Chapter 77: Blood Temple vs. Yaqi Technique!
Boom!
A terrifying force slammed into Orochimaru's face.
The bridge of his nose collapsed instantly, and blood flowed non-stop.
Although this was a speed-specialized Rider class ability, Medusa of the Rider class also possessed the inherent skill of monstrous strength.
Simply put, her power was not inferior to her speed.
One blow sent Orochimaru flying out again.
"Is that all you're capable of, Orochimaru?"
Mitarashi Anko stomped under her feet, her figure turning into a purple phantom as she chased after him in an instant.
Before Orochimaru could stabilize himself midair, Mitarashi Anko caught up behind him.
In midair, she swung the chain in her hand toward Orochimaru once more.
"Oops!"
Orochimaru's face changed drastically.
He was unable to form hand seals because his arms were sealed, and his combat power was greatly limited.
And now, facing an opponent like Mitarashi Anko — specialized in both speed and strength — was almost like fighting Tsunade herself.
He simply couldn't cope.
But he was Orochimaru, after all.
At this time of crisis, his response was still quick.
He suddenly stretched out his tongue and wrapped it around a nearby tree, then pulled hard.
Using the momentum, Orochimaru narrowly escaped Mitarashi Anko's strike.
Boom!
The missed chain hit the ground with a violent crash.
Immediately, cracks spread from the impact point, trembling the earth as they spread like a spider web.
A terrifying shockwave spread out.
"How can that be!"
"Who is that person? She's beating Lord Orochimaru!"
"So scary!"
"Lord Orochimaru!"
The faces of the Sound ninjas nearby all changed drastically, disbelief written across them.
At the same time, Orochimaru, having narrowly escaped disaster, used his tongue to pull his body along and retreat repeatedly.
If he could use both hands, Orochimaru might not be without a chance.
But there was no "if."
"Damn it, who are you? What's your purpose in coming for me?"
Orochimaru was still questioning her.
Because Mitarashi Anko was now in her fully equipped state, Orochimaru didn't recognize her at all.
He really couldn't imagine when he had offended such a strong opponent.
"Stop talking nonsense, Orochimaru. Just take your beating and walk back with me on your knees."
While speaking, Mitarashi Anko leapt lightly — crossing dozens of meters in an instant.
"Hehehe…"
Hearing that tone, Orochimaru was truly enraged.
Such disrespect!
Was he, Orochimaru, being treated like a fool?
Immediately, his tongue snapped out, lashing toward Mitarashi Anko like a serpent.
Seeing this, Mitarashi Anko didn't even try to dodge.
She let Orochimaru's tongue wrap around her.
"Got you."
Before Orochimaru could even react, she grabbed his tongue with one hand and yanked hard toward her.
The enormous force left Orochimaru unable to resist, his entire body being pulled forward uncontrollably.
Then —
Mitarashi Anko stabbed straight at Orochimaru's heart with the dagger at the end of her chain.
"What!?"
Orochimaru's tongue was still caught, and it was too late to evade.
With both hands sealed, he couldn't use ninjutsu.
The dagger pierced straight through Orochimaru's heart.
"Pfft…!"
Orochimaru spat blood as his body shot back like a meteor, slamming into the ground with a thunderous crash.
"Lord… Orochimaru… is dead?!"
"That's Lord Orochimaru! He didn't even resist!"
"How can this be!"
"Lord Orochimaru!"
The Sound ninjas were horrified by what they had just witnessed.
They saw the entire fight from start to finish.
There was no denying it —
In this battle, Orochimaru had no chance of winning. It was a complete one-sided beating.
Even though his sealed hands limited him, he was still Orochimaru!
One of the Legendary Sannin!
Now, he was being toyed with by some unknown opponent.
"Hmph. How long are you going to play dead, Orochimaru?"
Mitarashi Anko looked down coldly at Orochimaru's body.
As his disciple, she knew all too well how hard he was to kill.
Even being pierced through the heart wouldn't kill this man.
In terms of raw power, Orochimaru might not be the strongest.
But when it came to survival, he was easily among the top three.
"…So you've noticed."
The next moment, a brand-new Orochimaru crawled out of the corpse's mouth.
Orochimaru's Body Replacement Technique — using a discarded body as a decoy and transferring himself out through the mouth without seals — the most perfect substitution jutsu, capable even of avoiding Amaterasu.
"You're a clever one," Mitarashi Anko sneered. "But do you think you can hide from me?"
With a flick of her wrist, her chain dagger shot out again, piercing Orochimaru's body once more.
The impaled Orochimaru was flung like a rag doll before bursting into countless small white snakes.
This wasn't a clone.
After transforming himself, Orochimaru's true form was a white-scaled serpent, and each scale could become a snake.
In simple terms — these little snakes were parts of Orochimaru's body, capable of acting independently without seals and possessing some fighting ability.
"Using these snakes to stall me, huh? Planning to have your real body escape in the meantime?"
Mitarashi Anko understood Orochimaru's tactics all too well. Just a moment's thought was enough to figure it out.
Immediately, she expanded her magical perception.
It swept across the area — and soon, she sensed Orochimaru's presence underground not far away.
"Got you."
After locating Orochimaru, Mitarashi Anko stomped hard, shattering the ground and revealing the small white snake beneath.
It was Orochimaru's core body.
"Hehehe… truly terrifying. You found me so quickly."
Though blood dripped from his mouth, Orochimaru let out his trademark raspy laugh.
Even in such danger, he remained eerily calm.
Because he still had confidence — the Curse of Heaven.
Even if his physical body was destroyed, as long as a Heavenly Curse Mark and living cells remained, Orochimaru could resurrect himself from it.
"Who the hell are you? Say your purpose. Maybe we don't have to be enemies."
"Hmph. Think carefully about the stupid things you've done recently."
Mitarashi Anko's mission wasn't to kill him, so she didn't press further — but her voice was dripping with disdain.
"Stupid things I've done recently?"
Orochimaru's brow furrowed. He thought back quickly.
He had done only two major things lately:
First — the Konoha Crush Plan.
Second — obtaining a dozen manga from the Sand Village.
It couldn't be the first. He was, after all, a former high-ranking Konoha member. The mysterious powerhouse before him didn't seem tied to the village.
That left only one possibility.
Orochimaru's heart sank.
Could it be… the manga?
"Hehehe… I don't recall doing anything foolish lately."
Orochimaru chuckled lowly, his snake eyes narrowing.
"You might as well tell me who you are. Maybe this is all a misunderstanding?"
"What a stubborn man."
Mitarashi Anko sighed. She hadn't expected him to admit anything anyway.
If Orochimaru were honest, he wouldn't be Orochimaru.
"Lord Orochimaru!"
"Protect Lord Orochimaru!"
At that moment, a large group of Sound ninjas finally reacted and rushed toward the battlefield.
Most were orphans taken in by Orochimaru — utterly loyal to him.
Although terrified by Mitarashi Anko's overwhelming strength, they still charged forward without hesitation.
Orochimaru didn't stop them — in fact, he welcomed it.
If these subordinates could buy him even a few seconds, he might escape.
There was no chance of victory here — even the Eight Branches Technique (Yamata no Jutsu) might not help.
Besides, that forbidden jutsu had massive side effects and wasn't yet perfected. Orochimaru didn't want to use it unless absolutely necessary.
"Orochimaru, you really are lower than a dog," Mitarashi Anko spat.
She remembered how he had abandoned her all those years ago — coldly, ruthlessly.
Her long-buried anger surged forth, clouding her reason. She forgot the exact mission Su Li had given her.
"I've decided! I'm killing you!!"
The next moment, Mitarashi Anko began to chant in a low, almost indecipherable voice. Each syllable carried a strange power.
A blood-red barrier suddenly rose up, covering the entire area.
"Ahhhh!!"
"What is this!?"
"My body is melting!?"
"No!"
"Run!!!"
In an instant, the once-fearless Sound ninjas fell to the ground, writhing in agony.
No — they weren't just in pain.
They were melting.
Blood was stripped from their bodies and gathered toward Mitarashi Anko, forming a massive floating sphere of blood.
Even Orochimaru's eyes turned red, his body weakening — as though his blood itself was being drawn away.
This was the ability she inherited from Rider Medusa:Seal of the Other — Temple of Blood!
It was created by setting several magic circles as anchors. Once activated, all living beings within the barrier were rapidly dissolved, their blood siphoned away.
That blood became the source of Mitarashi Anko's magical energy, empowering her even further.
The rate of dissolution depended on the target's strength.
Against weaker enemies, it was devastating — a full-screen massacre.
At this moment, Mitarashi Anko stepped forward.
With a crack beneath her feet, she leapt into the air beside the giant blood sphere.
Raising her chain dagger above her head, blood-red light shimmered across the sky.
Countless streams of blood energy surged and condensed together.
Seeing this, everyone froze in terror — sensing that an overwhelming catastrophe was about to erupt.
"Run!"
Someone shouted in panic.
Whether it was instinct or pure fear of death, the remaining Sound ninjas forced their weakened bodies to move, fleeing desperately.
They didn't know what she was doing — but the oppressive aura alone told them to escape at all costs.
Inside the barrier, Orochimaru's expression twisted.
"What… what kind of bloodline limit is this!?"
Even as shock filled him, he wasn't foolish enough to wait for her to finish.
In desperation, he unleashed the forbidden Yamata no Jutsu, transforming into a gigantic Eight-Headed Serpent.
All eight heads lunged at once toward Mitarashi Anko.
"Hehe… it's too late. Go to hell, Orochimaru!!"
Mitarashi Anko ignored his attack completely. Taking a step forward, she hurled her chain dagger — now brimming with massive amounts of blood energy.
The moment it left her hand, the blood-colored weapon expanded like an energy cannon — and slammed directly into the core of the Eight-Headed Serpent.
BOOM!!!
A cataclysmic explosion erupted.
A terrifying shockwave blasted across the entire ground.
Even those far away could still feel the crushing aftermath of its power.