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Faced with the sudden appearance of Chakra, Kabuto quietly stepped behind Orochimaru.
He knew enough about this man’s abilities to understand one thing clearly he could not face him head-on.
This was soone who had blocked Akatsuki’s two-man teams...
Soone is rumored to have the ability to literally change a person’s gender.
Kabuto had no intention of testing his luck.
Orochimaru also halted his attack for the mont, his golden eyes narrowing slightly.
The data this man had once provided to him had solved several problems he’d been stuck on for years.
If he possessed that level of knowledge... then his own research might actually be inferior.
Neji placed a hand on Hiruko’s raised weapons, pushing them down.
The simple gesture spoke volus.
Orochimaru gave a soft, intrigued chuckle.
Interesting.
The fact that Sasori, a man whose pride could split mountains, would silently obey this gesture...
...ant they weren’t operating as equals.
" Orochimaru... interested in making another trade?" Neji asked casually.
"Oh?" The snake’s eyes flashed. "And what kind of trade?"
Neji gave a small sigh, as though disappointed.
"I’d honestly prefer to work with you. Unfortunately, you’re... not in a state suitable for cooperation.
So a trade will have to do."
Not suitable for cooperation...?
Orochimaru’s smirk deepened part annoyance, part fascination.
"There’s no need for riddles, Chakra-dono. We’ve already had one successful exchange, after all."
"...True." Neji nodded. "Then I’ll be direct. I want the Edo Tensei technique. I assu you’ve finished perfecting it?"
Edo Tensei...?
Orochimaru’s tongue flicked across his lips.
So that was what he wanted quite a request.
"And you’re sure... that’s what you want in return?"
Neji nodded once.
Apart from Edo Tensei itself... the only other valuable thing Orochimaru possessed was Orochimaru.
And Orochimaru, as a subordinate, was far too dangerous.
Unlike Sasori (whose flaws were predictable and manageable), Orochimaru would betray him the mont it beca convenient.
After a long silence, Orochimaru glanced at Kabuto, who leaned in and whispered sothing.
Finally, he spoke.
"Very well... and what exactly do you intend to offer in return?"
"Your life."
The words were soft, almost casual but they made Orochimaru’s eyes turn cold.
"A fair price," he hissed. "But tell can you actually afford such a trade?"
"Try ."
Orochimaru’s grin beca predatory as his mouth opened and a sea of snakes poured out.
Each serpent bared gleaming fangs; so carried blade-like protrusions in their jaws.
In the blink of an eye, the snakes flooded forward like a living tidal wave.
Sasori calmly glanced toward Neji.
"You handle Kabuto," Neji said. "I’ll take Orochimaru."
Sasori simply nodded. The chanisms in Hiruko hissed, jets of wind firing from hidden vents as he shot into the air like a steel-bodied Iron Man.
Neji watched him go with mild amusent.
He really used the Wind Shell boosters. Looks ridiculous but effective.
The snake tide crashed toward him.
Neji slowly raised his arm.
"Pierce."
Black lightning erupted, reinforced with Armant Haki and Conqueror’s Haki, blasting straight through the hissing swarm.
It punched a clean tunnel through the snake sea, montarily revealing Orochimaru’s surprised expression, before another wave surged in.
"Mm... It’s been a while since I used Haki."
The sea of snakes surged again only to be stopped by a single step.
BOOM—!
Neji stomped the ground.
The sheer force shattered the snakes and blew the chakra cluster apart.
The bridge groaned under the pressure, wooden beams cracking but holding together by a thread.
Before Orochimaru could react, Neji vanished and reappeared with his hand locked around the Sannin’s throat.
CRASH—!
Orochimaru’s body was slamd through tree after tree, carving a straight path through the forest until the last trunk shattered like glass.
The mont Neji let go, a blade shot from Orochimaru’s mouth.
Neji leaned aside, avoiding it easily. He raised a leg—
BANG—!
One clean roundhouse sent Orochimaru folding in half and smashing into another tree, which splintered from the impact.
His head slumped, motionless.
Neji gave a cold smile.
" Shedding already?"
A shadow shot out of the "corpse," revealing a serpentine Orochimaru human head, snake’s body.
He had discarded the entire body to escape.
Orochimaru erged fully from the snake skin, eyes cautious.
So... this was the result of the man’s experints.
Even Might Guy’s body likely wasn’t this resilient.
"And here I thought only monsters were that durable," Orochimaru rasped. "Very impressive... but brute strength alone won’t be enough to subdue ."
He smiled but his heart was sinking.
He couldn’t kill this man. And worse: ...this man could kill him.
"Your soft-tissue modifications are impressive too," Neji replied with a smirk.
"But without the use of ninjutsu, you’re far less threatening. In other words... you’re very soft, Orochimaru."
The Sannin snorted, obviously irritated that the truth had been spoken out loud.
"Then allow to show you sothing other than softness."
His hands ca together.
Wood Release.
In a sudden surge, wooden branches burst from the ground like living serpents, twisting and coiling toward Orochimaru.
His eyes widened—
He even mastered Wood Release?!
The First Hokage’s cells... he actually solved it.
Dodging back as the wooden tendrils sward toward him, Orochimaru couldn’t help but curse internally—
This just got problematic.
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