Kaguya's Descendant, After All

"Orochimaru, how long are you going to persist in your folly?!"

On the other side of the battlefield, Jiraiya and Orochimaru seemed to be getting fired up.

The two of them knew each other far too well, so neither could gain much of an advantage in this kind of battle.

After dodging the bites of a swarm of venomous snakes, Jiraiya couldn't help shouting.

"And what's the deal with your organization? What exactly are you trying to do?"

"You're really full of nonsense!"

Orochimaru spoke disdainfully. Forming a hand seal with one hand, he summoned countless venomous snakes from all around.

Moreover, under his control, sharp swords appeared in all their mouths, making them look especially sinister under the sunlight!

"What I want to do is something a guy like you could never understand. Can't you stop bothering me?"

"Tch."

Jiraiya watched as another wave of snakes appeared, then leaped into the air and instantly clasped his hands together.

"Fire Style: Flame Bullet!"

As his Chakra surged, Fire Release mixed with Toad Oil instantly transformed into a sea of flames.

The venomous snakes hadn't even gotten close before they were burned to ashes by the flames!

Seeing those flames, Orochimaru raised an eyebrow before leaping into the air as well.

But just as he reached the air, he suddenly noticed countless strands of white hair sweeping toward him.

"How boring."

Orochimaru licked his lips before raising his arm and swinging it heavily.

Invisible wind blades already surrounded him, slicing all the white hair apart!

Yet just as he landed, his brows suddenly furrowed, because the ground beneath his feet had already turned into a muddy swamp.

"Yellow Springs Swamp? Looks like you've improved a little."

"I told you, I won't let you escape."

Jiraiya's voice quietly sounded beside him, and it was unusually solemn.

"What exactly is your organization? What are your goals? And what are you hoping to achieve by joining it?"

"You really do understand me..."

Faced with these three questions, Orochimaru couldn't help laughing.

"I'm sorry, but I won't say anything about the first two. As for myself..."

As he spoke, he turned his head and looked leisurely at Jiraiya.

"Naturally, I have my own purpose. After all, there's a very interesting pair of eyes in this organization."

"Eyes?"

Jiraiya froze for a moment, but in the next instant, he suddenly discovered that Orochimaru in front of him had already turned into mud.

"Earth Clone? No wonder it's you."

"You're too kind."

Orochimaru's figure slowly appeared on the other side. He licked his tongue and spoke indifferently.

"All right, I've said more or less everything I should and shouldn't have. It's time for me to get serious."

"Just what I was thinking..."

Jiraiya nodded gravely. Their battle had certainly been lively, but they both knew it clearly.

Neither of them had actually been all that serious!

Although Jiraiya was worried about Kakashi and the others, his observations had allowed him to confirm something.

Kakashi and the others were in a somewhat sorry state, but they could still hold on. And that kid from the Hyuga Clan could reinforce them at any time!

To be honest, he hadn't expected that sharp-tongued kid to be so strong.

But that was a good thing. It allowed him to deal with Orochimaru without worry!

As these thoughts crossed their minds, they held their breath and stared at each other, ready to strike at any moment.

However, in the next instant, both of them suddenly stopped, then looked up at the sky involuntarily.

"What is this...?"

Jiraiya's expression became somewhat strange, but he failed to notice that Orochimaru's expression across from him had suddenly changed dramatically...

"You guys are really persistent, but..."

In the distant sky, Scorpion controlled the Third Kazekage and flew through the air with himself.

Black Iron Sand swirled around him, while dozens of puppets stood ready for battle.

Looking at Kakashi and the other two below, he let out a cold laugh.

"You can stop hoping for reinforcements from that brat of the Hyuga Clan. Just obediently become my puppets!"

He could also keep track of the battle on Hyuga Makoto's side. Although the battle had moved farther and farther away, he had still noticed Juzo Biwa's miserable condition.

He was actually a little puzzled. How had Juzo Biwa, one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist, ended up being beaten so badly by that kid from the Hyuga Clan?

But he couldn't be bothered to think about it. The best choice was to quickly deal with the people in front of him.

Humm—

Under his control, all the puppets once again charged toward Kakashi and the others, while the Iron Sand began gathering in the air.

"What a nuisance..."

Kakashi watched everything through his Sharingan. His eyes locked onto Scorpion in the sky, and after pondering for a moment, he spoke in a low voice.

"Do you understand what to do according to the plan I explained earlier?"

"I understand."

Uchiha Itachi nodded, but Tenzo was somewhat puzzled.

"Captain, are you sure you can distract that guy?"

"I'm not sure, but we have no other choice."

Kakashi shook his head. Watching the puppets, he immediately shouted.

"Now! Move!"

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Uchiha Itachi completed the hand seals in an instant, and a massive fireball roared toward the puppets filling the sky.

His mastery of Fire Release was extremely high, and the enormous fireball immediately engulfed all the puppets.

However, just as the puppets caught fire, the Iron Sand filling the sky transformed into countless senbon.

"Magnet Release: Sand Rain!"

The senbon scattered the flames, pierced through the puppets, and shot straight toward the three of them.

But this was exactly the moment Kakashi had been waiting for!

"Hopefully, this works..."

Kakashi muttered inwardly, then slammed both hands onto the ground.

"Earth Style: Earth Release Wall!"

In an instant, a massive earthen wall rose from the ground, blocking the countless senbon.

"Hmph, how childish..."

A trace of disdain appeared on Scorpion's face when he saw this. He also increased his Chakra output, ensuring that the senbon could pierce through the Earth Style: Earth Release Wall!

However, the moment the wall finished rising, Scorpion suddenly froze.

"What is this?"

He stared in astonishment at the carving engraved on the damned wall.

It depicted his parents embracing him when he was young!

At that moment, Scorpion became completely dazed, and the densely packed senbon lost control because of his distraction.

But in that same instant, a massive vine slammed into the statue and shattered it.

Lightning was gathering in Kakashi's hand. He swiftly climbed up along the vine before finally leaping into the air!

"I've seen your Core..."

Kakashi's Sharingan, illuminated by the Lightning Cutter, was so crimson and cold.

"Lightning Cutter!"

"You bastard..."

Scorpion came back to his senses at that moment. As he watched the Lightning Cutter draw closer and closer, his gaze became horribly twisted and savage.

He had no intention of dodging. Instead, he instantly took control of all the Iron Sand and violently blasted it toward himself and Kakashi together!

"You shameless bastard! Even if I die, I'll send you to hell with me!"

"..."

Seeing that Scorpion clearly intended to take them both down, Kakashi broke out in a cold sweat.

The situation seemed far more serious than he had imagined.

But he seemed to have no choice now. He could only grit his teeth and charge forward!

"Huh?"

At that moment, he was astonished to discover that the Iron Sand seemed to have solidified.

It hung frozen in the sky, densely packed but no longer advancing in the slightest!

Scorpion's eyes also became filled with terror and confusion.

He had experienced this feeling before—when that Mysterious Person had appeared last time!

"Could it be that guy...?"

Before he could think further, he suddenly noticed a distorted space appearing in front of him.

At the same time, a black sphere flew out in an instant!

A cold voice followed after it.

"I was wondering why things felt so strange. So you're a descendant of Kaguya after all..."

As soon as the words fell, a white light rapidly spread out, and a deafening roar suddenly rang out!

Strangely, however, the roar seemed almost illusory.

Although a mushroom cloud could clearly be seen rising, it seemed not to have caused any damage at all.

In midair, though, a man wearing an orange spiral mask and a pitcher plant came tumbling down in a sorry state...