Accompanied by chaotic footsteps, over twenty Sky Ninjas rushed in, surrounding the Equipment Storage.
They did not immediately launch an attack; instead, they all stared at the burly man at the front of the group. At his command, they would throw themselves into the fray without hesitation.
The leader of the Sky Ninja Village, Shinno, took a deep breath, his expression grave. "Who are you?!"
He understood full well that these three were not here for friendly business; having taken the Control Room in mere moments and causing numerous casualties along the way, their purpose for reaching the Equipment Storage was clear!
Unexpectedly, the three acted as if they hadn't heard him at all, exchanging indifferent glances before turning their attention back to rummaging through the flying ninja tools.
Shinno was momentarily stunned, his anger rising further. "You dare to attack my Sky Ninja Village in the middle of the night! What is your purpose?!"
Still, no one responded. In fact, Hiruko knocked over a row of storage racks in his haste, causing Mechanical Wings to crash to the ground with a clattering sound.
"Hmph, are you all toying with me?"
Unfazed, the trio continued their search, quickly collecting nearly all the flying equipment in the storage.
Veins bulged on Shinno's forehead; even with his patience, he could not withstand such an insult.
"Are you here for the flying ninja tools? Pathetic. Do you truly think you can get away?!"
Another moment of silence passed.
"Who are you?!"
"…"
"Damn it! What kind of cowardice is this? Have the guts to reveal your names!"
"…"
"I don't recall ever having wronged you!"
"…"
Fury surged through Shinno, rising from his feet to the top of his head, igniting a blaze of anger within him. Unable to contain himself: "I'll tear you apart!"
With that, he was the first to strike, his foot crashing down heavily. His fist, as large as a sandbag, shot forth, laden with overwhelming rage.
Orochimaru snickered, his form flashing in front of him as he lightly pushed forward with an airy palm.
"Bang!"
When their fists clashed, an explosive sound erupted in the Equipment Storage, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.
Orochimaru felt a flicker of surprise; he was currently in Sage Mode, empowered by sage chakra, capable of shattering mountains with every strike.
Yet this seemingly unknown leader of the Sky Ninja Village could receive his attack without flinching!
Given the man's sturdy physique, he must be a ninja specializing in taijutsu, having likely honed his strength through rigorous training.
But that was all he was; suddenly, Shinno's nose collapsed inwards, twisting his face grotesquely as blood poured forth, as if an invisible fist had struck him severely!
A piercing pain washed over him, and his mind went blank. Along with a debilitating wave of dizziness, he was sent flying backwards.
"What kind of punch is that? Why… can't I see it?"
Shinno shook his head, his expression twisted and blood running down his face. The force was too intense—he struggled to open his bloodshot eyes to catch sight of what had struck him, but saw nothing out of the ordinary.
Orochimaru remained composed where he stood, without a third arm emerging from nowhere.
Sage Art: Snake Ambush. This technique, performed in Sage Mode, utilized sage chakra to draw upon the flowing natural energy around him for auxiliary attacks. His extensive sensory capabilities increased both his accuracy and destructive power.
Since the attacks tapped into natural energy, they were invisible and vast, making them quite difficult to defend against, much like the "Frog Kata" from Mount Myoboku, both relying on the application of natural energy.
"Damn it, kill them! Just kill them!" Shinno roared.
The Sky Ninjas moved in unison, accompanied by the sounds of mechanical parts grinding together, revealing chainsaw blades that glimmered ominously.
"This is troublesome. Cover me," Nian said, halting his looting. With a hint of impatience flashing beneath his mask, he crossed his legs and sat down.
Hiruko immediately stepped in front of Nian, channeling Steel Release chakra to harden his body, transforming into a true human shield.
Nian intertwined his hands, forming the "Mou" seal, and in an instant, a slender, transparent spirit surged from the top of his head like an invisible lightning bolt, darting straight into the forehead of a nearby Sky Ninja.
In that moment of entering the other's spiritual space, Nian located the target's soul source. Compared to his deep and vast spiritual form, the opponent's soul was pitifully weak.
Without hesitation, he manifested his mental energy as a blade and swiftly severed the opponent's soul, before bursting out of their body and shooting towards his next target.
This process seemed slow, but in reality, it occurred in the blink of an eye.
The spirit zipped through the air like an arrow, piercing into one Sky Ninja after another's brow, spiraling around the vast Equipment Storage three times, eradicating all enemies on a spiritual level in mere moments before returning to his own body.
During this time, the charging Sky Ninjas collapsed one after another like wheat being mowed down, falling across the ground like deflated balloons, their eyes glassy and devoid of life.
Nian shuddered slightly, then opened his eyes and stood from the ground.
Meanwhile, all the Sky Ninjas lay dead; before they could even reach the three, they all perished!
Except for… the terrified leader, Shinno.
"What… what is this technique…"
From his perspective, everything happened too horrifically—first, he was struck by an invisible attack, and before he could recover, all of his subordinates fell silent, dying one after another. It was utterly bizarre.
"My turn."
Hiruko twisted his neck and took off, darting toward Shinno like a speeding arrow.
Shinno's expression turned pale; he had completely lost the confidence he held moments earlier. All the anger within him had been extinguished by that ghastly scene.
Instinctively, he began to flee, but Hiruko would not grant him such an opportunity. With his palm thrusting out, the pitch-black blade aimed at Shinno's vital points in a diagonal slash.
Shinno trembled violently, a chill running down the back of his neck, accompanied by a faint sting; in this moment of crisis, he decided to fight back with all his might!
Planting his feet firmly, he twisted his body like a charging bull, suddenly grabbing Hiruko's right hand and halting the blade before his throat, while simultaneously swinging his massive arm to ram back.
"Iron Body!"
Jet-black energy swiftly spread across his body. With a muffled thud, Hiruko was bluntly shoved backwards, crashing into the wall with a resounding "bang."
Shinno staggered back a few steps, half-leaning against the wall. While the attack had been forceful, his forearm and shoulder were shattered as a result.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"
Three pitch-black blades whirled through the air, piercing through Shinno's shoulder, thigh, and abdomen, pinning him in place.
In the next second, Hiruko soared out from the large hole in the wall, the hardened blade cutting through the air, and with a single strike, cleaved the powerless Shinno in half, blood spilling everywhere.
"You… why… are you doing this…" In his final moments, Shinno lay on the ground, his face twisted with disbelief.
"You really are a talkative one," Hiruko said, flicking the blood off his black blade. "Why are we here to rob you? Don't you have some inkling?"
"What?"
"Sometimes you should reflect on your own actions. Who have you offended over the years? Did you ever honestly stay in your own land?"
"Are you… trying to say…"
Shinno's voice grew weaker until it eventually faded into silence.
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