The Hollowfied Naruto suddenly lifted his right hand, and all the chakra and Reiatsu in his body began to frantically converge towards his palm.
The sheer force of it gave Orochimaru a strong sense of foreboding, and he hurriedly used a defensive ninjutsu:
"Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall!"
A tall, sturdy earthen wall rose before Orochimaru, giving him a sliver of psychological comfort. He was inwardly astonished at his own loss of composure: "To think I'd actually feel threatened by a Genin."
In the next instant, a Cero shot out from Naruto's palm, leaving a white trail under the rainy sky as it blasted straight towards Orochimaru.
The Cero was surrounded by terrifying air currents, and the ground it flew over cracked and shattered layer by layer.
"This power!!" Orochimaru's expression changed drastically. Without hesitation, he unleashed his strongest defensive ninjutsu:
"Triple Rashomon!"
This was the Triple Rashomon that Orochimaru had comprehended from the First Hokage's Quintuple Rashomon, capable of summoning defensive walls that could absorb any attack.
Combined with the Earth Flow Wall, a total of four great gates stood firmly before Orochimaru.
BOOM! With an earth-shattering explosion, the first Rashomon gate was almost instantly blown to smithereens.
The second and third gates were also blasted through with irresistible force.
Finally, it was the Earth Flow Wall.
The dilapidated earthen wall was undoubtedly pulverized, and the Cero struck the area where Orochimaru was.
BOOM! Under Orochimaru's horrified gaze, the entire area experienced a minor earthquake; the trees and rubble within the zone were instantly disintegrated by the Cero.
When the Cero dissipated, the area was a complete wreck. The earth churned, and a heavily injured Orochimaru crawled out, his face etched with lingering fear. "What terrifying power. I almost died."
Splash. The Hollowfied Naruto, holding Kyoka Suigetsu, slowly walked forward, his eyes filled with an uncontrollable killing intent.
To Orochimaru's surprise, Naruto's left hand suddenly shot out and firmly gripped the Hollowfication mask.
Crack. The mask abruptly shattered, revealing Naruto's warm, smiling face.
"Mr. Orochimaru, I wonder if this is sufficient to convince you?"
"Truly astonishing, Naruto-kun." Orochimaru coughed up a small white snake from his mouth, which once again transformed into Orochimaru's main body.
His face was another shade paler.
Even if he had underestimated his opponent, he shouldn't have been beaten so miserably by a mere Genin.
Orochimaru understood that the upper limits of Shinigami and Hollows were definitely not just this; this was a Kekkei Genkai that could surpass the Sharingan.
He looked at Naruto, his eyes filled with a complex mix of admiration.
Naruto, at only 12 years old, was quite possibly the most talented ninja in Konoha's history.
It was just a pity that such a genius would eventually leave Konoha.
"You've successfully convinced me, Naruto," Orochimaru said with a smile.
"Then, a pleasure doing business with you." Naruto extended his right hand.
Orochimaru grasped it without hesitation.
…
On the streets, Jiraiya was on his way to "gather material."
To be honest, after nearly a month cooped up on Mount Myoboku, eating insects every day and dealing with toads, Jiraiya's mind and body were on the verge of collapse.
If he didn't go gather some material to reward himself, he might go crazy.
However, before he could reach his desired destination, a huge explosion suddenly erupted from the distant Forest of Death.
The immense commotion attracted everyone's attention, and a billowing mushroom cloud slowly rose into the air.
"Such terrifying chakra fluctuations! Such terrifying power!" Jiraiya's expression changed drastically. "Is this the destructive force of a Kage-level powerhouse? How could a Kage-level powerhouse appear in the Chunin Exams?"
Jiraiya couldn't be bothered with gathering material anymore and rushed directly towards the Forest of Death.
When he arrived at the location, he was stunned to find that the area had been practically razed to the ground. The air was thick with a burnt smell, and the corpses of a few animals were found on the flat ground.
Boiling energy fluctuations still permeated the air, chaotically intertwined, lingering for a long time.
"Lord Jiraiya." Several ANBU ninja appeared beside Jiraiya.
"What's the situation?" Jiraiya asked, his face serious.
"A Kage-level powerhouse infiltrated the Chunin Exams. The specific details are unknown. There was no one here when we arrived."
The ANBU's words sent Jiraiya into deep thought.
What about this Chunin Exam could possibly attract a Kage-level powerhouse to infiltrate Konoha?
Could it be… Naruto?
Jiraiya instantly felt a sense of unease.
"Lord Jiraiya, we found these." At that moment, several ANBU ninja approached, carrying a few pieces of what looked like skin.
"This is…" Jiraiya's eyes narrowed, and he blurted out, "Snakeskin?!"
The image of the man he had pursued for half his life flashed through his mind.
The man he had once considered his most trusted comrade.
And it was precisely that man who had completely severed the bond between them.
"Orochimaru… is it you?"
Elsewhere.
Sasuke and Sakura had also run into trouble.
They had encountered the most dangerous opponent in this Chunin Exam: the panda-man, Gaara.
The two teams faced each other from a distance. Sand continuously flowed from the gourd on Gaara's back, and the air was thick with a murderous aura.
"Where is Uzumaki Naruto?" Gaara's voice was laced with killing intent.
"Why did we have to run into this monster here?" Sakura's face paled. She subconsciously tightened her grip on her kunai, ready for battle at any moment.
"Hmph." Sasuke, beside her, snorted coldly.
"I advise you to tell the truth. Otherwise, it will be very painful for you," Kankuro said, his eyes filled with glee as he offered his "reminder."
The feeling of being humiliated by Sasuke earlier was still fresh in his mind; he wished he could just smash Sasuke's face with his puppets.
"Panda-man, I advise you to run away quickly. Otherwise, the consequences will be very severe," Sasuke said, tilting his head up proudly, his voice cold.
"Pa… Panda-man?!" Temari and Kankuro instantly looked terrified. They glanced at Gaara and, sure enough, his face had darkened.
They swallowed hard and subconsciously took a step back.
They knew that the consequences of Gaara getting angry were extremely severe.
What followed would be a massacre.
Such a pity for that handsome face, Temari thought, a strange sense of wistfulness and regret welling up in her heart. "Seriously, 'Panda-man'… what a vicious nickname," Temari's face contorted, trying hard not to laugh out loud.
Hearing Sasuke's taunt, Gaara's expression turned cold. He raised his hand, and countless grains of sand instantly surged from the gourd on his back, then spread out to envelop the area around him. A voice filled with killing intent sounded:
"You… are seeking death."
"Hmph. A mere panda-man, daring to show off your meager skills before a master." Sasuke lifted his little head proudly. "Sakura, you fall back. Leave him to me."
"You be careful." Sakura understood that as a medical ninja, she could barely help Sasuke in a fight, so she obediently moved to the side.
"How long do you think Gaara will need to finish him?" Kankuro asked Temari softly, a hint of disdain on his face.
Every time he recalled the fear of being dominated by Sasuke back then, Kankuro gritted his teeth in hatred.
Temari remembered the scene of Sasuke, wreathed in lightning, easily dealing with Kankuro. She fell into deep thought for a moment before saying hesitantly, "It should be quite tough, I imagine."