"This pressure... this suffocating feeling..." Sasuke's pupils contracted slightly. Under Orochimaru's immense pressure, his limbs went numb and refused to obey him.
Orochimaru sneered, casting a casual glance below as he said in a low voice, "Our first meeting being in a place like this is truly unpleasant. Before we talk, though, let's clear out these small fry."
As he spoke, Orochimaru slowly formed hand seals. The suffocating pressure instantly intensified countless times over. A glimmer of chakra appeared at his fingertips, then rapidly expanded.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
Sasuke's entire body trembled. The instant the other man unleashed his ninjutsu, he hurriedly pulled the Takigakure ninja in front of himself as a shield, while he himself frantically retreated. Under the crushing pressure of danger, he even surpassed his limits.
Below, Naruto's expression had become graver than ever. The moment Orochimaru attacked, he had already moved in front of Sakura.
"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
His hands crossed, and amid puffs of white smoke, countless Narutos appeared. Yet they all made the same motion, forming circle after circle around the original body and Sakura like layers upon layers of human barricades.
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion rang out. From the outside, a vast cloud of smoke rose from one part of the forest. Countless towering trees were snapped in half, while deep trenches had been carved into the forest floor as though some horrifying force had ravaged the area. Everything in every direction was in ruins.
Orochimaru landed lightly on a tree trunk and casually tossed his straw hat aside. His snake-like eyes took in the scene before him.
The three Takigakure ninjas lay in different locations. The ninja who had served as Sasuke's shield was in the worst condition, falling to the ground as a mangled mass of flesh and blood.