162. Confronting Orochimaru

Orochimaru. Long ago, he was an outstanding young ninja. His talent, knowledge, and determination were regarded by Hiruzen as a prodigy seen only once in a few generations.

When his parents died, Orochimaru found a white snake near his parents' grave. Hiruzen once explained that the white snake represented fortune and rebirth. Hiruzen's words inspired Orochimaru to learn Kinjutsu or Forbidden Jutsu and also want to learn all Jutsus around the world.

Orochimaru has a twisted personality. And most likely due to the death of his parents and his teammate, Tsunade, who lost the person she loves. Orochimaru grew to disdain the fragility of human life and how it affected those who were still living, which led him to desire immortality.

The first time he met Uchiha Itachi, he was fascinated with the red eyes he had, Sharingan. He wanted to gain Itachi's body by transferring his soul. Which led him to attempt to kill Itachi. However, he failed since Itachi's eyes were too strong.

After that attempt, he couldn't forget how fascinating the Uchiha clan was. If he knew, he should have prevented the destruction of the Uchiha clan. However, he couldn't reverse time.

Luckily, he got information that there was a lone survivor of the Uchiha clan excluding Itachi. Knowing the lone survivor was Itachi's little brother, Orochimaru's desire peaked, and wanted to gain that body. Nevertheless, Orochimaru needed Sasuke to get strong first before he took Sasuke's body.

Orochimaru stood in front of Sasuke and Sakura. Naruto was nowhere to be seen as if they were forced apart.

Orochimaru licked his own lips as if he was an animal that found its prey.

"Now, let's begin. The battle for each other's scroll...WITH OUR LIVES ON THE LINE!"

Then a deadly aura released from Orochimaru's body. At the same time, Sasuke and Sakura's gaze changed. Both seemed to be hallucinating as if they were killed in an instant by Orochimaru.

A moment later, Sasuke woke up. He muttered and looked at Orochimaru while shaking and even throwing up.

"Genjutsu? No, it's fear. His killing intent made us see death. Who is this guy?"

Sasuke asked inwardly. He thought the person in front of him used a Genjutsu, a Jutsu to visually display illusions. But he realized that it wasn't a Genjutsu, rather, it was his killing intent. This proved that the person in front of Sasuke, Orochimaru, had killed too many people already.

Sasuke thought for a moment that fighting Orochimaru was a bad idea, so he intended to run away. But to Sasuke's surprise, Sakura was still shaking with tears in her eyes. Sakura didn't hear anything when Sasuke called her. Sasuke himself couldn't move his feet which showed how afraid he was of Orochimaru.

Orochimaru threw two Kunais at Sasuke and Sakura. And just like what happened in canon, Sasuke stabbed his own leg with a Kunai to feel the pain that took away his fear of Orochimaru.

Sasuke carried Sakura, then hid somewhere.

Even so, Orochimaru was able to find them easily until finally, Naruto appeared bravely by throwing a Kunai which should have been right on target if Orochimaru stepped forward to attack Sasuke.

Sasuke who saw Naruto felt he couldn't do anything else. Even a Jōnin-level ninja was probably not strong enough to defeat Orochimaru. There was no way 3 Genin-level ninjas could match him. Reluctantly, Sasuke took the Heaven scroll and was about to give it to Orochimaru. However, Naruto grabbed the scroll and hit Sasuke.

"You're fake Sasuke, right?"

"Totally stupid. I'm the real Sasuke!"

"Lie!! There's no way the Sasuke I know is this coward! I don't know how strong that person is. But do you think he'll just let us go even if we give him the scroll? Aren't you too freaked to understand the situation?"

Sasuke fell silent at Naruto's words. While Orochimaru who heard their conversation began to say.

"Hehehe, Naruto. You're absolutely correct! That's because I can kill you to snatch a scroll of yours."

Naruto looked angry, and then ran toward Orochimaru with the intention to defeat him, although Naruto himself wasn't sure he could do that. Orochimaru did not stay silent and began to act.

"Kuchiyose no Jutsu."

With a summoning Jutsu, Orochimaru summoned a giant snake which then attacked Naruto. Naruto was thrown from the attack until he vomited blood. The snake approached Naruto and intended to swallow him, but suddenly.

"Take this shit!"

Naruto's expression changed, his face became fiercer with slightly elongated fangs and eyes that turned into the eyes of the nine-tailed fox. Naruto's strength was multiplied and his punch could hurt the giant snake.

Orochimaru counterattacked Naruto which rendered him get thrown once again. Then, using the giant snake, Orochimaru attacked Sasuke who seemed too scared to dodge.

Just as the snake was about to reach the target, it was stopped by Naruto.

Naruto sneered at Sasuke while holding the snake with all his strength.

"Are you all right, coward?"

Orochimaru was quite impressed by Naruto's persistence. Orochimaru who saw Naruto become a shield for Sasuke immediately stuck out his tongue that could be extended.

By lifting Naruto's clothes up, Orochimaru saw the nine-tailed fox's seal visible on Naruto's stomach.

Orochimaru gathered his chakra into his five fingertips, which he forcibly applied to Naruto's seal.

"Gogyou Fuuin."

"Ahhh!"

Naruto felt pain after Orochimaru piled the seal in Naruto's stomach. This made him faint instantly.

Orochimaru turned to attack Sasuke. Within seconds, Sasuke imagined how weak he was, having a clan massacred by his own brother. And the same thing seemed about to happen again to his close friends who were likely to be killed by Orochimaru.

Something inside Sasuke rose. With the desire for revenge because of the Uchiha clan massacre, and the deepest desire to protect his friends, Sasuke's eyes changed color.

Sasuke then made a barrage of attacks on Orochimaru with his weapons and Jutsus which in the end Sasuke managed to bind Orochimaru and attacked him with his strongest Jutsu.

With that Jutsu, Sasuke almost ran out of chakra and he was panting out of breath. But he was a little relieved that his attack was effective. Shockingly, his relief only lasted a moment because Orochimaru looked as if he was about to shed his skin.

"As expected, your talent exceeds Uchiha Itachi. This makes me want you."

Then Orochimaru again released the killing intent that made Sasuke and Sakura stiff.

"My name is Orochimaru. If you want to see me again…"

While speaking, Orochimaru took out his scroll and intended to burn the scroll.

"...then survive this exa...."

"....Pistol!!!!"

Before Orochimaru could burn his scroll and also hadn't finished speaking, a punch was launched at Orochimaru which took him by surprise. Luffy's punch hit Orochimaru which caused his scroll to slip out of his hand. Deftly, Luffy grabbed the scroll that slipped from Orochimaru's grasp.

"Gotcha!" Luffy grinned happily after he got the scroll from Orochimaru.

Orochimaru was surprised because some people suddenly appeared without him expecting that he should be able to detect the presence of someone around him.

Previously Izumi had felt the presence of Orochimaru who was within 1 kilometer away. Before appearing at Orochimaru's spot, Izumi just told Luffy to throw a punch forward. And when Luffy was released, Izumi immediately used his teleportation magic that could reach the distance from his location to Orochimaru's.

At first, Izumi only intended to launch a surprise attack, but unexpectedly Izumi's decision actually made him get Orochimaru's scroll that should have been burned by him.

Orochimaru rubbed his cheek because of Luffy's punch. He narrowed his eyes and released a killing intent toward three of them who appeared from a thin air. Luffy and Izumi's faces became serious because of the killing intent Orochimaru released on them. Once again, Sasuke and Sakura who felt Orochimaru's killing intent immediately trembled. Kazuma, who wasn't used to dealing with someone's killing intent, was trembling as well. Sakura tried to open her mouth and say, but her voice didn't come out at all as if she was mute.

Orochimaru frowned. He saw Luffy and Izumi who seemed to be able to withstand his killing intent as if both of them were experienced in dealing with the current situation.

"Who are you, brats?"

Orochimaru got information that the people from the new village were very mysterious. Even their strengths were unknown.

Hearing Orochimaru's question, Luffy replied with his iconic introduction.

"My name is Monkey D. Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King."

Hearing Luffy's answer, Orochimaru felt that he was being toyed with by a beat, and his anger soared.