Jiraiya held the lunchbox in his hand, feeling a bit overwhelmed for a moment.
"You knew it would turn out like this, didn't you? Did you bring your own food?" Tsunade asked, eating while looking at Orochimaru with her delicate eyes.
"I heard what the senior said earlier," Orochimaru casually replied.
"Cough cough!" Jiraiya suddenly spoke solemnly, "Orochimaru, I have a perfect plan to guarantee that we'll snatch the bell from that old man, the Jonin!"
"Tell me the plan," Orochimaru replied.
"Haha! It's so simple!" Jiraiya seemed to have regained his confidence as he outlined his strategy, "I have a powerful self-created ninjutsu. You'll cover me, and here's what we'll do... and then... my ultimate move—the bell will be ours!"
Jiraiya appeared triumphant, while Orochimaru and Tsunade listened to each other in speechless astonishment.
"Orochimaru, what do you think?" Tsunade asked.
"Well... I think this strange ninjutsu, if used against a Jonin, especially someone as strong as Sarutobi-sensei, might just work!"
"Pfft!" Tsunade burst into laughter.
"But Jiraiya gets the first bell, and there are only two bells. Who will get them after you grab them?" Orochimaru playfully looked at Jiraiya with his snake-like eyes.
"Uh... well..." Jiraiya glanced at the two of them, unsure how to respond.
"If we manage to snatch the bells from the Jonin, Sarutobi-sensei would be embarrassed to fail us," Tsunade calmly remarked. "After all, the test is about our teamwork and spirit."
"Actually, I have no hope for this plan!" Tsunade sighed.
"What?!" Jiraiya grew anxious as well.
"It's alright, we still have Plan B!" Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Tsunade, I don't believe you've given it your all yet!"
"...Yes. But the same goes for you, Orochimaru!" Tsunade looked slightly surprised.
Your forehead mark gave you away.
"Hey hey hey, I have my reservations, my ninjutsu..."
"After Jiraiya fails, the two of us will give it our all, catching Sarutobi-sensei off guard. That's when we'll have a great chance!"
Tsunade pondered for a moment. "I think it could work!"
"You...!" Jiraiya felt completely ignored.
Orochimaru took out Orochimaru's specialty—flickering ninjutsu.
"What?_?" Both of them were intrigued.
With a grin, Orochimaru licked his white, bony teeth.
Flickering ninjutsu was lame.
...
...
"Have you all rested well? Then the assessment will continue!" Sarutobi approached with a blade of grass in his mouth, looking rather leisurely.
"Teacher, we've been waiting for you!" Jiraiya adopted an arrogant stance once again.
"Oh?" Sarutobi appeared surprised.
Suddenly, Orochimaru shouted, "Attack the enemy all at once!"
The three of them formed a charging formation and rushed towards Sarutobi.
Sarutobi took out one of his shuriken and casually threw it, then performed a hand seal. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
The handful of Shuriken instantly multiplied.
Seeing this technique, Orochimaru's eyes lit up. It seemed that the second generation has already developed shadow clone technique!
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Orochimaru stopped and intercepted the ninjutsu with a snake, while Tsunade and Jiraiya continued their charge.
Sarutobi remained calm and another water-based earth dragon bullet flew towards them.
"It's your turn!" Tsunade coquettishly exclaimed as she stepped forward, smashing the flying stones to create an opening for Jiraiya.
"Leave it to me!" Jiraiya evaded Sarutobi's ninjutsu by somersaulting like a donkey. The two of them were now less than ten meters apart.
"What can you do now?" Sarutobi observed with interest.
Jiraiya pulled out a scroll from his waist and tossed it towards Sarutobi, then performed a series of hand seals.
"What's this?" Sarutobi felt that something was amiss.
Jiraiya also shouted, "Wind Release: Strong Wind!" A strong gust of wind erupted violently!
Sarutobi's expression shifted from cloudy to sunny, preparing for an earth-based escape. However, the earth formation wall he attempted to create was not successful.
Jiraiya continued, "Dissipate!"
With a loud bang, a large sheet of paper exploded and was carried by the strong wind towards Sarutobi!
"Is that an explosive tag!?" Sarutobi's lazy expression suddenly sharpened, even revealing a hint of concealed murderous intent!
"Not bad, kid. Have I underestimated you? Watch me... huh?!"
Sarutobi froze on the spot, unable to perform any ninjutsu!
"Awakening! Secret Art! Spring Palace, Orchid Dance: Attack and Kill!"
"Crack!" A poster of a beautiful woman with large breasts and ample hips was plastered onto Sarutobi's face, while the rest of the miscellaneous pages drowned out Sarutobi at the same time!
Orochimaru: "..."
Tsunade: "..."
"Now's our chance!" Jiraiya made his move and reached for the bell at Sarutobi's waist.
The poster slowly slipped from Sarutobi's face, revealing two pools of bright red nosebleeds. Sarutobi's eyes were lifeless and motionless.
"We did it!" Tsunade exclaimed excitedly.
In the distance, Orochimaru silently performed a hand seal.
Jiraiya's fingertips grazed the bell!
"Bang!" Sarutobi transformed into a cloud of smoke and vanished!
"What?!" Jiraiya didn't react for a moment.
"Did the shadow clone disappear forcibly after being attacked?"
Sarutobi, who appeared behind Jiraiya, spoke expressionlessly.
When Jiraiya turned around, he saw Sarutobi staring at him with a face that showed neither joy nor sadness. He felt a chill run down his spine and didn't dare to move!
Sarutobi touched his nose, which was now bright red with blood!
"As a lower-ranked ninja, you made me bleed, an upper-ranked ninja. Very good, very good."
Jiraiya also took a step back. "Teacher, I just..."
"Bang!" A single punch sent Jiraiya flying, filling the air with piercing screams!
"Ah~~!" Jiraiya fell into the grass, seemingly unable to get up!
Orochimaru remained unfazed and shouted, "Tsunade, Plan B!"
"Release: Yin Seal!" Tsunade's chakra surged, faint lines appearing on her face as she punched Sarutobi.
In their exchange, they appeared to be evenly matched. Tsunade seemed to have the upper hand, but in reality, she hadn't landed a single blow.
"Tsunade, keep going! Tsunade, believe in yourself! Tsunade, you are the Princess of Senju, you can do it!" Orochimaru cheered wildly, but he didn't join the fight.
"Damn, are you just watching a play?"
Tsunade's chakra quickly depleted, and she stopped to catch her breath.
"Why is Sarutobi-sensei so strong?" Jiraiya looked flustered. "I'll fight you!" He took out a handful of shuriken and rushed forward.
"Stop pretending, Orochimaru!" Sarutobi grew impatient with the technique used earlier and delivered a punch to the "Orochimaru" charging at him.
"Orochimaru" turned into a cloud of smoke, revealing a useless clone technique.
"What is this guy doing?" Tsunade furrowed her brows, preparing to attack again.
With a flicker, Sarutobi appeared directly on a tree, and it was Orochimaru lying in front of him!
"Are you capable of that?" Sarutobi kicked mercilessly.
However, an unexpected turn of events occurred at that moment.
As if he had anticipated it all along, Orochimaru instantly turned around, placed his hands on his chest to block the kick, and took two steps back without being sent flying!
He actually dodged! Sarutobi was taken aback. Just as he was about to say something, a sudden tingling sensation struck his waist!
A powerful numbing sensation spread, even affecting Sarutobi, who was close to the Kage level. In that moment, he lost control of his body!
Orochimaru seized the opportunity, grabbed the bell, and leaped down from the tree.
Sarutobi turned his head with difficulty, and a small green snake silently retreated!
"You were too careless, Sarutobi-sensei." Orochimaru toyed with the legendary bell in his hands.
"This is my Plan B."
*****
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