Capítulo 64: Survived

"You think you can escape, kid? Dream on!" Orochimaru roared, his anger boiling over.

He was one of the legendary "Konoha Sannin," a Kage-level powerhouse, and a feared S-rank rogue ninja. Even his former teacher, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, couldn't put a stop to him. Yet here he was, wounded by a Genin. It was an insult he would never tolerate.

With a burst of speed, Orochimaru moved like lightning, his neck stretching to unnatural lengths as he chased down Lee. Lee felt a wave of dread seeing that monstrous neck closing in on him, stretching over fifty meters like some snake in human form. Even by ninja standards, this was something he could barely comprehend. Orochimaru's secret snake techniques surpassed the limits of human capability.

"Give up, kid!" Orochimaru was almost upon him, teeth bared, snapping toward Lee's neck with a terrifying intent.

"This guy's a complete monster!" Lee thought, pushing himself to dodge. He remembered Orochimaru's attempt to bite Sasuke's neck earlier—it had to mean something terrible. Orochimaru was capable of countless lethal techniques, yet he seemed insistent on attacking with his fangs. Lee wasn't about to risk finding out why.

Crash!

Orochimaru's head missed Lee by a hair and struck a massive tree, snapping it clean in half. Yet Orochimaru himself was unharmed.

"His body's unbelievably strong. No wonder Sasuke's Fire Style didn't leave a scratch," Lee thought, growing anxious. He increased his speed, determined not to get caught.

"You won't escape!" Orochimaru called, spitting out two wind blades that flew to Lee's left and right, blocking his path. At the same time, Orochimaru launched himself at Lee again, aiming for his neck.

"Get back, you freak!" Lee shouted, grabbing a thick branch from a nearby tree and swinging it at Orochimaru.

In an instant, Orochimaru opened his mouth wider, revealing a gleaming, long sword within. The blade slashed through the branch like it was nothing, then plunged into Lee's abdomen, pinning him to a tree.

"Argh!" Lee gasped, feeling the sharp, searing pain in his stomach as blood started to spill. He was losing strength fast.

"Is this it?" he thought bitterly. He didn't blame anyone else—he just wished he'd had more time to train. Facing a monster like Orochimaru before he was ready was beyond cruel.

"Lee, you saved Uchiha Sasuke, so I'll take you in his place," Orochimaru sneered, his face leaning closer, baring his fangs as he aimed for Lee's neck.

"Stop right there, Orochimaru!" a voice called out from afar.

"Mitarashi Anko," Lee thought, his eyes widening. Finally, someone from Konoha had come to investigate.

"So, it's Anko. Heh, a pity she's too late to save you," Orochimaru smirked.

"Save me?" Lee's voice was unexpectedly calm. "I don't need saving."

"You really think a Jōnin showing up now will make a difference?—Ah!" Orochimaru suddenly froze mid-sentence, a look of horror spreading across his face. His neck trembled as if he'd seen something horrifying.

"I underestimated you, Orochimaru," Lee said coldly, his entire presence transforming. His gaze was filled with a chilling, otherworldly calm, something ancient and terrifying, as if thousands of souls were staring back through his eyes.

"Who… who are you?" Orochimaru whispered, shocked.

In that brief moment, Orochimaru was overwhelmed with visions—Lee standing among shattered mountains, splitting the sky with a mere wave of his hand, crushing entire worlds. The aura was too overwhelming, so powerful that Orochimaru felt his mind faltering.

"Hmph!" Lee took advantage of Orochimaru's trance and pulled himself off the sword. Ignoring the searing pain, he bolted into the forest.

"I'll leave him to you, Examiner," Lee called back to Anko without looking back.

"Are you okay?" Anko called after him, amazed that a Genin had managed to escape from Orochimaru's grasp.

"I'm alive, for now," Lee replied, vanishing into the trees.

"What… what just happened?" Orochimaru finally shook off the trance, his face filled with lingering terror. "Was that an illusion? Or… something else?" He wasn't sure, but whatever he had seen in Lee's eyes had shaken him deeply. That presence… it felt more terrifying than anyone he'd known.

"No, impossible," he muttered to himself, regaining his composure.

Orochimaru turned his attention to Anko, who was staring at him with a complex expression. "It's been a long time, Anko," he said, his voice eerily calm.