Sasuke halted abruptly, his feet firmly planted on the ground and his body tensed like a bowstring, as he let out a furious roar.
At the same time, his Sharingan spun rapidly, the three tomoe in his crimson eyes whirling at high speed, releasing a chilling sense of pressure.
"Oh, you managed to notice us."
A somewhat surprised voice came from all around.
The moment the voice faded, accompanied by an eerie rustling of wind, four figures appeared before Sasuke without any warning.
They wore matching Sound Village attire, and these four were unmistakably the Sound Four.
"He's certainly special, just as Lord Orochimaru said."
Kidomaru tilted his head slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Sasuke, as if appraising a prized prey.
The Sound Four had received Orochimaru's orders and had come to find Sasuke.
Sasuke eyed the four before him warily, crouching slightly with his hands hanging naturally at his sides, ready to strike at any moment.
"Sasuke, come with us. This is Lord Orochimaru's order. If you join us, Lord Orochimaru promises to grant you the power you've always dreamed of, the means to achieve your revenge," Kidomaru attempted to coax him.
Sasuke stared coldly at them, a scornful curve appearing on his lips, his Sharingan glinting with sharp light.
"You think you can take me away? And you dare try to tempt me with Orochimaru's so-called power?"
Sasuke's voice dripped with mockery.
Now, having been carefully trained by strong figures like Roy and Garp, he was no longer the same as before.
His taijutsu, honed through grueling training and real combat, had grown strong enough to approach the level of a Jonin.
Sasuke involuntarily recalled the scene he had witnessed before—Orochimaru being effortlessly defeated by Roy.
That image was seared into his heart, filling him with deep doubt and disdain for Orochimaru's strength.
In his eyes, Orochimaru's supposed power was nothing but a hollow facade, unworthy of being compared to true strength.
"Orochimaru? What power can he give me? He's nothing but a loser who was easily beaten."
Sasuke's words dripped with contempt. He straightened his back, radiating an air of confidence.
Hearing Sasuke's merciless, scornful words, fury ignited within the Sound Four. Sakon clenched his fists, struggling to contain his anger, but a mocking grin suddenly spread across his face.
"Hah, you arrogant brat, you really think you're something special? The defenses of Konoha are nothing but a joke in our eyes."
As he spoke, he glanced around triumphantly.
"The four of us easily took out two special jonin and walked right in here. So-called strong ones of Konoha, you're nothing special."
Listening to the Sound shinobi's words, Sasuke couldn't help but inwardly complain.
"So the new Hokage hasn't fully taken control of Konoha yet. The defenses are this weak," he thought, a hint of concern for the village's current situation flickering in his mind.
He kept his eyes locked on the Sound Four before him.
"They took out two special jonin, huh?" Unease stirred within Sasuke. Special jonin were no pushovers; if the Sound Four had managed to defeat them, they must possess considerable strength.
He narrowed his Sharingan, carefully observing their every move, trying to spot a weakness.
Seeing Sasuke's wary expression, the mockery on the Sound Four's faces only deepened.
They seemed to already regard Sasuke as their prize, merely waiting for the right moment to claim him.
"It's useless. Just come back with us quietly."
Tayuya also spoke, her tone threatening.
"Perfect, I can test my power," Sasuke thought to himself, a gleam of resolve flashing in his eyes.
He decided to end this quickly, giving his enemies no chance to recover.
The next moment, Sasuke lunged forward like an arrow released from a bow.
He moved so fast that the Sound Four had no time to react.
A dark blur flashed by, and Sasuke was already beside Tayuya.
Tayuya's eyes widened in shock; she hadn't expected Sasuke's speed to be so incredible.
Before she could regain her senses, Sasuke's right hand had already formed a Chidori.
Electricity crackled wildly in his palm, emitting a sharp "zap."
Simultaneously, Sasuke channeled his Armament Haki, weaving it into the Chidori. In an instant, the Chidori's power surged, a dark gleam of Haki mixing with the lightning.
"Die!" Sasuke shouted, thrusting his arm forward. The Chidori, carrying immense force and the power of Haki, pierced straight through Tayuya's body.
Tayuya's body convulsed violently. Blood sprayed from her mouth, and she collapsed heavily to the ground, motionless.
The remaining three members of the Sound Four looked on, their faces twisted in shock and fury.
They hadn't expected Sasuke to be so powerful, taking down one of them in an instant.
"You bastard!" Sakon roared.
"Nothing special," Sasuke sneered, the corner of his mouth curling up.
Yet, inwardly, he remained calm.
He knew full well that his quick defeat of Tayuya had been due to the element of surprise, seizing the initiative.
Now, however, the remaining three Sound shinobi were on guard. Pulling off another easy victory like that would be nearly impossible.
Sasuke narrowed his Sharingan, the three tomoe spinning slowly as he fixed his gaze on his opponents.
Just then, Sakon, Ukon, and Jirobo exchanged glances. Almost simultaneously, their bodies began to undergo a strange transformation.
Grotesque markings appeared on their skin—the power of the Cursed Seal granted to them by Orochimaru.
As the seals activated, their bodies swelled, power surging within them.
"Cripple his arms and then take him back!" Sakon roared. Sharp claws grew from his hands, his nails turning into gleaming blades.
Ukon's form flickered, instantly merging with Sakon as their bodies became one.
Jirobo, already massive, grew even more towering, his hands forming seals.
Several sharp earthen spikes erupted from the ground, stabbing toward Sasuke with deadly speed.
As Jirobo attacked, Kidomaru, now in his Cursed Seal form, grew several slender spider legs from beneath his skin.
Thin, transparent threads of silk shot from his fingertips, weaving into a massive web in the air.
Then, he performed the "Spider Sticky Gold" technique, the threads instantly solidifying into a metallic armor that covered his entire body.
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