Palm Technique! True Strength

Although the Anbu squad consisted of several members, one had already fallen, another had their mask torn off, and only two remained.

Having a mask removed meant the mission could no longer proceed.

Anbu were required to keep their personal identities confidential; the consequences of Orochimaru seeing their true faces were unimaginable.

Now, they had nowhere left to retreat.

"Orochimaru, if you kill us here, Konoha will never let you go!"

Anko was still making a final struggle, though it was clear she had already clashed with Orochimaru and was now in an extremely weakened state.

"Hehe, Anko, you are still as naive as ever..."

Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his own cheek; although there was no blood, it was enough to make one sense the cruel scene about to unfold.

As Orochimaru moved, taking only a single step, the Anbu members panicked, with only Anko managing to hold her ground.

She was Orochimaru's student; no matter how strong he was, she did not feel the fear that ordinary people would experience due to the distance.

"Do you intend to kill your former student here?"

Anko asked.

Orochimaru lowered his head and hummed softly.

Then, he began to laugh aloud.

"Haha, hahahaha!"

"Life is like a flower; it will eventually wither. When it withers, how it withers, or who leads it to wither... there is no difference."

After saying this, killing intent flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.

He clearly had other things to do and did not intend to linger here for too long.

A blur of light streaked past as Orochimaru leaned forward to advance.

Zzzzt!

A masked youth with a slender build landed rapidly.

Gripping a kunai tightly in both hands, he caught Orochimaru off guard, slicing through the side of his clothing!

Orochimaru glared at the youth, but the boy did not hesitate, moving with lightning speed.

He threw a punch!

Orochimaru raised a hand to block, but he was still struck.

"Urgh..."

Orochimaru immediately retreated backward; the look in the youth's eyes behind the mask was impossible to discern in the darkness.

Anko and the remaining Anbu were all stunned.

The youth's long hair was neatly tucked away, and the mask he wore was the very Anbu mask that Yugao had dropped earlier.

"Who are you?"

Anko asked, but Neji did not answer.

He only said, "Treat Anko's wounds. If I start to lose the upper hand, come and support me."

Neji, hidden behind the mask, said these words while trying his best to suppress his voice.

This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to cross blades with "that person" in front of the Anbu and a Special Jonin!

Orochimaru!

Neji had originally worried that he might end up in a sorry state, but it was perfect that he had provided a distraction; if he truly couldn't hold on, there would be someone to lend a hand!

Neji quickly matched Orochimaru's movements, with the entire pause lasting no more than five seconds, leaving Orochimaru unable to accurately assess the situation before him.

Every punch was barely evaded by Orochimaru.

To possess such swift movements even when not specializing in taijutsu...

This is what it means to be a powerhouse!

Neji's desire to fight surged even higher!

Finally, Orochimaru performed a great leap, flipping back to stand twenty meters away from Neji, while Neji also put distance between himself and Anko's group.

"A fist technique infused with chakra?"

Orochimaru had taken a punch head-on just now; he had expected it to be heavy, but he hadn't expected his own chakra to be disrupted by this brat in that instant.

"In terms of the essence of the moves, it looks very much like the taijutsu of the Hyuga Clan, but your punches are infused with wind-style nature transformation... this is truly interesting!"

Orochimaru began to take an interest in the masked boy before him, but Neji's assault was far from over.

He lunged forward again, using lightning-fast punching speed, aiming every strike at vital points.

Orochimaru had noticed it ever since his clothes were sliced at the abdomen: this boy's chakra did not leak any killing intent, yet every movement felt as if it were meant to take the enemy's life!

To possess such technique, he must have had thousands... or even more, hours of training; this was not the skill level of an ordinary person!

"I cannot afford to take any more of your punches, but you... surely your greatest strength isn't your fists, is it?"

Orochimaru curled the corners of his lips, his eyes brimming with cunning.

Neji stood straight, saying not a word.

The wind blew gently, and though it felt mild, it concealed a murderous intent!

"Come now, since you intend to save someone from my hands, at least let me see your true strength!"

Orochimaru widened his eyes and reached out to pull at his own eyelids.

His terrifying eyes resembled the pupils of a venomous snake.

"Hiss!"

It felt as if a giant python were rampaging before him, while he himself was... nothing but an ant!

Neji took a step back, cold sweat running cold.

Everything around him turned pitch-black and chaotic!

Fear shrouded everything!

"Release!"

Neji furrowed his brows tightly and broke Orochimaru's Binding Jutsu.

However, his mental energy had been severely depleted, leaving him feeling as if he had just suffered a total collapse.

This was the power of a genjutsu cast casually by a powerhouse; even after being broken, it still caused irreversible effects!

True strength, is it?

Neji thought to himself. He could no longer afford to worry about such things; if his identity were to be exposed, so be it.

"Hah!"

Neji let out a sharp shout and moved his body, his speed unlike anything he had shown before.

Orochimaru was also startled, not expecting this brat to change as if he were a different person entirely.

Neji brought his palm down in a strike; unlike standard fisticuffs, this palm technique was loaded with immense, seasoned experience, and the force behind it was on an entirely different level.

"Slap!"

"Thud!"

The palm sliced through the air with a whistling sound. Even though Orochimaru was not struck directly, he still felt a significant impact; one could only imagine the force he would have endured had he been hit.

For the final strike, unable to dodge in time, Orochimaru had no choice but to block with his arm.

With a "boom," Orochimaru caught the palm, and the ground beneath him collapsed.

"Does the Anbu of Konoha have a genius like you? You remind me of that man."

Neji ignored Orochimaru's praise and skillfully transitioned into his next move!

As the sound of air being torn apart returned, Neji's other hand had already found its mark, a kunai slashing through the air, but Orochimaru tilted his head with ease.

"Hmph!"

Little did he know, in that brief gap, Orochimaru had already formed hand seals, and dozens of small snakes burst forth from the trees behind him, lunging to bite Neji.

"Watch out! Behind you!"

Anko's shout reached him, and Neji reacted, his brows knitting together.

Eight Trigrams: Rota—

In an instant, he remembered something, abandoned his excellent offensive position, and retreated rapidly to the side.

Neji tumbled to the side, thinking to himself: I cannot use Rotation; it is too obvious!

"Who exactly is this kid? He looks like nothing more than a child. Does the Anbu have someone like this?" one of the Anbu members asked in surprise.

Yugao replied, "He is not from the Anbu; his mask was one I dropped."

Anko gritted her teeth: "Regardless of who he is, he must be a very powerful individual. To be able to trade blows with Orochimaru at such a young age!"

"Don't worry about me, go and help!"

Yugao and two other Anbu members moved in together, blocking the path in front of Neji.

Orochimaru looked at the scene before him and revealed a wild, arrogant smile: "Hehehe, you lot are not even as good as this youth! Don't bother trying to show off..."

He turned his head and departed rapidly.

"I have other matters to attend to. Do not ruin my mood, or I shall see to it that Konoha is destroyed in an instant!"

Orochimaru's voice echoed through the surroundings.

Anko rushed over, clutching the Cursed Seal on the back of her neck tightly.

"Phew, he's gone."

Yugao finally let out a sigh of relief.

When the group looked back, the masked youth from moments ago had also vanished without a trace!