The battle on the arena continued.
But for Orochimaru, who had already arranged everything, there was no need for it to continue.
In fact, from the moment he stopped using the Body Replacement Jutsu to travel everywhere, the arrangements Orochimaru had laid across the ninja world had already begun to take effect.
It was inevitable that the smaller ninja villages, through the opportunity of this joint Chunin Selection Exam, would flock to Konoha in large numbers.
The remaining three great ninja villages might be a bit more troublesome, but there were still ways to resolve them quickly.
Before leaving, Orochimaru summoned Uchiha Madara to the competition site to supervise the examination on his behalf.
As for the shock that Uchiha Madara's appearance in front of the ninja world would cause to those people, he couldn't be bothered to care.
Sometimes, a swift and decisive approach was also a good method...
...
Deep in the desert of the Land of Wind, Loulan.
Outside the small city, the barrier, which had returned to its sparse state after Orochimaru's departure, once again became thick and profound with its touch of purple.
Saya knelt on the ground with a pale face before the seal of the Dragon Veins, glancing at the summoning scroll in her hand, which had dimmed again. Her eyes were filled with hesitation.
"In such a short time, the chakra I've refined within me is still too little to even activate the summoning array on the scroll..."
"What should I do..."
"Do I have to open the seal and borrow the power of the Dragon Veins to summon Lord Kongchen?"
Recalling An Lushan, who had suddenly burst into Loulan wanting to offer himself as Loulan's minister, Saya slowly made a decision.
"No!"
"Although that person is trying his best to conceal his true intentions, judging by how he occasionally inquires about the barrier from my people, his purpose in coming to Loulan is likely this power of the Dragon Veins within the seal."
"Once I open the seal, it will surely attract An Lushan's attention, and then..."
"Loulan will probably have no chance at all..."
Saya carefully put away the summoning scroll into her embrace, took a deep breath, and was about to rise from the underground secret chamber sealing the Dragon Veins.
"To possess such a precious treasure and not know how to utilize it, no wonder Loulan will disappear in the not-too-distant future!"
The sudden voice startled Saya for a moment.
"Loulan... will it really... disappear?"
The information revealed in the voice coincided perfectly with the future described by Lord Kongchen. This did not frighten Saya, but instead made her trust Lord Kongchen even more.
Saya calmly turned around, watching An Lushan slowly walk towards her from the stairs.
"Lord An Lushan, I have not yet agreed to your request to become Loulan's minister..."
"To rashly barge into the place of contemplation that only the Queen of Loulan can enter, and to say such incomprehensible words, isn't that a bit too much?"
"Incomprehensible?"
An Lushan sneered and slowly shook his head.
"Your Majesty the Queen is quite good at playing dumb, but..."
"How can you, a weakling with only Chunin-level chakra, possibly understand how terrifying the power possessed by a truly powerful ninja is?"
"It's fine if you don't want to admit it..."
An Lushan nonchalantly bypassed Saya and looked at the seal radiating purple Dragon Vein energy behind her, his eyes filled with greed.
"Before I came here, I had already made all the preparations!"
"A full twenty years of difference..."
"I will devour all the remaining power of the Dragon Veins before that person reaches his peak."
"And then... replace him, becoming the sole true god of this ninja world!"
Saya instinctively felt that the person An Lushan was referring to was Lord Kongchen.
Although she didn't understand the twenty-year difference or the sole true god of the ninja world, Saya was, after all, the Queen who managed Loulan in an orderly fashion. Suppressing the panic in her heart, she calmly turned to face An Lushan.
"I don't know what you're talking about..."
"But if you continue to talk nonsense here, I will have the guards throw you out!"
"Hahaha..."
An Lushan let out a long laugh, turned around, grabbed Saya by the neck, and stared into her eyes filled with pain.
"There's no use in struggling."
"From today onwards, you will become a puppet who obeys my every command. As for the people outside..."
"No one will know what happened here..."
Saya was shocked. She hadn't expected this An Lushan to have no scruples as a strong person, and to dare to break the rule of the ninja world that one cannot arbitrarily harm a national leader.
"Hey, you bearded guy over there!"
"I advise you to let go of that girl. Perhaps you might even have a sliver of a chance to survive."
The sudden voice startled An Lushan, who quickly looked up towards the top of the stairs.
Saya, who was held by An Lushan, rejoiced in her heart. She recognized this voice.
It was the fox gentleman named Kurama, who had been by Lord Kongchen's side back then.
"What is your name?"
Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and asked An Lushan, who had a ferocious expression, his tone indifferent.
"Lord Kongchen has also come!"
"Did you sense my summon just now?"
"This is truly..."
Saya's heart was filled with surprise and joy.
"Orochimaru..."
Unlike Saya, An Lushan's eyes revealed undisguised fear when he saw who had arrived. His entire body trembled uncontrollably.
"You..."
"Even though I have escaped the pursuit of your disciples by utilizing the temporal power of the Dragon Veins, why..."
"Why did you know I was here?"
Hearing this, Orochimaru's gaze towards An Lushan became playful.
"Oh?"
"So there is such a past between us!"
"So, you are the rogue ninja An Lushan from the Hidden Sand Village, right?"
An Lushan became even more agitated, his grip on Saya's neck tightening suddenly, his whole being turning almost deranged.
"The rumors in the ninja world are indeed true!"
"Orochimaru, you are not the true god protecting the ninja world at all!"
"Those unfortunate people like me, who were forced to lose their homes by your tyranny, were right. You are a devil who enjoys playing with people's hearts!"
"Even though... even though you know everything, why do you still ask my name?"
"Even though twenty years ago at this time, you didn't know me at all..."
Orochimaru nodded in understanding.
"So that's how it is!"
After saying something that made no sense to An Lushan, and before Orochimaru could make any move, countless invisible hands materialized in the air around An Lushan, effortlessly freeing Saya while firmly suppressing him in place.
"Kongchen... Lord Orochimaru!"
Saya coughed a few times and quickly ran to Orochimaru's side, looking up at the man who descended like a god with adoration.
"Apologies!"
Orochimaru smiled apologetically.
"I didn't expect An Lushan to arrive here so much earlier and almost let him harm you."
"But fortunately, my speed is not too slow."
"Are you alright?"
Saya shook her head vigorously. Just as she was about to express her gratitude, the Dragon Veins seal below suddenly shattered without reason. A brilliant radiance surged, and several figures were thrown out by the power of the Dragon Veins.
"Minato?"
"Teacher Orochimaru?"