The air hung heavy with the oppressive stillness of a battlefield about to erupt. Outside the ruined stadium, a dark, swirling chakra began to form, a stark contrast to the dust-filled air of the arena.
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The roar of the crowd echoed through the stadium, a wave of anticipation washing over the arena. Moments before the Chunin Exams Finals matches were to begin, Hiruzen, his eyes scanning the crowd, paused. His gaze lingered on the Kazekage, "Rasa," who stood beside him. A subtle unease prickled at the back of his neck. There was something in the Kazekage's posture, a slight twitch in his hand, a flicker of something dark in his eyes, that didn't sit right.
He remembered Orochimaru's past schemes, the way he always masked his true intentions behind a veil of calm. A brief, almost imperceptible shift in the Kazekage's chakra, a cold, serpentine energy, confirmed his suspicions.
Hiruzen thought,'Am i overthinking?'
He exchanged a brief, tense glance with the Kazekage, who offered a polite, but unsettling, smile. Hiruzen decided to observe further, to wait for the snake to reveal its fangs.
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Outside the stadium, where Orochimaru was revealing his true form. Hiruzen, his Hokage robes torn and his brow furrowed, stood amidst the encroaching darkness, his gaze fixed on the figure standing before him. The "Kazekage," his face contorted in a chilling smile, shed his disguise, revealing the serpentine features of Orochimaru.
"Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru hissed, his voice a venomous whisper, "Long time no see."
Hiruzen, his eyes narrowed, returned the gaze. "Orochimaru. Your audacity never ceases to amaze me." He sheathed his sword, a glint of steel reflecting the fading light.
Orochimaru chuckled, a low, unsettling sound. "Audacy? This is merely the beginning, Sarutobi-sensei. A taste of the chaos to come." With a flick of his wrist, a wave of chakra surged forth, forming a translucent barrier around himself and the Hokage, isolating them from the rest of the surrounding area.
Anbu, who had been guarding the Hokage, prepared to engage, but found themselves blocked by the rapidly forming barrier.
Outside the barrier, the Sound Four materialized, their presence radiating an aura of menace. Kidomaru, Jirobo, Sakon, and Tayuya stood guard.
"Seal this area," Orochimaru commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. "No one is to interfere."
The Sound Four, with chilling efficiency, began to weave intricate hand seals, their chakra coalescing to reinforce the barrier. Anbu, attempting to break through, were met with a barrage of attacks – Kidomaru's long-range needles, Jirobo's earth-style techniques, Sakon and Ukon's grotesque transformations, and Tayuya's haunting flute music that disoriented and weakened their opponents.
Hiruzen, sensing the danger, prepared for a fierce battle. He knew this was no mere skirmish; it was a calculated attack, a carefully orchestrated assault on Konoha.
Just as the barrier was about to solidify, a powerful gust of wind erupted, disrupting the formation of the barrier by suddenly attacking Kidomaru. Jiraiya, his eyes narrowed and his expression grim, landed gracefully before the barrier, his presence radiating an aura of raw power.
Orochimaru's smile faltered. "Jiraiya," he hissed, his voice laced with a hint of surprise. "What are you doing here? I thought you were leaving again, after your training with Minato's brat."
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Hiruzen: "Jiraiya, I need you to stay in the village. We might very soon attacked by orochimaru."
Jiraiya: "Sensei, are you sure that orochimaru will attack the village now ?"
Hiruzen: "As i tell you in the letter about his attack on Sasuke & then kabuto his underling that I make ANBU watch over."
Jiraiya: "Alright, I will stay."
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