Edo Tensei!

"To think that this guy Ye has improved his control over his abilities to such an extent?!"

Facing the terrifying heatwave, Sasori of the Red Sand retreated once again.

Yet, he could not help but feel astonished in his heart.

When he faced this attack back then, he had indeed felt it was powerful.

But at that time, that lethal scorching heat was definitely not as condensed as this.

The power suddenly erupted in its entirety the moment it neared the enemy, bringing about extreme destructive force.

Furthermore, the speed had increased so much that even a Kage-level individual would find it impossible to dodge.

Most importantly, it was nearly impossible to block head-on.

It could be called a sure-kill strike!

He knew it!

Even if Orochimaru didn't die from this, he would be severely injured!

After the commotion lasted for over ten seconds, it finally began to subside.

The once-dense forest was now barren and charred black.

As the wind blew, everything turned into ash on the spot and drifted away.

It was a truly shocking scene!

"Haa..."

"Haa..."

Uchiha Ye, who had unleashed this strike, clutched the wound on his chest and gasped for air.

Although his battle with Orochimaru had not been long, it was exceptionally perilous.

He had been injured right from the start!

Without relying on this strongest strike, it would have been difficult for him to deal a heavy blow to Orochimaru in such a short time.

Moreover, he also needed time to adapt to his increased strength and to master the rhythm of fighting against stronger enemies.

Even with the Two-Tomoe Sharingan, I simply cannot perceive the movements of a Kage-level powerhouse!

This was the greatest lesson he had learned after clashing with Orochimaru.

Only Observation Haki could capture Orochimaru's movements and analyze them.

"However..."

He covered his right eye, and a faint, burning sensation emanated from his palm.

This was not the temperature brought about by his Devil Fruit ability, but rather the power of the Sharingan itself.

He certainly knew what this signified.

It was the sign of advancing to the Three-Tomoe Sharingan!

"Interesting!"

Uchiha Ye lowered his hand. Within his Observation Haki, he sensed Orochimaru's presence coming from the ground ahead, approaching at high speed.

"Lava Scorch Shot!"

Uchiha Ye stomped on the ground, channeling his ability.

BOOM!

The earth immediately trembled violently and then shattered, as a thick surge of lava erupted outward.

On the ground a short distance away, Orochimaru emerged from the earth, looking quite disheveled.

His entire body was charred black, and his aura was withered and weak!

But he immediately opened his mouth wide, and an arm covered in mucus reached out from within, stretching his mouth open as a new Orochimaru, covered in filthy slime, appeared before Uchiha Ye.

It was Orochimaru's most shameless ability—the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Jutsu.

After the main body suffered irreparable injuries, he used this ability to be reborn.

As long as Orochimaru's chakra was not completely exhausted, he could almost be considered immortal.

Orochimaru looked at Uchiha Ye, his voice deep: "What terrifying insight, Uchiha Ye. To think that even with me hiding my presence like this, you still managed to detect me."

"This is an ability that even Master Sarutobi found difficult to detect back then; I never expected it to be completely useless before you."

He stared at Uchiha Ye, his eyes growing fervent: "You clearly don't possess the Byakugan, yet your insight is even more terrifying than it. I am starting to become more and more interested in your Sharingan."

What on earth had happened to Uchiha Ye?

How could he possess such a strange Lava Release Kekkei Genkai!

Moreover, his insight was even more frightening than that of the Hyuga clan.

He felt more and more that Uchiha Ye was even more fascinating to him than Uchiha Itachi.

"Heh, once you defeat me, won't you find out?"

Hearing Orochimaru's words, Uchiha Ye laughed aloud, his gaze so scorching that even Orochimaru felt a shiver run down his spine.

He had the distinct feeling that in Uchiha Ye's eyes, he, Orochimaru, was nothing more than prey.

Yet, he could not fathom what Uchiha Ye could possibly want from him.

"But it's a pity, Orochimaru, you likely won't get that chance!"

At that moment, the voice of Sasori of the Red Sand rang out. He approached while operating Hiruko, whose eyes stared at Orochimaru with icy coldness: "Ye alone is already enough to handle you. With me added to the mix, there is absolutely no possibility of you surviving today!"

He scrutinized Orochimaru from head to toe, and a chilling, grating sound emanated from within Hiruko: "If a powerhouse like you were turned into a Human Puppet, I imagine your might wouldn't be much inferior to my Third Kazekage!"

Hearing this, Orochimaru couldn't help but let out a low chuckle, his shoulders shaking incessantly, though his expression turned incredibly sharp: "Sasori, you certainly dare to dream!"

"Turn me into a Human Puppet? Heh, who wins and who loses is not yet decided. Come, prove you have the ability to do so!"

With that, he bit his finger and rapidly formed hand seals.

Sasori of the Red Sand assumed Orochimaru was about to use a Summoning Jutsu, and he didn't pay it much mind.

What did one more Summoned Beast matter?

Could it really help him deal with both himself and Uchiha Ye?

In his dreams!

However, Uchiha Ye watched Orochimaru's hand seals and immediately shook his head, his expression turning grave: "No, Brother Sasori, this guy isn't summoning a Summoned Beast!"

Even though he didn't know the specific hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu, he knew it required five seals.

Yet, Orochimaru had slammed his palm onto the ground after only four seals: Tiger-Snake-Dog-Dragon.

How could this possibly be a Summoning Jutsu?

"But if it isn't a Summoning Jutsu, yet he still needs to bite his finger and use blood as a medium, then it can only be that technique!"

At that thought, Uchiha Ye's expression became extremely solemn.

He knew that another enemy of the same caliber would likely appear next.

"Not a Summoning Jutsu?"

Sasori of the Red Sand was taken aback by these words: "Then this is..."

Before he could finish, Orochimaru gave him the answer. Orochimaru shouted: "Summoning Jutsu: Edo Tensei!"

Hearing this, Uchiha Ye realized in his heart: As I thought!

Watching the black incantations spread across the ground and the coffins rising from beneath, Uchiha Ye explained to Sasori of the Red Sand, who was looking on in shock: "This technique is called Edo Tensei!"

"It is a forbidden jutsu that uses the lives of the living as sacrifices to summon the souls of the dead from the Pure Land back into the Ninja World!"

"It was developed by the Second Hokage of Konoha. Those summoned do not possess their full strength from when they were alive, but if the user has a high mastery of this technique, the summoned spirits' strength will not be much inferior to their prime."

As he spoke, he looked at the character 'Second' on the coffin before him, and his heart sank: Is it him?

Sasori of the Red Sand was quite astonished to hear Uchiha Ye say this: "Ye, how do you know all this?"

Edo Tensei?

He had never even heard of it!

But since it was a forbidden jutsu, it must be strictly guarded within Konoha.

How could Uchiha Ye know about it?

Why did it feel like Uchiha Ye knew everything?

Even Orochimaru, hearing Uchiha Ye recite the intelligence on 'Edo Tensei' so directly, felt a flash of horror in his vertical, golden pupils.

Indeed, how could Uchiha Ye know the details of the forbidden Edo Tensei?

Logically speaking, there should only be two people who knew of this technique.

The current Third Hokage of Konoha!

And himself, the user!

Even if others knew, it certainly shouldn't be someone from the Uchiha clan like Uchiha Ye.