Joining Forces Against Orochimaru

Hayato ignored Shisui's words; that Anbu looked like a lost cause.

He walked slowly to Shisui's side, drew the ninja sword from his back, and interrupted Shisui before he could speak, "Don't talk. I won't abandon a clansman."

Shisui, who had just been about to speak, froze. He had hoped Hayato would take the Anbu and leave, which would at least allow him to give an account to the Third Hokage.

Watching Hayato's actions, Orochimaru's gaze seemed to settle on something interesting.

Although the Hayato before him had not yet revealed his Sharingan, the mere fact that he could break free from his killing intent just like Shisui was enough to pique Orochimaru's interest.

Orochimaru's aura grew increasingly overwhelming, while Hayato felt as though the man before him were a giant python in a rainforest, exuding an aura that made one deeply uncomfortable.

"Can you still move?"

Shisui nodded, and the two stood side by side.

The next instant, both of them moved.

Shisui played directly to his strengths; his Body Flicker Technique was as fast as lightning, leaving behind afterimages as his true form appeared on Orochimaru's right.

The kodachi in his hand slashed out at a tricky angle, aiming straight for Orochimaru's ribs.

At the same time, Hayato whistled in from the left, his ninja sword cutting off Orochimaru's path of evasion.

It was a seemingly perfect pincer attack.

Yet, Orochimaru's expression remained unchanged; his body twisted as if it had no bones, simultaneously evading both their attacks.

Then, his neck suddenly elongated, and his head shot toward Hayato like an arrow.

Hayato had been keeping a close watch on Orochimaru's movements. In that split second, he leaned back, swinging his ninja sword from bottom to top, grazing Orochimaru's cheek and leaving a shallow trail of blood.

"That was close, that was close."

Orochimaru's head hovered in mid-air, his tongue darting out to lick the blood from his face. His tone sounded indifferent, but the killing intent radiating from him did not diminish—it only grew more intense.

Clearly, the fact that Hayato's attack had drawn blood displeased him greatly.

Whoosh!

Shisui's figure had already reached mid-air, his kodachi slashing toward Orochimaru's neck.

Orochimaru glanced at Shisui, his mouth snapping open to spit out a Kusanagi Sword to parry the blow.

Clang!

Snap!

First came the crisp sound of steel colliding, followed by the kodachi being snapped in two by the Kusanagi Sword. Shisui performed a backflip to retreat.

"The speed of the Uchiha clan truly lives up to its reputation."

Orochimaru watched Shisui's movements as if observing a toy.

Opportunity!

Hayato seized the moment. Chakra surged in his legs, and he appeared beneath Orochimaru's head, his ninja sword thrusting straight for the throat.

Slap—

Without even turning his head, Orochimaru grabbed his wrist, his grip so powerful it nearly crushed Hayato's bones.

Orochimaru looked back at Hayato, smiling sinisterly, "You caught the timing well, but your speed is too slow."

His tone was flat, as if he were instructing a junior.

"Is that so?"

Hayato didn't even frown, speaking calmly as he stared straight into Orochimaru's eyes.

The next moment, a broken half of a kodachi pierced through Orochimaru's chest.

Orochimaru looked down, confused; logically, he should have known, unless—

"Genjutsu?"

Before the words faded, Orochimaru's body dissolved into a pile of mud.

"Earth Clone."

Hayato watched the mud slide slowly from his wrist, his gaze scanning the surroundings with vigilance as his three-tomoe Sharingan finally manifested.

"I truly didn't expect another three-tomoe. It seems the Uchiha clan has quite a few geniuses."

The voice echoed, and Orochimaru's figure stepped slowly out of the nearby dense forest, his hands already finishing the final seal.

"Manda: Array of Nets!"

Boom!

The ground erupted violently, and countless venomous snakes surged from the fissures like a black tide, lunging toward Hayato and Shisui.

"Shisui!"

Hayato took a half-step back, raised his hands to weave seals, and shouted to Shisui.

"Understood!"

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

Massive fireballs erupted from the mouths of both, merging into an even larger sphere that surged toward the tide of snakes.

Sizzle~

The flames scorched the front row of venomous snakes, filling the air with a pungent, charred stench.

The power of the combined fireball was far greater than that, exploding directly within the swarm and illuminating the surroundings.

The snakes were reduced to ash in the flames, but Orochimaru's figure had already vanished once more.

"Hayato! Watch out above!"

Even as Shisui shouted, Hayato had already noticed the figure descending from the sky.

"Kusanagi Sword: Snake Dance!"

Blade light rained down from above, each strike precisely locking onto the two of them.

Shisui's figure flickered in place, his Body Flicker Technique activating repeatedly to evade the sword light falling toward him.

Hayato, relying on muscle-bursting methods and chakra-guiding techniques, moved with eerie fluidity, narrowly dodging each strike at the very last possible moment.

The Sharingan in his eyes spun frantically, his insight pushed to its absolute limit.

"Heh, the Sharingan. Truly a fine Kekkei Genkai."

Hayato ignored the resentment toward bloodline limits leaking from Orochimaru's tone, his mind racing at high speed.

Run?

Seeing Orochimaru's current intent, Hayato knew there was no escaping.

Furthermore, Orochimaru had made his greed for the Sharingan clear from the very beginning, even if it wasn't quite as intense as it would be in the future.

Still, as experimental material, the Sharingan was undoubtedly tempting to Orochimaru.

Since there was no escape—

Then he would fight!

"Shadow Clone Technique!"

Poof! Poof!

Three shadow clones appeared around him and immediately launched an assault on Orochimaru.

Each clone moved at its maximum speed. Watching this, Orochimaru couldn't help but flick his tongue across the corner of his mouth.

"Interesting."

Swish!

The shadow clones scattered rapidly, each holding steel wires in their hands. With a sudden tug, their intent became clear.

Orochimaru looked down at himself, seeing countless thin wires binding him tightly.

"So that's how it is..."

"Fire Style: Dragon Fire Technique!"

Boom!

Three linear streams of fire erupted from the shadow clones, while Hayato's main body finished the final seal and slammed his hands together.

"Wind Style: Gale Palm!"

The surging chakra transformed into wind through nature manipulation, and the moment Hayato clapped his hands, a violent gale blasted toward the fire released by the clones.

BOOM—!

The fire caught the wind, instantly surging and expanding.

A sea of flames filled the sky in an instant, engulfing even Hayato's shadow clones.

The next moment, Hayato's face went pale; his shadow clones were forced to dissipate, and the searing heat transmitted back caused him immense discomfort.

In truth, he could have had the clones dodge, but—his opponent was Orochimaru, and he could not afford even the slightest lapse in focus.