Chapter 18: The First Place
Takahashi took off his jacket, revealing his incredibly toned body. Watching from the shadows, Orochimaru's eyes lit up. He could clearly feel this body was even stronger than before.
He was like a greedy child seeing a delicious candy, wanting to devour it in one bite. But Orochimaru knew now was not the time. He had to wait for Takahashi to grow to his peak. Then, he would take the body for himself. What a perfect vessel it would be.
So what if it wasn't a bloodline limit? Such a perfect body was better than any Kekkei Genkai.
Orochimaru had thought Takahashi was already at his peak. He never imagined the boy could still improve.
But Sasuke knew none of this. Behind him, Tenten covered her face in embarrassment but couldn't help peeking through her fingers at the near-perfect muscles before quickly looking away.
Lee and Neji also noticed. Takahashi's body seemed much stronger. How could he develop like this in just a few days? Even fertilizer didn't work that fast.
It was Neji who sensed something else. He whispered, "The chakra from that person in the distance... it feels familiar. It might be Orochimaru from before."
Tenten gasped. "How is that possible? Orochimaru is a legendary Sannin! How could he sneak into the Chunin Exams?"
Takahashi answered calmly. "Nothing is impossible. If he can change bodies, hiding his chakra is easy. And it's no surprise he's built his own power after all these years outside. But he probably won't go all out. At least, not yet."
Hearing this, Tenten felt a little better. As long as Orochimaru didn't fight seriously now, once they left the forest, other powerful ninja would deal with him. She never imagined he would dare to attack Konoha openly.
Sasuke's confidence was now overflowing. He felt he could ignore all his peers. He even thought he could fight his teacher, Kakashi.
To everyone's shock, a strange black pattern spread from his neck onto his face. At the same time, his chakra surged violently.
Neji was stunned. This form was beyond anything he understood. "Is this... a secret ability of the Uchiha clan?"
Takahashi snorted. "Nonsense. This has nothing to do with the Uchiha. It's all Orochimaru's doing. It's a Cursed Seal. Most people who get it die. But if you survive it, you gain a lot of power."
The others were shocked. Even Sasuke was taken aback. How did Takahashi know?
But Sasuke quickly brushed it off. It didn't matter how he knew. The power he felt was real.
He unleashed his Chidori again. His speed was at least twice as fast as before, and he handled it with ease. The Cursed Seal also made his mood more violent. He charged at Takahashi with pure killing intent, a hint of madness in his eyes.
Watching from afar, Orochimaru was delighted. He was too far to hear Takahashi's earlier words. Otherwise, his expression would have been very different.
He flicked his tongue, watching the fight. "Go on, Sasuke. Use your Uchiha bloodline to test this perfect body for me. It would be a worthy death."
Since finding Takahashi, Orochimaru felt all other vessels were trash. The Uchiha, the Shikotsumyaku... they were all worthless.
This body wasn't just powerful; it had immense research value. Why could a human body change like this? If he could crack this secret, he could transcend humanity itself. He could create a new kind of ninja, a new ninja god. The thought made his blood boil, as if the entire shinobi world was already at his feet.
But dreams are beautiful. Reality is harsh. As strong as Sasuke's confidence was, his failure was just as crushing.
Even with the Cursed Seal, his speed was like a slow-motion replay to Takahashi. He slowly raised his right leg. Seeing this, Neji felt a pang of shame, remembering his own defeat.
Sasuke was still three meters away when the Chidori in his hand suddenly vanished. He flew backward as if hit by a truck.
He was utterly confused. What just happened? There was only a flash of golden light, then his mind went blurry. When he came to, he was already flying through the air.
CRASH!
He smashed through a tree as thick as a bowl. The pain in his back made him grimace. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
"You... what kind of jutsu was that? Guy-sensei didn't teach you that! Who are you?!"
"I am a ninja of Konoha. Takahashi."
Temari, watching from the side, thought, Yeah, right. A 'ninja'. Sure.
This stimulus was too much for Sasuke. The black marks on his face spread across his whole body, turning his skin pitch black. Even his pupils changed, filled with an evil aura.
This change surprised even Gaara. To emit such an evil feeling without being a jinchuriki...
Because of Takahashi's actions, Itachi hadn't confronted Sasuke again. So, Sasuke's Sharingan hadn't awakened. Otherwise, Gaara would have been even more shocked.
But without the Sharingan, Sasuke's rage had advanced the Cursed Seal's evolution, making him stronger.
He was about to attack again when a voice from behind stopped him cold.
"Enough. You are no match for him."
Sasuke was displeased, but when he saw who spoke, he immediately stilled. It was Orochimaru.
"Takahashi," Orochimaru said, his voice a hiss. "You surprise me again and again. Don't stop growing. I look forward to seeing what you become."
He flicked his disgusting tongue, gave a wicked smile, and melted back into the forest, disappearing.
Seeing him leave, Takahashi let out a quiet sigh of relief. He looked back at Gaara.
But while some were relieved, others were not. Kankuro and Temari couldn't be happy at all. First place seemed to be slipping through their fingers.