The Scroll Was Stolen!!

All four turned around at once!

Orochimaru had somehow silently appeared atop a withered tree not far behind them. The hem of his loose kimono swayed gently in the breeze, and his golden slit pupils held the teasing amusement of a cat playing with mice as he took in their horrified expressions with great interest.

"What... what do you want?!" Naruto roared in shock and fury, trying to sound fierce, but his trembling voice betrayed his fear.

Sakura was so frightened that she could not speak, clutching Sasuke tightly.

Sasuke's Sharingan remained fixed on Orochimaru. The curse mark on his neck stirred violently once more at Orochimaru's appearance, black patterns slowly crawling upward and bringing tearing pain along with an uncontrollable urge for violence.

He gritted his teeth, blood seeping from the corner of his mouth as he struggled to hold on to the last shred of reason.

Ling Yue's heart sank to the bottom. The worst-case scenario had happened!

Orochimaru had come personally to block their path! This guy's obsession with Sasuke ran too deep!

"What do I want?" Orochimaru smiled lightly, his voice hoarse and seductive. "I merely want to see what kind of brilliance the vessel I have chosen can bloom in desperate circumstances. Sasuke-kun, are you still resisting this power? Look at yourself now. How painful, how helpless..."

His bewitching words drilled straight into Sasuke's mind, provoking nerves that were already on the verge of collapse.

"Shut up!" Sasuke let out a suppressed roar, his body shaking violently as blood vessels filled his Sharingan from pain and rage.

"Be angry, hate..." Orochimaru's smile grew more delighted. "This is how an Uchiha should be! Release it, Sasuke-kun! Use the power I gave you to tear apart these troublesome snakes and make your way into the tower! Otherwise..."

He waved a hand lightly.

The surrounding snakes seemed to receive an order and rapidly tightened their encirclement, their crimson tongues nearly licking their faces!

The three giant pythons opened their gaping jaws as well, foul venom dripping onto the ground with sizzling, corrosive sounds.

The threat of death closed in instantly!

"Bastard!" Naruto immediately formed hand seals. "Shadow Clone Technique!"

Several Shadow Clones appeared and tried to hold back the snake swarm, but they were instantly wrapped up and bitten apart by the rushing venomous snakes, vanishing in puffs of white smoke!

Sakura gathered her courage and threw Kunai, but there were simply too many! She could not stop them at all!

Suppressing her injuries, Ling Yue used [Flash Step] to evade a lunging venomous snake. The Kunai in her hand accurately pierced its vital point, but more snakes immediately filled the gap!

[Paper Arts] allowed her to narrowly evade their attacks, but no defense could hold forever!

"Sasuke! Think of something!" Naruto shouted anxiously.

Sasuke looked at the steadily advancing snake swarm, then at the tower so close at hand. Feeling the icy power inside him that seemed ready to tear him apart and the burning pain in his neck, the struggle in his eyes was gradually replaced by madness.

The string of reason had been stretched to its limit.

"Aaaahhh!!!" He suddenly threw back his head and roared!

A frigid, violent black chakra filled with an ominous aura erupted from his body, shooting into the sky like flames!

The curse mark patterns on his neck instantly spread across half his face. His eyes completely turned into beastlike vertical pupils, his nails sharpened, and he bared a savage grin!

Curse Mark State One! Activated!

"Power... this is power!" Sasuke's voice became hoarse and distorted, filled with wild joy and the urge to destroy.

"Sasuke?!" Sakura took a step back in terror at his appearance.

"Hey! Sasuke, what's wrong with you?!" Naruto also sensed that something was wrong.

Ling Yue inwardly cursed. Sasuke had still been driven out of control!

"Ha! Hahaha!" Berserk Sasuke ignored his companions completely. His gaze locked onto the surrounding snake swarm, and his figure vanished in an instant!

So fast!

Several times faster than before!

A figure wrapped in black chakra darted through the snake swarm like a ghost. Wherever he passed, snake bodies were torn apart and severed! Blood and chunks of flesh flew everywhere!

His movements had completely changed. There was none of the Uchiha's elegant taijutsu left—only wild, frenzied tearing!

He could effortlessly crush venomous snakes' heads with his bare hands! His swinging Kunai left black afterimages in their wake!

The snakes' numerical advantage proved utterly worthless before such overwhelming speed and power!

"So... so strong..." Naruto stared in dumbfounded awe.

Sakura's face was filled with worry and fear. "Sasuke-kun..."

While dodging the occasional venomous snakes that slipped through, Ling Yue watched Sasuke nervously.

In this state, Sasuke could not distinguish friend from foe. He was extremely dangerous!

From atop the tower, Orochimaru watched Sasuke slaughtering everything below, an expression of immense satisfaction and greed appearing on his face. "Yes! Just like that! Kill! Destroy! This is your true potential!"

Under his control, the three giant pythons lunged at Sasuke simultaneously!

Sasuke grinned savagely and charged straight at them without dodging! Black chakra wrapped around his fist as he drove it viciously into one python's lower jaw!

With a muffled boom, the python's head was smashed askew. It let out a shriek and rolled away!

The other two pythons seized the chance to coil around him, but Sasuke broke free with even greater speed and slashed deep, bone-revealing wounds into their bodies with his Kunai!

The battle had completely turned into a one-sided slaughter!

Before long, the snake swarm had been wiped out. The ground was a mess, with only the three severely wounded giant pythons left hissing and struggling.

Sasuke stood amid the snake corpses, drenched in blood. The black chakra slowly receded as he panted heavily. The madness in his vertical pupils had faded somewhat, but they were still filled with viciousness.

He looked toward the tower entrance and stepped forward.

"Did... did we make it?" Naruto asked in delight. "We can go in now!"

Sakura also breathed a sigh of relief.

However, Ling Yue did not dare relax in the slightest. She kept her eyes fixed on Orochimaru atop the withered tree.

Sure enough, Orochimaru began clapping.

"Wonderful! Absolutely wonderful, Sasuke-kun!" He smiled, though a faint, cold glint flashed through his eyes. "You truly have not disappointed me. You accepted this gift very well."

His gaze swept over the snake corpses on the ground, and his tone abruptly changed, carrying a strange hint of amusement. "But the game is not quite over yet."

He snapped his fingers lightly.

The three giant pythons that had been severely wounded and near death suddenly began convulsing violently, their bodies swelling! Dense, strange runes appeared across their skin!

"Something's wrong! Get back!" Ling Yue's expression changed drastically as she shouted a warning!

But it was already too late!

The three giant pythons exploded like overinflated balloons!

There was no spray of blood and flesh. Instead, thick purple poisonous mist burst into the air!

It instantly engulfed all four of them, who had just approached the tower entrance!

"Cough, cough, cough!"

"It's poison!"

"My eyes hurt!"

The poisonous mist was pungent and irritating, with powerful paralytic and hallucinogenic effects! Their vision was completely obscured!

"Be careful!" Ling Yue only managed to shout that much before dizziness overtook her and her limbs went numb. [Resilient Body] desperately resisted the poison, but the effect was minimal!

Naruto and Sakura collapsed outright, coughing violently and barely able to breathe.

Sasuke, who had already expended a great deal of strength, was struck by the poisonous mist. His curse mark state was forcibly deactivated, and he dropped to one knee. He could not even maintain his Sharingan as he painfully clutched his eyes and throat.

"Hehehe... the final trial." Orochimaru's figure flickered in and out beyond the poisonous mist, his voice drifting unpredictably. "Endure it, and you may enter the tower. Fail to endure it... and it simply means you are nothing special."

The poisonous mist remained thick and did not disperse. More continued to seep from the exploded python remains.

Ling Yue felt her consciousness beginning to blur. She knew she could not hesitate any longer!

I have to risk it!

She bit the tip of her tongue hard, using the sharp pain to stimulate her mind as she frantically communicated with the system!

"System! Exchange for something that can detoxify us or disperse the poisonous mist! Hurry!"

[Based on the host's needs and available points (1100 points), recommended exchanges:]

[1. Universal Antidote (Small): 200 points (effect unknown, may provide relief)]

[2. Wind Release: Great Breakthrough Scroll (single-use): 300 points (may disperse poisonous mist)]

[3. Random Skill Draw (R): 100 points (high risk)]

There was no time to hesitate!

"Exchange for the Wind Release Scroll!"

[300 points consumed. Obtained [Wind Release: Great Breakthrough Scroll (single-use)].]

An ancient scroll instantly appeared in her hand.

Using the last of her strength, Ling Yue tore open the scroll and poured what little chakra she had left into it according to the method the system had implanted in her mind!

A powerful whirlwind erupted around her, blowing away the purple poisonous mist nearby and clearing out a small safe area!

Fresh air rushed in, and the four of them immediately felt some relief.

But the poisonous mist had only been temporarily dispersed. It was still slowly drifting in from all around them!

"Go! Get into the tower!" Ling Yue shouted weakly, helping up Naruto, who was closest to her.

Sasuke also forced himself to pull Sakura up. The four staggered toward the tower gates so close before them!

Just as they were about to touch the gates...

Several Kunai shot in from the side at tricky angles, aimed directly at Ling Yue and Naruto, who had the most difficulty moving!

There was another ambush?!

Ling Yue wanted to dodge immediately, but her entire body was weak!

Just as the Kunai were about to strike!

A figure suddenly shoved her aside!

It was Sasuke!

He used his body to knock away the Kunai aimed at Ling Yue, but another Kunai grazed his arm, spraying blood as it flew past and accurately knocked the Earth Scroll from his tightly clenched hand!

The scroll traced an arc through the air and flew toward the poison-filled area!

"No!" Sasuke cried out in rage and shock, trying to grab it, but the poison and exhaustion made him a step too slow!

A figure wearing a Hidden Rain Village forehead protector darted out from the edge of the poisonous mist, caught the Earth Scroll in midair, then immediately turned and fled. In an instant, they vanished into the thick mist and forest!

They were incredibly fast, clearly having planned this in advance!

"Bastard! Give back the scroll!" Naruto shouted furiously, but he lacked the strength to pursue.

Sasuke's face instantly turned incomparably grim. Victory had been within reach, yet someone had snatched it away at the very last moment!

The tower was right before them, but they had lost the crucial Earth Scroll!

From atop the withered tree, Orochimaru watched this unexpected scene. Not only was he not angry, he even let out an amused chuckle. "Oh? The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind? This is becoming more and more interesting..."

His gaze swept across the despairing Team 7 as his body slowly sank into the tree trunk and disappeared.

All that remained was poison-filled air and the despair in the hearts of the four.

Ling Yue looked in the direction where the scroll had vanished, then at the tower so close yet impossible to enter. A tremendous sense of helplessness and anger surged within her.

Damn Hidden Rain Village! Damn Orochimaru!

What do we do now?!