[Zzzzt—]
[Orochimaru wanted to pull out his ninja blade.]
[But countless tiny lightning arcs were still dancing on the ninja blade, paralyzing his body.]
["Heh... heh..."]
["Uzumaki... Uzumaki Naruto?!"]
["Hehe... I didn't expect... I didn't expect this!"]
[Orochimaru laughed out loud.]
[And then he coughed incessantly.]
[With every cough, he spat out blood mixed with bits of internal organs.]
[Did it hurt?]
[Of course, it was painful and numb!]
[However... Orochimaru's smile didn't fade.]
[Because he had already noticed that something felt slightly off.]
[Looking at the white smoke that had not yet dissipated.]
[Orochimaru shifted his gaze.]
[Beneath his feet, the entirely purple Manda was still warily watching its surroundings.]
[Orochimaru shook his head inwardly.]
[It seems like after returning, he would have to specifically address his weaknesses.]
[His resistance to Genjutsu was too poor.]
[And... Uzumaki Naruto?]
[Even though it was Genjutsu... but... it might not be impossible to achieve in reality.]
[Just then.]
[Orochimaru's eyes suddenly widened, and he felt his scalp go numb.]
[The white smoke from summoning Manda had not yet cleared.]
[But within that white smoke...]
[Five Release: Great Combo Technique!]
[Boom—]
[Lightning Release! Orochimaru and Manda beneath him were paralyzed all over.]
[Fire Release! Orochimaru and Manda turned into a ball of fire.]
[Wind Release! The flames intensified, crackling sounds rang out, and at the same time, several shocking wind-blade gashes appeared on Orochimaru and Manda's bodies.]
[Earth Release!]
[This was not a direct-attack Earth Release.]
[Instead, a large mass of mud covered Orochimaru and Manda.]
[Their movements were further restricted once again.]
[Finally, the Water Release... crashed down like water from the heavens.]
[The mud instantly hardened, trapping them.]
[Only Orochimaru's eyes remained exposed.]
[Suddenly.]
[The white smoke before his eyes vanished.]
[But... the entire world had turned the color of Chakra.]
[Looking at the Chakra color that swallowed all other colors around it.]
[Those massive Chakra spheres, one after another—Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan.]
[Orochimaru: "..."]
[Ah—!!!]
[...]
[Orochimaru's whole body jolted, and then his body began to sway.]
[He almost fell from the tree branch he was standing on.]
[He panted frantically.]
[He struggled to lift his head and look at that golden figure.]
["Heh... heh..."]
[As expected, it was Genjutsu!]
[However, after seeing Naruto's handsome face with that half-smile.]
[Orochimaru's pupils constricted sharply.]
[Without a word.]
[After stumbling and almost falling, he immediately used Body Flicker to leave.]
[A moment later.]
[Orochimaru's shoulders couldn't stop trembling.]
[I didn't see wrong! It wasn't Genjutsu either... there's absolutely no way I saw wrong!!!]
[Uzumaki... Uzumaki Naruto!]
[Uzumaki Clan, Sharingan... yes!]
[Even though Orochimaru didn't know why those azure eyes would turn crimson and take the form of the Sharingan.]
[But Orochimaru knew that today, he had discovered an extraordinary secret.]
[Uzumaki... plus Uchiha...]
[This... this was the true... the true correct answer he had been searching for!]
[Uchiha Sasuke... Uchiha Itachi?]
[Uchiha?]
[Single ones all have to take a back seat!]
[The true, most perfect vessel!]
[No!]
[Vessel... no! Such a perfect body... to describe it as a vessel... is simply a desecration!]
[A look of madness surged deep within Orochimaru's eyes.]
[And in his mind.]
[That dusty memory he was unwilling to recall—the memory of being insta-killed by Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyo Sharingan... gradually faded.]
[In its place was everything that had just happened in the Genjutsu World.]
[A new obsession had appeared.]
[Deeper... than his previous obsession with the Uchiha!]
["This trip... was really worth it!"]
["Fortunately... fortunately!"]
[I almost missed it!]
Orochimaru: "Yay~!!!"
V(＾－＾)V
Everyone: "..."
It has to be you, Auntie Snake!
["Why not just kill him?"]
[Inside the Sealing Space, the Great Fox said somewhat puzzledly.]
["Kill him?"]
["He is the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru."]
["And one of the Old Thing's disciples."]
["And then?" the Great Fox said nonchalantly.]
[Clearly, none of Orochimaru's titles were worth her notice.]
[It's just so-so, average.]
[Naruto chuckled and said, "Of course, most importantly, Orochimaru is a Rogue Ninja, the highest-level Rogue Ninja from Konoha in recent years."]
["And... when his deeds were exposed and Orochimaru defected, it wasn't that he couldn't be stopped."]
["Jiraiya?" The Great Fox's face was full of disdain.]
["No." Naruto shook his head.]
["Then say it! Honestly, Naruto, hurry up~!"]
["It was the Old Thing himself who went to intercept him, putting on that spotless battle armor, but in the end, he didn't even make a move. He just cried and watched as Orochimaru left."]
["Oh." The Great Fox was stunned, then rolled her eyes.]
["Fool, didn't you tell me yourself a couple of days ago that the Hidden Sand Village seemed to be planning something?"]
["Recently, all sorts of Sunagakure Ninjas have been infiltrating Konoha, all exploiting patrol loopholes."]
["And there are people cooperating from within... many of those Ninjas in the Anbu have reported that Danzo's Root Organization is cooperating with them."]
[Great Fox: "..."]
[What are you blathering about?!]
[Who's a fool?!]
[Damn blondie!]
[I'm just a fox, how could I think so much?]
[Sinister blondie!]
[Naruto naturally couldn't guess the Great Fox's inner thoughts at this moment.]
[He still smiled faintly and said, "So, I'm wondering if Orochimaru also can't stand the Old Thing anymore?"]
["It doesn't matter. Regardless of Orochimaru's purpose, isn't it good that someone is setting the stage for us?"]
["Besides, I've discovered many interesting things... and many of them have Orochimaru's shadow behind them."]
["He's a talent. A dead Orochimaru isn't worth much, even if he's brought back with Edo Tensei... a living Orochimaru is the most valuable."]
["Oh." The Great Fox responded flatly.]
[Naruto laughed helplessly, not knowing how he had offended her again. The Great Fox had indeed been a bit irritable lately.]
["Good opportunity!"]
[At the same time.]
[Outside the battlefield.]
[Oboro and Mihoshi looked at each other.]
[And then a sharp light burst from their eyes.]
[There's an opening!]
[A huge opening!]
[They didn't want to miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!]
["Do it!"]
["Take them down, Angel-sama will definitely..."]