Astonishing

Earth Release hadn't even been performed yet.

Uchiha Gray had already used genjutsu with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan to hypnotize him.

"Damn brat!"

That was the Uchiha Clan's genjutsu, the kind that caught people completely off guard.

Even he, a Kage Level fighter, had fallen victim to it!

Orochimaru gritted his teeth. Though he'd recovered in the shortest possible time, it had still cost him two seconds.

And those two seconds could determine the outcome of a battle. By the time he came to again—

The terrifying Great Fireball Technique was already right in front of him, slamming into his body!

"Is the battle over?"

Uchiha Shisui murmured, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan fixed intently on the battlefield.

But inside, he was reeling.

"Gray, the power of the ninjutsu you just unleashed is terrifying!" Uchiha Shisui exclaimed in shock.

"Just so you know, my Great Fireball Technique only reaches a dozen meters or so. It looks like your chakra is incredibly refined!"

Refined chakra meant using less chakra to unleash much more powerful ninjutsu!

But the power of Uchiha Gray's techniques was still terrifying enough to send chills down anyone's spine!

He was practically a war machine!

At this point, even an ordinary jonin probably wouldn't be a match for Uchiha Gray.

No, they definitely wouldn't be a match for Uchiha Gray.

Judging by the power and range of the ninjutsu Gray had just used, his enemies wouldn't even have a chance to fight back.

Unless they were fast enough to subdue Gray in an instant.

But as Uchiha Shisui recalled Gray's speed just now, like the Yellow Flash, he suddenly felt numb.

Even without using genjutsu or Susanoo, he wasn't one hundred percent sure he could take down Uchiha Gray!

"Brat, in all these years, you're the first ninja to make me look this pathetic!"

The smoke cleared.

Orochimaru emerged completely unharmed, while a human-shaped snakeskin lay where he'd been.

"You actually forced me to use the Substitution Technique. Brat, you really do have the talent to become a powerful ninja, and you've even awakened the Three-Tomoe Sharingan."

"Given time, you'll surely earn the title of Leaf's greatest genius!"

"But that's as far as you'll go. A genius who can't grow up is nothing but a failure."

"You talk too much."

Uchiha Gray said coldly. Then Light Weapon spread from him, and a three-foot-long sword of light appeared in his hand!

Golden light shone from the blade.

It radiated scorching heat!

Just looking at it seemed enough to burn a person's eyes, making it impossible to look directly at!

Gray licked his lips. Good. Now it was time to test the Light Weapon's power!

His gaze casually flicked to the Kusanagi Sword in Orochimaru's hand.

The Kusanagi Sword was hailed as a legendary weapon. It would make a perfect test subject.

With that, Gray charged straight in. "Body Flicker Technique!"

In an instant, more than a dozen Uchiha Grays appeared where he'd stood, their Light Weapons in hand as they charged at Orochimaru.

"Heh."

Orochimaru sneered. "You're using a basic Shadow Clone Technique, but calling it the Body Flicker Technique. Are you trying to confuse me with that?"

"If that's all the battle sense you have, then you're far too weak!"

Orochimaru confidently formed Hand Seals. "Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"

He expected the force of Wind Release: Great Breakthrough to make all the Shadow Clones disappear at once, leaving only Uchiha Gray's real body!

But the next moment, something that stunned him happened. Every Uchiha Gray remained completely still, continuing to charge toward him at high speed!

"What's going on?"

Orochimaru was baffled.

This made no sense. The Shadow Clone Technique shouldn't be able to withstand the force of Wind Release: Great Breakthrough.

Why hadn't they disappeared?!

Before he could think it through, more than a dozen Uchiha Grays charged at him together, Light Weapons in hand.

They swung down hard!

"Hmph!"

Orochimaru snorted. "Even if you're using tricks to confuse me, they're nothing but flashy nonsense in the face of absolute power."

"Striking Chaos Snakes!"

In an instant, hundreds upon hundreds of snakes attacked Uchiha Gray. Then something that stunned Orochimaru happened.

Every snake passed straight through Uchiha Gray's body, hitting nothing at all.

But the next moment, Uchiha Gray's attack followed right behind.

It struck Orochimaru hard!

His flesh split open, and blood poured out!

"W-what's going on?"

Orochimaru's pupils shrank.

This made no sense at all.

Could it be Space-Time Ninjutsu?

He couldn't hit his opponent when he attacked, but his opponent could hit him. It was utterly baffling!

Uchiha Shisui had watched the whole thing unfold, admiration in his eyes.

"Gray really is a genius ninja. He must have figured out the principles behind my Body Flicker Technique by watching me use it, then developed it himself!"

Actually, the principle of the Body Flicker Technique was very simple.

You used Body Flicker at a high frequency, creating the illusion that there were more than a dozen versions of yourself.

Because the technique was so fast, afterimages appeared. You could say they were all real, or you could say they were all illusions.

But achieving that was incredibly difficult.

Even jonin couldn't use Body Flicker at such a high frequency.

It required extraordinary physical prowess, speed, balance, and chakra control!

Most importantly, it required the support of the Sharingan.

Every one of those factors was essential!

"Die!"

Orochimaru was truly furious now. He moved even faster, suddenly swinging the Kusanagi Sword in his hand.

The Kusanagi Sword and the Light Weapon clashed!

All the illusions vanished, leaving only Uchiha Gray's single figure.

The Light Weapon and the Kusanagi Sword were locked in combat!

"You think a weapon you casually conjured can defeat the Kusanagi Sword in my hand?"

Orochimaru's face was full of smug confidence. The Kusanagi Sword was one of his trump cards!

The Kusanagi Sword was a legendary weapon, with terrifying killing power and an indestructible edge.

Soon, it would break through the defenses of Gray's Light Weapon and chop off the brat's head!

Clang!

The sound of metal snapping rang out.

Orochimaru was stunned.

The Light Weapon remained intact, while the Kusanagi Sword had broken clean in two!

"H-how is this possible? The Kusanagi Sword is a legendary weapon! How could a weapon you casually conjured defeat it?"

This completely overturned everything Orochimaru knew.

He'd spent countless hours and an enormous amount of effort searching for this legendary weapon. Until now, no matter what enemy he faced, it had helped him cut down powerful foes.

And yet the weapon this brat had casually created had broken it!

"Brat, you're dead!"

"Summoning Technique!"

Orochimaru pressed his hands together and roared!

This was bad!

Uchiha Shisui's heart lurched!

Rumor had it that Orochimaru had a summoning beast with Kage Level strength!

Was Gray really this powerful?

Had he actually forced Orochimaru to this point?