The jutsu Orochimaru had mastered were mostly family secrets. Across the entire Naruto world, only Orochimaru and his disciple, Mitarashi Anko, were known to use Snakes. No other ninja seemed to possess such techniques.
"Show me what it can do," Sarutobi Hiruzen said, gesturing toward the training field.
Orochimaru nodded, fixing his gaze on a wooden training post in the field. His hands began weaving signs at lightning speed.
Jiraiya immediately sensed the chakra within Orochimaru shifting, converging toward his wrists.
"Evil Snake Arm Burst!"
With a sharp flick of his sleeve, two massive pythons shot out, striking the wooden post with terrifying speed and coiling tightly around it.
The snakes moved so fast that Jiraiya could only catch a blur.
Such dense chakra…
He could feel the immense energy radiating from the two serpents. Orochimaru quickly formed another set of hand seals. Jiraiya sensed the chakra within the pythons pooling in one spot. Moments later, a deafening explosion shattered the post, leaving nothing but splinters. The blast carved deep craters into the ground, while black liquid splattered around the area. Where it landed, thick, purple smoke hissed into the air.
"What an incredible jutsu," Tsunade remarked, her voice filled with admiration.
Jiraiya nodded in agreement. Orochimaru's technique was undeniably powerful—swift, devastating, and laced with venom. If an enemy were caught in the serpents' coils, even if they survived the explosion, the poison would severely weaken them.
The only drawback was the preparation time. Orochimaru's chakra buildup was conspicuous, making it easy for enemies to detect and prepare a counterattack. However, this was an issue that would naturally diminish as he became more proficient with the jutsu.
"A very impressive technique," Hiruzen praised. "With this, you won't lose in the upcoming competition."
The Hokage offered a word of caution.
"The only thing to watch for is how obvious your chakra flow becomes during the hand seals. Even Jiraiya could sense it. In combat, you should aim to use this technique from the shadows. But that's a minor issue. As you master the jutsu, it will improve."
"Teacher, could you not use me as an example?" Jiraiya protested, throwing up his hands. "I have some pride, you know!"
"If you cared about pride, you wouldn't spend so much time peeping at the women's bathhouses," Tsunade retorted, landing a verbal jab.
Jiraiya sighed in defeat. Redeeming his image was clearly a lost cause.
To clear the lingering poison smoke, Orochimaru swiftly wove another set of seals.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
He exhaled a powerful gust of wind that swept the smoke away, leaving the area pristine once more.
Great Breakthrough was a basic wind release jutsu that most wind chakra users learned due to its simplicity and considerable power. Orochimaru hadn't shown its full potential just now, but it was effective nonetheless.
Not long after, Danzo appeared at the training field, accompanied by three of his disciples. The bandage over Danzo's eye immediately drew Jiraiya's scorn. He loathed the man, knowing the truth behind the eye hidden beneath the bandages—it had been stolen from their teammate, Uchiha Kagami.
Danzo and Hiruzen shared a deep distrust of the Uchiha Clan, a bias inherited from the Second Hokage. While this mistrust didn't justify Danzo's actions, it explained them. During a retreat, Danzo had ambushed Kagami, killing him to steal his Sharingan.
Hiruzen was fully aware of Danzo's treachery but had chosen not to punish him. Instead, he had appointed Danzo as his assistant, granting him significant authority. Hiruzen understood that the Hokage couldn't afford to tarnish his reputation. For the village's dirty work, someone else had to step into the shadows. Danzo, ruthless and pragmatic, was the perfect candidate.
This reasoning also explained why Hiruzen allowed Danzo to form Root, a covert extension of the Anbu.
Though some claimed that Danzo's actions were always for the good of Konoha, Jiraiya disagreed. When Pain attacked the village, Danzo had remained in hiding, prioritizing his ambition to become Hokage over the lives of his comrades. That alone, in Jiraiya's eyes, made Danzo irredeemable.
Strictly speaking, Danzo was a pitiful figure. After finally becoming acting Hokage, he was killed by Sasuke shortly afterward. In life, he had also taken on many of Hiruzen's burdens, serving as the scapegoat for countless dark deeds that had been quietly sanctioned by the Third Hokage.
"Greetings, Lord Hokage." Danzo and his three disciples bowed respectfully.
In Konoha, the Hokage was a figure of reverence, and all shinobi treated the title with utmost respect.
Hiruzen acknowledged them with a nod. Jiraiya turned his attention to Danzo's disciples: Aburame Ryoma, Yamanaka Ichiei, and Akimichi Sansan.
Danzo's students hailed from prominent clans. The Aburame, Yamanaka, and Akimichi clans were among Konoha's founding families, with long-standing histories and significant contributions during the First Great Ninja War.
Aburame Ryoma, in particular, was renowned. After becoming a Jonin, he had joined the Anbu, where his exceptional infiltration skills earned Konoha critical intelligence. When Danzo founded Root, Ryoma became his right-hand man, enjoying the elder's utmost trust.
The other two disciples, however, were relatively obscure figures, and Jiraiya couldn't recall hearing much about them.
"Lord Hokage, when shall we begin the competition?" Danzo asked respectfully, concealing his inner envy toward Hiruzen's position.
Though jealousy burned in Danzo's heart, he revered the office of Hokage as sacred and treated Hiruzen with outward respect.
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