"Lord Orochimaru, the exit of the testing ground is seven hundred meters ahead!" Aobird reported.
Orochimaru's eyes lit up.
However, Aobird hadn't finished speaking: "However, quite a few ninja have gathered in front of the exit. The Sand and Cloud ninja who confronted us on the first day are also there, along with many ninja from smaller nations!"
Hearing Hyuga Aobird's words, Orochimaru's eyes grew brighter. He smiled faintly and said, "Full speed ahead. Our other mission map is right there, hehe!"
Orochimaru quickened his pace, rushing to the front of the team, excitedly sprinting forward. Jiraiya and the others quickly followed.
Sure enough, after running at full speed for a while, Orochimaru's spiritual power sensed strong and numerous chakra fluctuations coming from ahead, making his heart even happier.
Swoosh swoosh swoosh—
The five of them stopped not far from the Cloud ninja group. Behind Orochimaru, Chi gradually materialized and stood to the side.
"Leaf Village is moving fast!" Seeing Orochimaru and the others appear, Yotsuki Tee muttered disgruntledly from the Cloud ninja ranks.
Orochimaru ignored Yotsuki Tee's childish temperament. His dark-gold eyes quickly swept over the area, taking in and assessing the surrounding environment and the situation of all parties in the field.
It was an open grassy field about the size of a soccer field. The exit of the eighteenth testing ground was visible with a glance, just behind this open field.
However, ten teams of ninja from smaller nations had united and were blocking the front of the exit, glaring menacingly at the great nation ninja on this side.
It seemed these minor nation ninja were originally supposed to be in ambush here, but somehow got a sudden burst of reckless courage, united, and started fighting with the great nation examinees. There were traces of Ninjutsu traps on the grass, and some residual chakra fluctuations lingered in the air.
On their side, not only the Cloud ninja, but even the Sand and Stone ninja had arrived, all eyeing the group of minor nation ninja across from them with fierce intent.
The two sides faced each other across a gap of over ten meters of grass. The air was thick with "gunpowder," and the atmosphere was tense, ready to erupt at any moment.
When Orochimaru and the others appeared, the minor nation ninja across the way couldn't help but start discussing amongst themselves.
In just a few breaths, the three Mist ninja also arrived, putting a distance of several meters between themselves and Orochimaru's group, and looking intently at the minor nation ninja ahead.
The appearance of the Mist ninja caused another commotion among the minor nation ninja opposite them.
With Orochimaru's keen perception, many minor nation ninja scattered among the crowd already showed signs of fear.
At this moment, Yotsuki A's loud laughter rang out: "Haha, Orochimaru, you've arrived just in time! These ants were planning to unite and snatch the maps from us great nation ninja. I wonder if you are short on maps, are you interested in joining us for a killing spree?"
Orochimaru smiled slightly at the corner of his mouth but did not reply. Although he knew that arriving at the exit, whether through ambush or interception, would provide many opportunities to get another mission map, the situation where minor nation ninja united to stand against the great nation ninja made Orochimaru sense something fishy. He guessed that those hot-blooded and warlike Cloud ninja had played a considerable role in this.
Sure enough, as soon as Yotsuki A's voice fell, an indignant voice rose from the crowd opposite, clarifying the situation: "Nonsense! It's clearly you Cloud ninja who wanted to steal our mission maps! We can't beat you, so if we don't unite, we're just looking for death!"
"Who, who is that? Step out! Us Cloud ninja asking you for a map is giving you face! Damn it, you must be tired of living!"
Yotsuki Tee was truly living up to his name. Though young, he had a significant temper. Before Yotsuki A could speak, he roared.
Hearing this, Orochimaru was immediately amused. He was already planning something similar, and the fact that the Cloud ninja had taken on the role of the villain first suited his intentions perfectly.
Although Orochimaru remained silent, Hozuki Mangetsu, who was also short on mission maps, spoke up first: "We Mist ninja don't have a mission map yet, and we are quite interested in this matter of killing and snatching maps!"
Hozuki Mangetsu's words were like a spark dropped into a barrel of oil, instantly igniting the emotions of the minor nation ninja opposite them.
Immediately, killing intent spilled across the open field. Waves of intimidating aura clashed, and a chaotic battle was imminent.
Just then, three ninja suddenly darted out from the crowd of minor nation ninja. The horse-faced ninja leading them pointed at Orochimaru and shouted, "Everyone attack together! We have twice their numbers! Let's first deal with the Leaf Village group, which has the most people—specifically that Orochimaru! We'll attack them all at once and kill them, and the rest can be worn down by a war of attrition!"
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru's killing intent instantly surged. It was one thing for minor nation ninja to recklessly unite against great nation ninja, but to actually call for him, Orochimaru, to be attacked and killed!
Orochimaru focused his gaze, and they turned out to be old acquaintances!
The three minor nation examinees who came out to provoke them were unmistakably wearing Amegakure (Rain Village) forehead protectors.
Orochimaru's dark-gold eyes were utterly cold. It seemed this was premeditated!
Hearing the Rain ninja's provocation, Chi appeared unusually agitated. He moved his foot, just about to slip into the shadows to teach the Rain ninja a lesson, but Orochimaru held him back. Orochimaru's figure, dressed in a moonlight-white kimono, stepped forward, a wicked smile spreading on his face. He clapped his hands: "Clap clap clap. Those three Rain ninja are mine!
If anyone dares to intervene, I, Orochimaru, will wipe them out too!"
Orochimaru's voice was not loud, but it spread in all directions with the wind, and a shocking, overwhelming killing intent suddenly arose from the ground.
Unlike three years ago, if the Orochimaru who had just been reborn three years prior was a sharp, dazzling sword drawn from its sheath, the current Orochimaru, having shed his superficiality and impatience, had truly recovered the formidable power of the uncrowned king in the darkness—the unmatched elegance of the proud Snake Lord—treating life and death as a mere game, setting up grand strategies while casually conversing, wicked and cold, yet gentle and domineering.
This overwhelming killing intent also carried a terrifying majesty and awe, like a tidal wave, or a monstrous surge.
Behind Orochimaru, everyone seemed to see a majestic, domineering giant python proudly coiled, silently roaring at the sky.
Instinctively, the minor nation ninja quickly distanced themselves from the three Rain ninja. No one dared to doubt the truth of his words. As Orochimaru's gaze swept over them, every minor nation ninja felt a bone-chilling coldness circulating around their bodies, followed immediately by cold sweat.
Facing the three utterly terrified Rain ninja, as gusts of cold wind blew past, Orochimaru spoke faintly: "You, deserve to die!"
🗒️NOTE:
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