"You! Hiruko?" Orochimaru stared in disbelief at the newcomer. Hiruko had been a friend of the Three Great Sannin in their youth, but Orochimaru believed he had long since fled Konoha after being discovered researching forbidden techniques. It had been years! "Heh... it's been a long time, hasn't it?"
"Heh! I didn't expect you'd still remember me, Orochimaru!" Hiruko chuckled.
"What are you doing here?" Orochimaru licked his lips, his gaze shifting suspiciously between Hiruko and Yugito.
"Haha! What do you think? Orochimaru, have you forgotten why I left Konoha in the first place?" Hiruko laughed.
"The Demon Fang Technique! Your target is Yagami Yoru too?" Orochimaru's eyes widened in surprise, his expression turning cold. Regardless of their past, if they now shared the same goal, they were enemies.
Observing the growing hostility between the two men, Yugito couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Hiruko's silent arrival had already convinced her of his strength, and learning of his connection to Orochimaru had only deepened her unease. Now, seeing their clear unwillingness to cooperate against her, she felt reassured, though still uncertain about her next move.
The tense atmosphere hung heavy as the group remained locked in a stalemate, neither side willing to make the first move.
High above, Shikamaru cursed Hiruko under his breath. Couldn't you have intercepted Sasuke and the others from behind? You charged right into the fray as soon as the fight started! It's unbelievable that Hiruko developed the Demon Fang Technique!
"Anko! Let's go down!" Shikamaru said, dispelling the Shadow Barrier. His Shadow Wings stirred, and he plummeted toward the ground.
Whoosh... The sudden sound of air tearing startled the combatants. Yugito stared in astonishment at Shikamaru descending with Anko in his arms. Two more
Yagami Yoru watched with envy, admiring Shikamaru's strength and the beautiful woman he carried.
Orochimaru's shock quickly turned to a dark calculation. Shikamaru's presence here could only spell trouble for him.
Sasuke's gaze burned with icy hatred. Though Shikamaru had triggered his Mangekyo Sharingan, it had been born from extreme hatred, a testament to Sasuke's loathing for having his shadow stolen.
"Heh! Orochimaru! Sasuke! Long time no see!" Shikamaru greeted with a faint smile, ignoring Sasuke's murderous glare.
"Thanks to you! Just wonderful..." Orochimaru hissed, licking his tongue with a sinister smirk.
"Shadow Shura? What are you doing here?" Hiruko demanded. Yugito also eyed Shikamaru with suspicion, but seeing the boy's gaze toward the Konoha ninja, she no longer feared they would join forces.
"Yugito, greetings! I am Nara Shikamaru, Captain of Konoha's Anbu!" Shikamaru turned to Yugito, offering a friendly greeting that made his position clear. "I'm here to apprehend Orochimaru, a traitor to Konoha, and that brat. If possible, I would appreciate your assistance."
"Of course! In exchange, I'll help you resolve the Yagami Yoru matter." Shikamaru concluded.
"I am Yugito, a Jonin from Kumogakure. It's an honor to collaborate with the renowned Shadow Shura!" Yugito replied hastily, enveloped in black flames.
Seeing Shikamaru allied with Yugito, Orochimaru immediately turned to Hiruko. "Old friend, it seems someone wants to interfere with our plans."
"Heh... indeed! Let's play with them for now. We can discuss Yagami Yoru later." Hiruko agreed, instantly understanding Orochimaru's intent.
"Shadow Ninja Art - Shadow Clone Technique!"
"Anko! Yagami Yoru is yours!" Shikamaru said as he created a Shadow Clone. Turning to Yugito, he added, "Yugito! Hiruko is yours! Sounds good?"
"Perfect! No problem!" Yugito replied cheerfully.
"Heh! If that's the case, I won't hold back! Orochimaru! Shikamaru is yours!" Hiruko grinned, seeing that Shikamaru and his group had already chosen their opponents.
"Orochimaru! I'll show you the Demon Fang Technique I developed despite my mediocre talent!" Hiruko declared confidently, then muttered,
"Swift Release!"
His figure vanished instantly, reappearing before Yugito with a steel-reinforced palm strike. "Steel Release!"
Boom! Yugito dodged, and Hiruko's fist slammed into the ground, creating a massive crater with power comparable to Tsunade's Monster Strength Fist!
Yugito retreated, suddenly letting out a cat-like sound. Her hair braid, now engulfed in raging black flames, whipped around from behind to strike Hiruko!
But Hiruko immediately activated Swift Release, and in a blur, the two were locked in close combat!
"Shadow Ninja Art - Shadow Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Seeing Hiruko and Yugito already engaged in battle, Shikamaru refused to be left behind. He unleashed a powerful black fire dragon bullet from his mouth, sweeping towards Orochimaru!
His Shadow Clone was equally swift, transforming into a shadow and charging towards Sasuke. Anko followed closely, confronting Yagami Yoru with the technique "Ninja Art: Snake Shadow Concealed Hand!"
"Damn it! He's only sending a clone to deal with me..." Sasuke growled, his Mangekyo Sharingan activating instantly. He hated being underestimated.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Bullet Technique!"
Sasuke countered without hesitation. His Mangekyo Sharingan pierced through the Shadow Clone's movements, allowing him to unleash an advanced fire technique at Shikamaru.
"Fire Dragon Bullet? Heh... Asking for death..." The Shadow Clone Shikamaru smirked, completing a hand seal in an instant, so fast that even Sasuke's Mangekyo Sharingan couldn't track it.
"Shadow Ninja Art: Shadow Transformation!"
With a single Shadow Transformation, the clone dissolved into a wisp of darkness, evading Sasuke's attack. Under Sasuke's widening gaze, the shadow vanished completely, only to reappear behind him in the next moment!
"What..." Sasuke was completely stunned. Shikamaru's speed was so incredible that he hadn't even seen him move. Cursing inwardly, Sasuke suddenly felt a tremendous force slam into his back, sending him flying forward with a violent cough of blood.
Meanwhile, Shikamaru smirked as Orochimaru unleashed the Hidden Shadow Snake Hand. Instantly forming the Shadow Transformation hand seal, he used the moonlight to follow the faint shadows of Orochimaru's snake hands, teleporting directly behind him.
Shadow Transformation's other ability, to teleport freely within shadows, was being used to its fullest extent by Shikamaru.
"Shadow Ninja Art - Dark Shadow Monstrous Strength Fist!"
Gathering the Rasengan or Chidori would take too long. Shikamaru had no choice but to use the copied taijutsu techniques he had acquired, launching an attack before Orochimaru could react.
Bang! Shikamaru's fist shattered Orochimaru's Earth Clone.
"Heh! You saw through my ninjutsu?" Shikamaru chuckled. Orochimaru truly lived up to his reputation as one of the Three Great Sannin, his reflexes far surpassing Sasuke's.
"Wind Release - Great Breakthrough!"
Having seen through Shikamaru's ninjutsu, Orochimaru naturally abandoned techniques that Shikamaru could exploit with Shadow Transformation.
While battling Orochimaru, Shikamaru glanced over at Anko's fight. Yagami Yoru was completely on the defensive against her relentless attacks, his defeat inevitable.
Meanwhile, Hiruko and Yugito were locked in their own fierce struggle. Hiruko, lacking only Dark Release and the Sharingan, constantly switched between Storm Release, Steel Release, and Swift Release, forcing Yugito to occasionally retreat.
"Ah..." Sasuke roared, rising from the ground in his Cursed Seal Second State. Massive, wing-like appendages sprouted from his back as he coldly glared at Shikamaru, his eyes devoid of emotion.
"Amaterasu!" Sasuke declared coldly. His right eye flashed, and a burst of black flames erupted from his palm, hurtling toward Shikamaru's Shadow Clone.
"Shadow Ninja Art - Shadow Amaterasu!"
A playful glint flickered in the Shadow Clone's eyes as it countered with its own dark flames.
Boom! The two identical flames collided mid-air, scattering black fire in all directions. The onlookers gasped in shock. Shikamaru instantly moved to Anko's side, shielding her from the stray Amaterasu flames. The power of Amaterasu was no joke!
Orochimaru dodged with his superhuman agility, acutely aware of Amaterasu's destructive power. Hiruko, wielding Swift Release, also swiftly evaded the flames. Only Yugito, completely enveloped in her own flames, could withstand the Amaterasu's onslaught, though even her flames were partially consumed. Still, the sheer power of Amaterasu left Yugito astonished.
"Ah..." A bloodcurdling scream pierced the air. Everyone's faces paled as they turned to see Yagami Yoru, their target, caught in the Amaterasu's scattered flames. He barely had time to scream before the black flames reduced him to ashes with a sickening pop. His powerful Dark Release Kekkei Genkai hadn't even had time to awaken.
"No..." Orochimaru and Hiruko cried out in horror, but it was too late. Hiruko had lost his chance to collect the legendary Five Great Kekkei Genkai, and Orochimaru had once again lost a vessel for his reincarnation.
"Ah! Shikamaru... I'll kill you for this!" Hiruko roared, his voice hoarse with rage as he glared at Shikamaru. He bit his finger, rapidly formed hand seals, and shouted,
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
Seeing Yagami Yoru fall, Yugito, though startled, quietly retreated. With her objective achieved, she had no need to involve herself in this battle between Konoha ninja.
"Heh! Shikamaru-sama! My apologies, but I won't interfere in Konoha's affairs. Farewell!" Yugito chuckled softly, turned, and vanished into the night.
After Yugito's departure, Hiruko summoned a massive creature with twin wings and a tiger-like form. The beast emerged with a ferocious roar.
"Heh! Shikamaru, since you've ruined yet another vessel I coveted, I'll personally send you to hell today..." Orochimaru hissed coldly, the Kusanagi Sword slithering from his mouth. He bit his right thumb, drawing blood.
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
Boom!
A colossal, purplish-brown serpent materialized with a thunderous crash.
"Orochimaru! Are you courting death? Why summon me again?" Manda snarled at the snake-haired man perched atop his head.
"Manda, I had no choice..." Orochimaru licked his lips. "Afterward, I'll offer you a hundred young boys and girls as sacrifices..."
"Deal!" Manda agreed readily, his serpentine eyes looking at Shikamaru. "Orochimaru, you're not planning to target this brat, are you?"
"He seems quite formidable..." Manda hissed, his forked tongue, several times larger than Orochimaru's, flicking out skeptically.
Hiruko, Orochimaru, and Sasuke swiftly formed a triangular encirclement around Shikamaru, each eager to kill him.
"Heh... do you think you're the only ones who know the Summoning Technique?" Shikamaru remained unfazed by the encirclement. He bit his finger, rapidly formed hand seals, and declared,
"Ninja Art: Summoning Technique!"
That damn woman Yugito! Shikamaru cursed inwardly as he watched her retreat. Hmph~ After I deal with these guys, I'll find you. I'll make sure you're begging for mercy in bed before I'm done. I'm Nara Shikamaru, after all...
Boom!
Another thunderous explosion echoed through the night as Shikamaru summoned Light Deer Clan Chief Light Deer Tutu for the first time since signing their contract.
When Tutu materialized, he surveyed the situation and gave Shikamaru, who was holding Anko above him, a wry smile.
"Shikamaru! You always get me into trouble! My first summoning and I'm facing so many powerhouses..."
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Extra Content Already Available:
The Mountain of Ice and Fire (GOT) – 56 advanced chapters!
Naruto: I Am Nara Shikamaru – 30 advanced chapters!
One Piece: Summoner of the 3D Zone – 38 advanced chapters!
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