"What?!"
Anko cried out in disbelief.
Her outstretched hand was less than a centimeter from the bell. She could even feel the coolness of its metal.
But Orochimaru's downward-pressing right hand caught her wrist.
"Not good, Anko!"
Although Asuma and Anko liked bickering, they were still teammates and classmates who had known each other for years.
Seeing that Anko was in trouble, he immediately rushed forward to help her out and share the pressure.
Kurenai watched everything quite calmly. She did not rashly intervene. What had happened earlier had already proven that even if the three joined forces, they could not do much to Orochimaru in a direct confrontation.
She first tried to use Genjutsu to affect Orochimaru, but even so, he handled Anko and Asuma's combined assault with ease.
Seeing that it had little effect, she immediately threw several shuriken at Orochimaru.
Explosive Tags were tied to the shuriken.
"Asuma, Anko, get back!"
Just as Asuma and Anko leaped aside, the Explosive Tags on the Kunai that Orochimaru had dodged and that had embedded themselves in the ground detonated.
Flames burst outward, and smoke spread.
A smoke bomb had detonated along with the Explosive Tags.
Kurenai knew Orochimaru would certainly not be defeated by an attack like this. What she wanted was to obstruct his vision.
"Sensing Technique!"
Only by throwing the situation into chaos would they have a chance to fish in troubled waters and steal the bell. Besides, they had a ninja with the rare Sensory Ability—Kurenai herself. The advantage was theirs!
Kurenai attempted to direct Asuma and Anko in a surprise attack, but Orochimaru defused each move one by one.
What Orochimaru had not expected was for Kurenai to charge in as well, only to be blown apart by a single punch.
"A clone?"
This was not a Shadow Clone, but a basic Genjutsu Clone. It did not possess the offensive abilities of a Shadow Clone, nor could it move freely. It could only carry out actions according to a prearranged sequence set by the caster.
Under the cover of smoke, even a Jōnin would have a hard time noticing it.
Orochimaru nodded. He could ease up a little here.
"Lightning Release: Earth Running!"
Anko unleashed her first ninjutsu of the day. She had been holding back until now.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Asuma's Great Fireball and Anko's Lightning Release attacked Orochimaru from above and below, front and back.
Just as Orochimaru was about to dodge, he detected traces of Kurenai's Genjutsu.
He smiled faintly. Let's ease up a little more.
He formed hand seals at half his usual speed and released a Water Release defense, canceling out Anko and Asuma's ninjutsu.
"We did it!"
Kurenai launched a sneak attack from behind and grabbed the bell, then collapsed weakly onto the ground in a duck-sitting posture.
Letting them win took skill too. Orochimaru felt that Itachi would probably find it quite exhausting in the future as well.
These three brats would never have experienced a battle this intense at the Ninja Academy.
Mitaraishi Anko lay sprawled on the ground, gasping heavily and unable to speak.
She was too tired to speak.
Asuma slumped against a tree and gave Kurenai a thumbs-up.
"Nicely done, Kurenai!"
Orochimaru was fairly satisfied with the three's performance.
He believed that if the three joined forces, they could definitely defeat quite a few Chunin.
But if they wanted to protect themselves on the battlefield, they still had a long way to go.
There was no hope of training them into Jōnin in a short time. Even Kakashi would need two or three years before he had a chance.
But if Orochimaru spent a few months giving them targeted training, guiding them in developing suitable tactics and improving their teamwork, then while the three might not be able to defeat a Jōnin together, they had a good chance of protecting themselves against one.
"Congratulations. Whether in your tactical choices, team coordination, or individual strength, you are all outstanding among Genin. I acknowledge you."
"I announce that Orochimaru Squad has officially been formed!"
Orochimaru said as he clapped softly.
"Huh? It only officially counted as formed now?"
Having caught her breath, Anko asked curiously.
"Not everyone is qualified to become my disciples, my dear disciples."
"Then what would have happened if we hadn't passed?"
Orochimaru looked at Asuma, who had said that, and gave him a devilish smile.
"I don't know what would have happened, but I do know that after you went home, your fathers would definitely have beaten you up."
Asuma's expression stiffened. If they had truly failed, Biwako probably would not have stopped Hiruzen Sarutobi. More likely, he would have gotten a double beating from both parents.
"Good thing we passed!"
Kurenai let out a heavy breath and said with immense relief.
"Since you all passed the test, don't be so serious. Go back and tidy up. Tonight, my treat."
Orochimaru said with a smile.
"Yay!"
"Long live Teacher Orochimaru!"
"Woohoo! We're taking off!"
"Cheers!" ×4
The members of Orochimaru Squad clinked their cups together, only to hear cheers coming from the opposite side as well.
Soon, a foolish-looking boy in windproof goggles ran over. Beside him were Rin Nohara, smiling pleasantly, and Kakashi, who nodded at Orochimaru.
"Anko, Asuma, and Kurenai, let's share a table!"
Obito said carelessly.
"Is Kushina here too?"
Everyone was stunned for a moment. Only Anko seemed to think of something.
Kakashi nodded to Orochimaru.
"Everyone! Minato is paying for everything today!"
Two hours later, a group of brats stared blankly at the mountain of plates piled beside Kushina.
Was that really the appetite of a human?
"Teacher Orochimaru, please, please, my budget may not be enough. Save me!"
Orochimaru turned his head aside and began whistling: `(′???`)~~`
The next day, a gentle breeze blew.
Orochimaru did not hurry to take them on missions. Instead, he led the three brats in reviewing yesterday's battle.
Missions could be done anytime and could be delayed a little, but reviews needed to be timely.
The three still retained clear memories of yesterday's battle. This was the last best opportunity to review it.
If too much time passed, they might still remember the rough course of the battle, but they definitely would not remember the details as clearly as they did now.
He hoped that in the future, his disciples would promptly review the battles they experienced during their free time.
Ninjutsu could be learned, taijutsu could be practiced, but experience required time to cultivate.
Reviewing was a way to maximize the absorption of combat experience.
"Asuma, you should have done this, this, and this..."
"Kurenai, there is still room for improvement in your timing when using Genjutsu."
"Anko, there's a bad habit in your swordsmanship. Didn't Zixiao tell you...?"
After Kakashi and Dai, they would be the next members of the younger generation Orochimaru trained.
It was not just ninjutsu. Orochimaru also hoped to pass on his thoughts and his will to them.
What Orochimaru passed on was not merely the Will of Fire. It was more like a shell wrapped in the Will of Fire, with his own private ideas smuggled inside.
One day, once they had grown, they would become the main force behind his transformation of this world.
Before you continue