"Hmph hmph—what astonishing power, Nine-Tailed brat!"
Orochimaru licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, his cold laughter tinged with hoarseness.
"This is getting more and more interesting! I didn't expect Konoha's fox brat to have grown to such an extent!"
Orochimaru's cold, vertical pupils swept over Naruto, showing greed, but more so, apprehension.
It was similar to how Orochimaru faced Uchiha Itachi; Uchiha Itachi also possessed the Sharingan, but Orochimaru dared not covet Uchiha Itachi's Sharingan in the slightest, only able to try every possible method to obtain Uchiha Itachi's younger brother, Uchiha Sasuke.
It was the same with Naruto; he coveted Naruto's incredible body, which could be called a Tailed Beast without a tail, yet he feared his unfathomable strength.
From the corner of his eye, Orochimaru also noticed Jiraiya's white-haired, red-robed figure standing on a nearby wall.
Jiraiya.
"Two of the 'Legendary Sannin,' plus a Nine-Tailed Jinchuriki who has already grown and whose true depth is unknown."
Orochimaru's face darkened, knowing that the tide had turned against him.
The assassination attempt was no longer feasible.
If it were just Tsunade, it wouldn't be a problem, as Orochimaru knew Tsunade's hemophobia weakness, but with Naruto and Jiraiya added, even several Orochimaru wouldn't be enough.
"It seems, let alone killing Tsunade, even escaping will be difficult."
Orochimaru formed hand signs, immediately squatted down and slapped the ground, injecting a massive amount of Chakra.
Summoning Jutsu!
"Hiss—"
A roar filled with ancient, fierce aura tore through the sky!
A colossal, mountain-sized giant snake, covered in purple scales with a massive horn on its head—Manda—was summoned, coiling within the giant crater.
"I'll offer you a hundred human sacrifices afterward," Orochimaru said coldly.
"Orochimaru, you better remember what you said, otherwise, the next time you summon me, the one who gets eaten won't be anyone else!"
"Hiss-roar—!!"
Manda let out a deafening roar, its terrifying sound waves stirring up a fierce wind that sent debris flying.
Its massive snake tail, like a collapsing mountain, swept towards Naruto's area with a piercing shriek that tore through the air, completely flattening the surrounding ruins of the giant crater like paper!
Facing this world-destroying physical attack, Jiraiya's face changed drastically in the distance, preparing to summon the toads from Mount Myōboku for assistance.
Tsunade was still trembling from her hemophobia, unable to summon.
"This—this is Orochimaru's strongest summoned beast—Manda!"
Shizune's face turned pale.
The Legendary Sannin, half of their illustrious reputation, was built by their summoned beasts.
"Just a big snake, Granny Tsunade, don't be scared."
Naruto showed no fear on his face; the golden Chakra burning around his body was like boiling flames, forming an even more solid and imposing Sage Cloak.
"Hmph!"
Naruto let out a cold snort, not retreating but advancing, bending his knees slightly, and Chakra erupted beneath his feet!
"Bang!!!"
The ground instantly collapsed!
Naruto, like a golden cannonball, shot out at an incredible speed, charging towards the sweeping giant snake tail!
"To clash head-on with Manda with his bare body, the Nine-Tailed brat is truly seeking death!"
After an initial surprise, a fierce glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
No one knew Manda's strength and terror better than he did.
In the original story, even Jiraiya and Gamabunta's combined Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet only burned off a layer of Manda's outer skin, unable to inflict greater damage.
Deidara's ultimate self-detonation was what killed Manda.
Just as Orochimaru thought Manda's mountain-like snake tail was about to crush Naruto's tiny figure into a pulp, "Boom!!!"
An indescribably terrifying roar instantly erupted.
A fist and a tail, the size difference was extreme, yet their collision was like two metal mountain peaks crashing into each other at supersonic speed.
Instantly, a visible, distorted, circular shockwave, centered on the point of impact, spread out like a tsunami!
"Bang—"
The already cracked edges of the giant crater collapsed and shattered over a large area once again!
Wherever the shockwave passed, it instantly cleared the pervasive smoke and dust, and the ground beneath Naruto's feet cracked and collapsed in layers like fragile ice, forming concentric circular sinkholes.
But he himself stood unmoving like Mount Tai, like a stabilizing needle in the middle of the pit.
Naruto's fist was deeply embedded in Manda's massive snake tail, which was covered in thick scales; while leaving a clear fist print, upon impact, the hard scales shattered and peeled back like tiles under absolute force, creating circles of shockwaves!
Dark purple snake blood shot out like a fountain from beneath the broken scales!
Splashing "swoosh, swoosh, swoosh" into the air.
The snake blood fell like heavy rain.
"Hiss-roar—!!!"
Manda let out an unprecedented, agonizing and incredulous shriek.
Although Naruto's punch didn't directly blow off Manda's tail, it made it feel as if its tail had slammed into a mountain made of diamond!
Manda's massive body violently arched upwards and convulsed due to the terrifying recoil from its tail, and the intense pain and shock made its huge head dizzy.
"This—how is this possible?!"
Orochimaru was jolted to his knees on Manda's head, his composure completely gone, replaced by extreme horror!
To clash head-on with Manda's full-power strike using pure physical strength?!
This utterly subverted his understanding!
"Can you block Manda's snake tail, but can you also block my Kusanagi Sword?"
Now!
A ruthless glint flashed in Orochimaru's eyes.
Taking advantage of Naruto having just punched Manda's snake tail away, being at the transition point between old strength exhausted and new strength not yet generated, Orochimaru seized the fleeting opportunity and launched a deadly sneak attack from his escape.
Orochimaru's head suddenly rose, his neck stretching and twisting like a snake.
His mouth opened to a horrifying degree, as if his entire lower jaw would dislocate, and even more terrifyingly, from deep within his throat, a ferocious brown-scaled venomous snake suddenly shot out.
This snake then hissed and opened its mouth, spitting out a long, gleaming blade with a cold glint—the Kusanagi Sword.
Kusanagi Sword: Blade of the Sky!
"Die, brat!"
Under Orochimaru's mental command, the brown-scaled venomous snake shot out like an arrow from a bowstring, and the Kusanagi Sword in its mouth instantly elongated!
"Swish"
The blade extended crazily at supersonic speed, transforming into a silver lightning bolt that tore through space, carrying an all-penetrating sharpness, aiming directly for Naruto's throat.
The timing, angle, and speed were all incredibly cunning and vicious!
This was Orochimaru's ultimate attack, apart from the "Eight-Headed Serpent"!
"Naruto, be careful!!"
"Cowardly Orochimaru!"
Tsunade and Shizune in the distance saw this scene, their hearts almost leaping out of their chests, screaming out, all holding their breath for Naruto.