Whizzing sounds rang out as Suikazan Fuguki's round body rolled, dodging an attack from a Golden Eagle behind him.
By now, the battle had been raging for ten minutes. Besides the Great White Shark Ninja, several more animal Ninjas had found this place.
Suikazan Fuguki, the only remaining member of the older generation of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist in Kirigakure, no longer looked as majestic and powerful as before. He was covered in small wounds, panting heavily, and looking haggard.
In particular, the blood flowing from his wounds had a faint blackish tint, and his lips and the corners of his eyes were slightly purple—typical signs of poisoning.
"Damn it, what kind of monsters has Orochimaru created?"
Suikazan Fuguki gasped for breath several times, feeling his breathing become increasingly difficult. It seemed the intense toxicity had caused respiratory inflammation and swelling, making it nearly impossible for him to breathe.
As for Samehada, it also looked wilted now. After clashing with a three-headed Half-snake man, Samehada had absorbed some strange Chakra and ended up in this state.
Seeing that Half-snake man, Suikazan Fuguki knew for certain it was Orochimaru's handiwork. Clearly, Orochimaru was now well-informed about Samehada and had used special means to directly neutralize his greatest trump card.
Slowly standing up, Suikazan Fuguki scanned his surroundings with a grim expression, a faint sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
There was the Great White Shark animal Ninja that had emerged from the river, the Golden Eagle animal Ninja launching sneak attacks from the sky, the Octopus animal Ninja with camouflage abilities and poisonous tentacles, the Turtle animal Ninja with incredible defense, and the Pangolin animal Ninja hiding underground and striking occasionally.
In terms of actual strength, these five were only Chunin at best, perhaps with slightly stronger constitutions and Chakra. However, after gaining the ability to transform into animals and combining that with the animals' natural advantages, they had become extremely difficult to deal with, their strength now roughly equivalent to that of a Special Jōnin.
If five Special Jōnin teamed up, an average Jonin would surely be finished. However, Suikazan Fuguki was no ordinary Jonin. Even among the so-called Elite Jonin, he was at the top level, belonging to the strongest echelon below Kage-level.
Under normal circumstances, even if Samehada were sealed, Suikazan Fuguki wouldn't be at a disadvantage against five Special Jōnin. Let alone escaping, he might even have the chance to kill them all.
However... Suikazan Fuguki looked up at the strange three-headed half-human, half-snake Ninja. This fellow was the biggest obstacle to his escape.
Chakra so massive it was nearly on par with his subordinate, the Kirigakure monster Kisame Hoshigaki; strange soft-body modifications; three heads that could extend and retract; a physique so tough it only took minor injuries when struck by Samehada; and three heads that provided a 360-degree field of vision...
This was definitely an Elite Jonin-level Ninja. Even in a one-on-one duel, without the Great Sword Samehada, Suikazan Fuguki wouldn't be certain of victory, let alone now when he was being ganged up on.
"Hehehe, the capabilities of Lord Orochimaru and Dr. Vegapunk are beyond your imagination! You'd better surrender quickly, Suikazan Fuguki!"
With a hint of fanaticism, the Ninja in his half-snake state said excitedly:
"I've seen you on the battlefield before! A member of Kirigakure's Ninja Swordsmen, and even one of the strongest among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen! Back then, as a mere Chunin, I shouldn't have even caught your attention, for fear of being casually killed by you!"
"But now, I can stand before you and carry out a mission to hunt you down! Just by undergoing some bodily modifications, I am completely different from before!"
"Surrender? In your dreams! You're just a nobody who got lucky!"
With a roar, Suikazan Fuguki suppressed the shock and fear in his heart after hearing such incredible news, brandished Samehada, and charged once more.
He was no longer thinking about escaping into the water. After all, compared to those animal Ninjas like the Great White Shark and the Octopus, he had no advantage underwater. Naturally, his only option was to carve out a path of blood.
Although Samehada was wilted from being fed strange Chakra and had temporarily lost its ability to absorb Chakra, it could still be used as a hard spiked club. Being able to wield Samehada, a top-tier blade even among the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, Suikazan Fuguki's swordsmanship was naturally remarkable.
However, the animal Ninjas opposite him showed no fear. Animal genes granted them powerful instinctive reactions and extraordinary physiques, with the greatest boost naturally being in Taijutsu. Relying on their thick skin and resilience, the group's fighting style was completely different from that of ordinary Ninjas. Both sides charged at each other like warriors, engaging in direct frontal combat.
The Octopus's poisonous tentacles, the Turtle's hard shell, the Great White Shark's sharp teeth, the Golden Eagle's bladed wings, and the Pangolin's sharp claws—for a moment, these animal Ninjas formed a multi-dimensional attack system, surrounding almost every inch of space around Suikazan Fuguki.
Just looking at Suikazan Fuguki's build, one could tell he was never known for agility. Facing the animal Ninjas' attacks, Suikazan Fuguki didn't hesitate to swing the Great Sword Samehada, smashing it down in a trade of blows.
With a squelch, after biting a chunk of flesh from Suikazan Fuguki's shoulder, the Great White Shark Ninja's chest was smashed in by Samehada.
Except for that final blow from the Great White Shark Ninja, the attacks of the other Ninjas were all blocked by a layer of Blood-colored armor on Suikazan Fuguki's body, which was composed of a mixture of his own blood and Chakra.
However, after using this ability, Suikazan Fuguki's face became extremely pale. Besides the loss of Chakra, the primary factor was the loss of his own blood, which put immense pressure on him... "Being able to be injured by the Great White Shark suggests that the defensive power of this Blood-colored armor isn't that great. The main aspect of this Secret technique probably isn't defense..."
In a hidden base, Orochimaru and Vegapunk sat before a monitor, watching the ongoing battle. It was Orochimaru who spoke.
All the test subjects had been marked with Chakra tags. Through the Ninjutsu and technology developed by Vegapunk, they could be monitored at any time and place.
Just as Orochimaru finished speaking, Suikazan Fuguki erupted. Both his speed and strength were significantly greater than at the start, and he almost instantly forced the others back.
Seeing Suikazan Fuguki emitting a bloody aura from his entire body, Vegapunk rubbed his chin. "I recall there was a war between Kirigakure and Konoha before. Did Suikazan Fuguki have this move back then?"