Go explain yourself outside!

"No one said poison was forbidden in a duel, did they?" Orochimaru said, flicking his tongue. Within the Four Black Snakes Formation, the four Orochimarus' serpentine eyes made Sōkyū Hatake feel as though a wild beast had him in its sights.

"True, but Lord Orochimaru, why don't you take another look beneath your feet?" Suddenly, a smile appeared at the corners of Sōkyū Hatake's mouth.

"What?!" At the sight of Sōkyū Hatake's smile, Orochimaru's heart lurched. Was that a bad feeling creeping over him?

The next second, as Sōkyū Hatake smiled, Orochimaru discovered clusters of lightning constantly surging beneath his feet!

Lightning-nature chakra?!

When had that happened?!

A trace of astonishment appeared deep in Orochimaru's eyes, because even he had no idea when Sōkyū Hatake had placed this lightning beneath his feet!

"Accept the judgment of lightning! Lightning Hell!" Seeing the shock in Orochimaru's eyes, Sōkyū Hatake smiled.

Thinking you could just keep me obediently trapped inside the Four Black Snakes Formation was underestimating me a little!

The next second, the lightning beneath Orochimaru's feet blazed with searing light. Outside the Four Black Snakes Formation, all four Orochimarus were engulfed in lightning!

Three of them immediately turned into white smoke. They were clearly Shadow Clones!

As the three Orochimarus vanished, the Four Black Snakes Formation trapping Sōkyū Hatake disappeared as well, and he soon walked out.

"Did you let your guard down, Teacher Orochimaru?" Sōkyū Hatake strolled up to Orochimaru, looking with some amusement at his blackened, frizzy hair.

"Heh heh heh, little Sōkyū, I'm growing more and more interested in you." Suddenly, a satisfied smile appeared at the corners of Orochimaru's mouth.

The next second, Orochimaru, whose face had just been charred black, melted straight into a puddle of water, merging into the middle of the lake.

"A Water Clone?" Sōkyū Hatake raised an eyebrow. What could he say-was this just what one should expect of Orochimaru? So many ways to stay alive?

"Correct, but there's no prize!" Just then, Orochimaru's voice rang out behind Sōkyū Hatake!

Whoosh!

Immediately afterward, a sword thrust straight toward Sōkyū Hatake.

"Kami-e!" Sensing the threat from behind, Sōkyū Hatake hurriedly made his body like paper, using this bodily property to evade Orochimaru's thrust.

"You even brought out the Kusanagi Sword. Isn't that a little unfair?" Sōkyū Hatake said rather speechlessly as he looked at Orochimaru holding the Kusanagi Sword.

Good thing it didn't stab me. Looking at the obvious traces of saliva still on the Kusanagi Sword, Sōkyū Hatake realized where it had come from.

"Using a sword makes me unfair???" Orochimaru was even more speechless at Sōkyū Hatake's words. Who was it that came slashing at me with a huge blade right at the start???

Could this guy have a little shame?!

"Hehe, we know each other well enough. What's wrong with giving you a little grief?" Seeing Orochimaru's speechlessness, Sōkyū Hatake rubbed the back of his head.

"Tch, let's keep going. This time, I'm definitely catching you!" Orochimaru said fiercely, though Sōkyū Hatake sensed no malice from him.

That was Orochimaru. Once you had formed a certain bond with him, he did not actually harbor any genuine killing intent.

"Come on, then! Thunder God Descent!" Sōkyū Hatake understood that Orochimaru was about to get serious.

Then I couldn't fall behind. The previously clear sky turned gloomy, and vast amounts of lightning descended from above, gathering on Sōkyū Hatake's body.

Surrounded by lightning, Sōkyū Hatake showed no discomfort on his face. Instead, he wore a suit of Lightning Armor, looking at Orochimaru with an air approaching that of a god.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. To have this kind of strength at your age is truly unbelievable, little Sōkyū. I really want to dissect your body and see just how it's put together."

Orochimaru spoke with some excitement. In Sōkyū Hatake, he saw limitless possibilities.

Especially at Sōkyū Hatake's age, he truly had never seen anyone more talented than him!

"This is my strongest strike right now, Teacher Orochimaru. Try the fury of lightning!" Sōkyū Hatake shouted. As he moved, the lightning in the sky gathered together, and soon he was looking down at Orochimaru from the air!

"Thunder God Descent! God's Relic!" Sōkyū Hatake raised both hands high, and a gigantic sword formed from lightning slashed straight toward Orochimaru's position!

"Heh heh heh, how interesting. Eight Branches Technique!" Looking at the godlike Sōkyū Hatake, Orochimaru felt his blood boil with excitement!

Eight Branches Technique: an S-rank forbidden technique in which Orochimaru transformed into a white snake with eight heads and eight tails. This was Orochimaru's largest and strongest ninjutsu, as well as the embodiment of his long-standing obsession.

Boom!!!

As Sōkyū Hatake and Orochimaru each unleashed their techniques, waves of powerful energy soon began to emerge in the Valley of the End!

At the Ninja Academy, Sōkyū Hatake's clone watched in utter boredom as the teacher taught the Chakra Extraction Technique. For him, having mastered the Chakra Extraction Technique to a perfect level, this was simply a waste of time.

But he could not disobey the original's orders.

So, after inwardly cursing the original hundreds of times, Sōkyū Hatake's clone could only sigh and secretly gather chakra beneath his desk to amuse himself.

"Sōkyū! What are you doing?" Just as Sōkyū Hatake's clone was distracted, a piece of chalk shot unerringly toward him.

Although he was only a clone, he still possessed his strength, and Sōkyū Hatake's clone quickly dodged the piece of chalk that should have been a sure hit!

"You actually dare to dodge?!" Veins bulged on the teacher's forehead. This year's students really were far too difficult to teach!

Seething with anger, Minamikawa Ōzora walked toward Sōkyū Hatake's clone, soon coming to stand before him.

"Um, Teacher, how about hearing my explanation?" Sōkyū Hatake's clone said meekly. He did not want to be dragged outside to stand as punishment.

"Go explain yourself outside!" Minamikawa Ōzora grabbed Sōkyū Hatake's clothes, but the next second, a puff of white smoke appeared in his hand.

When the smoke cleared, Sōkyū Hatake's clone had vanished, leaving only the bewildered students and Minamikawa Ōzora!