The Forest of Death!
The towering trees of the infamous Forest of Death loomed before them, their dense, twisting branches swallowing the sky in a tangle of oppressive green. A heavy, humid breeze rolled out from between the trunks, carrying with it the distant, unsettling calls of creatures lurking within. Despite the ominous name, Team 7 stood comfortably in front of the iron-gated entrance, unbothered by the eerie atmosphere.
They were too busy dealing with a far greater threat.
"And here we are, ladies and gentlemen!" Konohamaru’s voice rang out, far too excited for the grim setting. "On the scene of the most dangerous and grueling test yet—the Forest of Death!"
Standing proudly, the boy held up a makeshift microphone, which was definitely just a stick. Beside him, Udon and Moegi played their roles perfectly, one holding up an imaginary camera while the other pretended to take notes.
"Our contestants today are none other than Konoha’s most famous genin! The underdogs! The rising stars! The ones who—"
"We get it, brat," Sasuke cut in, arms crossed, voice dry. "Get to the point."
Konohamaru huffed but didn't let it deter him. He jabbed his stick-mic toward Naruto, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Naruto! Tell the people watching at home—how do you feel standing before the Forest of Death?"
Naruto grinned, placing his hands on his hips. "Like a total badass, obviously."
Harry groaned, rubbing his temple as Sakura sighed dramatically.
"This is supposed to be an intense moment," she muttered, "not a chance for you to showboat."
Konohamaru ignored them, shoving the ‘mic’ even closer. "And tell us, how do you plan to survive in such a dangerous place?"
Naruto puffed out his chest. "With my incredible skills, of course! No beast, bandit, or enemy team stands a chance against me!"
"He’s going to rely on luck," Sasuke translated flatly.
"HEY!"
Konohamaru moved on before an argument could break out, turning to Harry. "And you! The cool, mysterious swordsman of Team 7! Any strategies for the trials ahead?"
Harry quirked a brow, clearly amused. "Not dying would be a good start."
Moegi dramatically gasped. "Ooooh, so dark and broody!"
"I’m literally the opposite of that."
"Dark past? Tragic backstory?"
"I will leave."
Before things could escalate, Konohamaru turned to Sasuke. "And last but not least—Team 7’s prodigy! The genius himself! What are your thoughts—?"
Without a word, Sasuke turned on his heel and walked away.
A beat of silence.
"...Wow. So cool." Moegi whispered, clutching her notebook like it held the secrets to life itself.
Sakura rolled her eyes but didn’t argue.
"Alright, alright," Udon finally spoke up. "One last question before we go—what do you guys think about your competitors?"
Team 7 exchanged glances before Naruto threw an arm over Harry’s shoulders, grinning confidently. "It doesn’t matter who they are—none of them stand a chance against us!"
Sasuke smirked. "It’ll be over before they realize what happened."
Sakura placed a hand on her hip. "We’ll just have to see who’s really prepared."
Harry, ever the realist, simply shrugged. "I just hope we don’t run into anything that wants to eat us."
Konohamaru grinned at the camera-that-wasn’t-there. "And there you have it, folks! Team 7 is ready to take on the Forest of Death! Will they survive? Will they thrive? Will Naruto actually use a strategy that isn’t charging in blindly? Stay tuned to find out!"
With that, the three kids bolted off, giggling like mad as Team 7 watched them go.
Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Ya know, I don’t hate the sound of a camera crew following me around. I’d make a great documentary star."
Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose. "We have an actual life-threatening test ahead of us, and that’s what you’re focusing on?"
"Hey, gotta keep up the brand."
Sasuke huffed a quiet laugh, while Harry just shook his head, adjusting the sheath on his back.
The Forest of Death loomed before them, and while they could joke now, they all knew what awaited inside was far from lighthearted. The real test was about to begin.
A sharp thunk echoed through the clearing as a kunai buried itself into the wooden post beside them.
The laughter and murmurs died instantly.
A woman stood in front of them now, her stance relaxed but her presence anything but. Wild, shoulder-length purple hair framed her smirking face, and her brown trench coat barely concealed the mesh bodysuit beneath. She gave off the impression of someone who thrived in chaos. Someone who was excited to watch them struggle.
"Alright, kiddies!" she announced, clasping her hands together. "Welcome to the second stage of the Chūnin Exams, held in this lovely, peaceful, definitely not dangerous location—The Forest of Death!"
The name alone was enough to send a shiver through some of the teams. The nervous glances exchanged between certain genin did not go unnoticed.
Anko grinned, clearly enjoying their unease. "Now, now, don’t look so scared! I’m sure most of you will make it out alive!"
A kunoichi in the crowd audibly gulped.
Sakura folded her arms, unimpressed. "She’s enjoying this way too much," she muttered under her breath.
"Sadist," Sasuke agreed.
Harry hummed in agreement, but his focus was on Anko, who continued explaining.
"Here’s how it’s gonna go. This exam lasts for—" she held up five fingers "—a grand total of five days. In that time, you and your team will have to survive the terrain, the wildlife, the other teams, and whatever else might be lurking in the dark."
Silence settled over the group.
Sakura’s brow twitched, her face contorting into a mix of horror and disgust. "F-Five days?!"
"Five days in this place?" Harry echoed, grimacing. "Without—" he cut himself off, reluctant to say it out loud.
Sasuke, however, had no such reservations. "Without a shower? Without brushing our teeth? Without clean clothes?" His tone was flat, yet undeniably horrified.
Naruto blinked at them before bursting out, "Five days without FOOD?!"
The other three turned to look at him in disbelief.
"That’s your concern?" Sakura demanded.
"Of course! I need food to fuel my awesomeness!" Naruto shot back, hands on his hips. "How else am I supposed to beat all these guys?"
Sasuke scoffed. "By using your brain for once."
"Pfft. As if."
Anko ignored their muttering, pressing on. "Now, let’s talk about the real challenge of this test. See, we’re gonna be playing a little game of ‘capture the scroll.’" She pulled out two scrolls from her coat—one Heaven and one Earth. "Each team will start with one of these. Your goal? Get the other type. And to do that, you’ll either have to steal it from another team or hope you get lucky."
Some teams shifted uncomfortably, realizing this meant direct combat.
Harry exhaled through his nose. "So it’s a glorified mugging challenge."
"Awesome!" Naruto grinned, rolling his shoulders. "We’re gonna wreck this, dattebayo!"
Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose. "Naruto, please think before you speak."
Anko continued as if she hadn’t heard the whispers. "Once your team has both scrolls, your next goal is to reach the tower at the center of the forest. If you don’t make it in time? You’re out. If you lose your scrolls? You’re out. If your team can’t continue due to injury or death? You’re out."
A long silence followed that last statement.
Naruto shuffled uncomfortably. "She really just threw ‘death’ in there like it was nothing, huh?"
Harry sighed. "I mean… the place is called the Forest of Death."
Sakura rubbed her temples. "Five days in the wilderness, fighting off other teams, probably getting ambushed at any moment, with no hygiene and no guaranteed food supply…"
She shuddered.
Harry nodded solemnly. "An introvert’s nightmare."
Sasuke crossed his arms, the disgust in his eyes mirroring Sakura’s. "Five days without a shower… ridiculous."
Naruto, meanwhile, still looked faintly horrified. "Five days without ramen…"
Anko clapped her hands, getting their attention again. "Alright, brats! Before we get started, we need to go over one more thing."
Her smile stretched wider—sharper.
"You’re all gonna need to sign a liability waiver."
What should have been a quick, straightforward process turned into a bureaucratic nightmare.
The shinobi proctors sat behind a long table stacked high with liability waivers—each one a stark reminder that the Chūnin Exams were not for the faint of heart. The line of genin shuffled forward slowly, one by one, signing their names with tense, determined expressions before stepping aside to receive their assigned scroll.
It was moving smoothly. Efficiently.
Until—
"Wait, I need a what now?"
At the very front of the line, Naruto stood frozen, staring down at the paper in his hands like it had personally offended him. His bright blue eyes darted from the document to the proctor in front of him. "A signature? What for?"
The proctor, an older shinobi with deep-set lines in his face, sighed as if he had seen this kind of idiocy before. "It’s a waiver, kid. You need to sign it to acknowledge that if you die in the Forest of Death, it’s your problem."
A few genin behind Naruto shifted uncomfortably at the blunt wording.
Naruto blinked. "Oh. Right." He scratched his cheek, then frowned down at the paper. "Okay, but—uh…"
A long, awkward pause.
Sakura, who was waiting directly behind him, tapped her foot. "Naruto. Just sign it already."
Naruto didn’t move. "Yeah, about that… uh…" He chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head. "I kinda… don’t have a signature?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
"You… what?" Sasuke’s voice was flat, but there was an undeniable edge of irritation beneath it.
Naruto turned, grinning nervously. "I dunno! No one ever asked me to sign anything before!"
Sakura’s eye twitched. "You’re telling me, in all your years, you never had to sign anything?"
"Nope!"
Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose. "You are an idiot."
Behind them, the genin in line began grumbling.
"What's taking so long?"
"Is someone holding up the line?"
"Ugh, who’s the moron stalling?!"
Naruto winced. "Uh… okay, okay! I’ll just… make one up real quick!"
He grabbed the pen, held it over the waiver… and froze again.
Harry sighed, leaning forward. "Naruto, just write your name normally."
Naruto huffed. "But that’s boring! If I’m gonna have a signature, it’s gotta be cool, y’know? Like a real ninja autograph!"
Sakura made a strangled noise of frustration. "Oh for—JUST SIGN THE DAMN PAPER!"
Naruto yelped at her tone, quickly scrawling something down in a flurry of strokes.
The proctor squinted at it. "…Why does this look like a ramen bowl?"
Sasuke audibly groaned.
Harry covered his face.
Sakura looked two seconds away from throwing him through the waiver table.
"I fixed it, okay?!" Naruto defended.
Finally, after what felt like hours (but was probably only five minutes), the proctor let out an exhausted sigh and waved him along. "Next!"
As Naruto stepped aside, Sakura grabbed his ear, dragging him with her. "You’re the worst."
"Ow, ow, ow! Hey! What was that for?!"
"You held up the entire line!"
Sasuke, who had already signed his waiver in a crisp, precise stroke, merely shook his head and muttered, "Dobe."
Harry, ever the patient one, simply signed his own form quickly and joined them. "Well, that was a scene."
Behind them, the line finally moved again, but the irritated grumbling of the other genin lingered.
Sakura sighed, releasing Naruto’s ear with one last flick. "I can’t believe I’m stuck with you three for five days in the wilderness."
"You love us," Naruto shot back with a grin.
She pointed at him. "You? Absolutely not."
Harry chuckled. "Well, this should be fun."
Sasuke merely crossed his arms, staring at the looming iron gates ahead—the entrance to the Forest of Death.
The real test was about to begin.
The massive gates of the Forest of Death loomed before them, rusted iron bars stretching high into the sky like the fangs of some ancient beast. The tension in the air was palpable as the remaining teams finalized their preparations. Some whispered last-minute strategies. Others stood silent, eyes scanning their competition with the cold calculation of trained killers.
Team 7, however, was focused on the most immediate task—getting their scroll.
A shinobi proctor stood in front of them, holding out two identical wooden boxes.
"As you know," the proctor said, his voice impassive, "each team will receive one scroll. Either 'Heaven' or 'Earth.' Your objective is to obtain the opposite scroll and reach the tower within five days. Open it before then, and you’re disqualified. Understood?"
Naruto, still rubbing the ear Sakura had assaulted earlier, crossed his arms. "Yeah, yeah. Can we just grab one already?"
The proctor ignored his impatience, simply lifting the boxes. "Pick one."
Sasuke, always the strategist, reached out without hesitation, his fingers brushing the wood before grasping one of the boxes. The proctor pulled the other away.
"Good. You’re all set. Head to your designated gate and wait for the countdown."
Naruto bounced on his heels as they walked away, eyes gleaming with excitement. "Man, this is gonna be awesome! Finally, some action!"
Harry hummed in agreement. "At the very least, it’ll be interesting."
Sakura, still side-eyeing Naruto for his earlier antics, sighed. "We just need to stay focused. Five days is a long time to be in that place."
They made their way to their assigned gate, standing in front of the towering metal bars. The ominous creak of the wind swaying the trees beyond sent a shiver through the air. The forest was alive—an entity all its own. And it was waiting.
Other teams stood at their respective gates, all waiting for the signal to enter. A heavy silence settled over the area, only broken by the occasional rustle of shifting feet and the sharp clink of kunai being adjusted in holsters.
A loudspeaker crackled to life.
"Five minutes until the second stage begins."
Naruto cracked his knuckles. "Alright, what’s the plan?"
Sasuke adjusted the scroll in his pouch. "First priority is getting to higher ground. The forest floor is the worst place to be—too many blind spots, too easy to get ambushed. We move fast, cover ground, and scout from above."
Harry nodded. "Smart. We don’t know who has what scroll, so picking fights at random isn’t efficient. Better to observe first, act later."
Sakura tapped her chin. "There’s also food and water to consider. We should ration what we have, but we might need to forage or hunt if this drags on."
Naruto made a face. "Ugh, I really hope we don’t have to eat bugs."
Sasuke ignored him. "The key is patience. We don’t need to rush into a fight immediately. Let others weaken each other first."
Harry smirked. "So, let the other teams tear themselves apart while we stay in control? I like it."
"One minute remaining."
The final countdown began.
Sakura checked her kunai pouch. Sasuke adjusted his headband. Harry tightened the strap of his katana sheath. Naruto cracked his neck.
The gate groaned as it unlocked.
"BEGIN!"
The second the gate swung open, Team 7 moved.
Like a well-oiled machine, they bolted forward, dashing past the threshold of the gates and into the dense, shadowed wilderness beyond. The moment they crossed into the forest, the air changed—heavier, thicker, filled with the humid scent of damp earth and rotting wood. The canopy above swallowed the sunlight, plunging the forest into an eerie twilight.
Sasuke took the lead, leaping into the trees without hesitation. His form was effortless, moving like a shadow against the twisting branches. Harry followed, his movements precise and controlled. Sakura and Naruto were close behind, their footfalls steady against the bark as they ascended higher, vanishing into the foliage.
Within seconds, they were well above the forest floor, concealed among the towering trees.
Naruto grinned. "Man, this is way better than running through the mud."
Sakura ignored him, scanning the area. "No signs of anyone yet. Most teams probably scattered immediately."
Sasuke landed on a thicker branch, crouching low as he surveyed the land below. "Good. That means we have the advantage. We’ll stay on the move for now, see if we can pick up on any careless teams."
Harry exhaled slowly, letting his senses stretch out. The forest was alive—not just with ninja, but with the quiet, ever-present hum of nature itself. Insects chittered. Leaves rustled. Somewhere in the distance, the faintest howl of an animal echoed through the trees.
But beneath that, there was something else.
Movement.
Distant, subtle—but definitely there.
"We’re not alone up here," he murmured.
Sasuke’s gaze sharpened. "How many?"
Harry closed his eyes for a moment, focusing. "Hard to tell. At least one team nearby. Maybe more."
Naruto grinned, reaching for a kunai. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go say hi."
Sakura shot him a deadpan look. "Yeah, because charging in without a plan worked so well last time."
Harry smirked. "Let’s not be too hasty. If we know they’re there, but they don’t know about us, that’s our advantage."
Sasuke nodded. "We observe first. Find out if they’re a threat—or an opportunity."
Naruto pouted but relented. "Fiiine. But if they are a threat, I get to punch someone first."
Sakura sighed. "Great. Five days in the woods with you. I can’t wait."
The team moved again, disappearing into the trees like ghosts.
The dense canopy of the Forest of Death cast deep, jagged shadows over the landscape, swallowing the light whole. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth, moss-covered bark, and the lingering tension of unseen predators lurking in the foliage. Every rustling leaf, and every distant animal cry, sent a sharp awareness through Team 7 as they crouched low among the branches, their forms blending seamlessly with the darkness.
Below them, a team of three genin moved unaware, speaking in hushed tones, oblivious to the silent hunters above. The glint of a scroll strapped to one of their belts caught Sakura’s sharp gaze. The Earth Scroll. Their target.
Harry pressed himself against the rough bark of the tree, his emerald eyes flickering between his teammates. Sakura and Sasuke exchanged a glance, understanding passing between them without a single word. Naruto, for once, held back his usual exuberance, his expression set in determined focus.
Silently, they descended, landing without a sound on the lower branches, keeping their presence undetected. Every movement was calculated, and controlled—footsteps light, breaths shallow. Even Naruto, whose loud personality often overshadowed his stealth, moved with the fluidity of a seasoned shinobi.
Harry’s fingers brushed against the hilt of his katana, but he didn’t draw it. This wasn’t a battle of blades but a game of patience and precision. They needed that scroll, and if they could take it without engaging in a full-fledged fight, all the better.
Sasuke took point, his dark eyes scanning the enemy team’s formation. Their stance was relaxed—too relaxed. They were unaware, believing themselves to be alone. Sakura’s trained observation picked out weak points immediately: one had a slightly off-balanced stance, another frequently adjusted his kunai pouch as if uncomfortable with its weight, and the third—the scroll bearer—had a habit of looking over his shoulder, as though paranoid but lacking the true instincts to detect hidden threats.
Naruto, shifting slightly, caught Harry’s gaze and raised an eyebrow. Harry gave a small nod, then gestured to Sasuke and Sakura, signaling the plan. The strategy was simple: isolate the scroll bearer, distract the other two, and extract the target with speed and precision.
A sharp whistle, barely audible over the wind, signaled the start.
Sasuke dropped first, his movement like a shadow cutting through the night. He landed just behind the tallest of the enemy shinobi, a flick of his wrist sending a kunai slicing through the air to cut a hanging branch loose. The sudden crash of wood hitting the forest floor made the enemy team jump in alarm, their attention snapping to the side—away from the real threat.
Sakura moved next, slipping behind the second shinobi, her fingers already forming a subtle genjutsu seal. A soft pulse of chakra spread out, and the shinobi stiffened, his eyes glazing over as the illusion took hold. His movements became sluggish, his grip on his weapons faltering.
Naruto seized the opportunity, his speed a blur as he lunged toward the scroll bearer. The enemy barely had time to react before Naruto was already behind him, fingers curling around the scroll at his waist.
The moment the enemy sensed the theft, he twisted, reaching for his kunai—but Naruto was faster. A precise strike to the wrist sent the weapon clattering to the ground, and in a blink, Naruto was gone, disappearing back into the treetops.
The enemy team barely had a second to process before Sasuke and Sakura disengaged, vanishing into the darkness as quickly as they had appeared.
Perched back in the safety of the high branches, Team 7 regrouped, the stolen Earth Scroll now secure in Naruto’s hands. His grin stretched wide, full of triumph.
"That was way too easy," he whispered, but even as he said it, his expression shifted. The Forest of Death wasn’t known for being forgiving.
Sasuke’s eyes narrowed as he glanced back at the confused, still-dazed enemy team below. “We should keep moving. If we can do this to them, someone else can do it to us.”
Sakura exhaled quietly, her heart still pounding from the rush of the mission. “Agreed. Let’s not get overconfident.”
Harry nodded, gripping his katana once more as his gaze swept the surrounding forest. "We have the scroll. Now we just need to survive until the tower."
Without another word, Team 7 vanished into the shadows once more, leaving nothing but the whisper of leaves in their wake.
Perched on a thick tree branch, Team 7 took a moment to regroup. The stolen Earth Scroll was secured in Naruto’s pouch, nestled safely between the straps. The forest around them remained eerily silent, the tension of their successful heist still lingering in the air. Though they had executed their plan flawlessly, the true challenge was far from over. They had to survive until they reached the tower, and in a place as treacherous as the Forest of Death, that was easier said than done.
Sasuke leaned against the trunk of the tree, arms crossed, his expression sharp with thought. “The tower should be at the center of the forest,” he muttered, scanning the thick canopy for any landmark they could use to navigate. "But we don’t know how far we are from it."
“Hold on!” Naruto suddenly grinned, digging into his pouch with enthusiasm. “I got that covered.”
The rest of Team 7 blinked as he dramatically pulled out a folded map, waving it in the air like some grand prize.
Sakura’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Where the hell did you get a map of the Forest of Death?”
Naruto puffed out his chest with exaggerated pride. “I, uh… borrowed it.”
Harry arched an eyebrow. “Borrowed from where?”
Naruto’s grin faltered slightly as he scratched the back of his head. “Okay, so, you know that weird, scary lady who explained the exam to us? The one with the trench coat and crazy eyes?”
Sasuke’s expression darkened. “You mean Anko?”
“Yeah, her,” Naruto confirmed. “Well, I saw this sticking out of her pocket when she was walking past, and I figured, hey, we need a map, right? So… now we have one!”
Sakura looked horrified. “You stole from the proctor! The same proctor who enjoys the idea of us dying in this place? Naruto, she’s going to kill you!”
Naruto scoffed. “Pfft, nah. She won’t notice—” He froze mid-sentence, paling as he remembered just who he had stolen from. “Wait. What if she does notice?”
Sasuke pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling sharply. “You absolute idiot.”
“W-We can return it later,” Naruto stammered, quickly unfolding the map as if that would distract from the fact that he had basically robbed a sadistic jonin. “Look, we have more important things to focus on. Like getting to the tower before we run into any stronger teams.”
Sakura groaned but leaned over to get a better look at the map. Harry, equally unimpressed but not entirely surprised by Naruto’s antics, peered over his shoulder.
The map was hand-drawn but highly detailed, marking notable landmarks such as rivers, cliffs, and areas densely packed with flora. In the very center of the parchment, a bold red mark indicated the tower’s location.
“There it is,” Harry pointed at the center. “The tower. That’s our goal.”
Naruto beamed. “See? My ‘borrowing’ paid off!”
Sasuke gave him a deadpan look. “You’re still an idiot.”
Sakura rolled her eyes, already calculating their route. “The fastest way would be a straight shot, but that’s risky. It’s too obvious, and we’ll run into more teams looking for a fight. If we take a more roundabout route through the denser parts of the forest, we might avoid unnecessary confrontations.”
Harry nodded in agreement. “We should also take note of water sources. If we’re in here for a few days, dehydration will be an issue.”
“Not to mention food,” Naruto added, frowning. “I don’t care what anyone says, I am not eating bugs.”
Sakura smirked. “No one said you had to.”
“Yeah, but with our luck, some crazy survivalist team is probably out here eating beetles and tree bark to gain ‘an edge’ or whatever,” Naruto grumbled.
Sasuke ignored the banter and traced a path along the map with his finger. “We’ll take the safer route. We stick to the shadows, move quietly, and avoid unnecessary fights. No loud noises, no unnecessary stops.”
Naruto sighed. “So basically, be as boring as possible?”
Sakura flicked his forehead. “Basically.”
Harry folded the map carefully and stored it in his pouch. “Then let’s get moving before Anko realizes her map is missing and hunts us down.”
Naruto visibly shivered at the thought before nodding rapidly. “Good point. Let’s go!”
With that, Team 7 vanished into the treetops once more, moving with the practiced efficiency of hunters. The journey to the tower had officially begun, and the true test of the Forest of Death awaited them.
The Forest of Death was a symphony of whispers, rustling leaves, and distant echoes of predators stalking their prey. Shadows stretched long under the thick canopy, swallowing whole teams of genin into their depths. Unbeknownst to them, a far greater predator lurked within the darkness—one who did not stalk its prey out of hunger but for something far more sinister.
Orochimaru moved with an unnatural grace, his borrowed form that of a kunoichi from the Hidden Sound. The disguise was flawless, his transformation seamless, down to the smallest mannerism. To any untrained eye, he was just another participant, another contender vying for survival in this deadly exam. But his presence here had nothing to do with the Chunin Exams.
He was hunting.
The wind carried the scent of damp earth and decay as he stepped lightly along a thick branch, his reptilian eyes flickering toward his two companions who followed behind him. Kabuto Yakushi, ever the obedient pawn, adjusted his glasses as he matched his master’s pace. The other figure, a towering shinobi with bandages wrapped around his face, remained silent, his every movement measured and restrained. Orochimaru had little interest in his name—he was merely another tool, like so many before him.
Kabuto spoke first, his voice carrying just above the rustling of the wind. "The invasion is progressing as planned. The Sand is fully committed, even without their late Kazekage's approval."
A slow smile curled along Orochimaru’s lips. "Ah, the Kazekage…" His voice dripped with amusement. "What an unfortunate end he met."
It had been a simple matter. The Kazekage had been a cautious man, but even the cautious made mistakes when they allowed themselves to feel secure. Orochimaru had drawn him into a secluded meeting under the guise of negotiation, only for the desert winds to carry away his lifeless body hours later. The masquerade had been perfect—his skin, his voice, his very being had become the Kazekage. The feeble excuse of "urgent matters" had been enough to remove him from Sunagakure without suspicion.
"And the Sand?" Orochimaru asked, tilting his head slightly.
"They still believe their leader is alive and well, committed to the plan you orchestrated," Kabuto confirmed, a smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. "They march toward Konoha, blind to the fact that their strings are being pulled by another."
Orochimaru chuckled a quiet, sinister sound. "How predictable. Their desperation to remain relevant has made them such… agreeable pawns."
The upcoming invasion of Konoha was an inevitability now. The chaos would be beautiful—a storm of destruction that would shake the very foundations of the village. But for all the grand design of the plan, his true purpose for being in the Forest of Death was far more personal.
Uchiha Sasuke.
Orochimaru’s fingers twitched in anticipation. He had observed Sasuke for years, long before the boy even realized the weight of his own potential. That bloodline—the Sharingan—was a masterpiece of evolution, a tool unparalleled in its power. But potential alone was not enough. No, Orochimaru needed to be sure. He needed to know if Sasuke’s body could withstand the changes if he would accept the power being offered.
And that was why he was here.
"The curse mark," Kabuto mused aloud, adjusting his glasses again. "If his body adapts to it, then he may truly be the vessel you’ve been searching for."
Orochimaru’s tongue flicked out, tasting the air. "Oh, he will adapt, my dear Kabuto. I have no doubt. The question is… how quickly?"
The curse mark was a delicate experiment. Many before Sasuke had succumbed to its power, their bodies crumbling under the sheer force of the transformation. But Sasuke was different. Orochimaru had seen it in his eyes—the quiet fury, the hunger for power, the desperation to escape the shadows of his past. It was a fire that could be stoked, molded into something magnificent. If he survived the curse mark, then he would be worthy.
And if he did not… well, there were always others.
"Finding him will be the easy part," the masked shinobi finally spoke, his voice low and gruff. "The hard part will be ensuring no one interferes before the mark takes hold."
Orochimaru chuckled again, eyes glinting with amusement. "Oh, I welcome the interference. Let them try. It will only make things more entertaining."
Kabuto smirked, but there was a hint of wariness in his gaze. "Even so, we shouldn’t linger once it’s done. If Konoha catches wind of your presence too soon—"
"They won’t," Orochimaru interrupted smoothly. "Not until it is too late."
The wind howled through the treetops, carrying the distant sounds of battles, of teams clashing for survival. Somewhere in this vast forest. Orochimaru’s lips curled into a wicked smile as he came to a stop atop a thick, moss-covered branch. The air around him was heavy with tension, the humid scent of the Forest of Death clinging to his skin. His pale fingers moved in a slow, deliberate fashion, forming a sequence of hand seals with an eerie fluidity. The surrounding foliage rustled as Kabuto and the bandaged shinobi watched in silence, their expressions unreadable.
Then, with a single breath, he bit into his own thumb, drawing a thin line of crimson. The blood dripped lazily from his fingertip as he slammed his palm against the bark of the tree.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."
The ground trembled.
A violent pulse of chakra erupted from the summoning sigil, warping the very air around them as an ominous, inky-black mist coiled from the sealing script. A deep, guttural hiss cut through the stillness, and then—movement. The earth below them split apart as a massive, scaled form burst forth, its sinuous body unfurling like a shadow-given form.
The summoned beast towered over them, its enormous head rising above the treetops, piercing yellow eyes gleaming with a predator’s hunger. Its thick, dark-green scales shimmered under the flickering light that seeped through the canopy, muscles coiling with restrained power. The very sight of it would have sent lesser shinobi fleeing in terror.
The giant snake let out a deep, rumbling hiss, flicking its forked tongue as it lowered its head to face its summoner.
"Orochimaru…" the creature rasped, its voice a slow, insidious whisper. "You summon me once more."
Orochimaru tilted his head slightly, amusement dancing in his golden, slit-pupiled eyes. "Mmm… I have a task for you, my dear old friend." His voice was sickly sweet, dripping with a sinister delight.
The serpent's head swayed slightly as if tasting the air, sensing the intent behind the summoning. "A hunt?" It hissed, anticipation curling through its tone.
"A very specific one," Orochimaru confirmed, his fingers reaching up to tuck a stray strand of hair behind his ear. "A boy. Uchiha Sasuke."
Kabuto stiffened slightly at the direct order, but he said nothing, simply adjusting his glasses as the snake’s massive pupils narrowed into slits.
"Uchiha…" the creature whispered, the name rolling off its forked tongue as though savoring it. "A bloodline rich with power… How interesting."
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Yes, quite. You will find him for me. Isolate him. And… should anyone attempt to interfere?" He tilted his head, his expression serene despite the malice behind his words. "Devour them."
The massive snake let out a slow, deep hiss, its breath disturbing the leaves on the forest floor. "As you wish…"
Without another word, the serpent’s massive form twisted, muscles rippling beneath its armored scales as it propelled itself forward with terrifying speed. The trees trembled beneath its weight, entire branches snapping like brittle twigs as it slithered deeper into the darkness of the forest, vanishing into the shadows like a phantom.
Kabuto exhaled slowly, watching as the creature disappeared from sight. "That’s… excessive," he murmured, though there was no true judgment in his tone. "You could simply track him down yourself."
Orochimaru smirked. "Ah, but where is the fun in that?" He turned, his piercing gaze falling onto Kabuto. "Let the forest whisper tales of terror tonight. Let them feel the weight of something they cannot fight, something far beyond their comprehension."
Kabuto remained silent for a moment before shaking his head slightly, adjusting his glasses once more. "I suppose that is just your way."
The bandaged shinobi shifted slightly, finally speaking up. "If the snake kills Sasuke, doesn’t that render all of this meaningless?"
Orochimaru laughed softly, a low and chilling sound. "Oh, I have faith in my little Uchiha," he mused, turning his gaze toward the distant horizon, where chaos would soon unfold. "This is merely… a test."
His tongue flickered out, tasting the thick, humid air.
"If he is truly worthy," he whispered, his voice was barely above a whisper.