Orochimaru was ecstatic. He had found a new vessel. Uchiha plus Wood Style—could there be a better vessel in existence?
Faced with the persistent questioning of this obsessive scientist, Yao changed the subject. "Senior Orochimaru, let's make a deal."
"A deal?" Orochimaru's pupils flickered. "What kind of deal?"
"About eternal life, and the truth of the ninja world... but now is not the time to talk about it." Yao paused, his voice meaningful. "When this Chunin Exam is over... I will come find you. Let's end today's battle here."
Orochimaru's golden pupils narrowed slightly. Come find him? This kid knows where he is? Why is he so certain?
Yao didn't explain. During that first close-quarters attack when his Chidori pierced Orochimaru, he had already left a Flying Raijin formula mark on the Sannin's body. As long as the mark wasn't discovered and removed, he could appear before this slippery snake at any moment, regardless of where he hid.
Yao ignored Orochimaru's shifting gaze. With a blur of motion, he returned to the side of Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin.
"Let's go!"
"Eh? We're just leaving?" Naruto pointed at the distant Orochimaru. "What... what about him?" Sasuke also kept his eyes locked on Orochimaru, not daring to relax.
"I can't kill him," Yao shook his head, admitting it frankly. "At least for now, I don't have the ability to keep him here."
Orochimaru's survival skills and replacement techniques were endless. Unless one used a sealing jutsu like the Reaper Death Seal or used Truth-Seeking Balls to erase him completely, he was nearly impossible to kill. Today's battle was more about showing power, establishing a deterrent, and... planting a future move.
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a look. Though they were unwilling, they had to admit that this enemy was as tenacious as an unkillable cockroach; continuing the fight would be a waste of effort.
"Let's go. Our goal is the scrolls and the tower!" Yao walked forward.
Sasuke gave Orochimaru a cold glance, suppressed his wariness and his hunger for strength, and followed Yao. Naruto pulled up Karin, whose legs were still a bit weak, and hurried to keep up.
The four of them quickly left the devastated battlefield, vanishing into the depths of the dense jungle.
Orochimaru watched Yao's retreating back. The killing intent in his eyes had vanished, replaced by curiosity and greed. "Uchiha Yao... Wood Style... Flying Raijin... and that bizarre Lightning Style variant..." He whispered to himself. "A deal? Hehe... To dare make a deal with me, this Uchiha brat has some guts! However... I'll be waiting for you! One day, I will turn you into my vessel!"
Orochimaru's body slowly melted into a puddle of viscous liquid, flowing down through the gaps in the wooden spikes and seeping into the soil until he was gone. Only a few blood-stained wooden spikes remained, standing lonely in the clearing.
The forest returned to silence.
The dense Forest of Death, like an endless green net, swallowed Team 7 once again. The layer of decaying matter beneath their feet was thick and soft, making their footsteps nearly silent.
The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and the slight acidity of rotting vegetation. Karin followed closely behind Yao, her eyes darting around anxiously behind her lenses, still clearly shaken. Naruto finally couldn't suppress his curiosity and confusion any longer. He leaned in toward Yao and asked in a low voice:
"Yao, that long-tongued guy just now... who was he? He seemed strong, but he was so gross!" Recalling the scene of Orochimaru crawling out of the snake's mouth, Naruto couldn't help but make a face of pure disgust.
Sasuke slowed his pace slightly, his ears perking up as well.
Yao didn't stop walking as he explained, "The Third Hokage once taught three disciples. They later became world-renowned, known as... the Legendary Sannin of Konoha!"
"The Sannin?" Naruto blinked. He felt like he had heard Iruka-sensei mention that title, but he hadn't remembered it.
"That guy just now was Orochimaru, one of the three."
"Wh-What?!" Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, his voice rising involuntarily. "The old man Hokage's disciple? Does that mean... that guy was a ninja from our village? But... how come I've never seen him before?"
That gloomy, terrifying, and disgusting person was actually a direct disciple of the old man Hokage? Naruto couldn't bridge the gap between them; they didn't match at all! Sasuke's pupils also constricted slightly, feeling a surge of shock.
Yao wasn't surprised by Naruto's reaction. "Because he defected."
"Defected?" Naruto froze. The word felt distant to him, but certainly not unfamiliar. Defection! It meant betraying the village! One of the most serious crimes!
Yao's voice remained flat. "He became obsessed with exploring the mysteries of life and forbidden powers, especially human experimentation. He used living people for cruel research, trying to gain more power and even seeking eternal life. The Uchiha's Sharingan and the First Hokage's Wood Style were both things he coveted and researched. His experiments severely violated the village's iron laws. Eventually, his actions were exposed and discovered by the Third. Orochimaru fled and became a wanted S-rank rogue ninja."
Naruto's throat went dry. A disciple of the Third, chasing power, betraying the village... All this information intertwined, making it hard for Naruto to believe. A disciple of the Hokage could betray Konoha? For what? He was the Hokage's student!
"Since that guy Orochimaru defected, why is he showing up here now?" Sasuke asked, voicing his doubt.
Yao glanced at him with a half-smile. "Who knows? Perhaps for the Sharingan?"
"The Sharingan?!" Sasuke stopped abruptly, his eyes filled with vigilance. "Are you saying... he's coming for me?"
"It's possible," Yao nodded. "In the entire ninja world right now, the only living Uchiha who possess the Sharingan are you and our 'dear brother,' Itachi Uchiha."
Yao spread his hands and said in an almost teasing tone, "With Orochimaru's strength, I doubt he could beat Itachi. So, his only choice is to come after you, my foolish little brother."
If Yao remembered correctly, Orochimaru's obsession with the Sharingan began after he was soundly defeated by Itachi's genjutsu. He wanted to seize a body with the Sharingan as his new vessel. In the original plot, Orochimaru used power and "truth" as bait to lead Sasuke into the darkness. He planned to reincarnate into Sasuke's body three years later—but he failed and ended up being consumed by Sasuke instead. All his knowledge, jutsu, experience, and chakra became Sasuke's gain.
"Damn it!" Sasuke punched a nearby tree trunk violently.
Itachi Uchiha! Always Itachi! Even a disgusting rogue ninja only chose me as a target because he couldn't beat that man? Am I... just a second-rate replacement?
Sasuke was furious. Seeing his little brother look so enraged and humiliated, Yao reached out and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry too much. With me around, Orochimaru shouldn't bother you too easily again."
The strength he had just displayed was enough to make Orochimaru wary. Until he figured out Yao's depth, that slippery snake wouldn't strike Sasuke lightly—at least not openly.
But Yao shifted the conversation, wearing a mischievous smile. "Of course, if you secretly decide you can't live without his power and go looking for him yourself... I won't stop you. You know me, brother—I've always been very open-minded!"
Sasuke was so annoyed he nearly choked. He glared at Yao. "I would never go looking for that disgusting guy!"
He spoke with absolute certainty and intense revulsion. Indeed, Sasuke's mindset had undergone a massive change. In the original timeline, if Orochimaru had shown overwhelming power, Sasuke would have been lured by the promise of revenge. He would have been willing to take the risk.
But now! Orochimaru, one of the Sannin, had repeatedly tasted defeat at Yao's hands. Although not killed, he was clearly outmatched and looked pathetic. Why would Sasuke be crazy enough to seek power from someone who just got beaten by his own brother?
Yao raised an eyebrow at the disdain in Sasuke's eyes. Has this foolish little brother already changed his mind? I hope he keeps this attitude the next time he runs into Itachi and gets a reality check.
"Alright, let's not waste time. We need to find the Earth Scroll and get out of here!"