Chapter 29: Solo Battle Against Orochimaru
As the dust settled, the massive purple serpent coiled itself in a battle-ready stance. Standing atop its massive head, draped in his signature red-cloud Akatsuki cloak, Orochimaru gazed down at the group with a sinister smile.
"Konoha's shinobi… it's been a while."
"Orochimaru…"
The presence of Manda, Orochimaru's colossal summon, weighed heavily on the team. The pressure was so intense that even the seasoned special jōnin broke into cold sweat. Nagai Seiji and Inuzuka Kaze, though maintaining their composure, still felt the crushing intensity of the encounter.
"Orochimaru, are these supposed to be my sacrifices?" Manda's eerie, slitted eyes scanned the group with disdain. "They seem… insufficient."
"Inari, Saito, take everyone and retreat. Leave this to me," Uchiha Douhuan ordered. His Sharingan spun, three tomoe swirling ominously as arcs of electricity flickered around his body. "Kakashi, keep them safe."
Kakashi lowered his mask, exposing his Sharingan eye. "Are you sure you can handle this alone?"
Douhuan threw back his head and laughed. "Do you know why, back in the Third Great Ninja War, I always operated solo?" His hands blurred into a rapid sequence of seals. "Lightning Release: Azure Dragon!"
A storm of lightning chakra erupted from Douhuan's body, forming an electrified vortex that forced Kakashi and the others to retreat instinctively.
In mere moments, his entire form was engulfed in surging blue electricity. Thunder roared as bolts of lightning crackled around him like a raging storm.
At the eye of the storm, Douhuan stood—an unstoppable force, exuding the aura of a war god.
The team suddenly remembered the legends from the war—how Douhuan had single-handedly decimated fifteen jōnin squads from Kirigakure, earning the name Aokaminari (Azure Thunder Douhuan). And now, that monstrous power was on full display.
"That chakra… This is insane," Kakashi muttered as he led the team away. Even with his own powerful chakra reserves, the sheer volume and intensity of Douhuan's was overwhelming.
In the center of the storm, Douhuan let out a low growl. The electrical vortex surged outward—taking shape into an enormous azure dragon, its roaring form no less imposing than Manda itself.
As the dragon streaked toward the serpent, trees toppled in its wake, their bark seared black from the sheer heat of the lightning.
Manda's pupils shrank in fear. "Orochimaru! What kind of monster have you provoked?!"
"Fascinating…" Even Orochimaru's confident smirk wavered slightly. The scale of this jutsu was something he had only seen from his own teacher in his prime.
If his base power is already this strong… and he still has a Mangekyō Sharingan…
Knowing that Manda was a sitting duck for such an attack, Orochimaru dismissed the summon, allowing the massive serpent to disappear in a cloud of smoke.
Instead, he bit his thumb and slammed his palm onto the ground.
"Summoning: Triple Rashōmon!"
Three enormous demonic-faced gates erupted from the earth, standing as barriers between him and the incoming lightning dragon.
When the two forces collided, the resulting explosion was cataclysmic. The shockwave tore through the battlefield, hurling debris in all directions.
Even though Kakashi's team had already retreated several hundred meters, the force of the impact still sent them staggering.
Having received no assistance in retreating, the already injured Homura Taku was directly caught in the blast. He was sent flying, crashing against a tree with a sickening crack before slumping to the ground—completely unconscious, a pool of blood forming beneath him.
"Gulp…" Nagai Seiji swallowed hard. The man I was drinking with yesterday… just did this?
"Is your clan head always this ridiculous?" Hyūga Ken'ya asked, dazed.
"Of course!" Uchiha Inari's eyes gleamed with reverence. "Our clan leader is the strongest Uchiha!"
"Ken'ya! No distractions—what's the situation?" Kakashi barked.
Ken'ya quickly refocused, activating his Byakugan. "Douhuan is engaging Orochimaru—close combat!"
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Despite being weakened by the Triple Rashōmon's defenses, Douhuan's attack had still forced Orochimaru to retreat.
And now, he was upon him.
With a swift draw, Douhuan unsheathed Jirai, his personal blade, its edge crackling with electric energy. He surged forward, a blur of blue lightning.
In response, Orochimaru drew his Kusanagi no Tsurugi (Grasscutter Sword), parrying just in time.
Clang!
The two swords clashed, sparks flying.
They exchanged a flurry of slashes—each stroke so fast it was nearly imperceptible. Despite his usual arrogance, Orochimaru found himself struggling.
Too fast.
Douhuan's movements were refined, relentless, and precise—every strike aimed to kill.
Like a bolt of lightning itself…
Adding to the difficulty, Orochimaru's usual advantage—his inhuman flexibility—was countered by Douhuan's uncanny reflexes.
"This is a problem," Orochimaru admitted to himself. "His speed rivals the Raikage's."
Meanwhile, Douhuan frowned. Orochimaru's swordsmanship was among the best in Konoha. And thanks to his altered body, he could twist and contort in ways that defied human limitations, allowing him to block or evade even the most unpredictable attacks.
But Douhuan was far from finished.
Their blades clashed once more. Both warriors skidded backward, putting distance between them.
Orochimaru licked his lips, his snake-like tongue sliding across his pale face. "So this is the power of the Uchiha. Impressive… very impressive."
"You're not bad yourself, Orochimaru. I see why you were called one of the Legendary Sannin." Douhuan smirked.
Orochimaru's slitted eyes gleamed with curiosity. "They say you've awakened a Mangekyō Sharingan, just like Uchiha Madara. Tell me… will you show me?"
Douhuan's smirk deepened. "My Mangekyō? That depends… Are you strong enough to make me use it?"
Electricity crackled as he lunged forward once more.
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(Author's Note: The real battle begins! Who will have the upper hand? Stay tuned for the next chapter!)