"The Scroll of Heaven and the Scroll of Earth… hm! You pass."
"Congratulations on being the first team to clear the second exam."
"Next is the Chūnin Exam qualifier. You three, head inside first."
Two special jōnin exchanged glances as they looked at the three Konoha genin standing before them—just ordinary civilian-born shinobi.
Who would have thought the very first team to succeed would come from the ranks of commoners?
Barely twenty minutes had passed since the trial began. At this stage, most squads were still wandering the forest, hunting their targets. Battles had only just started to break out.
And yet… these three had already secured both scrolls.
Not good!
Whoosh!!
A Wood Style clone surged forward through the canopy, leaping at blistering speed without daring to look back.
Behind him, perched lightly on a branch, Orochimaru's snake-like eyes tracked the fleeing figure, sharp and regal like a predator's.
"So… the Chūnin Exams have a scavenger. Konoha planted someone to clean up the field, did they?"
In the next instant—he was gone.
The clone grimaced, glancing back over his shoulder as he ran. "Damn… the body said not to attract Orochimaru's attention. If he's noticed already, this is bad…"
And then—Orochimaru appeared ahead, blocking the path, his expression cold and sinister.
"You're fast. Almost too fast. But… not fast enough to escape me."
The Wood Style clone clenched his fists. He couldn't afford to hesitate. Bursting with chakra, he lunged forward, driving a fist straight at Orochimaru's chest.
At the very last moment, Orochimaru slipped aside with liquid grace, his long leg whipping out in a vicious kick.
Bang!
A violent gust ripped through the trees as the clone was launched back, crashing through two trunks before skidding to a stop.
Splinters fell around him. He staggered to his feet, glaring up at the figure above.
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. His lips curled in faint intrigue.
"That shock… no. You're not even human. A construct…"
The clone's eyes hardened. Chakra swelled in his chest, rushing up to his throat.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Orochimaru's pupils shrank.
"One-handed signs…? A mere replica, yet it can weave ninjutsu… Impossible…"
Chapter 59
A violent gale roared from the mouth of the Wood Style clone,
sweeping straight toward Orochimaru.
The pale figure in the wide-brimmed hat narrowed his eyes at Yuichi's clone,
then leapt aside, slipping behind a massive tree.
The storm raged for several seconds before finally dying away.
The clone's eyes flickered.
As expected… just like the main body warned. A shinobi on Sannin's level won't be brought down by simple ninjutsu.
"Striking Shadow Snakes!"
Hiss!
From Orochimaru's sleeves erupted a writhing mass of serpents, fangs bared as they lunged at the clone.
With predatory speed, they surged forward, startling even the Wood Style avatar.
"Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu!"
Boom!
A torrent of fire surged forth, engulfing the snakes in an instant.
The blaze raced back along their bodies, hurtling toward Orochimaru.
The Sannin only grinned, lips curving coldly.
"How fascinating…"
The flames swallowed him whole.
The Wood Style clone froze in disbelief. That easily…? Did I actually hit him—
A sharp whistle split the air.
The clone instinctively cut off his jutsu, spun, and lashed out with a kick.
Bang!
The clash reverberated through the clearing.
The clone's fist cracked against Orochimaru's cheek, sending his body sliding backward.
At the same time, Orochimaru's own strike had landed in the clone's abdomen, forcing him back as well.
That impact… unmistakable.
Slurp—
A grotesque tongue unfurled from Orochimaru's mouth.
His half-lidded eyes gleamed, the way a predator studies prey.
The sight sent shivers crawling across the Wood Style clone's body.
Disgusting… this guy is revolting.
But I can't let him stall me. If he realizes this is Wood Style, it'll be disastrous.
Resolve flared in his eyes.
I'll have to suppress him here, or I'll never escape.
He formed seals.
Bang!
A plume of smoke erupted, birthing a second clone at his side.
Orochimaru's brow arched. Taking the offensive now?
"Wind Style—"
"Fire Style—"
The words made Orochimaru's eyes twitch.
Combined jutsu…! Damn!
"Great Breakthrough!"
"Fire Release: Devastation!"
Fwoooosh!
Wind and flame burst forth together, instantly swelling into a raging inferno.
The gusts fanned the fire, transforming it into a tidal wave of heat and fury.
In a heartbeat, the clearing became a sea of fire.
"So much power!"
"This chakra… extraordinary for a mere Genin."
Click.
Biting his finger, Orochimaru flashed through seals.
Just as the inferno closed in—
"Summoning Jutsu: Triple Rashomon!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Three massive, demonic gates erupted from the earth.
The raging blaze smashed against them, sending shockwaves tearing through the forest.
The air quaked. Trees ignited.
Smoke rolled skyward in heavy black clouds.
Behind the towering gates, Orochimaru grimaced, teeth clenched as he endured the searing heat.
The firestorm clawed around the Rashomon like floodwaters bursting past a dam.
Though shielded from the direct flames, the temperature alone was suffocating.
For five… six endless seconds, the onslaught continued.
The flames weren't even precise jutsu anymore—just raw chakra force poured into fire and wind, hammering with reckless power.
No ordinary shinobi would waste chakra like this… It's idiocy.
And yet—effective.
At last, the blaze subsided.
Orochimaru turned his head, eyes widening despite himself.
Behind him, the scorched earth stretched in a vast fan shape nearly thirty meters across.
Everything in its path—trees, grass, brush—was reduced to blackened ash.
Even massive oaks now stood as charred husks, flames still licking their surfaces.
Rashomon crumbled away with a crack.
And the enemy? Gone.
Orochimaru spun, scanning through smoke and dancing fire.
Nothing.
His lips curled in a thin, irritated smile.
Two basic techniques… but fused with overwhelming chakra, their destructive power rivaled an S-rank jutsu.
Reckless. Wasteful. And yet… a style I've never encountered before.
He had lost his prey—
and the thunderous clash would surely draw Konoha's Jōnin into the forest.
Time was slipping through his fingers.
"Tch. Overplayed my hand."
Meanwhile, far from the flames, the Wood Style clone crouched behind a thick trunk, chest heaving.
The last of its immense chakra reserves simmered within.
It had cost the equivalent of over a dozen Jōnin's chakra just to make those two "low-level" techniques roar like an S-rank.
But it worked.
Orochimaru was stalled, and escape secured.
The mission's over. There might still be stragglers to clean up, but… no helping it.
Boom!
The clone's body split apart, dissolving into bark and branches until only a massive tree stood in its place.
Back in the exam arena, Yuichi's Wood Style double slowly lifted its head.
Another team had just passed the second stage.
"How odd," Yuichi murmured. "The second team is also a group of ordinary Genin? What's going on this year…?"
He raised a hand in greeting, and the newcomers approached him warmly.
Fifteen minutes later, a third team arrived—again, mere civilian-born Genin.
Moonlight Hayate, overseeing the qualifiers, frowned at the sight of the nine who had passed so far.
Something about this Chūnin Exam felt… wrong.
And when the fifth team of Genin emerged, his suspicion solidified into certainty.
So many civilian teams succeeding… which meant the ones still left—
The squads trained by Asuma, Kurenai, Kakashi, Guy, and even Sunagakure's candidates—
The very teams expected to shine in the finals—
Out of all of them, only two more slots remained.