"Although I don't know who you really are, I've memorized your chakra!"
Hashirama Senju's words rang out with conviction.
"You who like hiding in the shadows-next time I see you, I won't let you off so easily!"
As Hashirama Senju finished speaking, his soul finally broke free of the Reanimated Body's restraints and flew toward the unseen Pure Land.
Before his soul returned to the Pure Land, a thought flashed through Hashirama Senju's mind.
If I'd learned the [Impure World Reincarnation Jutsu] from Tobirama back then, could I stay here now...?
Without a soul to sustain it, White Zetsu's body reverted to its original form.
It collapsed to the ground, becoming a lifeless husk.
Silence blanketed the ruins of the laboratory. Only the forest created by [Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence] rustled in the breeze.
A moment later.
Orochimaru's contorted body hit the ground with a thud. He opened his mouth wide and spat out another brand-new, slime-covered Orochimaru.
[Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique]!
"That was close. I almost really got killed~"
Orochimaru lightly licked the corner of his mouth, his gaze carrying a little more awe and wariness as he looked at the Wood Dragon.
"The next time we meet, you certainly won't be as 'free' as you were today, Lord First Hokage..."
Had his self-created [Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique] not been powerful enough.
The injuries inflicted on Orochimaru by the [Wood Dragon Technique] would easily have been enough to leave him half-dead.
Even so.
Orochimaru was in a severely weakened state.
Powerful as the [Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique] was, it essentially used enormous amounts of chakra to stimulate cellular activity within a short period, growing an entirely new body at a tremendous cost.
Even someone as powerful as Orochimaru struggled to use the [Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique] repeatedly within a short period.
Fortunately,