The morning forest was filled with a hazy mist, and dewdrops on plant leaves, condensed from the morning fog, emitted colorful light under the sun, like crystal clear jewels.
Water… refraction… isn't this total internal reflection?
Orochimaru looked at the water droplets sparkling under the sunlight and suddenly had a new idea. She took out a notebook from her backpack and wrote down her inspiration, planning to research it later when she had time.
Water can refract light, it can be fire light, or lightning light. Refracting lightning light… isn't that Storm Release?
No, the Storm Release used by that big, dark guy from Kumogakure isn't about light refraction, but rather controlling lightning with water flow, allowing the difficult-to-control lightning to precisely target enemies.
Never mind, I'll research it slowly when I have time.
Orochimaru closed her notebook, put it in her backpack, and walked through the forest, looking at the surrounding grass, searching for the herbs she needed.
Good luck.
Orochimaru bent down to observe an inconspicuous herb growing among the weeds on the ground. She placed her hand on the grass, and the ground subtly wiggled. The herb she wanted to collect seemed to be pushed out by the soil, without any damage, not even the tiniest rootlet was missing.
This was something easily achieved by mastering the nature transformation of Earth Release to a certain extent; collecting medicinal herbs didn't require any harvesting tools at all.
"Shadow Clone Technique."
Orochimaru placed the herbs in a small hand-held basket, formed hand signs, and three Shadow Clones appeared beside her.
"I'm counting on you for my safety."
"Leave it to us."
The three Shadow Clones went in different directions, found a hidden spot, and cast Barrier: Heaven Sense Formation. The three Heaven Sense Formations combined to form a Grand Heaven Sense Formation, allowing the Shadow Clones to perceive every rustle within a 1.5-kilometer radius.
If any suspicious person appeared within the Heaven Sense Formation, Orochimaru, as the main body, could prepare in advance.
This way, she could collect herbs with peace of mind.
It wasn't that Orochimaru was overly cautious, but rather she worried that those people were still looking for an opportunity. Her departure from Konoha this time was their best chance to act, and not being careful enough might give them an opening.
Time quickly passed to noon. Orochimaru had collected the necessary herbs for her research in the forest and also found and gathered other medicinal ingredients.
That is… Orochimaru's Shadow Clone suddenly opened its eyes, sensing a cloaked person passing by the edge of the Heaven Sense Formation, carrying an unconscious boy on his shoulder.
That direction… Is he taking that child to the Land of Rice Fields or the Land of Iron?
Orochimaru hesitated for a moment and gave chase. Seeing a child being abducted, she couldn't just pretend not to see it. With this Shadow Clone's Chakra, she hoped not to encounter too troublesome an opponent.
The remaining Chakra of this Shadow Clone would not allow her to use Ninjutsu many times; a confrontation with that person would have to be quick.
Orochimaru felt the remaining Chakra in her body. A Shadow Clone cannot refine Chakra, so the Chakra of a Shadow Clone created by the main body using the Shadow Clone Technique is fixed. Once consumed, it cannot be restored, unless there is a cheat like Kurama inside the body.
What happened? What is that Shadow Clone doing?
Orochimaru, as the main body, and the other two Shadow Clones, noticed that one Shadow Clone had dispelled the Barrier: Heaven Sense Formation.
Are they the family of the abducted child?
Orochimaru saw several people chasing behind the cloaked figure. As the wind blew, one of them became somewhat ethereal, like smoke slowly dissipating.
Smoke Transformation… So that's it, because of the Iburi Clan's Bloodline Limit, they abducted that child?
Orochimaru looked at the cloaked figure in front, suspecting his true identity was a Cloud Ninja. In her impression, it seemed that Kumogakure was the one that would plunder people with Bloodline Limits and secret techniques in this manner.
"Ah! Ahhh!"
The person whose body was turning into smoke by the wind, the smoke transformation did not stop. His body seemed to be about to dissipate into smoke, and he let out a terrified scream. The people beside him stopped, looking at this scene with sorrow and helplessness.
Lost control?
Orochimaru looked at the man's terrified and despairing expression, realizing that his ability was out of control.
The Iburi Clan's Bloodline Limit seemed powerful, but they couldn't fully control it. Their bodies uncontrollably turned into smoke and gradually dissipated, leading to death—a fate that every member of the Iburi Clan could not escape.
"Wind Release: Night Wind!"
Orochimaru stopped, extended her hand towards the man slowly dissipating into smoke. With a flick of her finger, a small hurricane generated a powerful suction force, forcibly condensing the smoke the man had become at the center of the hurricane.
The Iburi Clan members watched in shock as the man regained his human form, then looked at Orochimaru, who had performed a Wind Release Ninjutsu they had never seen before.
"No time for chitchat. You all find a safe place and wait for me. I'm going to rescue that child."
Orochimaru didn't wait for the Iburi Clan members to speak. She formed a single hand sign, and her figure vanished from the spot.
"Phew… Did they give up? I really don't understand why they want the Iburi Clan people. Their Bloodline Limit isn't that great."
The person carrying the boy on his shoulder looked back, and seeing that the Iburi Clan people had not continued chasing, he let out a scornful laugh, "A mission of this level, it wouldn't be difficult for anyone else, would it?"
Before his words finished, a shadowy figure, faintly flickering with lightning, struck.
Bang—!
The cloaked figure blocked Orochimaru's attack with one hand. Intense pain spread from his forearm throughout his body. The wind blew off his hood, revealing his Kumogakure forehead protector and brown skin. He looked at Orochimaru with an expression of disbelief, unable to believe that such a young child could possess such exaggerated strength.
Indeed, it's a Cloud Ninja… If it were Tsunade, that punch would have broken his arm.
Orochimaru saw the forehead protector and skin color of the man, confirming her suspicion.
"Little girl, are you a Konoha Ninja?"
The Cloud Ninja thought that this place was not far from Konoha, guessing that the girl in front of him was a Konoha Ninja. He showed a look of disdain and provoked, "Has Konoha declined to such an extent?"
Orochimaru jumped back, formed hand signs, and shot lightning from her palms. The Cloud Ninja quickly widened the distance, dodging the fatal lightning. Thick trees were blasted in half by the lightning.
"You brat, don't be so arrogant!"
The Cloud Ninja shook off his cumbersome cloak, drew the Chakra blade from his back, casually hung the boy on his shoulder on a tree branch, and charged at Orochimaru.
The Shadow Clone's Chakra isn't much. I have to defeat him before the Chakra runs out!
Orochimaru looked at the charging Cloud Ninja, forming hand signs.
"Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Technique!"
Orochimaru continuously spat out several fireballs from her mouth, smaller than usual.
"This level of Fire Release is useless against me!"
The Cloud Ninja observed the trajectory of the flying fireballs, skillfully cut them apart with his sword. Lightning Release Chakra coated the blade, and with a flash of the sword, Orochimaru was cut in half, turning into a cut wooden stake with a bang.
"Substitution Jutsu?!"
The Cloud Ninja's face registered surprise, and he looked around, searching for Orochimaru's whereabouts.
"Is she here?!"
The Cloud Ninja showed a cruel smile, turned around with a slash, and saw Orochimaru's figure, cut in half, twist and disappear like an illusion. The smile on his face froze.
One of the Three Body Technique, the Clone Jutsu, unlike the Shadow Clone, is completely an illusion without substance, so it naturally doesn't divide Chakra.
"Oh no!"
The Cloud Ninja quickly turned around, and what met his eyes was a petite figure faintly flickering with lightning.
Strengthen the arm with Yang Release Chakra, enhance speed and reaction ability with Lightning Release: Lightning Armor, and… burst power!
Orochimaru's arm instantly swelled by a circle, veins bulging, as if the arm of a muscular bodybuilder had been transplanted onto her. Her fist struck the Cloud Ninja's abdomen.
"Uwaa—!"
The Cloud Ninja's eyes widened and bulged, as if enduring extreme pain, and blood sprayed from his mouth.
Orochimaru's fist rotated, spinning once to throw the Cloud Ninja to the ground.
"Tsk… The Shadow Clone's Chakra is all used up…"
Orochimaru panted slightly, clutching her arm which had returned to its normal state. Stimulating cells with Yang Release Chakra to make them swell and increase strength, but that feeling of cell swelling was truly unpleasant, as if her arm would burst at any moment.
Orochimaru looked at the Cloud Ninja, who had created a crater in the ground and fallen unconscious, noted the location, and then vanished with a puff of smoke.
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