Chapter 212: First Battle with the Slippery Snake, I am Uchiha Itachi
"It seems there are a lot of hot-blooded people in this exam. I'm really looking forward to it."
Anko Mitarashi licked her lips, her slender tongue looking just like a snake's.
Akiyama Makoto had already experienced that tongue. It was indeed extraordinary.
"Since you're all so courageous, let's sign the death waivers first."
"People will die in this exam. If you want to quit, now is your last chance."
"Otherwise, once this exam begins, you'll have no opportunity to back out."
Subsequently, she explained the rules of the exam.
To put it simply, everyone would start with either a Heaven or an Earth scroll and would have to survive for five days in an arena with a ten-kilometer radius, without any food or supplies.
The way to pass was for a team to possess both a Heaven and an Earth scroll, and then report to the central tower. As for what methods to use, and how to get the scrolls, that was for the ninja to figure out for themselves.
"Finally, a word of advice: try not to die in there."
After explaining, she waved her hand, and her subordinates began to arrange for the ninja to receive their scrolls.
Once everyone had theirs, with her command, the 28 teams set off. He was, naturally, one of them.
He led his team towards a corner. The two Hidden Grass ninja behind him, though they had their doubts, could only follow obediently.
He suddenly stopped and turned to look at them with a half-smile.
The two quickly stopped and stood respectfully, waiting for his orders.
However, he did not immediately attack them to avenge Karin. Instead, he looked behind them.
Three familiar figures were leaping quickly towards them. It was Orochimaru and the other two Grass-nin. But they were no longer the ones he was familiar with; they had been replaced by Orochimaru on the way to the exam hall this morning.
"Well, well. I didn't expect you to wait for us so obediently."
Orochimaru took out an Earth scroll. "I just saw that you have a Heaven scroll. Hand it over."
"It's not like the three of you have any hope of passing anyway."
Makoto smiled slightly, took the scroll from his back, and said, "Alright."
He then threw the scroll at him. Orochimaru caught it with a grin. The next second, an explosive tag detonated, and a violent explosion engulfed him.
At the same time, a hand shot out from the ground beneath him, grabbing at his ankle.
He used a Body Flicker to appear on a distant tree. Orochimaru rose unharmed from the ground. Only a pile of mud was left on the tree branch. It was an Earth Clone.
Orochimaru was a powerhouse with all seven chakra natures. It wasn't strange for him to use any kind of technique, and he was also skilled in all kinds of body modifications. If he didn't have the experience and abilities accumulated over so many simulations, he probably would have been caught just now.
Orochimaru slowly brushed his hair back, looking at him with great interest. "Interesting. Who are you?"
"I'm very interested in that child, Karin. Where have you hidden her?"
"You don't need to worry about that. But I'm also very curious. Who are you?"
He was asking a question he already knew the answer to. Orochimaru just smiled and said nothing.
Only the two Grass-nin with him looked baffled. The Hidden Grass had sent a total of six people in two teams. Orochimaru's team had been completely replaced, and in Karin's team, she had been replaced by him. In other words, before the exam had even begun, the Grass Village had already lost four ninja.
With two soft thuds, two kunai pierced the throats of his two "teammates." Alright, now the Hidden Grass team was completely wiped out.
"My lord, shall we take care of her?"
Orochimaru shook his head at his subordinates. "I have a premonition that you are no match for him. And... the one here is probably not his main body."
"Amazing. How could you tell?"
"Just by the fact that you recognized me and can still stand so calmly in my presence. There aren't many people in the ninja world with that kind of confidence."
He shook his head. If his main body were here, he would be just as calm. It could only be said that his current strength had already surpassed Orochimaru's cognition, which was a good thing for him.
A ninja battle was a battle of intelligence. He had his hidden strength, while most of Orochimaru's intelligence was transparent to him. He was already in an undefeatable position.
"So, Sannin Orochimaru, are you planning to continue wasting your time here with me?"
"If you came for Karin, I'm afraid I've already taken her in as my concubine."
"I see. What a pity. I was one step too late. But... if I 'eat' you, then wouldn't I be on time?"
Then, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. A sharp killing intent rushed towards him, and a kunai pierced his chest.
Before he could react, a giant snake shot out silently from behind him and swallowed him whole.
The faces of the men beside Orochimaru had just shown a hint of joy when their expressions changed drastically.
The Orochimaru beside them had melted into a puddle of mud, and in front of the real Orochimaru, a pair of Sharingan had appeared.
"Orochimaru. You can't escape this time."
Itachi Uchiha's contemptuous voice made the hair on Orochimaru's neck stand on end. He considered himself to be no weaker than Itachi, but he had been defeated by his eyes. He had come here this time to verify if Sasuke's body was "excellent." But to run into an Uchiha here... It seems I can only... No, wait!
Orochimaru's pupils constricted. The chakra in his body surged, and he broke the genjutsu.
He was then shocked to find that the chin of the snake he had summoned had been pierced through, and the man had vanished.
The next second, a scorching wave of heat came from behind him.
Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
With his Advanced Fire Release talent, plus his top-tier chakra nature and shape transformation, he had created three giant fire dragons with heads over ten meters in diameter.
The three dragons bared their fangs and claws as they rushed at Orochimaru and his two subordinates. The flames hadn't even gotten close before their clothes were already ignited.
A look of shock flashed in Orochimaru's eyes. He quickly threw his two subordinates out of the way and took the full brunt of the attack himself.
The scorching flames instantly burned away his surface, but were blocked by a strange power, unable to burn any further.
When the flames dissipated, Makoto looked at the charred Orochimaru, unmoved. He knew he wouldn't die just like that.
And it was just as he'd thought.
Seeing that he hadn't fallen for it, Orochimaru's body began to twist, and a new Orochimaru crawled out of the original charred skin. It was the Orochimaru-Style Body Replacement Technique.
This move was one of the classic reasons he was called the "Slippery Snake." He could use his own shed skin as a substitute, and then emerge from his mouth with a new body. Even if he had already been attacked, he could use this technique to avoid the damage. He could even dodge Amaterasu with it. And when he used this move, it didn't even consume much chakra. This just showed how slippery he was.
Orochimaru shook off the mucus on his body. Although he was still smiling, his gaze towards him had become grave.
The level of that Fire Style just now—the chakra amount, the nature transformation, and the shape transformation—had all been maxed out. It was, without a doubt, a Kage-level Fire Style.
He knew the names of everyone in the ninja world who could use such a technique, but none of them would be here now, disguised as Karin, to participate in the Chūnin Exams.
It seemed that in this Konoha Crush plot, he would have to be wary of this new variable.
"Well? Are we still fighting?"
At this moment, he, as a shadow clone, was running low on chakra. Although he had been replacing his clones with the Flying Thunder God to replenish his chakra over the past two days, it was still impossible for him to fight Orochimaru head-on.
Of course, this was because he didn't want to expose his Yin Seal and Hiraishin in front of him. At least, not yet. Otherwise, no matter how slippery he was, he had ways to make him suffer a near-death experience.
"It seems you have no intention of continuing. Then how about we part ways here? Are you interested in this scroll? If so, I can just give it to you."
Orochimaru took out the scroll.
He shrugged. "You already killed my teammates. What's the point of continuing to play?"
"Do me a favor, and I'll disappear."
"Oh? I'm all ears."
"Later, if there's a casualty report, just say you killed Karin as well."
"No problem."
He nodded, and then dispelled his shadow clone.
Watching him dissolve into white mist, the gloom in Orochimaru's eyes deepened.
That was just a shadow clone? Then his main body...
❃❃❃
⤑ Show your support with Power Stones!
⤑ Unlock a Bonus Chapter every time we hit 200 Power Stones!
❃❃❃
♕ Get early access to 20+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
🔗 https://www.pat-reon.co-m/c/Hollowborn
(Just remove the hyphen (-) to open the link!)
💬 Enjoying the story? Drop a review!
Your support really helps the series grow—thank you