The smoke finally dissipated. Orochimaru, who had emerged from the Vacuum Domain, took a deep breath. The cool, fresh air rushed into his lungs, acting like a fully powered engine. It rapidly broke down the oxygen and injected it into his bloodstream, circulating to all parts of his body. His strength, which had been almost completely depleted, instantly returned!
Covered in blood and dirt, the defeated Suna Jōnin on the ground struggled to his feet. He looked at Orochimaru—who only had a few more cuts on his body—with an incredulous and astonished gaze.
The Rasengan in Orochimaru's right hand slowly faded. With his strength recovered, he coldly raised his head. His body blurred, moving several times faster than before. In an instant, a sharp kunai appeared in his hand, and he was standing behind the Suna Jōnin.
The icy blade pressed against the Jōnin's neck and lightly sliced across it!
Pshh!—
Crimson blood sprayed far out.
Thud!—
The Jōnin's eyes slowly glazed over. He fell weakly to the ground, and a spreading pool of blood began to seep out from beneath him.
This battle brought a major issue to Orochimaru's attention!
Since his rebirth, Orochimaru had the aid of the wondrous spiritual entity Yamata. His daily training progress was astonishingly fast, progressing by leaps and bounds. Furthermore, his body (taijutsu) and chakra advanced simultaneously, establishing an incredibly solid foundation.
However, even in these circumstances, facing this ordinary Suna Jōnin operating at only fifty percent strength, it still took considerable effort and cost to finally kill him. Moreover, this ordinary Jōnin had actually created a powerful ninjutsu. If Orochimaru hadn't had the experience of two lifetimes and used the targeted Rasengan, there's no telling who would have won the fight!
This forced him to restrain the slight pride and arrogance that had secretly begun to rise within him, causing him to underestimate the ninja of the world.
Orochimaru's dark-golden eyes were as deep as an unfathomable abyss. He looked at the Jōnin's corpse on the ground, his mind turning over a hundred thoughts. Reflecting on his past life and everything that had happened, he couldn't help but clench his fists!
It's not enough, far from enough. I need more, much stronger power!
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes revealing a profound ambition!
Coming back to his senses, Orochimaru knelt down and began searching the Jōnin's tool pouch and the satchel on his lower back, not missing any concealed areas where things might be hidden.
Finally, in an inner pocket on the Jōnin's chest, he found a white scroll, about three fingers thick and a hand-length long. The scroll contained the Jōnin's complete training process and notes—his life's work!
Orochimaru immediately skipped other sections, quickly skimming through it. About halfway through the scroll, he found the origin and principle behind the ninjutsu the Jōnin had created!
His dark-golden eyes fixed on the lines of data and detailed explanations on the scroll. Orochimaru's mind, like a computer running at astonishing speed, rapidly recorded all the information, digesting and analyzing it, constantly deepening his understanding and knowledge of the ninjutsu!
Excitement flashed in his eyes. Orochimaru muttered, licking his lips, "So this jutsu is called Vacuum Kamaitachi Killing Array!
"Hmm, I understand. I understand the power of this technique!
"In the instant the Vacuum Domain forms, extract all the dust inside, add it to the wind blades to create Yellow Sand Wind Blades—whose cutting power and force far exceed ordinary wind blades—and then use the storm vortex's powerful suction to create constantly increasing internal air pressure. What great creativity. Interesting, truly interesting, hehe!"
Seeing the exquisite details, Orochimaru couldn't help but smile wickedly.
In his mind, rich and profound ninjutsu knowledge constantly simulated various improvement plans and experimental schemes. Orochimaru faintly saw all sorts of derivative techniques for this jutsu: "Indeed, this jutsu has extremely strong plasticity, and its power has significant room for growth. Good, very good!"
In just a few dozen breaths, combining his recent experience and discoveries within the Vacuum Domain, Orochimaru had roughly grasped the subtleties of this brand-new ninjutsu. Countless genius concepts arose in his mind!
However, he knew this wasn't the time for detailed study. He quickly put the scroll of training notes into the satchel on his lower back, picked up the weighted vest he had discarded, put it back on, and stood up. He then took some time to hastily apply cooling powder to his wounds and briefly bandage them with supplies he carried.
At this point, the six elite Konoha Anbu ninja had recovered and respectfully approached, reminding Orochimaru to continue their mission.
Orochimaru nodded slightly. He and the six Chūnin rejoined the unit, standing beside Sarutobi. The group then quickly rushed toward the next stronghold!
...
On a hilltop somewhere in the southern part of the Land of Rivers.
A group of strangely dressed individuals, all wearing black trench coats with hoods covering their faces, stood on the raised hill. They seemed to be waiting for someone or something.
The person who appeared to be the leader of the group stood at the highest point of the hill, gazing into the distance and observing the horizon. A tremendously powerful chakra fluctuation faintly emanated from him, clearly indicating he was no ordinary person!
The rest of the figures stood several meters behind him, like sturdy pine trees deeply rooted in the ground, awaiting the leader's command at any moment.
Suddenly, with a quiet swoosh—, a slight sound of air being cut passed by. The group of figures looked back alertly. On the ground, a kneeling figure had appeared. This person was the suspicious individual who had previously left Maeda Take's estate.
The hooded figure standing at the hill's summit seemed to know who the newcomer was. Without turning around, he spoke in a strange voice that sounded as if it were passing through a metal medium: "Do you have any news?"
The newcomer remained kneeling, not raising his head, and respectfully replied: "Lord Hanzō, Sarutobi has arrived in the Land of Rivers with seventeen Konoha ninja and is heading toward the three strongholds!"
"Oh?" The leader, addressed as Lord Hanzō, was none other than Hanzō of the Salamander from the Amegakure (Village Hidden in the Rain) in the northern Land of Rivers. His body, standing at the summit, trembled slightly as he continued to question, "Were you able to find out who else, besides Sarutobi, is among these Konoha ninja?"
"Besides Sarutobi and a boy with dark-golden snake eyes who showed up at Maeda Take's war council, the others are all wearing trench coats to conceal their figures and hoods to hide their faces. We could only tell they are Konoha ninja from the faintly exposed Konoha forehead protectors!"
Hanzō of the Salamander nodded and waved his hand, saying, "You don't need to return to Maeda Take's estate. Head straight back to Amegakure."
"Yes, thank you, my Lord!" The kneeling figure seemed immensely excited!
After Hanzō finished speaking, he leaped and rapidly sped toward the forest outside the hill. The group of cloaked ninja quickly followed suit.
After Hanzō had left, the excited newcomer finally stood up from the ground and headed north toward the Land of Rivers.
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