In the crater, Orochimaru was on one knee, bracing himself against the ground.
"How is this possible!?"
His mind was reeling.
Such a crushing defeat was completely beyond his expectations. He hadn't imagined that even after using his "Divine Technique Chakra Mode," Shinji would still beat him with a single punch!
That was right—he had named the special chakra mode he'd created "Divine Technique Chakra Mode."
He had incorporated not only Senjutsu Chakra into this mode, but also the terrifying chakra of Otsutsuki Shibai. In his view, only the word "divine" could aptly describe it.
That was why he had always regarded "Divine Technique Chakra Mode" as his trump card. If Shinji hadn't put him under such tremendous pressure just now—if, for that brief moment, he hadn't felt as though he might actually die—he wouldn't have used it so readily.
And yet his trump card, "Divine Technique Chakra Mode," had been defeated like this. He found it difficult to accept.
In the air,
Shinji glanced at Orochimaru in the crater and let out a surprised sound.
He hadn't held back with that punch. He'd expected Orochimaru to at least suffer some injuries, but it seemed that Orochimaru's special chakra mode had absorbed the full force of the blow.
Shinji gave Orochimaru a long, thoughtful look.
At that moment, he couldn't help comparing Orochimaru to Ōtsutsuki Isshiki. If Isshiki didn't use dōjutsu like "Daikokuten" and "Sukuna Hiko Na," then in a straight Taijutsu contest, he probably wouldn't be a match for the Orochimaru of today.
At the thought, Shinji couldn't help laughing.
He had founded the Research Institute to study "divine techniques," hoping they might offer new ideas and support to help him grow stronger.
He hadn't expected the lunatics at the Research Institute to use test subjects who had successfully