Hayashi hooked his toes beneath the tachi that had flown from his grasp, flicked it into the air, and caught it firmly in his hand.
The distance was barely ten paces. He crossed it in a single stride.
Clang-!
The tachi met the Kusanagi Sword for the first time, sending sparks showering like rain.
Hayashi pressed down with both hands, while Orochimaru held his sword in just one. Their strength locked against each other along the blades, neither yielding an inch.
"Impressive arm strength," Orochimaru said with a soft chuckle.
Hayashi did not answer. His wrist suddenly turned, and his blade slid up along the sword's edge.
Orochimaru withdrew his sword and stepped back, but the Kusanagi Sword traced a bizarre arc through the air as though alive, thrusting straight toward Hayashi's ribs.
Hayashi twisted at the waist and turned his wrist, sweeping his tachi back up to block.
Clang!
Another sharp ring.
When the two blades parted again, the web of Hayashi's hand was already half numb.
-What a heavy sword.
Orochimaru suddenly pulled back.
Hayashi followed through with a downward slash, cleaving his entire body in two.
The body collapsed limply.
His real body had already come to a silent stop three paces away.
Hayashi flipped backward. Upon landing, he swiftly formed hand seals and shouted:
"Ice Release-Wolf Fang Avalanche!"
He poured chakra into the ninjutsu as though his life meant nothing.
"Big dogs, chew him up!"
The temperature in the woods plummeted. Four snow wolves leaped out of the churning snowstorm and formed a formation upon landing.
Their bodies were pure white, their eyes scarlet. Their low growls joined together as they surrounded Orochimaru.
"Oh?"
Orochimaru watched the snow wolves, raising an intrigued eyebrow.
"An Uzumaki Clan member with an Ice Release bloodline, too?"
"How interesting."
He