[Destroy/Protect]

Inuzuka Kiba continued to lead the way, though he couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

And here I thought he was so strong, but isn't he just running away the moment he sees someone powerful?

"Woof! Woof!"

Akamaru's warning pulled him back to reality.

"There are enemies ahead."

"Byakugan!"

"I see them," Hinata said. "Two people are fighting."

"Two?"

Shinmoku raised his hand, signaling the group to stop; he had a bad premonition.

"Yes," Hinata replied. "One of them is... the examiner, Anko Mitarashi?"

"..."

Then, Hinata's breath hitched. "The person fighting her seems to have spotted me."

Shinmoku sighed helplessly; he should have just fought Gaara.

"The cooperation is over. You can leave now."

Since they had already been discovered, he could at least stall for a while.

"At least... say hello before you go."

A sinister voice drifted over. Not far ahead, a figure emerged from the tree branches.

Snake-like slit pupils radiated an invisible killing intent.

"Orochimaru."

"You recognize me? As expected of someone in intelligence."

"Can you pretend you didn't see us?" Shinmoku asked with a wry smile.

"I cannot, because I happen to be looking for you as well."

"Run!" Anko rushed over, her palm pierced through and dripping with blood. "His target is the Uchiha!"

"That's right," Orochimaru's lips curled upward. "I want Sasuke, and I wanted you, too—at least, before I saw you."

"Have you changed your mind now?"

"Yes. Your eyes lack the things I wish to see: no hatred, no obsession, no desperate craving for recognition... The eyes of the person beside you are decent, but I have already obtained Sasuke."

"Then... goodbye?" Shinmoku tried asking.

"I have another goal for coming to Konoha this time," Orochimaru said, speaking to himself. "To destroy it! Will you join me?"

[Quest Trigger: Destruction/Protection]

[Please choose your faction: Will you join Orochimaru to destroy Konoha, or will you resist Orochimaru as a member of Konoha?]

[Quest Rank: C~S]

"Why throw your life away for Konoha? You complete missions yet receive no proper treatment, and you are kept under constant surveillance... Shall I help you resolve some of these little troubles?"

While Orochimaru was busy with his "Talk no Jutsu," Shinmoku was thinking about the quest.

Protection was simpler, as Orochimaru was destined to fail, but it was basically impossible to achieve a high rating that way.

Likewise, to achieve an S-rank accomplishment, he would have to join Orochimaru. While still very difficult, at least there would be a chance.

So the question remained: was he willing to become a rogue ninja for the sake of this quest?

"It is quite annoying," Shinmoku replied after some thought. "Being watched every day, having every ability and jutsu I use recorded—there's no privacy at all. It's infuriating!"

The Anbu hidden in the shadows felt a chill run down their spines.

"But I would like to observe for a while longer, so...

"I refuse."

Demonic Illusion: Ignis Fatuus!

The moment Shinmoku gave his answer, Shinna activated her Sharingan.

Orochimaru's consciousness was dragged into an illusionary world, his body rendered as a static figure as flames ignited, beginning to consume him from his calves upward.

Meanwhile, Shinmoku had already drawn his blade, his entire body transforming into a streak of lightning.

Decapitation!

A head rolled across the ground, thumping as it went.

"Did you get him?"

Inuzuka Kiba asked with a trembling voice. The three of them hadn't been able to leave, pinned in place by the crushing weight of the killing intent.

"Many Serpent Formation!"

An ethereal voice drifted down from above. A sea of snakes filled the sky, spitting Kusanagi Swords from their mouths and writhing as they lunged toward them.

Shinmoku dashed backward, grabbing Inuzuka Kiba by the collar. At the same time, Shinna wrapped an arm around Hinata's waist, while the Clone hauled Shino up by the back of his neck.

After tossing them to a safe spot, Shinmoku and Shinna turned toward the swarm of snakes in unison:

"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

Instantly, flames carpeted the forest. The crackling sound was incessant, and the scent of roasting meat began to fill the air.

The Clone sprinted beneath the flames. To ensure he could return to peak condition before the exam, he had only been allocated one-fifth of the main body's chakra.

Because he was a Clone, any mishap would cause him to vanish, so he had to achieve perfect results before he disappeared.

The two of them were enough for the front, so he went to find Orochimaru's main body.

Found him!

Reversing his grip on his short blade, he struck from bottom to top: Super Vibration Lightning Blade!

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Orochimaru extended his arm, and snakes flew from his sleeve, their fangs glinting with a cold light.

Switching from a vertical strike to a diagonal slash, the blade flashed, severing the snake hands.

"Summoning Technique!"

Orochimaru performed the hand seals, summoning a giant snake out of thin air. It opened its blood-red maw wide, as if to welcome him.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

The snake's belly met the fireball and bulged, with light faintly shining through.

"Bang!"

The Summoning creature exploded, sending waves of smoke rolling outward.

"Demonic Illusion: Flower in the Mirror!"

Through a gap in the smoke, the Clone activated his Sharingan to lock eyes with the snake-like pupils, dragging Orochimaru into the world of illusion once more.

On a water surface as smooth as a mirror stood a stone pedestal, upon which rested a book. It held an immense attraction for him, as if opening it would reveal all the truths of the world.

"Interesting."

Orochimaru chuckled softly and dispelled the illusion.

He casually summoned a Kusanagi Sword to parry Shinmoku's short blade, while his other hand clamped around his throat.

At that moment, Shinmoku, having finished off the snake swarm, rushed over. Seeing this, he performed a hand seal.

"Explode!"

A hissing sound erupted from beneath the Clone's cloak as he grabbed Orochimaru's arm.

"Boom—"

The Clone vanished. The pain was shared; it felt like a ten-thousand-ton hammer striking his back. Beads of sweat dripped down, and Shinmoku fell to one knee, nearly fainting.

"Cough, cough—"

Orochimaru emerged from the depths of the crater, smiling as he looked at Shinmoku.

They couldn't kill him, and he couldn't deal with them in the short term, so he had no choice but to temporarily give up on these two targets.

"My promise remains valid," Orochimaru said, standing not far away. "You can watch me destroy Konoha, and after that, the gates of Hidden Sound will remain open for you."

"...What promise did you make?" Shinmoku couldn't help but ask.

"..."

It seemed... he really hadn't.

"What kind of promise do you want?"

"I don't want anything... By the way, do you have the Heaven Scroll or the Earth Scroll?"

"?"

Orochimaru was so amused he laughed, tossing a scroll over casually.

Yay! It's the Earth Scroll!

Shinmoku glanced at it, but when he looked up again, Orochimaru had already vanished.

"Did he leave?"

Anko stumbled over.

"He left." Shinmoku let out a sigh of relief.

"So? Did I perform well enough?"

Hearing this, a smile appeared on Anko's lips.

"I won't go back on my word, but before that, I must report this matter to the Hokage."

As she spoke, her expression gradually turned serious.