Orochimaru's dark-golden pupils scanned the surrounding forest. His powerful spiritual energy sensed an imminent threat.
Immediately following this warning, three swift dark figures shot out of the forest, rapidly charging toward Orochimaru.
They were Jiraiya, Tsunade, and Hyūga Bluebird, who had already activated his Dual Pupil Byakugan.
Since Orochimaru returned from the Land of Rivers mission three years ago, Jiraiya and Tsunade had trained alongside him. The training plan set by Sarutobi was always expertly taught to the two by the experienced and knowledgeable Orochimaru. Rather than calling Sarutobi their teacher, it was more accurate to say that Orochimaru was their true instructor.
Sarutobi, who was busy acting as Hokage, was happy with this arrangement. He merely checked in periodically to review everyone's progress. While praising Orochimaru's deep understanding of Ninjutsu and his powerful talent, he felt increasingly satisfied and gratified by his prized student.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, Chi, and Hyūga Bluebird frequently teamed up to engage in real combat sparring against Orochimaru. It must be noted that even though Orochimaru fought one-against-four, he had never lost in these three years. He always managed to calmly respond and defuse their attacks one by one.
Through these three years of continuous combat training and Orochimaru's direct instruction, everyone's strength had seen significant progress. They had all successively reached the Chūnin level, and their practical combat experience had surged. Their actual combat power was far beyond that of an average Chūnin.
Today was yet another well-prepared combat exercise.
Jiraiya charged out of the forest, laughing heartily and yelling fiercely: "Orochimaru, fall before the might of Lord Jiraiya!"
Tsunade, rushing forward at high speed, couldn't help but inwardly malign him: "What an idiot!" But her feet never slowed as she dashed toward Orochimaru.
After yelling, Jiraiya rapidly formed several hand seals and shouted: "Hah!"
Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Over a dozen basketball-sized, fiery red, high-temperature fireballs blasted out of Jiraiya's mouth. They roared through the air, their condensed chakra and scorching flames generating heat waves that distorted Orochimaru's vision. Like rapid bullets, they streaked across the sky with red traces, heading straight for Orochimaru.
While the dozen Phoenix Sage Fireballs assaulted Orochimaru, they also bought time and provided excellent cover for Tsunade and Hyūga Bluebird, who specialized in close-quarters combat, to close the distance.
The high temperature of the Phoenix Sage Fire Technique did not cause Orochimaru's eyes to waver. He calmly glanced at Tsunade and Hyūga Bluebird, who were pressing forward.
His pale, long hands moved, leaving faint afterimages. A Fire Style Ninjutsu, identical to Jiraiya's, was completed in an instant!
Fire Style: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!
Nearly double the amount of fireballs Jiraiya launched—a full twenty to thirty basketball-sized, high-temperature fireballs—roared out. Launching later, they arrived first. Each fireball was more condensed and powerful than Jiraiya's. The heatwave generated by their collective launch created a surge of fire like a tumultuous tide.
Jiraiya's fireballs were instantly swallowed upon collision, and the attack's momentum increased, surging toward Jiraiya.
Under Orochimaru's perfect control of the Ninjutsu's power, Jiraiya was only scorched and fell onto a grass patch that was already pocked and damaged by the fireball's impact.
However, Jiraiya, who was scorched black like a roasted pig after being countered in a single strike, struggled to raise his head and smiled triumphantly.
Concealed within the dozen fireballs that Orochimaru's attack had swallowed were several sharp, black shuriken. They spun at high velocity, piercing through the fire surge with an ear-splitting shriek, heading toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru looked at the incoming shuriken, his lips slightly curling into a faint smile. This slow-witted kid is actually showing some improvement!
His dark-golden snake eyes tracked the trajectory of every shuriken. His powerful spiritual energy immediately calculated the attack position of each one.
Orochimaru, in his pale-moon, wide-sleeved kimono, moved like a drifting stream of wind. He quickly dashed and sidestepped a few times, skillfully dodging every single shuriken by mere millimeters. The sharp weapons didn't even graze a thread of Orochimaru's robe.
However, Jiraiya's two attacks had bought enough time. Tsunade and Hyūga Bluebird successfully closed the distance, trapping Orochimaru within their attack range.
Tsunade, who had learned the Strength of a Hundred Technique from Orochimaru, wrapped her hands in black gauntlets. The chakra on her two fists, controlled with masterful skill, was condensed to an extreme degree. They came hurtling toward Orochimaru like two rapidly launched cannonballs.
The fierce punch winds made Orochimaru feel a subtle sense of threat. It was clear that being hit by these two fists would result in shattered bones and torn ligaments, at the very least.
On the other side, Hyūga Bluebird's hideous, pale-white Dual Pupil Byakugan was fully activated!
Gentle Fist: Eight Trigrams Empty Palm!
Strikes of the Hyūga Gentle Fist, executed with textbook precision and speed, accompanied by "Boom, boom, boom—" sounds of exploding air, came flying through the air. They launched pressure waves, each about a meter long, that targeted the chakra points all over Orochimaru's body with incredible subtlety.
Facing the fierce and pressing attacks from both of them, Orochimaru remained composed and unperturbed, a smile of excitement on his lips. His hands, having completed the necessary hand signs, slammed heavily onto the ground.
Earth Style: Great Earth Crushing Palm!
A tremendous "Rumble!—" sounded as the ground rapidly cracked and fragmented. Two fissures, several dozen centimeters wide, began at Orochimaru's feet and quickly extended toward Tsunade and Hyūga Bluebird.
Before their furious attacks could reach Orochimaru's body, the rumbling ground fissures disrupted their momentum, causing them to lose balance and exposing a momentary opening.
Orochimaru's dark-golden pupils flashed brightly. Seizing this instant, he stretched both arms out, giving a slight tremor toward Tsunade and Hyūga Bluebird: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
From the wide, pale-moon sleeves on both sides, several mottled pythons, each the thickness of an adult's arm, shot out. Leaving dark trails, they slammed into the two, sending them flying back. "Swish, swish, swish!—" Dust flew as they slid across the grass, leaving two distinct furrows in the ground.
Orochimaru's arms were still extended, and the mottled great snakes had not yet been retracted into his sleeves when the warning in his heart flared up again.
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