"Orochimaru!"
A furious, piercing roar echoed through the air.
Anko, kunai in hand, landed with lightning speed on the faded snakeskin on the ground.
"Damn it, more shed skin!"
"Who is he fighting? Why is he shedding so much?"
Filled with doubt and confusion, Anko continued to weave swiftly through the branches.
"Never mind that. This time, I'm settling things with him!" she muttered. "I'll use everything he taught me to kill him, even if it costs me my life!"
As she spoke, Anko saw Orochimaru's body lying on the ground, mouth agape, and standing in front of it were two people.
"Examinees from Four-Star Village and survivors of the Uchiha clan..."
Could they be the ones forcing Orochimaru to keep shedding his skin and fleeing? Impossible. They're just genin taking the exam...
Frowning, Anko landed but didn't immediately question them. Instead, she quickly examined the shed snakeskin on the ground.
"It's another shed skin. He's been here recently."
She abruptly turned, her expression serious as she looked at Sasuke and Haku.
"Did you see the ninja who shed this body?" she asked. "He's an S-rank criminal on the wanted list. Extremely dangerous. Not someone you can handle—"
Before Anko could finish, Sasuke impatiently cut her off.
"An S-rank wanted criminal?"
"Hmph. Just a useless piece of trash who only knows how to run away."
Possessing the terrifying Nine-Tails chakra granted by Menma, Sasuke was incredibly arrogant. Even Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin, could only feign death and flee after being beaten by him.
He felt that if he had a few more tails' worth of chakra and practiced using it more, he could defeat Itachi Uchiha himself.
And there was Naruto, who also had two tails running rampant but couldn't control them. Sasuke couldn't wait to mock him later.
"It takes this long to deal with a trash summoning beast? We might as well just give him the Nine-Tails' power."
"You!" The arrogant Sasuke infuriated Anko.
She was about to teach him a lesson in respect for his seniors when her raised hand was grabbed by the smiling Haku.
"The person you're looking for is ahead. Those scattered on the ground are him."
"What!?" Anko looked in the direction Haku was pointing, her face filled with disbelief. "Orochimaru... he's dead?"
"Impossible! Only I could kill him..."
Filled with shock and despair, Haku stumbled and ran toward the body.
Having pointed Anko in the right direction, Haku turned his gaze back to Sasuke.
"I don't understand why Menma values you so much, but I'm just a tool in his hands. I have no time to concern myself with such matters."
Zabuza was Menma's tool, and he was Zabuza's tool—so he was merely a tool for a tool.
"However, I must remind you: head to Four-Star Village as soon as the exam ends."
"Otherwise, you probably wouldn't want to experience that scorching heat, burning every cell in your body..."
Because of the immense power granted by Menma, Haku could now easily annihilate the Hidden Mist's pursuit force without killing a single person. There was no need to worry about his safety anymore.
Furthermore, they were given a stable hiding place, no longer needing to constantly run.
Therefore, Haku was quite satisfied with his current situation and had developed a loyalty to Menma second only to Zabuza. He naturally handled matters with utmost diligence and responsibility.
Besides, he was even thinking about getting Menma to lift the restrictions on him and Zabuza in the future.
"Hmph, I will go. You don't need to warn me!"
Sasuke certainly wouldn't let go of such powerful abilities so easily. If it weren't for Menma telling him to go to Four-Star Village after the exam before disappearing, he would probably want to leave immediately.
As for the searing flames, did they compare to the heartache of the night of the massacre? As long as he could successfully avenge himself, he was willing to do anything.
"It's good that you understand."
With those words, Haku quickly left. He was genuinely worried about Karin's safety, leaving her with an ordinary genin.
Seeing Haku leave, Sasuke walked toward Sakura, who was hiding behind a tree in the distance. She breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing Sasuke back beside her, the matter seemingly resolved.
Then, with concern, she asked, "Sasuke, what's your relationship with that Four-Star Village ninja? And who was that mysterious person? Did he really give you the same tailed beast chakra as Naruto? Could they have ulterior motives toward you, or—"
Hearing Sakura's rapid-fire questions, Sasuke frowned and interrupted her.
"My affairs are none of your business!"
"Don't act like we're close. We're just comrades in battle, not your partners."
Having already sold his soul to the devil, Sasuke didn't intend to cling to the bonds with his comrades. To avoid being unable to bring himself to fight when they were enemies later and to avoid being influenced by these emotions and becoming weak and powerless.
"Sasuke, you..."
Sakura didn't know what was wrong with Sasuke again. Everyone's relationship had improved, and she had even started to care more about Naruto and not dislike him anymore, just as Sasuke had suggested. But why was he suddenly cold and distant toward her again?
Could it be because of that guy named Haku, and the mysterious person who suddenly appeared?
She really wanted to ask, but seeing Sasuke's aloof expression from that year, she kept her mouth shut.
Thump!
Not far away, Anko returned carrying half of a white serpent's body. She threw the snake in front of Sasuke, questioning him with a scrutinizing expression.
"Where did that Four-Star Village ninja go?"
"I need you to report what just happened to me. This concerns the safety of the village!"
Anko simply couldn't believe that Orochimaru could be killed so easily by a genin. If he were really that easy to kill, Orochimaru would have died a thousand times over and wouldn't be such a thorn in Konoha's side.
"I killed this piece of trash who tried to attack me. It's that simple."
Sasuke glanced coldly at Anko, a fleeting golden-red glint in his eyes. Then, without looking back, he dashed away in the direction where Naruto and Manda had fought.
Anko was startled by Sasuke's gaze. It was as if she were facing some terrifying monster.
"Could it really be him...?"
Anko was now genuinely starting to believe Sasuke's words. However, while she couldn't get information from Sasuke, she clearly could from Sakura. She immediately turned and grabbed Sakura's wrist, pulling her back as she was about to leave.
She threatened, "If you don't want to be eliminated, tell me everything you just saw. Including what Orochimaru said and how he was killed!"
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