Orochimaru

"Brother Kintsuchi?!" Naruto froze in place, his body stiff. "How could you?"

"We're friends, aren't we!"

"Good friends!"

Sasuke was far more decisive; he had already activated his Sharingan, drawn a kunai, and prepared for battle. Though his eyes held a hint of caution, they also flickered with a restless, eager excitement.

Jingxin nearly lost his composure watching this scene.

Sasuke's behavior in the original story was much like a honey badger.

He refused to submit to anyone and felt the urge to throw hands with whoever he met.

The result? He ended up battered and bruised almost every single time.

Yet, he stubbornly refused to change.

It wasn't until his eventual "redemption," when he fought alongside Naruto against Madara Uchiha and Kaguya Otsutsuki, that he achieved one of the few true victories in his life.

Even that final battle could only be considered a mutual defeat; there were no winners.

As for Sakura Haruno.

Hm?

Why was this girl so calm?

Jingxin was somewhat surprised, his gaze falling upon Sakura.

He saw her smiling, and without a shred of psychological burden, she took out the scroll and tossed it to Jingxin. "Here!"

"What?!" Naruto immediately shrieked. "Sakura! How could you do that?!"

Sasuke's brows furrowed tightly, and he shot another impatient glance at Sakura.

As it turned out, Jingxin took the scroll, glanced at it, and tossed it right back to them.

There was no helping it; the scrolls from both sides didn't match.

Under the stunned gazes of Naruto and Sasuke, Sakura put the scroll away.

She looked at her two dim-witted teammates and sighed. "Didn't you notice? Our scrolls don't make a pair; there's no prerequisite for a conflict."

Naruto and Sasuke: "..."

"Oh no! Oh no, no, no!! We do have the prerequisite for a conflict! Gaara, shouldn't we be leaving?"

A nervous voice drifted over from not far away.

Team 7 and Jingxin turned their gazes toward that direction.

They saw Gaara standing with his arms crossed, his good brother and sister standing behind him.

That last sentence had come from Kankuro.

When Gaara saw Jingxin looking over, he didn't hesitate at all, mimicking Sakura by tossing his scroll over.

Jingxin caught it and tucked it away with satisfaction. "Many thanks."

He knew exactly why this cute little panda was doing this.

"Ahhh?!!!!" Kankuro's eyes widened instantly. "He took it! Gaara, what are you doing?"

Gaara glared at Kankuro. "Shut up!"

Only by staying near Jingxin would Shukaku stop its incessant, snarling barking.

Right now, Gaara didn't want to go anywhere else; he intended to follow Jingxin.

As for the scrolls?

If they ran into other teams along the way, they could just kill a few people and solve the problem, couldn't they?

While Jingxin was conversing with the Sunagakure team, Team 7 from Konoha prepared to slip away.

As expected, Jingxin noticed them immediately and followed right behind.

It wasn't just Jingxin; once he started moving, Gaara followed along like a tag-along.

After Naruto realized Jingxin was following them, he asked, "Um... Brother Kintsuchi, why are you following us instead of heading to the Central Tower?"

Jingxin thought for a moment and explained, "Simply put, my 'sensory abilities' are lower than the target's 'concealment abilities,' so I cannot lock onto their whereabouts. Since I received intelligence that they would come looking for you, so..."

Sasuke's eyelids twitched. "So you're using us as 'bait'?"

A total humiliation!

It was an absolute, total humiliation!!

Yet, there was nothing he could do about Jingxin.

Sakura quickly interjected, "Since he isn't attacking us, he isn't a threat. Let's just go quickly..."

She was reaching her breaking point.

This place was too eerie and terrifying, constantly making her think of unpleasant things.

She just wanted the exam to end quickly; whether they passed or were eliminated, Sakura could accept either.

Thus, Team 7 had no choice but to accept the fact that Jingxin was tailing them.

Jingxin's objective was very clear: to find Orochimaru.

And to attempt to recruit him!

Never mind that Orochimaru was currently notorious throughout the ninja world.

Jingxin knew that by the end of the story, he would essentially be redeemed.

More importantly, technology was the primary productive force.

Furthermore, he possessed the prerequisites to recruit Orochimaru, and the success rate was not low.

Just like that, Team 7 entered the Forest of Death.

They had barely ventured deep inside when the main attraction arrived.

A strange Sound ninja wearing a conical hat blocked the path in front of Team 7.

The moment they saw Orochimaru, Team 7 immediately became vigilant.

Jingxin, however, felt relieved.

After all, as of now, Orochimaru was the only one in the Forest of Death who could reliably suppress Deidara.

Since Orochimaru was here, Deidara and his group would definitely not run into any trouble.

Orochimaru noticed Jingxin and Gaara's team, but they did not cause him much alarm.

Although Jingxin and Gaara were a bit troublesome, not everyone was a freak like Itachi Uchiha.

"My scroll happens to match yours~" Orochimaru took out his scroll, extended his disgusting tongue to slowly coil it into his abdomen, his snake-like eyes brimming with murderous intent.

Next, he would formally test the extent to which his future self had reached.

Since Orochimaru's target was primarily Team 7, Jingxin and Gaara's team were not interfered with.

A battle was about to break out.

Jingxin stood in the distance, watching as a bystander, appearing very relaxed.

Gaara also made no move; he cared about nothing, only whether Shukaku would start barking like a dog.

The battle between Team 7 and Orochimaru commenced.

With Orochimaru deliberately holding back, he finally tested Sasuke's true strength.

Orochimaru felt a bit disappointed inside.

But so be it.

Sasuke was the only Uchiha in the current ninja world besides Itachi Uchiha.

Although he was a bit weak, he could be nurtured slowly~

"Playtime is over."

Orochimaru used the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique to perform a disgusting reset of his injuries, his gaze sweeping past the exhausted Naruto and Sakura Haruno before landing on Sasuke.

His neck extended, moving with absurd speed, and he bit down on Sasuke's neck.

Jingxin turned a blind eye to this.

Sasuke's strength growth in Konoha was indeed slow; going to Orochimaru would truly be better for him.

As for the fact that Jingxin had once told Itachi Uchiha, "I will help you complete your mission thoroughly," that was merely to keep Itachi Uchiha constantly trapped in the thought that Sasuke would be attacked by Jingxin.

In fact, this sentence had become the thing Itachi Uchiha worried about most over the past few years, and it had indeed made his mind and body even weaker.

Naruto tried desperately to get up to save the screaming Sasuke, but his body had long since reached its limit.

Having no other choice, Naruto had to look back at Jingxin: "Brother Kintsuchi! We are friends, aren't we!"

Sakura Haruno: "..."

At a time like this, he was actually still counting on someone else to save them?

Orochimaru's neck retracted, and he stared at Sasuke with an expectant gaze: "I await your arrival at any time, Sasuke-kun."

Jingxin flew over from the distance and looked down at Sakura Haruno: "Take Naruto and Sasuke and go."

Orochimaru looked over with interest: "This chakra... it's too astonishing."

It was a pity he wasn't of the Uchiha clan...

Otherwise, it was quite obvious that this Kintsuchi from Iwagakure before him would be the better choice.

Sakura Haruno had been scared out of her ability to fight from the very beginning, but now, hearing Jingxin's words, she managed to steel herself: "Thank you."

Sakura Haruno helped Naruto and Sasuke up and slowly left under Orochimaru's gaze.

Orochimaru had already achieved his goal and did not move to stop them.

Once Team 7 had left, Orochimaru asked Jingxin: "So, little one from Iwagakure, what business do you have with me?"

Orochimaru had been observing Team 7 from the shadows the entire time; he knew what Jingxin had said to them.

Jingxin raised his hand and removed his mask, revealing a handsome face.

Orochimaru's pupils contracted violently.

That face, those Sharingan!

It was Kyoshin Uchiha!!!

Ever since he was defeated by Itachi Uchiha, Orochimaru had long coveted the bloodline of the Uchiha clan.

He had collected a vast amount of intelligence regarding the Uchiha clan.

The case of Kyoshin Uchiha was one of Orochimaru's greatest regrets.

From a young age, Kyoshin Uchiha had displayed talent that far surpassed his peers.

He was leagues stronger than Sasuke.

In Orochimaru's estimation, Kyoshin Uchiha's talent was at the very least on par with Shisui Uchiha.

Perhaps even... approaching Itachi Uchiha.

But unfortunately, after the night of the clan's annihilation, information on Kyoshin Uchiha, like that of the other clansmen, had vanished without a trace.

"Interesting..." Orochimaru's body trembled with excitement, though he lamented inwardly.

The Heaven Curse Mark was not something to be handed out like cabbage; he had only prepared one this time, and it had already been given to Sasuke Uchiha.

"So, what is your objective?" Orochimaru did not launch an immediate attack to capture Kyoshin, deciding instead to probe him with words first.

This little fellow...

After disappearing for so many years, he had reappeared as an Anbu from Iwagakure, posing as a genin.

Truly mysterious~

The three tomoe in Kyoshin's eyes locked onto Orochimaru, and he said in a calm voice, "The Sharingan is the eye that reflects the heart. Its intermediate form is the Mangekyō Sharingan. The abilities of each pair of Mangekyō Sharingan vary from person to person, but they are generally related to what the awakener desires most at that moment."

Orochimaru frowned.

Why is he telling me this?

Kyoshin's words were not yet finished.

"No matter which Uchiha body you possess, you will ultimately never obtain the Mangekyō Sharingan ability you desire."

"This includes, but is not limited to... Mangekyō abilities that might be related to eternal life."

Orochimaru's heart began to pound violently.

Kyoshin continued, "I suggest you cultivate clones using the cells of Uchiha clansmen. This way, not only will you obtain a body perfectly suited to you, but you also won't have to worry about failing to seize a body and being consumed by another soul."

"More importantly, clones cultivated using Uchiha cells will, to a certain extent, inherit the talent of the original cell donor."

He knows too much.

Orochimaru felt as though he had been seen through.

This feeling again...

The face of Itachi Uchiha flashed through Orochimaru's mind, and he narrowed his snake-like eyes: "What exactly are you trying to say?"

Kyoshin smiled slightly: "In summary, I know where the cells of Madara Uchiha are."

From Kyoshin's perspective, he watched as Orochimaru's expression shifted as if by magic.