Kurotsuchi: "Poor Kusagakure, they were wiped out as soon as they entered."
Kurotsuchi: "They tried to steal a chicken only to lose the rice used to lure it, encountering Team Eight, who have extremely strong counter-reconnaissance capabilities."
Kurotsuchi: "And now... they've encountered the strongest team, Team 7."
Kurotsuchi: "Except for that red-haired Kusa Ninja, it seems like none of them will survive..."
Kurotsuchi's statement gained the approval of many Ninjas.
Even some small Ninja villages began to resonate with it.
Orochimaru, however, gave a cold laugh.
Orochimaru: "Is that so?"
Orochimaru: "It's true that everyone except Karin is dead."
Orochimaru: "But whether they are 'pitiful'... that's hard to say."
In the Pure Land World, Kushina's beautiful brows furrowed slightly.
There was more to Orochimaru's words than met the eye.
Also... is that red-haired girl named Karin?
Kushina felt something was off.
At this moment, Orochimaru wore a playful smile.
Orochimaru: "Kusagakure has always made a living by selling intelligence."
Orochimaru: "They have no bottom line."
Orochimaru: "Unlike other small Ninja villages surviving in the cracks, they play both sides and live more comfortably than many Ninjas in the great villages because they don't need to worry about any kind of morality."
Orochimaru: "In Black-framed Naruto-kun's words, they are pitiful, pathetic... and, most importantly, hateful."
Orochimaru: "Besides, Kusagakure has always been extremely short-sighted."
Seeing that no one was responding to him, Orochimaru stopped talking.
He believed that after Black-Framed Naruto found Karin, the answer would be presented to everyone.
The black-framed large screen continued its broadcast:
["Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation!"]
[Sasuke took a deep breath, his hands holding the final seal.]
[In an instant, he released his Chakra.]
[Rumble—!!!]
[In an instant, a massive amount of Chakra surged from Sasuke's mouth.]
[Crack—]
[It was as if someone had brought a flame into a room filled with gas.]
[As far as the eye could see, there were only scalding flames.]
[The flames surged forward like a tsunami.]
[In an instant, the dense forest in front of Sasuke was submerged.]
[Flames and forest.]
[Truly, where the leaves of Konoha dance, the fire burns eternal.]
["Summoning Jutsu: Water Rain Gate!"]
[At the edge of the sea of fire.]
[A soft, sharp cry rang out.]
[Then, a water gate appeared within the sea of fire.]
[Immediately after, a petite figure quickly retreated from the range of the fire.]
[At the same time.]
[On both sides of that petite figure.]
[Two figures rushed out of the fire in a wretched state.]
["This... this is Fire Release?!"]
["And... that guy, is he really a Genin?"]
[Oboro and Mihoshi were both stunned.]
[Although this was their first time participating in the Chunin Exams.]
[But their ages had long since exceeded most Genin.]
[They were considered experienced and quite capable Genin.]
[However, upon seeing Sasuke's Great Fire Annihilation, their mental state nearly crumbled.]
[How could the gap between people be this large?]
[In contrast, Ajisai, who was younger and also participating in the Chunin Exams for the first time, had faster reactions.]
[She had set up defenses immediately.]
[Otherwise, those two would likely have been buried in the sea of fire.]
[Such a large-scale Fire Release Ninjutsu dealt not only with the 'rats' Sasuke mentioned but also with the poisonous creatures living in the Forest of Death.]
[Under the raging fire, sounds came from various poisonous creatures.]
[Mixed with the screams of humans.]
[The expressions of the three from the Hidden Rain Village changed instantly.]
[They had originally intended to be the oriole behind the mantis stalking the cicada.]
[In the end, while secretly following the 'mantis', they had just spotted the 'cicada' when the 'cicada' instantly sent a sea of fire, and the 'mantis' couldn't escape.]
[If they hadn't been far enough away to have time to react before the Great Fire Annihilation spread over, and if Ajisai hadn't immediately used a countermeasure.]
[Perhaps... the 'oriole' would have also met its end.]
["Damn it... how can he be this strong?"]
["This Fire Release is even mixed with the Fire Release Chakra Nature Transformation that only Chunin or even Jonin can perform... once it touches you, it's hard to shake off!"]
["Ordinary Water Release can't even block this kind of Fire Release..."]
[Oboro and Mihoshi's faces were extremely grim.]
["Let's go, quickly!" Ajisai, unwilling to waste a single moment, turned and ran.]
["Wait!"]
["Those Kusa Ninjas don't seem to be completely dead!"]
[Mihoshi said suddenly, his body stopping just as he was about to flee.]
["To be able to survive in this sea of fire... look, that Kusa Ninja seems to have taken the initiative to attack!"]
["Let's go, sneak over there!" Oboro made the decision immediately.]
[Seeing this, Ajisai's expression changed slightly.]
[When two tigers fight... it's not wise to get involved!]
[The strength of both sides was not something they could easily face.]
["Let's go!" Ajisai barked in a low voice.]
[But her voice was too soft and sweet; it held no deterrent power in the ears of Oboro and Mihoshi.]
["As a disciple of Angel-sama... you're actually only thinking of running?" Oboro's tone was unfriendly.]
["Hmph, if you want to run, run by yourself. Such a good opportunity doesn't come every time!"]
["Let's go!" Mihoshi didn't even look at Ajisai.]
[He was already somewhat jealous that she could become Angel-sama's disciple.]
[Plus, for this Chunin Joint Exam, their original teammates weren't able to participate.]
[Naturally, they blamed Ajisai for this.]
[They believed Ajisai had used her status to whisper in Lady Konan's ear, squeezing out their two familiar partners.]
[And so, this scene unfolded.]
["Idiots!" Ajisai looked at their departing backs and stomped her feet in anger.]
[After hesitating for a moment, Ajisai was about to chase after them.]
[But at that moment, as if by some strange impulse, she looked toward the Konoha Ninjas.]
[From a distance, Ajisai saw that handsome blonde boy, who seemed to be looking this way.]
['No!']
['That's not right!']
['We've been discovered... we were discovered long ago!']
[Ajisai's heart skipped a beat.]
[Then, she felt that the handsome blonde boy seemed to be smiling at her.]
[Ajisai: "..."]
[Thinking of the Fire Release from just now... Ajisai fell silent.]
[With this delay, Oboro and Mihoshi's figures had completely disappeared.]
[In the end, the young Ajisai chose to flee.]
[To knowingly walk into a tiger's den... she didn't dare.]
[At the same time.]
[Outside the Forest of Death.]
[Anko, who was eating mochi dumplings, was taken aback.]
[She looked back.]
["Great Fire Annihilation?"]
["Well, it does fit that kid Sasuke's personality."]
[She shook her head and was about to open her mouth to eat a dumpling when—]
[Whoosh—]
["Anko, let's go, there's trouble!" Yūgao appeared beside Anko.]
[She grabbed Anko's hand and started to leave.]
["Wait a second, I haven't finished eating..."]
["Orochimaru might have sneaked into this Chunin Joint Exam!" Yūgao interrupted Anko.]
["Let's go!" Anko instantly switched to her battle face.]
[Inside the Forest of Death.]
["Hmph, I didn't expect these rats to be so fire-resistant." Sasuke stopped the flow of Chakra.]
[The Great Fire Annihilation vanished.]
[Sasuke also used this time to quickly refine more Chakra.]
[Just after Sasuke finished speaking, a sinister voice, indistinguishable as male or female, drifted over.]
["Hehe... truly impressive, I almost got burned to death by you."]