Nara Shikaku looked at Akashō standing in the distance with a sword planted in the ground and couldn't help frowning.
"Kokushibo, why have you come to the Earth-Fire battlefield?"
Akashō cast a casual glance at the pineapple-headed man.
"You're Orochimaru?"
Nara Shikaku paused for a moment and shook his head. "No."
"Heh, seems my strength is too lacking. I'm being looked down on—apparently I'm not even worth meeting in person."
Akashō let out a cold laugh.
"W-Wait a second!"
The moment he finished speaking, Nara Shikaku widened his eyes.
"We had no idea you were coming!"
"Konoha holds absolute respect for a strong person like you. Just give me five minutes—I'll have Orochimaru come see you immediately!"
Akashō narrowed his eyes, feeling a bit annoyed.
This guy reacts fast—and he's being so polite that it's actually hard to just start cutting people down to force Orochimaru out.
Well, no matter. Cause trouble after fighting him.
"Fine. I'll give you five minutes."
"Inoichi, contact Orochimaru-sama immediately!"
Nara Shikaku quickly called out to Yamanaka Inoichi.
"Understood!"
Yamanaka Inoichi nodded, then—under Akashō's curious gaze—closed his eyes and formed a hand seal.
After a few seconds, he opened them again.
"I've already informed Orochimaru-sama. He said he'll arrive shortly."
Hearing that, Akashō grew even more intrigued. A ninjutsu like wireless communication?
Could this be the "secret technique" that Yamanaka clan ninja mentioned before?
As Akashō's thoughts wandered, a sudden chill crept up from behind him.
He snapped back to his senses, instantly activating the Transparent World. Then he slightly turned his head toward a large tree in the distance.
"Come out. Stop hiding."
"Heh heh heh…"
Along with a hoarse, low chuckle, a pale-skinned man with long hair and purple eyeshadow stepped out from behind the tree. His narrow eyes had yellow vertical pupils—just like a venomous snake, perfectly matching his name.
"Nice to meet you, Kokushibo."
Facing Orochimaru's cold smile, Akashō didn't waste a word—he immediately slashed out a blade of wind.
Orochimaru easily dodged it. "Kokushibo, what is the meaning of this?"
"The time I asked you to wait hasn't even exceeded three minutes, has it?"
Akashō lifted his gaze, thought for a moment, then said, "Your eyeshadow… I hate it."
Orochimaru: "???"
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio nearby were also stunned by this reasoning.
"Kokushibo, if you have something to say, just say it. Please don't make jokes like this."
Orochimaru frowned, clearly displeased.
"Who's joking with you?"
Akashō said with a serious expression, "I spent quite a while thinking of that reason."
"You've got two choices now. One: wash off your eyeshadow. Two: fight me."
Orochimaru's eye twitched. He fell silent for a moment.
"This is natural. I didn't paint it."
"Huh??"
Akashō looked as if he had just heard something unbelievable.
"Natural? Who are you trying to fool—what, you think you're some demon reincarnation?"
"Demon reincarnation?"
Akashō waved his hand dismissively.
"That's not important. What matters is—if you don't wash it off, I'm making my move."
"I said it's natural. It can't be washed off."
Orochimaru's pupils began to contract slowly. This guy was obviously just picking a fight on purpose.
Through the Transparent World, Akashō could clearly see his muscles tensing—he was already prepared for battle.
So that ridiculous eyeshadow really was natural?
Akashō shook his head. Did that even matter? He never expected Orochimaru to compromise anyway. Even if he actually went to wash it off, Akashō would just come up with another excuse.
No way Orochimaru could keep holding back forever.
No more nonsense. Akashō directly evolved his Blade of Living Flesh and turned into a blur as he charged toward Orochimaru.
"Clang!"
Blade met blade, sparks flying everywhere. Akashō's six crimson eyes locked onto Orochimaru's vertical pupils, as if lightning flashed between their gazes.
Their auras exploded at once, even stirring the surrounding airflow into violent motion.
The Ino–Shika–Chō trio still hadn't even processed what was happening. So these two really started fighting… over eyeshadow?
What kind of people are these?!
Impossible to understand. Completely incomprehensible.
Akashō gripped his evolved blade, immense force pressing down on the ninja sword in Orochimaru's hand.
"Fast reaction."
Akashō grinned, offering praise.
Orochimaru responded with a cold smile. "Likewise."
"Clang!"
In the next instant, Akashō pulled his blade, instantly splitting Orochimaru's ninja sword in two. Then he spun sharply, releasing two crescent blade winds toward him.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
Orochimaru formed a hand seal, and several dark shapes shot out from his sleeves, wrapping around the incoming blade winds.
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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