Orochimaru Appears

"Su Bai, aren't we on the same team? In a dangerous place like this, wouldn't it be safer to stick together?"

Sakura looked at Su Bai with some concern as well.

Sasuke remained silent, only furrowing his brow slightly as though deep in thought.

Su Bai smiled faintly, but his tone brooked no argument. "With me around, you'll inevitably become dependent on me. This exam is the perfect chance to temper yourselves. I can't keep protecting you forever. Besides..."

His tone shifted, and his gaze sharpened. "I have a feeling that something unexpected is about to happen. When that time comes, fighting separately may make it easier for us to handle any changes."

Naruto scratched his head and nodded as if he half understood.

Though Sakura was still worried, seeing Su Bai's resolute expression left her no choice but to compromise.

Sasuke, however, keenly caught the hidden meaning in Su Bai's words.

He stared at Su Bai and slowly said, "You want to use this chance to investigate the strength of the other teams, don't you?"

"As expected of Sasuke. Sharp as ever."

Su Bai nodded approvingly. "With me around, you'll inevitably become dependent on me. This exam is also the perfect chance to temper yourselves. I can't keep protecting you forever."

"So that's it! Su Bai, you really thought this through!"

Naruto suddenly understood and expressed his support for Su Bai's decision.

"I see. Then you need to be careful too."

Sakura reminded him, her expression still carrying a trace of reluctance.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing."

Su Bai smiled slightly, then used Flash Step to leave.

Following the screams coming from nearby, Su Bai quietly approached.

A faint notification suddenly rang in his mind:

[Ding! Ninja combat detected nearby. Obtained 3,000 experience points.]

[Ding! Ninja combat detected nearby. Obtained 4,000 experience points.]

Su Bai paused slightly, then smiled knowingly.

This exam truly was filled with experience everywhere.

He followed the sounds, hid behind a large tree, and cautiously poked his head out to investigate.

The forest was a complete mess. Several ninja lay scattered across the ground, all bearing serious injuries.

Meanwhile, the three members of Shino's team stood unscathed in the center of the battlefield, their expressions cold.

It turned out to be an ambush.

Shino's team had used the complex terrain of the Forest of Death to set traps here in advance, waiting for other teams to walk into them.

He controlled red dragonflies, leaving one horrifying wound after another on his opponents.

Kiba was even more direct, charging straight into the enemy ranks and tearing into multiple opponents until they were drenched in blood.

Before long, this unlucky team was completely crushed.

Shino calmly adjusted his sunglasses and quickly found a Book of Heaven.

Looking at the experience points he had just gained on the system panel, Su Bai could barely hide his delight.

"I'll be able to break through to 7% fusion soon."

Thinking of this, Su Bai took a deep breath and calmed his excitement.

After one last glance at the battlefield, he silently withdrew.

As he calculated in his mind, he quickly returned to Team 7's ambush site and continued watching for Orochimaru's movements.

Su Bai followed Team 7 from a great distance, waiting for Orochimaru to appear.

While Naruto went off to pee, the Orochimaru Su Bai had been waiting for finally appeared.

Naruto, who was in the middle of peeing, was suddenly attacked by a giant python.

At the same time, Sasuke and Sakura encountered Orochimaru himself head-on.

Facing this terrifying existence at the pinnacle of the ninja world, the two were overwhelmed by his killing intent, frozen in place and unable to move.

Orochimaru slowly approached, endless coldness and mockery gleaming in his yellowed pupils.

"Hehe, young ninja. Before absolute power, how laughable and powerless your struggles are."

As he spoke, he untied the straw rope around his waist and slowly wrapped it around his arm.

The rope seemed to possess a unique power. A purplish-black glow spread where it coiled, releasing a nauseating aura.

Sasuke and Sakura felt as though they could barely breathe. Their bodies seemed to be clamped down by an invisible hand, making even their fingertips impossible to move.

"Y-you... who are you? Why are you attacking us?"

Sasuke forced down the fear in his heart and asked in a trembling voice.

"Who I am isn't important. What matters is that you are about to become nourishment for my power."

Orochimaru licked his lips, his expression growing increasingly frenzied.

"Especially you, Uchiha Sasuke. Your body will become my most perfect vessel!"

Before his words had even faded, he suddenly flung out a kunai straight at Sasuke's heart.

The killing intent behind him was too overwhelming. Sasuke's pupils contracted, and he even forgot to dodge, able only to watch helplessly as death closed in.

At that critical moment, Su Bai had no choice but to intervene and unleash a Kidō spell.

"Way of Destruction No. 4: White Lightning!"

A flash of white light streaked past, and the kunai fell with a clang.

Orochimaru sharply sensed Su Bai's presence, but Su Bai had already concealed himself in the shadows, leaving no trace behind.

Su Bai's voice echoed through the forest:

"Hold on, Sasuke! Don't let fear defeat you! Face him bravely—you can definitely beat him!"

Sasuke cursed inwardly, It's Su Bai! Easy for you to say. Do you have any idea how strong this guy is?

Still, he forced himself to endure his fear and pulled Sakura aside.

Su Bai snorted inwardly, disdainful of Sasuke's cowardice.

Seeing this, Orochimaru sneered. "You ruined my plans. It seems I'll have to get rid of you, you troublesome pest, first!"

With that, he rushed toward where Su Bai was hiding.

However, the instant Orochimaru made his move, Su Bai had already used Flash Step and vanished into the distance.

Orochimaru did not even catch a glimpse of his back.

He could not help but pause. "That brat runs rather fast."

But upon further thought, the most urgent matter was planting the Cursed Seal on Sasuke.

That brat was irritating, but he could spare him for now.

Hidden in the shadows, Su Bai calculated that if Sasuke only focused on running away, he would have no way to collect experience points.

It seemed Naruto was his only hope.

Thus, Su Bai decided to have Naruto take Sasuke's place and face Orochimaru in battle.

He quickly rushed over to Naruto and happened to witness Naruto use the Shadow Clone Technique to burst out of the snake's belly from within, escaping danger.

"Ptooey, ptooey! That was seriously disgusting!"

Naruto spat repeatedly as he struggled to crawl out of the snake's belly.

"Who was that guy? He actually used such a despicable trick to ambush me! Just wait—I'll drag him out and teach him a proper lesson!"

Su Bai appeared at the right moment, and Naruto looked somewhat surprised.

"Su Bai? You're back?"

"Don't worry about that right now, Naruto. Listen to me first."

Su Bai's expression turned serious. "Sasuke urgently needs your help. There's a powerful enemy that Sasuke is no match for, and he doesn't even have the courage to face him. This is the perfect opportunity for both of you to grow stronger. I'll leave this one to you two. I won't interfere. Do your best!"

Upon hearing that, Naruto's expression instantly became solemn.

But he quickly regained his confident smile. "Don't worry, leave it to me! I can't let Sasuke hog all the glory!"

"I'm counting on you for Sasuke, Naruto."

Su Bai patted his shoulder, offering silent encouragement.

Naruto nodded firmly, his eyes blazing with fiery determination.

He took a deep breath and ran toward Sasuke, determined to fight that unknown powerful enemy to the end.

Meanwhile, Su Bai quietly concealed himself and searched for the best place to watch.

He knew a massive wave of experience points was coming.

At the same time, Sasuke fled everywhere with Sakura, but Orochimaru still caught up to them.

A giant python lunged at Sasuke, frightening him into crying out, "Stay away!"

In his panic, Sasuke fired a string of shuriken and finally killed the giant python.

Naruto arrived.

"Sasuke, you coward! Watch me—I'll wake you up!"

With a leap, he charged into the battle.