boyutpedia Chapter 77 Orochimaru VS Itachi
Chapter 77 Orochimaru VS Itachi
Chapter 77 Orochimaru VS Itachi (Eight chapters combined into one, please vote with monthly tickets)
However, Naruto, Sakura, and Ino clearly hadn't yet figured out what had happened.
Their understanding of illusion techniques was still limited to the rudimentary theories taught at the ninja academy, and they had never even heard of such a high-level illusion technique duel.
Naruto pointed at the screen, puzzled, and asked, "Kakashi-sensei, why is that guy in the weird clothes talking to a big tree?"
Kakashi shook his head and patiently explained to his disciples, "He has fallen under Itachi's genjutsu."
"Illusion?" the children asked in unison, their faces full of curiosity.
"Hmm." Kakashi took the opportunity to teach Naruto and Sakura, "Genjutsu is a ninjutsu that can directly affect the enemy's mind. By disrupting their chakra flow, it controls their five senses, causing them to fall into various illusions. Powerful genjutsu can even cause the victim to experience unbearable torment within the illusion, ultimately leading to a mental breakdown. Orochimaru's reaction now clearly shows that he mistook that tree for Itachi. Everything he sees, hears, and feels has been distorted by Itachi's genjutsu."
"Oh, I see!" After listening to Kakashi's simple explanation, the three little ones suddenly understood, and their faces showed expressions of surprise and admiration.
"Ugh, this guy's too weak!" Naruto immediately curled his lip in disdain, put his hands behind his head, and mocked in a tone of someone who'd been there all along, "He can't even see through genjutsu. I think he's not even as good as that rogue ninja Zabuza from Kirigakure! Kakashi-sensei, didn't you say before that Zabuza almost broke free from Sasuke's genjutsu just by his own willpower?"
He recalled the scene back in the Land of Waves when Sasuke used his Sharingan to cast a genjutsu on Zabuza.
Kakashi shook his head, his expression serious, and corrected him, "No, Naruto, you're wrong. This guy—"
Orochimaru is far more powerful than Zabuza; in fact, they're on completely different levels.
At this point, Kakashi's brows furrowed slightly again, and a hint of doubt flashed in the one eye that was exposed.
That doesn't make sense.
While Itachi's strength was undeniable, he had never doubted that, but surely it shouldn't be able to so easily overwhelm Orochimaru?
Orochimaru, as one of the legendary Sannin, is a top-tier figure in the ninja world in terms of strength, experience, and intellect.
His strength was so terrifying that even the Third Hokage found it troublesome.
And Itachi—how old is he now?
Even if he is an unparalleled genius of the Uchiha clan, it is impossible for him to have grown to this level in such a short period of time.
There must be some reason he doesn't know.
on the screen.
Orochimaru, completely unaware that he had fallen into Itachi's meticulously crafted illusion, continued to rave about to the tree, which was tightly coiled by a giant snake and nearly snapped in two, spewing his chillingly twisted pronouncements: "Hehehe—your body—your eyes—if I obtain them, I can achieve eternal, perfect life! I can perceive all the truths of this world!"
His voice was hoarse and shrill, filled with a morbid longing, and his golden snake eyes flashed with a mad light.
Sasuke, standing to the side, rolled his eyes and chuckled disdainfully to himself.
This guy is so incompetent, he's pitifully naive.
I still haven't realized I've been infected; I'm still babbling nonsense at a broken tree.
What a disgrace!
Uchiha Itachi, on the other hand, maintained his indifferent expression, with a hint of disgust and impatience in his eyes.
He had always looked down on Orochimaru, a madman who was obsessed with forbidden techniques and distorted the meaning of life.
He remained completely unmoved by Orochimaru's ravings, merely giving him a wary look as if he were looking at an ant.
Then he coldly uttered a few words.
"A pointless delusion."
The moment Itachi finished speaking, Orochimaru's golden snake eyes, which were flashing with greed, suddenly narrowed, and the smug look on his face froze instantly!
He stared in shock and disbelief at the massive tree in front of him, which was tightly bound by the giant snake, as if someone had poured a bucket of ice water over his head. His expression instantly became blank.
"I—I've actually fallen under a genjutsu?!" Orochimaru struggled to twist his snake-like, supple neck.
He looked at the composed and indifferent Uchiha Itachi with an expression of utter disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.
"I can't move my body! What level of illusion is this?!"
He could clearly feel that his body was bound by countless invisible locks, making it extremely difficult to even move a finger.
However, the next second, the shock and fear on Orochimaru's face were replaced by a more intense and insane greed as he stared intently into Itachi's extraordinary eyes.
At this moment, in Itachi's eyes, the originally dark and deep pupils had developed strange patterns around them, resembling three rapidly spinning black windmill blades. These patterns were completely different from the three-tomoe form of the ordinary Sharingan, exuding a chilling and eerie beauty and unfathomable terrifying eye power.
"Is this... the legendary Mangekyou Sharingan?!"
Orochimaru's breathing suddenly became heavy, and his eyes flashed with an almost crazed light, as if he had seen the most precious treasure in the world.
"What powerful eye power! What perfect eyes! Is this the true power of the Uchiha clan?!"
He extended his long, snake-like tongue and greedily licked his pale, chapped lips, his voice hoarse and excited, filled with undisguised possessiveness: "Absolutely—fantastic! Absolutely perfect! These eyes, I must have them!"
"The Kaleidoscope Sharingan?"
Upon hearing this unfamiliar term, Sasuke's heart skipped a beat, and a hint of curiosity and longing flashed in his eyes. "What is that? It sounds more powerful than a regular three-tomoe Sharingan?"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Since Itachi was facing away from Sasuke and quite far away, Sasuke didn't notice what his brother's eyes looked like. However, this didn't stop him from developing a strong interest in this new term and a great thirst for knowledge.
He had a vague feeling that the Mangekyou Sharingan might be the key to unlocking the mystery of the Uchiha clan's power.
Just then, Orochimaru, who was trapped in the genjutsu and whose body was bound, let out a roar of unwillingness. His golden snake eyes burst forth with astonishing willpower as he twisted his hands with difficulty, seemingly trying to break free from Itachi's genjutsu control and withstand the mental restraint that was like Mount Tai pressing down on him. He attempted to form hand seals and release ninjutsu to counterattack.
Seeing this, Itachi's eyes also flashed with a hint of surprise.
Orochimaru, as expected of one of the Legendary Sannin, is indeed not so easy to deal with.
However, despite his surprise, Itachi did not hesitate or waver in his actions.
He would show absolutely no mercy or leniency towards an extremely dangerous enemy like Orochimaru.
A flash of cold light appeared in Itachi's right hand, and an extremely sharp, specially made kunai silently appeared in his hand.
With a flick of his wrist, the kunai, gleaming with a chilling light, traced a cold arc, like the judgment of death, precisely slicing through Orochimaru's right hand, which was attempting to form hand seals!
"puff!"
A soft yet clear sound of flesh tearing rang out, accompanied by a spray of warm blood that splattered out, tracing a bleak arc in the sunlight through the forest.
Orochimaru's entire right hand was cleanly severed by Itachi, falling onto the dew-covered grass, blood gushing from the cut!
"All your struggles are futile and have no effect in the face of my eyes."
Itachi's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
"Nissan—"
Sasuke watched from the sidelines, equally envious.
Is this the true power of the Sharingan?
too strong!
Compared to Nisan's overwhelming strength, my development and application of the Sharingan are far from sufficient!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
The excruciating pain from his severed wrist allowed Orochimaru to temporarily break free from the terrifying genjutsu control of Tsukuyomi.
He clutched his severed right wrist, which was bleeding profusely. His body trembled violently from the excruciating pain, and his face turned ashen, deathly pale. His golden snake eyes were filled with madness and incredulous horror.
"What a boastful tone, Uchiha Itachi!"
auditorium.
"Wow! Is this Sasuke's older brother? He's so handsome! Absolutely stunning!!"
Ino watched Itachi's decisive slashes on the screen, and his cold, indifferent, and all-controlling expression in the face of a powerful enemy. She couldn't help but let out an excited scream, her eyes sparkling with admiration.
"That's right! That's amazing!" Sakura nodded frantically in agreement. "I never expected Sasuke's brother to be so calm and decisive during a battle. He's so reliable!"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Yamanaka Ino have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
[Ding! Sakura Haruno's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
"Tch, those two brothers are both show-offs." Naruto muttered under his breath, pursing his lips.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Kakashi stared at Itachi's Sharingan in the image, thoughtfully touching his chin with a deep gaze.
"The Mangekyou Sharingan?"
on the screen.
Holding a blood-dripping kunai, its sharp tip pointed at the pale-faced Orochimaru, his eyes were as cold as frost.
"If you killed these faceless ninjas, then you have violated the laws of Konoha! I, Uchiha Itachi, in my capacity as captain of the First Division of the Konoha Police Force, hereby formally arrest you!"
"You're not qualified to act recklessly within Konoha! Konoha's S-rank rogue ninja—Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru's face was grim as he clutched his bloodied, severed wrist, his golden snake eyes burning with fury.
Are you kidding me!
He's one of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru!
"Meow-."
Orochimaru let out a low, eerie laugh.
"Uchiha-haired guy—you're good—very good—"
Just when the tension was at its peak and a fight was about to break out, a sudden change occurred!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Several kunai and shuriken, gleaming with a cold light, shot out from the dense forest behind Itachi without warning, like venomous snakes emerging from their holes!
The target is aimed directly at Itachi's vest, a vital spot!
The speed and the angle were so sharp that it was clearly a premeditated sneak attack.
The person who made the move was none other than the gray-haired, bespectacled young man who had led them here earlier and claimed to be sent by the Fourth Hokage to assist the police department.
However, faced with this sudden betrayal and deadly attack, Itachi Uchiha seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Without even turning his head, he simply shifted his body slightly and effortlessly dodged all the incoming hidden weapons in an unbelievable manner.
Several kunai and shuriken flew past his clothes, embedding themselves deeply in the ground in front of him.
"Hmph, you really are suspicious!" Itachi slowly turned around, his gaze turning cold as he looked at the gray-haired youth, his tone calm.
Yet it carried with it an air of knowing everything all along.
From the very beginning, he felt that there was something wrong with this suddenly appearing helper, but he never expected that the other party would choose to make a move at this time.
The gray-haired youth remained calm when his sneak attack failed. He simply pushed up his glasses, and a slightly cold glint flashed in his eyes behind the lenses.
"Hehehe - Kabuto! You timed it perfectly!" Orochimaru laughed hoarsely and triumphantly upon seeing this.
Despite the excruciating pain from his severed wrist, he leaped backward, quickly creating a distance of dozens of meters between himself and Itachi Uchiha, and arrived beside the gray-haired youth known as "Kabuto".
Orochimaru's most loyal and capable subordinate, Kabuto Yakushi, finally tore off his disguise and revealed his true colors.
He gave Uchiha Itachi a playful smile.
"So what? Uchiha Itachi, even if you've realized my identity, it's too late now—look at your precious little brother!"
"What?!"
Upon hearing this, Itachi's heart tightened.
The next second, a faint but clear "sizzling" burning sound suddenly came from the direction where Sasuke was!
"Sasuke!"
Itachi's expression changed drastically, and he turned around abruptly!
Meanwhile, Sasuke, who had been intently watching Itachi and Orochimaru's fight, finally realized that something was wrong.
He instinctively lowered his head, his pupils suddenly contracting.
Suddenly, he noticed that several explosive tags had been silently placed at his feet.
At this moment, the detonating tags were already igniting with tiny sparks and flashing a dangerous red light, clearly indicating that they had entered the final detonation stage.
"Wh--when?!"
Sasuke was horrified.
He had been so focused on the fight between his brother Itachi and Orochimaru that he hadn't noticed when the gray-haired, bespectacled guy had approached him.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
"BOOM!!!!!"
Just as Sasuke was filled with horror, the explosive tags exploded!
A sudden burst of intense, blinding light erupted, followed by a deafening roar.
A terrifying shockwave, carrying scorching air and countless broken tree branches, swept wildly in all directions.
The ground trembled violently, as if an earth dragon were turning over.
At the critical moment, Itachi Uchiha appeared in front of Sasuke like a ghost, tightly protecting the still-shaken Sasuke in his arms.
As the smoke and dust from the explosion gradually dissipated, Itachi, carrying Sasuke, dodged a few times and hid behind a relatively safe boulder.
He put Sasuke down and anxiously checked on his younger brother: "Sasuke! How are you? Are you hurt?"
Sasuke was still in shock, his face pale, and his ears ringing. It took him several seconds to come to his senses.
He shook his head, his voice trembling slightly: "I—I'm fine, Nii-san—"
Itachi breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Sasuke was indeed alright.
He turned around abruptly, his gaze sharp as he looked towards the spot where the explosion had occurred.
All that remained was a huge, charred crater and a blurry trail of blood; there was no trace of Orochimaru or Kabuto.
Those two guys actually managed to escape during the chaos of the explosion.
Itachi glanced at it indifferently, his handsome face covered with frost.
If choosing a village already violated his taboo, then attacking his younger brother was a taboo within a taboo.
Just then, from deep within the forest, Orochimaru's hoarse and malicious voice faintly echoed, like the voice of Bones, reverberating through the woods:
"Hehehe—the collapse of Konoha has begun! Uchiha Itachi! You can't escape! We'll meet again very soon—hehehehehe—"
The sound faded into the distance, eventually disappearing at the edge of the dense forest, leaving only a chilling echo.
[This time, the dream-fulfilling recipient is: Uchiha Sasuke]
[Viewers: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, Ino Yamanaka]
[Total Emotion Points Gain: 30200!]
[Current sentiment score balance: 245631 points!]
[Current Dream Fulfillment Level: Level 3 (300131/300000)]
The upgrade requirements have been met. Upgrade now?
[The Dream Master System has been successfully upgraded!]
Please select one of the following enhancement effects.
[1. Number of people achieving the dream goal +1]
[2. Dream Dungeon Expansion Pack: Slam Dunk]
3. Increased Dream Intensity (You can choose a more powerful dream-fulfilling target)
Shi Yu's gaze swept over the three options for a moment before finally settling on the third one, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
The first option, increasing the number of people who can fulfill their dreams, is certainly tempting.
Having an extra goal means having an extra stable source of emotional value.
However, he now faces many limitations, and simply increasing the target number is not cost-effective.
The second option, the Slam Dunk expansion pack, was completely ignored by him.
Are you kidding me? In Naruto, a world where everything is capable of destruction, you're talking about basketball?
Do you want to see Naruto dunk on you with a Rasengan, or Sasuke perform a Chidori three-pointer?
In contrast, the third option, "increased dream intensity," is the real need right now.
This means he will have the opportunity to bring some powerful individuals into his dream theater!
Kakashi, Tu Zi Ge, Weasel, even the Pot Shadow and the Hokage
Each of these characters carries a past and obsessions unimaginable to ordinary people, and their inner emotional fluctuations...
Once successfully ignited, the emotional impact it can generate is substantial.
"This is the one!" Shigure thought to herself without further hesitation.
System upgrade successful
[Current Dream Fulfillment Level: 4 (300131/400000)]
[Target number of participants: 2]
Number of viewers: 4
[Dreamscape Dungeon Cap: 1]
[Current Dream Instance: The Undying Light]
Looking at the refreshed data on the system panel, Shi Yu nodded in satisfaction.
The next day, early in the morning.
Inside a makeshift tent erected on the border of the Land of Waves.
Kakashi was jolted awake from his sleep. He sat up abruptly, his brows furrowed.
The scenes from last night's dream still replayed vividly in his mind.
In particular, Orochimaru's words when he left weighed heavily on his mind.
"Most of the things in this dream correspond to reality —"
Throughout his life, the dreams he had seen through that eerie theater often bore a striking resemblance to certain events in reality, and could even foreshadow some future developments.
In the dream, Orochimaru reveals his intention to attack Konoha. Does this mean that in reality, Orochimaru is also secretly plotting a conspiracy against Konoha?
The thought of this possibility gave Kakashi a headache.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying Orochimaru was.
If that man really intends to harm Konoha, the consequences will be unimaginable.
He even considered whether he should immediately abandon the current escort mission and rush back to Konoha to report this important information to the Third Hokage in person.
Just as Kakashi was feeling uneasy and weighing the pros and cons, the tent flap was suddenly yanked open.
"Kakashi-sensei! Why aren't you ready yet? The sun's practically high in the sky, we should be heading out!"
Naruto's signature loud voice rang out.
Kakashi looked up and saw Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, and Tazuna, all dressed and ready to go, standing outside the tent.
"Ah, sorry, sorry," Kakashi quickly replied, getting up from his bedding. "Please wait a moment, I'll be right there."
He quickly packed his bags while rapidly organizing his thoughts.
Although Naruto and his friends' escort mission seemed simple, it was of paramount importance to these three newly graduated genin.
This is related to whether they are qualified to participate in the Chunin Selection Exams, which will be jointly held by Konoha and Sunagakure soon.
The Chunin Exams are not only a test of the genin's strength, but also an important platform for villages to demonstrate their power and win more high-level missions.
If Class 7 misses this opportunity due to mission failure, it will undoubtedly be a significant blow to their growth.
While Orochimaru's information was indeed urgent, it only came from a dream, and its authenticity remains to be verified.
If it turns out to be just a false alarm, and it delays the disciples' future, it would be a loss that outweighs the gain.
Kakashi pondered for a moment and quickly made a decision.
He decided to send this information back to Konoha as quickly as possible, so that the Third Hokage could make a decision and investigate.
Then, Class 7 sped up as much as possible to complete their mission in the Land of Waves and return to their village as soon as possible.
This ensures timely transmission of information without delaying the disciples' participation in the Chunin Exams.
Having made up his mind, Kakashi's movements became more swift.
He quickly packed his bags, took out a blank scroll and pen and ink from his ninja tool bag, and leaned over the simple wooden box to quickly write down the doubts about Orochimaru and his own worries from last night's dream.
After finishing writing, he carefully rolled up the scroll, formed hand seals, and uttered a low chant: "Spirit Communication Technique!"
"Boom!"
A puff of white smoke dissipated, and a deaf, wrinkled, and languid pug appeared before Kakashi.
Wearing a Konoha headband and a blue vest, it is Pakkun, one of Kakashi's ninja dogs.
As soon as Parker appeared, he yawned impatiently and complained in his distinctive hoarse voice, "What's going on, Kakashi? You woke me up so early in the morning, don't you know I'm still half asleep?"
"Puck, we have an urgent mission this time." Kakashi's expression was unusually serious. He ignored Puck's complaints and handed him the scroll directly.
He solemnly instructed, "Send this back to Konoha immediately and personally deliver it to the Third Hokage. Remember, this information is extremely important; it must be done as quickly as possible, without any delay!"
Seeing Kakashi's serious expression, so different from his usual lazy demeanor, Pakkun immediately dropped his joking thoughts and realized the seriousness of the matter.
It said nothing more, but nodded solemnly, held the scroll in its mouth, wagged its tail at Kakashi as a greeting, then warily sniffed the air, identified the direction of Konoha Village, and transformed into a brown shadow, quickly disappearing into the dense forest in the morning light.
Sasuke, standing to the side, watched Kakashi's every move.
He noticed that Kakashi-sensei, who was usually known for his laziness, was now showing an unprecedentedly serious expression.
Is it related to what the attacker said yesterday?
Involuntarily, Orochimaru's sinister face and the words "Miba's Collapse" appeared in Sasuke's mind.
A hint of seriousness flashed in his dark pupils.
Watching Pakkun's figure completely disappear from sight, Kakashi turned around and said to Naruto and the others in a deep voice, "Alright, let's go! From now on, we need to speed up! We must complete this mission as soon as possible."
Then return to Konoha!
The straight-line distance between the Land of Waves and Konoha Village in the Land of Fire is actually not that far.
If they traveled at full speed at the normal pace of a ninja, they could arrive within a day.
The reason why Class 7 was so slow before was entirely because there was an ordinary person in the team who was completely powerless.
The commissioner, Dazner, was severely slowing down the entire team's progress due to his stamina.
However, this problem was not difficult for the experienced Jonin Kakashi Hatake to solve.
Kakashi walked up to Tazuna, who was still yawning, gave him a few brief instructions, and before Tazuna could react,
He then bent down and hoisted the dumbfounded Tazna onto his shoulder.
"Kakashi-Mr. Kakashi, what is this—"
Tazuna was startled by this sudden action and was about to struggle when Kakashi said in a deep voice, "Hold on tight, Mr. Tazuna, we're going full speed ahead!"
Before he finished speaking, Kakashi suddenly exerted force with his feet, and his whole body shot out like an arrow. The speed was so fast that the force of the wind he generated even made Tazuna unable to open his eyes for a moment.
"Hey! Kakashi-sensei, wait for us!"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura were slightly taken aback when they saw this, but they immediately reacted and ran after Kakashi.
As a Jonin, Kakashi has absolute command authority during missions.
Since he decided to speed things up, the three of them, as his subordinates, naturally had to obey unconditionally.
The group of four sped along the forest path.
Fortunately, since they joined forces to "repel" Zabuza Momochi a few days ago, they have not encountered any new enemy attacks during their mission in the Land of Waves.
This made the journey of the seventh class exceptionally smooth and fast.
That afternoon, before the sun had completely sunk below the horizon, Class 7 successfully arrived at the border of the Land of Fire.
Not far ahead is the ferry crossing leading to the Land of Waves.
Meanwhile, in Konoha Village, in the Hokage's office.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sat behind a large desk, buried in a mountain of official documents, with wisps of smoke rising from the office.
"Dududuyi"
Suddenly, a series of rapid but slight knocking sounds came from the window.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly, then got up and walked towards the window.
He had some doubts in his mind: who would visit in this way at this time?
When he opened a corner of the window, what came into view was a pug covered in dust and sweat, panting heavily.
It was Kakashi's ninja dog, Pakkun.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes instantly sharpened.
He certainly recognized this iconic ninja dog; Kakashi had used Pakkun to deliver urgent intelligence on several occasions in the past.
"Pakkun? What are you doing here?" Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly opened the window completely to let the exhausted ninja dog in. Pakkun jumped onto the windowsill and placed the scroll he was holding tightly in his mouth on the desk in front of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
It panted and said in a hoarse voice, "It was Kakashi who sent me. He said this information is very important—phew—I rushed back at full speed—I'm exhausted—I need to rest—"
Before he finished speaking, Parker's figure turned into a wisp of white smoke with a "whoosh" and disappeared from the spot, obviously dispelling the summoning spell and going to rest.
Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned even more as he looked at the scroll on the table, which was covered in a little dirt.
"Isn't Kakashi on an escort mission to the Land of Waves? What urgent matter could have happened that requires Pakkun to be sent back in such a rush?"
An ominous premonition rose in his heart, and he quickly picked up the scroll, carefully untied the rope, and slowly unrolled it.
The handwriting on the scroll was Kakashi's unique, delicate yet powerful style, but the content made Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils shrink sharply.
"—Check the vicinity of Konoha for the bodies of any attacked examinees. If so, it suggests Orochimaru may be plotting something detrimental to Konoha—."
After reading the contents of the scroll, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression instantly became extremely solemn.
Orochimaru—.
This name, like a heavy brand, is deeply engraved in the history of Konoha and in the heart of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
His most promising disciple ultimately embarked on a forbidden path and became an S-rank rogue ninja of Konoha.
"The examinee's corpse—the Chunin Exams—"
Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself, his eyes turning unusually cold and sharp, "That Orochimaru guy, is he planning to take advantage of this Chunin Exams to attack Konoha?"
With Kakashi pushing himself to the limit regardless of chakra consumption, Team 7 finally arrived at Tazuna's home in the Land of Waves at dusk that day.
However, although the escort mission has come to a temporary end, their mission has not ended.
As agreed, they also need to assist Tazuna until the cross-sea bridge connecting the Land of Waves and the mainland is completely completed before they can return to Konoha.
When they arrived, they could already see the bridge, which was already taking shape, in the distance.
The main structure of the bridge has indeed been mostly completed, with only the final finishing touches remaining.
It seems that in just a few more days, this bridge of hope, which carries the future of the Land of Waves, will be completely completed.
After a full day of almost non-stop marching, the three little ones were exhausted and felt like they were about to fall apart.
After a simple dinner, everyone found a place to rest.
Naruto and Sakura slumped on the corridor floor, rubbing their aching calves as they complained to Kakashi.
"Kakashi-sensei, you were in such a rush today!" Naruto said weakly. "I'm almost exhausted."
My bones are about to fall apart, I'm telling you!
"Yeah, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura rubbed her shoulders and chimed in with a pained expression, "We barely rested all day. Even someone made of iron couldn't take it."
Kakashi gave his two disciples a signature deadpan smile: "Well, well, this is also a kind of training."
When ninjas are on missions, time is of the essence, and they often need to march quickly like this. Getting used to it beforehand will benefit you in the future.
At this moment, Sasuke, who had been silently wiping his kunai, suddenly looked up at Kakashi and abruptly asked, "Kakashi-sensei, since the village might be facing a crisis, why don't we just return to Konoha? Why continue this mission here? Is this bridge really that important?"
Sasuke's voice was as cold as ever, but the questions in his words were very perceptive.
Upon hearing this, Kakashi raised an eyebrow in surprise, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes as he looked at Sasuke.
He never expected that Sasuke would be able to guess the real reason for his hasty journey from his unusual behavior today.
"As expected of the Uchiha clan—" Kakashi sighed inwardly, then let out a soft sigh, his smile fading and his expression turning serious.
He said in a deep voice, "Sasuke, you guessed right. The reason I'm in such a hurry is because I received some intelligence about the village possibly being in danger. However, we can't go back immediately."
"This Chunin Selection Exam is extraordinary." Kakashi's gaze swept over Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura as he slowly said, "This exam is jointly organized by our Konoha Village and our ally, Sunagakure Village. It's not just a test of the genin's strength, but also an important opportunity for the two countries to secretly compete and showcase the strength and potential of their respective villages."
"Our performance in the Chunin Exams will not only directly affect the Daimyo's assessment of Konoha's strength, but it will also influence the quantity and quality of high-level missions the village can receive in the near future. This is related to the village's reputation."
It is also related to the village's economic lifeline.
Hearing this, Naruto couldn't help but interject, "? Kakashi-sensei, are we really going to participate in those Chunin Exams too?"
In reality, this was the first time they had received concrete information about the Chunin Exams from Kakashi.
Kakashi nodded and said confidently, "That's right. The Third Hokage has decided to recommend Team 7 to participate in this Chunin Exams. Therefore, we must successfully complete our mission in the Land of Waves. This is not only a test of your abilities, but also an important prerequisite for obtaining the qualification to participate in the Chunin Exams."
"So that's how it is—"
Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura all looked thoughtful upon hearing this.
Although they all learned of the Chunin Exams through their dreams, this was the first time they had such a clear understanding of its profound meaning and importance.
Kakashi, observing the varying expressions on his three disciples' faces, continued, "Therefore, starting tomorrow, while assisting Mr. Tazuna with the final touches on the bridge, I will provide you with targeted training to prepare you for the upcoming Chunin Exams!"
"Special training?"
Upon hearing this, Sasuke's eyes were filled with anticipation and fighting spirit. He nodded decisively: "Okay."
He never refuses an opportunity to improve his skills.
However, Naruto's state of mind was somewhat complicated at this moment.
Having mastered powerful ninjutsu like the Rasengan, and even "defeated" a Jonin like Zabuza, Naruto is currently in a state of extreme confidence, even a bit arrogant.
A slight smirk played on his lips as he thought dismissively, "The Chunin Exams are nothing special. I've even defeated Jonin, why would I be afraid of Genin and Chunin? I'll definitely pass easily and give them a big surprise!"
Sasuke keenly noticed the fleeting smugness on Naruto's face and his obviously smug attitude, and couldn't help but sneer inwardly, bluntly retorting, "Idiot."
"What did you say?!" Naruto immediately jumped up like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, glaring at Sasuke.
"Alright, alright, stop talking so much." Kakashi intervened in time to stop the two brats from starting their usual bickering again.
He looked at Naruto and earnestly warned him, "Naruto, I know your strength has improved recently, and you've mastered some powerful techniques. However, you must not become arrogant or complacent because of this. This Chunin Exams have gathered elite genin from various ninja villages, including many formidable opponents. If you think you can easily pass with just a Rasengan, you'll be greatly disappointed."
Kakashi's words were like a bucket of cold water, slightly extinguishing the inexplicable confidence in Naruto's heart.
He pursed his lips, still somewhat unconvinced, but didn't argue further.
As night deepened, everyone, exhausted from a busy day, soon drifted off to sleep.
The familiar feeling of weightlessness returned, and when Sasuke opened his eyes again, he found himself seeing the familiar ceiling once more.
"Hmph, is it still me today?" Sasuke's lips curled into a smug smile.
Great, I can learn new ninjutsu from Nii-san again today, this is awesome!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Meanwhile, the other "audience members" also arrived at the theater's auditorium.
Having experienced it before, Namino was no longer as flustered and uneasy as she had been the first time she entered.
She found her usual spot with practiced ease and sat down next to Sakura.
On the other side, Naruto appeared somewhat listless.
He slumped listlessly in his seat, arms crossed, with an expression of utter despair.
He had traveled all day and was exhausted; he didn't even have the energy to complain about Sasuke.
Sakura was in a similar state to him; both of them looked listless.
Only Kakashi remained highly focused.
He stared intently at the huge, dark screen in front of him, his brows slightly furrowed.
Yesterday's dream revealed too little information; there were almost no clues about Orochimaru. Hopefully, today's dream will provide more details.
on the screen.
Sasuke quickly got ready and came downstairs.
He immediately saw that his brother, Uchiha Itachi, was sitting upright next to the low table in his living room, and opposite him was Uchiha Shisui.
At this moment, Itachi's brows furrowed slightly, his expression somewhat solemn, as if he were asking Shisui something.
"Orochimaru's whereabouts—still no clue?" Itachi's voice was low, tinged with worry.
Shisui shook his head, his expression equally serious: "Yeah, that guy is very slippery. The police department and the ANBU have been tracking him for several days, but they still haven't been able to pinpoint his exact location. However, it's certain that he's still active near Konoha."
Sasuke walked up to the two of them and first greeted Shisui politely, "Good morning, Shisui-nii."
Then he turned to Itachi and said, "Good morning, Nii-san."
Itachi and Shisui both responded with smiles.
Sasuke immediately looked at Itachi eagerly and asked, "Nii-san, when are we going on patrol today?"
Upon hearing this, Itachi's smile faded slightly. He reached out and habitually ruffled Sasuke's hair, saying gently, "Sasuke, things haven't been peaceful in the village lately. I've been targeted by some malicious people. It's too dangerous for you to patrol with me. I'll take you with me after this incident has completely subsided, okay?"
Sasuke's expectant expression vanished instantly, his lips pursed slightly, and he looked somewhat speechless.
He muttered to himself, "But—the guy who attacked Nissan yesterday seemed pretty weak."
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
"Is it really necessary to take this so seriously?" Sasuke asked, puzzled.
Upon hearing this, Shisui's smile turned serious. He warned, "Sasuke, never underestimate him. That person is Orochimaru, one of the legendary Sannin! He is extremely powerful and no ordinary person."
Itachi nodded, his expression grave, and said, "That's right, Sasuke. That's exactly what I'm worried about—Orochimaru was too weak at the training ground yesterday, unusually weak."
He paused, then continued his analysis, "I've had the privilege of meeting Jiraiya, another of the Legendary Sannin, a few times before. He's a formidable character whose mere presence is enough to make anyone feel threatened. Orochimaru's strength is on par with Jiraiya's, so he shouldn't have been so easily suppressed by me. Therefore, I suspect there might be a trap, a possibility that Orochimaru is deliberately feigning weakness to lull us into a false sense of security."
His gaze swept across the window, his voice growing increasingly heavy: "Moreover, recently, due to the Chunin Exams, a large influx of outsiders has entered Miyake Village, creating a mixed bag that has greatly hampered our investigation efforts. Sasuke, you should stay in the village and not leave unnecessarily; it's safer that way."
in the audience.
Listening to Itachi and Shisui's conversation in his dream, Naruto scratched his head, looking puzzled. "That's strange. I thought Sasuke and I had similar thoughts. That weird guy yesterday was beaten up by Sasuke's brother as soon as he showed his face. He didn't seem that strong at all. Why was Sasuke's brother so nervous?"
Sakura and Ino nodded in agreement, expressing their incomprehension.
In their view, that so-called Orochimaru was indeed no match for them.
Only Kakashi said solemnly in a deep voice, "No, that person—? Very strong!"
Upon hearing this, the three children all looked at Kakashi in surprise.
Kakashi stared intently at the screen and slowly said, "The strangest thing is that he was subdued by Itachi so easily. Perhaps something happened in the dream that we don't know about, which prevented him from fully displaying his strength."
But regardless, that person was undoubtedly an extremely powerful being.
"How strong is he?" Naruto couldn't help but ask curiously. "Could he be—could he be even stronger than Zabuza, the one with the big sword?"
Kakashi took a deep breath and solemnly uttered a few words: "His strength is comparable to that of a Hokage!"
"What?!" Naruto, Sakura, and Ino exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
[Ding! Sakura Haruno's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Yamanaka Ino have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Kakashi said these things to these kids because...
This is because Orochimaru, as an S-rank rogue ninja, is extremely dangerous. Giving them a heads-up beforehand is to put them on their guard.
It's all good overall.
In the dream, Itachi and Shisui exchanged a few words before leaving home together, clearly to continue investigating Orochimaru's whereabouts.
Sasuke's parents don't seem to be home today either; I wonder what they're up to.
The once vast Uchiha mansion was now empty except for Sasuke.
He stood in the empty living room and suddenly realized that he had nothing to do.
He didn't need to go to the ninja academy, his father didn't take him on patrols, and even his parents weren't home.
"Damn it, Nii-san is really something. He clearly promised to train with me," Sasuke said, pouting in annoyance.
However, he soon had a brilliant idea.
Oh, right! I could go spar with Naruto!
Sasuke's lips unconsciously curled into a smile full of fighting spirit.
In the dream world, Naruto's strength was simply unbelievable, even more so than the pressure he felt from Kakashi in the real world.
If you could fight against an opponent like that, it would definitely be of great benefit to improving your skills.
and.·
Sasuke stroked his chin, a sly glint in his eyes.
This is perfect opportunity to wash away the shame of last time! This time, I've gained new power!
Sasuke has always been a man of action; once he has made a decision, he never hesitates.
He immediately turned around and walked towards Naruto's house.
in the audience.
Seeing Sasuke's actions on the screen, Ino glanced at Naruto, who had appeared beside her, with a very subtle look, then leaned close to Sakura's ear and whispered suspiciously, "Sakura, is Sasuke-kun going to spar with Naruto?"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Yamanaka Ino have been detected! Emotional value +100!]
Naruto's senses were incredibly sharp; even though Ino's voice was very low, he still managed to pick it up.
He immediately shouted, "Hey! Namino, what do you mean?! Do you think I'm that much worse than that arrogant Sasuke?!"
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Sakura couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle as she looked at Naruto's flustered expression.
She explained to Ino, "Ino, don't let Naruto's current appearance fool you. The Naruto in the dream world is quite something else."
You'll be very surprised when you see it later.
"Really?" Ino looked puzzled, clearly not believing Sakura's words.
On the screen, Sasuke is walking briskly down the streets of Konoha Village.
Although he had never been to Naruto's house in his dreams, he had roughly memorized Naruto's route when leaving home from watching Naruto's dreams several times before.
Moreover, apart from the Uchiha clan's territory and Naruto's house being located differently, the layout of most other areas in this dream world's Konoha Village is not much different from that in reality.
Therefore, Sasuke quickly figured out the exact location of Naruto's house.
The two companies are actually not that far apart.
Sasuke had a clear goal and headed straight for Naruto's house, ignoring the bustling stalls along the way and showing no intention of stopping.
Unexpectedly, just as he was about to reach a small alley near Naruto's house, a female ninja suddenly jumped out from the roadside and blocked his way.
It was a girl who looked to be about the same age as the others, holding a huge iron fan, with light golden hair tied into four cute ponytails, and wearing a ninja headband from Sunagakure around her neck. She was looking at Sasuke with great interest.
"Hey, you handsome guy over there!" The female ninja pointed at Sasuke with her fan. "You seem to be rushing around all by yourself. Are you bored? How about I accompany you for a stroll?"
Sasuke gave her a cold, wary look, recognizing her as a ninja from Sunagakure.
He shook his head expressionlessly, walked right past her, and didn't even bother to say a word.
"Tch, how boring." The female ninja, who was ignored, pouted and muttered something in dissatisfaction.
Sasuke snorted inwardly.
What a joke! He's not an idiot like Naruto. How could he waste his precious training time on something as boring as shopping with girls?
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Soon, Sasuke arrived at Naruto's house.
He straightened his clothes and knocked on the door.
A moment later, the door opened, and Naruto's mother, Kushina Uzumaki, opened it.
Sasuke quickly bowed and greeted her politely, "Aunt Kushina, hello. Is Naruto home? I'm here to see him about something."
When Kushina saw that it was Sasuke, her face immediately lit up with a warm smile: "It's Sasuke! Come in, come in! Naruto's home right now, I'll go get him!"
As she spoke, she turned and called into the house, "Naruto! Sasuke's here to see you!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a blond boy dressed in clean and tidy casual clothes, with a bright, sunny smile on his face, walked out of the house.
It was Naruto Uzumaki from the dream world.
He greeted Sasuke with a smile.
in the audience.
When Ino saw the smiling, gentle, and well-dressed blond boy on the screen, her eyes widened in surprise, and she exclaimed, "Naruto?! You—when did you get such a handsome older brother?!"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Yamanaka Ino have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Naruto, who had been sitting with his legs crossed, looking smug and ready to watch the show, almost fell off his chair when he heard Ino's words.
He jumped up abruptly, his face flushed red, and exclaimed, "What brother?! That's me! This guy looks exactly like me, he's not my brother at all!"
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Seeing Naruto's exasperated expression, Sakura couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Even the usually composed Kakashi couldn't help but smile, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth revealing a barely suppressed chuckle.
The entire screening room was filled with a cheerful atmosphere.
[Ding! Sakura Haruno's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
[Ding! Kakashi Hatake's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Ino still had a shocked expression on her face. Pointing at the screen, she asked incredulously, "W-what? Sakura, you mean—that sunny, handsome guy with such neat clothes and hair—is Naruto?"
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Yamanaka Ino have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Naruto crossed his arms, pouting, and said indignantly, "What the hell! Sakura too! Ino too! They look exactly the same, are they really that much more handsome than me?"
Upon hearing this, Sakura and Ino exchanged a glance, then nodded vigorously in unison, saying in unison:
"Much more handsome!"
Naruto: "...
[Ding! Naruto's emotional fluctuations have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
on the screen.
Sasuke got straight to the point: "Naruto, the Chunin Exams are coming up soon, and I'd like to train with you."
Enhance our strength.
Upon hearing this, Naruto in his dream world smiled gently and nodded readily, saying, "Alright, Sasuke-kun. That's exactly what I was thinking too."
Sasuke saw how readily he agreed and a confident smile appeared on his face.
He thought to himself, "Hmph, this time is different from last time. I've mastered the secrets of illusion magic. Let's see how you win now!"
Naruto in the dream seemed to see through Sasuke's thoughts and teased with a smile, "Shh, Sasuke-kun looks very confident today."
Sasuke's lips curled into a slightly arrogant smile: "Of course! Just you wait and see, Naruto!"
Naruto in his dream nodded, his eyes becoming serious: "Hmm, it seems I'll have to use some of my trump cards today."
The two smiled at each other and walked together toward the training ground outside the village.
Soon, they arrived at the familiar third training ground.
After symbolically forming opposing hand seals, Sasuke didn't test the waters with his shuriken as usual. Instead, he took a deep breath, his eyes flashed, and he activated his Sharingan!
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Sasuke immediately unleashed a Fire Release technique.
A huge fireball, carrying intense heat, roared towards Naruto.
"Water Release: Gunfire Ball!"
A highly compressed water bullet precisely met the massive fireball.
"Boom!"
Water and fire collided violently in mid-air, instantly creating a thick cloud of white steam that enveloped the two figures.
Sasuke stood still, his brows slightly furrowed.
Water Release? When did Naruto learn Water Release? Then why did he use Wind Release to break my Fire Release last time?
Before he could figure it out, the pervasive steam gradually dissipated.
Sasuke stared intently, only to be surprised to find that a palm-sized, orange toad was perched on Naruto's shoulder!
The clam puffed out its cheeks, looking quite indignant.
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +200!]
Seeing Sasuke's surprised expression in his dream, Naruto explained, "Sasuke-kun, were you scared? This is my summoning beast, Gamabunta. It helped me with the Water Release technique just now. It's a method that Jiraiya-senpai taught me, specifically to counter the Sharingan."
"Summoning beast? It counters the Sharingan?" Sasuke's eyes flashed with surprise upon hearing this, but disbelief was more of a concern.
He didn't believe that a mere toad could restrain the Uchiha clan's prized bloodline limit.
"Hmph, stop with the pretense!" Sasuke sneered, his Sharingan eyes spinning rapidly. "Let me see just how effective your little tricks really are!"
Before he finished speaking, his pupils focused their power, and he immediately activated an illusion!
"The Magic of Kahang!"
An invisible spiritual force instantly attacked Naruto.
However, to Sasuke's utter astonishment, Naruto's body only paused slightly before immediately returning to normal.
She seemed completely unaffected by the illusion, still looking at him with a relaxed expression.
The illusion didn't work?!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +400!]
Sasuke's inner child, his proud Sharingan genjutsu, was ineffective against Naruto?
How is that possible!
Before he could recover from his shock, Naruto had already moved.
Naruto pushed off with his feet, and his figure vanished from the spot in an instant, like a ghost.
Sasuke felt a chill and quickly activated his Sharingan to capture Naruto's movements.
"Here!" Sasuke shouted, throwing a punch to his left.
"Boom!"
The fist struck Naruto's figure as expected.
But the next second, the figure turned into a wisp of white smoke and vanished.
"Shadow clone?!" Sasuke's pupils contracted.
"Too slow, Sasuke-kun." Naruto's amused voice suddenly rang out from behind him.
Sasuke was startled and hurriedly turned around to defend, only to see Naruto appear behind him at some point, a powerful whip kick sweeping towards his waist.
In his haste, Sasuke could only manage to raise his arm to block.
"Bang!"
A heavy force struck, and Sasuke felt a numbness in his arm. He was kicked away uncontrollably, rolling several times on the ground before coming to a stop.
"hateful--"
Sasuke gritted his teeth and got up from the ground, his eyes filled with resentment.
Whether it was taijutsu, ninjutsu, or combat experience, the Naruto before him far exceeded his expectations.
He took a deep breath, formed hand seals again, and prepared to unleash an even stronger Fire Release technique.
However, Naruto did not give him that chance.
"It's over, Sasuke-kun."
Naruto's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of authority.
Sasuke looked up abruptly and saw that Naruto had once again closed in on him, with a rapidly spinning blue chakra ball in his right palm, radiating a terrifying destructive power.
"Rasengan!"
Sasuke's pupils suddenly contracted; he sensed a deadly threat emanating from that small blue ball.
He tried to dodge, but his body seemed to be bound by an invisible force, making it impossible for him to move.
Finally, the Rasengan stopped abruptly just inches from his abdomen.
Naruto released the Rasengan from his hand, a somewhat apologetic smile on his face, and reached out to help the still somewhat distraught Sasuke up from the ground.
"You flatter me, Sasuke-kun."
Looking at this all-too-familiar scene before him, Sasuke's face was filled with frustration and resentment.
Another loss?
And it was a complete defeat!
[Ding! Emotional fluctuations from Uchiha Sasuke have been detected! Emotional value +300!]
Naruto is just too strong! His taijutsu and ninjutsu are both perfect, and his various fighting techniques are endless, leaving Naruto with no chance to fight back.
[This time, the dream-fulfilling recipient is: Uchiha Sasuke]
[Viewers: Naruto Uzumaki, Sakura Haruno, Kakashi Hatake, Ino Yamanaka]
Total Emotion Points Gained: 24100!
[Current sentiment score balance: 269731 points!]
[Current Dream Fulfillment Level: 4 (324231/400000)]