Chapter 217: The Survival King
If you've spent enough time with someone, sometimes just a silhouette or a trace of aura can instantly reveal their identity. This was precisely the situation the Third Hokage now faced.
Though the face in the crystal ball was unfamiliar, that unique sense of familiarity... absolutely couldn't be mistaken!
What on earth is going on?!
Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart surged with shock. He never imagined that reuniting with this disciple who'd betrayed and left the village years ago would occur under such circumstances.
Orochimaru!
Though setting that aside, the only person who could stand atop that level of summoned giant serpent besides Orochimaru—the Third Hokage couldn't think of a second candidate.
Several days ago, intelligence Kakashi reported had already warned—Sunagakure had disguised the One-Tail jinchuriki as a genin, infiltrating the Chunin Exam. The Third knew well that Sunagakure likely harbored ill intent, planning to tear up their alliance.
But... starting war? Weren't they afraid that madman would come knocking?
That bizarre fox mask surfaced in his mind, making the Third involuntarily shudder. The terror brought by the Ember organization leader's earth-shattering Great Rasengan still lingered in his heart.
What exactly was Sunagakure plotting? And Orochimaru... what role was he playing in all this?
Questions tangled like messy hemp, but the Third Hokage knew deeply that now wasn't the time to wait and observe. Since Orochimaru had already appeared, he had to act immediately, attempting to capture him before this wayward disciple caused greater destruction... especially before Naruto might accidentally kill him.
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In the Forest of Death, the battlefield had transformed into deathly silent scorched earth.
Using the giant tree where Naruto's three stood as boundary, everything within a hundred meters ahead—towering ancient trees, jagged rocks, shrubs and grass... everything had vanished, leaving only a massive, deeply sunken crater and fine dust permeating the air and penetrating the soil.
Sakura stared blankly at this beyond-imagination destructive scene. Then her gaze involuntarily turned toward that crimson "monster" beside her.
"Naruto... you... you... what exactly is this..."
Under that massive, suffocating crimson chakra's oppression, Sakura's face turned deathly pale as she instinctively shuffled half a step back. This was humanity's most primitive instinctive reaction when facing terrifying power far exceeding their comprehension.
However, when she saw the small Nine-Tails that Naruto became turn its head—on that beast face formed from pure energy, those blue eyes were completely different from the surrounding mad violent aura, still maintaining astonishing clarity and rationality.
Additionally, she realized Naruto's body had from start to finish steadily blocked before her and Satsuki, isolating all danger outside.
Recognizing this, that fear stemming from the unknown began slowly receding like tide.
"..."
Naruto confirmed Satsuki and Sakura behind him were both safe and sound, his heart settling slightly. He redirected his gaze toward that battlefield razed flat, carefully investigating through Gold Experience's shared life perception ability—within range, no life aura remained.
Subsequently, the tailed beast chakra covering his body began receding and dissipating like ebbing tide. Crimson light gradually faded, revealing Naruto's original appearance and form. Since this time the tailed beast chakra usage was completely based on the Nine-Tails' voluntary cooperation rather than forcible extraction or uncontrolled rampage, this initial tailed beast transformation mode had virtually zero burden for Naruto. His clothing naturally remained intact, never damaged in the slightest by violent energy.
"Satsuki, Sakura, stay alert and watch surroundings!" Naruto said, gaze sweeping the surrounding scorched earth. "Protect yourselves. I'll go confirm that guy's situation."
Though perception showed no life aura from Orochimaru, familiar with the original's endless preservation and escape methods for this opponent, Naruto absolutely didn't believe this dangerous adversary would fall so easily.
He quickly walked toward that most scorched area at the explosion's center—precisely where Orochimaru had previously stood. Only a surface burned by high temperature and thoroughly vitrified remained. That massive summoned serpent hadn't left even a trace of remains, already completely vaporized under the tailed beast ball's destructive energy, reduced to ash and smoke.
Under this range-type destructive strike, Orochimaru's snake-vomiting escape technique shouldn't have been executable. No traces of aerial escape either. Then the only possibility was...
After brief reasoning, Naruto's hands swiftly formed seals.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow River."
As his chakra poured into the ground beneath, the scorched hard earth layer ahead rolled and surged like water, parting to both sides, revealing relatively fresh soil below that hadn't been affected.
Among the turned earth, several objects not belonging to the natural environment appeared particularly conspicuous—and most eye-catching was a complete, pale, shed giant snake molt.
Naruto approached with grave expression, extracting this empty snakeskin from the soil. The snakeskin felt cold and slippery in hand with peculiar texture, still carrying some uncomfortable chakra traces.
What bizarre jutsu is this again? Seems Orochimaru truly escaped after all. Naruto examined the snakeskin in hand, absurdity surging through his heart.
This feeling was exactly like in movies where the protagonist defeats a powerful enemy through bitter struggle, only to discover in post-credits scenes after producer names finished that the opponent had long since shed their shell like a cicada, laying groundwork for sequels...
"Naruto!"
An anxious call came from the distance. Third Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen wearing black combat attire was leading dozens of Konoha ANBU members rapidly arriving on scene. Hatake Kakashi followed close behind.
When Kakashi's gaze swept across this battlefield with completely reshaped terrain, baptized by natural disaster, fine sweat couldn't help seeping from his forehead.
This child... is far too terrifying.
Looking at Naruto standing at scorched earth's center holding snakeskin, his heart felt lingering fear. Thinking back now, during that initial bell test, he'd even specifically mentioned forbidding him from using this power...