Ten minutes later.
Orochimaru finally understood Guy's intentions.
"You bastard..."
A raspy voice emerged from the little snake's mouth. The small white snake stared fixedly at Guy, uncertainty flickering in his eyes.
After a brief pause, Orochimaru finally gave a low, throaty chuckle.
"Might Guy, so you're a madman too..."
Orochimaru suddenly realized something.
Beneath Might Guy's calm exterior lurked a heart every bit as mad as his own!
Guy neither confirmed nor denied it. He simply looked calmly at the little snake in his hand.
Beside them, Guren and the others looked tense as they listened to the exchange.
If Orochimaru refused, a brutal battle would inevitably follow.
They quietly readied themselves for combat.
Silence settled over them.
After a moment, the little snake slowly nodded.
"I agree," Orochimaru said in his calm, raspy voice.
Guy immediately released his grip.
The little white snake deftly twisted his body in midair and landed on the ground.
He glanced at Guy and seemed to hesitate, but ultimately chose not to flee.
The next instant, something bizarre happened.
The little white snake opened his mouth.
That tiny mouth, barely a dozen centimeters across, stretched and expanded like rubber.
It opened impossibly wide!
Then a pale, slippery arm coated in mucus slowly reached out of the snake's mouth.
Next came a head, shoulders, and an entire body...
Moments later, Orochimaru stood before Guy, completely intact.
He was incredibly weak now.
The Eight-Headed Serpent Technique, coupled with that lifesaving method resembling "Skin-Shedding Reincarnation," had consumed far too much of his chakra and vitality.
Guy, however, gave him little chance to recover.
He looked calmly at Orochimaru.
"Then please begin, Lord Orochimaru."
Orochimaru snorted coldly, clearly reluctant.
He hesitated, but finally bit his right finger.
Forming hand seals with one hand, he slammed it against