"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
A scorching fireball burst from the mouth of a young Uchiha shinobi bearing the clan's fan crest on the back of his shirt. The blazing flames instantly engulfed and incinerated his target.
"Ninja Art: Thousand Needles of Rain!"
A paper umbrella spun into the air, releasing a barrage of senbon needles. A shriek followed immediately.
The metallic clang of kunai clashing, the deafening explosions of paper bombs—chaos consumed the entire exam grounds. The once open plaza had become a battleground, and there was nowhere to run. Once targeted, you had only one option: defeat your enemy. Running blindly risked stumbling into someone else's fight and becoming collateral damage.
Of course, there were exceptions—like the Iwagakure shinobi who Tsunade and Orochimaru had encountered on their way to the written exam. That same ninja and his teammates now soared above the fray atop a massive white bird, watching the brawl unfold beneath them.
With no one possessing anti-air capabilities, no one could touch them.
Coupled with his slicked-back golden hair, he radiated an air of absolute superiority.
And yet, most of the other examinees were helpless.
Genin battles rarely involved flashy jutsu or intricate illusions. Most relied on taijutsu and ninja tools. That's not to say jutsu weren't used—but they were usually trump cards, never deployed lightly.
Casualties quickly piled up. It felt like the First Great Ninja War all over again—except there would be no backup this time. Only finishing blows.
The proctors stood off to the side, coldly observing the carnage, just as they had declared before: the only rule in this exam… is that there are no rules.
Whoosh!
A kunai tore through the air, aimed at the "unconscious" Erha lying on the ground. Yet, at that moment, the silent pup flipped up dramatically, caught the kunai in his mouth, then landed gracefully and spat it out with flair.
"Orochimaru-sama, it appears we can't avoid fighting after all."
Erha spoke as he backed up beside Tsunade, casually wiping tomato ketchup off his head and licking it clean. Waste not, want not.
"…"
So you were faking all along?!
Orochimaru was speechless.
Glancing at the equally silent Tsunade, Orochimaru couldn't help but think: like master, like pet—there was some truth to the saying after all.
"Secret Water Style: Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death!"
But the Mist Ninja clearly had no intention of giving Orochimaru and company time to reflect on their stagecraft. Their leader attacked first. From a pouch, he flung water into the air which instantly transformed into icy senbon, forming a fan shape as they shot toward them.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Orochimaru instantly formed hand seals and exhaled a violent gust of wind, scattering the senbon and disrupting the formation of the three advancing Mist ninja.
Just then, two hands emerged from the ground beneath Tsunade, grabbing her ankles and yanking down hard.
Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!
The moment the Mist ninja exerted strength, the "captured" Tsunade exploded—into bundles of paper bombs. Judging by volume, there were at least several hundred.
BOOM!!!
A thunderous blast echoed as smoke and dust engulfed the area.
High above, the real Tsunade leapt into the air. She looked down at the massive crater with a sneer on her lips.
"Hmph, stupid peasants."
That was money down there, after all. Tsunade had only dared to be so wasteful thanks to her recent lucky draw from the system. This kind of flashy "Wealth Style" wasn't cheap.
That said, Tsunade was merely a chakra-depleted shadow clone at the moment. Her only viable counterattack option was using paper bombs. If she had full chakra, she'd much rather introduce her enemies to the beauty of physical violence.
However, caught up in her moment of self-satisfaction, Tsunade forgot that real battles weren't turn-based RPGs. While she was still basking in the thrill of being extravagantly ruthless, the Mist ninja had already completed another set of hand seals. A thick, sticky liquid sprayed from his mouth.
"Water Style: Syrup Capture Field!"
"Big Bro!"
Erha, now buried in the dirt with only his head visible—caught in an enemy jutsu at some point—called out urgently. But Tsunade, suspended in midair, had no footing to dodge. She could only watch as the gooey liquid splattered across her.
Immobilized, Tsunade crashed to the ground.
A Mist ninja appeared behind her, placing a sharp kunai against her delicate neck. It was the same one who had first attacked using Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death.
"So this is the extent of the famed Senju Clan?"
Her tone was smug—giving Tsunade that familiar, irritating vibe she usually got when talking to a typical Uchiha.
"If you've got guts, let me go and fight me fair and square! Sneak attacks aren't manly at all!"
The sticky syrup from that jutsu made movement impossible, and Tsunade was now drenched. Furious, yes—but as a shadow clone running on fumes, she could only run her mouth.
We might lose the fight, but we win the trash talk!
"I'm a woman."
"Orz..."
Forgive my poor eyesight—do all users of Thousand Flying Water Needles of Death look like the opposite gender?!
Tsunade: Trash talk defeated.
"Orochimaru, stop now. Your teammate is in my hands."
The androgynous female Mist ninja turned her glare toward Orochimaru mid-battle, her tone threatening.
Orochimaru paused, halting his fight against the three Mist ninja—who immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"Are you threatening me?"
Orochimaru's vertical pupils narrowed slightly as he coldly eyed the Mist ninja holding Tsunade.
He looked battered—hair disheveled, clothes torn—but more terrifyingly bloodthirsty than ever. The three Mist ninja involuntarily stepped back, watching Orochimaru warily. They feared he might ignore his comrade's safety and attack anyway.
His ruthless style moments ago had left them shaken.
"Yes. Unless you want her to die."
The alien-faced Mist woman said calmly, pressing the kunai in deeper. Blood trickled from Tsunade's neck, the icy sting shooting straight to her brain.
I'm gonna die!
Even as a shadow clone, that thought was real—and the sensation would be transmitted to the original body.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hand: Exploding Snake Strikes!"
Orochimaru responded with action.
A giant snake burst forth and lunged, jaws wide, devouring both the Mist ninja and Tsunade.
BOOM!!!
The snake exploded violently, chunks of flesh flying everywhere. Watching this gruesome scene, Orochimaru grinned, licking his lips with a long, serpentine tongue.
Back when he'd unleashed Wind Style: Great Breakthrough, he'd been blown up by the paper bombs Tsunade had carelessly tossed around…
So yeah, his current sorry state? Mostly Tsunade's fault.
The remaining Mist ninja trembled with fear.
They never expected Orochimaru to sacrifice his comrade just to kill the enemy.
Absolutely ruthless.
(End of Chapter)