"Ughh… Let go of me!!"
Jiraiya was tied into a caterpillar, shouted angrily.
"Let's find his other teammates."
Murasaki then tied Jiraiya onto the tree.
"I'll stay here to avoid him getting a rescue."
Akabane knew there would be only a slight chance for Tsunade and Orochimaru to risk their test only to save Jiraiya, that's why he wants to stay to take some rest.
"Don't try to fool me Akaba.."
But it seems Sakumo knew his true intention.
"Okay, okay, you caught me. In that case, let's not waste any time. Otherwise, they might plan one step ahead of us."
Akabane got up since he couldn't stay. He could only resolve the battle as soon as possible.
"Let's go!"
The words fell, and team 7 disappeared deeper into the forest.
"Hey, wait! let me down, don't go!"
Jiraiya was desperately begged for mercy because it's possible that after the test, he could be sent back to the academy.
"Aaah! damn Murasaki, you tied me too tight!"
…
Within the forest of death, Orochimaru began to continuously set his traps.
"Aren't we going to save Jiraiya?"
Tsunade was a little worried. According to that idiot's character, he would face the team 7 alone and failed miserably.
"It's useless to save that idiot. Our best chance is to counter their attack when the opportunity comes."
Orochimaru said lightly.
Tsunade was speechless for a moment, then agreed to Orochimaru's plan.
Now they have the downsides, even if they're technically two of the best student on the academy, but since Jiraiya acted on his own, they need another plan.
…
"I could detect some traps. They are getting closer."
Akabane stood on the branch, Murasaki and Sakumo also stopped and listened to his warning.
The ground below us must be full of traps.
Who knows how many traps there are here? In the academy, Orochimaru scores perfectly in all subjects. Thus his knowledge and ability on traps can't be underestimated.
"I go first."
Without hesitation, Sakumo approach forward.
"I'll follow Sakumo from behind. You can support us, depending on the situation."
Murasaki said calmly.
After their test against Danzo yesterday, they've grown better teamwork with each other. Sakumo is flexible, swift, and has a great offensive prowess. He is suited for reconnaissance. Murasaki is versatile and a jack of all trades. Akabane, on the other hand, is sluggish and slacker, but has the strongest ninjutsu and a great tactician.
"Okay, I'm fine with that.."
Akabane responded, secretly happy.
This position is his favorite, as long as he stays in the back and doesn't need for head-to-head combat. It's the best position for someone slacker like him.
Sakumo ran between the trees, looking for the traces of Orochimaru and Tsunade.
After a while, he stopped, looked around with keen eyes.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Poof!
"Kenma, help me scan the surrounding."
Kenma is still young, but he has been specially trained since he was a child and had considerable abilities.
Kenma started to sniffing around for scent and quickly found something.
Woof! Woof!
"That direction? Thank you!"
Sakumo sent Kenma back, carefully held his tanto, he went to the direction.
Akabane yawned, his eyes drenched slightly, instinctively feeling someone was coming at him.
"Come on to me…"
Before Akabane managed to finish his words, Orochimaru suddenly appeared using substitution Jutsu and tried to gave him a surprise attack.
"Earth Release: Headhunter Jutsu!"
"Damn.."
Orochimaru didn't expect Akabane has learned it and felt that he was one step behind, he escapes with substitution Jutsu.
"What a fast reaction!"
Akabane was shocked by the Orochimaru reaction.
But even if he got a surprise attack, Akabane managed to inject chakra into Orochimaru's body. Normally to cast a genjutsu he didn't need to use it, but since Orochimaru wasn't an ordinary person he needs to add insurance for his genjutsu to work.
"Genjutsu: Five sense control!"
Orochimaru fells within his genjutsu in an instant, but he had an experience of breaking away from the illusion, and beside him was a clone waiting to drag him to a safe position first.
"Shadow clone!"
Before he took the shot, he had planned an escape.
"You're indeed a strong opponent, knowing how to break my genjutsu in one try."
Akabane rubbed his temples, really didn't want to hit it again…
However, since Orochimaru attacked him, Akabane used his clones to blocked the escape route.
"Don't chase after him; we need you to handle Tsunade."
Murasaki had gone of steps away but found that Akabane had gone after Orochimaru.
"Ughh.. well, change of plan, me and Sakumo will handle Tsunade."
Murasaki fastly adapted to their situation and continued to hunt Tsunade.
…
"You can learn the shadow clone in a few days. You are indeed a talented person."
Akabane said with emotion.
"Ahh… that goes the same for you."
Orochimaru smiled bitterly. He thought that although Akabane was good at genjutsu, he would lack on his physique and other ninjutsu, but Akabane had improved tremendously within a few days.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
With a loud noise, a tree in the distance trembled three times and almost fell.
"Tsunade is also in trouble."
Orochimaru licked his lips, fighting eagerly, "It seems that I must settle with Akaba-kun first."
"Keep fighting with you has wasted my chakra a little too much."
Akabane sighed lightly, and then said, "But if I go to Tsunade, you will save Jiraiya."
Even if Jiraiya is an airhead, his physique and earth release would be troublesome if he managed to escape.
"Go on."
Orochimaru dispatched his clone instantly, holding Kunai with an intention to kill.
Here he comes!
Akabane was not so mindless.
"Something felt wrong.."
After a few steps, Orochimaru noticed something was wrong and immediately jumped back.
However...
Suddenly, two figures shot out from his side.
"Why is Murasaki here? He should've to fight Tsunade right now… Hell Viewing Jutsu!"
Orochimaru instantly breaks the genjutsu.
But nothing was changed, those Akabane's teammates didn't stop and continued to run towards him.
"Substitute Jutsu!"
Within the tight window, Orochimaru managed to avoid the attack, but the next second he saw the two of them ran past his substitute.
He landed a hit on Sakumo, whos tried to attack.
Poof!
"Still a clone?"
Orochimaru thought to himself, but when he rubbed his eyes, he realized that it was not.
This is real!
Substitution Jutsu! Smoke bomb!
Combining ninjutsu and smoke bombs, Orochimaru panted and fled away from his original position,
"Agh… I don't know which one is real or not."
Orochimaru was hiding with cold sweat on his face.
He knew that Akabane had combined his Shadow Clone Jutsu and his Genjutsu to attacked him. But all he can do was received it without fighting back.
Genjutsu is to produce an illusion, while the Kurama Clan could amplify its effect using their five senses control, which turns the illusion into reality.
When facing Akabane, it is too difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.
Orochimaru thought hard about his next move.
"Huh? Tsunade was caught?"
"No, this must be an illusion!"
He immediately reacted.
Is this an illusion or a reality!?