Yamata no Orochi?
"I remember you using the Eight Branches Technique, and the Kusanagi Sword—that's also one of the legendary treasures said to come from Yamata no Orochi's body," Jiraiya commented.
Orochimaru nodded without hesitation. "That's correct. I happened to acquire a shed snakeskin from Yamata no Orochi long ago, which allowed me to gain some of its power."
So now he was planning to devour the original owner of that power. Truly befitting of a snake.
Orochimaru and the White Snake Sage really did share the same modus operandi.
Without further words, the three swiftly made their way toward the offshore waters of the Land of Lightning.
As for Sasuke and Kimimaro, Deidara had sent them back to Tenjingakure using one of his clones.
Speaking of the offshore waters of the Land of Lightning, the last time Deidara had been there was when he had just crossed into this world. Back then, he had hunted a strange turtle alongside Sasori, only to accidentally encounter Killer Bee, which resulted in a fight.
At the time, Deidara had found it odd. Since the ninja world was essentially a planet, wouldn't the mobility of ninjas have enabled someone to complete a global journey?
It seemed like something that should have been discovered quickly.
But the truth turned out to be far more terrifying.
After about a day of travel, the three reached the farthest offshore waters of the Land of Lightning, not far from the seal established by Kaguya Ōtsutsuki long ago.
Suddenly!
Before the three could even stop, a massive, mountain-like figure seemed to force its way out of the void.
The creature was pure white, with eight ferocious snake heads. Each head was covered in numerous scales, a sign, it was said, that a snake was on the verge of transforming into a dragon.
Yamata no Orochi let out a deafening roar, its heads twisting and turning as it issued a thunderous, malevolent cry:
"Curse you, Ōtsutsuki clan! I've finally broken free!"
"I'M FINALLY FREE!"
Perhaps it had been sealed for too long, but roaring to the heavens wasn't enough for Yamata no Orochi. Its massive tail lashed out, and its eight heads plunged into the water with a tremendous splash.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
As Yamata no Orochi swam recklessly through the ocean, the waters churned violently. When it suddenly burst back out, the resulting spray fell like a tsunami.
"Oh? Three weak humans?" One of its heads emerged directly in front of Deidara and his companions, each of its eight heads observing them from different angles.
Then, one of the heads focused on Orochimaru. "One of you has gained a portion of my power."
"The Kusanagi Sword is often summoned—it must be you."
"Perfect timing. I'm feeling a bit hungry. You three will make a fine meal!"
Deidara wanted to retort that their combined size wouldn't even be enough to fill the gaps between the creature's teeth.
But Jiraiya and Orochimaru were far less inclined toward humor. The two immediately entered battle mode, ready to fight.
"Sage Art: Fire Release: Flame Bullet!" Jiraiya began with a massive Fire Release technique. The scorching flames spread rapidly, covering the vast expanse of ocean as far as the eye could see.
Even Yamata no Orochi seemed startled, clearly not expecting such power from a random human.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The creature's tail plunged into the ocean, churning up waves to douse the flames. Though Jiraiya's Sage Art Fire Release was formidable, the ocean's endless supply of water gave Yamata no Orochi a significant advantage in this terrain.
"Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!" Orochimaru joined the fray.
At this point, Orochimaru's mastery of Wood Release was quite advanced. However, against an opponent like Yamata no Orochi, the difference in scale was staggering. The Wood Dragon, a jutsu capable of restraining Tailed Beasts, appeared no more than an oversized earthworm in comparison.
"The power of Asura... the power of my user... How thrilling!" Yamata no Orochi's eyes gleamed with excitement. Having been suppressed by the Ōtsutsuki clan for so long, it craved their power above all else.
One of its massive, ferocious heads lunged directly at Orochimaru's main body.
"Wood Release: Thorn Killing Technique!" Orochimaru used his Wood Release to momentarily block the attack, seizing the opportunity to retreat and evade Yamata no Orochi's strike.
But to their surprise, the serpent's head showed no sign of frustration. Instead, its mouth opened wide, revealing a familiar long sword emerging from within.
It was the Kusanagi Sword!
Orochimaru was caught completely off guard and was impaled through the chest by his own signature weapon.
"Orochimaru!" Jiraiya shouted, leaping into action. "Sage Art: Big Ball Rasengan!"
The massive Rasengan smashed into Yamata no Orochi's head, dealing considerable damage. The serpent's head wavered before reluctantly withdrawing.
Crack! Crack!
A fresh, unharmed Orochimaru emerged from his previous body, visibly irritated by his earlier predicament.
"Deidara! Why aren't you attacking yet?!" he snapped.
"Relax... I'm already... working on it," Deidara replied, his speech muffled as his mouth chewed busily. Preparing a C4-level bomb took time, and anything below that level was nothing more than cannon fodder against a Six Paths-level opponent like Yamata no Orochi.
Clang!
One of Yamata no Orochi's heads swept across, holding another long Kusanagi Sword in its mouth, forcing the trio to leap high into the air.
But that was exactly what Yamata no Orochi had planned. Three of its heads lunged simultaneously at the airborne trio, while the remaining four were poised to strike at any moment.
"Sage Art: Needle Jizō!" Jiraiya transformed into a spiky hedgehog, shielding himself and Orochimaru.
As for Deidara, he tossed out a C3 Fighter Jet in its standard form, using its agility to engage Yamata no Orochi in a high-speed aerial chase.
"Jiraiya-sama! Hurry up... and give me some support!" Deidara shouted, his words still slightly garbled.
After all, Yamata no Orochi had eight heads. No matter how agile Deidara was, he wouldn't be able to evade forever.
"Leave it to me!"
"Sage Art: Falling Clay!"
A massive wormhole appeared in the sky, and reddish-brown clay rained down, adhering to Yamata no Orochi's body. The sticky, heavy clay significantly slowed the creature's movements.
"Now for some roasting!"
"Sage Art: Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique!"
Eight fiery dragons shot toward the serpent's heads, each targeting a specific one.
Roar!
As the clay was heated by the Dragon Fire Technique, it clung tightly to Yamata no Orochi's body. The searing pain finally caused the serpent to cry out in agony.
"You wretched humans! Die!" Yamata no Orochi's movements became increasingly erratic, with four or five heads simultaneously attacking Jiraiya in a frenzy.
Even Jiraiya was struggling to keep up. "Deidara, is your art ready yet?!"
"It's ready!" Deidara's voice was now clear as he held a palm-sized clay sea monster in his hand.
The creature resembled a whale but was adorned with countless tentacles, its surface covered in hard scales. Beneath its tentacles were numerous sharp, barbed spikes.
"Isn't that the same dragon from last time?" Jiraiya asked, surprised but also slightly concerned.
"Don't worry."
"This is my new masterpiece."
"C4: Enhanced Leviathan!"
Deidara tossed the clay sea monster into the water. Upon activation, it expanded exponentially, growing to a size that rivaled Yamata no Orochi itself.
"Let's see how you handle this!"
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