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"Is that all you've got? The son of the Fourth Hokage and the last orphan of the Uchiha clan… how disappointing."
Orochimaru, still disguised as a Grass-nin, licked his lips with a snake-like grin. His golden eyes gleamed with mockery as he stared down Naruto and Sasuke, both bruised, panting, and cornered.
The two genin stood side by side, their bodies trembling and chakra nearly spent. Every breath they drew burned in their chests. Orochimaru, on the other hand, stood perfectly composed — not a single scratch marked his pale skin. The difference in strength was overwhelming.
Naruto clenched his fists, teeth grinding. "Heh… guess this is it for us, huh? At least Sakura might make it out alive. That's… something, right, Sasuke?"
"Shut up, idiot." Sasuke hissed between gasps, his eyes filled with frustration. He wasn't ready to die here. He couldn't.
Not before avenging his clan. Not before killing Itachi.
Chakra flared violently around him, raw and untamed. His eyes burned — and then, within that heat, a flicker of red light appeared.
Naruto blinked. "Eh? Sasuke… your eyes! They look like Kakashi-sensei's!"
The reflection of the serpent's grin glimmered in Sasuke's newly awakened Sharingan — one tomoe spinning faintly in the scarlet iris.
Sasuke froze for a moment, feeling the power surge through him. This… this is the Uchiha power!
Confidence flooded him. He could see Orochimaru's movements — clearer, sharper, faster than before.
Orochimaru tilted his head, intrigued. He had been disappointed that Sasuke hadn't awakened his Sharingan yet — until now.
'So he's finally unlocked it. The talent is still far from Itachi's… but this will do nicely.'
His disappointment turned into sinister delight. This boy — Itachi's brother — could be the vessel he'd been waiting for.
Itachi was untouchable, but Sasuke… Sasuke was attainable.
Orochimaru's tongue flicked across his lips. The Sharingan, and the Uchiha bloodline… I'll take them for myself.
With a swift motion, his body blurred forward. "Let's test it then, Sasuke-kun!"
A violent clash erupted. Naruto roared and rushed in alongside Sasuke, shadow clones exploding across the field. Kunai clashed, earth trembled, and chakra flares lit the dark forest. Despite their effort, Orochimaru's movements were effortless — fluid, cruel, and unstoppable.
Sasuke's Sharingan tracked every move, but his body couldn't keep up.
Naruto, drained from summoning his clones, was blasted into a tree with a sickening crack. His head slammed into the bark, and he fell limp to the ground.
From above, a shadow watched.
Menma stood silently on a high branch, eyes narrowing as he surveyed the scene. "Good. I made it in time."
Below, Orochimaru's serpentine grin widened as he bound Sasuke by the neck with a snake.
'So that's Orochimaru,' Menma thought coldly. 'If I had missed him, I'd have to hunt Kabuto instead. But this is better.'
He made no move to intervene. Sasuke was still conscious, and Menma didn't want to be seen. Naruto lay motionless — perhaps dead. It didn't matter.
Since that night, Menma had stopped seeing Naruto as a brother. Blood meant nothing to him anymore. The ideals they followed had split them apart — and Menma had no space left for sympathy.
'Minato and Kushina gave me life. That's enough. Naruto… you're just a stranger now.'
His eyes hardened, empty of emotion.
Below, Orochimaru studied Sasuke's glare. His voice slithered like venom. "Not bad… for your age, you've shown remarkable potential. But compared to Itachi, you still have a long way to go, Sasuke-kun."
The mention of that name made Sasuke's body tense. Rage burst inside him. "You… you know my brother?!"
Orochimaru smirked, amused by the hatred blazing in Sasuke's eyes. "That's it. Yes… that's the look I wanted to see."
He leaned closer, voice low and cold. "Consider this my gift, Sasuke-kun. If you seek true power, come find me."
Then, with a sudden motion, his neck stretched unnaturally long — fangs bared — and sank deep into Sasuke's neck.
Sasuke screamed, clutching the cursed seal that began to burn and twist across his skin.
From the shadows, Menma watched silently, the mark of the serpent glowing in the darkness below.
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