Seeing more and more people gathering around, Arata knew he had no choice but to stop.
His strength was overwhelming—but it was still too early to turn the entire village into an enemy. He might be unharmed, but Tsunade and Nawaki definitely wouldn't be.
Most importantly, he still had his eyes on the reward for becoming Hokage. He didn't know how useful that new system function would be, but he had to secure it first.
And he didn't want Uzumaki Mito dragged into this mess too early. She was a trump card he wanted to keep hidden for as long as possible.
With that in mind, he could only conclude that he'd misjudged things—Orochimaru still refused to submit.
A pity. He'd failed to earn that genjutsu resistance reward.
Arata slowly withdrew his fist. The moment he did, all the surrounding shinobi tensed up, instinctively stepping back as if Arata were about to retaliate.
When he finally removed his hand from Orochimaru, everyone visibly relaxed. At least Arata had listened to reason.
They couldn't be blamed for being frightened—his fully unleashed Thunder Mode was terrifying. Even at a distance, the violent lightning radiating from him struck fear into everyone present.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, hands already forming seals, also exhaled in relief. His "battle stance" had been mostly for show—if things really escalated, he had no confidence he could subdue Arata. With Uzumaki Mito watching from the shadows, he was even more hesitant to act.
Even if Arata refused to back down, Hiruzen wouldn't dare move recklessly.
Just as Arata thought the attempt had failed, the collapsed Orochimaru behind him croaked out in a weak, trembling voice:
"I… will… submit…"
Arata froze for a split second—then the system chimed in his mind:
[Ding!Objective achieved: Defeat Orochimaru within thirty seconds and make him submit.
Reward: Genjutsu Resistance.]
Hearing this prompt, Arata was certain—Orochimaru wasn't joking. He had truly submitted.
Arata's mood brightened immediately. To gain a brilliant scientific mind and future Kage-level powerhouse as a subordinate was already excellent—never mind the genjutsu resistance.
But with so many people here, he couldn't inspect the reward yet. He silently walked toward Tsunade, ready to leave.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru lay motionless—Arata's full-powered punch had left him unable even to move.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, annoyed that Arata ignored him, stepped forward and scolded:
"Arata! Orochimaru is a comrade of the village! How could you strike him so heavily!?"
Arata wasn't fooled for a second. He knew perfectly well this old man was just picking a fight.
Orochimaru had provoked him first—and the intel Orochimaru acted on obviously came from Hiruzen and Danzō. Their conveniently timed appearance, the ANBU watching from the start… anyone could tell this was pre-arranged.
Unfortunately for them, no matter their careful planning, Orochimaru simply wasn't strong enough to measure up to Arata.
Arata replied calmly:
"We were just sparring. Since when is sparring between comrades a crime in Konoha?"
He was expected to cower—but instead he fired back boldly. And indeed, Konoha had never banned sparring, so long as no one was killed.
Luckily, the house Arata shattered earlier was empty; otherwise, he'd already be charged with murder.
Hiruzen was left momentarily speechless. He turned to look at Orochimaru—now being helped to his feet by several shinobi—and chose to drop the subject.
After all, Orochimaru was his prized student, a crucial political pawn. If Orochimaru truly submitted to Arata, it would be a disastrous loss for Hiruzen's faction.
Like losing both the bride and the army.
Realizing this, Hiruzen stopped bothering with Arata altogether and hurried to Orochimaru's side, pretending to care deeply.
Arata watched Hiruzen's façade and felt no sense of danger—Orochimaru had been shaken to the core. This incident had clearly opened his eyes.
That teacher he once revered… evidently had never truly cared for him.
Tsunade, out of genuine concern for her teammate, had intended to go help Orochimaru—but out of respect for her husband, she hesitated.
Their bond as the Sannin was real and heartfelt—at least for now.
But seeing Tsunade torn, Arata smiled gently and said:
"Go ahead."
Tsunade blinked, then her expression softened. She smiled and headed toward Orochimaru.
She had been overthinking things—her husband wasn't the jealous type at all.
Orochimaru's bleeding had been stopped by Hiruzen, but Hiruzen knew no medical ninjutsu. All he could do was instruct others to haul Orochimaru to the hospital.
Tsunade, arriving just in time, healed Orochimaru's internal wounds within a few breaths using her exceptional skills.
The contrast was… humiliating.
Anyone with half a brain could tell who genuinely cared for Orochimaru—and who didn't.
Regaining mobility, Orochimaru glanced toward the distant Arata—walking away with Tsunade in his arms—and his expression slowly darkened. Who knew what was turning in his mind?
Hiruzen, seeing Orochimaru ignoring him completely, immediately knew he had lost yet another invaluable asset. His fear toward Arata deepened even further.
When he thought about it carefully, Arata was terrifyingly well-positioned:
Arata himself was Kage-level.
Tsunade and Orochimaru were elite jōnin.
Jiraiya, ever unpredictable, leaned more toward Arata than anyone else.
The entire Sannin might already be on Arata's side.
Add to that the major clans courting him today, and Uzumaki Mito backing him in secret…
Arata already held enough power and influence to rival—even surpass—the Third Hokage.
After Orochimaru quietly left, Hiruzen muttered under his breath:
"It seems I must act sooner than planned.
I cannot allow that boy to keep growing."
With that, he slipped away into the shadows.
***************************
Read advanced chapters ahead of everyone else on my P@treon.
P@treon/GodDragcell