The test was boring as fuck.

An assload of Genin walked in, and 3/4ths of those Genin walked out to go on to the next part of the test.

Which was actually rather interesting.

Now, I've never had a elongated conversation with the man, but I was well aware of the fact that Ibiki was the current head of Torture and Interrogation for reason. And despite the fact that he wasn't allowed to utilise the excessive skills he'd gained over the years, he was up against Genin

It might actually have something to do with the fact that all the idiotic Genin are still downstairs, while all the remotely competent ones are up here.

Were up here.

Either way, 20-something teams of Genin are now heading onwards the second part of the Chunin Exams, a nice, 5 day vacation inside the Forest of Death.

It's funny, because the number of them that are even remotely prepared for what's inside the Forest of Death can be counted on one hand.

With several fingers left over.

Forest of Death is dangerous, yo.

Doesn't help that one of the 'Genin' is also not a Genin, but one of the Sannin in disguise.

My eyes narrowed as I stared at the Kusa Genin, Orochimaru, as he handed back the Kunai that Anko had thrown to her.

And if Orochimaru is here, that means that he's after an Uchiha.

My eyes flicked to Sasuke.

And wouldn't you know it, there's one that's not being guarded by ANBU right here.

Sasuke was the one that he could get at easily. He was young and strong, and that would attract Orochimaru's attention. And because he was in the Chunin Exams, there was a nice, 5 day period where he wouldn't be in the center of the village, under protection, like the rest of the Uchiha.

Cut off from support, strong, and young.

My eyes flicked back to Orochimaru.

This was not good.

I reached out, metaphysically, with My Darkness, beginning to twist Space around me.

Hiruzen need to know that his former student was here.

I teleported away an instant later.

"He's in the village, right now?" Shikaku asked.

"Yes."

"And you're absolutely sure that it was him?" Hiruzen stated.

Eight souls held in captivity, held in stasis, forcibly confined by the soul of the usurper of their Bodies- "As sure as I can reasonably be."

Shikaku sat back, suck in a breath, a concerned expression on his face. After a moment he began to speak, before the door suddenly slammed open.

"Hokage-sama!" Kotetsu shouted, quickly kneeling at the floor. "We have a problem!"

"I'll note that this is the same Genin that Orochimaru was disguised as."

"Shiore, 14, Genin of Kusagakure." Mozuku stated.

"Shiore, then. By the way, though I've never met the woman, I still know enough about her history to ask; Where's Anko?"

"She ran off into the forest."

Shikaku looked up.

"Anko, in a forest with Orochimaru. That's not good."

Sasuke got the cursed seal.

Shit.

Shit shit shit.

I teleported through the forest, looking for individual Hearts.

And, soon enough, found her, leaning against a tree, trying to stand up, attempting to overcome paralyzing pain.

I dropped to the ground next to her.

"O-Orochi-"

"I know."

"Ho-ka"

"He's aware."

I reach out, grabbed her shoulder, and promptly teleported to the hospital.

Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura arrived at the tower eleven hours later.

None of them were looking any good. Sasuke looked like he was in pain, Naruto's entire Chakra system was completely fucked, and Sakura looked like she hadn't slept a wink for the past day.

But they were here now.

I cast my senses out.

There.

And slipped into a Corridor of Darkness an instant later.

"Hello Jiraiya."

Jiraiya hit Naruto in his stomach, and released the seal that Orochimaru had left there.

I, meanwhile, examined Sasuke's Cursed Seal.

And I did not like what I saw.

"Okay, it's like this. Orochimaru bit you, and gave you this seal. Now, inside this seal is a tiny fragment of Orochimaru's soul."

Sasuke shuddered, a look of disgust on his face.

Jiraiya and Naruto, too.

"Now, this fragment of his soul is trying to corrupt you," And it was. I could see the fragment reaching out, trying to corrupt Sasuke's soul, feeding off of his hatred and Chakra. And, thankfully, repulsed slightly by Sasuke's will. "And, since this offends me on a primal level, I'm going to rip it out of you."

Sasuke looked up, surprised, before nodding.

"It's probably going to hurt, though."

"Don't care. Get it out."

"Right. Jiraiya, make sure his seal doesn't do anything."

I put my hand on his shoulder, and let My Darkness flow into him.

Carefully, I let My Darkness touch Sasuke's Soul, sliding over it as My Darkness crept forward to the tumor.

Slowly, but surely, My Darkness encircled the fragment of Orochimaru's Soul, closing in on it.

When I had it completely surrounded, I spoke up. "Brace yourself, Sasuke."

And then, I pulled.

Strings of Darkness pulled tight, wrapping the fragment up, restricting its movements.

Even still, it violently thrashed, trying and failing to get loose of My Darkness. A futile effort.

Dimly, I thought I heard screaming.

Curiously, it sounded oddly like Sasuke.

The fragment tried to latch on to Sasuke's Soul, and met only My Darkness, a powerful bulwark between Sasuke's Soul and the fragment.

I simply wouldn't let it hurt Sasuke.

My Darkness wrapped around it, restricting it more and more. It's struggles continued, but under the increasing Darkness, were slowly, entirely, restricted.

For a final time, I pulled, My Darkness, strong, and my will, absolute.

The fragment shuddered, and came loose.

Naruto only just managed to catch Sasuke before he hit the floor.

I held up Orochimaru's soul fragment in front of us. It was only dimly visible, a distortion in the air, and even that was only because of My Darkness wrapped around it, holding it in place, but clear enough to make out.

Sasuke stared at it in disgust, but also some form of relief. Naruto was much the same, while Jiraiya was just glaring at it.

"Do you want it?"

"No."

I shrugged, before letting my hand clench into a fist.

Dark Fire blossomed in my hand, the flames dark purple and possessed of a strange, powerful malevolence.

Die, you disgusting little tumor.

The fragment let out an odd, keening wail as it was incinerated, unable to do anything, held in bonds of Darkness.

It brought out an oddly satisfied feeling in me.

And in Anko, I noted.

The fragment completely disintegrated, and I let the flames, now left with nothing to feed on, fade away. I absorbed My Darkness back into myself, now once again back to almost-whole.

"Okay, you weren't lying. Now do me."

"It's going to hurt."

"It hurt like a motherfucker." Sasuke muttered.

"Don't care. Get it out."

I shrugged, and then reached for Anko's shoulder.