Ella sprinted through the dense foliage for what felt like hours, relying on her sharpened senses to guide her to her teammates. Finally, she caught wind of Sakura's distinctive voice, uttering some coded phrases. Curiosity compelling her, Ella emerged from the shadows just as Naruto made his presence known.
"Hey, guys," she greeted.
"Ella? Is that really you?" Sakura questioned, a hint of fear coloring her gaze.
Ella's eyes narrowed slightly. "Of course, it's me. What's going on?" Her gaze shifted to Naruto, realization dawning.
"You're not Naruto," she declared.
"Heh, what are you talking about? Of course, it's me," he insisted.
Sasuke swiftly drew a kunai from his pouch and hurled it at the imposter, who dodged with a desperate tumble. "Hey, what the hell, Sasuke!"
Ella chuckled softly. "You really think you could pretend to be Naruto of all people?" She unsheathed a kunai, her gaze piercing the imposter. "Show yourself."
Naruto stood, covering his face, and let out a chuckle, sounding eerily snake-like. "Heh. I see you are neither tired nor ill-prepared."
The skin on Naruto's face peeled away, revealing the Grass ninja from before the exam, a smirk playing on his lips. He then licked those lips with a tongue unusually longer than a normal human's.
"Okay, what the hell is going on here?" Ella demanded, staring at him with a mix of confusion and concern.
The Grass ninja grinned, his eyes gleaming with a sinister glint. "Impressive, Sakamoto-san. Most would have fallen for Naruto's facade. I am Orochimaru."
Ella's eyes widened in recognition. The infamous Sannin, Orochimaru, known for his forbidden jutsu and nefarious deeds. Her hand instinctively gripped the hilt of her kunai as she assessed the situation.
"Ah, ah. Ella. That's not a good idea," Orochimaru smirked.
In the next moment, all three of the genin froze. Orochimaru had ensnared them in a cunning genjutsu. Ella felt herself locked in place, forced to witness her demise repeatedly. She clutched her kunai, attempting to wrest control of her limbs from the illusion's grip.
Orochimaru chuckled at their predicament, his sadistic enjoyment evident. "How does it feel, Sakamoto-san? To witness your own demise repeatedly."
Ella fought against the illusion, her mind struggling to break free. The mental assault intensified, each repetition of her death playing out with vivid detail. The darkness of the genjutsu threatened to overwhelm her.
Sasuke and Sakura, trapped in their own illusions, were equally helpless. Orochimaru's twisted amusement filled the air as he reveled in their mental torment. Time seemed to stretch as the genin struggled against the relentless onslaught of illusions.
Just when Ella felt on the verge of surrendering to the illusion, a surge of determination welled up within her. With a forceful mental push, she shattered the genjutsu, dispelling the haunting images. Orochimaru's grin faltered for a moment as he registered her resilience.
"I should have known a Sakamoto would've been able to break free without help," Orochimaru stated, his smirk persisting.
Ella shot him a defiant glare. "Save your commentary. What do you want, Orochimaru?" Her voice carried a mixture of irritation and vigilance, her eyes narrowing as she kept a firm grip on her kunai.
"I want the Sharingan," he started, licking his lips, "And I want the Sakamoto ability."
Ella chuckled softly in response. "You won't get either from us."
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War, Peace, and Love (Naruto Fan Fiction)
RandomWhen the Sakamoto clan was killed one afternoon in Sunagakure, what does the lone survivor, Ella Sakamoto, do? Does she become a ninja like her father and mother wanted? Or will she become a cold blooded killer? Maybe even both. Read to find o...
