Orochimaru was in terrible shape. He had considered the possibility of defeat; after all, being a Shinobi was a profession with countless possibilities.
Someone with only the title of genin might possess unparalleled strength.
Someone immensely powerful might end up stabbed in the back by a visibly weaker opponent and die as a result.
But he had never imagined Uchiha Fugaku would be so difficult to deal with, or that his eyes would be so dangerous.
Although Orochimaru had never fought against the Sharingan, he knew some of its characteristics, so he had taken every precaution he could.
Yet those precautions seemed so powerless against Uchiha Fugaku. He simply could not cause the man any real trouble!
Every move he made was seen through, every attack neutralized. Worst of all, Uchiha Fugaku's eyes were constantly emitting some strange power.
That power spread wildly, affecting him, sometimes causing hallucinations and sometimes leading him to make serious misjudgments.
At that moment, Orochimaru understood. Even though he was not looking into Uchiha Fugaku's eyes now, the man's genjutsu had already affected him.
This genjutsu, which influenced him constantly, had already caused serious problems in his fighting. He did not know how much longer he could hold out.
But he knew that even if he kept going, things would certainly not end well for him!
"Is this the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Orochimaru gritted his teeth and dodged Uchiha Fugaku's attack. He could tell that Fugaku had worries weighing on him; even now, the man seemed concerned about the relationship between Konoha and his clan.
That was why he had held back from the start, and why Orochimaru had managed to last this long!
But once he understood this, Orochimaru's expression turned ugly. A trace of anger even surfaced on his pale face.