Orochimaru, Space-Time Eye Techniques Overwhelm, and the Clash of Forbidden Jutsu

Everyone was enveloped beneath a gigantic barrier.

The heavy barrier cut off all chakra sensing from the outside world.

It also severed every route of support.

The entire Chunin Exams finals venue had completely become a sealed battlefield.

Wind poured in through the gaps, sweeping up dust and sand.

The air was filled with an extreme, murderous tension.

Inside the arena.

Orochimaru stood in a black trench coat that snapped loudly in the wind.

The cold, sinister chakra surging around him corroded the surroundings like thick black mist.

Those serpent eyes were fixed tightly on Uchiha Mu atop the roof.

His gaze was filled with greed, gloom, and undisguised desire to seize what he wanted.

The violent pressure that warned all living beings to stay away made many genin afraid to even breathe.

He was one of the legendary Sannin.

He had mastered countless forbidden jutsu, possessed Living Corpse Reincarnation, and even held a heaven-defying trump card like Impure World Reincarnation.

There were very few opponents in the ninja world worthy of his attention.

Yet today, all his focus was on a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy.

Atop the roof.

Uchiha Mu stood quietly.

His fitted ANBU uniform outlined a tall, lean frame that concealed terrifying power.

The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan slowly turned in his eyes, crimson and profound.

Invisible space-time power flickered around him.

He appeared calm, yet carried an overbearing presence that stood above everyone present.

An ANBU identity, Space-Time Twin Eyes, strength at the mid-Kage level.

He could even absorb tailed beast chakra.

He had crushed every strong contender throughout the Chunin Exams and had never suffered a defeat.

Ibiki, Might Guy, and Asuma immediately shielded all the genin behind them.

Their expressions were grave as they guarded against the Sound ninja and Sand ninja stirring around them.

Yet their eyes remained locked on the two figures confronting each other in the arena.

Naruto clenched his fists, his eyes filled with anxiety and admiration.

Sasuke frowned slightly as his Sharingan silently activated, his gaze complicated.

Sakura gripped the corner of her clothes tightly. Amid her panic, her eyes kept drifting toward that proud, solitary figure.

In a corner of the crowd.

The three from the Hidden Sand Village were especially conspicuous.

Gaara was surrounded by Sand Armor, cold and distant.

Kankuro toyed with his puppet strings, a mocking smirk hanging from his lips.

Only Temari.

Her slender fingers tightened silently around her enormous three-star fan.

Her azure eyes stared unblinkingly at Uchiha Mu on the roof.

A storm had already been unleashed within her heart.

She was the Hidden Sand Village's acknowledged genius girl, with extraordinary mastery of Wind Release.

Proud, cold, forceful, and fiery.

Since childhood, she had seen countless geniuses and powerful people.

Yet never had anyone so easily stirred her emotions as Uchiha Mu did.

Facing pressure as terrifying as Orochimaru's, his expression did not change.

His bearing was as steady as a mountain.

The space-time power surrounding him was mysterious and unfathomable.

That composure, power, and aloofness far beyond his age.

It was like a breeze blowing into the desert, instantly crashing into her heart.

Temari had always been proud and had never easily fallen for anyone.

Yet at this moment, as she watched that unmoving figure amid wind and rain.

Her heart began beating faster beyond her control.

There was curiosity, shock, and awe within her.

And an unspoken flutter of emotion that even she refused to admit.

Her feelings were like a deeply buried seed, quietly taking root and sprouting.

She did not dare reveal them and could only keep a cold expression on her face.

But the strange glimmer in her eyes had already betrayed her.

"Uchiha Mu."

Orochimaru slowly raised a hand, fine serpent scales appearing at his fingertips.

His cold voice carried an eerie hoarseness and greed.

"I admit it. Your talent stands above the new generation."

"Your space-time eye techniques are mysterious, your strength is at the Kage level, and you can even absorb tailed beast chakra."

"Even my Sound Four were crippled by you in a single move."

"Such a perfect Uchiha bloodline, such a perfect vessel..."

His tongue licked across the corner of his lips as he let out a sinister laugh.

His tone was arrogant, carrying the absolute confidence of an old powerhouse.

In his eyes, no matter how monstrous Uchiha Mu was, he was still only a boy.

In foundation, experience, and accumulated forbidden jutsu, he was far inferior to him.

Suppressing him would take no more than the flick of a hand.

On the roof.

Uchiha Mu gently shook his head.

His cool voice carried not a trace of emotion, yet it was piercingly cold.

"Arrogant fool."

Those four words shattered Orochimaru's arrogance.

As his voice fell.

The space around him suddenly rippled in layers.

The Domain of Time silently spread out.

The flow of time across the entire battlefield was quietly slowed.

His figure flickered as the space beneath his feet twisted.

He became a blurred afterimage and dove through the air.

In an instant, he landed in the center of the arena, facing Orochimaru directly.

Two vast chakra forces collided with a bang!

Boom!

A deafening explosion erupted as violent currents of air swept in every direction.

Dust surged across the ground, and cracks spread outward.

Everyone in the venue instinctively retreated several steps, their blood and qi churning.

"So strong! His presence isn't weaker than Orochimaru's at all!"

"How can a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old possess such a foundation?"

Suppressed whispers quietly rose.

Temari stood amid the crowd, her hair lifted by the aftershock, yet she did not notice.

She stared fixedly at Uchiha Mu, who stood there with calm composure.

Watching him face Orochimaru without the slightest fear.

The flutter in her heart grew even stronger.

A faint blush quietly rose on her cheeks.

Orochimaru's expression darkened slightly as he finally put away his contempt.

He could clearly sense that the other's chakra was deep and condensed, while his space-time power was strange and difficult to deal with.

His foundation was far more solid than expected.

"You have some skill. No wonder you dare be so arrogant."

Orochimaru's eyes were cold and sinister.

"Let's see whether your space-time eye techniques can withstand my forbidden jutsu!"

Before his words had even faded.

His hands formed seals at an extreme speed.

His figure flashed, splitting into several serpent-shadow clones.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

His arms transformed into countless savage pythons, their fangs gleaming as they lunged forward on a foul wind.

They filled the sky, sealing off every avenue of escape.

Facing the serpent shadows filling the air.

Uchiha Mu remained calm.

The crimson light of his Eternal Mangekyō surged as he instantly saw through the truth of every clone.

At the same time, he activated the initial stage of the Eight Gates, unleashing the full explosive power of his body.

His figure moved nimbly among the serpent shadows, every step landing on a space-time node.

Though the pythons were clearly within reach, they could not touch him at all.

"Too slow."

Uchiha Mu spoke calmly.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

"Space-Time Genjutsu: Illusory Imprisonment!"

Crimson eye light suddenly bloomed.

An invisible torrent of spiritual power invaded Orochimaru's mind directly.

The scene before Orochimaru instantly twisted as he fell into a boundless illusion.

His movements suddenly froze!

In that instant of hesitation.

Uchiha Mu flashed forward and closed the distance.

A palm carrying vast chakra slammed viciously into Orochimaru's chest.

Bang!

A dull impact rang out.

Orochimaru was struck as if by a massive hammer, flying backward and crashing heavily onto the ground.

Dust scattered everywhere, his clothes tore, and his breath became disordered.

"Lord Orochimaru!"

Kabuto Yakushi's expression changed drastically as he immediately stepped forward to support him.

"Stop."

Uchiha Mu cast him a cold sideways glance.

An invisible pressure instantly locked onto Kabuto Yakushi.

The icy aura froze him in place, leaving him afraid to take another step.

Orochimaru slowly rose to his feet, blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.

His eyes were filled with shock, fury, and wariness.

He had not expected that the boy he had casually intended to crush would instead severely injure him in return.

That bizarre space-time genjutsu could directly interfere with the mind.

"Space-time genjutsu... can interfere with the mind?"

"Your Sharingan is even stranger and more troublesome than Itachi's!"

Orochimaru knew clearly.

If he continued fighting to the death, not only would he gain no advantage, he might even lose fighting strength.

His true intention had never been to entangle himself with Uchiha Mu.

Uchiha Sasuke was the perfect vessel he had set his sights on.

The Konoha Crush was merely a smokescreen.

The true objective was to use the opportunity to get close to Sasuke and plant the Cursed Seal of Heaven.

There was no need to waste his strength here.

Temporarily retreating and making a move against Sasuke in secret was the best course.

Orochimaru licked the blood from his wound and let out a sinister laugh.

His gaze passed over Uchiha Mu and locked onto Sasuke within the crowd.

"Uchiha Mu, I'll stop here for today."

"But remember this: I have never failed to obtain anything I set my sights on."

"Sasuke's bloodline is the vessel I've chosen."

"You can protect him for a while, but not forever!"

A sinister cackle echoed through the air.

Before his words had even faded.

Orochimaru's body turned ethereal, transforming into countless tiny snakes that scattered in all directions.

He intended to use the secret Snake Escape technique to bypass Uchiha Mu and approach Sasuke.

Uchiha Mu's gaze turned cold as he instantly saw through his intentions.

The power of space and time spread around him, seeking to seal off every escape route.

But Orochimaru's Snake Escape had long since reached perfection.

Some of the serpentine shadows were incinerated by the spacetime black flames.

Yet his core body broke through the blockade and slipped deep into the forest.

Uchiha Mu did not pursue him.

He knew that Orochimaru possessed countless means of preserving his life. If he truly wanted to flee, he would be difficult to keep.

Rather than chase him relentlessly, it was better to remain at the examination site and wait for him to walk into the trap himself.

Nearby, Temari had witnessed the entire battle.

She watched as Uchiha Mu suppressed one of the legendary Sannin through his strength alone.

Calm and composed, he controlled the situation with ease.

That strength and steadiness were deeply imprinted in her heart.

She had always admired the strong and appreciated men who feared no authority.

Uchiha Mu perfectly matched every expectation she had.

The feelings in her heart had changed from a flutter of excitement into deep admiration.

She secretly lifted her eyes toward that aloof, cold figure.

The tips of her ears reddened, and she hurriedly looked away.

Before she realized it, the young girl's heart had already fallen for this Konoha youth.