"Didn't I just save three sacrifices?" Orochimaru said with a smile, sending chills down the others' spines. This guy was terrifying. He didn't even blink at the death of his own summoning beast.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands: Multi-Strike!"
Orochimaru's right arm transformed into a swarm of venomous snakes that lunged toward the group. The four genin blocked the first wave with their kunai and blades, slicing through the writhing mass of snakes.
But they couldn't relax. Sasuke's chakra was already heavily depleted. Naruto and Karin, both Uzumaki, still had plenty of chakra—but after two major battles, their physical strength was almost drained.
And against someone like Orochimaru—one of the Legendary Sannin—genius or not, they were still just kids.
What's more, Orochimaru's fighting style was utterly bizarre. His unpredictable attacks gave them little room to counterattack with high-level jutsu. In a blur of motion, Orochimaru closed the distance and—
Chomp!
His neck twisted at an unnatural angle, and he bit Sasuke hard on the shoulder.
"Delicious," Orochimaru purred, licking the blood from the corner of his mouth like a predator savoring his prey.
In that moment, the curse seal—imperfect but functional—was injected into Sasuke's body. Orochimaru had done it. He had marked his target.
He didn't even fear the consequences. After all, in this timeline, Uchiha Itachi had never defected, and Orochimaru had never experienced the terror of Tsukuyomi. He still believed the Sharingan was manageable.
Because to him… he was Orochimaru—the man feared by all in the ninja world.
Sasuke screamed, collapsing to the ground as black, tadpole-like marks rapidly spread across his skin, writhing with cursed energy.
"What did you do to him?!" Naruto roared, his eyes narrowing—slitted, golden pupils flashing with rage.
Orochimaru didn't flinch. With a flick of his wrist, he drove the Kusanagi Sword straight at Naruto's stomach.
Clang!
Naruto was launched backward like a cannonball. Trees shattered in his wake, their trunks collapsing with a thunderous crash.
That strike hadn't been merciful. Orochimaru had struck to kill.
"Now then, just a girl… and a trembling little boy," Orochimaru mused, glancing at Boruto, whose knees had buckled from the pressure.
In his world, Aunt Snake was... eccentric. Not this terrifying.
"Run! Take Sasuke and get out of here!" Karin shouted.
From her back, over a dozen glowing chakra chains burst out like living whips, flying straight toward Orochimaru.
Boruto finally snapped out of it, grabbed Sasuke's limp body, and took off at full speed.
"The Uzumaki's Adamantine Sealing Chains... Now that's a surprise," Orochimaru muttered with intrigue, weaving through the incoming chains with unnatural flexibility.
The Adamantine Sealing Chains—an A-rank jutsu combining sealing and offense—was one of the Uzumaki Clan's signature techniques.
Still, Orochimaru moved like a phantom. He sidestepped the final chain and appeared behind Karin.
Thud!
He delivered a swift chop to the back of her neck. Karin crumpled.
"Roooaarrr!"
A monstrous, guttural roar echoed from the distance.
Orochimaru turned just in time to see a red-and-black blur charging straight at him.
CRASH!
The impact sent him flying dozens of meters. Trees splintered, dust exploded outward, and the air trembled.
Orochimaru didn't hesitate. He activated his own Substitution Technique, and from the mouth of the ruined body crawled a fresh Orochimaru, eyes narrowed.
In front of him now stood a three-tailed version of Naruto—wild and bestial, chakra flickering like flames, eyes blank and full of wrath.
"So... he's the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki. Minato, you really sealed it into your own son? How cruel."
"Kusanagi Sword!"
The legendary blade pierced forward again—but this time, it didn't penetrate.
Naruto's body, dense with volatile chakra, had formed a protective barrier.
Orochimaru's eyes widened. "He's transforming further... Four tails now?"
He wasn't worried about fighting an incomplete Four-Tails. But he was no fool. If he stayed too long, Konoha's backup would arrive.
"Until next time, kid," Orochimaru whispered, sinking into the ground with an Earth Style escape.
---
Back in the control room, tension filled the air.
"Hokage, why'd you cut the feed?" Raikage complained. "Things were just getting interesting! Isn't this a great chance to test your son's power?"
The moment Orochimaru appeared, Fugaku had ordered the surveillance cut. That snake summon was unmistakable—only one person in the ninja world could control it.
Orochimaru. A traitor to Konoha.
What happened next was classified.
"Surely Raikage-sama understands," Fugaku said smoothly. "This is clearly an intruder. As you know, any external threat to examinees—regardless of origin—is a matter of village security. But rest assured, Konoha's Anbu have been deployed."
The Raikage scowled. The Tsuchikage looked no more pleased.
But Fugaku remained composed.
What? You think I'm Sarutobi Hiruzen? I don't owe you an explanation.
---
Meanwhile, Konoha's Anbu arrived on scene—but they were just a few moments too late. Orochimaru had already vanished. He had ambushed and neutralized the patrol units beforehand, buying himself time.
Now, only chaos remained.
"That's Naruto! Hurry, save him!" Karin urged.
Boruto appeared from the trees, panting, Sasuke slung over his back.
A masked Anbu stepped forward—then removed his mask.
"It's me, Karin. Don't worry," said Uchiha Itachi, eyes calm.
In the distance, Naruto, fully transformed into his Four-Tailed state, rampaged wildly. Trees toppled. Earth cracked. The surrounding genin wisely kept their distance.
Deep within Naruto's mind, behind the bars of a giant cage, the Nine-Tails yawned.
"Oi, kid. Wake up already!"
Kurama grumbled in annoyance. This rampage wasn't his doing. There were Mangekyō users watching him daily. If he lost control now, it'd be his hide on the line.
This time, it was Naruto who kept draining chakra, ignoring Kurama's protests, until his own mind couldn't take the pressure—and blacked out.
Kurama had the perfect opportunity to take over.
And yet...
"No," Kurama muttered dramatically. "I am Kyuubi! This is my moment! I'm finally free!"
He stood up inside the cage, stretching.
"I'm gonna see the world—"
"No, you're not."
A pair of blood-red Mangekyō Sharingan locked onto him from outside the bars.
Uchiha Itachi stood there calmly.
Kurama's tail drooped.
"…Tch. You're no fun."
With a groan, the Nine-Tails lay back down in the cage, a sulking mountain of chakra.
---------------------
After Uchiha Itachi left Naruto's spiritual space, the Nine-Tails—who moments earlier had looked calm and indifferent—suddenly exploded in anger.
"Those sneaky Uchiha bastards! Trying to trick me into breaking the seal?! Impossible! There's absolutely no way I'm falling for that nonsense! I've got three Mangekyō trained on me at all times, and they still try this crap?!"
He paced inside the cage, tails thrashing.
"Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting!"
The more the Nine-Tails thought about it, the more aggrieved he felt. He had behaved himself for years now. Was there no longer even a shred of trust between humans and foxes?
Old man, he muttered internally. Your ungrateful descendants don't believe in me anymore.
It wasn't that the Nine-Tails didn't want freedom. But after being watched for so long—watched by red-eyed Uchiha sentinels around the clock—even the mighty Kyuubi had grown tired. Tired... and strangely complacent.
Worse, earlier, he had sensed a chakra eerily similar to Uchiha Kagami's.
That geezer… isn't he supposed to be dead? The power Kagami once possessed far surpassed Fugaku and his son. The last time Kyuubi had felt Kagami's chakra, he was still sealed inside Kushina.
Since when did Uchiha lifespans get so damn long?
Now that he thought about it, there was also that Uchiha Xiuyu or whatever. Was that old fossil still around too?
The Nine-Tails shuddered. He didn't want to imagine being stared down by a council of undead Uchiha elders with glowing red eyes.
Honestly, for all his grumbling, being sealed inside Naruto was starting to feel like the better deal.
—
Outside the mental space, Itachi had no idea what the Nine-Tails was internally ranting about. He simply assumed the beast had calmed down.
Naruto's physical body, however, was in rough shape—covered in scald-like burns caused by the corrosive influence of the Nine-Tails' chakra.
"It's time to move," Itachi said calmly, hoisting Sasuke over one shoulder and Naruto over the other.
The group exited the Forest of Death just as reinforcements arrived.
Due to Orochimaru's unexpected attack, the second round of the Chūnin Exams was suspended. But with so many contestants already eliminated, the decision was made to advance everyone remaining directly to the third round.
Since everyone advanced equally, there was little objection.
—
Both Naruto and Sasuke were hospitalized. Karin stayed behind to care for them.
A day later, they finally regained consciousness. Naruto had already bounced back with full energy. Sasuke, however, looked troubled.
The cursed mark Orochimaru left behind had begun to affect him.
"Doctor, isn't there any way to remove that thing?" Naruto asked, concern written across his face. Karin looked equally worried.
"I'm sorry. That kind of curse seal is beyond our current methods," the doctor replied. "But the Hokage has been informed. He said he has a solution."
As Sasuke's father, Fugaku's confidence was all the reassurance they needed.
—
"You guys are at the hospital too?" a voice called from the hallway.
Yamanaka Ino appeared, eyes lighting up the moment she spotted Sasuke.
"What happened to him? Is he injured?" she asked, stepping in close.
Karin grinned mischievously and immediately handed Sasuke over to her.
"Here, help him out."
Ino blushed as she accepted the weight, flustered but overjoyed.
Sasuke, on the other hand, looked like he wanted to disappear.
He knew exactly who Ino was—daughter of the Yamanaka clan, and an infamous fangirl.
He threw Karin a dark glare, but she just smiled sweetly in return.
As they left the hospital, they ran into another familiar face—Haruno Sakura.
She looked… displeased.
"Who's that girl?" Karin asked innocently, noting how intensely Sakura was staring at Ino and Sasuke.
"Oh, that's my friend," Naruto said quickly. Sakura, as it turned out, was teamed up with a group of civilian genin under a standard Chūnin instructor.
After all, not every squad got a jōnin leader.
"Sasuke, Naruto, Karin," Fugaku's voice cut in. "I see you've met the girl from the Yamanaka clan."
Ino turned pale at the sudden appearance of the Hokage. She bowed quickly. "H-Hello, Lord Hokage!"
Fugaku gave her a faint smile and reached out to pat her head. "Thank you for helping my son. I appreciate it."
The gesture was gentle, almost fatherly.
Sakura watched from a distance, envy flickering in her eyes. No matter how low-key the Uchiha tried to act, their influence in the village was undeniable.
"I'm taking Sasuke for treatment," Fugaku said. "You're welcome to come along, Ino, if you're interested."
"I—I'd be honored!" Ino stammered, summoning every ounce of courage she had.
This was the boldest thing she'd done since falling for Sasuke.
—
Fugaku led the group through Konoha, eventually arriving at a walled-off district.
It was the territory of the Uzumaki clan.
"Fugaku-sama has arrived," a guard announced.
"Please enter. The elder is expecting you."
A red-haired boy greeted them. Naruto recognized him instantly.
"Kuon! It's your turn today, huh?"
Uzumaki Kuon was a year younger than Naruto, due to graduate next year. Today, being a school holiday, it was his day to serve as gatekeeper.
Kuon nodded quietly, far more reserved than Naruto.
Sasuke leaned toward his father. "We're asking the Uzumaki clan for help?"
Fugaku nodded. "Did you forget everything I've told you? The Uzumaki clan's sealing arts are unparalleled. Medical ninjutsu aside, their sealing techniques are second to none."
He paused, glancing at Sasuke's shoulder.
"This curse seal is likely a new jutsu created by Orochimaru. Strange, experimental, and dangerous. We can't take any risks. The Uzumaki elders are the best choice."
He sighed and added, "It's just a shame Naruto doesn't care for sealing techniques."
Naruto scratched his head with a sheepish grin. "I can't help it! I just don't like them. Hahaha."
"Be respectful," Fugaku warned. "You're about to meet a living legend—an elder who's lived since the Warring States era. He's older than anyone else in the village."
They knocked gently on the door.
"Come in," a raspy voice answered.
Inside, an elderly man sat at the head seat, sipping tea in a relaxed posture. Ino blinked, confused. He wasn't sitting formally, like most in the Land of Fire. Instead, he lounged like a noble from another age.
"Long time no see, elder," Fugaku said with a respectful bow.
"Oh, Fugaku," the old man replied. "Last time we met… hmm, must've been over twenty years ago."
This was Uzumaki Hibiki, a legend within the clan. He had long secluded himself, waiting quietly for the return of Mito and Xiuyu.
Fugaku got straight to the point.
"My son was cursed by Orochimaru. I believe it's a threat to his life. I'm requesting your help with sealing it."
"Oh, that's easy," Hibiki said casually, pointing toward Karin. "Just have your son sit down."
Karin bristled. "Excuse me! I am a clan elder too! That's Uzumaki Karin—please don't point fingers!"
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