"Even if you are one of the legendary Sannin, with my current abilities, I can still take you down with me."
The Raikiri in his palm shrieked like a Chidori. Amid the flashing lightning formed from highly concentrated Lightning Release Chakra, Kakashi's face carried a resolute expression, and his words bore a heavy warning.
"Heh heh... Heh heh... Hehehehe... Hahahahaha!"
Upon hearing this, Orochimaru merely chuckled softly. Yet the more he laughed, the happier he seemed to become, until he finally threw back his head in hearty laughter.
As if he had heard some particularly amusing joke.
"What's so funny?"
Kakashi forced the words out from his throat, thick with anger.
"What you say and what you do are completely different!"
Hearing that, Orochimaru slowly stopped laughing. As he lowered his head slightly, his gaze fell upon his own foot.
The foot that had taken a step forward.
Then, he raised his eyes slightly and looked toward the flickering lightning, speaking in a chilling tone.
Good!
Very good! At this moment, that thought flashed through his mind.
Kakashi's current attitude was exactly what he wanted! "What?"
Upon hearing this, the word slipped from Kakashi's mouth. Yet his body took a small step back, while the Raikiri in his hand shone even more brightly.
"You understand as well, don't you? In order to achieve one's goals, one will pursue any power, no matter how evil it may be. That child, Second Pillar, possesses precisely that kind of potential, because he is an avenger."
Facing the increasingly violent Raikiri in Kakashi's palm, the curve of Orochimaru's smile seemed to widen as he spoke smugly.
As if he had already seen through the child called Second Pillar.
As if that child were already in the palm of his hand.
"Even if you've grasped