Deep in the rainforest, a battle had just subsided.
The expedition team members stared, dumbfounded, at Uchiha Kazuhiko and the three mutated giant python corpses scattered on the ground.
Facing three behemoth-like mutated pythons, Uchiha Kazuhiko had taken only tens of seconds to consecutively slay them all, at the cost of a minor injury to his left arm.
This completely exceeded the imagination of ordinary people.
They truly felt their long-held worldview was severely impacted, unable to believe such astonishing power resided within Uchiha Kazuhiko's slender frame.
Not long before, the expedition team was walking near a small pond filled by rainwater. Guided by the satellite system, they were getting closer and closer to the lair of the mutated giant pythons.
Unexpectedly, this seemingly shallow pond was actually connected at its bottom to the pythons' nest, one of the passageways they frequently used.
When the expedition passed by this pond, three traveling-together pythons suddenly swam out. Discovering the group, they immediately attacked.
Everyone in the expedition was scared stiff by this sudden turn of events, unable to even scream, let alone dodge the pythons' attacks.
Seeing Dr. Jack also standing frozen in place, Uchiha Kazuhiko could only curse 'useless' under his breath.
He swallowed a soldier pill, using its medicinal power to actively meet the charge and engage the mutated pythons in a head-on fight.
Using his energy burst technique three times consecutively without regard for consumption, Uchiha Kazuhiko's strength temporarily rose to the chuunin level. Exploiting the pythons' underestimation of him, he quickly slew them.
Gasping for breath, Uchiha Kazuhiko wiped the sweat from his forehead with a lingering fear.
The fight might have looked easy, but for him, it not only consumed a great deal of physical strength and Primordial Energy but also used up all his energy-replenishing soldier pills.
More crucially, the ordinary steel katana in his hand couldn't withstand the repeated infusion of chakra and now had several fine cracks. A few more battles, and it would completely shatter.
Then, the situation would become even more dangerous.
"Oh my god, this place is too dangerous! I want to go back, right now! Jack, Jordan, Sam, let's leave this damned place now, okay? I don't want to die yet. I want to live. I still have so many things to do..."
The chatterbox Cole could no longer bear the pressure of imminent death.
Somewhat hysterical, he shouted, hoping to leave this murderous rainforest.
"Calm down, Cole. We're almost there. Just hang on a bit longer. We'll leave as soon as we get the Blood Orchids."
Dr. Jack tried to comfort Cole, attempting to calm him down.
"No! I don't want any Blood Orchids! I just want to go back! Please, let me go back! Kazuhiko, take me back, okay? I'll give you all my money!"
Cole didn't agree with Dr. Jack. He agitatedly pleaded with Uchiha Kazuhiko.
"Jack, I think we should leave. This place is really too dangerous. Even Kazuhiko is injured. If we encounter more of these monsters, we'll all die."
Gail, who never had much faith in this expedition to begin with, immediately supported Cole's proposal.
"No! Success is right before our eyes. I will absolutely not leave without obtaining the Blood Orchids."
Dr. Jack had invested his heart and soul into the Blood Orchid project. He would not give up without achieving his goal.
He turned to Uchiha Kazuhiko and asked, "Buddy, you'll continue to protect me, right?"
"Of course. That is my mission." Uchiha Kazuhiko nodded, giving him a definite answer.
Reassured by Uchiha Kazuhiko's guarantee, Dr. Jack obviously gained confidence.
He said in a half-threatening, half-joking tone, "Hear that, guys? Kazuhiko and I will press on. If you want to go back, you'll have to traverse the rainforest back on your own."
Leaving Uchiha Kazuhiko's protection to return to the riverbank?
The others thought this was impossible.
Seeing Uchiha Kazuhiko standing firmly on Dr. Jack's side, everyone could only resign themselves to their fate and accompany Dr. Jack on the final leg of the journey.
After everyone adjusted their emotions, Uchiha Kazuhiko walked to Dr. Jack's side and asked,
"Dr. Jack, how much further is it?"
"About three more kilometers. But the exact growing location will require careful investigation."
Although Dr. Jack was also terrified of the perilous rainforest, he gritted his teeth and persevered for his goal.
"Three kilometers..." Uchiha Kazuhiko murmured softly.
Looking at the group, who were seeing enemies everywhere and had become complete dead weight, an idea suddenly came to him.
Uchiha Kazuhiko immediately proposed to Dr. Jack:
"How about this, Doctor? You all return to that small cave we passed earlier, seal it shut, and wait for me to return. I'll go alone to pick the Blood Orchids for you. At my speed, I believe it won't take long to gather enough."
"This... alright."
Uchiha Kazuhiko's proposal greatly appealed to Dr. Jack. After consideration, he agreed.
Under Uchiha Kazuhiko's protection, the expedition team retraced their steps to a low, small cave.
They sealed it with large rocks and mud, leaving only a few fist-sized air holes. Then they sat quietly inside, waiting for Uchiha Kazuhiko's return.
Freed from the expedition team's burden, Uchiha Kazuhiko could act with free rein.
He leaped onto the tall tree canopy and began searching for traces of the Blood Orchids in the direction Dr. Jack had indicated.
Before long, Uchiha Kazuhiko discovered the underground serpent lair, teeming with countless intertwined mutated pythons, and the Blood Orchids growing on the rock face above the lair.
The Blood Orchids were scattered across different positions on the rock wall. Uchiha Kazuhiko counted roughly; there were about three hundred blossoms.
He stored the backpack Dr. Jack had given him for holding the Blood Orchids into his system space. Uchiha Kazuhiko suppressed his presence and quietly approached the rock wall.
Perhaps because the heat signature from Uchiha Kazuhiko's body was too small, or perhaps because they were busy mating with the female pythons, the mutated giants didn't pay attention to his arrival.
Uchiha Kazuhiko successfully reached the rock wall of the cavern. He swiftly picked the Blood Orchids emitting an exotic fragrance and stored them in his system space.
Just as Uchiha Kazuhiko had picked over two hundred mature Blood Orchids and more than a dozen plants with roots and stems, an angry roar came from the serpent lair below.
Immediately after, a thick python tail suddenly lashed out like a phantom, sweeping towards Uchiha Kazuhiko, who was picking the orchids.
Uchiha Kazuhiko had maintained extreme vigilance. Hearing such a violent sound of something cutting through the air, he didn't think twice and directly used the Substitution Technique to dodge, leaving behind a substitution log that was shattered by the python's tail.
Emerging from the tree canopy where he had placed the substitution log, Uchiha Kazuhiko saw what had attacked him and couldn't help but gasp in shock.