The Showdown

The newcomer moved so fast that he reached the cave in almost an instant.

The moment Anko saw him—especially that once "hateful" face—she grew both angry and anxious. "Kid, do you want to die? You're alone. How could you possibly be a match for this guy? Get out of here, now!"

But did Yang Xing seem like the kind of person who would listen to others? Even Anko herself didn't think so.

She shouted only because she hoped he would be all right. More than anything, she didn't want anything to happen to the kid who had come to save her.

"I knew you'd come. I've been waiting a long time." When Orochimaru saw Yang Xing appear, he rose to his feet and fixed his gaze on him. His expression turned vicious. "But you're being far too cautious. You showed yourself with only a clone. Do you think I'm not worth facing in person?"

He opened his mouth and lunged without hesitation, turning the clone into a ball of water.

"Clone? Then where is he...?" Anko admired Yang Xing's planning, but she still didn't believe he could defeat Orochimaru.

The most important thing was to get him out of there before that guy killed him.

Coming here to risk his life for her was clearly not worth it. Though she was touched deep down, Anko didn't want to see Yang Xing die.

"Hey, kid, get out of here! I'll be fine. You—go find someone to come rescue me!" She shouted toward him, hoping he would just leave.

But the only reply she got was the calm name of a ninjutsu.

"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The ground shook. Anko watched as countless stone spears erupted from beneath Orochimaru. They covered a wide area and came in a dense barrage.

The power of this Earth Style technique was truly formidable.

Unfortunately, it would have been effective against an ordinary Jonin. But the man standing before him was Orochimaru, a master of ninjutsu who had once been called a genius of Konoha.

"Idiot." Watching Orochimaru dodge with ease, Anko grew frantic on Yang Xing's behalf. He was clearly wasting chakra. There was no way he could win like this.

But all she could do was watch. Unable to take part, she felt helpless—and her anger toward Orochimaru reached an unprecedented height.

"Orochimaru, enough! Kill me! Hey, I said, if you've got the guts, kill me!" A sudden, inexplicable blaze of anger flared inside Anko. She shouted at Orochimaru, who stood nearby. "Otherwise, I'll reveal all your ninjutsu. I know you all too well, Teacher Orochimaru!"

"You..." Orochimaru turned to look at Anko, his gaze changing. His eyes were chillingly cold. Dodging a stone spear, he spun around and headed straight for her.

He didn't know whether Anko was telling the truth, but if there was even a chance she was, she could interfere with many of his plans. For the sake of those plans, he wouldn't hesitate to kill a former student he had once cherished.

With murderous intent rising, he was ready to strike.

But the arrival of another figure interrupted him.

"Earth Style: Hardening Technique!" The newcomer burst out. It was the real Yang Xing. His fist had hardened into stone, and he swung it straight at Orochimaru. "Die!"

At that moment, Orochimaru smiled.

Anko froze.

"Idiot, what are you doing?!"

But Anko's shout couldn't stop Yang Xing from charging to his death. His punch missed.

Orochimaru had already cast his genjutsu with a set of Hand Seals.

It was obvious that Orochimaru's earlier attack had been a feint to draw Yang Xing out. He had formed the genjutsu seals with his hands as he charged at Anko, fooling even her.

By the time Anko tried to warn him, it was too late.

She watched helplessly as Yang Xing furrowed his brow and met Orochimaru's gaze. He was immediately trapped in the genjutsu, his whole body stiffening as he fell to the ground. For the first time, Anko felt her heart tremble.

"Stop, Orochimaru! Don't you dare hurt him! If you've got the guts, come after me!" For some reason, Anko didn't hate Yang Xing for his recklessness. Now, seeing the kid about to die for her, she couldn't help getting worked up.

The young girl's heart raced with emotion.

"Hahaha, Anko. Unfortunately, I really have no interest in you anymore." Orochimaru didn't even look back. He walked toward Yang Xing, who lay motionless on the ground. "Kid, you're the one I'm interested in. Your ninjutsu is fascinating. I've never seen techniques like your Substitution Technique, your clones, or that Fire Style: Fireball Technique."

"I'd like you to come back to my base with me so I can study them. Don't worry. I'll just make a few changes to you and give you a new life." Orochimaru reached out, intending to pick Yang Xing up.

Anko's eyes were bloodshot with panic. She had no idea what to do.

Just as Orochimaru's hand came within a few inches of Yang Xing, something unexpected happened.

Pfft!

Blood gushed from Orochimaru's severed arm.

The vivid red blood filled Anko's vision. Even more shocking was that the person who had always been her worst nightmare—so powerful and terrifying—had just lost his right hand to a boy no older than she was.

It was clear that Yang Xing hadn't been caught in any genjutsu. Orochimaru had let his guard down and lost an arm. He could regrow it in no time, but the blow to his pride still shook him.

"Impossible! Aaaah, impossible!" Orochimaru roared hysterically. He looked up and met Yang Xing's blood-red eyes. For a moment, he froze, then his face twisted with rage. "You... Sharingan! You're from the Uchiha Clan! You tricked me—you tricked me just now!"

Yang Xing merely gave Orochimaru a cool look, his hands moving at lightning speed. "At this range, even if you have Rashomon, you can't use it in time, can you?"

"Wait, wait a minute! No, at this distance..." Orochimaru froze. In that brief instant, he forgot that he had made a huge mistake: getting this close to a monster like Yang Xing.

He was practically asking to be killed. A hundred lives wouldn't be enough.

"Water Style: Water Wave!"

Strengthened by the Sharingan and powered by Yang Xing releasing all his chakra at once, this enhanced Water Wave Technique reached S-rank power—or even surpassed it.

The water shot out like a beam of light. Almost all they could hear was a whoosh.

Boom!

A massive hole was blasted through the tall cave wall nearby. It was more than ten meters across and went very, very deep.

Anko froze.

Orochimaru froze too, a huge hole blasted through his chest.

Staring blankly at the hole in his chest, Orochimaru trembled all over and fell backward.

"Orochimaru?" Watching him slowly collapse, Anko found herself unable to think. She didn't want to consider anything or even try to think. She could only stare at the exceptionally handsome kid before her.

After all, nothing was more impressive than a powerful ninja unleashing their strength.