Sasuke: Am I Just Itachi's Substitute?

Orochimaru was excited.

Because he had found a new vessel—Uchiha plus Wood Release. Was there any better vessel than this?

Faced with this obsessive scientific madman's questioning, Yao shifted the topic: "Senior Orochimaru, how about a trade?"

"A trade?"

Orochimaru's slit pupils flickered. "What trade?"

"About eternal life, about the truth of the ninja world... but this isn't the time to discuss it!"

Yao paused, speaking meaningfully: "Once this Chūnin Exam is over... I'll come find you. Let's end today's battle here!"

Orochimaru's golden pupils contracted slightly. Come find him?

This brat knew where he was? What made him so confident?

Yao didn't explain. Earlier, during that first close-range attack when Chidori pierced Orochimaru, he had left a Flying Thunder God Formula mark on Orochimaru's body.

As long as that mark wasn't discovered and completely erased by Orochimaru, then no matter which corner this sly snake slithered off to, he could instantly appear before him.

Yao paid no more attention to Orochimaru, whose expression was shifting unpredictably. With a flicker of his form, he returned to Naruto, Sasuke, and Karin.

"Let's go!"

"Huh? Just like that?"

Naruto pointed at Orochimaru in the distance. "What about... what about him?"

Sasuke also kept his eyes locked on Orochimaru, not daring to relax for a moment.

"I can't kill him!"

Yao shook his head, admitting this frankly: "At least for now, I don't have the ability to take him down!"

Orochimaru's life-saving abilities and replacement techniques were endless.

Unless a sealing technique like Reaper Death Seal was used to seal him, or a Truth-Seeking Orb completely annihilated him, it was nearly impossible to kill!

The earlier battle was more about displaying power, establishing deterrence, and... leaving a backup plan.

Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a glance. Though unwilling, they had to admit

that this enemy was as tenacious as an unkillable cockroach. Continuing to tangle with him would just be a waste of effort.

"Let's go. Our targets are the scroll and the tower!"

Yao walked forward.

Sasuke shot a cold glance at Orochimaru, suppressing his inner wariness and craving for power, and followed Yao.

Naruto also pulled up Karin, whose legs were still weak, and hurried after them.

The four quickly left this devastated battlefield, disappearing into the dense depths of the forest.

Orochimaru watched the direction Yao had gone, his slit pupils devoid of their earlier killing intent, leaving only curiosity and greed.

"Uchiha Yao... Wood Release... Flying Thunder God... and that bizarre Lightning Release variant..."

Orochimaru muttered to himself:

"A trade, huh? Heh... daring to make a deal with me, this Uchiha brat has quite the nerve!"

"But..."

"I'll be waiting!"

"One day, I'll turn you into my vessel!"

Orochimaru's body slowly dissolved into a pool of viscous liquid, seeping down through the gaps in the wooden stakes, sinking into the soil, and vanishing completely.

Only a few bloodstained wooden stakes remained, standing alone in place.

The forest fell silent once more.

The dense Forest of Death, like a boundless green net, swallowed Team 7 once again.

The humus layer underfoot was thick and soft, nearly silent with each step.

The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and the faint sourness of decaying vegetation.

Karin stayed close behind Yao, looking around uneasily, her eyes behind her glasses still filled with lingering fear.

Naruto could no longer hold back his curiosity and confusion. He sidled up to Yao and lowered his voice to ask:

"Yao, that long-tongued guy from earlier... who is he? He seemed really strong, but so gross!"

Recalling the sight of Orochimaru crawling out of a snake's mouth, Naruto couldn't help but make a disgusted face.

Sasuke's pace slowed slightly, his ears perking up as well.

Yo didn't stop walking, explaining as he went: "The Third Hokage once taught three disciples!"

"Later, they became famous across the ninja world, known as... the Legendary Sannin!"

"The Legendary Sannin?"

Naruto blinked. He thought he'd heard Iruka-sensei mention that title before, but he hadn't remembered it.

"That guy just now was Orochimaru, one of the Sannin!"

"Wh... what?"

Naruto stopped abruptly, his voice rising involuntarily: "The Third Elder's disciple?"

"Which means!"

"That guy just now... was a ninja from our Leaf? But I... how have I never seen him before?"

That sinister, terrifying, and disgusting guy was actually the old man Hokage's personal disciple?

Naruto really couldn't connect them at all—they didn't match!

Sasuke's pupils also constricted slightly, deeply shocked.

Yo wasn't surprised by Naruto's shock: "Because he defected!"

"Def... defected?"

Naruto froze.

That word was a bit distant to him, but far from unfamiliar.

Defected!

It meant betraying the village! It was one of the most serious crimes!

Yo's voice remained flat: "That guy is obsessed with exploring the secrets of life and forbidden power, especially fond of conducting human experiments."

"Using living people for all kinds of cruel research, trying to gain greater strength, even pursuing immortality."

"The Uchiha's Sharingan, the First Hokage's Wood Release—both were things he once coveted and studied!"

"His experiments severely violated the village's iron laws."

"Later, things were exposed, and the Third Hokage found out!"

"Orochimaru fled the village and became a wanted S-Class Rogue Ninja!"

Naruto's throat went dry.

The Third Hokage's disciple, chasing power, betraying the village...

These pieces of information intertwined, making Naruto find it hard to believe—the Hokage's disciple would betray the Leaf too?

What for?

That was the Hokage's disciple!

"That guy named Orochimaru... since he defected, why is he here now?"

Sasuke voiced his doubt.

Yo glanced at him, a faint smile playing on his lips: "Who knows? Maybe for the Sharingan?"

"The Sharingan?!!"

Sasuke stopped abruptly, his eyes full of alert: "Are you saying... that guy is after me?"

"That's possible!"

Yo nodded: "In the entire ninja world right now, the only Uchiha alive with the Sharingan!"

"Are just you and our older brother, Uchiha Itachi!"

Yo spread his hands, speaking in a nearly teasing tone:

"Given Orochimaru's strength, I reckon he can't beat Itachi."

"So, he can only come after you, his foolish younger brother."

If Yo remembered correctly.

It was precisely because Orochimaru was thoroughly taught a lesson by Uchiha Itachi's Illusion Technique that he became obsessed with the Sharingan.

He hoped to seize a body with the Sharingan as a new Vessel.

In the original story, Orochimaru also used power and truth as bait, step by step luring Sasuke toward darkness.

He tried to wait three years, then reincarnate into Sasuke's body, but the reincarnation failed, and instead he was consumed by Sasuke.

All his knowledge, jutsu, experience, Chakra...

All became Sasuke's bridal gift!

"Damn it!"

Sasuke slammed his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree.

Uchiha Itachi!

Uchiha Itachi again!

Even a disgusting rogue ninja like that only turned his target toward him because he couldn't beat that man?

Was he... nothing more than a second-rate substitute?

Sasuke was furious.

Watching his younger brother seething with rage and humiliation, Yo reached out and patted him on the shoulder:

"Still, don't worry too much. With me here, Orochimaru shouldn't come looking for trouble with you so easily!"

The strength he'd just displayed was enough to make Orochimaru think twice.

Until that sly snake figured out his true capabilities, he probably wouldn't make another move on Sasuke so soon.

At least not openly!

But Yo shifted his tone, a mischievous grin spreading across his face:

"Of course, if you secretly get it into your head to run off to Orochimaru seeking power on your own..."

"I won't stop you, little brother. You know me—I'm the most open-minded older brother there is!"

Sasuke was so furious at these words he nearly choked, glaring at Yo: "I'm not going to that disgusting creep!"

He said it with absolute finality, dripping with contempt.

Yes, Sasuke's mindset had undergone a massive shift.

If Orochimaru had truly displayed a despair-inducing level of power, he might have been drawn in for the sake of gaining strength to take revenge.

He would have been willing to take the risk.

But!

That Orochimaru, one of the legendary Three Ninja, had suffered one setback after another in front of Yo.

Though he hadn't been killed, he was clearly outmatched and utterly humiliated.

If even Yo could beat him, would he have to be out of his mind to go pledge allegiance to a loser?

Seeing the anger and disdain in Sasuke's eyes, Yo raised an eyebrow.

This foolish little brother—had he already changed his mind?

Hopefully, the next time he ran into Uchiha Itachi and got taught a lesson, he'd still hold onto this mindset.

"Alright, no more wasting time. Let's find the Scroll of Earth quickly and get out of here!"