A Chance Encounter

Minato thought it over before speaking.

"Although Lord Orochimaru's methods were a little excessive, they weren't without reason."

"Compared to the dangers of the battlefield, having to guard against only three giant snakes is already a much easier challenge."

"Mm, well said."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded. Overall, he was satisfied with the way his beloved student handled things. Shinobi weren't there to entertain guests over dinner; it was a matter of life and death.

"Sakumo-sama, aren't you worried about your son?"

Jiraiya was a little curious. After all, the giant snakes' strength was plain for all to see.

"I have faith in both their abilities."

Hatake Sakumo wore a confident smile.

"Especially Karot. Even I have to take him seriously."

Whenever he spoke about his son, Hatake Sakumo turned into a chatterbox, constantly bragging about the boy.

"What? Sakumo-sama, you can't be serious!"

Jiraiya asked in disbelief. He'd heard the rumors about the "Konoha Twin Stars" spreading through the village lately, but hadn't paid them much attention. No matter how talented they were, they couldn't be that strong. But now Hatake Sakumo was saying that he had to take one of them seriously. It was like a bomb going off in still water.

The other three in the office all turned questioning, puzzled looks on Hatake Sakumo.

But Hatake Sakumo didn't offer much of an explanation.

"You'll see for yourselves just how terrifying that boy's talent is. He'll far surpass me one day and become someone like the First Hokage."

"Hahaha, Sakumo-sama, you're exaggerating!"

Konoha had produced plenty of geniuses, but none had ever claimed to have the potential of the First Hokage. Otherwise, Hashirama Senju wouldn't have been honored as the "God of Shinobi"—that was a level only a god could reach.

"Just wait and see. He'll leave you all stunned."

Hatake Sakumo spoke with confidence.

At the edge of the Forest of Death, the second Chunin Exam began. As soon as the order was given, the Genin gathered for the exam charged like mad toward the open gates of the Forest of Death.

All they had to do was run fast and secure one of the top ten spots. Plenty of them had that plan in mind. Some had also formed teams to work together. After all, the Genin taking the Chunin Exam had arrived in teams, but such arrangements were highly unreliable—people's interests rarely aligned.

Kakashi stood out among the Genin with his impressive footwork. His movements also made it clear that he was refusing Karot's help. He, Kakashi, could pass on his own merits.

"What an unlikable little brother."

Seeing Kakashi's choice, Karot didn't press him any further. He understood just how strong Kakashi's pride was.

Just as Karot

was leisurely wandering through the Forest of Death, a kunai and several shuriken shot at him from the bushes. Karot dodged the shuriken, then calmly caught the kunai between two fingers.

"Come out! There's no point hiding."

With Karot's keen senses, he'd known someone was lying in wait along his path. If they hadn't attacked him, he wouldn't have bothered either. They were too weak to make him want to fight. The only one in the Forest of Death who could stir his desire for battle was Orochimaru.

"Not bad. You actually dodged our attack."

Three shinobi emerged from the bushes. Their clothes made it obvious they were from the Uchiha Clan.

"Do we have a grudge?"

"No."

"Have we ever had a falling-out?"

"No, we haven't," the Uchiha leading them replied.

"If we have no grudge and no history, why are you blocking my way?"

"You really don't remember?"

"Why don't you jog my memory?"

Karot looked utterly confused.

The Uchiha leader saw Karot's blank expression and flew into a rage.

He gritted his teeth as he spoke.

"You remember the graduation exam, don't you? The guy you beat was my older brother."

"Oh, right. I forgot. A defeated opponent isn't worth remembering."

"Damn you! I'll beat you and wipe away the humiliation you brought on my brother!"

"Is that so? Your brother couldn't beat me. What makes you think you can?"

Karot finished speaking and beckoned the other boy with a finger. The Uchiha felt insulted—blatantly, unmistakably insulted.

The three Uchiha were consumed by rage and charged at Karot. Once they entered combat, they divided their roles clearly: one stayed back to provide support while the other two attacked. The Uchiha Clan's combat discipline was on full display. The three pairs of Sharingan showed how formidable they were.

The one hanging back threw shuriken to draw Karot's attention. Another Uchiha threw a punch at him, but Karot dodged to the side. The third slid in with a sweep, and Karot leapt lightly onto a branch.

From his higher vantage point, Karot looked down at the Uchiha below, an air of danger radiating from him.

"Nice teamwork. But now it's my turn."

As soon as Karot finished speaking, his body vanished.

"Watch out! Everyone—"

The Uchiha leader hadn't finished speaking before Karot had him in a tight chokehold.

"Let him go!"

As he spoke, one of the Uchiha formed hand seals, preparing to use a jutsu to threaten Karot.

"Sure."

Karot let go of the Uchiha, who had already been choked unconscious.

Seeing Karot release his teammate, the Uchiha with his hands still sealed cast a jutsu at him.

"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"

A mass of flames swallowed Karot.

Just as the two Uchiha thought their attack had worked, Karot emerged from the flames, glowing blue.

Their faces were full of fear. This was the first time they'd seen someone come through a Phoenix Sage Fire Technique completely unharmed.

Karot could have dodged, but he couldn't be bothered. He'd covered his whole body in Ki, leaving the jutsu unable to harm him in the slightest.

"Now it's my turn."

Karot didn't keep them waiting. He knocked one out with a chop to the neck and the other with a punch to the stomach. Job done. Those Uchiha were out of the running; their shot at becoming Chunin that year was over.

He'd dispatched all three Uchiha with ease using taijutsu alone, leaving them no chance to use a jutsu. It wasn't that they were too weak—their opponent was stronger than they could have imagined.

Inside the Hokage office, everyone was stunned to see Karot emerge from the jutsu unharmed. What they wanted to know was what that blue power surrounding him was.

What no one noticed was that a white snake had witnessed the whole thing. It slipped away and returned to Orochimaru, the second exam's proctor, then burrowed into his body. It was as if Orochimaru had personally experienced and witnessed the battle.

"So fast. Just how strong is your body? And what is that blue power? Karot, you've given me quite the surprise."

Orochimaru murmured to himself. Ever since Karot had caught his attention, Orochimaru had been interested in him as well. He'd sent out one of his snake clones to follow Karot, never expecting to uncover such unusual information.

Why hadn't Karot's keen senses detected the tail? Because the snake hadn't shown any hostility toward him, Karot had simply taken it for an ordinary animal.