Battle Against Orochimaru (Part One)

Two days later, at dawn, Training Ground Six.

Sunlight filtered through the leaves onto the clearing. Nara Tsukimi had arrived early. Dressed in a crisp black uniform, he sat against a tree with his hands in his pockets, looking half asleep.

Before long, footsteps approached. Tsukimi looked up to see Asuma strolling over with a blade of grass between his teeth, greeting him as he walked.

"Tsukimi, you're here early!"

Why's this guy acting like he's out for a stroll?

Tsukimi's mouth twitched. He seriously doubted that old man Sarutobi had told Asuma who his supervising Jonin would be. Otherwise, there was no way the guy would be so carefree.

He sure knows how to set his son up!

"Being late is a major taboo for a Ninja, Asuma. Don't take after Obito."

Before Tsukimi could speak, a voice came from the entrance to the training ground.

Kurenai Yuhi walked toward them. Today, she wore a dark red short-sleeved top and dark trousers, her hair tied back in a ponytail. She looked neat and capable. After two years of training with Tsukimi and the others, she had shed her old softness and already carried a hint of the poised woman she would become.

"Do either of you know who our supervising Jonin is? Dad didn't tell me yesterday."

When she reached them, her red eyes moved between the two with curiosity.

"I don't know either. I asked my old man yesterday, but he wouldn't tell me. Tsukimi, do you know?"

Asuma scratched his head and looked to Tsukimi for an answer, plainly at a loss.

Tsukimi nearly laughed. The people of Konoha loved playing mysterious. Enough with the riddles already!

"I don't know either, but I have a guess. It's—"

Before he could finish, Tsukimi caught a sharp chemical smell: formalin. The other two noticed it as well. All trace of ease vanished as they tensed. Asuma drew Flying Swallow, while Kurenai pulled out a kunai and took a defensive stance.

"Looks like our supervising Jonin is here."

A breeze rustled the leaves, and a white figure emerged slowly from the woods.

Orochimaru wore a white robe, his skin so pale it seemed he had spent years out of the sun. His golden snake eyes swept over the three of them. An oppressive gloom accompanied him as he walked steadily to the center of the clearing.

So it is you, Orochimaru! Hiruzen Sarutobi has balance down to an art. He's given the Three Clans their due, brought me into the Hokage's line of succession, and pulled Orochimaru away from Root.

Not that it'll do much good. Orochimaru's probably already come into contact with Hashirama Cells.

Yep, that's the smell. Did he come straight from the lab?

"I am Orochimaru, your squad's supervising Jonin."

His probing gaze settled on Tsukimi. Nothing in his even tone betrayed what he was thinking.

The other two finally recovered. Asuma spat out the grass, and he and Kurenai bowed slightly, both a little stiff. Neither had expected their supervising Jonin to be Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin.

Orochimaru's gaze lingered on Tsukimi. After receiving the Third Hokage's assignment two days ago, he had gathered information on the boy. Tsukimi's altered Shadow Secret Technique had caught his interest.

A faint smile appeared on Orochimaru's face, and his raspy voice sounded again.

"Before we begin in earnest, I need to see what you can do."

He raised his right hand. Two bells hung from his fingers, chiming clearly as he gave them a gentle shake.

"The bell test. It isn't good for much, but it will suffice to measure your abilities. Your goal is to take these two bells from me within ten minutes. Use any means you like."

"Begin!"

At his words, Asuma and Kurenai grew serious at once. An ordinary Jonin's test would be difficult enough, let alone one set by a legendary Sannin.

Both looked toward Tsukimi. After two years of training and sparring together, they knew his strength and trusted his judgment.

Tsukimi shed his lazy air too. Orochimaru only meant to test the three of them and would not use his full strength, but they still had no chance in a direct fight.

Besides, a certain peeping tom was probably watching.

We'll need a plan.

Tsukimi kept his expression mild as he rapidly worked out a strategy. Once he had settled on one, the three moved a little farther away, and he laid out the plan.

In the Hokage's office, the crystal ball sat before Hiruzen Sarutobi as always, showing Training Ground Six. Mitokado Homura and Utatane Koharu watched beside him.

Seeing that the three had chosen to discuss tactics instead of rushing in, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a puff of smoke and nodded approvingly.

"Facing Orochimaru without losing their composure, and knowing to work together. They're far more levelheaded than others their age."

Back on the training ground, the three finished their discussion and returned to the clearing, taking up their positions. Orochimaru stood where he was, watching with interest.

"Go!"

At Tsukimi's signal, he formed hand signs. The shadows beneath his feet churned, and Shadowkhan poured out. Nearly two hundred figures from six divisions spread across the entire training ground.

The mass of shadows advanced in layers. Those in front closed in to grapple, the middle ranks blocked escape routes with blades, and those in the rear attacked from above. They pressed Orochimaru with sheer numbers.

At the same time, Tsukimi formed more hand signs from the rear. Shadows gathered into Shuriken and shot through gaps in the Shadowkhan's ranks. Attacks from near and far overlapped, giving Orochimaru no chance to pull away.

Orochimaru remained still, his golden snake eyes taking in every attack. Tsukimi's shadow Shuriken intrigued him even more.

"Oh? Shape transformation through Yin Release?"

Orochimaru flicked his right hand, dropping a kunai into his grip. Facing the swarm of shadows, he moved as though his bones had vanished. His upper body tilted aside while his feet slid back, and with small, fluid shifts, he evaded countless slashes.

The Shadowkhan that reached him had no time to pull back before his kunai swept through them. A cold flash split their black bodies apart. He wove through the crowd on elusive steps, every movement precise, every lift of his hand effortlessly breaking another encirclement.

In the next instant, the shadow Shuriken were upon him. Orochimaru calmly turned aside and tried to parry one with his kunai. The moment the weapons touched, something strange happened: the shadow Shuriken turned fluid and coiled up along the blade.

Orochimaru's eyes lit up. He immediately sent a pulse of Chakra through the kunai, shaking the shadow free. He abandoned parrying and focused on evasion.