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Even now, people still remembered the name White Fang of Konoha.
Especially among the current exam proctors. Back when they were academy students, the White Fang's reputation had shaken the ninja world. There was no way they hadn't heard of him.
What they didn't expect… was that Natsuki had actually inherited White Fang's kenjutsu.
For a moment, all the proctors looked at him in surprise, and even more so—with hope.
After all, White Fang once outshone even the Sannin. If Natsuki truly had the strength to suppress Orochimaru, then maybe he could buy them enough time for the Hokage to arrive.
But once they recalled Natsuki's age, their hopes dimmed.
He was just too young.
Natsuki didn't bother responding to Orochimaru's mocking words. Lightning flickered along his body and blade. The next second—Zzzt!—he vanished like a bolt of lightning and shot straight toward Orochimaru, blade thrusting forward.
Orochimaru swiftly pulled out a kunai to block, but with a sharp metallic clang, his kunai was sliced clean in two—the cut impossibly smooth.
And then—
A red line bloomed on his neck. His head nearly flew off.
That was it?
The legendary Sannin was… this weak?
Or was Natsuki just too strong?
But Natsuki didn't lower his guard for even a second. He kept his eyes locked on the fallen body.
Sure enough, the corpse's mouth suddenly split open from the inside. A pair of hands tore it apart, and a soaked Orochimaru emerged from within, completely unharmed.
Hisssss!! Still alive!
Everyone gasped in horror. Some of the female examinees couldn't take it and vomited on the spot.
The sheer visual impact of that scene was too much for ordinary people to handle.
"Hehehe… looks like I underestimated you. You've mastered the White Fang's kenjutsu to this level? Then I suppose I'll need to take you seriously," Orochimaru said with a sinister smile.
He opened his mouth wide, and in front of everyone, performed his signature: Man vomits snake, snake vomits sword.
The Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Kusanagi Sword) landed in his hand, and he settled into a ready stance, awaiting Natsuki's next attack.
Natsuki didn't hesitate.
Raiton: Shunshin! (Lightning Style: Instant Step!)
He flashed forward again, his short blade enveloped in lightning. His strikes were blindingly fast, almost impossible to track.
Yet Orochimaru handled it with ease. The air was filled with nothing but the sound of clashing steel and crackling thunder. The ground around them cracked and buckled, air distorted wildly, and their movements were so fast that most couldn't even catch a glimpse.
Too fast.
Only those with strong eyes or sensory skills could even follow their figures.
Sasuke clenched his kunai tightly, his eyes filled with frustration.
He had trained hard for a month under Kakashi—his kenjutsu and Chidori had improved immensely. He'd thought he'd closed the gap between himself and Natsuki.
But now he realized how naive he'd been.
Natsuki hadn't stood still. He'd grown stronger too—and maybe at an even faster rate.
Now, Natsuki could duel one of the Sannin in close combat. Meanwhile, Sasuke couldn't even follow their movements.
The difference… was staggering.
"D-Damn… he's amazing!" one of the other examinees swallowed hard, chills running down their spine.
They never imagined such a powerful monster was hiding among the participants. Just thinking about running into someone like him in the Forest of Death made their scalps tingle.
Orochimaru being strong made sense—he was a Sannin, after all.
But this kid Natsuki?
He was just a Genin.
And yet he was fighting evenly against Orochimaru.
Rumors said he'd learned the White Fang's blade techniques—now everyone saw it with their own eyes.
Was this really what Konoha's Genin were like?
Suddenly—Clang!
Natsuki's short sword was snapped in half by the Kusanagi Sword.
Clearly, Orochimaru's strength was still superior. That sword also gave him an edge.
Natsuki immediately retreated.
But Orochimaru wasn't letting him go. He lunged after him, clearly intent on taking him down.
However—before he got far, he leaped back in surprise.
Shhh!
Three serpent-like blades stabbed into the ground where he'd just been, boring deep holes into the earth.
If he hadn't dodged, those holes would've been in his body.
Orochimaru traced the trajectory back and saw ten girls with twin buns holding strange, scale-patterned swords.
The blades were clearly made of overlapping scales and had three edges. They could extend, twist, and retract at will—comparable to the Kusanagi Sword in lethality.
Thanks to their intervention, Natsuki managed to safely retreat.
"Natsuki, are you okay?!" Tenten called out anxiously.
She stood in front of him, gripping one of the Four Legendary Tools of the Artificer's Village—Ryugan Stretching Sword.
It could extend, retract, and split into three dragon heads. It consumed little chakra and was a superb offensive ninja tool.
Before Tenten graduated, she'd secretly put up a high-priced bounty to acquire the Four Legendary Tools.
It was suspected that Kakuzu had delivered them—because the bounty was that high.
This was one of Tenten's trump cards. She wouldn't normally use it, but in critical moments like this, she could unleash strength on par with a Jōnin. At the very least, she could stall someone like Orochimaru.
Relieved that Natsuki was unharmed, she quickly sheathed the Ryugan Sword on her back and summoned the rest of the Four Tools.
On her body was armor capable of absorbing chakra.
In her hands—two more weapons: the Peacock Sword, which controlled wind, and the Light Blade, which emitted flames.
Fully equipped, she looked formidable.
Tenten activated both swords.
Fwoooosh!
Wind and flames surged out at once, creating a blazing firestorm that exploded toward Orochimaru, forcing him to leap back.
Everyone watching was stunned.
No one expected this twin-bun girl from Konoha to be so powerful.
She'd just pushed back Orochimaru.
Team 7 was the most surprised of all.
"So this is what Kakashi-sensei meant when he said Tenten's fighting style was special. That was her trump card, huh? She's incredible!"
Even Orochimaru was intrigued.
He chuckled with interest and gave rare praise.
"You must be Natsuki's girlfriend—Tenten, was it? Impressive talent for ninja tool control."
Coming from one of the Sannin, that was no small compliment.
Natsuki returned to Tenten's side and pulled out another short sword—but as he looked at the Kusanagi Sword in Orochimaru's hand, he frowned.
Another short blade wouldn't gain him anything.
Maybe it was time… to use that sword.
Shino stepped forward and released a swarm of bugs to form a shield in front of Natsuki, guarding against a surprise attack.
But Orochimaru didn't move.
He clearly wasn't worried—at least not until the Hokage arrived.
The surrounding proctors were all on edge, but none dared to act recklessly.
They knew very well—they weren't a match for Orochimaru. Charging in now would just be suicide.
Better to form a perimeter and buy time.
The Hokage would arrive soon.
But then—
Orochimaru swept his eyes over the crowd.
BOOM.
An explosion of murderous intent surged from his gaze, sweeping over the examinees and proctors like a tsunami.
Everyone froze.
Those with weaker mental strength either collapsed on the spot or vomited uncontrollably.
Orochimaru's bloodlust… was overwhelming.
(End of Chapter)
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