"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"
Dozens of explosive-tagged kunai shot forth, their sharp tips piercing through the air, aiming at the wings of the Fusion Monster Bird from a downward angle, attempting to incapacitate its flying ability and neutralize the threat.
"Not a chance!" Hiruko's voice was filled with disdain as he lightly stomped his foot against the bird's back. A dense layer of iron paint spread rapidly from his foot, instantly coating the monster bird's wings in a pitch-black hue.
"Cling cling clang!"
The kunai struck the wings but merely sparked off the surface before scattering and exploding in mid-air.
The bird suddenly dropped, clearly indicating that its wings were not only heavy and tough on the outside but also well-weighted on the inside.
At that moment, Orochimaru seized the opportunity, shaking his sleeves, which sent forth numerous thick snakes that coiled and twisted, ensnaring several unprepared Sky Ninjas like a fishing net.
"Puff puff puff!"
To prevent being yanked away by Orochimaru, the bound Sky Ninjas immediately pushed their Mechanical Wings' engines to the max, torrents of white vapor exploded forth, and, with everyone's efforts combined, they managed to hover mid-air.
Orochimaru smiled. This was the effect he wanted. As he exerted force through his arms, the snakes stiffened straight.
With his foot's attraction surging, he adhered to the body of the Fusion Monster Bird like a human-sized electromagnet, halting its downward trend and swinging through a perfect arc, soaring diagonally into the encircled Sky Ninjas.
"Slash! Slash!"
With its steel wings raised like a guillotine, it swept through, and two unfortunate Sky Ninjas, unable to dodge in time, were sliced in half along with their Mechanical Wings, blood spraying as they fell helplessly.
Suddenly, as Orochimaru fought, his eyes widened in shock, as if an electric current had coursed through him.
Thanks to the impressive sensory capabilities of Sage Mode, an immense sense of crisis enveloped him, sending chills down his spine.
"That is…"
He abruptly turned his head, all his senses instinctively focusing on the base of Angkor Fortress. The massive gear glimmered brightly, and a surge of gigantic chakra had already gathered, locking onto their position from afar.
Although he had long heard that Angkor Fortress housed a super Energy Cannon, powerful enough to easily blast through a mountain, he never expected it could charge up so quickly!
Even more unexpectedly, the Sky Ninja Village was so decisive in unleashing this trump card!
Hiruko still wore an excited expression while Nian was still engaged in fending off the surrounding Sky Ninjas, both evidently unaware of the impending danger.
Orochimaru was confident that if he withdrew alone at this moment, he could evade the cannon's attack range.
But...
He clapped his hands together with determination. "Orochimaru Style: White Snake Defense!"
A gigantic white-scaled serpent coiled up, wrapping around the three of them tightly, covering the Fusion Monster Bird completely in an airtight seal.
Only then did Hiruko realize the impending danger. In the last moment before closure, blinding golden light seeped through the gaps, illuminating his anxious face.
A massive beam of light shot forth from the cannon's muzzle at the fortress's base, lighting up the night sky and turning the entire mountain bright as day.
"Steel Release: Steelification!" He placed his palm against the serpent's body, and jet-black sheen quickly spread over the white serpent, converting it into a steel fortress.
"Boom!!!!!!!"
The beam's firing speed was astonishingly fast; it enveloped the serpent in an instant, shattering it into a spiderweb of cracks that danced and scattered, the shockwave swelling outwards, threatening to engulf the interior.
At that moment, time itself seemed to come to a standstill.
Uchiha Nian's right eye opened wide, fine veins pulling through his pupils, crimson blood dripping down his cheek.
"Limitless Serenity: Heaven's Constant Stand!"
In an instant, all three disappeared, including the Fusion Monster Bird beneath their feet, vanishing as if they had evaporated from existence.
"Whoosh!!!!"
The light cannon shot through unimpeded, piercing through the distant land and leaving a fiery trail in the distorted air.
The next moment, the three reappeared hundreds of meters away, completely unharmed.
Only Uchiha Nian knelt on one knee, clutching his agonizing right eye, panting heavily as blood flowed through his fingers.
"Nian!" Orochimaru and Hiruko immediately supported his shoulder, their faces showing signs of panic.
Just now, if Nian hadn't activated his ocular technique in time to redirect their spatial position, the consequences would have been unimaginable.
As a disciple of Kamihane, Orochimaru was naturally familiar with the "Heaven's Constant Stand" ocular technique.
This was one of his master's signature abilities, capable of reversing time and resetting the temporal state; it was a truly extraordinary technique.
However, it could only be performed flawlessly without side effects in his master's hands.
If the target of the reversal were only oneself, it would be quite easy, but once other people were included, the chakra consumption was almost beyond imagination.
Orochimaru looked down at Nian, feeling deeply shaken.
He knew that it wasn't just himself who managed to safely pull back in time.
"Nian, are you okay?" Hiruko shook Nian's shoulder, his quivering voice revealing his panic. "Damn it; just wait until I take care of these bastards!"
"No! I'll do it!"
Orochimaru rose, facing the rushing Sky Ninjas. He leaped far from the bird's back, his pale hair flowing in the wind.
Surrounded by a whirlwind, he utilized the power of wind-release chakra from his Sage techniques to float temporarily in mid-air.
"Quickly take Nian away from here!"
After reminding them, he formed hand signs and expanded his chest.
"Sage Art: Red Dragon Technique!"
He exhaled a crimson dragon that soared with fluttering whiskers, clutching black pearls in its claws; just a single circle eliminated a mass of kunai soaring toward them.
Hiruko did not hesitate and immediately lifted the Steelification state from the bird's wings. With a powerful flap, they shot off into the distance.
——Just now, Nian had only reversed their spatial state; if he had also reversed the temporal state, the terrifying consumption would likely leave Nian completely exhausted.
The crimson dragon spiraled wildly, turning into ethereal energy that merged into the pearl.
The urgent sounds of the wind rushed by Hiruko's ears as he tightly closed his eyes and didn't look back.
He knew that was the Red Dragon Technique's explosion.
The sound wave reverberated through his insides, blinding light pierced his eyes. This was a double attack on both sight and hearing, also an indiscriminate bombardment that was non-differentiating.
Even from a distance away from the center of the explosion, his insides churned.
In the blinding white light, the Sky Ninjas covered their eyes, their cries mixed into the boiling air, as their flying devices crashed and collided, sparks flying, currents flashing, and both man and machine exploded into shreds.
When the technique ended, Hiruko decisively turned back. The Fusion Monster Bird opened its wings, executing a stylish spiral to catch the staggering Orochimaru.
"Nice job," Orochimaru looked back, his amber vertical pupils glimmering joyfully.
That flight technique was a wind release ninjutsu he had come up with on the spot. If further developed, perhaps one day he might hover in mid-air…
Just like Kamihane.
"You two seem to be having fun," Nian commented, rubbing his sore right eye.
After resting briefly, thanks to the innate power of Yang Release within him, he had already recovered.
"Was that thrilling or what?" Hiruko laughed heartily, appearing carefree.
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