The Chunin Exams (10)

"This..."

Sasuke calmed down and thought it over. It was true: if that had been a Summoning Technique, his chakra wouldn't have been enough to summon something so enormous. Yet he had used it three times in a row, while continuing to use other jutsu as well. That really was beyond what a Genin could do.

"Now that you understand, hurry and go. I'll hold him off until you bring back reinforcements." Yin Xiang drew a Kunai and faced Orochimaru.

"I see. He didn't recognize me, but figured out from other clues that I wasn't a Genin." Orochimaru thought to himself. He'd been fooled by Yin Xiang's reasoning, too.

"Be careful." Sasuke nodded, then ran over to Naruto and carried him on his back. He and Sakura left together. Orochimaru didn't stop them; instead, he kept his eyes fixed on Yin Xiang.

"Who... are you, exactly?" Yin Xiang crouched halfway down, holding his Kunai sideways as he put on an act for Orochimaru.

"Me? My name is Orochimaru." He reached up and peeled the skin off his face. As he removed the Grass Ninja Forehead Protector, it was replaced by a Sound Ninja one. His eyes widened sharply, and he released a powerful killing intent as he formed a hand seal.

At the seal, Yin Xiang's body froze. No matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't move.

"What is this... the Body Immobilization Technique...?" Yin Xiang felt as if something had taken control of his body. He couldn't move at all.

Next, Orochimaru formed another strange seal. Yin Xiang saw it and thought, This is bad! But he couldn't move at all. The next moment, Orochimaru's neck stretched out, and he bit Yin Xiang on the neck.

"Ugh..." Yin Xiang was in unbearable pain. At the same time, three black tomoe appeared on the back of his neck.

"Here's a little parting gift. Once you feel its power, I think you'll thank me." After saying that, Orochimaru disappeared from Yin Xiang's sight. Yin Xiang could finally move. Clutching the back of his neck, he fell to his knees and cried out. A moment later, he passed out from the pain.

I don't need this... stupid thing... That was Yin Xiang's last thought.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru went to find Sasuke again and bit a Cursed Seal onto his neck as well.

When Yin Xiang woke up again, he was beneath a tree with three people standing around him.

"You're awake, Yin Xiang!" It was Tenten. As soon as she saw him wake up, she hurried over. The three people around Yin Xiang were Neji, Rock Lee, and Tenten. They had kept watch over him all night.

"Ugh... Tenten." With Tenten's help, Yin Xiang got up from the ground.

"Have some water." Tenten brought over a bamboo flask. It held clear water they had found the day before, and she helped Yin Xiang drink from it.

"Yin Xiang, what happened to you? You looked really unwell yesterday," Rock Lee said. Yin Xiang had looked like he was in terrible pain all night.

"I ran into someone really strong. Have you seen Naruto and the others?" Yin Xiang asked Rock Lee. The three of them shook their heads.

"Damn it." Yin Xiang got up from the ground and formed a few hand seals, then slapped his own neck. "Evil Sealing Method!"

"Ah... ah!!" Pain struck Yin Xiang's neck, and a ring of Cursed Seal markings spread around him, startling Tenten and the others.

"Y-Yin Xiang... are you all right?!" After crying out, Yin Xiang collapsed face-down on the ground, drenched in sweat. "I'm... I'm fine now." He shook his head. Thankfully, he had learned the Evil Sealing Method earlier, so he could temporarily seal the Cursed Seal.

"How did I get here?" Yin Xiang looked up at Tenten and asked.

"Yesterday, the three of us agreed to split up and scout the area. Neji found you and brought you back," Tenten told Yin Xiang.

"I see. Thanks, Neji." Yin Xiang looked at Neji. Neji nodded. "But who did that to you? There shouldn't be anyone in this forest who can beat you."

"I'll explain later. I have to find Naruto and the others first." He didn't know what had happened to Naruto and the others after he passed out. Since Neji had found him and brought him back, they probably hadn't managed to find a Jonin to send for help. That meant Orochimaru had likely caught up with them.

"Then we'll go with you," Neji said. "If that person went after Naruto and the others, you'll need our help, right?"

"To be honest, if that guy is still around, you won't be able to help. I'd only be a human shield myself. Anyway, thanks for rescuing me. I'll be going now." Yin Xiang sighed. "Keep doing your best, Tenten." He smiled at Tenten, then turned and left.

"Is Yin Xiang really going to be all right?" Tenten said, watching him go.

"Yin Xiang is right. If even he can't beat that person, there's probably no point in us going," Rock Lee said.

"Let's keep splitting up and looking for clues. We'll meet back here," Neji said with a nod. Then the three of them split up again.

Yin Xiang sped through the forest, then used a Military Ration Pill to replenish his strength. He hadn't had a chance to eat since yesterday, so for now, he had to make do with the pill.

"Who's there?" Yin Xiang jumped down from a tree and looked toward the nearby bushes.

"Damn it, that monster spotted me!" Shikamaru froze in the bushes and thought to himself.

"It's Yin Xiang. No choice—I guess I'll have to handle this." Ino stepped out of the bushes, let down her long, tied-back hair, and struck a seductive pose. "Hey, Yin Xiang~ I've had my eye on you for a while~"

Is she trying to use her feminine wiles on me...? Kids these days... Yin Xiang saw that it was Ino and her teammates, and then saw her pose. He couldn't help thinking to himself, but...

"Really? I've had my eye on you for a while, too." Yin Xiang appeared beside Ino in an instant and put an arm around her waist. Ino froze, not expecting him to react that way. "Even if you hadn't done that, I wouldn't have attacked you with Shikamaru here."

"I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I can't stay and talk." Yin Xiang gently kissed Ino on the forehead. Her face turned bright red; she simply couldn't resist how handsome he was. "See you." With that, Yin Xiang left.

"Could they be over this way?" Yin Xiang ran off in another direction. As luck would have it, he headed the wrong way. Rock Lee, who was out gathering information, accidentally made his way to where Sakura and the others were and ran into the Sound Ninja Trio, who were attacking Sakura.

To protect Sakura, Rock Lee fought the trio using the Lotus, a forbidden technique Guy had taught him. It would leave Rock Lee badly injured.