Battle with Orochimaru

On the other side, Sasuke and the others stumbled and staggered as they fled toward the center of the forest, the thunder of Duanmu's battle with Orochimaru seeming to echo in their ears.

Sasuke clenched his fists, cold sweat covering his forehead. He knew that with his current strength, going back would be pointless, so he could only repeat over and over in his heart that Duanmu had to be safe.

Sakura followed behind Sasuke, her face pale, both arms tightly hugging the scroll they had seized earlier from the Hidden Sound ninja. Her steps faltered, but she did not dare stop for even a moment.

Naruto ran at the very front. Though he was just as scared, what filled his heart even more right now was worry for Duanmu and a stubborn refusal to lose. As he ran, he kept looking back, hoping to see Duanmu catch up, while muttering nonstop, "Duanmu, you'd better not be in trouble! We're still waiting to pass the Chunin Exam together!"

The forest was dim, and the air all around was thick with all kinds of unknown danger. The three of them did not dare linger for even a second. They could only rely on hazy memories and their sense of direction, stumbling through the trees one uneven step after another. The sounds of battle behind them gradually faded, replaced by the howls of unknown beasts in the woods and the rustle of wind through leaves. Every sound made their hearts leap into their throats.

Orochimaru gradually grew excited during his battle with Duanmu. "I've decided. I don't want that Uchiha brat anymore. I want an interesting vessel like you even more. There seems to be some special power hidden inside your body, and that power fascinates me more than the Sharingan."

As he spoke, he sped up his attacks. Countless venomous snakes poured out of his body, surrounding Duanmu layer by layer like a black tide.

Although Duanmu had secretly left a Flying Raijin mark on Orochimaru, the other man's sensory ability was far beyond ordinary. Every time Duanmu wanted to activate Flying Raijin for a surprise attack, Orochimaru sensed it in advance.

He could only keep changing positions, dodging with difficulty through the gaps between the venomous snakes while searching for a chance to escape.

Orochimaru watched Duanmu cut a sorry figure yet still refuse to give up, then let out a low laugh. "Give up. You can't escape. Become my vessel, and you will gain eternal life and tremendous power. Isn't that what every ninja longs for?"

"Fuck! I don't want to be the vessel for someone like you who's neither man nor woman!" As he spoke, Duanmu's gaze suddenly sharpened, and the chakra inside him erupted without reservation. A powerful current of air whipped up around him, blasting the surrounding venomous snakes backward.

"Fucking take this! Big Ball Rasengan!" Duanmu had not only been training the Flying Raijin Technique these days. He had also secretly practiced the Big Ball Rasengan that Naruto would develop later for a long time. At that moment, chakra spun at high speed in his palm, forming a blue energy sphere several times larger than an ordinary Rasengan. With a howl that tore through the air, he smashed it fiercely toward Orochimaru.

Orochimaru's pupils constricted slightly. He clearly had not expected Duanmu to be able to use such a powerful ninjutsu. He did not dare take it lightly. His hands flashed through seals, and a layer of snakeskin-like scales appeared over his body. At the same time, he opened his mouth and spat out a large amount of viscous snake saliva, which instantly condensed into a hard earthen wall in front of him.

Boom— The Big Ball Rasengan slammed hard into the earthen wall, releasing a deafening crash. The wall shattered on impact, and broken stones mixed with the energy shockwave spread in every direction. Even Sasuke and the other two, who were fleeing in the distance, felt the ground shake violently.

Orochimaru was forced several steps back by the shockwave, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. When he looked at Duanmu again, his gaze finally held a bit more seriousness. "I didn't expect you to be hiding a trump card like this... However, this ends here!" His figure flashed, turning into an afterimage as he vanished from where he stood. In the next second, he appeared behind Duanmu, his poison-laced fingers stabbing straight toward Duanmu's back.

Duanmu had been prepared. The Flying Raijin mark activated instantly, and his body turned into a flash of electricity, appearing ten meters away and avoiding the fatal strike by the narrowest margin.

He panted heavily, sweat covering his forehead. Using high-intensity ninjutsu and the Flying Raijin Technique in succession had consumed a tremendous amount of his chakra, but his eyes remained firm—as long as he could hold Orochimaru back, Sasuke and the others could get one step closer to safety.

I'm not going to die at Orochimaru's hands today, am I? Duanmu secretly calculated his options. He knew he had very little chakra left, and he could not use Flying Raijin frequently either, or his body would not withstand the burden caused by spatial jumps.

Orochimaru's attacks came one after another like an unending tide, every strike carrying a deadly threat. Duanmu could only barely hold on with reaction speed and combat experience far beyond ordinary people.

Just as Duanmu was thinking of a way to deal with Orochimaru, Orochimaru had already circled behind him. He opened his mouth, about to plant a Cursed Seal on Duanmu. At that critical instant, Duanmu bit down hard on the tip of his tongue. The intense pain snapped him awake in an instant, and he forcibly twisted his body, narrowly dodging Orochimaru's attack.

Using that recoil, he rapidly retreated, widening the distance between himself and Orochimaru. At the same time, his right hand quickly formed seals, while the last trace of chakra gathered in his left palm. Blue light flickered in his hand. Though it was a size smaller than the Big Ball Rasengan from before, its rotation was even more violent.

"Even if I exhaust all my chakra, I'll never let you get your way!" Duanmu growled, then hurled the fully formed Rasengan fiercely at Orochimaru as he lunged in again. The Rasengan carried a sharp sound of tearing air, leaving a blue trail through the sky before accurately striking Orochimaru in the chest.

With a "pfft," Orochimaru was blasted back repeatedly by the force of the Rasengan. The clothes on his chest tore apart, revealing the scale-covered skin beneath. Although he did not suffer a fatal injury, his movements still paused.

Duanmu seized that fleeting opportunity. His feet stomped hard against the ground, and his body turned into a streak of light as he sped in the direction Sasuke and the others had fled. At the same time, he injected the last bit of chakra in his body into the Flying Raijin marks on his feet, preparing to activate the Flying Raijin Technique at any moment to escape.

Orochimaru watched Duanmu's retreating back, a flash of anger passing through his eyes. Then an eerie smile appeared on his face. "Interesting little brat. You can't escape. We'll meet again very soon..." After saying that, his body swayed, and he also vanished into the depths of the dense forest.

While Naruto and the others were still hurrying along, Duanmu used the last bit of his chakra to catch up. His figure staggered once before he barely steadied himself. His face was as pale as paper, his lips cracked; it was obvious he had exhausted his chakra.

"Duanmu!" Naruto was the first to spot him. He shouted in delight and rushed over, supporting Duanmu's swaying body.

Sasuke and Sakura hurriedly gathered around as well. Seeing Duanmu so weak, both of them showed worried expressions.

Sasuke reached out and placed a hand on Duanmu's shoulder, saying in a low voice, "How are you? Where's that person from just now?"

Duanmu panted heavily, waved his hand, and said in a hoarse voice, "Don't... don't worry. I shook him off for now. We have to... have to reach the finish as soon as possible and hand in the scrolls."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the three of them, then continued, "The commotion from that battle was too big. It'll definitely attract other ninja. We can't delay any longer."

As he spoke, he forced himself to stand straight. Though his steps were still somewhat unsteady, his gaze became firm again.

Sakura quickly took the last bit of water from her backpack and handed it to him. "Drink some water. Thank you, Duanmu. If it weren't for you..."

Duanmu took the water and drank a few mouthfuls, cutting her off. "Now isn't the time to talk about that. Let's go."

After saying that, he took the lead and walked forward. Every step was difficult, yet unusually steady.

Naruto supported his other arm, while Sasuke kept alert as he observed their surroundings. Sakura followed closely behind. The four of them once again set out on the road toward the center of the forest.

The huge commotion inside the exam grounds naturally drew the proctors' attention.

Gekko Hayate held a kunai as his figure appeared like a ghost at the edge of the exam grounds. His sharp gaze swept across the chaotic scene, and his brows furrowed tightly.

The Anbu members behind him also swiftly took position. A killing aura emanated from them as they vigilantly observed the movements around them, preventing the situation from worsening any further.

Several Hokage advisers in charge of the third round of this Chunin Exam also rushed over after receiving the news. One white-haired elder looked at the wreckage inside the grounds and could not help saying in a deep voice, "What exactly is going on here? Didn't we tell you to strengthen security? How did such a huge commotion happen?"

Another adviser beside him added with a grave expression, "Judging by this situation, an unwelcome guest has likely intruded into the exam grounds. We must immediately investigate their identity and purpose. We absolutely cannot allow an accident to happen during the Chunin Exam."