"Senpai," Mirai's voice interrupted his hesitation. "Give it everything you've got. I'm confident I'll be fine."
Orochimaru looked at him for two seconds, then the corner of his mouth curved upward. "All right."
So be it. With Seal-less Self-Healing as a safety net, Mirai indeed had the means to force out some of his trump cards.
His hands flashed through a rapid series of seals as chakra surged through his body—
This sealing sequence was more complicated than any technique he had used before. Even with Orochimaru's hand speed from over twenty years of being single, it took a full three seconds.
"Ninja Art—Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"
Orochimaru abruptly opened his mouth, and countless venomous snakes poured out from his mouth, sleeves, and the gaps in his clothes all at once!
They swept toward Mirai like a black tide that blotted out the sky.
There were no fewer than ten thousand snakes, slithering across the ground. Their hissing tongues created a sound that made everyone's scalp tingle.
Jiraiya's expression changed. "Hey, hey! Orochimaru, you bastard—you've gone too far!"
Tsunade frowned as well. "That doesn't look like he's holding back at all. Once this is over, I'm definitely beating him up."
Kushina's nails dug into her palms, while Minato's fists clenched tightly.
Naori watched the endless shadows of snakes, but her voice was steadier than expected. "...Trust Mirai."
The snake swarm instantly spread out, countless venomous snakes rising into the air.
Mirai stood in the middle of the road, facing the overwhelming horde as his red hair streamed backward in the chakra current.
The air was thick with the distinctive stench of snakes. Their writhing bodies tangled together like a breathing black carpet, rapidly closing in on Mirai.
The corner of Mirai's lips lifted slightly—
"Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!"
Golden light erupted