Chinya unleashed [Thunder Breathing, First Form: Lightning Flash Sixfold Slash] against Orochimaru in their final exchange.
The first sword slash was dodged by Orochimaru.
Chinya stepped onto a tree trunk with both feet, using the terrain to change his charging direction and slashed toward Orochimaru once again.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed slightly, "Oh? So you've compensated for the weakness of Lightning Flash—when its properties and trajectory are perceived, it practically becomes useless? How truly brilliant!"
Orochimaru didn't believe this technique was one Chinya had been concealing all along.
Because it still fell within the scope of Lightning Flash.
Don't underestimate this move—it may look like he's just using the terrain to change direction, but Orochimaru could see just how hard it really was.
Chinya pursued the ultimate speed.
Greater speed meant greater power.
By changing direction using the terrain, Chinya channeled the force generated from that speed directly into his body.
Like earlier, when he altered course by stepping on the tree trunk, all the force brought by the speed concentrated onto his legs.
Just looking at the deep footprints left on the tree trunk, you can tell how intense that force was.
If he messed up even slightly, leg injuries would be the least of his worries—he could also face a dangerous backlash from his lightning chakra.
Yet Chinya's execution just now showed just how finely tuned his chakra control was—his fundamentals were rock solid.
"Let me see where your limits lie!"
Orochimaru formed hand seals.
[Wind Release: Cutting Gale!]
A fierce gust capable of slicing through bone and flesh erupted from Orochimaru's hands, cutting straight toward Chinya.
Chinya stepped onto a raised rock to change direction, dodging the slashing wind.
Then, using a nearby tree as another pivot point, he changed direction once more, rushing back toward Orochimaru.
[Earth Style: Mud Wall!]
An earthen wall shot up directly along Chinya's path.
He cut cleanly through it with a single slash.
But immediately after cutting through the wall, Orochimaru had already shifted position using the [Shifting Body Technique].
Locking onto Orochimaru's new position with his Sharingan, Chinya changed direction and charged ahead without hesitation.
Orochimaru watched Chinya approach, crackling with lightning energy, and said, "Although you improved upon the weakness of Lightning Flash—where it becomes almost ineffective once its nature and trajectory are predicted—you're still attacking in a straight line.
Your speed is indeed impressive, but not fast enough to exceed my reaction time. That's why predicting your movements is child's play for me. At this rate, no matter how many times you try, you won't achieve anything."
As he spoke, Orochimaru effortlessly evaded another Lightning Flash slash from Chinya.
He continued, "You mentioned 'Sixfold Slash,' right? As the name suggests, you can only redirect yourself six times using the surrounding terrain. You've redirected five times already—which means, if I'm interpreting this correctly, you only have one last chance left."
Orochimaru wasn't wrong. His analysis was spot-on.
Chinya's legs burned with pain. The Sixfold Slash was already his limit.
But if Orochimaru thought this was over, he truly underestimated him.
He knew the Lightning Flash wouldn't be enough to catch Orochimaru off guard—not even the Sixfold, Eightfold, or Eighteenfold Slash could land a hit.
Chinya wasn't stupid. He wouldn't recklessly charge in headfirst while Orochimaru played with him like a monkey on a leash.
This sixth slash—this was Chinya's final killing move!
Planting a foot on a tree limb, he changed his angle of attack.
Gritting his teeth against the searing pain in his legs, Chinya launched himself at Orochimaru one more time.
"Hmm?"
Orochimaru slightly furrowed his brows.
Because as Chinya pushed off from the tree, he noticed Chinya's left hand twitch slightly.
Chinya had never made such an unnecessary movement before.
Then, Orochimaru figured it out instantly.
The moment Chinya sprang from the branch, a rustling sound suddenly filled the air around Orochimaru.
In a flash, Orochimaru was locked in place.
Looking around, Orochimaru clearly saw what bound him—Wire Strings! Lit up by Chinya's Lightning Aura, they were now visible.
Orochimaru quickly deduced Chinya's strategy.
Chinya understood that Thunder Breathing, First Form: Lightning Flash Sixfold Slash alone couldn't harm Orochimaru—he could react and dodge using Shunshin.
So how could Chinya land a hit?
By keeping his opponent immobilized, unable to escape.
While performing the Lightning Flash Sixfold Slash, every time Chinya stepped on a tree, he secretly wrapped Wire Strings around them.
These wires conducted electricity, so they wouldn't burn through from the lightning's heat. And since it was nighttime, the Wire Strings lying on the ground were extremely hard to detect.
That slight hand tremble earlier? Chinya wrapping pre-prepared Wire Strings around his arm. Then, moving at the speed of Lightning Flash, he trapped Orochimaru in an instant.
Now, Orochimaru felt growing admiration for Chinya.
Thinking up such a plan in seconds and pulling it off flawlessly—it proved Chinya's battle IQ and execution were top-notch.
[Thunder Breathing, First Form: Lightning Flash Sixfold Slash] struck—one final arc of searing lightning cleaved through Orochimaru's neck.
His severed head dropped to the ground.
Exhausted from the strain on his legs, Chinya collapsed flat onto the earth.
Never in his wildest dreams did Chinya think he could kill Orochimaru.
Who doesn't know Orochimaru's a sly old fox in the Shinobi World, always pulling out some last-minute trick to save his skin?
The headless corpse began to writhe, then from within it crawled a slime-covered Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's signature Ninjutsu—the Substitution Jutsu.
No hand seals needed—just use an outer shell as a decoy and relocate your real body.
Orochimaru strode casually toward where Chinya lay, then stood towering over him.
"Your strength genuinely surprised me," Orochimaru said. "I take back what I said about your poor adaptability. Thinking up a plan so fast and putting it into action—you've got outstanding decision-making and execution skills."
Chinya gritted his teeth, forcing himself to stand despite the pain and trembling in his legs. He looked hopefully at Orochimaru and said, "Lord Orochimaru, does that mean I..."
Orochimaru placed a hand on Chinya's shoulder and said, "Four days after the graduation exam ends, I will come for you. You may start calling me 'teacher' from now on."
Chinya snapped upright, no longer feeling the ache in his legs. "Yes! Teacher!"
Orochimaru removed his hand from Chinya's shoulder, walked past him, and left the training ground.
From their recent battle, Chinya was convinced that staying by Orochimaru's side would make him stronger.
Deep down, he sincerely thanked Hiruzen Sarutobi for this unexpected help. All those years of swallowing his pride and enduring humiliation in Konoha hadn't been in vain after all.
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