"Trying to pin a target on me, eh?" Daniel thought, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at Kabuto. "I don't think it's my fault they're a little uninformed. And besides, it's not a secret that I'm currently under the tutelage of the Sandaime. And with me being alone... well, I work best by myself," Daniel replied with a grin, a slight tension growing between him and Kabuto. You could see in Daniel's eyes what he was thinking: "Trying to make me a target, eh? I can see through your pesky little plot."
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his gaze meeting Daniel's with a cool, appraising look. "Whatever do you mean? I'm just appalled by your presence," his expression seemed to say.
"This doesn't look good. The exams haven't officially begun yet, and it's already looking like this. What a drag," Shikamaru commented, his voice tinged with exasperation.
Daniel, feeling the weight of the gazes on him, wanted to respond by letting out a menacing pressure. But before he could, he heard Sakura's voice asking Naruto if he was okay.
"It's always Sasuke this and Sasuke that," Naruto muttered silently, frustration evident in his tone. Then, with a sudden burst of energy, he declared, "Listen up! My name's Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm the one who's gonna come out on top!"
Naruto's declaration shifted the mood, drawing the tension away from Daniel. "Great, now we're all practically targeted at this point," Shikamaru mumbled, his shoulders slumping.
The tension grew as intimidating gazes focused on the entrance. "Alright, everyone, quiet down now," a voice echoed through the room as a puff of smoke appeared, revealing the examiners. "Apologies for the late arrival. My name is Ibiki, the proctor and chief examiner. Now, everyone take your seats," Ibiki introduced himself, his presence commanding attention.
"From this point onwards, fighting without permission from an examiner is forbidden, as is endangering another applicant's life. Failure to comply will entail disqualification," he noted intimidatingly, his gaze sweeping over the room.
The first test was a written exam, designed to challenge the genin's intellect and teamwork. Daniel watched from the sidelines, his eyes scanning the room. He could see the determination on their faces, each one focused on the task at hand.
Naruto, as expected, struggled with the questions, but his resolve never wavered. Sasuke and Sakura worked diligently, their teamwork evident as they subtly communicated with each other. Daniel grazed through this stage without drawing much attention.
As the exam progressed, the tension in the room grew. The genin knew that this was just the beginning, and the real challenges were yet to come. Daniel could feel the anticipation building, knowing that the true test of their abilities was just around the corner.
Just as in the original story, 79 applicants passed the test. Amidst the mood of the successful candidates, a sudden burst of energy filled the room as a shinobi entered in a flashy manner, holding a banner that declared themself as the second chief examiner.
"Ibiki, people might actually think of you as a softy with this many passed applicants. How can you call yourself the head examiner?" Anko suddenly stated, her voice dripping with playful sarcasm.
"Maybe this year's bunch is talented like that," Ibiki replied, his tone calm and unbothered.
"Haaa. The rest of you, follow me. I'll explain things when we arrive. I'll have to take it upon myself to cut the numbers by at least half before the next test is done," she declared, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Standing at the entrance to the Forest of Death, Anko proceeded to explain the details of the test. "Before you begin, please sign these forms," she said, pulling out consent forms with a mischievous grin.
The Forest of Death loomed ominously as the 79 remaining applicants gathered at the entrance. Anko's grin widened as she handed out the consent forms. "Before you begin, please sign these forms. They acknowledge that you understand the risks involved in this test. The Forest of Death is not a place for the faint-hearted."
Team 7—Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura—stood together, their expressions a mix of determination and apprehension. They signed the forms and received their scroll, ready to face the challenges ahead.
"Remember, you need to obtain both a Heaven and an Earth scroll to pass this test," Anko explained. "You have five days to reach the tower in the center of the forest. Good luck."
As the gates to the forest opened, the teams rushed in, each one eager to prove their worth. Team 7 moved cautiously, aware of the dangers that lay ahead.
Sakura nodded, her senses heightened. "Let's stick together and move quietly."
As they ventured deeper into the forest, they encountered various obstacles and traps. At one point, they were ambushed. The battle was intense, but Team 7 managed to outmaneuver their opponents and defeat him.
Their victory was short-lived, however, as they soon found themselves facing a far more formidable opponent. A mysterious figure emerged from the shadows, his presence sending chills down their spines.
As Team 7 faced a formidable new enemy, Daniel sat atop the canopy of a towering tree, his senses heightened. With his ability to sense energy, he could practically see everything happening within the entire forest. The dense foliage and shadows did little to obscure his perception.
"Orochimaru is already making his move," Daniel murmured to himself, his eyes narrowing as he observed the distant confrontation between Team 7 and the snake-like man. "Getting the other scroll is simple. I can take my time with that."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed on the unfolding battle. "Although it was not something I was planning, I could absorb Orochimaru's knowledge since the option is now available," he mused, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
The wind rustled the leaves around him, but Daniel remained still, his focus unwavering. The presence of Orochimaru had introduced a new variable into the Chunin Exams, one that Daniel was keen to exploit. With a final glance towards the direction of the confrontation, he made his decision.
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"Now shall we see just who will be stealing scrolls from whom?" After swallowing the Earth scroll Orochimaru let out a heavy murderous intent causing Sakura and Sasuke to collapse to the ground from terror. Retreating was the only thing on Sasuke's.
With Naruto still trapped inside the stumoch of a snake team seven was short a member, Sasuke stabbed himself as an attempt to free himself from the fearensued was unlike anything Team 7 had faced before. Orochimaru's power was overwhelming, his attacks swift and deadly. Despite their best efforts, they found themselves struggling to keep up.
As they rested on a tree branch a snake sneaked up on them suddenly alarming Sakura as Sasuke jumped back before it could attack him, the snake taking the opportunity while Sasuke was mid air to charge at him but Sasuke reacted accordingly throwing shuriken at the snake. From it's corpse Orochimaru sprouted and advanced towards him.
Naruto arrived just in time to assist his teammates. "Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, a hint of relief in her tone.
"Aww, what a touching moment," Orochimaru remarked, stretching out his hand to reveal a summoning tattoo on his wrist. With a swift motion, he summoned a giant snake. The snake immediately attacked, slamming Naruto with its tail.
"Naruto!" Sasuke and Sakura cried out in unison.
*Puff!* From behind, Naruto launched an attack as Orochimaru dodged. Forming a hand seal, Naruto shouted, "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Instantly, multiple shadow clones appeared.
"The brat actually has brains," Orochimaru commented, a smirk playing on his lips.
Naruto and his clones launched a coordinated assault on Orochimaru. "Okay, guys, now!" one of the clones cried. They gathered on one side of the snake, stretching their palms out. "Haaaa!" they yelled, channeling chakra into their hands and generating an impact force that sent the snake flying to the side.
"Wha..." Orochimaru gasped, caught off guard by the turn of events.
"Quickly, we should run while he's busy," Naruto urged, approaching the awe-struck Sasuke and Sakura.
"Naruto? Weren't you fighting that creepy guy?" Sakura asked, bewildered.
"To think he could come up with such a tactic," Sasuke thought, understanding Naruto's intention. Just as they were about to make a break for it, Orochimaru appeared behind them, grabbing Naruto off the ground. Naruto squirmed, his eyes shifting.
"This one is full of surprises," Orochimaru noted, seeing Naruto's eyes change and feeling his increased strength. "Why don't you take a nap?" he said, pulling Naruto's top to reveal the seal on his stomach and adding an additional seal, causing Naruto to pass out. He threw Naruto aside.
Seeing this, Sakura tried to give Sasuke a pep talk, solidifying his resolve. Hearing Sakura, Sasuke summoned his courage and launched a couple of shuriken at Orochimaru, his Sharingan activated. He poured all his strength into the attack. Orochimaru dodged the shuriken but noticed the strings attached to them. As Sasuke maneuvered the shuriken, Orochimaru caught one with his teeth. Smiling, Sasuke used Fire Style to send a flame along the string straight to Orochimaru's face.
"Haha," Orochimaru chuckled, his face burnt. "Those eyes are really handy, aren't they? You really are his brother," he remarked, striking shock into Sasuke.
"Haaa! Just who the hell are you?" Sasuke demanded, his voice trembling with anger and confusion.
Suddenly, Sasuke and Sakura were paralyzed. "You can call me Orochimaru. I'm sure you'd like to ask me more questions, but you'll have to quickly pass this exam," Orochimaru said, forming a hand seal. His neck stretched out, reaching Sasuke as he bit him on the neck. "I look forward to our next meeting," he added with a sinister smile.