"I've been underestimated," Orochimaru thought.
Obito's Mangekyō Sharingan abilities were unknown, but he could use Perfect Susanoo. He also had an unknown Fire Release Ninjutsu, along with monstrous attack and defense. A direct fight was out of the question. Orochimaru would use his own techniques to stall for time. As long as ten minutes passed, he would win!
Orochimaru began formulating his strategy.
Orochimaru was certainly powerful, but he always fell just short of the strongest—much like his teacher, the Third Hokage. His escape skills, however, were undeniably impressive...
Obito intended to make an example of him this time and show Orochimaru the gap between them! He also wanted to see just how powerful Ryujin Jakka's Bankai was. Hopefully, he wouldn't kill Orochimaru in one blow...
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Orochimaru formed a Hand Seal with one hand and blew a gale from his mouth toward Obito. The raging wind swept sand and stones along with it, roaring like a sandstorm! At the same time, Orochimaru quickly put some distance between them.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Orochimaru flung the Shuriken in his hand toward Obito, then rapidly formed Hand Seals: Ox, Dog, Dragon, Rat, Dog, Boar, Snake, Tiger. His hands moved so fast they were little more than blurs.
The Shuriken were hidden in the sandstorm. One became two, two became four, and soon there were countless more—Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique! It was like a dark cloud blotting out the sky!
"All flash, no substance!" Ryujin Jakka was already drawn! Shikai: All creation, turn to ashes—Ryujin Jakka!
He swung his sword! A towering blade of flame shot straight toward the dark cloud!
The blade passed, and the cloud vanished. The countless Shuriken were reduced to molten iron!
"Damn it! Why is he so strong?" It had only been a probing attack, but the result still made Orochimaru's heart sink. Was this a technique like Sakumo's, coating a weapon in Fire Release chakra?
Obito had no intention of dragging this out for ten minutes. He would end it quickly! Blue chakra flames blazed around his legs, and his figure shot toward Orochimaru like a blue bolt of lightning. Simple and brutal!
"Tsunade, you stupid woman!" Orochimaru cursed under his breath. The news that Tsunade and Obito were in love had truly shocked Konoha's upper ranks. The world had gone mad—a Uchiha and a Senju getting married!
He was more than familiar with Tsunade's Strength Enhancement.
Orochimaru tipped his head back and opened his mouth. It stretched wider and wider! A sword hilt slowly emerged, wrapped in his tongue... It was Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword.
"Clang!" Their weapons met at close range. Orochimaru raised his sword to block Obito's downward slash. The immense force nearly knocked him off his feet!
"Clang, clang, clang..." In the blink of an eye, Obito had struck hundreds of times! Each blow slammed into the Kusanagi Sword like a sledgehammer, driving Orochimaru backward under the relentless force.
"I have to get some distance!" Orochimaru was growing anxious. Obito completely outclassed him in Taijutsu. If he kept getting pushed around like this, it wouldn't be long before Obito split him in two!
Orochimaru gathered his strength and met Obito's blade with all his might, while forcefully leaping backward and to the left!
"Splurt!" Orochimaru moved quickly, but not as quickly as Obito's blade. His right arm flew from his shoulder!
"Hiss..." Even a battle-hardened man like Orochimaru couldn't help sucking in a breath at the pain of losing an arm.
Orochimaru covered the wound on his right side with his left hand. Hardly any blood flowed. Without any apparent effort, a brand-new arm grew back with a puff, covered in clear slime.
But his increasingly pale face made it clear that this technique had taken a toll.
"One minute down. I wonder how many times you can grow it back!" Obito said, giving his sword a swing.
Orochimaru bit his finger, formed Hand Seals, then pressed his hands to the ground. A circular symbol appeared.
Summoning Technique: Manda!
With a thunderous boom, clouds of dust billowed up~
As the smoke cleared, a giant purple snake, dozens of meters tall and nearly a hundred meters long, rose with its head held high.
Manda's enormous, slit-pupiled eyes swept the area. After pausing on Obito, he shouted at Orochimaru, who stood atop his head. "You're bothering the great Manda over some little bug? You're getting more and more useless, Orochimaru!"
"You'll change your tune once you've seen his power!" Orochimaru rasped.
"Same deal as always. You owe me a hundred living sacrifices afterward! Now witness the great Manda's power!" Manda's massive muscles were like iron, and his purple scales gleamed. He shot toward Obito like a purple streak!
He meant to crush the little bug outright!
"So this is Manda? He really is unpleasant." Let him become the first spirit claimed by this Zanpakutō!
"Castle Wall Flame Prison!" Ryujin Jakka came down in a slash! The blazing flames on its blade quickly formed into a gigantic hand that grabbed at Manda as he charged!
"Wha—!?" In an instant, Manda was caught in the fiery palm, like a chick clutched in someone's hand...
The roaring flames radiated a temperature approaching six thousand degrees! Manda's purple scales had been charred black, and a powerful stench of burning filled the air.
Orochimaru watched, secretly alarmed. He knew Manda's abilities very well; otherwise, he wouldn't have had to offer him a hundred living sacrifices every time he summoned him.
"Rumble!"
The ground behind Obito split open, and a massive snake tail whipped fiercely toward him.
The purple scales covering Manda's body had grown somewhat dull. He had used a molt to escape the scorching flames of Castle Wall Flame Prison, then burrowed underground with Earth Release and circled behind Obito to attack.
Orochimaru attacked at the same time. Countless snakes roared toward Obito...
Obito's scalp prickled—not from fear, but from disgust. He had already tested the techniques he wanted to try. It was time to end this ridiculous bet! He'd originally wanted to test Bankai, but judging by the fight so far, Orochimaru wouldn't survive it!
Infernal Hell!
Dozens of pillars of fire shot into the sky, surrounding Manda and Orochimaru. They quickly drew inward, closing around them!
"Boom!"
The pillars of fire exploded all at once! It was like a tiny sun detonating, sending waves of scorching energy rippling outward. Everything around them turned to ash!
"Triple Rashomon!"
Orochimaru rapidly formed Hand Seals and pressed his hands to the ground! Three great gates carved with Shura masks rumbled up from the earth!
After summoning Triple Rashomon, Orochimaru didn't dare linger. He channeled the chakra in his body and used Earth Release to burrow underground!
"Orochimaru! You dared to hurt me! I curse you to die a miserable death! Aah..." Manda bore the brunt of the attack! His curses cut off at once... and his enormous body crumbled to ash... The mighty Manda had fallen!
The massive energy surge and flash of fire alerted the Third Hokage. After dispatching the Anbu to investigate, he learned that the devastation had been caused by a battle between Obito and Orochimaru. He felt dizzy...
What was it with that lunatic and the head of Root? Were they destined to clash or something? With Orochimaru gone, he'd just have Tsunade become the head of Root!
Before you continue