringly obvious.
The expressions on their faces were more solemn than ever before.
Of course, they didn't know that this was the result of Orochimaru holding back to an extreme degree. If not for verifying Sasuke's current strength and potential, given the gap between them and Orochimaru, instant annihilation would have been the only outcome.
"Heh, looks like the two of us are going to die here together. But at least Sakura-chan can survive. That counts as one good thing, right, Sasuke?"
Naruto forced a smile and said to Sasuke beside him.
"Shut up, idiot!"
Sasuke's face was grim, his hands clenched tightly. He didn't want to die here. He absolutely refused to die here.
The revival of his clan, and his revenge against Itachi Uchiha...
Sasuke was unwilling, and absolutely would not allow himself, to die here so simply.
Chakra surged from him even more violently.
A crimson hue flickered faintly in his pupils.
It seemed as if a tomoe was emerging from within.
"Eh? Sasuke? Why did your eyes change? They look kinda similar to Big Brother Kakashi's eye?"
Naruto's eyes widened instantly.
His words...
And the changes Sasuke felt within himself...
Caused Sasuke to freeze subconsciously.
Instinctively touching his eyes, he realized his vision had become incredibly clear. Single-tomoe Sharingan.
This surging power...
The Sharingan... I've finally obtained this power!
Sasuke's confidence swelled infinitely in this moment.
Meanwhile.
In the distance, the seemingly calm Orochimaru had actually been feeling somewhat disappointed just moments ago. After testing him for so long, Sasuke hadn't used the Sharingan at all, which proved that Itachi's younger brother hadn't awakened the Uchiha clan's supreme technique.
Compared to Itachi, this talent is still far lacking...
Orochimaru shook his head gently in his heart.
However, even so...
Orochimaru wouldn't give up on Sasuke.
This was his only chance to obtain the Uchiha bloodline. Itachi was too strong, but more importantly, the Mangekyō Sharingan countered Orochimaru. While the Living Corpse Reincarnation jutsu gave Orochimaru hope for "immortality"...
It clearly damaged Orochimaru's "soul."
Genjutsu inherently affected the spirit, or even the soul. With Orochimaru's soul significantly weakened, Itachi's countering effect on him became extremely obvious.
Otherwise, with Orochimaru's strength, even if he truly wasn't Itachi's match, why would he be instantly defeated in one move?
Orochimaru clearly recognized his own weakness. Because of this, he urgently wanted to obtain the "Sharingan" and the purest Uchiha bloodline. Since there was no hope with Itachi, he could only look to Sasuke.
Even if Sasuke's aptitude wasn't great, Orochimaru had to try.
However.
In that moment.
When Orochimaru saw the crimson and black Sharingan appearing in Sasuke's pupils...
A look of wild joy flashed in his snake eyes.
Sharingan! It's the Sharingan!
This extreme reversal of the situation meant that however disappointed Orochimaru was before, he was now equally delighted.
His gaze toward Sasuke instantly became incredibly fervent.
This trip wasn't in vain after all!
Suppressing the joy in his heart, Orochimaru licked his lips once more.
Boom!
With another explosion of speed...
He rushed directly toward Sasuke and Naruto.
The three of them engaged in a "fierce" battle once again.
The intense combat fluctuations spreading out far exceeded the standard of ordinary Genin.
Both Naruto and Sasuke unleashed power beyond their usual levels.
Especially Sasuke, now possessing the Sharingan.
Current Sasuke's personal strength had undoubtedly reached the level of an elite Chūnin. Yet, in front of Orochimaru, it still appeared so frail, so laughable.
Still completely controlling his strength, Orochimaru pushed Sasuke to his final limit bit by bit.
By the time Menma arrived in the vicinity...
What he saw was Naruto being sent flying by a heavy blow from Orochimaru, the back of his head slamming into a tree trunk, knocking him unconscious, and Sasuke being completely restrained by Orochimaru.
Luckily I didn't miss it.
Standing on a high vantage point, Menma looked at the three below, a hint of relief in his eyes.
If he had missed Orochimaru here, he really would have had to try his luck with Yakushi Kabuto.
Of course, he had no intention of revealing himself right now. Sasuke was still conscious, and he couldn't let Sasuke see him.
As for Naruto... well, he wasn't dead yet, was he?
Even if he truly died at Orochimaru's hands, the current Menma wouldn't have any excess emotional fluctuations. Since that night, he had seen himself clearly, and he had seen Naruto clearly.
Minato and Kushina at least had the grace of giving him life in this world.
He acknowledged that debt.
But Naruto? He was just a stranger connected by blood, not to mention their ideologies ran completely counter to each other.
The stupid actions driven by his past life's filters were something the current Menma would no longer commit, unless this younger brother stood firmly on his side.
Otherwise...
Menma wouldn't care if the floodwaters took him.
Below, Orochimaru seemed completely unaware of Menma's arrival. Looking at Sasuke, whom he had restrained...
Forcing down the greed in his heart...
"Not bad. Really quite good. For your age, your performance is already very impressive. However, compared to Itachi, you are still far behind, Sasuke-kun."
Staring into Sasuke's eyes, he spoke in that raspy, magnetic voice.
"Itachi? You bastard... who exactly are you?"
Unable to move, even finding it difficult to breathe, Sasuke's expression turned ferocious the moment he heard Itachi's name from Orochimaru's mouth. His struggles became even more violent.
"Heh. That's the emotion I want, Sasuke-kun. Remember it well. Today, I'll leave you a small gift. If you feel unwilling, then come find me, Sasuke-kun!!"
Orochimaru smiled coldly. Then, suddenly extending his neck, he opened his mouth, revealed his fangs, and bit down viciously on Sasuke's neck.