Chapter 43: Counter Attack

"Oops, am I going to die?!" Hyuga Ryu looked into Orochimaru's scarlet eyes, and his legs started to tremble.

However, just as he hesitated, Hyuga Ryu felt the intense gaze of Hyuga Kazuki upon him. As a member of the branch family, he couldn't defy the main family's orders in battle.

Ryu felt like a thorn on his back and a lump in his throat. Clenching his teeth, he mustered all his strength and attacked with determination!

Orochimaru seemed to "see" that both he and Hyuga Ryu were within the same Taijutsu domain simultaneously, and the surroundings turned dark. Hyuga Ryu's mental will locked him into a unique position within the domain. While in this position, Hyuga Ryu felt he could dash directly to Orochimaru's side, but he experienced a brief stagnation.

"Is this the power of the Byakugan or the skill of the Gentle Fist?" Orochimaru observed with interest as Hyuga Ryu charged towards him, his hand covered in a layer of chakra, seemingly about to strike Orochimaru's chest. However, Orochimaru effortlessly broke free from this palm technique, creating a perfect counter.

"Interesting, is this the power of manipulating wind? The Byakugan indeed represents pure martial arts!" Orochimaru carefully analyzed the flow and changes in the power.

At that moment, Hyuga Ryu's aura surged, and he envisioned Orochimaru defeated by his own hands!

"Get back, poor child."

However, Orochimaru's mental power surged, urging chakra throughout his body to break the temporary stagnation. Hyuga Ryu suddenly felt his momentum forcefully interrupted, snapping him out of that mysterious state. Upon returning, he felt nauseous from the sudden shift.

Hyuga Ryu's expression changed dramatically, and his palms became chaotic in an instant.

"The Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."

A gigantic snake shot out from Orochimaru's sleeve, covered with robust scales, and lashed out at Hyuga Ryu like a steel whip.

"Bang!" The snake's head collided directly with Hyuga Ryu, sending him flying backward at an even faster speed.

Hyuga Ryu fell in front of Hyuga Kazuki, struggling to get up, and gazed at Orochimaru with a changed expression.

In reality, Orochimaru's giant snake could have killed him with a single bite, but Orochimaru didn't want to further offend the Hyuga clan. Having already aligned himself with the Uchiha clan due to his pursuit of the Sharingan, he didn't wish to invite more trouble.

"Wow! That's a massive snake!"

"What a frightening guy!"

The spectators watched in amazement as Orochimaru's fearsome snake appeared. Most ninjas were witnessing Orochimaru's unique ninjutsu for the first time, sparking lively discussions.

"This is troublesome. Let's finish it quickly." Orochimaru observed the few rookie ninjas surrounding him and decided not to engage further. He nonchalantly waved his sleeves.

"Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Twin Snake Hands!"

Numerous snakes shot out from Orochimaru's sleeves, swiftly attacking the four ninjas around him. The brown snakes opened their menacing mouths and extended their bright tongues. With sharp teeth slicing through the air, they entangled their targets, quickly overpowering the terrified lower-ranked ninjas. Only one managed to use a substitution jutsu to escape!

"Ah! No, help...!" The three unfortunate souls were quickly covered in blood and ceased struggling.

"Devil! This guy is a monster!"

Seeing Orochimaru's snake-based ninjutsu for the first time, most people were horrified. Two female shinobi even screamed, causing a commotion among the audience.

Orochimaru's snake-based ninjutsu had been showcased much earlier than in the original timeline, and its strength surpassed that of his peers. This was the first time the people of Konoha acknowledged Orochimaru's formidable ninjutsu skills.

"It's not over yet?" Orochimaru released the snakes and retracted his sleeves. He scanned the area and saw three dying ninjas on the ground.

Why was he easily regarded as a villain for using snakes as his summoning beast and attack methods? Orochimaru felt a bit annoyed.

"He's strong, very strong!" Hyuga Ryu exclaimed with lingering fear.

Hyuga Kazuki's expression also turned solemn. At the age of twelve, he possessed incredible talent. He believed he was the strongest in this exam, but he hadn't anticipated such a formidable opponent.

Orochimaru spared Hyuga Ryu's life, leaving him feeling somewhat embarrassed. He decided to wait and see what would unfold.

"This guy...!" Uchiha Renji, the leader of the Uchiha clan, looked into Orochimaru's blood-red eyes and felt an unsettling sensation. It seemed somewhat familiar, yet it stirred a trace of fear within him, making him instinctively reluctant to meet Orochimaru's gaze.

"This threat must be dealt with!"

Renji was unaware of the feud between Orochimaru and the third elder, but Orochimaru had already become a formidable enemy in the Chunin exam.

"After eliminating a few more, we can proceed to the next round. Let's take care of the teams left with one or two members!" Orochimaru raised his arms, and the Konoha Great Ninja began to ruthlessly eliminate the outsiders and civilian ninjas!

"Humph!" Tobirama's expression darkened. The concept of clan loyalty was deeply ingrained. Although losers could still advance based on their performance, they paled in comparison to the bloodline abilities and secret techniques of the clan ninjas. In the presence of these elite shinobi, the average genin seemed rather mediocre, leading some to be eliminated. The boy sent by the Hatake clan appeared to be there just to experience the atmosphere.

"The one named Orochimaru is too powerful. Let's all join forces to take him down, so we won't encounter him in the second round." Uchiha Renji continued to incite.

In truth, he was making the right move. Melee battles were always filled with intrigue, and provocation through words was one of the ninja's tactics.

"Oh, are you targeting me?" Orochimaru glanced at Uchiha Renji. "Do I look like an easy opponent?"

However, Renji seemed to ignore Orochimaru.

"Very well, you're quite impressive." Seeing the enthusiasm of those around him, Orochimaru's eyes grew increasingly scarlet.

"Come on!" Two ninjas and their dogs from the Inuzuka clan charged first, their bodies and animals transforming into four fast-spinning drills, attacking Orochimaru.

Many other ninjas followed suit, and out of the remaining twenty or so, a dozen rushed towards Orochimaru! Although Orochimaru was merely a disciple of the member of Sarutobi clan, his strength made them envious.

"Yasuo, shall we join the fray?" Shiro's colleagues were already in their transformed state.

"...No." Nara Yasuo frowned, "If Orochimaru is indeed that powerful, you'll become the biggest target. It's better for us to have plenty of other ninjas to deal with."

"Orochimaru gives me a strange feeling too." Yamanaka Inosuke also displayed caution.

From a distance, Hyuga Kazuki hesitated but refrained from acting.

"Hahahaha." Orochimaru leaed backward, creating distance between him and the charging group of shinobi. Most of them were mere rabble; the true powerhouses wouldn't bother with such skirmishes.

"Orochimaru!" Tsunade was anxiou. She was isolated, and everyone refused to fight her, instead choosing to hinder her progress.

"I'm not targeting anyone specifically either." Orochimaru coolly regarded those who rushed towards him, his hands moving like fluttering leaves, generating a formidable surge of chakra.

"This ninjutsu...!"

The second elder of Uchiha clan, who had been composed until now, stood up with a loud "bang," and an ugly expression crossed his face.

"Oh?" Tobirama's eyes held a playful glint.

Orochimaru sneered, "Just a bunch of amateurs! Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A torrent of flames erupted from Orochimaru's mouth like a massive wave, sweeping ferociously toward the crowd!

"Nani—?!"

"Ah! Help!"

The audience erupted into loud exclamations, as if the sky were about to shatter. Tragically, the crowd was engulfed by the scorching flames in an instant!

"Ah!" The Inuzuka clan members who charged in front were instantly forced back to their original forms, their bodies charred black. The Aburame clan's insects turned to ash, and the Uchiha's two subordinates fled desperately, while the rest could only scream and howl!

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

"Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!"

The referees rushed in to rescue, using Earth Release to block the surging fire waves and Water Release to extinguish any flames.

For a while, thick smoke billowed, and a large amount of water vapor filled the sky above the venue, visible from a distance.

"This... This brat!" The second elder, who had always advocated peace, gritted his teeth in anger. Orochimaru had actually used his clan's Fire Release ninjutsu to deal with them in public, slapping the Uchiha's face!

If the third elder were still alive, he would have been furious!

"What a mess." Tobirama appeared dissatisfied, but there was a playful smile in his eyes.

The ten genin with various degrees of burns were directly eliminated. Looking at the figure in the white robe, fear uncontrollably spread in the hearts of the remaining people!

All the ninjas present, including the examiners, viewed Orochimaru with disdain. Was this truly a ninja?

Uchiha Renji's face darkened, and Hyuga Kazuki's eyes were filled with horror.

"Thank goodness I didn't participate!" Yasuo's colleague had already retreated. Witnessing the agony of the eliminated ninjas, he felt a chill down his spine.

"The first round - over!" The number of participants had significantly decreased, and the examiner finally blew the whistle.

"Huh!" Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

"Why is it over?" Orochimaru teased, licking his lips.

Originally, he wouldn't have been able to use Fire Release like this, but those Uchiha who were killed could!

Although Orochimaru's Fire Release was unrefined, it still exceeded the abilities of an ordinary Chunin. The immensely powerful fire waves could instantly defeat all the competing ninjas.

"Orochimaru-!"

The crowd burst into warm applause, as if witnessing the rise of a genius in the ninja world. The ninja world revered strength, and Orochimaru, who had been surrounded earlier and yet "counter-killed," instantly became the center of attention.

Compared to this, using snakes as summoning beasts and attack methods seemed insignificant.

The remaining Genin gazed at Orochimaru with deep respect and silently left the stage.

Still a bit too showy. Orochimaru nodded toward Sarutobi, only to be grabbed by the back of his neck by a small hand like an iron claw!

"Orochimaru! You're quite something. I just realized how useful you are!" Tsunade laughed heartily, shaking Orochimaru's neck with delight.

"Cough...cough! Lady Tsunade, please mind your appearance!" Orochimaru was quite helpless. Tsunade knew him too well and wasn't afraid of him at all.

With the first round concluded, only 16 participants advanced to the second round. Over the next three days, everyone was busy either practicing, recovering from injuries, or regaining their confidence.

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