"Although I've heard you are an even more talented ninja than Sasuke, seeing you today proves you truly live up to your reputation," Orochimaru mused, his voice a low hiss. "Unfortunately, Sasuke is destined to be my prey, and my next vessel. No matter how hard you try, you cannot stop me from taking him."
Naruto roared, "Then let's see you try!"
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Style: Wind Scythe!"
In an instant, Naruto's main body and his countless shadow clones simultaneously unleashed their jutsu. A raging tempest swept across the sky, laced with violent blades of wind that could slice through anything. The gale instantly leveled the surrounding area of the forest, shredding broken branches and leaves into nothingness.
This terrifying display of power once again shocked even the serpentine man. His snake-like pupils widened in genuine astonishment.
"Wonderful..." he whispered. "What an amazing talent... Naruto Uzumaki, perhaps you are a more enticing prize than Sasuke..." Faced with Naruto's astonishing power, Orochimaru felt a surge of intense greed and desire for the boy as well.
One of the legendary Sannin, a Konoha S-rank rogue ninja renowned throughout the world... Orochimaru. At this moment, his slitted eyes greedily scanned both Sasuke and Naruto, a strong possessive desire rising within him. His ultimate target had always been Sasuke Uchiha. This was because he had once tried to take the body of Itachi Uchiha, but was utterly defeated by the older brother's Sharingan. From then on, he set his sights on Sasuke, who also possessed the Uchiha bloodline but was not yet fully developed. This entire invasion of Konoha during the Chunin Exams was orchestrated to capture Sasuke.
However, now... faced with Naruto's astounding talent, Orochimaru felt a new desire. But he also knew that Naruto Uzumaki's identity was far more sensitive than Sasuke's. While Sasuke was the sole survivor of a wiped-out clan, Naruto was the vessel of the Nine-Tails. That fact alone meant Konoha would never abandon him. If he abducted Sasuke, Konoha would surely try every means to retrieve him. But if he kidnapped Naruto...?
Orochimaru licked his lips, a sinister smile spreading across his face. Ultimately, his interest in Sasuke stemmed from his quest for the most suitable vessel. Naruto's body, hailing from the Uzumaki clan, possessed immense chakra, vitality, and regenerative abilities. However, the Nine-Tails inside Naruto could never coexist peacefully with him. Possessing Naruto would mean becoming the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki himself, which might not be a favorable outcome. After a moment's thought, though he was deeply intrigued by Naruto, he ultimately chose to stick to his original plan. Orochimaru's pupils contracted as he looked at Sasuke again. Those blood-red Sharingan... though only at two tomoe, they already showed terrifying potential.
All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Faced with Naruto's onslaught of shadow clones and the berserk storm of wind, Orochimaru showed no panic. Instead, he licked his lips, revealing a sudden interest in playing along.
*CRACK! SLASH!*
He didn't even flinch as the force of the wind tore him apart. His body was whipped about wildly, his arms and legs sliced open by the wind scythes until he was completely bisected. Yet, through it all, he wore a cruel, cold smile.
When everything calmed and the dust settled, Naruto and all his shadow clones were panting heavily. The single, massive attack had consumed most of his chakra, but its power had been truly astonishing. A vast expanse of the jungle had been completely leveled, as if swept by a terrifying hurricane. *Anyway,* Naruto thought with a faint smile, *we finally killed the enemy.* Hinata breathed a sigh of relief, and Sasuke began to recover slightly from his daze.
But in the next moment, a horrifying sight unfolded. From the mangled remains of the corpse, countless small snakes stretched out and wriggled. They slithered and coiled together, slowly reconnecting the severed limbs and torso. His body, though torn asunder, stood up again and strangely rejoined itself.
Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata were all stunned into terrified silence.
"What... what kind of monster is that?!" Naruto stammered. "Is that... is that even human?!"
Orochimaru's head was the last piece to reattach to his neck. It had been twisted on backward, and with a sickening crunch, he gently turned it back into its normal position. He stuck out his long tongue, greedily licking the corner of his mouth as his eerie, snake-like pupils stared intently at Naruto.
"What an amazing boy," he hissed. "Such a massive amount of chakra is one thing... but to have mastered both the Great Breakthrough and the Wind Scythe? Those are two completely different, even diametrically opposed, wind-style ninjutsu. If it weren't for me, even a Jonin would have been in trouble if they'd rashly faced that attack. Naruto Uzumaki, you really continue to surprise me."
Naruto was both shocked and furious. "Bastard! What... what kind of monster are you?!"
"Monster?" Orochimaru chuckled. "You have no right to talk. Isn't the Nine-Tails inside you the most terrifying monster in the entire ninja world?"
Hearing him speak of the Nine-Tails, Naruto knew this man understood his secret. He didn't know why, but he scoffed. "The Nine-Tails? There might be a monster like that inside me, but I've never once borrowed its power!"
Orochimaru's expression changed slightly. "Oh? Is that so? If that's the case, then you are even more amazing... Unfortunately, even if you are so outstanding, I can only have one prey." He looked at Sasuke again, his pupils slowly dilating.
"What are you going to do to Sasuke?!" Naruto demanded.
Orochimaru gently extended a finger, touched his lips, and gave a sinister smile. "Shh... It's a secret."
Though he said that, Naruto, Sasuke, and Hinata could all see it. Whatever he had planned was not a good thing. It was something more terrifying than death itself.
Sasuke barely managed to regain some of his spirit. "Who are you?!" he asked, panting heavily.
Orochimaru laughed. "Someone who will help you realize your ambition."
"Ambition?"
"You understand even if I don't say it, don't you?" Orochimaru continued. "Only I can give you the chance... to kill *that man*."
Upon hearing this, Sasuke was even more shocked than before. "What... what did you say?!"
Orochimaru's low, sinister chuckle grew increasingly unrestrained until he finally burst into loud laughter. "Heh, hahaha, HAHAHAHA! Sasuke Uchiha, one day you will understand my good intentions. But before that, let me test... your capacity!"
Sasuke was immediately startled again. On that unforgettable, painful night, Itachi Uchiha had said those very words to him. *Why did you kill them? To test my own capacity.* Hearing Orochimaru repeat that line, Sasuke's anger surged to the heavens.
"Shut up!" he screamed. His two-tomoe Sharingan blazed with power, his extreme anger pushing his ocular jutsu beyond its limits. Sasuke suddenly unleashed a furious volley of shuriken, blasting them toward Orochimaru. The serpentine man easily dodged them with a simple twist of his body. However, a sharp ringing sound then cut through the air.
*ZING—*
Sasuke pulled sharply on a thin steel wire, manipulating two of the shuriken to shoot back from behind