"Pfft!"
Kisame immediately spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and attempted to heal his injuries, only to be shocked by the realization that he couldn't channel his Chakra.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Orochimaru seized the momentum, not giving Kisame the slightest chance to recover. Several black rods appeared in Orochimaru's hands, which he drove into Kisame's limbs, pinning him firmly to the ground.
"Bang!"
Samehada, possessing its own will, attempted to rescue Kisame and launch a counterattack.
However, Orochimaru conjured another black rod out of thin air and pinned Samehada to the ground as well.
In just one round, Kisame was utterly defeated.
"What a useless idiot! Looks like it's up to me!"
Hidan cursed annoyedly.
While Kisame was fighting, the other challengers played a second round of rock-paper-scissors, and this time, Hidan emerged as the winner.
He had eagerly anticipated Kisame's failure, but he never imagined that Kisame would lose so quickly and in such a humiliating manner.
Not only Hidan but the other challengers were also baffled by Orochimaru's actions.
Only Naruto, through the Servant Contract, fully understood what was happening.
The so-called red protective barrier was Urashiki's defensive technique, created using Yin-Yang Release. Urashiki had used this technique to break through Gaara's Desert Layered Imperial Funeral Seal, and it functioned much like a reflective armor.
The black rods that appeared out of nowhere were created by the Rinnegan. Additionally, anyone with Yin-Yang Chakra Attributes could generate them through Yin-Yang Release.
These rods disrupted the Chakra of anyone they struck. When inserted into an opponent, they sealed the Chakra Pathways, preventing the victim from molding Chakra. It is even effective against Biju.
So, while Kisame's defeat seemed swift, it was all due to Orochimaru's precise calculations.
Orochimaru understood the Akatsuki's members as much as they understood him.
He was well aware of Kisame's brute-force tendencies and his Chakra Reserve, which is comparable to a Biju. In a battle of attrition, Kisame could continuously absorb his opponent's Chakra with Samehada, growing stronger as the fight went on.
But Orochimaru refused to play into Kisame's strengths. By using the red protective barrier to block Kisame's attacks, he capitalized on the moment when the barrier reflected damage back onto Kisame to quickly produce black rods.
These rods disrupted and sealed Kisame's Chakra, rendering him helpless. Kisame's defeat became inevitable.
And facing the second challenger, Hidan, Orochimaru didn't even need to strategize.
Hidan's abilities were simple, relying solely on his immortality. So as long as Orochimaru avoided being cut by Hidan's scythe and losing blood, there would be no danger at all.
Using the same tactic, Orochimaru blocked Hidan's scythe with his red barrier. Then, with his black rods, he pinned Hidan to the ground, effortlessly neutralizing the second challenger.
"What a bunch of fools."
Kakuzu couldn't help but complain.
'Even knowing Orochimaru would use his black rods, how could that fool still fall for a close-range attack? He's truly a certified idiot.'
As the victor of the third round of rock-paper-scissors, Kakuzu chose not to engage Orochimaru in close combat.
Of course, it wasn't that he was afraid and wanted to seek help from others.
From the challengers' perspective, even though Orochimaru had clearly grown stronger, their pride wouldn't allow them to band together.
On the contrary, the more challengers who failed, the more excited the next one became. To them, defeating Orochimaru would prove to Naruto that they were the most capable of all.
Kakuzu's decision to keep his distance was purely strategic. Orochimaru's attacks were too unpredictable, making close combat inadvisable, so he felt that a ranged battle was the best option.
"Secret Technique: Earth Grudge Fear!"
Kakuzu formed hand seals as countless black threads emerged from his body. Then, with a low growl, he called out, "Earth Grudge Fear: Nature Masks!"
As his words fell, five monstrous creatures materialized behind him, each composed of writhing black threads and distinguished by white masks on their heads.
These monstrous creatures that Kakuzu controlled were formed by stealing the hearts of others and preserving them within his body. Kakuzu possessed five hearts: Wind, Lightning, Water, Fire, and Earth. These masks could detach from his body and act independently like living creatures, capable of using all the Ninjutsu of the original heart's owner.
Empowered by the Weapon Blessings, the white masks shimmered with dazzling golden light.
Without hesitation, Kakuzu performed hand seals again.
"Earth Release: Earth Spear!"
Accompanied by a low shout, the earth heart returned to Kakuzu's body. This technique was part of Kakuzu's original abilities, hardening his skin to enhance his offensive and defensive capabilities.
The hardened defense could even withstand explosive tags. His arm, now black and reinforced, could deliver punches strong enough to demolish a wall.
With his safety secured, Kakuzu set his sights on Orochimaru and roared, "Fire Release: Intelligent Hard Work!"
From the mouth of the fire masked beast erupted a vast wave of flames, resembling a fiery tide. Upon contact with the ground, the flames rapidly expanded, incinerating everything in their path. This was Kakuzu's Intelligent Hard Work.
The flames engulfed Orochimaru in an instant.
Unfortunately for Kakuzu, Orochimaru wasn't about to stand idly by as a target.
With a flash, Orochimaru transformed into countless crimson paper cranes and disappeared. Moments later, he reappeared midair.
Seeing this, Kakuzu understood that Orochimaru had used an ability similar to the Body Replacement Technique or the Body Flicker Technique.
Without hesitation, Kakuzu continued to shout, "Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
As soon as the words fell, a high-pressure wind ball burst out from the mouth of the wind masked beast. It could obliterate anything in its path, with swirling storms causing large-scale explosions and significant damage to the target and surroundings.
The Pressure Damage didn't directly target Orochimaru, as Kakuzu knew that a single elemental Ninjutsu wouldn't suffice to defeat Orochimaru.
Instead, when the Pressure Damage collided with the ongoing Intelligent Hard Work, Kakuzu shouted again, "Compound Ninjutsu: Flaming Wind Surge: Grotesque Blaze!"
It was common knowledge that wind strengthens fire.
This Wind-Fire Dual Release Ninjutsu combination was one of Kakuzu's trump cards. By merging Intelligent Hard Work with Pressure Damage, he created an expansive sea of flames.
The flames engulfed the sky, their range and power amplified by the Weapon Blessings on the masked beasts. Even Orochimaru, who is floating in midair, was not spared.
Kakuzu didn't let his guard down. He remembered that Orochimaru had initially emerged from a black void-like gate, so even if the flames covered the entire sky, Orochimaru could likely escape through that same black gate.
However, this is also part of Kakuzu's plan. As long as Orochimaru enters the black gate, he will be a sitting duck when he appears from the black gate again.
As expected, Orochimaru used the black gate to retreat into the void.
Upon seeing this, Kakuzu acted swiftly, commanding his black threads to gather the wind, fire, and lightning masked beasts on his right arm, where he began charging an attack.
From the mouth of the lightning masked beast, a sharp lightning spear shot out, sweeping across the battlefield. This Lightning Ninjutsu had incredible penetrating power, capable of piercing through solid rock.
However, this wasn't Kakuzu's most powerful move.
By combining the compatibility of Wind, Fire, and Lightning Attributes, Kakuzu developed a triple-release Ninjutsu. When fully charged, it could fire a terrifying Chakra Cannon, which is his most potent attack to date. The longer the charge time, the greater the destructive force.
Sizzle!
Seeing the black gate reopened in the sky, Kakuzu grinned.
Without hesitation, as soon as Orochimaru's foot emerged from the gate, Kakuzu unleashed his attack.
"Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot!"