Orochimaru, You Like Dancing, Don't You?

"Heh heh heh..." Orochimaru had just turned to leave when he looked back and asked one final question. "I'm returning to Konoha. Aren't you going to stop me?"

Danzo Shimura said nothing and chose to remain silent. If he had truly wanted to stop Orochimaru, he would not have provided the information that Yamato had already fallen into the Third Hokage's hands. Clearly, he wanted to use Orochimaru to get rid of the Third Hokage.

Now Orochimaru understood completely. His figure slowly vanished into the darkness, leaving only a puddle of clear water on the floor by the wall.

After leaving Danzo Shimura's hideout, Orochimaru swiftly leaped into the river, lying flat on the riverbed and allowing the current to carry him downstream.

"The time's about right." Orochimaru had traveled underwater for some time before surfacing. He observed the area for a while, and only after confirming no one was following him did he crawl out of the river.

With a puff, white smoke rose from Orochimaru's entire body, and he actually reverted to Zabuza Momochi's appearance.

"Hmph, that brat Naruto really has some tricks up his sleeve." Zabuza Momochi said, "He actually managed to test whether Danzo and Orochimaru were working together."

Time rewound to two days earlier. After the first examination ended, Naruto had gone alone into the forest to look for Zabuza Momochi and Haku, who had secretly infiltrated Konoha.

Back then, Naruto had spoken with Zabuza Momochi and Haku for a long time. There had actually been more to that conversation.

"Remember this: before I become Hokage, you must keep your identities hidden and avoid drawing attention. Once I become Hokage, you'll be able to live openly in Konoha Village." Naruto declared solemnly. "Naruto Uzumaki will protect you."

Zabuza Momochi asked, "What exactly do you want us to do for you?"

"One of Konoha's Three Legendary Ninja, Orochimaru, is about to invade Konoha." Naruto dropped an earth-shattering piece of news.

Zabuza Momochi seemed intrigued. "A rogue ninja returning to the village that raised him to take revenge. Don't you find that ironic?"

"That's exactly why I want to become Hokage." Naruto said gravely. "So that rogue ninja like you will never appear again."

"Heh heh heh... Interesting..."

Naruto laid out his plan. "Orochimaru is returning to Konoha, but I don't know whether anyone in the village is colluding with him. If someone truly is working with Orochimaru, then there can only be one person: Danzo Shimura!"

"Zabuza Momochi, I need you to find Danzo Shimura's hideout in the village, then disguise yourself as Orochimaru and directly pry information out of Danzo Shimura."

"But I've never seen Orochimaru."

"Transformation Technique!" Naruto used the Transformation Technique and turned into Orochimaru. Then he said, "Orochimaru probably looks like this. Just transform into my current appearance."

"Danzo Shimura isn't an ordinary man. He'll probably see through it easily."

"I came prepared." Naruto said confidently. "You only need to say one person's name. Danzo Shimura won't suspect you then. He'll take you for the real Orochimaru."

"Konoha Village's only Wood Release ninja—Yamato! Say that name, and Danzo Shimura will definitely not doubt your identity."

"What?!" Zabuza Momochi was shocked. There was actually still someone in this era who knew how to use Wood Release, and he was hidden within Konoha Village. Just how many secrets did Konoha Village have?

Next, Naruto briefly explained Yamato's information, and Zabuza Momochi accepted Naruto's commission. Of course, Naruto needed to pay Zabuza.

After all, promises were nothing but empty words. Only money was real. Zabuza would not risk his life for Naruto just because the boy said a few words about becoming Hokage. Only when Naruto paid up would Zabuza be willing to work for him.

Returning to the present, in the Forest of Death, the real Orochimaru was confronting Naruto head-on.

Orochimaru had taken the form of a female ninja from Hidden Grass Village and looked down on Naruto with lofty disdain. As one of Konoha's Three Legendary Ninja, he would never take a Konoha Genin before him seriously.

Naruto smiled faintly, wearing a confident expression, because he had long known Orochimaru would not kill him.

Orochimaru had invaded Konoha and launched the massive Konoha Crush Plan. Throughout the entire operation, Orochimaru had only personally killed one person: the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto attacked first, opening with the Shadow Clone Technique he was best at. More than a dozen shadow clones surrounded Orochimaru.

"Shadow Clone Technique." Surrounded by more than a dozen shadow clones, Orochimaru remained perfectly composed. He stood where he was, wanting to see what tricks this Konoha Genin could pull.

More than a dozen of Naruto's shadow clones attacked together, while Orochimaru's body twisted strangely like a constantly writhing snake. Naruto's mere dozen or so shadow clones were instantly struck and dispersed.

"Multiple Shadow Clone Technique!" Naruto continued forming hand seals, releasing more than thirty shadow clones at once and using their numerical advantage to encircle Orochimaru tightly.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Orochimaru's hands withdrew into his sleeves, and several green-spotted snakes suddenly shot out from them. The ugly snakes bit apart several of Naruto's shadow clones in quick succession.

Because Naruto had far too many shadow clones, Orochimaru had no choice but to change techniques. "Striking Snake Havoc!" Even more snakes burst from Orochimaru's lower body and attacked in every direction. The venomous snakes became sharp arrows, charging one after another at Naruto's shadow clones.

After Orochimaru dealt with all of Naruto's shadow clones, he saw that Naruto had already pulled several steel wires taut in his hands. A glance around revealed explosive tags hanging everywhere.

"Explosive tags!" Orochimaru was instantly alarmed. He was not afraid of the explosive tags themselves, but shocked that a Konoha Genin possessed so many. At a rough count, thirty-nine steel wires crisscrossed the area, each covered in explosive tags—at least one thousand five hundred and sixty-two explosive tags in total.

Explosive tags were high-grade ninja tools with tremendous power, no less potent than high-level Fire Release ninjutsu cast by a Jonin. But they were also expensive, and few people were willing to use explosive tags in such large quantities at once.

"Hmph, Orochimaru, you like dancing, don't you?" Naruto said smugly. "Give me a Snake Dance. Explode!"

As Naruto shouted "Explode," all one thousand five hundred and sixty-two explosive tags detonated in succession. Orochimaru moved with astonishing speed, leaping up and down, darting left and right, shifting and evading everywhere. A serpent-like shadow weaved through over a thousand dazzling bursts of flame.

With his extreme speed, Orochimaru dodged half the explosive tag detonations. But then Naruto tightened the steel wires in his hands, shrinking their encirclement. The continuously exploding tags closed in and pressed toward Orochimaru.

Orochimaru finally felt pressure. He had actually been driven into a desperate situation by a Konoha Genin. He rapidly formed hand seals and shouted, "Summoning Technique!"

A giant snake was summoned by Orochimaru. As the remaining explosive tags burst into flames, the snake was immediately blown to a crisp, and the air filled with the scent of roasted meat.

Naruto looked at the dead snake before him. It was merely an ordinary giant snake, not a summoned beast contracted to Orochimaru.

The dead snake seemed to move. A large hole split open in its head, and a soft body crawled out from within, making one's scalp tingle.

"Heh heh heh." Orochimaru laughed. "It seems the Third Hokage treated you quite well, giving you so many explosive tags."