Chapter 215: Reappearance - Tailed Beast Transformation
BOOM!
Torrential water swept through like a tsunami, instantly swallowing Orochimaru and the giant serpent beneath him completely! Over a hundred water dragons collided and tore at each other, the massive impact plowing through the surrounding ground. Surging water vapor shot skyward, forming a brief rainstorm above the forest.
To avoid friendly fire, Naruto had already used Flying Thunder God to transfer Satsuki and Sakura to the thick branches of a distant towering tree requiring over a dozen people to encircle.
"So... so incredible..."
Looking at the terrain below completely transformed by the violent Water Style, Sakura couldn't help murmuring in a daze. That scene had completely exceeded her understanding of "genin" level strength.
Though that jutsu's name... was a bit too long, wasn't it? She silently added internally.
When the surging water finally calmed and slowly seeped into the earth, the original battlefield was already a complete mess. That massive summoned serpent lay limp on the ground, long since devoid of life, the blood in its mouth washed away by the torrential water.
And Orochimaru's corpse also lay motionless face-down in the mud, life completely extinguished.
"...Is he dead?"
Looking at the motionless corpse below, Satsuki was about to breathe a sigh of relief when intense frustration surged through her—during that crisis just now, she hadn't been able to do anything!
"Stay alert!" But Naruto's shout immediately interrupted her thoughts. "This guy definitely won't die that easily!"
Hearing this, Sakura was somewhat confused. Clearly the opponent was already...?!
In the next moment, a scalp-numbing, stomach-churning scene occurred.
That prostrate "corpse" suddenly began twitching unnaturally. Its mouth cavity gaped open at an angle defying human anatomy!
Then, a giant snake as thick as an adult's waist, covered in slimy scales, slowly crawled out from that opened mouth!
This wasn't over! That newly appeared serpent opened its bloody maw again. Accompanied by uncomfortably viscous mucus stretching sounds, a completely drenched yet unharmed "Orochimaru" was actually "vomited" out from its throat!
He stood on the muddy ground, casually wiping away the mucus remaining on his face.
"...Seems I truly was mistaken." Orochimaru said, his gaze locked tightly on Naruto in the tree. Though his tone still carried some habitual levity, it now contained seriousness and gravity.
"You truly aren't prey, but rather a hunter worthy of serious treatment. However..."
He extended his long tongue, licking the corner of his mouth. "I'm also not an opponent so easily disposed of."
"Summoning Jutsu!"
As Orochimaru's hands formed seals, a massive burst of white smoke exploded. In the next moment, a serpent even more massive than before—its body as thick as a small building—appeared with a roar, its cold serpentine pupils gazing down below.
"You're not a lamb for slaughter... but in predators' struggles, whichever side first reveals a flaw often pays with their life."
Words barely finished, he suddenly lowered his head and opened his mouth—in the next second, countless writhing serpents gushed forth from his mouth like a breached flood! The densely packed snake swarm intertwined and hissed, forming a scalp-numbing living tide that swept overwhelmingly toward the giant tree where Naruto's three stood!
Targeting Satsuki and Sakura? Trying to restrain me by attacking them? Naruto instantly saw through Orochimaru's intent.
"Ugh..."
Seeing this nightmarish scene, Sakura's face instantly turned deathly pale. Her legs weakened as she collapsed kneeling on the branch, covering her mouth tightly to avoid vomiting. Satsuki was equally bloodless, but still forced herself to raise her kunai, her three-tomoe Sharingan spinning madly. At this level of battle, she knew well the vast gulf in strength between herself and the opponent.
"I won't let you succeed."
Naruto stepped forward. "You seem to still not grasp the situation. I'll say it again—at this moment, you're the prey trapped in this hunting ground!"
Orochimaru was somewhat surprised. This was the first time in his life when facing any prey, the opponent not only showed no fear whatsoever, but actually counterattacked.
Naruto no longer intended to continue this entanglement. He had to display power sufficient to make Orochimaru weigh pros and cons at this moment. Even if unable to keep him here, he had to make him profoundly realize—this so-called "Konoha Crush Plan" was fundamentally impossible to achieve. Best to cancel it wisely right now.
Under Satsuki's panicked gaze, scorching and violent crimson chakra rose from Naruto's body like flames, rapidly covering his entire form.
The intelligence was actually true! Seeing this chakra, Orochimaru finally set aside all mockery, his face showing gravity and shock for the first time.
Ultimately, four fox tails formed from tailed beast chakra swayed and manifested behind Naruto. His form changed drastically in the red light, finally transforming into a compact, streamlined small Nine-Tails emanating pure destructive aura.
"AAAHHH!"
The small Nine-Tails that Naruto became released a deafening roar, its body firmly protecting Satsuki and Sakura behind it. It opened its massive maw. Destructive tailed beast chakra compressed and condensed madly within, emanating heart-palpitating energy fluctuations.
BOOM!
In the next instant, a crimson tailed beast ball torrent several meters in diameter tore through the air, blasting into the surging snake swarm's center! The devastating shockwave instantly razed trees, rocks, and even ground within a hundred meters to flat earth. Violent air currents swept in all directions like a passing typhoon!
Through the raging energy storm, that face of Orochimaru that had always remained composed finally revealed an expression called "terror" that could no longer be suppressed.