The Cursed Seal Core Crushed from Afar and Orochimaru's Blood-Vomiting

Several venomous snakes as thick as wrists shot out from Orochimaru's pale sleeves.

Their scales scraped through the air, producing a scalp-crawling hiss. The snakes opened their fangs, dripping with foul venom, and shot like arrows toward the shriveled monster's remains pinned in midair.

Their target was the black Cursed Seal Core within the monster's chest, covered in Tomoe patterns.

Bloodshot veins filled Orochimaru's Golden Slit Pupils. Greed seemed to spill tangibly from his gaze.

That was the crystallization of Sage Transformation he had barely managed to condense after expending countless efforts, combining the Jugo Clan's physique, natural energy, and Hashirama Cells! As long as he could preserve that core, he could reverse-engineer the secrets of that golden power!

Faster! Faster!

The venomous snakes left several afterimages in the air, less than three meters from the black core.

"Lord Orochimaru!" Kabuto Yakushi let out a shriek from behind, his voice cracking. He watched as Orochimaru dared to snatch food from a tiger's mouth beneath such godlike pressure. This was madness!

Inside the Hokage's Office.

The coals in the brazier crackled faintly.

Baishi held the still somewhat weak Kushina in one arm, while his other hand rested casually on the charred back of a chair.

His gaze passed through the hovering Water Mirror, taking in Orochimaru's greed-twisted expression.

What... ugly thirst for knowledge.

A mocking sneer tugged at Baishi's lips.

He knew Orochimaru too well. This venomous snake, who regarded the pursuit of truth as his sole faith, would bite without hesitation at even the faintest hope of immortality, even if he had to dance on a blade's edge.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru had chosen the wrong opponent.

Before absolute dimensional suppression, any petty cleverness was merely a laughable trick.

"Baishi... what is it?" Kushina sensed the slight change in Baishi's muscles. She