This was only possible thanks to Shintoki's last attack—his sudden attack on Orochimaru prompted the Sannin to divert his attention fully to Shintoki in a last attempt to stop him.
Also, the way Shintoki used his clone to cover for Ebisu played its part too. That is how Ebisu managed to grab the sword when the clone finally dispelled after being hit by the wind pressure from Orochimaru's jutsu.
Ebisu ran in, snatched the blade, and retreated to safety.
"Ouch…" Ebisu groaned before collapsing to the ground. This test had been hard; if not for the three of them working together well, they wouldn't have stood a chance at all, even with the Sannin holding back.
His expression, however, was filled with contentment. They had just fought Orochimaru—and not only held their own, but even succeeded in taking the sword. For Ebisu, already a chūnin, this success meant everything; failure would have severely damaged his reputation and endangered his future career.
Now, with the test completed, they all released a long, shaky sigh, thinking of how they would gloat about it. Yeah, take that, Maito, I fought a Sannin—what have you been doing? Hahaha. Ebisu was already lost in his own dream.
Orochimaru himself looked amused. Though he deliberately held back, the kids had shown enough strength to make him feel genuinely impressed.
Not just that—their teamwork was very good; it also gave away how close they were to each other. Most teams can't work so well like them. It kind of reminded him of his own team; after all, their combination and strength as a team was how they managed to face Hanzo, and even if they didn't win, they managed to handle their own. Individual strength without cooperation wouldn't have been enough in that fight.
But now? The Sannin were no longer as united as before. Ever since the death of Tsunade's brother, she left. Then there was Jiraiya, always leaving the village for some research or to gather intel, leaving only Orochimaru to handle things at the front.
Ever since then, Orochimaru's heart grew cold, years of being exposed to the darkness of his world. Now all he thought about was experimentation and immortality. Although for now he mostly used the enemies he captured for his research. So after all this time, and now having played a little with these kids, it was rare for him to feel some genuine satisfaction.
"They are promising…" he thought, eyes glinting.
This test had not been a waste. He could finally understand why Anko admired Shintoki so much. Someone like Anko never respected others easily—only strength earned her acknowledgment. It was why she respected Orochimaru as her teacher; without strength, a shinobi couldn't protect themselves, let alone others.
As an orphan, Anko understood that truth more than anyone. With strength, one could have everything they wanted.
"Since you three passed my test, here is my little gift for you three."
He threw to them a scroll containing a small bottle for each of them—cellular stimulation. Drinking the potion twice a day for a full week would gradually rework their system.
Reading the purpose of the scroll, Shintoki had a spark in his eye; indeed, one of the fastest ways to grow is through research.
But still, Shintoki was hesitant, so he would simply keep the potion with him for now.
This potion was also meant to help build a larger reserve and help the body grow healthier.
If they used it, they would definitely grow stronger. But what Shintoki was worried about was Orochimaru having put something in it that could have a second effect, so for now he would first confirm it had none of it before using it.
When the test ended, Orochimaru dismissed Anko, giving her the rest of the day off, though she was required to report back tomorrow.
"We did it, Shintoki," Ebisu said.
"I didn't expect we'd actually get the scroll from Orochimaru; thought he would just keep toying with us and then beat us."
Shintoki hadn't expected it either. Their success only meant Orochimaru had gone easy on them. He was a Sannin—if he'd been even slightly serious, they would've been beaten into oblivion.
"It's not simply that Orochimaru held back; we are a strong team too, never forget that. Otherwise, not only would we fall, but Orochimaru wouldn't take interest in us to the point of giving us a reward."
At last, a part of Shintoki felt relieved. Orochimaru had not yet fallen into darkness; for now, he could be considered a possible ally. As long as Shintoki hid his Ketsuryūgan, he would remain safe. Having Orochimaru's favor through Anko could serve as a deterrent—until Shintoki grew strong enough to stand alone. After all, he possessed a pure Ketsuryūgan, granting him strength equal or superior to even the purest members of that clan.
"I'll be leaving now. I need to rest… I've almost emptied my reserves," said Shintoki, his voice low.
"Wait, Shintoki, I'll come with you," Anko said excitedly.
"I almost forgot—I need to go meet someone. I'll leave too," Ebisu added, taking a different path.
And so, Shintoki and Anko headed toward Shintoki's home, chatting along the way.
Six days passed since Orochimaru's test.
Today was Shintoki's meeting with Team 13. They would train together, working on teamwork. Tsume would also help them refine their techniques.
Ever since that day Orochimaru tested them, Shintoki had only grown stronger, working on his shortcomings.
After finishing his homework, Shintoki hurried to the training grounds.
He was eager to see his friends; after all, they had not seen each other in a while. Hehehe, they were in for a surprise. The fight against Orochimaru had helped him develop his techniques more and gave him new ideas for his water techniques and even for his kenjutsu.