Chapter 169: Battling The Reanimated First And Second! Orochimaru: “what A Monster”
Orochimaru didn’t expect that he would once again embark on a life of fleeing for his life.
Hoochi—
Hoochi—
Scorching air like scalding blades burned Orochimaru’s fragile lungs with every breath.
The pungent sulfurous thick fog was so dense it nearly congealed into a gel, not only making Orochimaru nearly vomit but also causing double vision, with splitting headache-like pain and blurred consciousness following closely.
Sulfur poisoning!
Orochimaru immediately analyzed his body’s symptoms.
He had to leave this area—Orochimaru had only one thought in his mind, his disheveled figure flashing and leaping repeatedly across the scalding, cracking ground ravaged by lava, with continuous rumbling explosions behind him like the ground being smashed by a giant hammer!
A violent heatwave shockwave exploded right on his back like it was chasing his soul, the resulting airflow scorching Orochimaru’s skin painfully!
Without looking back, he knew that the human experimentation base he had poured years of endless effort into was probably now completely reduced to a lava graveyard flowing with molten metal and churning with volcanic poison fire!
Priceless equipment, taboo research data accumulated over years…
All reduced to ashes!
Fortunately, he had prepared a backup plan early on and transferred his precious “containers” away in advance upon learning of the intrusion into the base.
Orochimaru had used snakes summoned from the earth dragon cave to transfer the containers.
At that group of snakes’ speed, they should have gone very far.
They shouldn’t have been hit by the lava bombs falling from the sky.
After sprinting for who knows how long, once Orochimaru felt the heatwave behind him ease slightly, he stopped. He took several deep breaths of fresh air, then turned back with a grim expression to look behind.
His golden slit pupils reflected a scene of purgatory.
Everywhere his vision reached was shocking!
The ground at his feet was covered in remnants of lava flows, black smoke connecting to dark red cloud layers, scorching gales rolling up ashes into black-gray dust clouds, and the ground flowing with destructive lava entwining into an endless purgatory at the edge of Orochimaru’s vision.
The entire area in sight was filled with pits churning with lava and fierce fire, forming rotten sores riddled with holes on the ground.
Roaring flames reached dozens of meters high, reflecting Orochimaru’s face in orange-red, the lava beneath the flames slowly and relentlessly swallowing all debris, the terrifying high temperature distorting the air.
“This technique…”
Orochimaru’s throat was a bit dry: “Heh heh… it could probably bury the entire Konoha in a sea of fire with one strike. No wonder Teacher Sarutobi treated me and Uchiha Ikeizumi differently…”
He finally understood why Sarutobi Hiruzen double-standarded between the “extreme Orochimaru” and the “extreme Uchiha Ikeizumi.”
If he were Sarutobi Hiruzen, he would probably double-standard as well.
Uchiha Ikeizumi was a humanoid tailed beast!
Everyone in the ninja world had probably underestimated him, including those in the Akatsuki organization who wanted to assassinate Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The sudden sounds made Orochimaru’s expression change, and when he turned to look behind, he saw massive trees abruptly rising from the ground, countless thick branches extending toward his position, each branch covered in poisonous thorns.
He had almost forgotten—Uchiha Ikeizumi also possessed Wood Style Bloodline Limit!
“Ninja Art: Summoning Technique…”
“Giant Snake!!!”
With a massive burst of white smoke, a giant snake with skin covered in tough keratin and a body size comparable to a small hill suddenly appeared, coiling into a huge meat shield in front of Orochimaru!
Sizzle—!
Countless thorny vines instantly wrapped around the snake’s body, the tough snake scales fiercely frictioning against the poisonous barbs, sparking dazzling sparks.
The giant snake let out a pained hiss, its scales cracking piece by piece under the terrifying strangling force!
Orochimaru had no time to care for the summoned beast; he abruptly turned his head, his highly perceptive golden slit pupils locking dead onto a certain direction.
In the distance from that still smoke-rolling, flame-raging lava sea, a figure stepped on lava floods that seemed to submit to his feet, walking step by step, unhurriedly breaking through the flames and thick smoke toward Orochimaru’s position.
Wherever the figure passed, the lava surged and rolled even more actively due to the high temperature, forming a winding lava fire path!
“…He even knows where I retreated from? Not sure if it’s an illusion, but it feels like he could see me from far away.”
Orochimaru’s eyelid twitched slightly.
As he watched Uchiha Ikeizumi draw closer.
Orochimaru suddenly froze completely.
He was shocked to discover that Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes were no longer the eerie crimson Mangekyo Sharingan, but a pair of pure Byakugan from the Hyuga Clan—the opponent had likely seen his movements through these Byakugan penetrating the thick smoke!
No…
Wasn’t he from the Uchiha Clan?
How could he have Byakugan?
It couldn’t be that one of Uchiha Ikeizumi’s parents was a Hyuga Clan member, could it? Had Konoha become so open-minded that the Uchiha Clan and Hyuga Clan could intermarry?
Orochimaru couldn’t understand!
“His fourth bloodline limit…” Orochimaru murmured in a dry, parched tone; some of the “monsters” he had once researched were probably not as monstrous as Uchiha Ikeizumi!
Others could become Konoha’s elite jonin with just one bloodline limit.
Uchiha Ikeizumi had pulled out four at once!
He wasn’t the dual bloodline limit genius others spoke of.
He was a quadruple bloodline limit monster!
Suddenly!
Without warning, the figure in his eyes that was still a hundred meters away blurred, a violent heatwave that made space tremble rushing toward him!
The next instant, a giant lava fist wrapped in boiling lava, compressed to the extreme, appeared before him as if by teleportation.
Speed so fast it stalled his thoughts!
Orochimaru could only instinctively hold the Kusanagi Sword horizontally in front of him, massive chakra pouring madly into the blade, wind release’s shrill whine resounding on the blade!
Boom!!!
An earth-shaking roar spiraled, a force comparable to a tailed beast’s claw smashing ruthlessly onto the Kusanagi Sword.
Unable to resist!
Pfft—!
Orochimaru spat out a mouthful of scalding blood; he felt his organs were about to shatter, his whole body like being hit by a battering ram, bowing backward as he flew.
He even crashed heavily into the massive summoned giant snake behind him.
That small-hill-like giant snake was also sent flying dozens of meters by the immense force, smashing down a grove of small trees and letting out pained howls!
Orochimaru’s body slammed to the ground like soft mud.
Bouncing twice like a broken doll.
He struggled to prop up his upper body, bones inside his body making teeth-gritting “crack, crack” misalignment friction sounds, but weirdly, his bones hadn’t broken—his body had completed astonishing softening and force-dissipation in the instant of impact!
His body no longer resembled a human at all.
More like a humanoid snake!
“Heh heh… Uchiha Ikeizumi… your ‘surprises’ are really coming one after another…”
Orochimaru wiped the blood from his mouth.
“I was saving it for Teacher Sarutobi… but since your power exceeded my expectations, I’ll test this technique on you, Uchiha Ikeizumi, ahead of time.”
He slowly stood up, looking extremely disheveled with messy hair, like a beggar to those who didn’t know.
“Summoning Technique…”
Orochimaru straightened his body, hands forming four seals before clapping them together fiercely.
“Reanimation Jutsu!!!”
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
A soul-chilling yin-cold chakra erupted centered under Orochimaru’s feet, ink-black curse marks spreading and intertwining madly across the ground like living things.
The ground groaned under the heavy burden, massive cracks spiderwebbing out, three coffins emanating thick Yellow Springs reanimation aura forcibly rising from the Pure Land like pulled by invisible giant hands!
Heavy coffin lids smashed inward, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Orochimaru’s mouth suddenly opened to an inhuman width, three snow-white small snakes sliding out from deep in his throat, each with fangs precisely holding a paper charm engraved with reanimation talismans.
The white snakes shot like arrows from strings, instantly burrowing into the mouths of the three empty shells that had just closed their eyes in the coffins awaiting “birth”!
At that moment, these three figures finally opened their eyes.
“Ah…”
Among them, the black long-haired man looked around in doubt, then carefully sensed his body’s weird state before turning helplessly to the expressionless silver-haired man beside him.
The black long-haired man spoke: “I told you long ago not to research such weird techniques.”
The silver-haired man glanced back at Orochimaru behind him, expressionless: “Reanimation Jutsu, huh? Are you a Konoha ninja? Impressive young man.”
“Heh heh…”
Orochimaru’s mouth curved slightly: “What a pity, I was indeed once a Konoha Ninja. Unfortunately, one day… Konoha abandoned me.”
“Is that so…” Second Hokage Senju Tobirama nodded thoughtfully, then shifted his gaze to Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s Police Force Uniform bore a clear Uchiha Clan Crest, which this Second Hokage spotted at a glance.
He narrowed his eyes: “A Konoha rogue ninja using Reanimation Jutsu against an Uchiha radiating evil aura—you later generations have me a bit confused.”
Orochimaru smiled sinisterly, looking at the third person emerging from the coffin: “First Hokage and Second Hokage have both spoken, Lord Danzo—seeing the enemy who killed you, don’t you have anything to say?”
That’s right.
The third coffin contained not the Fourth Hokage, but Shimura Danzo, who had already died at the hands of Absolute Justice!
Orochimaru had once transplanted Sharingan and Wood Style Cells for Danzo.
So he naturally had some of Danzo’s flesh and blood tissue.
This portion of Shimura Danzo’s flesh became the key item for Orochimaru to summon Shimura Danzo.
However, Orochimaru soon noticed something very wrong with Danzo’s state.
The reanimated Danzo’s body trembled violently like sifting chaff!
His tightly closed eyes snapped open, the reanimation-formed eyes that should have been hollow now filled with indescribable, soul-deep extreme pain and terror!
“Urgh… ah… aaah—!!!”
A heart-wrenching, inhuman wail burst from Shimura Danzo’s mouth.
He clutched his head desperately with both hands, features distorting grotesquely, his reanimation body showing signs of collapsing and disintegrating.
The reanimated Danzo collapsed to the ground, writhing and rolling in agony.
As if enduring soul-tearing torture!
“…?!”
Orochimaru was stunned—what was this?
The next second, an even more chilling sight appeared.
Sizzle—!
A bizarre flame erupted without warning on Shimura Danzo’s reanimation body, instantly engulfing him entirely, turning him into a blazing humanoid torch.
The reanimation body sizzled under the flames, visibly disintegrating into primal dust.
Yet, Reanimation Jutsu was still in effect.
The dust… regathered and reformed under the Reanimation Jutsu’s power… Shimura Danzo had just reformed into human shape when his eyes filled with boundless pain and despair opened again.
“No—!!!”
An even more despairing wail rang out.
The judgment fire reignited, forming an endless, hair-raising cycle of agony!
Orochimaru froze in place.
Watching this bizarre scene, even the knowledgeable Orochimaru’s mind stalled for a moment.
“Tobirama, what’s with him…?”
First Hokage Hashirama Senju also looked at Danzo in confusion: “He seems to be one of your subordinates, right?”
Senju Tobirama frowned tightly: “He is Danzo, both my subordinate and disciple. But I’ve never seen this state—it’s not like the side effects of failed Reanimation Jutsu. Because Reanimation Jutsu side effects only affect the caster, not the reanimated dead.”
“This state of his…”
As Senju Tobirama hesitated, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s indifferent voice suddenly sounded, interrupting him: “Mangekyo Sharingan judgment and heavenly punishment will eternally ‘hunt’ every villain. Whether alive or dead, in the ninja world or the Pure Land, endless pain will follow them.”
Orochimaru immediately understood: “I see… Shimura Danzo, so you died under his Mangekyo Sharingan? Heh, that was my miscalculation…”
Orochimaru also recalled that at the Akatsuki meeting, the Masked Man had shared intelligence about Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes.
It seemed that Masked Man’s intelligence was indeed correct.
Shimura Danzo was a perfect example.
Just hearing Danzo’s screams and seeing his endless cycle of agony was enough to send a chill through Orochimaru’s heart.
Pain that followed the soul…
Damn!
It really counters me somewhat!
Cold sweat broke out on Orochimaru.
“Mangekyo Sharingan?!” Senju Tobirama’s sharp eyes narrowed instantly, staring deadly at Uchiha Ikeizumi ahead, suddenly erupting with intense killing intent: “Awakened the Uchiha Clan’s most extreme eyes, huh? Inherently evil Uchiha brat, how many close friends and family did you kill with your own hands to awaken the Mangekyo… Hmm? Your eyes…”
Senju Tobirama suddenly paused: “Isn’t this Byakugan?”
“Second Hokage, don’t underestimate him. He possesses four bloodline limits… Lava Release, Wood Style, Sharingan, Byakugan! Heh heh, I hear the Second Hokage really hates the Uchiha Clan?”
As Orochimaru retreated, he continued from behind Senju Tobirama: “I’ve just given you old man a chance to eliminate the Uchiha Clan’s strongest genius of this generation.”
“You should thank me properly.”
With those words, the white snakes inside Hashirama Senju and Senju Tobirama activated the talismans they carried.
Instantly.
Whether Hashirama Senju or Senju Tobirama, the intelligence in their eyes was immediately replaced by blankness and killing intent.
They had become complete reanimation puppets!
“Go, both Hokage Lords!” With Orochimaru’s order ignoring Shimura Danzo, the First Hokage clapped his hands first.
“Hah—Wood Style!!!”
…
“Tch, so-called great merchant Kato is nothing special.” Meanwhile, in a coastal town in the Land of Fire, a Police Force Jonin dangled a head frozen in a terrified expression.
The air was thick with pungent blood, one bodyguard warrior after another lying dead on the ground, some killed by multiple blades, others pierced with kunai and shuriken.
If anyone saw the head in his hand, they would be shocked to discover—it was the great merchant Kato!
Yes.
After splitting from Uchiha Ikeizumi, the three quickly found Kato’s confidant and tortured the location out of him.
What followed was simple; the three Uchiha Jonin didn’t bother with fancy moves.
They boldly charged straight to Kato, killing over a hundred bodyguard warriors colluding with the great merchant Kato.
Then, with one slash, they killed the terrified Kato.
“A guy this weak lived that long.” One Uchiha Jonin glanced at Kato’s head: “He must have had a protector above. Maybe a noble from some shinobi country, or even a daimyo.”
The Uchiha Jonin holding the head said: “That’s exactly why I cut off his head to bring back to Konoha. His protectors definitely knew about his evil deeds.”
“Knowing Kato was a villain and still sheltering him as a protector means his backers are villains too. We need to uproot all the sins.”
“This is what justice must do.”
At this time, the third Uchiha Jonin sheathed his ninja sword after wiping the blood and said: “Before returning to Konoha, should we first rendezvous with Lord Uchiha Ikeizumi?”
His words stunned the other two.
“…Lord?” The other two were surprised by his address for Uchiha Ikeizumi.
“Since we’ve chosen to follow justice and his Absolute Justice, shouldn’t we call him Lord Ikeizumi? We used to call Uchiha Fugaku Lord Fugaku after all.”
…
The ground wailed under the heavy burden, the earth under Uchiha Ikeizumi cracking like a shattered eggshell, countless bottomless fissures lightning-spreading in all directions.
Then, Wood Style’s creation power surged forth!
Hundreds of towering giant trees with diameters far exceeding massive logs rose from the ground! They disturbed the air with scalp-numbing tearing sounds, carrying immense force to crush mountains, squeezing toward Uchiha Ikeizumi’s position!
Facing the sky-covering Wood Style flood, Uchiha Ikeizumi’s eyes showed no ripples.
He formed no seals, merely the simplest and most primal method.
Raise arm!
Gather power!
Punch!
His right arm instantly became like a boiling furnace core, dark red lava seeping and surging madly from his skin! The entire arm swelled and deformed visibly at incredible speed!
The lava half-solidified, outlining ferocious lava muscle contours, ultimately forming a lava giant fist nearly ten meters in diameter, emanating terrifying heat and aura of destruction!
“Great Eruption!”
Boom!!!
When the lava giant fist smashed into the surging Wood Style flood.
It was like a living volcano erupting!
Indescribable impact roared through the clouds, violent shockwaves like solid white air rings sweeping all directions, the nearest ground forcibly upheaved and pulverized.
Even the reanimated Danzo wailing and rolling on the ground clutching his head was hurled away by the immense force.
Blinding red light and scorching heat instantly dominated.
Sizzle sizzle sizzle—!!!
Like a hot knife through butter, the moment the lava giant fist touched Wood Style, the incredibly tough Wood Style couldn’t withstand the lava’s heat; thick trees rapidly carbonized, blackened amid teeth-gritting “sizzle” sounds, until melted into steam!
Wherever the lava giant fist passed, it plowed a boiling lava path through the boundless Wood Style ninjutsu strangling.
Flames like a greedy beast, centered on the two, instantly dried and distorted the air within hundreds of meters radius, fine flames even bursting from cracks in the ground.
The air reeked even more of acrid charred smell and sulfurous stench!
Even more terrifying—
That massive lava fist, after clashing with the Wood Style flood for seconds, had its internally accumulated energy erupt, the entire fist exploding like a volcanic eruption!
Countless lava bombs of various sizes rained down like apocalyptic meteors, carrying destructive kinetic energy and terrifying heat, pouring toward Hashirama Senju and Senju Tobirama!
Facing the oncoming lava fire rain, Senju Tobirama’s eyes were cold as eternal ice, emotionless.
His hands blurred in crossing seals, then clapped together fiercely!
“Water Release: Water Surging Wave!!!”
Massive Water Release chakra erupted centered on Tobirama, dry ground surging with violent torrents without a water source.
These waters didn’t simply gather but spun at physics-defying speed. In an instant, a super-giant spiral waterspout dozens of meters high rose from the ground, far exceeding ordinary waterfalls!
The water spun at high speed, booming deafeningly like a raging water dragon charging at the incoming lava bombs.
The dense lava bombs smashed into the rotating waterfall abyss.
Extreme heat and icy water instantly annihilated each other!
Sizzle—!!!
Thick, impenetrable scalding white steam instantly blanketed the battlefield, violent vapor explosions like millions of pressure cookers detonating simultaneously.
Using the steaming white mist as cover, a silver-white figure ghosted out from behind the waterfall!
Senju Tobirama instantly closed in on Uchiha Ikeizumi, tearing through the churning mist with a heavy whipping leg aimed ruthlessly at Uchiha Ikeizumi’s chin.
As Uchiha Ikeizumi slightly shifted his body, he grabbed Senju Tobirama’s incoming right leg with one hand.
Sizzle—
The lava’s terrifying heat directly evaporated and vaporized Senju Tobirama’s right leg.
But in reanimation jutsu form and controlled by Orochimaru, Senju Tobirama felt no pain. At point-blank range from Uchiha Ikeizumi, his hands rapidly formed seals.
“Water Release: Water Bullet Barrage!!!”
Pfft pfft pfft— one water bullet after another spewed from his mouth, dousing Uchiha Ikeizumi’s lava-formed body; the lava solidified into volcanic rock upon cooling.
Senju Tobirama followed with a ruthless hand chop to Uchiha Ikeizumi’s head, shattering his entire skull.
But the next second.
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s intact body abruptly appeared behind Senju Tobirama—the one hit by Water Release and head-smashed was merely a Lava Release clone.
Just as Uchiha Ikeizumi’s right hand transformed into a lava demon dog was about to pierce Senju Tobirama’s back.
The charging Hashirama Senju punched Uchiha Ikeizumi’s back.
The First Hokage’s monstrous strength erupted, instantly pulverizing Uchiha Ikeizumi’s upper body.
But the shattered lava upper body reformed even faster.
Uchiha Ikeizumi expressionlessly turned and punched back!
This punch was so fast that the reanimated Hashirama Senju could only cross his arms in attempted defense.
The result was self-evident.
Even the reanimation flesh couldn’t block the lava’s erosion; this punch pierced straight through Hashirama Senju’s body! The lava arm rapidly expanded and exploded, tearing the First Hokage’s entire body to pieces.
“Ninja Art…”
“Adamantine Sealing Chains!!!”
This wasn’t a sealing technique used by the Second Hokage, but by Uchiha Ikeizumi.
Golden chains drilled out from his lava-formed body.
Each golden chain precisely hit Hashirama Senju’s attempting-to-reform reanimation body; the Uzumaki Clan Sealing Technique forcibly disrupted the Reanimation Jutsu while interfering with the curse mark talisman Orochimaru had implanted in Hashirama Senju.
Hashirama Senju’s “shattered” reanimation body suddenly shifted from mindless to dazed awareness.
Uchiha Ikeizumi’s hands didn’t stop.
He clapped again, thick vines emerging from his body to wrap toward Second Hokage Senju Tobirama.
“Water Release: Water Severing Wave!!!”
Senju Tobirama spat a super-high-pressure linear water column, instantly slicing the incoming vines.
But behind those vines, a right-arm-transformed lava demon dog bit his head with thunderous speed!
Senju Tobirama’s entire head was directly “erased” by the lava.
“Adamantine Chains.”
Uchiha Ikeizumi used the Uzumaki Clan Sealing Technique similarly.
Half the golden chains bound the other side’s Senju Tobirama.
Causing this Second Hokage, controlled by Orochimaru’s curse mark talisman, to regain awareness as his head reformed.
“Ah… terribly sorry, young Uchiha Clan member.”
Hashirama Senju’s “shattered” body tried to scratch his head, only to find his hand and head quite far apart.
“What’s the need to apologize to an evil Uchiha brat?”
Senju Tobirama snorted coldly.
He then asked Uchiha Ikeizumi: “The young man who reanimated us said you possess four bloodline limits, including our Senju Clan’s Wood Style. Uchiha brat, what’s your name?!”
But what stunned Senju Tobirama was that this seemingly unlikable Uchiha brat completely ignored him!
The opponent formed a seal.
Senju Tobirama felt the Pure Land’s power pulling him back.
He immediately understood—this seal-savvy brat could return the reanimated to the Pure Land, provided he could restrain them like now.
As Senju Tobirama fell into the Pure Land.
He had only one thought—rude Uchiha!
Uchiha Ikeizumi didn’t even glance at the two vanished Hokage; his eyes had reverted to Byakugan, scanning around and capturing dozens of fleeing figures in different directions.
Byakugan’s power let him directly identify the real Orochimaru.
“Really knows how to run…”
…
…
