"Let's go!" Naruto Uzumaki said to his two companions, "Let's set off too."
He is currently replacing a genin from Kusagakure, and his teammate is Karin, who is also here to take the exam.
Besides that, there was also an unknown extra who was just there to rack up points.
As everyone set off one after another, the Jonin leading the teams also headed toward the Demon Desert.
…
The Desert of Demons
Orochimaru and Danzō Shimura had already arrived at the surveillance post located in the center.
"Orochimaru, have you made arrangements for the Jinchūriki?"
Danzō Shimura and Orochimaru stood on the rooftop and spoke calmly.
"Of course, I have already sent people to capture him, and then I will bring him to you."
"You must have made arrangements for Sasuke Uchiha as well, right?"
Orochimaru has already dispatched elite ninjas from Sunagakure to ambush Gaara, and the Sound Four are also cooperating from the side, launching a pincer attack from both inside and outside.
However, the main reason is that Rasa laid a good foundation. When he had nothing to do during his lifetime, he would send people to assassinate Gaara.
Therefore, the ninjas of Sunagakure were already used to this, and after receiving the order, they had no doubt that the Kazekage had been replaced.
"Don't worry, that naturally evil Uchiha brat will never escape from the hands of Root's elite ninjas."
Danzō Shimura was very confident in his plan. Could a piece of trash who couldn't even open his Sharingan possibly turn the world upside down?
"Hmph, then I wish us a pleasant cooperation. When the time comes, the Jinchūriki is yours, and the inherently evil Uchiha is mine."
Orochimaru chuckled sinisterly and said.
"That's only right. But, who's going to do it—you or me—to this eavesdropping rat?"
Upon hearing Danzō Shimura's words, Baki, who was eavesdropping in the shadows, was immediately jolted.
We've been discovered?
He was sent by Lord Chiyo to monitor the Kazekage's unusual behavior.
Now, having finally overheard this shocking secret, it's too late to spread the news.
"Since it's a rat, the snake should eat it!"
Orochimaru's smile remained unchanged, but around Baki, who was hiding by the window, venomous snakes were already swarming towards him.
Whoosh!
In his moment of crisis, Baki disregarded the need to conceal himself and leaped out, confronting Orochimaru and Danzō Shimura head-on.
"Orochimaru, where did you take our Kazekage?"
"And Hokage, you actually colluded with rogue ninjas in secret, plotting to take over the Jinchūriki of my Sunagakure. Aren't you afraid of causing a war between our two countries?"
From their conversation, Baki already knew Orochimaru's identity.
He can only hope that Danzō Shimura will have a change of heart and join him in fighting Orochimaru.
"Kazekage? I'm already standing right here, where do you think he can go?"
"Baki, you didn't have to die, but unfortunately, you insisted on finding out things you shouldn't have known."
Orochimaru's sinister gaze was fixed on Baki, and the murderous aura emanating from him alone made Baki's body tremble involuntarily.
"Resolve this as soon as possible, and avoid using any large-scale ninjutsu, otherwise it will attract attention."
Danzō Shimura had great confidence in Orochimaru's strength. He left after saying this.
He is no longer a root buried deep in the ground, but a bright and shining Hokage, and must not be tainted by this darkness any longer.
"Ninpō: Hebi Shibari!"
Orochimaru said nothing more, formed hand seals, and dragged Baki into the snake's stomach, completely cutting off his escape route.
"Fūton: Shinkūjin!"
Facing Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, Baki dared not be careless in the slightest.
Sharp, knife-like chakra emanated from his fingertips, and then a hurricane swept towards Orochimaru.
The wind was filled with incredibly sharp blades; anything that grazed it would be sliced into countless pieces.
"Ninpō: Rashōmon!"
Orochimaru pressed his palm down, and a giant Rashomon gate instantly appeared in front of him, blocking all the attacks.
"I need to get out of here quickly." Seeing Orochimaru hiding behind the door, Baki formed hand seals again: "Fūton..."
However, before he could finish forming the hand seals, Orochimaru suddenly stretched out his neck, bypassed Rashomon, and opened his blood-red mouth at him.
Seeing that Orochimaru was about to bite him, Baki had no choice but to abandon the hand seals and tightly grip Orochimaru's neck with both hands, preventing him from moving forward even an inch.
"Heh heh—you think you'll be safe this way?"
Orochimaru let out a strange laugh, and slowly spat out a snake from his mouth. The snake then opened its mouth and spat out a sword.
The sword pierced Baki's neck, killing him instantly and leaving him no chance of survival.
After defeating Baki, Orochimaru transformed back into the Kazekage, as if nothing had happened.
...
In the desert.
Many ninjas taking the exam are heading towards the Demon Desert.
Although the test did not require them to defeat other teams, quite a few people have already faced off against each other.
Naruto Uzumaki also took down the minor character in the team the moment he entered the desert.
This guy just wanted to give orders in front of God.
This scene terrified Karin, but also filled her with a sense of pleasure.
That guy had bitten her before. Karin hated him, but she didn't have the strength to kill him.
Naruto Uzumaki specifically joined this team because he was drawn to Karin's hidden pain and her ability to heal others.
The organization is in dire need of talent, and Karin would be a good fit to recruit her.
"Who exactly are you?"
Karin had actually realized long ago that Naruto Uzumaki was not her original 'teammate'.
However, she didn't have a good impression of the Kusagakure, so even though she noticed it, she didn't say anything.
"It's God!"
"A god who brings peace to the world!"
Naruto Uzumaki's gaze fell on Karin, and he said calmly.
Karin: "..."
Karin, who was initially somewhat frightened, was completely speechless after he did that.
"I have seen your pain, and I understand your pain!"
"In this cursed world, there are countless people suffering like you every day."
"If you have fully understood pain, then join me in putting an end to this corrupt world!"
Naruto walked up to Karin and slowly extended his hand to her.
He didn't know everything about Karin, but on his way to Sunagakure, he had witnessed her being bitten and the shocking bite marks on her body.
All of this was telling him that the girl before him was someone who had endured great suffering.
Karin and her mother were stranded in the Kusagakure when she was young, and she was bitten by the ninjas every day.
She will never forget the day her mother died, the bite marks and teeth marks all over her body.
After that, she took her mother's place, and whenever a ninja from the Kusagakure was injured or lacked chakra, they would bite her to recover.
She was terrified and helpless; those devilish people never gave her a moment's rest.
She hated the Kusagakure, and even more so the ninjas who started the war. If it weren't for the war, she and her mother would never have suffered so much.