Haku's Ice Release rescue and Kimimaro's deadly strike instantly shattered the balance on the battlefield.
Orochimaru's golden snake eyes swept back and forth between Haku and Kimimaro, greed practically spilling from them. One with Ice Release, one with what appeared to be Shikotsumyaku (Kimimaro hadn't fully revealed it, but Orochimaru could sense the chilling bone-based chakra), and Uchiha Sasuke, who possessed both the Sharingan and a Cursed Seal... Today was simply his lucky day!
"Heh heh heh... What a delightful surprise." Orochimaru laughed hoarsely, running his long tongue over his lips. "I never expected to find such excellent 'specimens' here in the Forest of Death. You two—would you be interested in following me? I can give you the power you crave, power far greater than what you have now."
He went straight to recruiting them, ignoring Naruto, who had just escaped danger and was leaning against a tree trunk, coughing, as well as Sasuke, whose eyes were filled with conflict.
Haku furrowed his brow slightly and shook his head, his tone gentle but firm. "Sorry, we already have someone we serve."
Kimimaro couldn't even be bothered to speak. He simply pulled his bone spear from the Sound Ninja's corpse, spraying droplets of blood, then fixed Orochimaru with a cold, murderous stare, making his answer clear through his actions.
The smile on Orochimaru's face remained unchanged, but his eyes turned cold. "What a shame... In that case, I'll have to take you by force."
He flicked his sleeve, and more snakes poured out like a tide. At the same time, he formed hand seals—
"Summoning Technique: Manyandara no Jin!"
Countless brightly colored venomous snakes surged wildly from the summoning array, hissing as they swept toward Haku and Kimimaro like a tidal wave! There were enough to swallow everything in their path!
"Ice Style: Ice Rock Dome!" Haku pressed both hands to the ground. A thick, circular wall of ice instantly rose around him and Kimimaro, blocking the first wave of snakes.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Seedling Fern (proto-form)!" Kimimaro shouted. The earth shook beneath his feet as countless sharp bone spikes burst from the ground like a forest, impaling and shredding every snake that came near! Though he had obeyed Ling's orders and refrained from fully revealing his Shikotsumyaku, even this patch of bone-spike forest displayed terrifying destructive power!
"So it really is you, brat of the Kaguya Clan!" Orochimaru's eyes flashed with excitement.
Just as Haku and Kimimaro struggled to hold back Orochimaru's tide of snakes, another sudden change took place!
"Gaaah!"
Uchiha Sasuke, who had been kneeling on the ground, suddenly let out a cry of agony! The Cursed Seal on his neck spread wildly like a living thing. Black markings crawled over half his face and down his arm, and a violent, evil chakra, saturated with negative emotions, erupted from within him!
The Cursed Seal had run wild!
Driven by searing pain and his craving for power, Sasuke's reason was being consumed. He abruptly lifted his head, his eyes blood-red (not the Sharingan), and let out a growl that sounded less than human. His gaze fixed on the person on the battlefield with the strongest chakra—the one who had brought him the greatest threat and humiliation: Orochimaru!
"Power... Give me power! I'll kill you!" Sasuke dropped to all fours like a beast and lunged at Orochimaru! He moved far faster than he normally could!
Orochimaru shifted slightly, easily dodging the wild attack. His expression, however, grew even more pleased. "Oh? You've already begun adjusting to the Cursed Seal's power? As expected of Uchiha blood... But you still have a long way to go."
With a casual sweep of his hand, a thick snake's tail appeared out of nowhere and slammed into Sasuke's back!
"Thud!"
Sasuke was sent flying like a broken sack. He crashed through several trees before finally coming to a stop. The Cursed Seal's effects were forcibly dispelled, and he lay motionless on the ground, his life uncertain.
"Sasuke!" Haruno Sakura had just awoken from the genjutsu. Seeing this, she let out a heartrending cry.
"Sasuke!!!" Naruto's eyes bulged with rage. Ignoring his own injuries, he started to rush over.
Up in the treetops, Ling frowned deeply. He had expected Sasuke to lose control, but Orochimaru's strength still exceeded his estimates. Haku and Kimimaro could hold him off for now, but they weren't a match for him. Naruto and Sasuke were both in bad shape, and they couldn't afford to delay any longer.
He had to step in, but absolutely couldn't reveal himself.
After turning the matter over in his mind, Ling made his decision. He quietly formed hand seals and, through the resonance of the Flying Thunder God coordinates, remotely infused Naruto with a thread of Nine-Tails Chakra mixed with his own Senjutsu Chakra.
He wasn't trying to trigger a Tailed Beast Transformation, only to gently stimulate and guide him.
Below, Naruto was about to rush toward Sasuke when his body suddenly froze! A familiar, warm, powerful sensation welled up in his abdomen and instantly spread through his limbs! His wounds began healing at a visible rate, and most of his chakra returned!
"What is this...?" Naruto paused in surprise, then clenched his fists. A more resolute fire burned in his azure eyes. "I won't let you hurt my friends! Multi Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Poof! Poof! Poof!"
Over a hundred Shadow Clones instantly filled the small clearing. Shouting as they charged at Orochimaru like a golden tide, they showed no fear of death!
"Hmph, annoying brat." Orochimaru furrowed his brow. These Shadow Clones weren't difficult to deal with, but they were seriously disrupting his efforts to suppress Haku and Kimimaro.
Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Shadow Clones' tidal assault, Haku immediately called out to Kimimaro, "Cover me!"
He formed hand seals, and the cold around him intensified. "Ice Style: Ice Dragon Swirling Tail!"
A dragon made of ice appeared out of nowhere, spiraling toward the mass of snakes with a bitter chill. Every snake in its path froze and shattered!
Kimimaro, meanwhile, moved like a white reaper. Under cover of the Shadow Clones, he focused on picking off the snakes that tried to attack Haku from the flanks.
Orochimaru looked at the three of them working together with such coordination (counting Naruto's Shadow Clones), then at Sasuke, far away and unconscious, but with limitless potential. He weighed his options. His primary goal—placing the Cursed Seal on Sasuke—had already been achieved. If he kept fighting, he might be able to capture the two bloodline heirs, but it would inevitably cause an even greater commotion and draw Konoha's attention. It wasn't worth the trouble.
"Heh heh... Let's leave it here for today." Orochimaru gave a sinister smile as his body slowly sank into the ground. "We'll meet again, my dear 'vessels'..."
As his voice faded, his figure disappeared completely. The snakes and summoned creatures all dissolved into white smoke.
The battle ended as abruptly as it had begun.
The scene was a mess. Only Haku and Kimimaro remained standing, both panting; Naruto sat slumped on the ground after his Shadow Clones vanished from excessive chakra use; Sakura wept; and Sasuke lay unconscious.
Haku walked over to Naruto and held out a Military Ration Pill. "Are you all right?"
Naruto took it and popped it into his mouth. "Thanks!" he said indistinctly. "And thanks to that white-haired guy! You're both amazing!"
Kimimaro ignored Naruto. He warily scanned their surroundings, and only after confirming that Orochimaru had truly left did he give Haku a slight nod.
Haku understood and said to Naruto and Sakura, "It's dangerous here. Take him and leave as soon as you can." He pointed at the unconscious Sasuke.
After that, Haku and Kimimaro didn't linger. They vanished into the depths of the woods in a flash, as if they had never been there.
Naruto and Sakura watched them go, then looked at the unconscious Sasuke. Relief at having survived mingled with deep confusion in their hearts.
Up in the treetops, Ling watched the scene below and slowly let out a breath. His first intervention had succeeded. He had protected Naruto, kept Sasuke from being taken directly by Orochimaru, and brought Haku and Kimimaro to the attention of the various factions.
Yet he knew this was only the beginning. The seed of the Cursed Seal had already been planted, the danger on Gaara's side had yet to erupt, and Orochimaru would never let this go.
The Forest of Death's deadly game was still underway.
Before you continue