RADG: Chapter 140/141

Chapter 140: Dark Energy

The wind howled.

Orochimaru took the lead, provoking the battle with a standard C-rank Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.

Yami raised one hand to his mouth and blew out two sharp wind blades in succession, easily slicing through the incoming whirlwind.

The two of them formed the same hand seals at nearly the same moment.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

In an instant, two massive fireballs erupted from their mouths, colliding violently in mid-air. The scorching heat distorted the air, accompanied by crackling explosions.

Although the speed was the same, Orochimaru's proficiency in Fire Release was clearly inferior to Yami's. His fireball was continuously devoured, fueling Yami's Great Fireball and expanding its size.

Realizing he was at a disadvantage in the ninjutsu clash, Orochimaru snorted, and a clone formed from mud emerged from underground, launching another Wind Release attack in an attempt to suppress Yami using a combination technique.

Yami changed hand seals, his Great Fireball intensified, and he charged forward directly against the wind.

Forced to abandon his offense, Orochimaru dodged the massive fireball. At the spot where he landed, a special kunai flew out, and Yami instantly appeared, punching Orochimaru in the face.

Crack!

Orochimaru's body shattered into a clump of dirt, and his real body emerged from behind a large tree.

"What terrifying Fire Release, Yami-kun. I didn't expect you to have such mastery over the Five Elemental Releases."

Orochimaru's expression turned serious as he stared at the calm young man.

Before the fight, Orochimaru had already assessed Yami's abilities.

Sage Mode, Flying Thunder God, Dust Release, Scorch Release—maybe even more Kekkei Genkai.

These were all within his intelligence scope, and Orochimaru had prepared countermeasures for each.

For example, though he hadn't trained in Sage Mode himself, he knew it required time to activate and couldn't be maintained for long, so he only needed to prevent Yami from gathering chakra.

Dust Release was fast and powerful, but its trajectory was predictable. Unless Yami released it in an extremely wide area, Orochimaru believed he could dodge it.

The most troublesome was the Flying Thunder God Technique, and Orochimaru had no solid countermeasure.

Still, he chose to fight now to probe Yami's limits. Otherwise, fighting an enemy without understanding their depths would cause unnecessary mental strain.

Winning wasn't the priority—he trusted in his own survival skills.

But with just this brief exchange, Orochimaru realized he had underestimated Yami's strength.

Even with just basic elemental jutsu, his raw power was monstrous. He wasn't one of those ninjas who relied solely on Kekkei Genkai or secret techniques to dominate the ninja world.

Bang, bang, bang~~!

A cloud of smoke burst forth. Several large snakes were summoned to block the line of sight. The rustling sound of movement came from the ground, and small lion-head bombs shot out like sharp swords.

Yami remained calm. Lightning flashed, and he raised the Kusanagi Sword, slicing all the incoming projectiles in half.

Orochimaru dropped from the sky, spitting out a large python. From the snake's mouth, a sword extended infinitely, shooting toward Yami. At the same time, fireballs, wind blades, and shuriken from clones flew in from all directions.

"Scorch Release: Hot Wheels."

Several scorching fireballs spun rapidly around Yami, using offense as defense to eliminate the surrounding snakes and tools. At the same time, Orochimaru's sword attack was evaded with a simple sidestep.

Boom!

The ground shattered as another Orochimaru burst out from below, thrusting a kunai at Yami's throat.

Since ninjutsu was ineffective, close combat was the next option.

Among the Sannin, Orochimaru was perhaps the most versatile, capable of using almost any form of attack with ease.

Yami clenched his right fist and struck out.

Bang!

A powerful punch landed on Orochimaru's body. His body twisted unnaturally, absorbing the impact into the ground.

Boom!

The earth crumbled, but Orochimaru himself wasn't seriously harmed. Yami felt as though he'd punched into cotton, the force dissipating without impact.

Who knows how many times Orochimaru had modified his body? Whether against ninjutsu or brute strength, his endurance was far beyond that of a normal human.

The two launched into a fierce taijutsu battle. Yami used fists, feet, shoulders, knees, and elbows as weapons, exuding lethal intent. Orochimaru was even stranger, twisting his body at impossible angles to counterattack unpredictably.

They mixed in various ninjutsu without even forming hand seals, and their power was astonishing.

Boom, boom, boom!

Under the shockwaves of their clash, massive trees were felled, and the ground cracked with deep rifts.

Sasuke, Naruto, and the others had to retreat continuously to avoid the deadly fallout.

Sasuke had his Sharingan fully activated, yet he could only catch afterimages.

"This is what true strength looks like? I can't even follow their movements with my eyes, let alone with my body...?"

Watching his first real Kage-level battle, Sasuke felt a deep sense of helplessness.

They both used the Great Fireball, but what he cast was barely more than a flicker.

Determined to learn, Sasuke forced himself to stay focused and observe as much as possible.

Swish!

Blocking Orochimaru's palm strike from behind, Yami's right hand landed on the hilt. With a flash of light, he unsheathed his sword and slashed Orochimaru in half.

Countless thin snakes wriggled out from the split, trying to reassemble the body.

"That's enough, Orochimaru. I've figured out your capabilities."

As he spoke, Yami grabbed Orochimaru's head with his left hand, pulled him in, sheathed his sword, turned his waist, and threw a punch.

This punch was nothing like before. The force built up layer by layer, all converging into a single point, exploding precisely on impact. The power tunneled straight into Orochimaru's body.

The punch vanished after three segments—it couldn't even be seen.

Puff!

Orochimaru's face twisted in agony, blood spraying into the sky. His body was blown away like a cannonball, crashing into a large tree.

The force transferred into the trunk, and in the stunned eyes of everyone present, the massive tree crumbled into powder.

"Ugh!"

Coughing up more blood, Orochimaru's body finally dropped to the ground.

"Did we win?" Sasuke asked in shock. Hinata had her Byakugan activated, scanning closely.

"His chakra is still faintly there. He's not finished yet."

Yami didn't pursue. Instead, he focused on the punch he had just landed.

He had tried to use dark energy through Steel Fist before, but always felt the technique was imprecise and wasted power.

But this punch was instinctive.

His body had naturally moved into the most efficient form, building and releasing power smoothly.

Once back, he planned to further study and refine his taijutsu. He was certain it would lead to a new breakthrough.

Yami placed high importance on taijutsu. In the coming Ōtsutsuki era, where everyone could absorb chakra, only pure taijutsu wouldn't be affected.

After a pause, Orochimaru's upper body slowly lifted. Breathing heavily, he forced a smile.

"Yami-kun, I've lost ten rounds."

"You won't get another chance."

Yami threw several kunai, pinning Orochimaru to the ground again.

"Your ninjutsu isn't lethal enough to even itch. You're like an annoying fly."

Orochimaru's smile vanished.

The truth was a blade through the heart. Yami had pointed out his biggest weakness—his ninjutsu lacked decisive lethality.

It might've looked like a fierce, evenly matched battle, but Orochimaru had never posed a real threat. Yami had been neutralizing every move calmly.

The only reason the fight lasted so long was because of Orochimaru's bizarre body and vast battle experience.

But once Yami grasped how to use dark energy, Orochimaru's modified body became completely ineffective.

"There's a long road ahead, Yami-kun."

Orochimaru's body slowly dried and hardened.

"Eventually, I'll find a jutsu that can defeat you. Just wait."

As his voice faded, his body turned into an empty husk and collapsed with a thud.

Yami sneered, ignoring the threat. He jumped over to Hinata's side.

"Grab all the scrolls and head to the tower quickly. Elimination rounds are still coming."

"Sensei, what was Orochimaru trying to do to me?" Sasuke asked, puzzled.

"The Cursed Seal. It's a special ninjutsu that uses natural energy to amplify strength. It's effective, but the side effects are extreme. One wrong move, and you'll die."

Can it really make you stronger?

Sasuke ignored the warning and instead fixated on the potential of the Cursed Seal. The more he saw, the more he realized how weak he was.

Naruto, on the other hand, bounced back quickly. While insulting Orochimaru, he vowed to surpass him and teach him a lesson.

Glancing off into the distance, Yami didn't linger. He instructed the three to get to the tower, then moved northwest. After several kilometers, he suddenly punched a large stone into pieces.

A figure hiding inside was revealed, looking up in horror.

"D-Don't come any closer!"

"Oh? Isn't this the long-legged Iwa girl? Seems like fate brought us together again."

Though Yami was smiling, it looked demonic to Kurotsuchi. Her heart pounded with fear.

While Yami had been fighting Orochimaru, Kurotsuchi's team had been nearby. They'd come over upon hearing the commotion and had seen most of the battle.

They now understood Yami's terrifying strength. There was no way they could take him on.

Kurotsuchi forced herself to stay calm. "We're contestants, and you're the examiner. You're not allowed to attack us!"

"What are you thinking? Are you three even worth bullying?"

Yami shook his head. "I just came to say hi. The intruder has been dealt with. The exam will continue as scheduled."

Kurotsuchi still didn't lower her guard. "Okay, now that you've said your piece, can you leave?"

Yami glanced at her, then his body turned into a drifting leaf and disappeared.

Her teammates sighed in relief, not noticing that Kurotsuchi's face had turned bright red.

Bastard!

He touched me again before leaving!

That's it. I'm wearing stockings from tomorrow. No way I'll let this guy take advantage again.

After teasing Kurotsuchi, Yami intercepted Anko on his way back, who was still chasing Orochimaru.

Seeing him, Anko lit up with joy, like she'd found a lifeline.

"Yami! Orochimaru snuck into the forest. Did you find him?"

"I beat him off."

Yami recounted the events briefly, and Anko's emotions rollercoastered throughout.

"That bastard, what is he planning!"

Anko punched a tree in frustration, then smiled seductively as she wrapped herself around Yami like a beautiful serpent, whispering hot breath into his ear.

"Yami, help me. Please help me kill him."

The boy was like a meditating monk, completely unmoved. "What's the reward? Orochimaru's not someone I'll risk my life against for just a few words."

Anko stuck out her tongue, teasingly whispered in a sultry tone, "The reward is me. You can do to me what you do with Kurenai. Isn't that a good enough offer?"

Girls are much more open when chatting privately. As Kurenai's close friend, Anko had learned more techniques than most romance books dared write.

"You?"

Yami shoved her away disdainfully.

Anko froze for a moment, then bared her teeth and lunged at him.

"Yami! I'm going to kill you!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 141: The Final Indecision

Hokage Building.

The news of Orochimaru's infiltration into Konoha reached the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, at top speed. Not long after, Yami and Anko also arrived at the Hokage's office.

Before entering, Anko glared fiercely at Yami, rubbed her sore butt, then straightened her expression and pushed open the door.

Upon hearing that Yami had repelled Orochimaru, Hiruzen's expression relaxed slightly. The two of them sat down and waited.

Soon, the two elders arrived, and even Danzō, who hadn't shown up in a long time, was summoned by Hiruzen.

Seeing Yami present, Danzō immediately frowned. "Do you still consider me your grandfather? It's been so long since you visited home or my base."

Yami replied half-heartedly, "I've been busy lately. Let's talk when I have time."

As for when he would be free? Probably not until all his funds were spent.

How could he not know what Danzō was thinking? He was clearly eyeing the money extracted from Gato.

But once money entered Yami's pocket, there was no chance he would share it.

Danzō glared at Yami with narrowed eyes, then reluctantly sat beside Hiruzen.

"If you've got something to say, talk properly to the boy. Don't always look so gloomy."

Hiruzen, who didn't understand the situation, habitually tried to smooth things over. He didn't pay much attention to the "internal conflicts" of the Shimura family and began talking about Orochimaru's intrusion.

As expected, Danzō and the two elders displayed the same grave expressions as Hiruzen.

Of course, Danzō was pretending.

As a former candidate for the Fourth Hokage, Orochimaru's understanding of Konoha was no less than theirs. That's why traitors were more feared than enemies.

The higher their rank before defecting, the greater the damage they caused.

"It's been so many years. Orochimaru's sudden appearance in Konoha must mean he's plotting something. Hiruzen, you must be on guard," Mitokado Homura said with empty concern, and Hiruzen had to resist rolling his eyes.

If Orochimaru wasn't here to cause trouble, was he here for sightseeing? To check on the development of Konoha's youth?

"I know Orochimaru. Even though he has fallen completely into darkness, he always acts with clear objectives."

Hiruzen said seriously, "Since he chose the sensitive timing of the Chūnin Exam, it must be connected to it. He might even be trying to disrupt the alliance between Suna and the other two major shinobi villages."

After speaking, he turned to Yami. "Yami, when you encountered Orochimaru, was he targeting your students?"

"Yeah."

Yami nodded absentmindedly, only thinking about getting home soon. "His target wasn't Naruto. He's focused on Sasuke."

Sasuke...

Hiruzen nodded. "That fits Orochimaru's pattern. He's always had a different attitude toward talented children."

"Yami, you need to keep a close watch on Sasuke from now on. Orochimaru can be very persuasive."

Yami agreed with Hiruzen's assessment of Orochimaru.

In this world, talk could be as powerful as action. Aside from Naruto, Orochimaru was one of the best at convincing others. Otherwise, he wouldn't have attracted so many talents to his side.

But what would happen, would happen. He wasn't Sasuke's father. If Sasuke wanted to leave, Yami wouldn't stop him.

After saying a few perfunctory words, Yami took Anko and left the Hokage building.

The remaining elders discussed for a while and decided to suppress the incident and strengthen security. Even if they couldn't stop Orochimaru completely, they needed to respond as fast as possible, like this time, to minimize the damage.

Family disgrace shouldn't be publicized. With shinobi from so many countries in Konoha, they couldn't act openly or interrupt the Chūnin Exam. That would only embarrass Konoha.

Danzō used health reasons as an excuse and didn't involve himself in the defense arrangements.

Hiruzen's handling of the situation didn't surprise him.

It had always been like this for decades. Hiruzen had never changed his indecisive nature.

He let things play out, allowing Danzō and the two elders to act freely. If they succeeded, great. If not, he waited for someone else to take over and bear the responsibility.

Again and again.

But... this might be the last time he could stay neutral, right?

Danzō, leaving the office, suddenly stopped and looked back at Hiruzen, who happened to look up at the same time.

The two old comrades locked eyes for two seconds before Danzō silently turned and walked away.

Hiruzen's eyes were filled with doubt and confusion.

Danzō had been too low-key in recent years. So much so that Hiruzen couldn't see through him anymore.

After a refreshing night, the examination team received word that Anko had been injured on duty and needed a few days of rest.

The chief examiner for the second stage of the Chūnin Exam was replaced.

However, this didn't affect the participants. Those still in the Forest of Death focused on finding the necessary scrolls, while those who had reached the tower rested and prepared for the elimination round.

Forty-eight hours wasn't long, but constant tension was still a challenge for any shinobi.

As time passed, the competition intensified.

When Yakushi Kabuto's team entered the tower, they were the last to cross the line. Any teams still outside, even with full sets of scrolls, were now too late.

As the supervising jonin, Yami still had to deal with the double pressure.

Inside the tower's training ground, he happened upon Team 7 confronting Gaara's team.

"What's going on here?"

Yami smelled gossip and walked over immediately.

"Yami-nii!"

Seeing him, Naruto loudly complained, "This Tanuki is so annoying! They already got their scrolls, but they still tried to steal ours!"

"If he hadn't been pestering us, we would've been the first ones at the tower!"

"He stopped us, said a bunch of weird stuff, and even said he wanted to kill Sasuke!"

"That's all?"

Yami showed obvious disappointment. "Naruto, this one's on you. These are the rules of the second exam. They didn't break them."

"Of course, if you don't like him, you can just kill him outside the village later. Make sure none of them walk away alive."

"Huh?!"

Naruto was stunned by how brutal that sounded! Kankuro and Temari, standing behind Gaara, stared at Yami in disbelief.

This guy is way too murderous!

Sasuke, one hand in his pocket, couldn't keep up the cool act and said seriously, "I'll take care of him in the match. He's just a Genin. No need for you to get involved."

Yami's words were more extreme than his, and he was supposed to be the Avenger…

"Konoha and Suna are allies. Are you suggesting that Konoha wants to break the alliance, Jonin?"

From the shadows, Baki, the leader of the Suna team, stepped forward and stood beside Gaara.

Even while plotting to destroy Konoha, he could accuse Yami of treason without batting an eye. Baki truly was a core figure of Sunagakure—thick-skinned and bold.

"Dead allies are no longer allies."

Yami smiled at him. "Besides, betrayal is Sunagakure's standard practice. Not just allies, you even betray your village heroes. Compared to that, what I said is nothing."

Baki's expression changed slightly.

He immediately remembered Pakura, the hero of Suna who had Scorch Release and was betrayed ten years ago.

Konoha had intel that deep? Was the leak from Suna or Kirigakure?

"All candidates… cough cough… gather in the training ground to draw lots… cough cough… to determine your preliminary round opponents."

A weak cough interrupted Baki's thoughts. The voice belonged to the proctor, Hayate Gekko.

After shooting a deep look at Yami, Baki said nothing and left the hallway with Gaara and the others.

"Alright, you guys go too."

Watching Hinata regroup with the others, Yami was soon surrounded by several Konoha jonin.

"This year's rookies did pretty well." Asuma said, cigarette in mouth, looking at the lineup below. All nine graduates from this year had passed the Forest of Death.

Just then, Kabuto's sudden withdrawal drew attention from certain observant individuals.

Kakashi memorized Kabuto's face and planned to investigate later. He then looked at Yami.

"Something serious happened in the forest, didn't it?"

The Third Hokage had blocked the news, but Kakashi, a former Anbu, could read the signs. Security had tightened inside the village, with patrols and Anbu doubling.

Coupled with the deaths of three Kusagakure Genin, he had a good idea.

"Yeah, Orochimaru came back."

Yami looked at Hayate, who was barely alive. In recent years, Hayate's health had only declined. At this rate, even if no one touched him, he might not live to see the beginning of the Shippuden era.

Kakashi was stunned by the secret Yami casually revealed.

Orochimaru?!

To Kakashi, Orochimaru was what Zabuza was to Naruto and Sasuke.

Back when Kakashi was their age, Orochimaru's killing intent alone had frozen him in place. That had almost become his childhood trauma.

He wanted to ask more, but seeing the other nations' shinobi nearby, he chose to stay silent for now.

The first match was displayed on the screen.

Sasuke vs. Yoroi Akado.

Without the curse mark interfering, Sasuke was close to his prime form.

Though Yoroi had a unique ability to absorb stamina, it required physical contact.

Once he figured that out, Sasuke kept his distance and bombarded him with Fire Release, quickly injuring him and winning with ease.

The second match also featured one of Yami's students.

Naruto vs. Inuzuka Kiba.

Asuma was pumped, slapping Kiba on the shoulder. "Kiba, do your best. Beat Uzumaki Naruto and I'll pay for Akamaru's special dog food for the next year!"

Fueled by this financial incentive, Kiba was full of energy and gave a thumbs-up. "Sensei Asuma, just watch me!"

Though friends with Naruto, Kiba underestimated him. He thought Asuma was just handing him free benefits.

But reality hit hard.

Yami's training, along with Maruboshi Kosuke's teachings, had finally paid off.

Naruto's taijutsu had improved rapidly. His Shadow Clones worked together flawlessly, and with his massive chakra, he spammed Vacuum Wave like it was free.

Kiba's animal-style taijutsu couldn't touch him at all.

In the end, after Kiba exhausted his stamina, Hayate announced Naruto's victory. Asuma's face turned dark.

Naruto was unbeatable, and Sasuke was even stronger.

As for Sakura and Hinata?

Forget it. Chakra control was important, but Genin still relied on power. How could Sakura, who only trained a little, compare to Hinata, raised under the main family's strict methods?

Damn it... Even Yami's students are stronger than mine?

"Next match! Yamanaka Ino vs. Kurotsuchi!"

Hayate announced the third match, and Yami's brows furrowed.

Looking at Kurotsuchi hopping into the arena, Yami was surprised.

Did she change her style today?

Why is she wearing fishnets? I

But now wasn't the time to admire legs. Yami quickly formed a hand seal with his left hand and transmitted his voice directly to Kurotsuchi's mind.

"Don't go too far in this match. Just win. No need to go all out."

Startled, Kurotsuchi realized no one else reacted, meaning only she could hear him.

She looked toward Yami's direction and glared fiercely.

You want me to go easy? I won't!

Kurotsuchi withdrew her gaze and looked at Ino with a nasty expression, confusing Ino, who wasn't particularly hyped up.

What's with this chick? Why so fierce?

(To be continued.)