"Orochimaru, is that man really one of the legendary Three Sannin who became a rogue ninja—Orochimaru?"
Uchiha Izumi looked in shock at Orochimaru, who stood atop the head of a giant snake.
So that's who he is.
She had originally believed that these two could never pose a threat to the clan leader who wielded the Mangekyō Sharingan. But now, she wasn't so sure.
Although Orochimaru was a traitor to the village, everyone in Konoha knew his name.
He had already been a Kage-level powerhouse many years ago. How strong was he now?
Even though the clan leader was powerful, could he really take on someone who had been Kage-level for so long?
"Clan Leader Fugaku, you've truly exceeded my expectations," Orochimaru said, narrowing his snake-like eyes at Uchiha Fugaku.
He hadn't even seen clearly how Uchiha Fugaku had killed the two giant snakes.
And that Body Flicker Technique—so fast that even he couldn't fully track it.
Thinking of the Akatsuki organization's intelligence on Uchiha Fugaku, he couldn't help but feel dread.
Though he had sensed that Fugaku wasn't simple during their last encounter in Konoha, he hadn't expected him to be hiding his power so well… to the extent of possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan.
"It's an honor to be praised by Orochimaru, one of the Three Sannin," Uchiha Fugaku replied with faint sarcasm in his voice.
"You were the one I encountered outside the Hidden Mist Village, weren't you?"
Tying together the clues from Akatsuki's intel, Orochimaru had already guessed the identity of the mysterious man who had confronted him.
"It was me," Fugaku admitted without hesitation.
Then he changed the subject.
"But don't you think it's rude to speak to me through a Shadow Clone? Or did you think you could fool me with that?"
His gaze shifted from the top of the giant snake to a patch of decaying leaves on the ground.
At that moment, the Orochimaru and Biwa Jūzō standing atop the two snakes weren't real—they were Shadow Clones.
Using his refined perception, Fugaku had already located the real Orochimaru and Biwa Jūzō hiding beneath the leaves.
The foliage parted, revealing the two of them.
"You actually saw through my Shadow Clone..." Orochimaru said with unease.
"Don't compare the basic Sharingan you snatched to my eyes," Fugaku replied coldly.
An ordinary Sharingan couldn't detect Shadow Clones, but certain Mangekyō Sharingan—like Uchiha Madara's—could.
His Mangekyō Sharingan was among those that could.
"So this is Uchiha Fugaku, the one who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?"
Biwa Jūzō unsheathed the Executioner's Blade on his back and stared solemnly at Fugaku.
"Yes, it's him," Orochimaru answered, his smile cold, his expression alert.
"Orochimaru… and Biwa Jūzō, rogue ninja from the Hidden Mist. Whatever reason you had for sneaking into Konoha, since you're here now… don't expect to leave alive."
Fugaku's eyes moved to Jūzō as he spoke icily.
"Patriarch Fugaku, I really would love to spar with you and experience the Mangekyō Sharingan firsthand."
"But unfortunately, our mission is already complete—it's time for us to withdraw," Orochimaru said with a shake of his head.
The Akatsuki's objective had been to stir up chaos and draw Konoha's attention, paving the way for Iwagakure's operations.
Now that their goal was met, it was time to retreat.
Besides, his snakes across the forest had detected many Konoha shinobi converging on this location.
"That decision's not up to you," Fugaku said flatly.
The other shinobi may have lagged behind due to their slower Body Flicker Techniques—but Fugaku was confident that even alone, he could handle the both of them.
Buzz—
In his right eye, the Mangekyō Sharingan spun.
"Don't look into his eyes!" Orochimaru quickly warned, shielding his vision behind the membrane of a snake's cornea.
Upon hearing this, Biwa Jūzō averted his gaze and lowered his head.
But such precautions were useless against Fugaku's evolved real illusion.
Swish—
Fugaku vanished and reappeared behind Biwa Jūzō.
A black skeletal hand materialized, generating a gust of fierce wind as it struck.
Jūzō turned in alarm.
He raised the Executioner's Blade with both hands to block the descending giant hand.
Clang—
A tidal wave of force surged through him.
The Executioner's Blade cracked and snapped in half.
His arms, unable to withstand the blow, bent grotesquely—white bone piercing through torn flesh as blood spilled out.
"Spatial movement? No, this is an illusion—we're trapped in his illusion! And it doesn't even require eye contact!"
With his sight obscured, Orochimaru used his snakes' sensory perception to realize that Fugaku hadn't moved through space, but rather that they had fallen under an illusion.
And not just any illusion—one capable of causing real physical harm.
Despite all his knowledge of genjutsu, he had never encountered anything so terrifying.
"Summoning: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands—!"
Orochimaru's jaw opened unnaturally wide, and a torrent of venomous snakes surged from his throat like a living river, striking toward Fugaku.
"Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation—!"
Fugaku formed hand signs. Chakra surged in his throat and erupted from his mouth.
A sea of flames with temperatures hot enough to melt stone surged forward, meeting the wave of snakes head-on.
Hiss—
As fire met snake, the serpents ignited instantly, their bodies turning to ash.
The wall of fire pressed onward, incinerating all the snakes.
By the time it died down, not a single serpent remained.
Swish—
Fugaku turned his attention to Biwa Jūzō, who was attempting to flee with shattered arms.
He used Body Flicker again, appearing beside him.
The black skeletal hand reemerged and seized Jūzō mid-dodge.
"Ahhhh—!"
With a powerful squeeze, the hand crushed Jūzō.
His body burst apart with a sickening squelch, blood and gore pouring out like crushed tomatoes.
The hand loosened its grip, and the mangled corpse dropped to the ground.
Uchiha Fugaku turned and looked at Orochimaru.
(End of this chapter)
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