With a low hum, black clouds of kikaichū surged into the air from tree trunks, branches, and rotting leaves, descending over the center of the clearing-
Orochimaru did not even look up.
Several large snakes slipped silently from his sleeves, raised their heads, and opened their mouths, swallowing the approaching kikaichū one by one.
Then he slowly opened his mouth.
One, two, ten, a hundred...
Countless snakes poured endlessly from that mouth.
In moments, the entire clearing had been transformed-snakes slithered and coiled everywhere, tearing apart and swallowing the swarms inch by inch. The once deafening hum rapidly faded.
Behind his sunglasses, Shino's brows drew tightly together.
The kikaichū... were being swallowed by this man!
"Fang Over Fang!"
Kiba and Akamaru became two white whirlwinds, spinning rapidly along the ground as they charged at Orochimaru one after the other!
Another large snake shot from Orochimaru's sleeve. Thicker than the ones before it, it raised its head and lunged forward, stopping the whirlwind head-on.
Its scales were torn loose and scattered, but it twisted and coiled with the momentum, hurling both Kiba and Akamaru away.
Hinata seized the opening and rushed forward. Her Byakugan already activated, she drove a Gentle Fist palm straight into Orochimaru's chest-
But where her palm struck, his chest sank inward like soft mud.
All the force she poured into it vanished without a trace, failing to produce even the slightest response.
Before she could change her attack, a snake's tail swept toward her along the ground.
Hinata hurriedly leaped backward, stumbling several steps upon landing before barely regaining her balance.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
Shikamaru's shadow raced across the ground and latched onto Orochimaru's feet.
The other end of the shadow stretched taut, utterly motionless.
Shikamaru's teeth ground together, sweat streaming down his temples-
*He couldn't budge