"Sorry, I refuse…"
Upon hearing the system prompt, Sasuke's lips curled slightly, and he replied without hesitation.
He was a man destined to become Hokage; how could he possibly defect from Konoha!
[Mission complete, reward obtained: Orochimaru-style Body Replacement Technique…]
No sooner had Sasuke finished speaking than the system's reward instantly poured into his mind. However, Sasuke, who could now receive ninjutsu information, wasn't overly pleased; instead, he frowned slightly.
He had initially thought that the Orochimaru-style Body Replacement Technique rewarded by the system would be as smooth and effortless as Orochimaru's own. But the truth was, without the soft body modification, he couldn't use this technique as a regular attack like Orochimaru.
Each use would consume a large amount of his chakra… it was merely a life-saving ultimate technique!
"Exactly, exactly… Sasuke is my rival for Hokage; how could he leave the village with a snake demon like you!"
Naruto immediately shouted, agreeing with Sasuke's refusal.
This, however, made Orochimaru slightly stunned… "Hokage?
You actually want to be Hokage??
Hahaha… Interesting, too interesting…"
In less than a moment, Orochimaru reacted and laughed maniacally as he looked at Sasuke.
The mockery and derision on his face were completely undisguised… He had thought that by leveraging the Uchiha clan's hatred, he could lead Sasuke into darkness… He never expected this brat actually wanted to be Hokage!
To dedicate everything to a village that annihilated his own family??
Sensei Sarutobi, you truly know how to cultivate the younger generation… "Is it that funny?
At least, becoming Hokage won't leave me wandering the ninja world like you!
Speaking of which, do you want me to grant you a special pardon after I become Hokage?
Konoha's rogue ninja, one of the Sannin… Orochimaru…"
Sasuke sneered and retorted directly. What was so funny about it… After the Fourth Great Ninja War, didn't he also come running back!
This way, he was directly skipping several years of detours… "Konoha's rogue ninja!!"
"One of the Sannin??"
Naruto and Sakura's expressions changed again as they looked at Orochimaru's charmingly evil cold face, filled with uncertainty.
"You actually know my name… but you didn't recognize me before. Is it due to constant exposure?
As expected of the last descendant of the Uchiha… However, Sasuke, you will absolutely not become Hokage!
Now, you should obediently accept my gift as your senior…"
Orochimaru ignored Naruto and Sakura, speaking meaningfully, his neck suddenly lengthening and shooting straight towards Sasuke's neck.
An Uchiha becoming Hokage??
Such ridiculous talk ends here!
"Leaf Great Whirlwind…"
Through the insight of his Sharingan, Sasuke easily caught Orochimaru's movements and instantly erupted.
With the body technique amplification of Silent Killing, Sasuke precisely kicked Orochimaru in the head… "Too naive, Sasuke…"
Orochimaru, who had been kicked in the face, grinned ferociously, his neck instantly elongating like a snake, coiling around Sasuke's leg and heading straight for his neck.
"Sasuke, watch out…"
Naruto yelled, throwing a punch at Orochimaru's head.
Sakura was not to be outdone, fiercely stabbing Orochimaru with her kunai.
But Orochimaru paid no attention to their attacks, his long tongue coiling around them and sending them flying… He continued his charge towards Sasuke with undiminished momentum… However, with just that slight delay, Sasuke swiftly completed the hand signs for the Body Replacement Technique with one hand.
The next moment,
Just an inch from Sasuke's neck, Orochimaru struck… With a bang… Sasuke's body suddenly transformed into a withered log, his real body appearing several meters away.
"One-handed hand signs!!
Sasuke, how much more talent do you have to uncover…"
Orochimaru paused, his snake-like eyes gleaming with surprise and delight as he murmured.
His long neck also rapidly retracted at the same time… "Naruto, use ninjutsu…"
Sasuke seemed to ignore this, urging him on as he formed hand signs again with both hands.
"Understood…"
Naruto's face lit up with joy, and he formed hand signs, preparing a Wind Style jutsu.
"Now's my chance, I should be able to help too…"
Sakura's eyes narrowed as she watched the two erupt, quickly retreating to a nearby stream and beginning to form hand signs.
'Fire Style: Great Dragon Fire Technique…'
Sasuke roared as he watched Orochimaru retract his head, a fire dragon erupting with unstoppable force… "Wind Style: Great Breakthrough…"
Almost instantly, Naruto's ninjutsu arrived as expected, striking the fire dragon.
Immediately, a tempest of flames exploded forth… like a sea of fire descending, affecting a range of dozens of meters and sweeping towards Orochimaru.
"Now's the time… Water Style: Hiding in Mist Technique…"
Seeing this, Sakura immediately unleashed all her chakra to activate the Water Style, enveloping herself, Sasuke, and Naruto in a thick mist.
"Sasuke, Naruto, let's go now…"
Sakura, her chakra drained, urged them on, forcing her weakened body to Sasuke's side.
Facing the terrifying Orochimaru, she couldn't imagine any chance of victory!
So, her idea was to escape using the cover of the mist.
"Run?
Don't you know that snakes can use infrared sensing??"
Just as Sasuke was about to tell the two to go first, Orochimaru's voice suddenly echoed around the three of them.
The next moment,
The hideous snake mouth bit at Sasuke again… This time, Sasuke had no time to form hand signs for the Body Replacement Technique.
"Sasuke…"
Seeing Orochimaru's snake mouth so close, Sakura instantly paled and cried out in panic.
In the nick of time… Sasuke, undaunted, formed a single hand sign.
His body suddenly transformed into mist and vanished, causing Orochimaru's snake mouth to bite fiercely into the air.
Nearly shattering a few of his snake fangs… "Mist Body Flicker??"
Watching the infrared thermal imaging disappear from his sight, the experienced Orochimaru instantly understood.
Almost at the same time, Sasuke's body instantly appeared to Orochimaru's right.
A powerful kick sent him flying again… And at the same time, the hand signs he was forming were completed in an instant.
"Lightning Style: Swift Lightning Arrow…"
Under Orochimaru's surprised gaze, Sasuke raised his hand and unleashed another Lightning Style jutsu.
The Swift Lightning Arrow lived up to its name, striking Orochimaru with lightning speed… Blue electrical arcs crackled and popped again… "Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu…"
And as Sasuke unleashed his Lightning Style, Naruto formed hand signs and activated his ninjutsu.
Bang, bang, bang… A series of white smoke rose within the mist, and dozens of Narutos appeared.
"Shadow Clones, cover us, let's go…"
Seeing this, Sasuke immediately decided, turning and scooping up Sakura before quickly leaving… His chakra was mostly depleted, and he couldn't continue to fight head-on.
The most important reason was Sakura!
He didn't want to accidentally lose his future wife… "We don't want the scroll anymore… You win, Orochimaru."
Naruto saw this and immediately followed, casually tossing the fake scroll from his bag to Orochimaru.
Dozens of seconds later,
"A scroll??
Such a boring thing…"
Orochimaru, after defeating all of Naruto's clones, snorted disdainfully, chakra flaring around his foot to shatter it directly.
"Sasuke, you can't escape… Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu…"
Looking in the direction the three had left, Orochimaru smiled wickedly, bit his finger, formed hand signs, and whispered.
With a bang… A giant brown snake appeared beneath Orochimaru's feet, quickly slithering to chase after Sasuke…