Internal and External Collusion
In the Forest of Death, a masked ANBU squad confronted Orochimaru, their expressions tense and voices laced with hostility.
"Orochimaru, why are your subordinates lurking here? Do you realize the risks we've taken to keep this hidden from the Fifth Hokage?"
"If our collaboration is exposed, no village in the ninja world will accept you!"
"Remember, you are no longer one of the Sannin. You betrayed Konoha—you're a rogue ninja now. You have no right to negotiate with us."
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes gleamed with amusement. His voice, eerily smooth, slithered through the air.
"Of course, I understand our little arrangement," he said, smirking. "But tell me, who else knows about your dealings with Sunagakure and Amegakure?"
The ANBU squad stiffened, a flicker of unease betraying them. Trying to mask their anxiety, their leader responded coldly, "Without the clan's authorization, do you think we'd dare to act? Orochimaru, don't squander your last chance."
With that, the masked figures dissolved into the darkness, their silhouettes vanishing like fleeting shadows.
Orochimaru chuckled, his gaze lingering on the spot where they had disappeared. "Ever since Danzo's death, Konoha has been trying to fill the void he left in the shadows. But they're nothing more than incompetent schemers. How do they expect to control the village's rogue elements? And Jiraiya… that fool actually believes the Will of Fire is enough to keep the village in line."
His golden eyes shifted, locking onto a tree trunk nearby. A sinister grin stretched across his face.
"Come out, Anko. It's been nearly a decade, hasn't it? My, how you've grown."
From behind the tree, Anko Mitarashi lunged forward, her kunai aimed straight at Orochimaru's face.
He didn't flinch. Instead, he effortlessly caught the blade and leaned in close, his unnervingly long tongue brushing against her cheek.
"Attacking your former master the moment we reunite? How cruel."
"You have no idea what I've endured because of you," Anko spat, her eyes burning with fury. "Discrimination. Isolation. Suspicion from my own comrades."
Breaking free from his grip, she swiftly drew the tantō strapped to her thigh and slashed at his palm before forming rapid hand seals.
"Ninjutsu—Twin Snakes Mutual Death!"
Her hands morphed into striking serpents, lunging toward Orochimaru.
But before they could ensnare him, his body melted into a discarded husk, a mere earth clone. The real Orochimaru materialized behind her, his voice almost playful.
"Even as my former student, you shouldn't wield such reckless jutsu."
Anko's breathing was heavy, but her resolve didn't waver. "Why don't you just kill me? As long as I'm alive, I'll report this to Lord Jiraiya. Whatever you're plotting, I'll make sure it fails."
Orochimaru chuckled. "That idiot Jiraiya wouldn't believe you. If he did, don't you think the ANBU would've swarmed this area by now? Besides, the people I'm working with… they aren't just Konoha's typical elites."
Anko's eyes narrowed. Something about the way he spoke sent a chill down her spine.
"Orochimaru… what are you planning?"
A smirk tugged at his lips. He had already said too much.
Realizing her predicament, Anko's stomach twisted. If he was revealing information so freely, it meant only one thing—his plan was already set in motion.
Was he conspiring with foreign forces to destroy Konoha? Or was he aiming to overthrow Jiraiya, the Fifth Hokage?
A sudden wave of dizziness hit her—genjutsu. Orochimaru had trapped her in an illusion. As her vision blurred, he left a viper coiled near her unconscious form before turning his gaze toward the distant Konoha skyline.
Nostalgia flickered in his serpentine eyes.
---
Naruto and the Chunin Exam
After handing over an unconscious Oto-nin to the proctors, Naruto and his team advanced toward the central tower.
Across the forest, various squads were locked in combat, each aiming to secure their Heaven and Earth scrolls. Under the pressure of coordinated assaults, many genin teams were forced to surrender. Konoha, Sunagakure, and Amegakure squads had the highest numbers, all strategically handing over their scrolls rather than risking elimination.
Some competitors despised Naruto's group for hunting weaker teams, but this wasn't against the exam's rules. The Chunin Exams weren't about fair fights—they mirrored real warfare. Complaints were meaningless; only strength and strategy mattered.
And Konoha, more than any other village, encouraged this ruthless approach.
For other shinobi villages, failing the exam simply meant trying again next time. But for Konoha genin, missing their promotion meant waiting another half a year, diminishing their chances in future exams. There was also the undeniable home-field advantage.
A few hours later, Naruto's team arrived just a kilometer from the tower.
They halted at the sight of an intense confrontation ahead.
The combatants? A Suna squad they had encountered earlier—led by Gaara—and a Konoha team, featuring Neji Hyuga, Rock Lee, and Tenten.
The air crackled with tension. A battle could erupt at any moment.
Hinata frowned when she saw Neji standing against Gaara. Instinctively, she stepped forward to help, but Naruto stopped her.
"It's no fun if we just outnumber them," he said. "They need to prove their strength. We'll be competing against them soon anyway."
Kiba grinned. "Yeah, I wanna see who wins. Neji and the others are a year older than us, so they should be able to handle Gaara's panda eyes, right?"
Sasuke's expression darkened. He recalled his humiliating defeat against Rock Lee years ago. At the time, Lee had crushed him purely through taijutsu. And though he had refused to rely on his Sharingan back then, this time was different.
This was the perfect chance to analyze both Lee's and Gaara's fighting styles—information that could give him the upper hand later.
The battle erupted. Gaara launched a wave of sand toward Lee, but with a single movement, Lee dispersed it with sheer force.
Meanwhile, Neji and Tenten engaged Kankuro and Temari, their exchange of attacks swift and calculated.
Just as the fight was reaching its peak, all the combatants suddenly paused. Their attention shifted toward Naruto and his team.
Temari's expression tensed. "They're all Konoha ninjas… We should fall back for now."
Kankuro's face paled. "Yeah, and those monsters from Uzushio Village are with them! Why are they even cooperating?"
At the mention of "monsters," Gaara's gaze snapped toward Naruto. His eyes narrowed.
Every time he encountered Naruto, the Shukaku inside him grew restless—uncertain whether it felt fear or excitement.
But one thing was certain. Naruto had some kind of influence over the Tailed Beasts.
Gaara suppressed his curiosity, unwilling to let Shukaku dictate his actions. Instead, he turned to Temari and said calmly, "We'll fight in the third exam."
Temari sighed in relief. A direct confrontation now could jeopardize their mission. They hadn't come to Konoha just for the Chunin Exam.
They had come to reclaim what Sunagakure had lost.
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