Orochimaru's Appearance

"I never thought there'd come a day when I'd be leading students too."

Orochimaru pushed open the door and swept his gaze over the students present, as well as the team leader who had just entered. His cold, sinister aura was like that of a venomous snake, enough to send chills down one's spine.

"It's actually Lord Orochimaru! I never expected to meet you here."

Minato Namikaze turned to look, never imagining that the final team leader would be Orochimaru. He respectfully said,

"I'll be entrusting these students to you from now on."

After all, Orochimaru was Minato Namikaze's senior and a renowned powerhouse. Minato had yet to experience the Third Ninja War, so in both strength and reputation, he naturally could not compare to Orochimaru.

There were currently only two candidates for Hokage. The first was Orochimaru standing before them, and the second was the White Fang of Konoha.

One could easily imagine Orochimaru's status and the level of respect he commanded in the eyes of ordinary people.

"So it's Minato. Did you just come back from the battlefield? You're also taking on students part-time—hard work."

At this point, Orochimaru had not yet become the freak who stuck out his tongue whenever he met someone.

Of course, that sinister chill still froze the students where they stood.

"I never thought it'd be Orochimaru..."

A trace of gloom flashed through Muzan's eyes beneath his black robe. The worst-case scenario had occurred. If there was anyone in Konoha Muzan feared most, it was undoubtedly Orochimaru before him.

As a mad scientist, he could even commit utterly inhuman acts for the sake of his experiments.

"Wow! Lord Orochimaru is going to guide our training!"

Anko was probably the happiest of the three. She had never imagined that their team leader would actually be one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin.

Besides Anko, there was another boy named Ito Mari. However, he was extremely timid, and it looked like his future training would be miserable.

"G-g-greetings, Lord Orochimaru..."

Not only did he stutter, but his voice was also incredibly soft. If everyone present had not been ninja, they might have instinctively ignored that mosquito-like voice.

"Mm."

However, to Anko and Ito Mari's disappointment, Orochimaru merely glanced at them without paying them much attention. He passed Minato Namikaze and looked at Kakashi, as well as Muzan, his future student.

"Sakumo's two children, and Konoha's newly emerging geniuses. As for the one hailed as Konoha's youngest medical ninja, I'll be the one training him."

Orochimaru leaned close to Muzan. Then he suddenly lowered his head, revealing snake-like pupils that carried a predator's pressure straight into Muzan's heart.

Yet what Orochimaru had not expected was that Muzan did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward to meet him head-on, directly blocking his oppressive presence.

"Very good. You have the makings of a strong man. As for you two, your performance has greatly disappointed me."

He did not stint on his praise. He found himself increasingly satisfied with Muzan, while Anko and Ito Mari beside him were merely worthless additions Konoha had forcibly stuffed in to cultivate bonds.

"The upcoming ninja training won't be child's play like at the Ninja Academy. Prepare yourselves for death."

Orochimaru still had many matters to deal with and did not linger at the Ninja Academy. He instructed the three of them to report to the Forest of Death tomorrow morning for training.

After Orochimaru left, Ito Mari panted heavily, his face full of lingering fear. Just now, he had felt as though he might be killed. If Muzan had not withstood Orochimaru's pressure, he would have been in an even worse state. Thinking of this, he looked at the composed Muzan.

"Thank you, Muzan."

Beneath the black robe, a pair of blood-red eyes silently watched his teammates. It seemed Orochimaru's interest in him stemmed more from his strength. At present, only his younger brother and father knew of his Bloodline Limit. Orochimaru did not care about ordinary Bloodline Limits; what he had pursued his entire life were the Uchiha Clan's eyes and Hashirama's cells.

As long as he was careful, Orochimaru might not discover him.

"You don't need to thank me. His pressure was directed at me in the first place; you were merely caught up in it." As for his two teammates, Anko would be implanted with Orochimaru's Cursed Seal in the future. Perhaps today was where that foreshadowing began. As for the other teammate, if he did not change that temperament, he would surely die once he reached the battlefield!

"I'm actually rather envious of Kakashi. After all, he has Lord Minato Namikaze as his teacher. Lord Minato, I'll leave Kakashi's future to you. Father has gone out on a mission, and I'm the only one managing Kakashi at home. It's really too difficult."

"You bastard, Muzan! You were only born a few minutes before me!"

Compared to the cold and heartless Orochimaru, Minato Namikaze before them was undoubtedly like a warm light bulb. The reason he could defeat Orochimaru in the election was also his personality. His gentle manner naturally made people want to draw close to him.

"Hahaha!"

Minato noticed Muzan before him. Compared to Kakashi, Muzan was even more gifted, and he possessed a steady maturity as well.

"There's no need to envy Kakashi. Lord Orochimaru's strength is there for all to see. Having him as your teacher will be of immense help to your futures."

"However, the Legendary Sannin are all very strict teachers, so you'd better be prepared."

He understood that deeply. As Jiraiya's disciple, he had often been beaten around by the three fools of Mount Myoboku, and great expectations had been placed upon him as he devoted himself to mastering the Flying Thunder God Technique.

And given Orochimaru's personality, Minato Namikaze could not help showing pity in his eyes as he looked at the three children.

"Thank you for the warning, Lord Minato."

Afterward, Minato Namikaze led Kakashi and the other three out of the classroom, leaving only the few of them behind. Ito Mari secretly glanced at Muzan. He instinctively feared the person hidden beneath the black robe and unconsciously hid behind Anko.

"You're way too timid, Mari. Muzan is our companion."

"B-but... there are all sorts of rumors about him at school..."

He stammered, not knowing how to explain it. He was simply afraid of Muzan's aura, along with the rumors about Muzan that had spread through the academy in the past.

"I didn't expect to have such a great impact on you. I'm very sorry."

Muzan opened his black robe, revealing a fair and clean face. At that moment, he was filled with an eerie, bewitching beauty. After Anko saw it, she felt that even her dango no longer tasted good.

"This should be better, then."

"I'm sorry for wearing a black robe. Because of my skin, I can't be exposed to sunlight. Please protect me from now on. After all, I'm a medical ninja and not good at fighting."

Only Ito Mari would believe Muzan's nonsense.

What a joke. The scene of Muzan brutally defeating a Genin during graduation was still fresh in everyone's mind. Naturally, Anko would not believe that he was weak.

"I won't believe you. But if you treat me to dango, I'll help you more during battles."

Anko was a standard combat ninja, Ito Mari was a sensory ninja, and Muzan was a medical ninja.

This was a standard ninja team.