Chapter 278: The Eight Branches Technique
Oto Village.
"Apologies, everyone. You can't go any further."
Kabuto Yakushi's thin frame stood firmly in front of the Akatsuki members.
Although he had already guessed that the Sound Four had been completely wiped out, Kabuto showed not the slightest hint of panic. Instead, he calmly adjusted the glasses perched on his nose.
"Looks like Orochimaru's inside," Kakuzu said, gazing excitedly at the building behind Kabuto. After all, with fifty million ryo on the line, no one could stay calm—least of all Kakuzu.
"All of this is for Lord Orochimaru..."
Kabuto glanced at the structure behind him. A scalpel formed from chakra appeared in his right hand.
Gritting his teeth, Kabuto charged decisively at the group in front of him.
"I'll handle this one," Hidan declared.
Hoisting his reaper's scythe, Hidan stepped forward. As Kabuto lunged at him with the chakra scalpel, Hidan made no move to dodge. He even opened his arms as if embracing death.
The chakra-forged blade pierced Hidan's body. With years of experience assisting Orochimaru in surgery and research, Kabuto could clearly feel the familiar sensation in his hand—it had definitely stabbed into flesh.
But Hidan kept his arms outstretched, a look of ecstasy on his face.
"I can feel it… Lord Shinigami!!!"
The tone shifted abruptly as Hidan raised his scythe high, swinging it down toward Kabuto.
"This is Hidan's ability. While he's hardly qualified as a proper ninja, his immortality allows him to surpass most ordinary shinobi," Kakuzu explained, glancing over at the cold, detached Future Boruto. Boruto remained expressionless, while Hanabi, standing beside him, finally showed the reaction Kakuzu had been hoping to see.
Though Kabuto managed to yank his hand back in time and dodge, Hidan's scythe still grazed him, drawing blood.
Quietly applying Mystical Palm Technique to treat the wound, Kabuto remained wary of Hidan. But to his surprise, Hidan didn't press the attack. Instead, he crouched down and began painting a circular ritual pattern on the ground with his own blood.
"Feel it well—Lord Shinigami!"
Standing at the center of the circle, Hidan dipped his right index finger in Kabuto's blood, touched it to his tongue, then pulled a long, pitch-black spear from his left sleeve—its shaft able to extend and contract freely.
"Hidan's second ability: any damage he inflicts on himself is transferred to his enemy," Kakuzu continued, still watching Future Boruto. The latter's expression remained ice-cold, while Hanabi again looked visibly stunned.
"Curse Technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood!"
Hidan raised the dark, elongated weapon and prepared to stab himself.
Though Kabuto wasn't sure what was about to happen, his instincts screamed danger. But by the time he moved to stop it, it was already too late.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
At that moment, several snakes shot from the sleeve of a suddenly appearing woman, wrapping around Hidan's body and restraining his movement.
"That jutsu..." Kakuzu looked toward the newcomer. "Orochimaru!"
"Long time no see, Kakuzu, Itachi, Kisame," Orochimaru said, her gaze sweeping across the Akatsuki members before resting on Future Boruto. "And an unfamiliar face… A new recruit, perhaps?"
"And me! Don't forget the great Lord Hidan!" the restrained Hidan yelled.
At the sound of his voice, Orochimaru glanced at him. Her snakes responded by opening their jaws and suddenly biting down on Hidan.
"You traitorous bastard."
Kisame stepped forward, hefting Samehada. Alongside Itachi and Kakuzu, he began to subtly flank Orochimaru. Only Future Boruto held his ground, shielding Hanabi without making a move.
"Hey, I… can't move..."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Hidan's body trembled, then collapsed.
Though he was immortal, Hidan was still susceptible to the effects of poison.
"Forgive me for needing your help again, Lord Orochimaru," Kabuto said, lowering his head as he approached her side.
"It's fine, Kabuto. Take Sasuke inside and get him out of here," Orochimaru replied with a deadly smile.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Even upon hearing Sasuke's name, Uchiha Itachi didn't display the slightest emotional reaction.
"Everyone, let's move."
Kakuzu fixed his gaze on the transformed Orochimaru and gave the signal.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
At his words, Orochimaru was the first to attack.
A single shuriken thrown instantly multiplied into dozens.
Future Boruto pulled Hanabi behind him, cloaking himself in Nine Tails chakra to block the incoming shadow clones.
"Water Style: Water Prison Jutsu!"
A massive sphere of water enveloped Kisame, shielding him from the flying shuriken.
Itachi, meanwhile, continuously hurled shuriken, each one precisely striking the incoming shadow clone weapons.
"Earth Style: Earth Spear!"
Charging at the front, Kakuzu hardened his body, ignoring the shuriken entirely. He reached Orochimaru and punched her in the abdomen with his jet-black, chakra-hardened fist. The force of the blow sent her flying.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Array!"
Countless snakes were summoned and surged toward the group.
Instinctively, Hanabi clutched Future Boruto's clothes, the snake swarm terrifying her like any child her age.
"Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"
Itachi's hands blurred through hand seals in under a second, launching a massive fireball from his mouth. It incinerated the snakes in its path, filling the air with the smell of charred serpent flesh.
"Eight Branches Technique!"
Caught off-guard by the earlier snake jutsu, Orochimaru couldn't dodge in time. She opened her mouth wide—and from within it, a massive white serpent burst forth. The eight-headed white serpent loomed before them.
Though the fireball had struck Orochimaru's current body, that body would naturally become unusable after the technique was activated.
This was an S-Rank forbidden technique Orochimaru had taken an entire month to fully master.
"It's so huge…" Hanabi murmured in awe as she looked up at the towering serpent.
"Damn it! Where the hell did Orochimaru learn this jutsu?!" Kakuzu shouted furiously. He had powerful moves of his own, but using them would mean exposing the vulnerabilities of his Earth Grudge Fear technique in front of everyone.