"Do you trust your comrade so much, Sasuke Uchiha?"
Without warning, a voice echoed beside Sakura and Sasuke.
"Who's there?! Stop hiding and show yourself!" Sasuke growled, instantly scanning the surroundings.
"Hehe... there's no need to look around."
As that eerie voice reappeared, a muffled bang rang out, and a figure emerged from the thinning smoke.
"I'm right here."
As the haze lifted, the speaker revealed himself: a pale-skinned man wearing a massive straw hat, bearing the forehead protector of the Grass Village.
His waterfall-like black hair framed his serpent-like yellow eyes with vertical pupils. Despite his thin frame appearing fragile enough to be toppled by a breeze, the killing intent he emitted was overwhelmingly intense.
Sasuke narrowed his eyes, a chill crawling down his spine.
Dangerous. Extremely dangerous.
Without hesitation, Sasuke activated his Sharingan, his hand already gripping a kunai, ready to engage with lethal precision.
Sakura, trembling behind him, clutched her shuriken tightly, hesitating but prepared to back him up.
"As expected of the last surviving heir of the Uchiha clan, Sasuke Uchiha... the genius boy everyone praises."
A sliver of admiration crept into the man's tone.
"Those eyes… they're just like his... You've already awakened the two-tomoe Sharingan?"
His tongue snaked out grotesquely, licking his lips in excitement, as his gaze lingered on Sasuke like a predator savoring his prey.
"You must be after my Earth Scroll, right? You already have a Heaven Scroll, don't you?"
As he finished speaking, the man casually raised the Earth Scroll—then, to their shock, extended his tongue and swallowed it whole.
"If you want it, then come and take it."
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Reacting instantly, Sasuke launched both kunai and his most powerful ninjutsu simultaneously.
But—
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A massive wall of stone rose, absorbing the fiery blast and shielding the attacker completely.
The ensuing battle unfolded fast and fierce. Sasuke pushed his limits, striking with everything he had.
But it was no use.
His attacks were evaded, countered, or brushed aside effortlessly.
It felt less like a fight, and more like a predator toying with a cornered animal.
"Huff... huff..."
Within minutes, Sasuke's chakra was almost depleted.
The mysterious enemy hadn't even broken a sweat.
"Who… is this guy?"
…
Meanwhile, deeper in the forest—
"Damn snake, you're really persistent… I should just roast you for Big Bro Tianyu!" Naruto grinned, stepping on the now-defeated giant serpent.
His mind drifted to a silly song Tianyu had hummed days ago:
"The snake is so big, it can't fit in one pot… need two grills: one mild, one hot… crack a snowflake brew, and feast like kings…"
Naruto snorted at the memory, then blinked.
"Ah! Wasted too much time. I gotta get back—who knows what happened to Sasuke and Sakura! Wait... what was the password again…?"
…
Back at the scene of the battle—
"What's wrong, Sasuke Uchiha? Is that all you've got?"
The man's voice dripped with mockery. "Afraid? Ready to run?"
"Tch!" Sasuke gritted his teeth. His muscles trembled, but he refused to fall.
"Since you're hesitating… then it's my turn. Be careful now. One wrong move, and you're dead."
In a grotesque motion, the man's neck extended like a snake's and darted toward Sasuke's throat.
Just as the fangs closed in—
Clang!
A blinding flash.
A blade intercepted the bite just inches from Sasuke's neck.
"That's…!"
Orochimaru's eyes widened in surprise.
The weapon was unmistakable.
The Kusanagi Sword?
Held by a new arrival—one he hadn't expected.
"Tianyu-sama?!" Sakura gasped.
"Geez, Sasuke, you're looking rough." Tianyu said with a faint smile. "Where's Naruto?"
"He… he got dragged off by a snake..." Sasuke muttered, trying to stand, only to collapse to one knee again.
"Dammit… I can't be this weak..."
"It's not your fault," Tianyu sighed, watching him with sympathy.
"This guy's not someone you can handle. Not yet."
He turned his gaze to the figure in front of them.
"A man pushing fifty, halfway into the grave, sneaking around to bully kids—what's there to be proud of, Orochimaru?"
At the mention of his name, the man's eyes narrowed slightly.
"You... who are you really?" he asked, his facade starting to crack.
Though still disguised in the attire of a Grass Ninja, Orochimaru's expression faltered.
He had underestimated Tianyu—a mere teenager, or so he'd thought.
He remembered glimpses of him during the first exam, and scattered intel Kabuto had fed him. Some noted Tianyu as a potential prodigy.
But Orochimaru had seen countless "geniuses." Unless they possessed a truly rare kekkei genkai, he rarely paid attention.
His focus was on Sasuke—on the Sharingan.
But now—
This kid knew his real name.
"My name is Tian Yu. Konoha Jōnin."
He smiled lightly. "I came looking for you. Thought we should talk."
"But first…"
He adjusted his grip on the sword.
"Let's get the formalities out of the way. A fight before a chat seems fitting."
Orochimaru chuckled darkly.
"Hmph… you know who I am and still choose to fight. Very well. Impress me."
The moment he finished, he launched a Wind Style: Great Breakthrough jutsu—sending a wall of cutting wind toward Tianyu.
But to Tianyu, it was child's play.
He stomped the ground and vanished from sight, sidestepping the wind.
He appeared behind Orochimaru in an instant—striking with his kunai at an unpredictable angle aimed at Orochimaru's left shoulder.
But Orochimaru's reflexes were razor-sharp.
He twisted, jumping back, his own kunai ready in a reverse grip.
Clang!
Their weapons collided, sparks flying.
Two assassins, blades crossing midair—one a legendary missing-nin, the other an untested prodigy.
The true battle had only just begun.
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