A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Wood Release clones—a superior technique compared to ordinary Shadow Clones.

Not only were these clones far more durable and stable, but they were also harder to see through.

Because Wood Release carried an immense amount of life force, these clones could use bloodline limit techniques that ordinary Shadow Clones couldn't.

For example, the Sharingan.

Or, as was the case now, Susanoo.

To a Kage-level fighter, the fourth form of Susanoo wasn't necessarily unbeatable.

In the original story, Onoki, with the help of the other four Kage, was able to destroy twenty-five Susanoo clones wielded by Uchiha Madara.

Even earlier, Onoki had been able to hold his ground against five Susanoo on his own.

But the key difference here was the person using these bloodline techniques—Orochimaru, one of the three legendary Sannin.

A ninja with no ties to the Senju or Uchiha clans.

How could someone like Orochimaru wield the Sharingan and Wood Release at the same time?

Not to mention his earlier use of Magnet Release…

What was he? How was he capable of mastering so many bloodline limits?

"This is bad!" Onoki's expression shifted, and he quickly flew out of harm's way.

Boom!

One of Orochimaru's Susanoo stomped the ground, shattering stone and shaking the earth.

Though the fourth form of Susanoo wasn't exceptionally large and only carried a single weapon, its combat strength was undeniably at the Kage level.

But Orochimaru's Susanoo, equipped with long-range rocket launchers, moved far too slowly to pose a significant threat in close combat.

For shinobi like A and the Third Raikage, whose speed was their greatest strength, or Onoki with his ability to fly, avoiding the Susanoo's attacks was relatively easy.

Still, it was important to remember—Orochimaru wasn't on equal footing. He was surrounded and outnumbered on the battlefield.

Even so, he held his ground.

The battle between Orochimaru's five Susanoo and the four Kage had begun.

"The Raikage are fast and their defenses are strong, but taking down a Susanoo or targeting me directly won't happen anytime soon," Orochimaru muttered to himself, his crimson Sharingan glowing as he observed the fight.

As for Rasa? Orochimaru noted how limited the young ninja's capabilities were outside of a desert. His Gold Dust techniques were far less effective here, making him the weakest among the four.

He might be decent at defense, but attacking Orochimaru directly? Out of the question.

The only one who posed a real threat was Onoki.

The Tsuchikage's Dust Release boasted devastating power, but his defense left much to be desired.

"Take out Onoki first," Orochimaru decided instantly.

Unlike Madara, he had no interest in toying with his opponents.

Buzz!

"Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World!"

Onoki deftly dodged the swings of one Susanoo and flew behind it, releasing a massive cube of energy that engulfed the construct.

Dust Release, a technique that combined wind, earth, and fire chakra natures, had the dual properties of destruction and disintegration. It surpassed ordinary bloodline limits, allowing its wielder to break down objects into atoms.

The cube radiated with blinding energy before completely disintegrating the Susanoo, leaving no trace behind.

As the first Susanoo was obliterated, Onoki let out a small sigh of relief. He prepared to target the next one but suddenly tensed, his instincts screaming danger.

He turned abruptly—

Whoosh!

Orochimaru, now equipped with black Iron Sand Wings, had appeared silently beside him.

"How… how did he get up here?" Onoki's pupils shrank, but he had no time to think. He quickly retreated, narrowly dodging a kunai aimed at his side.

The kunai grazed his robe, cutting through the fabric but missing its mark.

"Your reflexes aren't bad," Orochimaru remarked with a sneer, wasting no time as he raised his hand.

Countless small particles of sand iron shot forward like a hail of bullets.

"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!"

"Earth Release: Clay Wall!"

Ta-ta-ta-ta!

The barrage of sand iron pelted the earth wall Onoki had summoned in midair, creating the sound of rapid gunfire.

"What's with this guy…?" Onoki thought grimly, his expression shifting as he noticed Orochimaru's next move.

Before he could react, Orochimaru appeared in front of him again, holding a kunai marked for the Flying Thunder God.

Boom!

With a swift kick, Orochimaru struck Onoki's arm, sending him flying backward several meters.

Onoki barely managed to stabilize himself midair, his arm throbbing from the impact.

"Space-time ninjutsu? You can summon the kunai directly to my position?" Onoki asked, his voice trembling slightly.

"As expected of you, Onoki," Orochimaru said with a grin. "You catch on quickly."

Before Onoki could respond, Orochimaru lunged at him again, kunai in hand.

Buzz!

This time, Onoki reacted faster, activating his Dust Release once more. A glowing cube of energy enveloped Orochimaru.

"You brat! Don't underestimate me!" Onoki shouted, pouring his chakra into the technique.

He prepared to disintegrate Orochimaru on the spot, but what happened next stunned him.

Orochimaru didn't use the Flying Thunder God to escape. Instead, he casually stepped out of the energy cube by opening a gap in its wall.

"What…?!" Onoki's face froze in shock.

For the first time in his life, someone had escaped his Dust Release by directly disrupting the energy structure.

Caught off guard and unable to dodge, Onoki gritted his teeth as Orochimaru closed the distance.

Shhk!

The kunai pierced Onoki's left shoulder, drawing a splash of blood.

Onoki grunted in pain, flying backward in an attempt to put distance between them, but Orochimaru relentlessly pursued him, refusing to let him escape.

"Damn it!" Onoki hissed, enduring the pain as he reached out to grab Orochimaru's wrist.

But Orochimaru anticipated this, letting go of the kunai and retreating with a flap of his sand iron wings.

"Raikage, Rasa—this guy can't be killed. We need to retreat!" Onoki shouted, making a swift decision.

Without waiting for their response, he yanked the kunai from his shoulder, tossed it to the ground, and flew back toward his camp.

The power Orochimaru had displayed far exceeded the bounds of a typical shinobi, and Onoki had no intention of risking his life further.

Fighting any longer wasn't worth the cost.

As Onoki retreated, Orochimaru contemplated chasing after him but quickly realized that the Tsuchikage's flying speed far outpaced his own.

The distance between them also placed Onoki beyond the range of the Flying Thunder God's teleportation.

"Fine," Orochimaru muttered, his gaze shifting toward the ground.

"I'll deal with the Raikage instead."

Without hesitation, Orochimaru flew toward the Third Raikage, who had just finished crushing one of the Susanoo and was scanning the battlefield.

The Raikage noticed Orochimaru's approach too late.

In an instant, Orochimaru's crimson Sharingan flared, and his kunai plunged into the Raikage's back.

"Pierced…? Impossible. Father…" whispered A, his voice trembling as he watched the scene unfold.

***

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