Benimaru and Sasuke dashed forward.
Benimaru's speed was greatly enhanced by Perfect Copy as he struck first.
His fist shot towards the serpent's face, but it had no effect.
Orochimaru caught his fist, but the residue energy from the blow uprooted multiple trees behind him.
Benimaru smiled cheekily. His attack had been blocked, but he didn't care — he was enjoying this.
He spun his body erratically. Benimaru sprung his left foot toward Orochimaru's abdomen.
The Snake Sannin caught his leg.
He hissed at him and peered, "Is that all you got?"
Benimaru didn't panic. "Not quite."
Sasuke suddenly appeared above him. He smashed his heel into the back of Orochimaru's head.
The Snake Sannin didn't even flinch.
Sasuke's gaze hardened. His attack was brushed aside. He jumped back, then dashed forward again.
He pressed relentlessly — right hook, back heel, roundhouse kick, knee strike, palm thrust.
They were all just shrugged off.
The serpent's lips curved upwards like a blade as he tanked all of it without a care in the world.
Suddenly, he released his grip on Benimaru, causing him to jump back.
"I thought you would do better, Sasuke… I barely felt those."
Sasuke's lips twitched. He wasn't so immature that he couldn't handle some mockery, but it still hurt his pride that he couldn't do anything.
Benimaru jumped beside him. They were now standing side by side.
Sasuke's Sharingan blazed furiously — like a flame threatening to consume everything.
Benimaru's Perfect Copy was calm like water but with an edge sharp enough to cut — the calm before the storm.
In that instant, no words were spoken.
Sasuke darted first, his movements sharper than ever before.
Normally, I would tell you to stay out of my way…
But this is a fight where our lives are on the line.
I can't afford to be petty.
Sasuke turned to his side while running. Benimaru was beside him, grinning like an idiot.
Sasuke shook his head in annoyance, but a faint smile tugged his lips.
You always loved the thrill of battle… what a freak.
Benimaru mirrored him perfectly. Their movements synchronized like two beings in one.
A left hook — matched by a mirrored right.
A sweeping kick — answered by a mirrored spin.
An upward knee — mirrored by a crashing elbow.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed slightly, but then turned into a sly sneer.
These kids were interesting to him — especially Benimaru.
The power he was using was one he had no knowledge of.
He wasn't sure if it was due to their teamwork or a side effect of Benimaru's ability, but they were perfectly in sync — like they were one person in two different bodies.
And for the first time in this fight, Orochimaru had to use both his hands to block.
Their blows hammered from both sides, strikes flowing too fast for a normal man to follow — but Orochimaru was not normal.
The sheer impact of the blows shattered the ground beneath them, but the Snake Sannin's grin never wavered.
He weaved through their attacks with an uncanny flexibility that betrayed his size.
He moved with a certain grace that could only resemble a serpent.
Benimaru's fist grazed his cheek. Sasuke's heel sliced through his robe.
Tiny things — barely scratches — but enough to make his yellow eyes glint with intrigue.
He hissed. "Interesting… your teamwork is phenomenal. Together, you have managed to fight against a legendary Sannin."
He began to clap for them. Benimaru and Sasuke's gazes sharpened.
They didn't like where this conversation was going.
"Unfortunately," he continued, "I'm done playing with my food."
To Benimaru and Sasuke, it looked like he had teleported.
One second, he was a few meters away from them — the next, he was in the middle of them.
Sasuke's Sharingan was working on overdrive, but he still couldn't see it.
Once the information had gotten to their brains, they tried to jump back.
"Your time is up, kids."
In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru's hand struck downward.
It targeted Benimaru's neck, knocking him unconscious instantly.
His eyes rolled to the back of his head — his golden hair and eyes retreating to their natural yellow form.
The golden blaze had been snuffed out instantly — just like their chances of winning.
Sasuke's eyes instantly widened. The enemy had been holding back — and by such a degree.
He felt an instant wave of despair wash over him. He couldn't win — not with Benimaru's help and certainly not alone.
He snapped himself out of it. He couldn't be thinking like that.
Not until my body is dead on the ground have I ever truly lost. You taught me that, Benimaru.
Sasuke rushed at Orochimaru. Even if he wouldn't win, he would die trying.
Orochimaru smiled at Sasuke. He was growing more and more intrigued by the second.
What kind of effect could this Benimaru have had to make the Uchiha like this?
Even if the intel he had was a bit old — around a few months to almost a year — there still shouldn't be this drastic a change.
Regardless, he would find out in due time. He considered giving Benimaru a curse mark now but decided against it.
I will watch his growth from the shadows. If he continues to interest me, then I will come back for him.
Orochimaru stopped Sasuke's assault by simply blitzing behind him.
He placed his hand on his shoulder and began applying pressure.
Sasuke was forced to his knees. Orochimaru did a hand seal with one hand.
His neck extended slightly, then he bit into Sasuke before letting go of him.
Sasuke wallowed in pain and agony. His body seized and shook violently — like he was being burnt alive.
It felt like a burning sensation was spreading throughout his body — through every vein.
He tried to get up but just fell back down. He collapsed on the floor.
His Sharingan spun wildly; first one tomoe, then two, then finally three.
The curse mark had forcibly awakened the third and final stage of his Sharingan.
The pain was excruciating, and it wasn't stopping.
Until eventually… he fell into unconsciousness.
Orochimaru left, proud of his handiwork. Sakura came out of hiding.
She was crying profusely. Both her teammates and one of her friends were unconscious.
Now it was her turn to protect them. She had to.
She had set up traps to take down anyone who might try to attack them.
But as the trio slept, everything seemed to play out exactly as it did in canon.
The Sound Ninja had attacked, but Sakura managed to hold them off long enough for Lee to arrive.
Lee tried to save her but was caught off guard by the Sound Ninja's tricks.
Sasuke finally woke up. His body pulsed with a dark, eerie purple chakra.
He was different — ruthless and efficient.
He broke the arm of one of the Sound Ninja, and the others ran away.
They dropped the two scrolls they had — a Heaven and Earth scroll.
Sasuke was about to give chase but was stopped.
Sakura hugged him from behind. She was crying, begging for Sasuke to stop.
This wasn't the Sasuke she knew.
The purple aura began to recede, and the dark markings faded away.
————————————————————
Within the mind of our protagonist, a battle raged on.
Benimaru's brother sat on his throne. He looked down on his younger brother — his pitch-black eyes a clear contrast to Benimaru's bright yellow ones.
"You lost again," he hummed.
"I didn't lose," Benimaru retorted. "The fact that you haven't taken over is proof of that."
"Is that so?"
His brother took a contemplative stance. "And what makes you say that?"
"Because it's true, isn't it?" He smirked. "You can only take control of my body if I'm dead or on the edge of it."
Benimaru had figured it out. The only way for him to lose control was for death to take hold of him — something he would never let happen again.
His brother's gaze sharpened. A malicious wave of chakra permeated through the mindscape.
Benimaru stood his ground without fear. He released his own chakra, perfectly matching his brother's.
His brother's chakra was pitch-black, thick like oil, swallowing all light. Benimaru's shone like molten gold — flickering but unyielding.
"Even if that's true… what exactly stops me from killing you and taking your body by force?"
Benimaru's fingers shook rapidly. The mere aura released from his brother's words would make even experienced Jonin piss their pants.
If his brother was truly being serious, then one of them would die today.
Thankfully, he wasn't.
The chakra flowing from his brother came to an abrupt stop.
Benimaru took a moment to catch his breath. He had channeled all his chakra.
But it seemed his elder brother was just playing with him.
With a wave of his hand, his brother dismissed all thoughts — like he hadn't just threatened to end Benimaru's life moments prior.
"I'll let you enjoy your miserable life for a little while longer… but when I take control, you will never see the light of day again."
And with that, Benimaru disappeared from the mindscape.
His eyes shot open like a bullet. His body felt lighter, quicker — stronger.
It seemed his interaction with his elder brother had granted him some benefits.
———————————————————
The preliminary matches of the Chuunin Exams had begun — most of which had played out exactly according to canon.
There were only three matches left:
Hinata Hyuga vs. Neji Hyuga.
Sabaku no Gaara vs. Dosu.
And finally — Benimaru Ryota vs. Rock Lee.
The Neji and Hinata fight had already started. It was brutal.
Neji was not holding back whatsoever. He beat Hinata to a bleeding pulp and had no intention of stopping despite her pleas.
Neji was about to finish it — a singular palm strike aimed to destroy her heart.
Neji's hand stopped mid-swing.
He was held down by four separate Jonin — none of them would let him kill a Leaf shinobi.
Kakashi held his palm. Guy placed him in a chokehold.
The proctor, Hayate, planted two fingers on his forehead.
Kurenai held down his other arm.
The chattering and noise of the crowd came to an abrupt stop — only silence remained.
The air convulsed and crackled.
A wave of pure golden chakra pulsed throughout the stadium.
It wasn't light. It was fury — grief wrapped in gold.
The shockwave alone cracked the stadium and shattered the arena.
Civilians in the crowd began dropping to the floor like flies. They were foaming at the mouth — unconscious.
The same could be said for the other weak genin — Sakura, Ino, Tenten.
The others like Sasuke, Naruto, and Lee managed to hold on, but even they were struggling.
"This chakra…" Naruto muttered, barely holding on. "Who could it be?"
Sasuke held onto the railing. He had activated his three-tomoe Sharingan to find the owner of the chakra.
When he saw who it was, a smirk graced his lips.
About time.
Temari and Kankuro had to lean on the wall to prevent falling.
Even Gaara's hands shook erratically — his sand faltered.
Experienced Jonin and Chuunin were immediately brought to their knees. Their breathing became ragged as they stood on one knee.
But then footsteps cut through the silence. A single man walked through the arena without a care in the world.
At that moment, Neji's body contracted. He was slammed into the ground face-first by an unseen force.
His Byakugan bulged unnaturally. He tried to get up, to move — but his body disobeyed his commands and refused to stand.
He couldn't breathe. The aura alone was suffocating. His cells — every part of him — were screaming death.
He didn't see Benimaru anymore. He saw the Grim Reaper wrapped in human flesh.
The perpetrator was no one other than Benimaru himself. He smiled — like he hadn't just made hundreds of people collapse under his chakra.
Although he was smiling, his eyes said something different. They held a fury barely contained.
The air stilled. For a heartbeat, not even the wind dared to move.
Then the world erupted. He stared at Neji as his eyes darkened. His voice was demonic — like a being that shouldn't exist in this realm.
"For the grave sin of harming a comrade, you shall pay… with your life."