Fierce Battle with Orochimaru

"Lord Asura!" Gota came to the entrance of the stone chamber and reported in a low voice, "A Konoha ninja chased into the cave and was captured by us."

Inside the stone chamber, Menma was flipping through the historical scrolls of the Iburi Clan when he slightly raised his eyes at the news.

He had long guessed that Kakashi would come after them.

And the next part of the story, where Yamato saved Kakashi and the two were taken away by Yukimi, would probably still happen.

"Clan Chief! Yukimi! Yukimi took those two away!" Sure enough, before long, a clansman came running over in a panic to report.

"What?!" Upon hearing that Yukimi had released the two, Gota's expression changed drastically. A flash of anger passed through his eyes as he looked uneasily toward the figure standing inside the stone chamber. "Sorry... my lord... I failed to discipline her properly..."

"It doesn't matter." Menma shook the scroll in his hand, his tone calm. "I've already guessed that Konoha ninja's identity. He won't hurt Yukimi."

He paused, his voice low and composed. "Kids going through a rebellious phase is normal. She'll come home after a while. You should think of a way to prepare for Orochimaru first."

Hearing Lord Asura mention Orochimaru again, Gota's expression grew solemn as well.

Elsewhere.

In a marketplace within a city on the outskirts of the forest, the escaped Kakashi and Yamato were accompanying Yukimi through the bustling streets.

Having never left the underground space before, Yukimi was shopping for the first time. Her large eyes were full of curiosity toward everything around her in the crowded marketplace.

She looked at this one moment and that the next, even buying a piece of cloth and making herself a new outfit.

Kakashi and Yamato temporarily set aside their mission to accompany Yukimi around, even taking out money to buy her some snacks and treats she was curious about.

Seeing the bright smile bloom across Yukimi's face, Kakashi and Yamato, two ninjas who had long lived within the Anbu and Root, were both infected by her happiness.

For the moment, they cast aside all their burdens and worries. Like three good friends, they had a wonderful time in the marketplace.

Meanwhile.

"Pant... pant..."

Clutching his injured, bleeding abdomen, Orochimaru slowly arrived at the Iburi Clan's tree hollow.

"Lord Orochimaru!" A cloud of smoke drifted over and transformed into two Iburi clansmen, who hurried forward with concern to support him.

But Orochimaru suddenly attacked, grabbing one of them and biting down on his neck!

"Ah! Lord Orochimaru!" The Iburi clansman who had been seized screamed and tried to activate his ability to turn into smoke, but Orochimaru's Cursed Seal restrained him, making him unable to use it.

As he felt the blood drain from his body, the Iburi clansman was instantly sucked dry, his body rapidly shriveling.

After replenishing his blood, Orochimaru licked the corner of his mouth. Some strength returned to his body, and a flash of satisfaction passed through his eyes.

He rolled his neck, then opened his bloody maw again and bit toward the other Iburi clansman, who had been scared stiff.

Whoosh—

Just as the man was about to be bitten, a wind blade shot over, forcing Orochimaru to release him and retreat in a flash.

"Who is it?!" Orochimaru looked up, violence surging in his golden snake eyes.

From the darkness deep within the underground cavern, Grim Reaper of Three drifted out like a ghost, the scythe in his hand gleaming with a chilling light.

"Asura..." Deep wariness filled Orochimaru's snake eyes.

At the same time, he found Asura's mystery even more unfathomable.

How did he know about the Iburi Clan?

And how did he get here before me?

What exactly is his purpose?

Countless questions sprang into Orochimaru's mind.

"Lord Orochimaru! You!" A cloud of smoke gathered, and Gota looked at the clansman who had been drained of blood. Though he had been prepared, he still could not hide his shock and anger.

"So it's Gota..." Orochimaru said coldly in a hoarse voice. "Are you going to betray me?"

The other members of the Iburi Clan also dispelled their mist forms and stood behind Gota. There was no longer any admiration on their faces as they looked at Orochimaru, only deep hatred!

Orochimaru had deceived their clan! He had killed so many children! And now he wanted to wipe them out completely!

"Where are those children?!" Gota gritted his teeth, his voice trembling.

How he wished those children were still alive, even if Orochimaru had lied to him.

"Hehe, it seems you already know..." But unfortunately, Orochimaru's sneer completely shattered Gota's last shred of hope.

"Asura, come out." Orochimaru raised his snake eyes and looked grimly into the deep underground space.

One Konoha ninja after another flashed through his mind, including Anbu and Root ninjas, even Special Jonin from the major clans.

Yet Orochimaru, at forty-one years old, looked back over the first half of his life in Konoha and could not find any Konoha ninja resembling Asura.

Tap—

A footstep sounded from ahead.

The Iburi Clan respectfully retreated to both sides.

"Looks like I won." Menma walked to Gota's side, his tone light and pleased.

But his voice carried unquestionable authority. "Remember, your clan is now my private property."

"Yes... Lord Asura..." Gota knew full well that his clan lacked the strength to remain neutral in this war. They had to choose a side.

And Orochimaru had completely broken with them. If the Iburi Clan wanted to survive, they had no other choice.

They could only submit to this lord.

Looking at Asura across from him, Orochimaru laughed in extreme anger.

First, Asura had robbed him of the Hashirama Cells. Now, Asura had taken the Iburi Clan from him as well.

Asura had toyed with him again and again!

How could he, one of the Sannin, tolerate such humiliation?

Mandara Formation! Orochimaru endured the pain in his abdomen and crawled across the ground, spewing out a massive number of venomous snakes from his mouth.

Over a hundred venomous snakes as thick as arms extended blades from their mouths and surged toward Menma and the Iburi Clan like a tide.

At the same time, Orochimaru activated the Cursed Seal to control the Iburi Clan, preventing them from turning into smoke.

Aah! Aah! Aah!

For a moment, screams echoed throughout the cavern. The Iburi Clan clutched the Cursed Seals on the backs of their necks and wailed in agony. Even Gota lost his ability to fight.

"Grim Reaper, Celestial Maiden, protect them," Menma ordered calmly.

The Iburi Clan was now Menma's private property. He had no intention of letting Orochimaru kill off any of his property.

Grim Reaper of Three and Celestial Maiden of Jade swung their scythes and ribbons, slaughtering all the venomous snakes around them.

These were merely ordinary venomous snakes. The two Elite Jonin-level Nine Masked Beasts could naturally deal with them with ease.

Meanwhile, Menma had already rushed forward. A pitch-black Spiraling Ring condensed in his hand, and the violent chakra instantly tore a vacuum through the sea of snakes!

Seeing the other man's ninjutsu and sensing that savage chakra, Orochimaru's heart trembled.

Hidden Shadow Snake Hands! Orochimaru's right hand transformed into more than a dozen snakes that rapidly extended like vines, trying to bind the enemy before him. At the same time, he opened his bloody maw, exposing his sharp fangs.

Spiraling Ring! Menma raised the Spiraling Ring in his hand. Extremely compressed Dark Chakra, wrapped in an outer ring of wind-nature chakra, possessed a vast destructive range like Wind Style: Rasenshuriken, slicing the incoming snakes into countless chunks of flesh.

As the other party closed in and that enormous black sphere was about to strike him, Orochimaru's pupils constricted. His hands rapidly formed seals.

Summoning Jutsu!

Bang!

Smoke rose beneath Orochimaru's feet.

A huge purple snake with horns burst out of the smoke.

But the moment it appeared, it was struck head-on by the Spiraling Ring.

"Roar! Orochimaru, you bastard!" Manda let out a miserable howl, forcefully enduring the blast of the Spiraling Ring.

"I want a hundred sacrifices!" Manda hissed, threatening venomously.

As the smoke dispersed, a section of Manda's body had been blasted into a bloody mess, and many of his sturdy scales had been blown away.