The next second.
The power of the Cursed Seal was injected directly.
"Ah!!!!!"
Sasuke's face changed instantly. He let out a miserable scream, feeling a scorching heat spreading throughout his entire body.
Buzz.
The next moment, a Cursed Seal mark resembling the tomoe of the Sharingan appeared on Sasuke's neck.
Seeing this, Orochimaru revealed a satisfied smile.
"If you want to become stronger, if you want to seek revenge against Itachi, then come find me, Sasuke."
After leaving these words...
Orochimaru leaped away, disappearing directly. He left behind the unconscious Naruto and Sasuke, collapsed on the ground on either side.
Menma glanced at the two unconscious figures. Sensing Sakura's chakra approaching rapidly from a distance, he didn't hesitate. His figure flashed, speeding in the direction Orochimaru had left, whose chakra signature he had firmly locked onto.
With Menma's current sensory abilities...
It was impossible for any chakra within a radius of a dozen kilometers to escape his precise detection.
He planned to follow closely behind Orochimaru, get a bit further away from this area, and reveal himself in a place completely devoid of others.
However, Menma somewhat underestimated Orochimaru.
"Heh. I thought it was just a passing little mouse, but to think you came directly for me? Since when did the brats of the Hidden Leaf have such guts?"
After traveling less than a few kilometers...
Under Menma's sensory perception...
Orochimaru stopped in his tracks. With a cold expression, he looked in Menma's direction and spoke in an incredibly icy tone.
"Tsk tsk. Truly worthy of being one of the legendary Sannin. I thought this distance would be enough to hide my traces. I underestimated you, Orochimaru-senpai."
Menma, who had maintained what he thought was a subtle distance and believed he wouldn't be discovered, was stunned upon hearing Orochimaru's words—especially sensing that Orochimaru had firmly locked onto his aura. Then, no longer hiding, he leaped out from behind.
He sighed inwardly at his lack of experience.
Compared to these old foxes...
He could still only be considered a rookie ninja.
But Menma didn't feel discouraged, because he was indeed a rookie ninja.
Seeing Menma step out, Orochimaru's snake eyes narrowed.
"Although Orochimaru-senpai should already know me, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Menma Uzumaki, the current Nine-Tails Jinchūriki of the Hidden Leaf Village."
Menma looked at Orochimaru with a smile and spoke peacefully.
"Hmph. Knowing my name and actively seeking me out... Menma-kun, it seems you are far less simple than you appear on the outside."
Orochimaru looked at Menma with an intrigued expression, asking with obvious probing intent.
As a former quasi-high-ranking official of the Hidden Leaf, and having maintained relatively close and frequent contact with Danzō after defecting, Orochimaru was naturally well aware of the various inside stories of the Hidden Leaf Village, including Menma Uzumaki's true identity as the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and part of his performance over the past 12 years.
Originally, Orochimaru's view of Menma was similar to his teacher's.
Now it seemed...
His teacher had completely misjudged him.
"What I know isn't important to you, is it, Orochimaru-san? What's important is why I came to find you and what I can bring you, isn't it? I think we can have a good talk and make a deal that benefits both of us."
Menma maintained his calm expression as he looked at Orochimaru.
"A deal? Menma-kun, have you misunderstood something? If I want to know something, I can simply capture you and find out!"
A mocking glint appeared in Orochimaru's eyes.
Boom!
Chakra erupted directly from him.
An aura several times more terrifying than when he faced Naruto and Sasuke.
Whoosh.
Pushing off the ground, the former Sannin launched a fierce assault toward Menma's position with incredible speed.
As expected, we have to fight first?
This development didn't exceed Menma's expectations at all. If mere words could make Orochimaru truly negotiate and trade with him...
Then Orochimaru, this Kage-level powerhouse, would be a joke.
The attitude of the strong toward the weak was always consistent: punch first, talk later.
Kurama!
Menma, who was prepared...
Shouted deep in his heart.
Hmph!
Boom!
Terrifying chakra erupted from him as well.
Swish!
A red chakra cloak enveloped him, and three blood-red tails floated up behind him.
Menma's aura skyrocketed instantly.
"?!"
This spreading, cold, and powerful aura...
"Nine-Tails chakra, three tails?!"
The moment this scene entered his vision...
Orochimaru's pupils contracted violently.
Even though the chakra aura and intensity hadn't reached his level yet, facing Menma in this mode, Orochimaru completely discarded his previous dismissive attitude.
This direct shift in posture.
Whoosh.
In close quarters.
Menma actively met the attack.
With the speed and strength boosted by the Nine-Tails chakra, the intensity was nearly enough to crush any Jōnin.
Swish!
Head-on.
A left leg smashed down with tremendous force.
"?!"
Orochimaru's face turned solemn.
He assumed a blocking stance extremely quickly.
Bang.
Under the heavy impact, a loud noise erupted. Orochimaru felt his body sink violently.
The immense force transmitted to him...
This brat!
It made Orochimaru's eyes turn incredibly cold.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."
While blocking...
He directly unleashed his signature ninjutsu.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
From his sleeves...
Countless snake shadows, which would terrify ordinary people at a glance, suddenly shot out. Each one flicked its icy tongue, lunging at Menma with unimaginable speed.
"Hmph."
Facing this attack, which most Jōnin would struggle to block easily...
Menma merely smiled coldly.
Clap.
He clapped his hands together.
The surging blood-red chakra cloak...
Followed by the waving of those three tails.
Whoosh!
Covering downward, they enveloped all the snake shadows and crushed them completely in a very violent manner.
This fully displayed dominance...
Made Orochimaru's eyelids twitch slightly.
But this level of intensity wasn't enough to make Orochimaru yield.
Boom!
Just as Menma intended to press his advantage...
Orochimaru forcefully knocked away Menma's attack a step ahead.
"Summoning Jutsu."
After creating some distance...
Orochimaru immediately bit his finger. Completing the seals, he pressed his hand onto the empty space below.
Poof.
A cloud of white smoke appeared abruptly.
As it dispersed rapidly...
A giant snake, tens of meters long, appeared before Menma's eyes.