Faced with a vast, seemingly endless swarm of shuriken, Hayato couldn't help but grow solemn.
Even compared to the "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique" he had seen Minato use before, this was on an entirely different level.
Tens of thousands of shuriken rained down like an impenetrable storm of arrows, sending chills through him.
"Uh... are you sure this is just an ordinary Konoha Genin?" Hayato couldn't help blurting out, his voice full of disbelief.
He quickly formed Hand Seals, then slammed both hands against the ground,
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
With a rumble, four towering earthen walls surged from the ground, shielding Hayato completely.
Meanwhile, when Shu saw Hayato use the Earth Flow Wall to block the shuriken, a cold smile spread across his face, full of mockery and disdain.
"Naive brat."
The battle wasn't over. Shu quickly formed Hand Seals.
"Earth Style: Headhunter Jutsu!"
Hayato felt the ground tremble slightly. A moment later, two arms shot out of the earth and grabbed his ankles.
The sight brought back memories of his battle with Kakashi, but this time, he didn't dare let his guard down for even a moment.
Hayato blurred out of sight, using the Flying Thunder God Technique to instantly leave his position and evade Shu's attack.
Shu reappeared aboveground and looked up toward Hayato, a cold smile on his lips.
"The Second's Flying Thunder God Technique really is a headache."
Hearing him identify the Flying Thunder God Technique so accurately, Hayato was certain of his identity.
A smile tugged at his lips, and an amused glint shone in his eyes.
"Shall we keep going, Lord... Oro...chimaru?"
Shu paused in surprise, then smiled. He dispelled the Transformation Technique, instantly returning to his original appearance.
"When did you figure it out?" Orochimaru's voice was hoarse and low, full of