Orochimaru's thin, pallid lips curled into a smile as his tongue flicked briefly over them.
"So… you're some of Sasuke-kun's old friends," he said, voice smooth as venom. "But tell me… are you truly qualified to see him now?"
Sakura's fists clenched until her knuckles whitened. Her teeth ground together, rage trembling in every muscle.
Naruto caught the movement from the corner of his eye. "Sakura," he said quietly, "calm down. Charging in won't solve anything."
His tone cut through her anger like a bucket of cold water. She exhaled slowly, forcing her shoulders to relax.
"…Thanks, Naruto," she murmured, still glaring at the snake-like man before them. "I lost my head for a moment."
For someone usually steady in the field, Sasuke's name still had the power to tear Sakura's composure apart.
From behind Orochimaru, Kabuto adjusted his glasses with a faint gleam in his eyes. "Lord Orochimaru, what should we do with them?"
Orochimaru chuckled, the sound low and deliberate. "Since we have a little time… let's play. I'd like to see if you've grown anywhere near as much as Sasuke-kun has."
Kabuto stepped back immediately, creating space. He knew the gap between their sides was vast—these four might have reached jōnin-level in skill, but Orochimaru's power was something else entirely. The chance to watch him fight up close was rare.
Naruto spoke before anyone else moved. "Orochimaru—take it away from the bridge. No point in destroying Tenchi Bridge before we finish here." He shot a look at Yamato, Sakura, and Sai.
Orochimaru's golden, slit-pupiled eyes narrowed in faint amusement. "Interesting… little Nine-Tails," he hissed. "Let's see what you've learned in these past three years."
They moved together in a blur, leaping from the bridge's stone edge to the riverbank below. Sai landed lightly but kept a sharp eye on the situation—this wasn't part of the original plan. Danzo's orders had been clear: eliminate Uchiha Sasuke. But the path to that goal was shifting rapidly.
Without hesitation, Sai unfurled his scroll. "Ninpō—Super Beast Imitating Drawing!" His brush swept in precise strokes, ink forming into two panther-like beasts that sprang from the parchment and charged Orochimaru.
Orochimaru didn't flinch. "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands," he whispered.
A dozen snakes burst from his sleeve, striking with lightning speed. Fangs tore through ink-flesh, shredding the summoned beasts into black smears on the grass.
From above, Sakura dropped in with a sharp cry. "Orochimaru—give Sasuke back to me!" Her fist arced toward his head, the air around it cracking under the force of Tsunade's training. She followed with a rapid flurry of blows.
Orochimaru's body seemed to flow out of their path, each strike missing by inches. His smile never wavered.
"Ah… Tsunade's monster strength," he mused, sidestepping again. "You've picked up a bit of her style, yes. But do you truly think you can defeat me with just that?" His voice grew colder. "Don't be naïve. You're still far beneath Sasuke-kun."
Sakura bit back a snarl, fury heating her cheeks. But it didn't matter how strong her punches were—if she couldn't land a single hit, they were useless.
Yamato's hands flashed through seals. "Mokuton—Great Forest Technique!"
From the earth beneath Orochimaru's feet, thick wooden tendrils erupted, twisting upward to bind him. The snake Sannin glanced down at the grasping wood, his eyes narrowing.
"…So," Orochimaru said, licking his lips in thought, "you've adapted to Hashirama's cells. But the quality… far from the real thing." His gaze lingered on Yamato. "Ah… I see. One of my past experiments. And Danzo let you go? Interesting."
The words didn't shake Yamato. He kept his focus, reinforcing the jutsu. Still, Sai's eyes flicked toward his captain—Danzo-sama's subordinate? That wasn't something he'd known.
Then Orochimaru moved.
"Mandara no Jin," he intoned, bending forward.
A tide of serpents erupted from his mouth, thousands of writhing bodies surging across the ground in every direction. They came like a living flood, fangs glistening.
Naruto's hands blurred into a familiar seal. "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"
Two hundred shadow clones exploded into existence, each forming a Rasengan in their palm.
"Go!"
The field erupted into chaos—shadow clones and spinning chakra spheres slamming into the oncoming snakes. The explosions came in a rolling wave, smoke and fragments of earth spraying high into the air. When the dust settled, the carpet of snakes had been obliterated.
Orochimaru straightened, his expression unreadable. "Uzumaki Naruto… the Uzumaki clan truly is blessed with an extraordinary well of chakra. And without even using the Nine-Tails' power…" His eyes gleamed. "Such stamina. Though… you're no pure-blood Uzumaki."
Naruto barely heard him—his mind was already shifting. If he wanted a chance to speak with Orochimaru alone, he'd have to create it. His eyes flicked briefly toward his teammates, weighing their positions.
"Yamato-taichō," Naruto called out suddenly, voice sharp, "take Sakura and Sai—find Sasuke. Leave Orochimaru to me."