Sixfold Strike!

Chiyu was blasted away by Orochimaru, who criticized his poor adaptability in battle. There had been many opportunities Chiyu had failed to seize.

To better observe Orochimaru's movements, Chiyu activated his Sharingan and kept his eyes fixed on him.

Orochimaru held a Kunai as he charged straight at Chiyu.

"Thunder Breathing Third Form: Swarm of Mosquitoes into Thunder!"

Chiyu took the initiative, circling Orochimaru at high speed while leaving wavering blue lightning along his path.

But Chiyu quickly realized something was wrong.

After Orochimaru's body touched the wavering blue lightning, it gradually turned earthen in color before finally becoming a puddle of mud.

Chiyu was shocked.

An Earth Clone?!

When did he form the hand seals?

I'd been watching Orochimaru the whole time.

Chiyu suddenly froze, realizing when Orochimaru had formed the hand seals.

While Orochimaru had been critiquing him, Chiyu's gaze had not remained on Orochimaru the entire time.

All of a sudden.

A pair of hands seized Chiyu's ankles.

Chiyu looked down and immediately felt chills run down his spine.

Orochimaru was underground. Having grabbed his ankles, he was about to drag him below.

Chiyu reacted at once.

"Thunder Breathing Second Form: Rice Soul!"

Chiyu instantly unleashed five lightning-shaped slashes, cutting a gash into the ground.

But he failed to force Orochimaru out. Instead, Orochimaru vanished beneath the earth.

Having freed himself, Chiyu stood his ground and waited vigilantly.

He had no idea where Orochimaru was hiding. Rather than actively searching and exposing an opening, it was better to defend and counterattack.

Fighting Orochimaru, even though Orochimaru was going easy on him—no, it would be more accurate to say he was holding back immensely—still put Chiyu under enough pressure to make him incredibly tense.

Winning against someone this strong was out of the question. What Chiyu needed to do now was identify his shortcomings in battle, properly absorb the experience, and make it his own.

Orochimaru's voice suddenly came from all directions, making it impossible for Chiyu to determine where he was.

"Myriad Snake Net Formation!"

A massive swarm of snakes appeared around Chiyu, surrounding him at the center and closing in.

Chiyu tightened his grip on the Longsword.

"Thunder Breathing Third Form: Swarm of Mosquitoes into Thunder!"

Chiyu used Swarm of Mosquitoes into Thunder again, moving at high speed and leaving wavering lightning along his path, continuously electrocuting the snakes it crossed.

As he moved at high speed, Chiyu also used his Sharingan to observe his surroundings, trying to find Orochimaru's location.

At last, Chiyu spotted Orochimaru at the very back of the snakes to his right, standing with his arms crossed as he watched him.

Chiyu abruptly slammed on the brakes and stopped in place.

Chiyu let out a breath and mobilized all the Chakra in his body. The blue lightning on his Longsword grew even more dazzling, while its crackling grew louder and louder.

"Thunder Breathing Fifth Form: Heat World Lightning!"

Chiyu swung his blade fiercely through empty air.

A lightning-shaped slash carrying intense heat erupted from the Longsword and blasted toward Orochimaru.

The moment Orochimaru saw the lightning Chiyu had unleashed, his eyes narrowed. He immediately used the Body Flicker Technique to leave Heat World Lightning's range of attack.

Heat World Lightning struck a massive tree.

The tree was instantly blown apart. Its searing heat set the wood ablaze in roaring flames, while the lingering lightning blasted a crater into the ground.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes as he saw the power of Chiyu's Heat World Lightning.

This move was more powerful than all the techniques Chiyu had used earlier combined.

And it was remarkably fast as well.

However... it also appeared to consume a considerable amount of Chakra.

Chiyu braced one hand against his thigh, panting heavily.

Although Chiyu's Chakra had increased substantially, and the system had judged it to be three-fifths of Kakashi's Chakra while his Sharingan was active, the Chakra required to use Thunder Breathing Fifth Form: Heat World Lightning was still more than Chiyu could comfortably bear. Under normal circumstances, he could probably only use it three or four times at most.

Moreover, Heat World Lightning had an effect: the more Chakra he poured into it, the greater its power became.

For that Heat World Lightning just now, Chiyu had increased his Chakra output.

Since Orochimaru had been observing him from beyond the snake swarm, it had been an opportunity. Therefore, Chiyu had spared no Chakra, raising both the speed and power of Heat World Lightning by an entire level.

Although Chiyu had found an opportunity, he lacked the strength to seize it. Orochimaru had still managed to escape with the Body Flicker Technique.

Orochimaru paced forward and looked at Chiyu. "Is this as far as you can go?"

Chiyu could read nothing from Orochimaru's expression, nor did he know whether he had passed.

Chiyu took a deep breath and straightened up again. "I still have Chakra, but I can probably only use one last move!"

"Is that so? I'll be waiting."

This time, Orochimaru did not make a move. He simply stood where he was and waited for Chiyu to attack.

Chiyu sheathed his Longsword and bent slightly at the waist.

Seeing Chiyu's opening stance, Orochimaru said in surprise, "This is the stance for the First Form of your Thunder Breathing, isn't it? You should know that move has a major opening. It won't be of any use against me."

Lightning coiled around Chiyu's hands and legs as he replied, "No. This move is different."

"Oh? Then I'll watch with interest."

Orochimaru was very curious what technique Chiyu would use next.

He had also read the complete Thunder Breathing Sword Style Chiyu had contributed to Konoha.

It could be called an exceptionally fine Nintaijutsu.

However, among the seven sword forms, only Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash should have such a stance.

Moreover, after Chiyu had contributed the complete Thunder Breathing Sword Style, other Lightning Release ninja had learned it as well.

Yet the feeling and effect when Chiyu used it were completely different from those Lightning Release ninja who had learned Thunder Breathing.

Leaving aside its power, even the weakest of those Lightning Release ninja were Chunin.

In terms of speed alone, they could not compare at all to Chiyu's current speed.

Originally, Hiruzen Sarutobi had judged the first five Thunder Breathing Sword Styles to be only B-Rank.

But through this exchange with Chiyu, Orochimaru had discovered that in Chiyu's hands, these first five sword styles could fully reach A-Rank.

Especially Thunder Breathing Fifth Form: Heat World Lightning.

Its A-Rank level was beyond doubt.

Orochimaru did not believe that his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi, known as the Professor of Ninjutsu, could have misjudged it.

That meant either Chiyu was a genius at using Lightning Release, he was exceptionally compatible with this Nintaijutsu, or the Ninjutsu Chiyu had contributed had concealed its true potential.

Orochimaru stared intently at Chiyu. He wanted to see what move had the same opening stance as Thunderclap and Flash, yet was supposedly "different."

"Thunder Breathing First Form: Thunderclap and Flash..."

Chiyu exploded forward in a burst, rapidly closing in on Orochimaru.

Orochimaru frowned. Wasn't this still First Form: Thunderclap and Flash?

When Orochimaru used the Body Flicker Technique to evade, Chiyu's Sharingan locked firmly onto him.

"Sixfold Strike!"

Chiyu planted his feet against a tree trunk, using the tree to change the direction of his charge before slashing at Orochimaru once more.