"Orochimaru is acting strange."
Danzo frowned and spoke in a low voice.
As if that needed to be pointed out.
Hiruzen Sarutobi also couldn't quite make sense of Orochimaru's attitude.
Inherited everything from Tobirama Senju?
What a joke.
There was only one Tobirama Senju in this world, and only one shinobi known as the God of Speed.
At this point in time, no one in the entire village of Konoha could even use the Flying Thunder God Technique that the Second Hokage had created.
Hiruzen didn't believe that in just fifteen days, that Senju Yukika could have turned things around so drastically.
But still…
That child had never truly shown his hand.
Even in the Academy's practical exams, although he always scored at the top, his abilities were never particularly dazzling.
Solid Senju fundamentals and good combat skills were to be expected.
But a Senju without Wood Release shouldn't pose any real threat.
At the very least—
The test Hiruzen had arranged for him was by no means an easy one!
"Ahem."
On the field, as Orochimaru leapt to the center, Yamazaki Ryuji slowly walked forward.
To be honest, as the proctor of this exam, he was under immense pressure.
Especially with those strange looks from the crowd when Orochimaru landed—it made him deeply uncomfortable.
The examiner for this test was none other than the Third Hokage's prized student… Orochimaru!
No one had seen that coming.
A jonin-level shinobi, testing an Academy student who hadn't even graduated yet…
The eyes of the watching ninja gradually turned toward their esteemed Third Hokage.
Where's your dignity?
Are you really just throwing it away?
Hiruzen, however, paid no mind. Instead, he smiled cheerfully and looked around.
"You all know that Yukika bears the blood of the Senju clan. I've taken this very seriously."
"Frankly speaking, I didn't want him to step into the shinobi world too soon. The difficulty of the exam is for his own good—for the good of the Senju."
Brilliant!
Clan leaders from across the village couldn't help but give a subtle thumbs up. In the distance, even Uchiha Fugaku nearly laughed out loud.
He'd heard plenty about the Senju's internal affairs from his father.
But he had to admit—this was a masterful move by Hiruzen.
I raised the difficulty, yes—but not out of selfishness. It's to protect the Senju!
Any objections?
Naturally, there were none.
In fact, people would praise the Third Hokage's broad-mindedness.
This wasn't about picking on a younger generation—it was about protecting them!
That reason alone was enough to silence the doubters.
"Ahem, the assessment content was personally prepared by Lord Third,"
"Yukika… um, Senju Yukika must last five minutes in front of Lord Orochimaru."
"If he surrenders or loses the ability to fight during that time, he will be considered to have failed."
Yamazaki Ryuji gave a conflicted glance at the two figures on the field as he announced the test parameters.
Five minutes.
A ten-year-old kid, standing against a battle-hardened jonin who had survived multiple wars.
It… didn't seem like there would be much suspense.
In the Academy textbooks, each jonin's background could fill a full-length biography—and that was for the average jonin.
And standing across from Yukika… was Orochimaru, the Third Hokage's personal disciple!
As if the outcome had already been decided, many shinobi in the crowd shook their heads.
That was Orochimaru, after all.
"Yukika-kun."
They stepped apart. The Seal of Confrontation was formed.
Orochimaru stood calmly.