Pfft, pfft, pfft!
A vast array of razor-sharp spikes suddenly shot up from beneath the ground, piercing Manda clean through.
"You... bastard!"
A surge of excruciating pain made Manda even more furious.
"Lord Sasori, your defenses seem a little lax behind you!"
As Manda lay gravely wounded, Orochimaru emerged from underground behind Sasori of the Red Sands. He opened his mouth and spat out a long sword that shot forward like a streak of light. "Sword of Kusanagi: Sky!"
Shnk!
Sasori's body was pierced on the spot.
Orochimaru hadn't even had time to celebrate before his brow suddenly furrowed, and he hurriedly retreated.
In the next instant, a poisoned steel cable shot out from behind Sasori, cold and terrifying. It flashed past the spot where Orochimaru had just been standing.
"Hmph. You've got quick reflexes!"
Sasori gave a cold snort, paying no attention whatsoever to the wound in his body.
What's more, not a drop of blood flowed from it.
It was as if his body weren't made of flesh and blood at all.
"Disappear!"
Orochimaru's retreat gave Sasori the perfect opportunity to deal with Manda.
A jonin might have a very hard time dealing with Manda.
But to Sasori, Manda was nothing more than a slightly formidable beast.
"Iron Sand: Heavy Assault!"
A huge mass of iron sand gathered above Manda, forming a gigantic cube that came crashing down.
This was the technique the Third Kazekage had once used to overpower the One-Tails.
Against a large enemy, the best approach was to keep things simple and brutal.
"Gaaaaah! Damn you!!!"
How many tons of force did that cube bring down?
Manda felt as if he were about to be crushed into minced meat and turned into a snakeskin bag.
He had no choice!
He could only retreat!
With a bang, he reversed the summoning and returned to Ryūchi Cave.
The cube slammed into the ground, making the earth tremble and sending up a tremendous roar.
"Then that just leaves you, Orochimaru!"
Sasori caught his breath and looked at Orochimaru, who had just appeared again, his expression icy.
After all, Orochimaru was one of the Sannin, and Manda was his Summoned Beast. Sasori might have dealt with Manda swiftly, but it had cost him a considerable amount of chakra.
"That was terrifying, Sasori. Even Manda was powerless against you!"
Orochimaru licked his lips and smiled slyly. "But you must have used up quite a lot of chakra!"
Clearly, summoning Manda had never been meant to help him fight his opponent.
He had only summoned Manda to drain Sasori's chakra and give himself an advantage.
"Heh. I have enough to deal with you!"
Sasori didn't seem fazed in the slightest. If anything, he sounded mocking. "Besides, maintaining this Impure World Reincarnation must be costing you plenty, too!"
Orochimaru smiled nonchalantly. "So what? I can guarantee that you'll be the last one standing."
"You probably don't know this..."
He wore a rather smug, boastful expression. "Those brought back with Impure World Reincarnation possess immortal bodies and an unlimited supply of chakra."
"In other words..."
Seeing Sasori's face darken as if he'd realized something, Orochimaru grinned. "Even if Uchiha Ye runs out of chakra, he won't be able to inflict the slightest injury on the Second Hokage."
"So what if he knows about Impure World Reincarnation? I strengthened the Second Hokage specifically to hold him off!"
"In the end, Ye will run out of chakra and lose. Then you'll be surrounded by me and the Second Hokage, and you'll eventually collapse from exhaustion!"
At that, Sasori gave a cold snort. "What if things don't go the way you expect?"
"Don't forget: if Ye knows about Impure World Reincarnation, he might also know about a weakness that even you don't!"
Orochimaru's smile immediately faded. As he looked toward Uchiha Ye in the distance, wariness crept back into his eyes.
That was true!
Who knew whether Uchiha Ye knew even more?
Meanwhile, with Tobirama Senju!
While Orochimaru and Sasori had been fighting, he had once again used Flying Thunder God to engage Uchiha Ye in a brief but perilous clash.
He had paid for it with an arm, but managed to leave a gash across Uchiha Ye's chest.
Tobirama Senju had realized that if he relied solely on Flying Thunder God, it would be difficult to inflict any meaningful damage on Uchiha Ye.
"If that's the case..."
Tobirama Senju's gaze sharpened. "Then I'll create a domain of my own!"
"Water Release: Wave Riding Strike!"
The moisture in the air suddenly surged toward him, turning into raging waves that flooded the area. Uchiha Ye shouted in alarm, but had nowhere to escape and was swept up in the deluge.
Across several hundred meters, Tobirama Senju had forcibly created a vast underwater world.
"He can create such an enormous flood where there's no water at all?"
Sasori rode the Third Kazekage up into the air, avoiding the watery world.
But he couldn't help staring at the scene in shock. "Is this... the Second Hokage, hailed as the 'Master of Water Release'? Truly astonishing!"
Even Orochimaru could only voice his admiration.
Calling it Water Release hardly seemed adequate. It was more like Sea Release.
The sheer volume of water was astounding.
Underwater, Uchiha Ye naturally couldn't afford to stay long!
There was no way he could match Tobirama Senju in the water.
Unless he was Kisame Hoshigaki!
"Uchiha brat, die!"
Sure enough, before Uchiha Ye could reach the surface, Tobirama Senju had already charged toward him. Underwater, he moved as nimbly as a fish, at incredible speed.
"Water Release: Water Tornado!"
Tobirama Senju formed hand seals at great speed. The water around them immediately began spinning rapidly, forming a whirlpool with tremendous pulling force that engulfed Uchiha Ye.
Is he trying to pin me down so he can finish me off in one strike?
Uchiha Ye saw right through him, but a strong sense of danger surged within him.
How can I let Tobirama Senju build a domain of his own and show off his power?
"Molten Realm: Scorch Flow Explosion!"
Buzz!
The entire stretch of water suddenly trembled violently. Uchiha Ye's body glowed red-hot as scorching heat surged out of him, instantly scattering the surrounding whirlpool. The water boiled with a thunderous roar, and its volume visibly diminished.
"Hmm?!"
Tobirama Senju felt the temperature of the surrounding water rise several times over, while its volume rapidly dwindled.
Uchiha Ye ahead of him looked like a blazing god, bright enough to sting the eyes.
At last, the terrifying power erupting from his body directly forced the water apart, forming a vacuum around him.
"This guy..."
Even Tobirama Senju was stunned by the sight. Then his wariness flared. "I never expected even the water to be unable to restrain him!"
His gaze turned razor-sharp. "Then I'll just have to take you out while I still can!"
The water hadn't boiled away yet!
Uchiha Ye had to keep his ability active.
So he couldn't use his ability to turn his body into lava.
In his solid form, he was an easy target.
"Water Release..."
The waves gathered around him once more. A sharp, piercing pressure burst forth, making the skin prickle. Then, from the very end of his stance, it transformed into an attack that flashed like a streak of white light.
"Water Severing Wave!"
Before you continue