Orochimaru

The Effeminate Man was struck by Naruto's Azure, and his body was instantly torn apart without mercy.

Yet he did not die immediately. It was as if his body contained an inexhaustible wellspring of life, and he began a strange transformation. Again and again, a new body wriggled out of his mouth. With each rebirth, he became more effeminate and more bizarre, like a phantom crawling out of the abyss.

Naruto watched the endless spectacle of shedding skin, surprise flashing in his eyes. He hadn't expected such a mysterious jutsu to be used repeatedly, as if it could go on forever. It was truly astonishing.

Just as the power of Azure was about to devour the Effeminate Man completely, he finally reached his limit. His body gradually fell apart, until all that remained was an empty shell lying quietly on the ground, as if nothing had happened.

Naruto didn't let his guard down. His Six Eyes darted around, scanning the surroundings warily. Sure enough, as the smoke began to clear, he spotted the Effeminate Man's escape route, and his brow furrowed.

He was worried about Sasuke and Sakura's safety. The Chunin Ninja Exams were still underway, after all. Pursuing the man blindly would leave them without protection, so Naruto resolutely decided to find Sasuke and Sakura first.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the forest, Mitaraishi Anko hurried through the dense woods. Fallen leaves rustled beneath her feet, and towering trees surrounded her. Sunlight streamed through gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows across the ground.

She sensed a familiar, evil presence. The enormous surge of Chakra from earlier had especially filled her with anxiety and unease. As she pressed forward, fully focused, a breeze brushed past, bringing a chill and a sense of foreboding.

Mitaraishi Anko stopped abruptly and warily looked around. Just then, her gaze settled on a large tree not far away.

An Effeminate Man stood beneath it, his body half-hidden in the shadows. Only his effeminate, eerie face was visible. His gaze was deep, as if he could see into people's hearts, and a meaningful smile played on his lips.

"Orochimaru, how dare you set foot in Konoha!" Mitaraishi Anko said sternly. She recognized the Effeminate Man at once. There was no doubt that it was Orochimaru.

Orochimaru chuckled and slowly stepped out of the shadows. His body seemed weightless as he drifted lightly toward Mitaraishi Anko. "Anko, it's been a long time."

At that moment, Mitaraishi Anko suddenly launched an attack.

Her hands rapidly formed Hand Seals as she murmured an incantation. Instantly, several giant snakes formed of Chakra burst from her palms. It was the very technique Orochimaru had once taught her—Shadow Snake Hands.

But Orochimaru handled this familiar attack with ease.

A cold smile tugged at his lips, and almost at the same moment, he too unleashed Shadow Snake Hands.

The two forces collided in midair, giant snakes coiling around each other. In the end, Orochimaru's snakes, controlled with far greater precision, easily neutralized Mitaraishi Anko's attack.

The battle continued. Mitaraishi Anko tried one technique after another, but Orochimaru countered each with even greater skill.

As the two sides reached a stalemate, Orochimaru suddenly left an opening on purpose, as if luring Mitaraishi Anko into attacking.

Seeing her chance, Mitaraishi Anko seized it without hesitation and hurled a Kunai at Orochimaru. It struck him squarely in the chest. But when the Kunai pierced his body, it left behind only an empty shell. It turned out to be a Substitution Jutsu created with his shedding-skin technique.

While Mitaraishi Anko was still stunned, Orochimaru's real body had already appeared behind her.

He reached out and lightly touched the back of Mitaraishi Anko's neck, where a mark he had planted years ago lay hidden.

At a thought from Orochimaru, the mark activated. A powerful force surged into Mitaraishi Anko's body, leaving her unable to fight.

Mitaraishi Anko collapsed helplessly to the ground. She knew she was no match for Orochimaru. Looking at him, she asked, "What exactly did you come to Konoha for? Are you planning to assassinate Lord Hokage?"

Orochimaru walked over to Mitaraishi Anko and crouched down to look at her. "I came to Konoha to place a mark on someone exceptional. I'd planned to find Uchiha Sasuke, but I didn't expect to encounter an even more exceptional child."

"You seem very taken with that child," Mitaraishi Anko said, a trace of resentment in her voice.

Orochimaru gently stroked Mitaraishi Anko's face. "Are you jealous? Do you still resent me for using you and then throwing you away?"

Mitaraishi Anko remained silent.

Orochimaru stood and spread his hands. "This exam is sure to get interesting. Whatever you do, don't call it off. If you take away my fun, Konoha's end will be near." With that, he turned and left, vanishing into the forest's shadows.