Hozuki Mangetsu

In the jungle, a steady dripping sound rang out.

A figure crouched on the ground, panting heavily, his body slick with sweat.

He looked about sixteen or seventeen, dressed as a ninja, with a Mist Ninja Forehead Protector on his brow.

"Hozuki Mangetsu!"

A tall, slender figure stood before him. His yellow pupils narrowed, his thin eyes gleaming with a cold light. He ran his long tongue over his lips, looking utterly terrifying.

"Be a good boy and become one of my test subjects. I'm very interested in the Hozuki Clan's Water Transformation Secret Technique."

A flash of light passed through the boy's eyes.

Orochimaru!

One of Konoha's legendary Sannin, a formidable ninja who had given all five great ninja villages a serious headache.

He had rendered outstanding service to Konoha in the Second and Third Shinobi World Wars and had been a strong contender for the title of Fourth Hokage.

Even ninjas from other villages spoke of Orochimaru with great reverence.

But now, his name had become synonymous with cold-blooded murder.

In pursuit of so-called truth, the man didn't hesitate to kill people from his own village for human experimentation.

Countless civilians and ninjas had been assassinated by him. Even Anbu directly under the Hokage had fallen victim, their bodies used for experiments.

Now he was a rogue ninja from Konoha and an S-rank wanted criminal in the ninja world.

A gust of wind swept through, lifting the boy's long hair and revealing a youthful face.

Hozuki Mangetsu!

A genius ninja of the Hozuki Clan from Kirigakure, the second wielder of Hiramekarei, and a boy proficient with the Seven Ninja Swords. He possessed the Hozuki Clan's Water Transformation Secret Technique.

But he was still far too green to stand against one of the Sannin.

Orochimaru's strength and experience far surpassed his, and he also had several rare bloodline subordinates.

Was this where it ended?

Mangetsu licked his lips. Having endured the Blood Mist Village's trials, no ninja who came from the Hidden Mist was anything but cruel and bloodthirsty. They had never known fear.

Since he couldn't escape, he had no choice but to fight for his life.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a scroll, then formed several Hand Seals.

"Summoning Technique: Exploding Blade Shibuki, Nuibari!"

Two great swords appeared in Mangetsu's hands.

Exploding Blade Shibuki!

One of the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swords, it possessed immense explosive power.

Nuibari!

One of the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swords, it possessed formidable piercing and stitching abilities.

Along with the Blunt Sword he had summoned earlier, Mangetsu had now brought out three swords!

Orochimaru remained unfazed, merely giving a few cold laughs. "You've got no shortage of treasures, do you? Then again, the Hozuki Clan has deep ties to the Seven Ninja Swords, so it's no surprise you'd have other Ninja Blades. But what I'm saying is..."

His eyes narrowed, two icy glints fixing on Mangetsu.

"None of that will do you any good. A mouse caught in a snake's gaze can only end up swallowed. Besides, the Hidden Mist's Seven Ninja Swords are nothing but scrap metal—not worth mentioning."

As he spoke, he opened his mouth and spat out a gleaming, ancient-looking sword.

Mangetsu's pupils contracted as he stared in shock at the sword in Orochimaru's hand.

Though it looked rather disgusting, he still recognized its origins.

The Kusanagi Sword!

One of the legendary Three Sacred Treasures, a divine sword pulled from the tail of the Eight-Headed Serpent after Susanoo-no-Mikoto slew it. Even the gods' Totsuka Blade was said to be less sharp.

There was also a legend that the Eight-Headed Serpent had eight heads and eight tails, with a sword inside each tail. That meant the Kusanagi Sword was actually a series of swords.

The one in Orochimaru's hand was just one of them.

Mangetsu licked his lips, a surge of excitement rising within him. The Hozuki Clan simply couldn't resist Ninja Blades, especially legendary weapons like this.

In that moment, his plans changed. Instead of simply trying to escape, he now wanted to seize the Kusanagi Sword.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

Mangetsu hurled the long sword in his hand—not at Orochimaru, but at the other ninjas behind him.

Nuibari's tip was razor-sharp and could pierce any defense. Even more impressive, it was connected to a length of razor-sharp wire, which not only allowed him to control the sword's trajectory but could also slice into people.

Clever boy!

Orochimaru gave a cold laugh and paid no heed to whether his subordinates lived or died.

In his eyes, if they couldn't even block a technique of this caliber, they might as well be dead.

The other ninjas each used their best techniques to dodge the sword's attack. Orochimaru valued them, so they were naturally quite capable.

A few unlucky ones were still wounded by the sword. Mangetsu could clearly feel the instant it pierced their bodies.

They had no choice but to endure the agony. Orochimaru hadn't let them get close, so they didn't dare show themselves in front of him.

This man really was cold-blooded!

Mangetsu watched Orochimaru remain unmoved. A chill ran through him, but his hands never stopped controlling the sword's trajectory.

After a while, a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Things were going smoothly, and even Orochimaru's cold-bloodedness had exceeded his expectations.

Brat!

Orochimaru licked his lips. "Had your fun yet?"

His tongue was so long he could lick his chin with ease. From this angle, he looked like a snake wearing human skin.

That's enough!

Mangetsu sneered and yanked with one hand. The long sword shot up through the ground.

"Long Sword Style: Earth Spider Stitch!"

Countless steel wires sprang from beneath the earth, forming a massive grid that trapped Orochimaru inside.

Orochimaru glanced at the densely packed wires underfoot. "Using the wire attached to your long sword to set traps underground? Not a bad idea, but..."

He drew the Kusanagi Sword and easily sliced through the wires around him.

"It won't work on me!"

Is that so?

Mangetsu sneered again.

"Explosive Blade Style: Explosive Wave Heavy Death!"

His hands flashed through Hand Seals. The Exploding Blade Shibuki scroll flew toward Orochimaru, quickly encircling him.

This was the Explosive Blade Style's ultimate technique.

Even a Kage Level ninja like Orochimaru would have a hard time defending against it.

Mangetsu had originally planned to create an opening and use the Hydrification Technique to escape, but the moment he saw the Kusanagi Sword in Orochimaru's hand, greed took hold of him.

He took the risk and decided to steal Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword!

A series of explosions rang out.

Thick clouds of smoke billowed all around them.

Got him!

A vicious grin flickered across Mangetsu's lips.

"Lord Orochimaru!"

The other ninjas shouted and rushed forward!

A bunch of nobodies!

Mangetsu swallowed a Ration Pill, replenishing some of his Chakra.

Without Orochimaru, those people were no match for him.

Mist Concealment Technique!

Mangetsu's hands swiftly formed a seal, and countless wisps of water vapor filled the area around him. This was Kirigakure's signature technique.

The vast fog blocked everyone's vision, but to the Mist Ninjas, it was like entering an unguarded place, since they were all masters of the Silent Killing Technique.

"Summoning Technique!"

At that moment, a gigantic creature appeared before everyone, instantly dispersing the fog.