This was an absolute defense capable of altering a Tailed Beast Bomb's trajectory.
But before the black dragon, those five iron gates were too fragile to withstand a single blow.
The black dragon smashed through the first, second, and third Rashomon gates in succession with unstoppable force.
The piercing screech of tearing metal rang through the skies.
The fourth and fifth Rashomon gates held it back for only half a second before the raging black lightning tore them apart completely.
Its power undiminished, the black dragon swallowed the First Hokage behind them whole.
Violent lightning and black flames erupted instantly.
The First Hokage's reanimated body had no chance to recover before it was blasted into dust that scattered through the air.
The wild grin on Orochimaru's face froze completely.
His entire body went cold, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Orochimaru stared fixedly at Uchiha Xin, his eyes filled with uncomprehending self-doubt.
He had no idea.
Uchiha Xin's Eight Gates Released Formation had long since reached its maximum level, level 5.
A special reward from the system had allowed Xin to permanently open the sixth gate of the Eight Gates Released Formation-the Gate of Limit.
There were no side effects or physical burdens whatsoever.
The amount of chakra in Xin's body had received a terrifying hundredfold increase.
His chakra reserves had originally been only at the elite Jonin level, but now they had completely surpassed human limits and reached the true level of a Tailed Beast.
This ocean-like vastness of chakra allowed any ninjutsu he used to unleash world-destroying power.
Utterly crushing these two reanimated Hokage, who were nowhere near their full strength, was as easy as turning his hand.
Xin looked at the scraps of paper and dust in the distance that were trying to gather again.
His hands rapidly formed seals.
"Lightning Release: Infinite Lightning Storm."
Dark clouds filled the sky.
Two raging bolts of lightning as thick as buckets thundered down, striking precisely where the First and Second Hokage were regenerating.
This had originally been only a B-rank Lightning Release ninjutsu.
But supported by Xin's Tailed Beast-level chakra, the two bolts showed no sign of stopping.
Lightning poured down continuously like a waterfall.
The moment the First and Second Hokage's reanimated bodies formed a hand or a leg, the raging lightning blasted it to pieces again.
Both were pinned firmly in place, trapped in an endless cycle of destruction.
Orochimaru stood dozens of meters away, held fast by Xin's icy stare.
He felt like prey being watched by an ancient, savage beast.
He did not dare take even half a step forward to release the Impure World Reincarnation.
Xin folded his arms and sneered.
"Orochimaru, stop holding back."
Xin's voice remained clearly audible amid the thunder.
"Show me every trump card you have. Let me see what you have left to struggle with."
Xin's actual intention was to see Orochimaru's Eight Branches Technique, which was said to have eight heads.
Orochimaru, however, completely misunderstood him.
He thought Xin was forcing him to bring out his final killer move.
Orochimaru's face twisted, and veins bulged on his forehead.
"Uchiha Xin, you forced me to do this!"
Orochimaru bit his finger, his hands blurring as he frantically formed seals.
"Impure World Reincarnation!"
Orochimaru slammed both palms onto the ground.
The earth shook.
A heavy coffin bearing the character for "four" slowly rose from underground.
Orochimaru stood up, a crazed, vicious gleam flashing in his eyes.
"I'm going to summon the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze!"
Orochimaru shouted loudly.
"His Flying Thunder God Technique, combined with the immortal body of Impure World Reincarnation, will definitely kill you!"
Xin paused.
He looked at the coffin bearing the character for "four" and found it secretly amusing.
Xin did not interrupt Orochimaru. He simply stood quietly where he was, watching the coffin.
One second.
Two seconds.
Ten seconds passed.
A breeze blew past, stirring a few fallen leaves on the ground.
The coffin bearing the character for "four" remained lifeless, its lid not budging in the slightest.
For a moment, the scene sank into a strange awkwardness.
The madness on Orochimaru's face gradually froze, replaced by utter bewilderment.
He forcefully formed seals again, trying to activate the coffin by force.
The coffin still showed no movement.
Xin finally could not hold it in any longer.
"Hahaha!"
Xin burst out laughing, his laughter filled with undisguised mockery.
"Orochimaru, when it comes to arrogance and ignorance, I'm willing to call you the strongest!"
Orochimaru's face turned livid as he stared at Xin through gritted teeth.
"What did you do?!"
"I didn't do anything."
Xin stopped smiling, and his gaze turned pitying.
"Although you know about the Reaper Death Seal, you have no idea what its fundamental price is."
Xin pointed at the coffin.
"Anyone who uses the Reaper Death Seal has their soul swallowed directly by the Reaper and sealed inside its stomach forever."
"Summoning the Fourth Hokage now is no different from fighting the Reaper for a soul."
Xin sneered.
"Do you think that half-baked Impure World Reincarnation of yours can snatch someone out of the Reaper's hands? There's no way it could succeed."
Orochimaru was instantly at a loss for words.
He opened his mouth but could not offer a single word in rebuttal.
He truly had not known these fatal details about the Reaper Death Seal. That lack of information had made him embarrass himself thoroughly in public.
Orochimaru was filled with helplessness and inner conflict.
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his flesh.
He had not wanted to use the Eight Branches Technique.
Although that technique was immensely powerful, it would leave his body with severe, irreversible aftereffects.
He had no suitable vessel ready to replace his body right now.
But faced with Uchiha Xin, who was so powerful that he inspired despair.
Orochimaru had already run out of options.
He frantically searched his mind for a way to save himself, cold sweat dripping from his forehead into the dirt.
Uchiha Xin watched Orochimaru remain silent, his face filled with conflict.
A clear trace of disappointment flashed through his eyes, which had originally been looking forward to seeing the Eight Branches Technique.
Orochimaru keenly caught the disappointment in Xin's eyes.
He shuddered, thinking Xin had lost patience and was about to kill him.
A desperate, vicious gleam flashed through Orochimaru's eyes.
He forcibly squeezed out what little chakra remained in his body, preparing to use the Eight Branches Technique for one final life-or-death struggle, even if it meant this body would collapse completely.
But Xin suddenly spoke at that moment.
"Don't worry. I won't kill you."
Xin's tone was utterly calm.
Orochimaru froze in place, and the chakra he had just gathered abruptly stalled.
The moment those words fell.
The five-pointed star pattern in Xin's right eye instantly began spinning faster.
Kamui activated.
Space warped slightly.
Xin vanished from where he stood without warning.
The next second.
He teleported directly in front of Orochimaru, less than half a meter away.
Orochimaru's expression changed drastically in alarm. He had no time to make any defensive response.
Xin held his right hand flat like a blade, and highly concentrated Lightning Release chakra instantly formed a sharp blue blade of light at his fingertips.
His hand rose and fell.
The movement was clean and decisive.
Squelch!
Blood shot into the sky like a fountain.
Both of Orochimaru's arms were severed at the shoulders, tumbling through the air before landing on the grass in the distance.
"Aaaaah!"
Orochimaru let out an agonized scream.
His body lost its balance and crashed heavily to the ground, rolling in agony through the dirt.