At the Same Time…
Mitarashi Anko followed the fire and explosions to their source. The closer she got, the more Orochimaru's sinister aura pricked at her senses, like cold fingers brushing against her spine.
"It's here," she whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling of residual flames.
Her sharp gaze scanned the forest. Through the dissipating smoke, she spotted something that made her breath hitch.
Orochimaru.
Trapped within a thunderous grid, his figure stood eerily calm amidst the surging lightning.
A Familiar Face
Anko stared in disbelief. How did he end up like this?
Orochimaru, sensing her presence, turned his head unnaturally, his snake-like pupils locking onto her. "Long time no see, Anko," he greeted, his tone calm, almost conversational, as if they were old friends meeting for tea.
Despite the crackling lightning surrounding him, Orochimaru appeared completely unfazed, his posture relaxed.
Anko tightened her grip on the kunai in her hand. "Why are you here, Orochimaru?" she demanded, her voice cold.
Orochimaru chuckled softly. "Why, indeed?" His golden eyes gleamed with amusement.
Anko's gaze shifted to the power grid imprisoning him. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed the kunai and scorched remains of detonators scattered on the ground. The intricate setup hinted at a carefully planned trap.
"Could this… have been done by Konoha's genin?" she murmured, incredulous. Though she had observed the young participants earlier, none of them seemed capable of creating such an elaborate trap.
Orochimaru's smile widened. "Ah, you've noticed," he said, his tone almost admiring. "Quite a clever little plan, wouldn't you agree? Something you couldn't have accomplished at their age."
Anko's jaw clenched. "You don't really think this is enough to stop you, do you?"
Orochimaru tilted his head, his expression turning sinister. "Of course not," he hissed. "But sometimes, even I enjoy tasting failure—it reminds me how amusing humans can be."
Anko's heart pounded as her suspicions deepened. "What's your real goal here? Are you after the Hokage?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Oh no," he said, almost lazily. "I'm here for the children. One, in particular. A beautiful, promising container. Unlike you… they're truly worthy."
Anko's blood ran cold as Orochimaru's golden eyes narrowed. "Don't try to stop this exam, Anko. If you do, Konoha's end will come much sooner than you expect."
Meanwhile, Elsewhere
Satoru and the others had already left the area. Naruto, as loud as ever, turned to Satoru with a grin. "Mr. Bandage, you're amazing!" he exclaimed, his eyes shining with admiration. "That fight just now—so cool!"
Sakura nodded in agreement. "I have to admit, you really were incredible back there," she said, though her voice carried a tinge of skepticism. But what's his real goal?
Sasuke, ever reserved, glanced at Satoru sideways. "Barely passable," he muttered, though the slight twitch at the corner of his lips betrayed his grudging respect.
"Excuse me?" Satoru replied, his tone mock-offended. He tilted his head, resting his chin in his hand. "Barely passable? I was amazing. Handsome, even."
Sasuke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Your acting skills were awful. Anyone who knows me even a little would've seen through it immediately."
Sakura nodded in agreement, unable to hide her exasperation. "It's true. That… smile was so unlike Sasuke. It was downright creepy."
Naruto, however, frowned. "I thought he did great!" he argued. "Even Orochimaru fell for it!"
Sakura sighed heavily. "That's only because Orochimaru doesn't know Sasuke at all. If he did, he'd have seen through it in a second."
Satoru pouted dramatically, scratching the back of his head. "Is it really that bad?"
Sasuke gave him a flat look. "It's terrible."
Regrouping
"Where are we headed now?" Sasuke asked, steering the conversation back to the matter at hand.
"The central tower," Satoru replied confidently. "You still need the scroll, right? There'll be plenty of opportunities to grab one there."
Sakura's brow furrowed. "What about your teammates? Shouldn't you regroup with them?"
Satoru waved dismissively. "They're fine. They should already be near the tower by now. We'll meet them there."
Sasuke folded his arms. "We need to rest first," he said firmly. "If we're ambushed near the tower, we'll need all our strength."
Naruto laughed. "Tired already, Sasuke? Didn't think you'd admit that."
Sasuke glared at him, his eyes narrowing. "Idiot. There's bound to be more enemies at the tower—maybe even traps. We need to be ready."
"Who are you calling an idiot?" Naruto shot back.
"You, obviously."
"Stupid!"
"Moron!"
Their bickering escalated until a sudden rustling in the bushes silenced them.
A New Threat
The group froze, their senses on high alert. The faint sound of movement came from the nearby grass.
"What's that?" Sakura whispered, her eyes darting toward the noise.
Naruto squinted, his grin fading. "Something's there…"
The rustling grew louder, more deliberate. The four of them instinctively stepped into defensive stances, their eyes locked on the shadows shifting within the grass.
And then…
To Be Continued…
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