Chapter 15: Orochimaru

Chapter 15: Orochimaru

The forest was still. Too still. The sound of forest animals scurrying around the underbrush was suspiciously absent. It was as if the forest was holding its breath. Up in the trees; Naruto was sitting with his back to a tree meditating, jacket wrapped around his waist. They were planning on using his chains for this, and he didn't feel like buying a new jacket again.

Meanwhile, Sakura was squatting on the same branch just a few meters away, nervously tugging at her gloves. Her green eyes were scouring the forest around them, looking for any sign of movement. She hated being caught unawares, and as such was on high alert. Next to her, Sasuke was standing at attention, fingers drumming against the handle of his new sword.

Everyone was anxious. And rightly so.

Sasuke: Anything?

Sasuke asked, eyes still scanning the woods.

Naruto, who was tapping into Kurama's chakra as much as he could, could sense the malicious intent rushing towards them a few hundred yards to their 5 o'clock.

Naruto: Two minutes.

he reported. Sasuke nodded and pulled his sword out. Sakura followed suit, straightening up from her crouch and looking around.

They waited for a minute. And another. Untill-

Naruto: Now!!

All three exerted chakra to their feet as a giant wall of wind slammed into them. Dirt and twigs flew into their vision, threatening to blind them as their hair and clothing whipped about. The bark beneath Naruto's feet threatened to break off, but he grabbed a kunai and plunged it into the branch, holding in to that for stability.

As suddenly as the wind had started, it stopped.

Naruto dropped to his knees.

Naruto: That was close.

he huffed, yanking his kunai out

Sakura: Yeah.

Sakura breathed, wiping the grime off herself.

Before anyone else got a chance to say anything, an achingly familiar voice chuckled. It echoed in the air around them, making it impossible to locate.

"Kukukuku."

The three members of team 7 spun around so they were all back to back, weapons drawn and ready to use. Sasuke's eyes spun into their sharingan while Naruto and Sakura dropped into readying stances.

"It seems my prey is stronger than I anticipated," the voice gushed, bloodlust dripping of every word. "This will make for a more interesting fight than I imagined."

Naruto: Show yourself you coward!

Naruto shouted, playing the part of a clueless genin. More chuckled followed his declaration.

A powerful wave of killing intent swept through the forest. Naruto didn't have to fake the sweat that started to bead on his brow. His limbs were shaking only slightly as the pressure increased. He hadn't experienced killing intent that intense in years, but he was desensitized enough to it that it didn't restrict his movements. Not that Orochimaru could know that.

Next to him, Sakura and Sasuke were putting up the same farce, Sasuke with wide eyes and trembling arms, Sakura clenching her kunai like a lifeline. Good, it looked convincing.

"My, my, my," the voice echoed again. "Three little flies caught in my trap. What to do, what to do?"

Shooting them both a glance, Sasuke motioned with his chin behind them, where they'd laid all the traps. The other two two gave minute nods, showing they understood.

Orochimaru: Should I decapitate them?

Orochimaru went on, voice coming closer and closer.

Orochimaru: Paralyze them? Hm, so many options.

Sasuke: Run!

Sasuke shouted. Immediately the three were off, racing into the forest. Orochimaru shot after them, jumping out of the trees above them. Somewhere else, Naruto's clones started collecting nature chakra, ready to use at a moments notice.

Sakura: Three and nine!

Sakura cried, dropping below them. Sasuke reached into his bag and threw a kunai to their right, Naruto following suit to the left. They hit their targets, stabbing into exploding seals on the trunks of some trees, causing a huge smoke bomb to go off.

Behind them they heard an amused chuckle.

"Parlor tricks? How pathetic."

But when the smoke cleared, Orochimaru found himself alone.

Orochimaru: Hmmmm, where could they be?

He purred, tongue flicking across his lips. His stolen face scrunched up in thought, eyes flicking back and forth through the canopy for any sign of them.

Then he smiled and turned pointedly towards a shrub that seemed to stand out from the rest.

Orochimaru: Found you.

"Wasn't hiding."

Orochimaru turned around to look at whoever spoke behind him only to find a foot in his face. He blocked it with his arm and quickly jumped away, landing further down the branch.

Sasuke straightened up from his failed attack, drawing his chokutō threateningly.

Orochimaru: Adorable, A stick.

Sasuke's eyes flashed dangerously, red spinning into mangekyo black. He pushed lightning chakra into the blade, making it crackled with blue light. If Orochimaru got touched by that, he'd he paralyzed.

"Mangekyo Sharingan huh? Surely you were a perfect body for me Sasuke-kun" He thought with a smirk. The sannin's eyes narrowed, but he said nothing.

Behind the two, Sakura and Naruto were hiding in some foliage, watching the proceedings below, waiting for their cue.

Naruto was sitting perfectly still, gathering as much nature chakra as he could to go into sage mode, while Sakura focused intently on Sasuke. She was watching for the signal that would alert her to go down and join Sasuke in the brawl. Her fists tightened by her side as she watched the two trade blows below, metal hitting metal as Sasuke fought the snake summoner, sword against kunai.

Sakura: Any moment.

she hissed, eyes narrowing.

Sakura: There!

Sakura saw the flash of lightning that left Sasuke's other hand and shot forward off the branch, hands already flying through seals.

"Doton: Kengan no Jutsu (Earth Style: Rock fist)"

She shouted, slamming her fist into Orochimaru's side. The rock covered limb crashed into the man's ribs sickening cracks following. Sasuke's sword rushed in after, sliding between the trapezius muscle and the clavicle.

Only for the man to dissolve into mud.

Sakura: Damn, Where'd he go?

Sasuke: Watch your back!

Sasuke shouted instead, throwing her to the side. Sakura skid along the branch, looking up to see Sasuke deflect a snake summons, cleaving its head right off.

Sasuke: Show yourself you Bastard.

"That's not very polite," their adversary's voice sounded from above them. Sakura had only a moments notice to jump out of the way before the ground that had been below her was impaled by a large snake. The creator hissed in anger, turning its beady yellow eyes to look at her. Looking up, she saw it was actually Orochimaru's arm that he'd only transformed, and grimaced when he pulled it back into his sleeve. Disgusting.

Orochimaru: Where'd the third go, I wonder.

Sakura: Away from you. We're not letting you get our scroll!

The comment just made Orochimaru smirk in amusement, seeming to find the idea of them assuming he was after their earth scroll hilarious. Even if it was just a farce.

Sasuke: Sakura, Nisemono (liar) formation.

Sakura nodded swiftly before jumping off out of sight, leaving Sasuke alone with the sannin. He stepped back into a defensive stance, bringing his sword up to eye level. He knew Orochimaru was after his eyes, aiming to give him the curse mark. That wasn't going to happen this time around if he could help it.

Orochimaru smirked before jumping down from the branch, eyes wide with bloodlust. Sasuke jumped out of the way, sword flashing as he parried an attack. Good, he had his attention. Now it was up to Sakura.

After trading blows for a good minute, Sakura jumped out of the shadows and hit Orochimaru hard with a punch to the back, sending him flying forward into Sasuke's own attack. A growl of frustration escaped the sannin as he just barely averted it, substituting himself for a log at the last second. But the two pressed on, relentless.

This should be enough time for Naruto...

Sakura: Naruto now!

Sakura cried, sweeping her legs under Orochimaru's. From above, an orange and yellow blur shot out of the foliage, iris' yellow with orange around the lids. Naruto had entered sage mode.

Naruto: Take this, you bastard!

He cried, swiping a fist down. Orochimaru easily dodged-

Only to go careening backward anyway.

Naruto: Gotcha!

Naruto cried as the sannin went crashing into a tree. Just like when he'd fought Pein, Naruto had pushed some of the chakra out and had managed to hit the sannin hard in the face despite not actually making contact. Even from where he stood, Naruto could see the bruise already starting to form on the man's cheek.

Orochimaru: That's some jutsu you have there,

the sannin drawled, wiping some blood from the corner of his mouth.

Orochimaru: I wonder, However did a genin like you learn it?

Naruto: Wouldn't you like to know.

Naruto shot back, fists balled up at his sides. The grin Orochimaru's mouth stretched into was anything but comforting.

Orochimaru: Oh, I think I would.

Then he vanished in a shunshin.

Sakura: Naruto, to your right!

Sakura shouted. Without thinking, Naruto ducked and rolled towards the branch bellow him, just missing the kunai that would have clipped his ear off. Orochimaru growled in frustration before shooting off after him, feet slamming against the bark as he raced down the tree. His hands were already flashing through another set of seals when Sakura intervened.

Sakura: Not on my watch!

she cried, launching herself towards him. Sailing forwards, she wound back her fist, and aguementing her chakra just right, sent it careening into the unsuspecting sannin. He only had a moments notice when he looked up before she slammed into him.

BOOM!

Bark exploded everywhere. Spears of wood shot out in all directions, slicing through the air with deadly force. Behind him, Naruto watched as the tree he'd just been on exploded into shards of wood as a crater ten meters long destroyed the center. Cracks shot up and down the trunk, splintering the wood apart until it just collapsed from the stress. In the epicenter, he spotted a roughed up orochimaru shooting away from the destruction, face already starting to peel off.

Good, he thought bitterly. They were already making progress.

Orochimaru: One good punch isn't enough to take me down!

Orochimaru sneered, shooting past them into the forest.

Sasuke: We have to stop him!

Sasuke cried, jumping after him. Naruto followed suit, leaping from one branch to another. In his hands, rigged kunai flashing before he threw them towards his target. They shot into the branches just in front of the man before going off in a violent explosion. The sannin was forced to find a different route.

Sasuke: Naruto, stop him!

It was Sasuke who'd yelled. Without wasting any time, Naruto landed on a branch and focused.

"What?" they heard the man gasp.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Jutsu)"

They heard, and instantly the forest was filled with thick smoke.

Naruto: What had Orochimaru just summoned?

Sasuke: Damn!

Sasuke muttered next to him.

The smoke cleared, revealing a towering silhouette inside it. It reached high up into the canopy, head crushing the top few branches. Beneath it, trees crashed to the ground, foliage breaking apart and flattening under its girth. Only the tailed beasts could match that size, and that destructive power.

Sasuke: It's Manda.

Naruto: I thought you said you killed this guy before!

Naruto panted, hiding behind a tree. Once Orochimaru had summoned Manda, they had pulled all the stops, which had resulted in a chaotic, draining battle. The forest was littered with burn marks and destroyed foliage. Orochimaru didn't seem one bit closer to being stopped. Naruto's eyes were vivid yellow with orange around them, signaling he was in sage mode. Across from him was Sasuke, doing the same. Except the Uchiha had his mangekyo activated. Blood was streaked down the side of his face from when he'd overused his kekkei genkai, signaling he was reaching his limit. He hadn't pulled out Susanoo, but it was perhaps only a matter of time before he did. Even so, it was the last of last resorts. He didn't want to go blind, after all. It was bad enough he'd had to use the mangekyo at all.

Sasuke: Yeah, when he was already dying!

Sasuke shot back, ducking under another blast of fire.

Sakura: Well we gotta take him down somehow, Got any ideas for that?"

The glare Sasuke shot him was enough to shut him up.

Sasuke: we're already at full power. You think of something. (pointing at Naruto)

Another explosion went off behind them.

Naruto: Alright, alright.

Naruto cried, duking around the tree to see if Sakura had survived that one. He sighed in relief when he saw she was the source. She had been going to to toe with Orochimaru for the past few minutes, and even though she was amazing, she still had her limits. They had to figure out something fast.

Naruto: Alright, I think I got it

"Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Jutsu)"

Naruto: Stay behind my clones!

Sasuke: what were you thinking, Naruto?

Sasuke pointed out sharply, referring to their battle at the valley of the end.

Sasuke: How's it supposed to work against him?

Naruto: Just hear and go with me on this ok!

Sasuke: Fine!

Not long after that he smirked, turning to Sasuke with a feral grin.

Naruto: Alright! Let's do this.

The Uchiha and the Pink haired kunoichi get behind the clones, then Naruto start his plan.

Orochimaru: I must admit I'm impressed,

Orochimaru said as he ducked under one of her kicks.

Orochimaru: Not even a full fledged chuninor Jounin can stand up to me.

Naruto: Were better than Chunin or Jounin ya know!

Naruto thought furiously, dodging a fire jutsu. he went to get in another punch, but was knocked off by a low kick that swept his legs from under him. He hit the branch hard with his stomach, hands scraping against the bark as he tried to catch herself.

Orochimaru: But, You're still no chunin.

"HEY BASTARD!" Someone screamed. In the blink of an eye, the Uchiha's charged him with the chidori on his left, throwing him off the branch and away from him.

Then Naruto tried to attacked him while using Kurama chakra, he managed to throwing a punch but Orochimaru reflexively blocked it, only to get burned by the corrosive chakra. He was thrown back again by a fist made of Kurama's chakra shooting out at him, sending him tumbling off the tree.

He landed on a trunk below, feet sticking to the side. His clothes were burned where he'd been punched, and a long gash ran down his arm from where he'd tried to block Naruto's attack, blood seeping into the clothing. And he looked genuinely breathless. They were winning!

Orochimaru: Ah, so you're the jinchuuriki of the nine tails,

he purred, scooting himself up into a sideways standing position, eyes fixing the boy with a hungry gaze. Naruto felt Kurama's tail lash angrily behind him.

Orochimaru: Interesting.

He didn't want to know what Orochimaru was thinking just then, only knowing that he didn't want to be one of his damn experiments. Forming a hand sign, he summoned a shadow clone and held out his hand. The shadow clone set to work.

Orochimaru: Now there's a jutsu I haven't seen in quite some time,

Orochimaru mused, watching the proceedings in front of him. Blue chakra starting swirling faster and faster in Naruto's palm, glowing bright through the red chakra cloak.

Orochimaru: I wonder, wherever did you pick it up?

Naruto: Wouldn't you like to know,

Naruto growled, dispelling his clone. As soon as he did, he shot off the branch, kyuubi chakra speeding him up and shooting him towards his target. He held up his hand, ready to slam it into the sannin.

"RASEN-"

"Gogyo Fuin (Five Pronged Seal)"

A hand slammed into Naruto's stomach. And it burned.

"ACK!"

Fire raced across his abdomen, burning into his gut. Suddenly, all of Kurama's chakra was sucked out of him, cloak fading away until nothing was left. Orochimaru followed up the action with a swift, forceful kick to the chest, sending him flying backwards into a tree.

He held out his hand behind him to break his fall. But-

CRACK.

He screamed in agony.

Sliding down the tree, he hit the ground, hard. The breath was immediately knocked out of him, making him choke on air. His arm was on fire, pulsing so bad he was sure it had its own heartbeat. Without his coat on, he could see from where his face was smushed against the grass the angle his arm was at. It wasn't good.

Sakura: Naruto!

Suddenly, Sakura was crouched in front of him, rolling him onto his side.

Naruto: Ah, ah, ah,

he hissed, arm flaring with pain. Sakura frowned, looked down. Then-

Sakura: Dammit! she hissed, catching sight of the bent elbow.

Sakura: Let me see it.

Naruto: No, no, we gotta get back up there,

Naruto protested, already trying to push himself up off the ground. Without speaking, Sakura just shoved him back down, already inspecting the arm. Her hands glowed green for a few seconds, hovering over the injury as a frown of concentration slid over her face.

After a moment, she dropped her hands.

Sakura: It's a stage two supracondylar fracture.

Naruto: A what now?

He asked. She rolled her eyes in exasperation.

Sakura: You broke your elbow.

He dropped his head to ground, frustrated. Well, worse things have happened. He was about to say as much when he tried to move it and a lance of pain shot up his arm, making him bite down on his cheek to keep from screaming. But then again...

Sakura: You can't move your arm. And I'd heal it but-

She was cut off by an explosion a few hundred meters away.

Sakura: That.

Naruto grimaced, scooting up into a sitting position.

Naruto: But I'm right handed! I gotta do something, ya know!

Sakura: Not with a broken arm you're not-

She was cut off by another explosion right above them, this one raining bark and fire down on them. Sakura cut off to cover them both, arms wrapped protectively around hers and Naruto's heads. Once the debris had passed, she pulled away.

Sakura: Argh, Sasuke needs help,

she growled, looking up to see the Uchiha going toe to toe with Orochimaru. She turned back to Naruto, green eyes hard as ice.

Sakura: Stay here, and don't move your arm.

She gave him one last glare as a warning before jumping up to go help their teammate.

Like hell, he thought, scrambling back onto his feet. His arm was throbbing with pain. Even worse when he moved it, and on top of Sakura practically yelling at him to keep it still... it really limited him on options. He couldn't form hand seals without both hands, having no yet mastered one handed hand signs. And to make matters worse, he was right handed, which meant all his weapons training had been with his right. Argh! Why hadn't he listened more when Kakashi-sensei made them practice ambidextrously?

Naruto: I'm the goddamn savior of Konoha,

he ground out through his teeth, grabbing his jacket from around his waist the create a makeshift sling.

Naruto: If I can't find a way, I'll never live it down.

Once him arm was stable, he grabbed a kunai from his pouch and jumped up onto the tree, racing upwards. Above him, Sakura and Sasuke were duking it out with Orochimaru in an intense taijutsu showdown. Sakura was evading nearly all the attacks thrown at her, occasionally landing one of her own on the man when there was an opening. Sasuke was holding his own with his chōkuto, deflecting blows left and right.

"Katon: Ryuen Hoka no Jutsu (Fire Style: Dragon Flame Caterwaul Jutsu)"

The Uchiha cried. Large dragon shaped fireballs followed the exclamation, diving towards Orochimaru. The blistering jutsu scorched the tree tops, almost sending Naruto tumbling back to the ground from the intensity of it.

Orochimaru: Ah, so the Uchiha has some tricks up his sleeve, does he.

Orochimaru chuckled, jumping up out of the way. Sasuke snarled, jumping after him, Sakura hot on his heels.

Orochimaru: But how you manage with this?

"Orochimaru no Juinjutsu (Orochimaru's Cursed Seal Jutsu)"

The sannin head spread out towards sasuke and then

ARKKKKKKKKHHHH

He bite his neck and manage to put the seal on Sasuke neck.

Sasuke: You Bastard! (Panting) What did you do to me?

Orochimaru: I give you my power to pursue your dream Sasuke-kun, but that won't be enough to kill your Brother, so with this seal, you will searching for power and you will come to me eventualy.

Sasuke: Hn, like I would!

Orochimaru: Just wait Sasuke-kun. Now I have done my part right now, and I see you again when the time comes.

Then he leave the place using the Shunshin

On the other side Naruto and sakura smirked, they know that the plan just work out perfectly.

Naruto, the clones, and sakura jumps out and standing beside sasuke.

Naruto: looks like the plan just work as we planned huh?

Sakura: you're absolutely right!

POOF!

Naruto clones just turns into Sasuke, and the cursed sasuke just dissapear.

Sasuke: Hn. Stupid sannin. He thinks he get me this time huh? Like I would get his hikey again.

All of them laughed

Sakura: lets just continue, we still have to get the scroll to finished the second exam.

Naruto and sasuke nodded, and they leave the place.