Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Several ferocious long snakes shot out from Orochimaru's wide sleeves, opening their venomous fangs and lunging straight for Mamoru.
"Annoying."
Mamoru didn't even make any obvious movement.
Bang!
A muffled sound of explosion rang out. Those snakes flying mid-air seemed to be instantly squeezed by an invisible massive force, being compressed and bursting on the spot, turning into a shower of fresh red flesh and blood dust that scattered everywhere.
"Oh?" Orochimaru let out a low, uncertain hum.
He actually couldn't understand at all how Mamoru had launched the attack. No hand seals, no movement. In his vast database of knowledge, he had never seen such an eerie Ninjutsu. Now it seemed this was inevitably a dojutsu related to those strange eyes.
The sinister smile on Orochimaru's face grew wider as he stood not far away, gazing at Mamoru's every move as if observing a rare specimen.
This 'vessel' was giving him too many surprises.
Mamoru was shrouded in layers of unknown mist, and this mist was constantly tempting him to explore and peel it away. The more unknown it was, the more he wanted to solve it. This feeling made him somewhat unable to stop.
He felt as if he had seen another perfect possibility besides Itachi. He wanted this vessel, he wanted it desperately.
Mamoru slightly narrowed his blue eyes, his mind highly focused as his gaze locked onto Orochimaru ahead.
He cautioned himself in his heart, 'Don't rush. Create an opening first, don't expect a one-hit kill.'
He quickly drew two Kunai from his ninja tool pouch.
Swoosh! Swoosh...
The Kunai sliced through the air with sharp whistles, aimed precisely at the vital points of Orochimaru's neck.
Facing the incoming Kunai, Orochimaru remained composed, maintaining that sinister smile of being in control of everything. Just as the Kunai were about to touch his skin, he prepared to sidestep.
But then—
Mamoru's figure appeared on his flank without any warning. He had already taken a stance, his fist condensed with highly compressed Chakra, carrying a terrifying gale.
"What?!"
Before Orochimaru's exclamation could fully leave his mouth—
BOOM!
A heavy punch condensed with violent Chakra slammed into his side. The terrifying power poured out like a bursting flood.
The loud noise broke the silence of the forest.
Orochimaru's body flew back, instantly turning into a meteor that easily snapped a towering ancient tree thick enough to require five men to encircle it. His momentum undiminished, he finally smashed into the trunk of another large tree behind it, sinking deep into it before finally stopping.
Through his Six Eyes, Mamoru clearly saw Orochimaru embedded in the tree trunk. He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air, but his brow furrowed slightly.
Mamoru muttered to himself, a hint of doubt in his eyes, "In terms of feel, it was definitely a solid hit. But his body... it feels too strange. It's layered inside, like he's wearing countless thin puppet shells. I can't feel a clear core at all."
Is this guy really Orochimaru himself? Such a question couldn't help but surface in Mamoru's mind.
Mamoru snapped out of his contemplation, keenly sensing movement from the tree trunk ahead.
The body embedded in the tree trunk suddenly convulsed violently. Orochimaru's mouth opened to an extent that violated human anatomy, the corners of his lips tearing almost to his ears like a venomous snake ready to strike. A hand covered in thick liquid was the first to emerge from that gaping maw, with transparent saliva dripping from the fingertips.
Next came the head with disheveled black hair, and finally, the entire body slowly crawled out from within, making a nauseating, slimy sound. The whole process was as eerie as a snake shedding its skin, sending shivers down one's spine.
Mamoru couldn't help but click his tongue, his brow tightly furrowed. "Hey. This isn't a horror movie, is that really necessary?"
"That was truly dangerous just now."
The re-emerged Orochimaru stood elegantly on the tree trunk, his voice still low and raspy.
Moonlight fell upon his brand-new appearance—his pale skin looked as if it hadn't seen light in ages, his golden slitted pupils shimmered with dangerous light in the night, and purple eye shadow outlined an eerie contour. His magatama-shaped earrings glinted coldly.
"You are giving me more and more surprises."
Orochimaru extended his long tongue to lick his lips. The tongue was exceptionally long, nearly reaching his chin.
His greedy gaze locked onto Mamoru below as he said, "Not only do you possess incredible speed, but you also have monstrous strength not inferior to Tsunade's."
His tone gradually became frenzied, his voice carrying uncontrollable excitement. "So, can you give me even more surprises next, Mamoru-kun?"
"No surprises."
Mamoru's eyes were covered in a layer of frost, a cold sneer on his lips.
"But I have plenty of scares, don't let your knees get weak."
Before his voice had faded, Orochimaru suddenly threw his arms out and whipped his hands downward. A fierce whirlwind burst forth, sweeping up the fallen leaves on the ground toward Mamoru. The withered leaves spun wildly in the gale, making a rustling sound.
Mamoru remained motionless, letting the whirlwind crash into him. The airflow collapsed inch by inch before him, still unable to break through that invisible defense.
Before the airflow had fully dissipated, Mamoru raised his hand and fired off a pale blue Chakra sphere that shot straight toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's pupils constricted as he instantly sensed the terrifying power contained within this Chakra sphere. If hit head-on, he would certainly be heavily injured. He immediately dodged rapidly among the branches, his figure drifting like a ghost, leaving trails of afterimages through the woods.
The first orb brushed past him and sank into a thick tree trunk.
Bang!
The entire tree trunk shattered, sending wood chips flying everywhere.
Immediately after, a second and third Blue followed in quick succession, both narrowly avoided by Orochimaru, blowing deep craters into the giant trees.
The moment he dodged the fourth Blue, Mamoru's figure appeared before him like a ghost, a heavy punch carrying the sound of breaking air slamming toward him.
BOOM!
Orochimaru's body flew back, snapping several thick branches in a row before finally crashing heavily into the distant bushes with a series of teeth-gritting snaps.
However, there was no joy on Mamoru's face, because he knew that what he had hit was merely an Earth Substitution. He watched the substitute fly away while his hands didn't stop for a second, forming seals.
Suddenly, a dense 'hissing' sound came from the trees overhead, as if countless venomous snakes were peering from the shadows.
"You were careless, Mamoru."
Many Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Hidden in the canopy, Orochimaru suddenly appeared, his sleeves pouring out countless ferocious snake heads like a bursting dam, pouncing toward Mamoru from all directions. Those snake eyes glinted red, their fangs shimmering coldly in the moonlight.
"That's hard to say."
Mamoru's tone was calm, the seals in his hands already complete. He took a deep breath, his chest swelling slightly.
Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!
(End of Chapter)
Read 50 Chapters ahead on
patreon.com/astralicity