Blood Orchids in the Snake Cave

Deep in the Rainforest, a battle had just ended.

The expedition members stared, dumbfounded, at Kazuhiko Uchiha and the three Mutant Giant Python corpses scattered across the ground.

Facing three enormous Mutant Giant Pythons, Kazuhiko Uchiha had killed them one after another in mere dozens of seconds, suffering only a minor injury to his left arm. It was utterly beyond anything an ordinary person could imagine.

They truly felt that the worldview they had built over the years had suffered a devastating blow. They could not believe Kazuhiko Uchiha's small, slight body held such astounding power.

Not long before, the expedition had been walking beside a small pond filled with rainwater. Guided by the satellite system, they had drawn steadily closer to the Mutant Giant Pythons' lair.

What no one expected was that the bottom of this seemingly shallow pond connected to the Mutant Giant Pythons' nest. It was one of the entrances they frequently used.

As the expedition passed the pond, three giant pythons swimming together suddenly emerged from the water. The moment they spotted the group, they attacked.

Everyone in the expedition had been stunned senseless by the sudden turn of events. They could not even scream, much less dodge the Mutant Giant Pythons' attacks.

Seeing that even Dr. Jack stood frozen in place, Kazuhiko Uchiha could only curse inwardly, Useless! He swallowed a Military Ration Pill and, drawing on its effects, charged forward to meet the Mutant Giant Pythons head-on.

Using the Energy Burst Technique three times in succession without regard for the cost, Kazuhiko Uchiha briefly raised his strength to Chunin level. Taking advantage of the Mutant Giant Pythons' contempt for him, he swiftly cut them down.

Gasping for breath, Kazuhiko Uchiha wiped the sweat from his forehead, still shaken.

The fight had looked easy, but it had drained a great deal of his stamina and primal energy, and he had also used up the Military Ration Pills that could replenish his energy.

More importantly, the Steel Katana in his hand, made from ordinary material, could not withstand repeated infusions of chakra. Several tiny cracks had already appeared in it. A few more battles would shatter it completely, and then his situation would become even more dangerous.

"Oh, God, it's too dangerous here... no, I want to go back. I want to go back right now! Jack, Jordan, Sam, can we please leave this godforsaken place? I don't want to die. I want to live. There are still so many things I haven't done..."

Kerr, the chatterbox, could no longer bear the pressure of impending death. On the verge of a breakdown, he began shouting, desperate to leave this Rainforest with danger lurking everywhere.

"Calm down, Kerr. We're almost there. Just hang on a little longer. Once we get the Blood Orchids, we'll leave." Dr. Jack tried to soothe Kerr and calm him down.

"No... I don't want any Blood Orchids anymore. I just want to go back. Please, let me go back. Kazuhiko, will you take me back? I'll give you all my money." Kerr rejected Dr. Jack's reassurance and pleaded frantically with Kazuhiko Uchiha.

"Jack, I think we should leave. It's really too dangerous here. Even Kazuhiko got hurt. If we run into those monsters again, we'll all die." Gail, who had never had much faith in this expedition, immediately supported Kerr's suggestion.

"No. Success is right in front of us. I'm not leaving without the Blood Orchids."

Dr. Jack had poured his heart and soul into the Blood Orchid Project. He would never give up before achieving the purpose of this trip. Turning to Kazuhiko Uchiha, he asked, "Buddy, you'll keep protecting me, right?"

"Of course. That's my mission." Kazuhiko Uchiha nodded, giving him a firm answer.

With Kazuhiko Uchiha's assurance, Dr. Jack visibly regained his confidence. In a tone that was half threatening and half teasing, he said, "Did you hear that, folks? Kazuhiko and I are going to keep moving. If you want to go back, you'll have to make your own way through the Rainforest."

Return to the riverbank without Kazuhiko Uchiha's protection? The other expedition members considered that impossible.

Seeing Kazuhiko Uchiha firmly siding with Dr. Jack, they could only resign themselves to their fate and accompany the doctor on the final leg of the journey.

Once everyone had settled their nerves, Kazuhiko Uchiha walked over to Dr. Jack and asked, "Dr. Jack, how much farther is it?"

"About three kilometers, but we'll still need to search carefully to find exactly where they grow." Dr. Jack was also terrified of the danger-filled Rainforest, but he gritted his teeth and pressed on for the sake of his goal.

"Three kilometers..." Kazuhiko Uchiha murmured. Looking at the group, who now jumped at every shadow and had become nothing but a burden, he suddenly had an idea.

Kazuhiko Uchiha immediately proposed, "How about this, Doctor? Go back to that little cave we passed earlier, seal the entrance, and wait for me. I'll go pick the Blood Orchids for you alone. With my speed, I should be able to gather enough in no time."

"Well... all right." Kazuhiko Uchiha's suggestion greatly appealed to Dr. Jack, and after some consideration, he agreed.

Under Kazuhiko Uchiha's protection, the expedition retraced its steps to a small, low cave. They sealed the entrance with large rocks and earth, leaving only a few fist-sized airholes, then sat quietly inside to await Kazuhiko Uchiha's return.

Without the expedition slowing him down, Kazuhiko Uchiha could move freely. He leaped into the towering treetops and searched for Blood Orchids in the direction Dr. Jack had indicated.

Before long, Kazuhiko Uchiha discovered an underground Snake Cave filled with countless intertwined Mutant Giant Pythons, along with Blood Orchids growing on the rock wall above it.

The Blood Orchids were scattered across different parts of the rock wall. Kazuhiko Uchiha made a rough count and estimated there were over three hundred flowers.

Putting the backpack Dr. Jack had given him for the Blood Orchids into his system space, Kazuhiko Uchiha suppressed his presence and quietly approached the rock wall.

Perhaps the heat given off by Kazuhiko Uchiha's body was too faint, or perhaps the Mutant Giant Pythons were too busy mating with the females, but they paid no attention to his arrival.

Kazuhiko Uchiha reached the cave's rock wall without incident and swiftly picked the Blood Orchids, which gave off an unusual fragrance, storing them in his system space.

Just as Kazuhiko Uchiha had gathered over two hundred mature Blood Orchids and more than a dozen blood orchid plants, roots and stems intact, an enraged hiss rang out from the Snake Cave below. A thick snake tail lashed out an instant later, sweeping toward him like a phantom as he picked the flowers.

Kazuhiko Uchiha had remained fully alert the entire time. Hearing the violent rush of air, he used the Substitution Technique without a second thought to escape, leaving behind a piece of Substitution Wood that the tail smashed to splinters.

Emerging from the treetop where he had placed the Substitution Wood earlier, Kazuhiko Uchiha saw what had attacked him and could not help drawing a sharp breath.