Facing a group of younger opponents, Orochimaru failed to land a decisive strike multiple times. Adapting to the situation, he shifted from ninjutsu-based attacks to close-quarters combat.
For some reason, Orochimaru's fighting style had undergone a significant change. Now, he stood calmly in the field, holding the Kusanagi sword with a faint smile on his face. His gaze lingered on Uchiha Itachi, as though waiting for his opponent to make the first move.
"Attack together!"
Kakashi gripped his dagger tightly and let out a low command. Running away was not an option—Orochimaru was a renowned shinobi, and fleeing aimlessly would only give him the opportunity to pick them off one by one. Furthermore, the mysterious figure accompanying Orochimaru appeared to be his equal. Anyone who could stand alongside Orochimaru was no ordinary opponent.
Without hesitation, Kakashi lunged forward first. Uchiha Itachi, reacting just as quickly, flanked Orochimaru from behind. Almost simultaneously, the two reached Orochimaru, attacking from opposite directions—Kakashi thrust his short blade at Orochimaru's chest while Itachi swung Sakegari no Tachi toward his head.
"Hiss!"
Orochimaru licked his lips with his long tongue and turned swiftly just as the two attacks were about to connect. The Kusanagi sword blocked Itachi's strike, while his left hand effortlessly caught Kakashi's wrist mid-thrust. Despite the coordinated assault, the two-pronged attack posed no real threat to him.
"Too slow!"
Orochimaru shot a sidelong glance at Kakashi before delivering a forceful kick to his lower abdomen. Even as the impact sent Kakashi reeling, Orochimaru kept his grip firm on his wrist. Kakashi coughed violently, doubling over from the pain, unable to stand.
Even his incomplete Lightning Armor couldn't withstand Orochimaru's raw strength.
Seeing Kakashi on the verge of collapse, Itachi's Sharingan glowed red. Without hesitation, he shifted his attack—his right hand gripping his blade while his left hand retrieved three shuriken from his pouch, launching them at Orochimaru's head.
At such close range, the projectiles reached their target in an instant.
"Heh."
Orochimaru let out a low chuckle, tilting his head effortlessly to dodge the shuriken. However, just as they passed over him, the three weapons unexpectedly collided mid-air.
"Boring! Boring!"
With two soft metallic clangs, two of the shuriken dropped weakly to the ground—while the third, now deflected, spun back at twice its original speed, hurtling straight toward Orochimaru's back.
"Puchi!"
A faint sound echoed as the shuriken embedded itself in Orochimaru's vest. Though the wound was superficial, the unexpected pain made him frown slightly.
Such an attack was insignificant to him, yet being outmaneuvered by a junior—especially in front of Sasori—was humiliating.
"Uchiha Itachi!"
Orochimaru's slit-like pupils locked onto Itachi, his voice carrying a rare intensity. Instead of anger, his gaze brimmed with obsession.
"Interesting!"
"Hiss!"
Licking his lips, Orochimaru casually tossed Kakashi aside without even bothering to remove the shuriken from his back. He then began advancing toward Itachi, step by step.
Yet, despite the looming threat, Itachi's expression remained eerily calm. Both hands tightened around Sakegari no Tachi, and his Sharingan analyzed Orochimaru's every move.
"Raiden's disciple is truly remarkable!"
Orochimaru sighed in admiration. He hadn't expected to stumble upon such a promising talent while visiting Uzumaki Raiden. The mere existence of Uchiha Itachi stirred something within him—a silent, growing desire.
Abducting prodigies was his specialty.
"Don't even think about it!"
At that moment, a sudden explosion of movement came from the side. Uchiha Obito had appeared beside Orochimaru, kunai in hand, lunging toward his head with a fierce stab.
Yet, Orochimaru didn't even spare him a glance. With a casual flick of his sword, he unleashed a razor-sharp wind slash, sending Obito flying.
As Obito crashed into the courtyard wall, a deep gash ran across his chest, blood seeping from the wound.
At the last second, he had used his Sharingan to predict the attack and positioned his kunai in defense. However, Orochimaru's wind-infused blade easily sliced through the weapon, rendering his resistance futile.
While the kunai's tip was severed, the remaining force of Orochimaru's attack struck Obito directly. Though not fatal, the wound left him incapacitated.
"Kakashi! Obito!"
Rin screamed in panic. Without hesitation, she rushed toward Obito, leaving Kakashi behind. In her eyes, the one bleeding profusely needed immediate attention.
"Now, there's no one left to help you."
Orochimaru continued his slow advance toward Itachi, his voice almost soothing. He was eager to witness Itachi's fear. But to his disappointment, the young Uchiha showed no sign of distress—his face remained composed, his gaze unwavering.
"Huh?"
Orochimaru suddenly let out a soft noise of surprise.
Something was wrong.
He couldn't move.
The scenery around him twisted. In an instant, his vision shifted, and he found himself bound—several nails pierced through his body, pinning him to the ground.
"Paralysis Jutsu?!"
"I've been caught in an illusion?!"
A flicker of astonishment crossed Orochimaru's face before he smirked.
The more an opponent struggled, the more exhilarating it was for him.
"Orochimaru, did he really fall for a genjutsu?"
"Hehehe... This guy actually got trapped by a child!"
Sasori, who had been observing the fight, scoffed. Seeing Orochimaru frozen in place, he immediately realized what had happened. Yet, he made no move to intervene. Watching Orochimaru struggle was an amusing sight.
Back in reality, Orochimaru slowly lifted his left hand.
Sensing his resistance, Itachi's gaze turned cold. Without hesitation, he retrieved an explosive tag from his pouch and placed it on Orochimaru's chest before swiftly retreating.
"Boom!"
A deafening explosion erupted, engulfing Orochimaru in flames and smoke. Itachi quickly dashed toward Kakashi, helping him up.
"Senior Kakashi, are you alright?" Itachi asked, his voice calm.
Kakashi, grimacing in pain, took a deep breath before replying, "I'm fine. I feel much better now."
He forced himself to his feet, his body still aching.
"Be careful. Orochimaru isn't someone who goes down that easily."
On the other side, Rin had finished administering first aid to Obito. Though still in pain, his bleeding had stopped, and his condition was no longer critical.
(End of this chapter)