Back when Kei Yamanaka was testing his Wood Release in this forest, he had spent several full hours continuously unleashing powerful Wood Release techniques like there was no cost to it.
After the tests, all that remained was to lightly conceal the blossoms from the trees created by [Wood Release: Creation Rebirth] and [Wood Release: Bloom of the Forest Tomb].
However, dealing with the wooden giant and the wooden dragon was somewhat troublesome.
He simply had the wooden dragon burrow underground while burying the wooden giant using Earth Release.
Now that he had returned here, Kei didn't even need to use the Shout-to-Summon technique.
As long as he channeled the immense amount of chakra provided by Sage Transformation into these constructs using the power of the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai, he could immediately take control.
Earlier, Orochimaru summoned a sea of snakes to overwhelm the entire forest.
In truth, his main objective was to clear and detect any potential traps laid out.
After all, Kei had led him straight here.
Any normal ninja would consider whether this forest had been tampered with in advance—set up with tactics advantageous to Kei.
Unfortunately...
Wood Release wasn't something normal ninja could ever hope to use.
No matter how hard Orochimaru thought about it, he never considered that his enemy's strategy might involve nothing more than trees—ones that looked only just thicker than usual, and were practically everywhere across the Land of Fire!
"Wood Release? Wood Release!? Haha... hahahaha!"
Orochimaru didn't even spare a glance at the Manda beneath his feet that had just disappeared.
His eyes locked onto Kei Yamanaka, who sat atop the wooden giant with his legs casually dangling from the edge of its head, smiling.
He burst into wild, maniacal laughter.
Six years Orochimaru had spent researching the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai!
Yet due to the overwhelming invasive and consuming power of Hashirama Senju's cells, his experiments had barely made any progress.
And now Kei could use Wood Release!
This guy must possess some unique trait Orochimaru hadn't yet uncovered!
Powerful!
Majestic!
The unparalleled, world-shaking power of the First Hokage's legendary Wood Release!
Orochimaru's hands trembled—overcome with such intense excitement it nearly shattered his composure.
Although Kei's displayed power stirred a deep sense of fear within him—an instinctive urge to flee—
such a perfect test subject... such perfect command of the Wood Release Kekkei Genkai!
He had to try it! Absolutely!
If there was even the slightest chance... just maybe... somehow...
POOF!
Biting his fingertip open, Orochimaru formed hand seals with both hands and slammed them onto the ground.
His golden, snake-like eyes burned with unprecedented anticipation and excitement. A thick cloud of chakra surged from his body, creating a dense mist that blanketed the sky.
"Sssss~"
One massive serpent after another, each only just smaller than Manda, lifted their heads high from the chakra mist.
Leading them were a three-headed and a two-headed serpent whose viciousness showed no signs of fear or hesitation—even as they faced a wooden giant many times larger than themselves.
BOOM!
In the next instant, more than ten enormous serpents clashed violently with four wooden dragons.
Boulders shattered, ancient trees fell, and as they twisted together, the earth within a radius of several kilometers thunderously shook.
A towering cloud of dust erupted into the sky, swallowing the battlefield.
Meanwhile, the ancient trees, birthed and controlled through [Wood Release: Creation Rebirth], kept extending their ever-lengthening vines and branches, attempting to entangle the monstrous serpents.
Boom! Boom!
Already struggling against the wooden dragon, two of the massive serpents were gravely injured on impact and vanished in a wisp of smoke, retreating back to Ryuchi Cave.
The remaining serpents were flung about like toys by the wooden dragon.
At this pace, they wouldn't last even a minute before being wiped out entirely!
As Orochimaru dashed toward Kei Yamanaka at high speed, his gaze swept across several towering ancient trees. Their buds already quivered as they bloomed, releasing mist-like pollen in every direction.
Fully aware that any delay would cost him the opportunity forever!
His hands flashed through hand seals, unleashing a barrage of devastating jutsu from his palms.
[Earth Release: Mountain Crush Technique], [Wind Release: Vacuum Blade Barrage], [Fire Release: Ash Veil Technique]!
A semi-circular mass of earth and stone dozens of meters high slammed forcefully down upon the wooden giant.
Slicing gusts of wind severed the coiling branches that lashed toward him.
A surge of searing ash spread rapidly, thick clouds instantly swallowing everything around Orochimaru.
"Why resist? Isn't surrender simpler?"
Kei's sensor ability allowed him to 'see' every move Orochimaru made within the ash cloud.
Seizing the cover of smoke, he activated the Multiple Shadow Clone Jutsu, summoning eight shadow clones.
Four burrowed underground, three charged forward separately on the surface,
and one began forming hand seals near Orochimaru's original body.
Orochimaru began weaving an elaborate series of hand seals. From the opening movements alone, Kei recognized it—it was a high-level forbidden technique!
He wasn't some fool who thought he was invincible, nor a clueless antagonist with half a brain.
There was no way he would let the enemy complete such a devastating technique.
With a resounding clap of his hands,
from those trees cultivated using his own chakra, wooden clones immediately emerged.
The wooden giant's eyes burned with energy as it took on Susanoo's four-armed form, driving its fists straight toward Orochimaru's true location.
[Threefold Gate of Life!]
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Orochimaru's shadow clone clapped its palms against the ground, and three grand gates engraved with eerie demon faces thunderously fell right before the wooden giant's strikes.
Before the gates could even make contact with the wooden giant's blows,
from behind the gates, Orochimaru's real body, still sealing, was already ambushed by the wood clones!
The heavy thuds of flesh meeting force blended into a single, relentless noise.
That unknown kinjutsu came to a sudden halt!
BOOM!!
Pound! Pound! Pound! Pound!!
Beneath the wooden giant's relentless assault, the Threefold Gate of Life crumbled into ruin.
Amidst rolling clouds of dust, Orochimaru's battered original body was exposed, being ruthlessly beaten by three wood clones.
"Urk—ugh—ah..."
Groans of pain and dry retching spilled out continuously.
Meanwhile, his shadow clones were being dismantled one by one by the wooden clones.
[Temporal Arts: Yomi Reversal], [Soul Severance], [Four-Corner Sealing Barrier]—plus natural-energy infused venom… you're really not pulling punches here!"
With one hand forming a seal, Kei connected with Orochimaru's mind using the Mind Body Transmission Technique.
Initially intending to convince his opponent to surrender sooner.
When using the Mind Body Transmission Technique, a reflexive use of the Memory Reading Jutsu revealed the opponent's thoughts.
[Angry emoticon face]~
The Temporal Art: Yomi Reversal is a jutsu used by the Sound Four during the Fourth Great Ninja World War in the original storyline. It was used against Neji, Kiba, Choji, and Shikamaru.
This technique separates the soul from the physical body, directly dragging the victim's spirit into a special battlefield.
Meanwhile, the body left behind, devoid of its soul, will gradually approach death.
Soul Severance is another soul-based kinjutsu; it uses a special talisman inscribed with the enemy's name and information to seal their spirit.
Combined with Yomi Reversal, unless one's soul is exceptionally strong and equipped with specialized techniques for targeting spirits, there is no solution.
As for the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier, this technique once trapped Hiruzen Sarutobi in the original story, leaving the ANBU helpless.
If Kei Yamanaka's soul were truly pulled away by Yomi Reversal, leaving only his body behind.
Once the Four-Corner Sealing Barrier is activated.
A fusion of natural energy and snake venom fills the enclosed space.
Even if Kei resists Orochimaru's Soul Severance using the secret techniques of the Yamanaka Clan,
He could force his way out of Yomi Reversal's effects through the Spirit Transformation Technique, returning his soul to his body.
But he would still be poisoned by that special snake venom infused with natural energy, especially without mastery over natural energy or Sage Mode.
The only solution, apparently, is to punch yourself?
Punch yourself repeatedly?
[Angry emoticon face]~!
Fight, fight, fight!
This technique is underhanded! You need to strike hard!
The wooden giant wildly swung its four fists downward.
Three Wood Clones pinned Orochimaru to the ground like thick vines.
One Wood Clone continuously applied the Four Limbs Sealing Array to his limbs.
The remaining two Wood Clones continuously injected chaotic chakra into his body, disrupting his ability to perform Ninjutsu.
The summoned snakes had already vanished entirely.
All shadow clones were also gone.
Orochimaru could only watch helplessly as colossal fists rained down from the sky!
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!!
Half an hour later.
"Hey... hey, don't play dead. Take a breath."
Kei Yamanaka's right foot glowed with Mystical Palm Technique as he stepped onto Orochimaru's mangled body.
His entire skeleton shattered beyond recognition, his limbs turned into pulp, even his head twisted out of shape.
Yet Orochimaru endured this brutal beating purely through sheer vitality!
His chest, pierced countless times by broken ribs, rose faintly.
Under medical treatment, Orochimaru opened his misshapen eye sockets, staring directly up at the towering figure of Kei above him.
"Heh… huff… heh… huff… Foot treatment, is this compassion from a stronger opponent?"
"You sure you want me to use my hands? Let me warn you in advance, they're poisonous."
Looking into Orochimaru's unwavering gaze, Kei hesitated briefly before tutting, stepping down and crouching beside him.
Emerald light radiated from both his hands as he pressed them back onto Orochimaru's chest.
Pshhh—shhh—shhh—
Orochimaru's shattered chest writhed violently.
Using his immense vitality and Medical Ninjutsu, the wounds, which had barely begun to heal, tore open again, oozing blood.
He nearly died on the spot.
"You... are suited for... the Interrogation Unit!"
"I warned you beforehand. You were the one who asked for it."
"..."
"Wanna switch back? Tsk! What're you staring at? Last chance—I'm asking one last time: switch or not?"
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