Lan blocked a Rain ninja's attack with his kunai.
His shadow clone stabbed through the enemy's neck from behind.
Yet the Rain ninja showed no despair. With his last ounce of strength, he lunged forward and wrapped his arms around Lan.
"Let's die together!"
The Rain ninja's face twisted into a grotesque grin as flames erupted from beneath his clothes—the telltale glow of an explosive tag.
BOOM!!
The explosion consumed both of them.
But only the Rain ninja's mangled limbs were sent flying. Lan dissipated into smoke—a shadow clone.
From the wreckage in the distance, the real Lan charged forward, his hands never pausing in their seals.
"Fire Release: Flowing Flame Fire!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Combined Jutsu: Scorching Wind!"
Lan arched his back and exhaled a furious gale. The scorching wind swept forward, leaving trails of fire-like smoke in its wake.
A Rain ninja rushing toward him was caught in the blast. His body seared as if engulfed in flames, his skin blistering and blackening before he collapsed.
The explosive tags on his corpse ignited.
BOOM!
A deafening roar echoed.
Behind Lan, rows of expressionless Konoha shinobi advanced.
A Nara clansman stood at the rear.
"Shadow Imitation Technique!"
Countless shadows stretched ahead, immobilizing the Rain ninja. Konoha shinobi dashed past, ending their lives with swift kunai strikes.
Hidden Rain ninja were quickly rooted out by the Hyūga clan's Byakugan, their bodies battered by Gentle Fist strikes.
"Fire Release: Blazing Flame Technique!" Sarutobi clansmen unleashed torrents of fire.
But the Rain ninja were not defenseless.
"Water Release: Wild Water Wave!" ×n
A deluge erupted from the Rain ninja, swallowing the battlefield. Unprepared Konoha shinobi were swept away, their jutsu disrupted.
The area transformed into a watery expanse.
The Rain ninja moved like fish through the currents, their advantage turning the tide against Konoha.
Yet some Konoha shinobi, skilled in water techniques, held their own. Among them was a green-clad figure whose speed never faltered, even underwater. He repelled Rain ninja while rescuing drowning allies, carrying them to safety before diving back into the fray.
"Might Dai!!" a Rain ninja roared in frustration.
Their tactical edge crumbled under the green beast's relentless efforts.
Might Dai ignored their taunts, even as enemies closed in. His sole focus was saving his comrades.
Despite the Rain ninja's aquatic prowess, none could match his speed.
Above the water, the battle raged on.
Konoha shinobi balanced atop the waves, clashing with Rain ninja who fought with suicidal fervor. But Konoha's elite held firm, the conflict locked in a brutal stalemate.
Meanwhile, deeper in the warzone...
Orochimaru strode alone through the ruins of a shattered city.
His golden eyes flicked toward the shadows, where figures darted like ghosts.
A Rain jonin emerged ahead, his expression grim.
"Orochimaru. You've got nerve."
Orochimaru licked his lips. "I have every confidence in my abilities."
Before meeting Uchiha Kin, he might have struggled here—might have needed Tsunade and Jiraiya at his side.
But now?
He was no longer the same Orochimaru.
His solo advance wasn't just arrogance. His forces were pitifully outnumbered.
Hundreds against thousands.
To mitigate risks, he'd left Might Dai to guard the rear while he probed the Rain's strength.
"Then die here," the Rain jonin spat.
Aside from Lord Hanzo, no one could single-handedly challenge an entire village. Not even Orochimaru, Hanzo's longtime rival.
He believed that utterly.
From the rubble, cold-eyed Rain ninja emerged. Shadows disgorged armed fighters until Orochimaru was encircled.
His gaze swept the crowd.
Such numbers.
"Don't underestimate me."
Orochimaru slammed his palm to the ground.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
A thick smoke screen billowed.
At the center of the encirclement, an enormous purple serpent materialized, its bulk pressing against the nearest Rain ninja.
Orochimaru stood atop Manda's head, smirking.
But size alone wouldn't deter the Rain.
"Kill him!!" the jonin howled.
The Rain ninja surged forward, hurling kunai, shuriken, and jutsu. Explosive tags peppered Manda's scales—yet not a single scratch marred the serpent's hide.
Manda retaliated, snapping up stragglers in its jaws. Its colossal body writhed, crushing foes beneath its weight.
Orochimaru didn't idle.
He flung a serpentine shuriken.
"Shadow Shuriken Technique!"
One became thousands, raining down like steel hail.
Some Rain ninja died instantly, impaled. Others writhed as the "shuriken" embedded in their flesh twisted into venomous snakes, gnawing through muscle and bone.
The tide turned rapidly.
But not all were helpless.
The Rain jonin lunged at Orochimaru.
From Orochimaru's sleeves, white serpents erupted, coiling around the enemy.
The jonin's chakra drained visibly, his body withering as the snakes grew fat with stolen energy.
"Infinite Serpent: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
The drained corpse slumped. The engorged serpents slithered free, joining Manda's slaughter.
The battle became a massacre.
Until—
Poisonous fog seeped across the battlefield.
The Rain ninja retreated en masse.
And from the mist emerged a titanic salamander.
"Hanzo. Finally, you show yourself."
"Orochimaru."
Hanzo glared up from beneath his mask, his expression unreadable but his stance taut with fury.
...
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(End of Chapter)