Kage-Level Clash

"Heh, I never said that!"

Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "They just wanted to see the legendary 'puppet master prodigy' in action."

As soon as he finished speaking, the people behind him charged forward with a roar, like wild horses breaking free of their reins.

"I'll handle them!"

Sasori of the Red Sands stopped Uchiha Ye from stepping in, his voice tinged with excitement. "There are a few decent materials among them. I can use them to make Human Puppets."

"You keep an eye on Orochimaru. Something about him feels off!"

Hearing Sasori of the Red Sands say that, Uchiha Ye had no objections.

"Ye, I never expected you and Sasori to get along so well."

"You really do have an incredible charm!"

Seeing Uchiha Ye charging toward him, Orochimaru's expression turned more serious.

Uchiha Ye's presence was much stronger than it had been the last time they met.

But how long ago was that?

It hadn't even been half a month!

Uchiha talent is terrifying! he thought grimly.

Anyone who had survived the Uchiha Clan Downfall Night was clearly no ordinary person.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

As the student of the Third Hokage, the "Professor of Ninjutsu," Orochimaru was proficient in all five nature transformations, even if he didn't often use them.

In an instant!

A howling gale descended like a hurricane, sweeping toward Uchiha Ye with crushing force. It was suffocating, leaving him unable to move beneath its weight.

That was the terror of Kage Level!

A frightening power beyond ordinary imagination—the very definition of a "superhuman"!

"Great Eruption!"

Facing Orochimaru, Uchiha Ye stayed on high alert.

He activated both his Two-Tomoe Sharingan and Observation Haki.

He couldn't afford to miss a single detail!

Orochimaru's combat experience was even more terrifying than Sasori of the Red Sands', making him an even greater threat.

If Ye let his guard down, he'd be the one to die!

Boom!

Fire against wind!

In an instant, scarlet light filled the entire forest, and the ground shattered and sank beneath them.

Even Sasori of the Red Sands couldn't help but retreat from the scorching gale.

Even Hiruko's outer defenses couldn't withstand the terrifying heat, which reached over five hundred degrees.

"Aah!!!"

Many of the people in hospital gowns couldn't dodge in time. Their bodies were instantly scorched dry, some turning completely black.

The sight terrified the others in hospital gowns. They hurriedly backed away from Uchiha Ye, staring at him in shock and fear.

If even the shock waves were this terrifying, how much worse was the center of the fight?

"Break!"

After training in Lake Sea, he had reached the highest level of development his Devil Fruit Ability could currently attain.

Though making rapid progress with his ability would be much harder from here on out,

the effort had been worth it!

Even the crushing gale unleashed by someone of Orochimaru's Kage Level couldn't stop his fist.

"Impressive!"

Seeing the enormous molten fist break through the gale and come hurtling toward him, Orochimaru couldn't help but marvel. "He's grown this much already? He's even more frightening than Itachi."

"But..."

Orochimaru grinned. "Don't underestimate me!"

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

The ground beneath Uchiha Ye suddenly turned muddy and soft.

He sank up to his calves, completely unable to push forward.

"So this is... a Kage-level... tactical assessment?"

"Simple, direct, and deadly!"

Seeing how quickly Orochimaru had restrained him, Uchiha Ye couldn't help marveling.

Just as in his first fight against Sasori of the Red Sands, he'd been suppressed in only a few moves.

"Water Style: Water Clear Wave!"

Orochimaru gave Uchiha Ye no chance to turn into an element and merge with the surrounding earth to escape. He formed hand seals again and spewed out a raging torrent, making Ye cry out inwardly.

Orochimaru's purpose in using Water Release was obvious: to stop him from turning into an element!

But the Water Release had to serve another important purpose as well.

"Lightning Style: Earth Flash!"

Just as he'd expected!

Terrifying lightning erupted from Orochimaru and raced along the water straight toward Ye's body.

With the water preventing him from turning into an element, Uchiha Ye could only take the attack head-on.

"Guh!"

The Lightning Release unleashed with Kage-level chakra was terrifyingly powerful.

Even with Uchiha Ye's current physical strength, he could feel countless cells in his body being damaged in an instant, badly affecting his condition!

Every movement made his body feel like it was tearing apart!

"As expected of one of the Sannin. You're strong!"

Uchiha Ye praised him inwardly, then unleashed his terrifying chakra to break through his predicament and escape.

"Trying to get away? Don't be naive, Ye!"

But the moment he broke free, Orochimaru's low voice suddenly sounded beside his ear. A blade of icy light, moving too fast to follow, rapidly filled Uchiha Ye's vision. "Ninja Art: Sky Longsword!"

Thud!

Without the slightest chance to defend himself, Uchiha Ye's chest was pierced, and blood sprayed everywhere.

The longsword drove him far into the forest, raising a cloud of dust!

"No way. Ye's already at a disadvantage?"

Sasori of the Red Sands had nearly finished off the enemies in hospital gowns. Watching this, he couldn't help looking surprised.

He stared at Orochimaru, who had just withdrawn his sword, in shock. "Is this guy really that strong? Is this... the level of the Sannin?"

All right!

He had to admit that he'd underestimated Orochimaru before.

He'd thought their strength was about equal.

Now it seemed that until he completed his trump card, matching Orochimaru would be difficult.

"But there's no way Ye is going to lose just like that!"

"He's become a monster himself!"

He was still confident in Uchiha Ye.

Sure enough, before Orochimaru could pursue him, the forest suddenly grew scorching hot. A huge, blazing red hound came roaring toward him, its heat making the air crackle. "Dog-Biting Crimson Lotus!"

With a fierce shout, Uchiha Ye emerged from within the hound and drove a punch at Orochimaru with the force of a thousand tons.

"Whoosh!"

Orochimaru's lower body instantly transformed into a snake's tail. He slithered nimbly through the forest, dodging the punch.

Boom!

The forest erupted in flames, a vast sea of fire bursting open as charred wood chips flew through the air.

"Lava Style: Scorch Flow Explosion!"

Seeing Orochimaru slither away, Uchiha Ye immediately unleashed his ultimate move.

Boom!

The scorching, tangible heat spread out in a fan, as if warping the space in every direction. It expanded at a speed that left no chance to escape.

"Hiss!"

The instant Uchiha Ye swung his fist, Orochimaru felt the stinging heat rush toward him.

In the blink of an eye, the temperature surged several times over, scorching his skin red and splitting it open until it bled.

Then, without giving him any chance to dodge, the attack struck like a descending Solar Storm, stealing every last shred of life from him in an instant. Only his charred, brittle body remained, scattered across the ground.