The flames of war had already swallowed Sakura Plains Fortress.
War cries, the clang of blades, and explosions from clashing ninjutsu all blended together into a droning roar that shook heaven and earth.
There were no pink cherry blossoms on Sakura Plains in winter—only severed limbs and broken trees.
Orochimaru murmured, "Ohohoho, luckily there are no cherry blossoms."
"Without cherry blossoms, they won't be stained black by gunpowder smoke, mingled with blood and dust, then scattered wildly through the wind."
"How fortunate."
The Fourth Raikage roared, "Bastard, you stinking snake, fight me properly!"
Orochimaru laughed, "Ohohoho, idiot, I am fighting you properly!"
"But you're just a musclehead insisting that a ninja like me clash head-on with you. Don't you think you're the one who grew wrong?"
The Fourth Raikage continued roaring, "Die! Guillotine Drop!"
Splat—!
Blood sprayed and flesh flew, but Orochimaru's laughter continued. "Ohohoho, wrong target, idiot."
The Fourth Raikage grew even angrier, but the force behind his roar had already weakened considerably.
It couldn't be helped. The battle had begun in the morning, and it had now been a full six hours.
After fighting Orochimaru for six straight hours—someone slippery enough to evade every hit and impossible to kill even when struck—the Fourth Raikage still having any fighting spirit at all was practically an iron will.
Just look at the Eight-Tails Jinchuriki, Killer B. Wasn't he already listless?
Not from exhaustion, but from sheer disgust.
Six hours!
Yet at Sakura Plains Fortress not far away, the battle still raged fiercely.
The fortress walls were covered in scorch marks. At several gaps where Earth Release had collapsed the walls, Konoha ninja and Kumogakure Ninja fought desperately to the death.
Relying on their powerful bodies and fierce Lightning Release ninjutsu, the Kumogakure Ninja forcefully assaulted the breaches.
Relying on solid