Tens of minutes had passed, and Orochimaru was still busy 'cleaning up' Naruto's endless clones, like a swarm of buzzing, annoying mosquitoes.
Suddenly, his sharp instincts sensed several strong chakra flows rapidly approaching his location. His eyebrows raised slightly when he recognized one of those chakras.
"Anko... my troublesome student," Orochimaru muttered with a thin, cold smile. "She's grown quite strong, it seems."
If it were just Anko and a few ANBU, Orochimaru still considered the situation under control. However, a faint frown appeared on his forehead when he sensed another, very familiar chakra presence, though still faint from a distance. A chakra that made him slightly... wary.
"Sensei..." he whispered softly, his eyes narrowing. "Hiruzen is coming too? This is getting troublesome."
Annoyance began to creep over Orochimaru. His plans were disrupted by this unexpected fox brat. 'Damn it! Smelly fox brat!' he thought with suppressed anger. He didn't have much time left.
With a restrained growl, Orochimaru bit his thumb and quickly formed hand seals.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu!"
Thick smoke billowed, and from within emerged a giant snake with cold eyes and scales as black as night.
"Manda!"
"Why have you summoned me, Orochimaru?" Manda hissed, its voice heavy and threatening.
"Don't waste my time if this isn't important."
"Clear these little insects for me, Manda!" Orochimaru ordered, pointing towards the thousands of Naruto clones still filling the forest. "Immediately!"
Manda snorted, but it immediately shot forward, its giant body crushing trees and wiping out hundreds of Naruto clones in an instant. With Manda's help, the remaining thousands of Naruto clones were finally 'cleared' in a short time. It seemed that because his main body had gone quite far and possibly run out of chakra, no more additional Narutos appeared like mushrooms in the rainy season.
Even so, Orochimaru knew his time was up. He could feel Hiruzen's and the ANBUs' chakra getting closer.
"Tch, next time I'll make sure you feel it, Sasuke-kun,"
he hissed before disappearing into the shadows of the trees, leaving behind a trace of annoyance and a faint scent of snakes.
Not long after, Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, arrived at the location with several ANBU and Jonin, including a tense-looking Anko. They only found the remnants of the battle and hundreds of Naruto clones standing with varied expressions, some looking exhausted, others still energetic.
"Grandpa Hokage! You're finally here!" one of the Naruto clones exclaimed, his face, similar to the real Naruto's, looking relieved.
"What happened here, Naruto?" Hiruzen asked seriously, his eyes scanning the damage around them.
"We sensed a very evil aura and a major battle."
"It... it was Orochimaru, Grandpa Hokage!" another Naruto clone replied, pointing in the direction Orochimaru had disappeared. "He was a man... or maybe a woman? His appearance was so weird!"
Another Naruto clone chimed in, "That's right! He claimed to be Orochimaru and arrogantly told us all his plans, dattebayo!"
Anko, hearing Orochimaru's name, immediately tensed. "Orochimaru?! What did he tell you, brats?!"
"He said," one Naruto clone began to explain, trying to remember Hana's instructions precisely, "he plans to take the last Sharingan, which belongs to Sasuke! And... and he also said he wants to destroy Konoha and kill Grandpa Hokage!"
(Of course, once again, this was an added spice from Hana. The real Orochimaru wouldn't be foolish enough to detail his plans to Genin, but... who would know the truth now?)
The Jonin and ANBU who heard this looked at each other anxiously. Even Hiruzen looked surprised, though he tried to hide his astonishment behind his calm face.
"Did he really say all that?" one of the Jonin asked, slightly doubtful. "A legendary Sannin leaking his plans to Genin?"
"Perhaps he was too arrogant, seeing his opponents were only Genin," another ANBU chimed in. "Or maybe he deliberately wanted to spread panic."
The Naruto clones nodded in unison. "Yes! He was very arrogant! He thought we were weak, so he underestimated us and told us everything!"
Hiruzen let out a long sigh. Whatever the reason, this information was invaluable. He looked at the Naruto clones with a gaze full of appreciation.
"Naruto," he said with a proud tone, "you have performed an extraordinary act. You have provided very important information for the village. Your courage to face such a strong opponent and the way you spread the information are truly commendable."
He smiled warmly. "As Hokage, I promise you. As long as you successfully reach the third round of this Chunin Exam, I will immediately grant you Chunin status as a reward for your service today."
The eyes of the hundreds of Naruto clones immediately sparkled brightly.
"REALLY, GRANDPA HOKAGE?!" they exclaimed in unison, their voices echoing through the forest.
Without waiting for a further answer, the hundreds of clones immediately turned towards the Jonin, Chunin, and ANBU standing behind Hiruzen.
"Did you hear that?! Did you all hear what Grandpa Hokage said, right?! He promised to make me a Chunin if I reach the third round! You're all witnesses, okay! Don't let Grandpa Hokage forget, dattebayo!" they shouted, as if campaigning.
The adult ninjas present, though initially a little surprised by Naruto's enthusiasm and outspoken behavior, could only chuckle in amusement.
"Hahaha, yes, Naruto, we all heard it clearly," one of the Jonin said with a smile.
"Don't worry, we'll remind Hokage-sama if he forgets," Anko chimed in with a grin, feeling a little amused amidst the tense situation.
"We'll all testify for you, Naruto!" another one added.
Feeling satisfied with the 'guarantee' from the witnesses, the hundreds of Naruto clones smiled broadly.
"Yosh! Thanks, everyone!"
Then, with an unseen command, the hundreds of Naruto clones simultaneously dispelled their Kage Bunshin no Jutsu.
POOF! POOF! POOF!
Thick white smoke billowed high into the sky, enveloping the area and making several people cough due to the dense concentration of smoke.
Meanwhile, in the distance, the real Naruto, who had been hiding safely inside a large tree hollow with Sasuke and Sakura, suddenly clutched his head.
"Ugh... Nggghhh..." he groaned softly, his eyes closed in pain.
Sakura, sitting beside him, immediately turned anxiously. "Naruto? What's wrong with you?"
The information and exhaustion from the thousands, even hundreds of thousands of clones that had just disappeared, now flooded Naruto's mind at once. The sensation was too much for his young brain to handle.
"My head... hurts so much..." Naruto muttered before his eyes rolled upwards and his body went limp. He fainted.
"NARUTO!" Sakura shrieked in panic. She immediately moved closer and checked Naruto's condition. He was still breathing, his pulse was also normal. After a brief check, Sakura sighed in relief.
"Thank goodness... he just fainted from exhaustion."
Sasuke, who had been observing silently, glanced at the unconscious Naruto, then at the darkening sky.
"It's getting dark," he said flatly. "I'll go hunt some game for our dinner. You two stay here and guard the scroll."
Sakura nodded, her attention returning to Naruto, ensuring her teammate rested comfortably.
The fight earlier had truly drained their energy and mental fortitude. And this exam, it seemed, had only just begun.
Reactions of Other Teams. Before Hiruzen Arrived.
The orange wave spread with astonishing speed. Thousands of teenagers in striking orange jackets with blond hair were now truly flooding every corner of the Forest of Death. Cries of "HELP! IT'S OROCHIMARU!" echoed, creating panic and confusion among the other Chunin Exam participants.
Team 10 (Shikamaru, Ino, Choji) – Konoha
Shikamaru Nara, who was lazily lying on a tree branch strategizing, was suddenly awakened by the approaching uproar.
"What in the world is that?" Choji Akimichi muttered, stopping his munching on potato chips.
Ino Yamanaka, who was fixing her bangs, looked up. "Don't tell me it's Naruto's doing again? So troublesome!"
Before Shikamaru could answer, dozens of Narutos rushed past them. Some even nearly collided with a surprised Choji.
"OY! WATCH OUT, DATTEBAYO!" one of the Naruto clones shouted without looking back, continuing to run.
"Help? Orochimaru?" Shikamaru frowned. This was definitely not part of the exam he had anticipated. "Troublesome. But this looks serious." He looked at Ino and Choji.
"We need to be more vigilant. If there really is a legendary Sannin in this forest, we need to avoid trouble."
Ino shivered.
Choji swallowed. "I'm not hungry anymore..."
Team 8 (Kiba, Hinata, Shino) – Konoha
Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru were sniffing out another team's trail when Akamaru suddenly barked frantically, pointing in one direction.
"What is it, Akamaru? Did you smell something strong?" Kiba asked.
Before Shino Aburame could analyze with his insects, the first wave of Narutos hit.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY! GET OUT OF THE WAY! THERE'S GREAT DANGER!" several Naruto clones shouted while running at full speed.
Hinata Hyuga, who was still a little worried about the real Naruto's condition, was surprised to see so many 'Naruto-kuns'. "Na-Naruto-kun? This many?"
"This is... Kage Bunshin no Jutsu on a massive scale," Shino muttered, his dark glasses shifting slightly. "The amount of chakra required for this... is extraordinary. And the message they carry... Orochimaru."
Kiba grinned. "Hah! That idiot must be causing chaos again! This is a chance to show off!"
However, seeing the Naruto clones completely ignoring them and just focusing on running while shouting, Kiba's enthusiasm dimmed slightly.
"Hey! Where are you going?! Fight me first!" he shouted, but not a single Naruto clone stopped.
Team Gai (Neji, Lee, Tenten) – Konoha
Rock Lee was doing one-handed push-ups, while Neji Hyuga observed the surroundings with his Byakugan, and Tenten checked her weapon supply.
"The spirit of youth must keep burning!" Lee exclaimed.
Suddenly, Neji stood upright.
"There's a very large and irregular chakra movement. The number... hundreds. No, thousands!"
Tenten was shocked. "Thousands? Is it an attack?"
Before they could prepare, Naruto clones were already seen running among the trees.
"HELP! THERE'S A STRONG ENEMY! OROCHIMARU IS IN THIS FOREST!"
Rock Lee immediately got excited.
"Enemy?! This is an opportunity to prove that hard work surpasses talent!"
Tenten held Lee back. "Wait a minute, Lee! Look at them! They're not attacking us. They're... asking for help?"
Neji observed carefully.
"This is... Uzumaki Naruto's shadow clone technique. He's spreading himself to seek help. Very inefficient, but... effective for spreading a message quickly." He noticed the clones just ran past them, ignoring his team's presence.
Team Suna (Gaara, Kankuro, Temari)
Gaara of the Sand stood silently, his sand swirling slowly around his gourd. Kankuro was inspecting his Karasu puppet, while Temari fanned herself with her large iron fan.
"So noisy," Temari commented, hearing faint shouts from a distance.
Kankuro looked up. "What's that? The voice of that blond Konoha brat?"
Suddenly, dozens of Naruto clones passed not far from them, some even crashing into the bushes near Kankuro.
"LOOK OUT! GET OUT OF THE WAY, DATTEBAYO! THERE'S A CRAZY PERSON NAMED OROCHIMARU ABOUT TO RAMPAGE!" one of the clones shouted.
Kankuro jumped in surprise and reflexively took a defensive stance with Karasu. "What the hell is this?! An attack?!"
Temari also readied herself with her fan. "There are so many of them! Is Konoha trying to trap us?!"
However, the Naruto clones paid them no mind at all.
They just ran straight, some turning in other directions, continuously shouting about Orochimaru and asking for help, passing Team Suna as if they were just part of the forest scenery.
Gaara merely stared coldly at the orange wave. His dark-ringed eyes narrowed. "Uzumaki Naruto... and... Orochimaru?" A faint, terrifying smile almost formed on his lips. "Interesting."
Team Oto (Dosu, Zaku, Kin)
The team from Otogakure, who were actually Orochimaru's subordinates, were hiding, awaiting orders.
"What's that sound?" Kin Tsuchi asked, her sharp ears catching the shouts.
Zaku Abumi snorted. "Sounds like the Konoha brat we're targeting. But why so many?"
Dosu Kinuta, their leader, felt the vibrations in the ground from the footsteps of hundreds of clones.
"This is Kage Bunshin. And they're mentioning Orochimaru-sama's name." He smiled sinisterly behind his bandages.
"It seems Orochimaru-sama is having fun. We don't need to interfere unless ordered." He signaled his team to remain hidden, observing from a distance the panicking Naruto clones, completely unaware of their presence.
Other Ame and Kusa Teams
Several teams from smaller villages, like Amegakure or Kusagakure (the real ones, not the disguised Orochimaru), became very wary.
"AN ATTACK! THIS MUST BE AN ATTACK FROM KONOHA!" a Genin from Amegakure shouted, seeing dozens of Narutos running towards them. His team immediately took a defensive formation, ready to launch jutsu.
However, to their surprise, Naruto's 'army' just passed by, some even accidentally bumping into their team members.
"SORRY! OUT OF THE WAY! IT'S AN EMERGENCY! IT'S OROCHIMARU!" shouted the clone who bumped into them, then immediately got up and ran again, ignoring the confused and angry stares from the Amegakure Genin.
"What... what just happened?" his teammate asked, equally confused. They slowly lowered their weapons.
"They... didn't attack?"
Similar situations occurred at several other points in the forest. Genin from other villages, who initially thought this was a planned attack or a trap by Konoha, became confused and hesitant when the hundreds of Naruto clones just focused on running and shouting for help, completely ignoring the presence of other teams as if they were insignificant.
The Forest of Death, which was supposed to be an arena for battles between Genin, had now turned into a stage of mass chaos due to the actions of one person... or rather, thousands of clones of one person.
And the message they carried, the name "Orochimaru," began to spread like a plague, sending a chill down the spine of every ninja who heard it.