The Test from Orochimaru

The next morning, thick white fog blanketed the area. From the depths of the Forest of Death, the occasional roar of a beast echoed, venting the stifling gloom of the early hours.

The village strictly forbade children from approaching the Forest of Death, as giant beasts lurked within, posing a grave danger.

A figure wove through the white mist. A hint of crimson light flickered beneath a black cloak. Muzan moved with extreme speed, flashing to the edge of the forest—a simple application of the Body Flicker Technique.

"As expected of Orochimaru, to actually hold the Genin exam inside the Forest of Death. Is he not worried about accidents befalling the students?"

Judging by this, he had no intention of using the traditional Konoha method of snatching bells to foster team spirit. After all, back in the day, Orochimaru would have killed his own teammate, Jiraiya, if the mission required it.

Moreover, coming to the Forest of Death was not dangerous for Muzan, but Kurenai and Mari would certainly suffer.

Not long after, the morning mist began to dissipate. Muzan pulled his hood back up, suddenly catching the sound of movement behind him. His gaze pierced the distance, spotting two faint black dots.

"Muzan, I didn't expect you to arrive so quickly."

Anko was fully prepared today, dressed in a clean ninja outfit with two Explosive Tags tucked at her waist, though the dango in her mouth ruined the overall aesthetic.

As expected of Anko, she loved eating dango wherever she went.

"This place is too terrifying."

Ito Mari shrank his head, looking at the surrounding white mist and the menacing woods not far away. They seemed like demons and monsters ready to drag him into death at any moment, and his legs were so weak he could barely walk.

"You big idiot, Mari! It's just the Forest of Death, what are you afraid of? How can you pass Orochimaru's test with a reaction like that!"

She hammered a fist onto Mari's head to snap him out of it. If they failed Orochimaru's test because of him and had to slink back to the Ninja Academy, it would be truly heartbreaking.

The crestfallen Ito Mari suppressed the cowardice in his heart. If he dragged the team's overall level down, he would feel guilty for the rest of his life.

Even though he was terrified, he forced his body to stand, trembling as he followed behind Muzan.

"Don't worry, as your teammate, I'll be the first to run if we encounter danger."

Mari, who had just stopped crying, was reduced to tears once more by Muzan's words. As a newly minted Genin, this was the first time he realized how sinister society could be.

"You jerk, Muzan! You only know how to bully Mari!"

They were still some distance from the meeting point, following the river that flowed out of the Forest of Death as they traveled upstream.

They saw a figure waiting for them in the distance.

"It's over, it's over! Orochimaru arrived so fast!"

Anko panicked. She had thought they arrived early enough, but now she was certain she had left a bad impression on him.

Orochimaru did not seem dissatisfied with their arrival. He simply took out a Summoning Scroll, his cold, sinister aura radiating outward.

The three of them immediately felt a sense of foreboding.

"From the moment you become Genin, you must get used to death accompanying you at every turn."

"Survive this exam, and you will become Genin. If you fail, there is no need to return to the Ninja Academy. What awaits you is..."

Death!

Even though Orochimaru did not speak the final word, they already knew it in their hearts. Especially Mari, who was hiding in the back, his legs shaking with fear.

"Orochimaru's training methods are still brutal, but they are very well-suited to the way of survival for a ninja."

Muzan understood that at this stage, Orochimaru was a very rational person—rational to the point of being devoid of humanity. The weak only brought unnecessary sorrow to those around them.

In special times, it could even lead to more casualties, so it was better to eliminate them from the start.

Ito Mari felt that Orochimaru had been observing him the whole time. Was it because of him?

Orochimaru did not give them a chance to explain.

He formed hand seals and pressed his palms to the ground. "Ninja Art! Summoning Jutsu!"

Suddenly, a layer of white smoke appeared in the surroundings. Orochimaru's body rose rapidly, and beneath his feet stood a menacing giant snake, flicking its tongue and looking at the three people on the ground with interest.

Noticing his two companions had already collapsed to the ground in terror, Muzan did not panic. He held a kunai in each hand, watching the giant snake cautiously.

"Luckily, it's not Manda from the Dragon Cave..."

It was the lesser of two evils. If it had been Manda, Muzan would have suspected that Orochimaru was intentionally feeding them to the snake.

But even an ordinary giant snake from the Dragon Cave was not something an average Genin could handle.

"Has Orochimaru's test already begun?"

Pulling his two companions up from the ground, Muzan looked up and met Orochimaru's gaze.

This giant snake was less of a test for the squad and more of a test for Muzan alone.

The moment the giant snake appeared, it had already rendered his teammates incapable of fighting.

"The test has begun. Either kill the giant snake, or be killed by it."

To force out their true strength, Orochimaru had specifically used a Sealing Method to lock down the surrounding area. People outside could not see the situation inside, and those inside could not escape the seal.

This narrow patch of forest had become a life-or-death arena!

"He really isn't leaving us any way out. But Orochimaru, I won't let you down."

The true situation in this area could only be observed through one method: the Telescope Technique.

At this moment, in the Third Hokage's office, two people were watching the situation inside the Crystal Ball. Orochimaru had actually summoned a giant snake to target three students who had just graduated from the Ninja Academy.

"Bang!"

Tsunade smashed the Third Hokage's desk in two, her face flushed with anger as she prepared to rush over and confront Orochimaru.

"What kind of joke is this! Orochimaru has gone too far this time!"

The Third Hokage's mustache twitched as he mourned his shattered desk. Though he still possessed the vigor of his prime as the Hero of the Hidden Leaf, he dared not reprimand Tsunade; if she grew angry enough to demolish his office, he would truly be left with no tears to cry.

"Calm down. Do not forget that Orochimaru is their team leader. The methods used for the exam are entirely up to him, and Orochimaru would not do anything out of line."

Having said this, the Third Hokage pointed specifically at Muzan, who was locking eyes with Orochimaru, to explain the graduation matter to Tsunade.

"Do not forget, when Muzan graduated, he crushed a Genin in a very short amount of time."

More than a year had passed since graduation, and Kakashi had already reached a level of strength rivaling a Chunin, let alone Muzan, who was even stronger than him.

"Hmph!"

Reminded, Tsunade forced herself to be patient and watched what was unfolding inside the Crystal Ball.

After a year of spending time together, Tsunade had taught Muzan everything she knew, with the exception of her most vital Yin Seal and Strength of a Hundred Technique; for all intents and purposes, he was her apprentice.