Reborn in Naruto As Orochimaru (AU)

Chapter 44: Second Round Begins

Orochimaru and Tsunade left the arena, and several invigilators immediately came in to deal with the aftermath.

"Oh, my goodness, this ground needs to be renovated again," exclaimed a ninja wearing old-fashioned armor in an exaggerated manner.

"And this stagnant water... well, I did that myself..."

"You truly are exceptional, my dear apprentice," Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Orochimaru on the shoulder. "You made your teacher proud."

"Haha, I prefer to keep a low profile," Orochimaru replied casually.

"And our little princess," Sarutobi affectionately touched Tsunade's head. "You really made your second grandfather proud."

"Hehe, I believe so," Tsunade said with pride. "By the way, teacher, who are the remaining contestants?"

"Well... let me think." Sarutobi and the two of them left through the ninja tunnel.

The bustling crowd exited the venue, chattering like disturbed wasps. Sarutobi looked at the teams from several prominent ninja families and remarked, "There are only two Uchihas left, including Uchiha Renji. I've heard he's quite powerful in the Fire Style."

"We still have four from the Hyuga clan, but you managed to defeat Inuzuka. Now there's only one from the Aburame clan, two from the Nara clan, and one from the Yamanaka clan.."

Sarutobi thought for a moment, then spotted Hokage Tobirama and Danzo in the distance, with Uchiha Kagami standing nearby, his face still looking paralyzed.

"Oh, and Danzo's apprentice, Dan Kato."

"Ah, that pretty boy," Tsunade expressed her disdain and then suddenly corrected herself. "Oh, Orochimaru, don't mind me. I wasn't talking about you."

"Uh... that's quite embarrassing."

"But honestly, I've never seen anyone paler than you!"

True, Orochimaru's true form as a white-scaled snake does make him appear white, but did she really have to compare him to her future boyfriend like that? It seemed that the plot was about to change, and the wheel of history had already been shattered into countless pieces!

Meanwhile, Danzo was discussing Orochimaru with Tobirama.

"The things he's done are too dangerous, and I fear he's growing too fast to be controlled," Danzo complained persistently.

"But he's undeniably talented, isn't he?" Tobirama remained neutral. Having the ability was a valuable asset, even though Orochimaru's actions might be questionable. After all, he still belonged to the Hokage lineage.

"Teacher, I don't believe Orochimaru has any grand ambitions," Uchiha Kagami spoke up, supporting Orochimaru as a Uchiha clan member. This stance, however, left Tobirama with a peculiar feeling.

"If no one provokes him, Orochimaru should be relatively safe. Moreover, his focus on developing medical ninjutsu indicates some loyalty to the village." Uchiha Kagami maintained a stoic expression. "Orochimaru is a civilian ninja, and his parents died because of Konoha. We should help him connect with the village and secure a valuable asset for its future."

Tobirama nodded discreetly, agreeing with Uchiha Kagami's sense of duty and dedication to the village.

After the others had left, Tobirama turned to a man wearing Anbu ninja armor beside him. "Tsushima, Orochimaru is likely to become the chunin in three days. I need you to find an excuse to 'educate' this kid and help him settle down a bit, understand?"

"Yes, Hokage-sama." Tsushima, the Anbu ninja, had a subtle smile on his honest face.

Tsunade reported me about Orochimaru the last time and I will handle him well.