Chapter 55 – Kage-Level Power Is Our Best Reinforcement
Sasori was fast—
but Orochimaru was faster.
As someone who would survive into the future, evade death again and again, and even manage to "wash himself clean," Orochimaru's caution went far beyond the saying "a wise man avoids dangerous walls."
The instant he sensed something was off with Sasori, he didn't care who else was present—or rather, in Orochimaru's eyes, everyone present was an enemy.
Without hesitation, he unleashed his technique.
"Multiple Snake Formation!"
An endless tide of serpents poured out of Orochimaru's mouth as he lay prone on the ground—so many that merely witnessing it made one's scalp prickle.
The snakes surged outward in all directions, attacking indiscriminately.
"Orochimaru!"
Having crossed hands with him more than once, Sasori wasn't surprised in the slightest by this kind of attack that made no distinction between friend and foe.
In fact, to Sasori, this was simply standard procedure for Orochimaru.
But the others didn't see it that way.
"Protect the lord!"
Zōmajirō roared as he dashed in front of Oda Nobunaga, his blade flashing so fast it formed an impenetrable curtain of steel.
The majority of the Sound ninja reacted instantly—some forming defensive lines around Nobunaga, others attempting in their own ways to restrain the suddenly rampaging Orochimaru.
Uzumaki Shion even unleashed Adamantine Sealing Chains at once—
Only to be stopped by Kimimaro, who hesitated briefly before stepping forward to block her.
To be honest, the Sound ninja's counterattacks held little weight before one of the Legendary Sannin.
The truly formidable figures had all withdrawn to Nobunaga's side, watching coldly.
After all, Orochimaru was the man who would one day assassinate the 'Strongest Hokage' in full view of Konoha.
Seeing the Sound ninja steadily driven back by the ever-multiplying snakes, Sasori—who had never placed much hope in them to begin with—finally used one of his signature techniques.
"Hmph. Hiruko: Eight Waves of Needles!"
Interestingly, perhaps deliberately, it was aimed straight at Orochimaru.
From Hiruko's mouth erupted countless toxin-laced needles—dense, blindingly fast, and utterly overwhelming.
A perfect counterpoint to the serpents pouring from Orochimaru's jaws.
In the eyes of the onlookers, it was like needles colliding with steel—neither yielding.
Snake corpses and foul blood sprayed everywhere, while the choking stench of poison needles turned faces pale.
"Fall back."
Watching the scene unfold like a living hell—even after surviving a brutal war with Kumogakure—Nobunaga decisively ordered everyone to retreat.
"Your snakes are nothing before my eternal art!"
Sasori glanced briefly at the withdrawing Sound ninja, lingering for a moment on Kakuzu, who still hadn't made a move.
Then he dismissed them entirely.
In Sasori's eyes now, there was only one opponent—
Orochimaru.
"Oh?"
Orochimaru's gaze swept the field as well. Seeing that Kakuzu had no intention of intervening, he relaxed slightly and sneered.
"Just those needles?"
As he spoke, the torrent of snakes emerging from his mouth paused for the briefest instant.
"Just these needles!"
Sasori seized the opening.
He was speaking too—but as a puppeteer, Hiruko was merely a shell. Sasori's words didn't slow the barrage of poison needles in the slightest.
At their level, even a single second could decide the outcome of a battle.
In that infinitesimal gap when the snakes faltered, the poison needles surged forward, smashing through the serpent tide and overwhelming it in one decisive push.
The needles followed through—every single one striking Orochimaru's body.
"Hmph."
A soft chuckle escaped Sasori, a trace of satisfaction appearing on Hiruko's expression.
Of course, neither of them believed Orochimaru would fall so easily.
"A substitution, huh?"
Though he hadn't seen when Orochimaru used it, Sasori wasn't surprised when the needle-riddled body transformed into a splintered log.
Leaping forward, he confirmed his suspicion—
Right where Sasori had been standing, Orochimaru burst up from the ground.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
The ambush had failed, but Orochimaru showed no disappointment.
He raised his right hand toward Hiruko's back. From his sleeve, multiple serpents shot forth, maws gaping wide.
In an instant, they crossed the distance and bound Hiruko tightly.
"Got you."
With a cold laugh, Orochimaru immediately commanded the snakes to constrict, intending to crush Hiruko's outer shell first.
He knew Sasori too well.
Without tearing away this armor, there would be no forcing Sasori to reveal his true hand.
After all, Sasori hadn't even used his proudest creation yet—
the Third Kazekage Puppet.
"Is that all? Orochimaru… you've fallen."
Even bound tightly by multiple serpents, Sasori—hidden within Hiruko—remained utterly composed.
They had crossed paths countless times.
And there was even a spy planted at Orochimaru's side.
Just as Orochimaru understood Sasori, Sasori understood Orochimaru just as well.
From Hiruko's back, the fabric split apart as a segmented, scorpion-tail-shaped bone whip blade burst forth—cleaving not only the garment but also the snakes restraining him.
Swish—swish.
Two dull flashes, and several unfortunate serpents were sliced cleanly into sashimi.
Without even turning around, the weapon—known as the Back Tail Stinger—extended endlessly, as though Hiruko had eyes on its back, stabbing straight toward Orochimaru with unerring precision.
"Wind Release: Wind Cutter."
Hand seals snapped together. A razor-sharp gale erupted, slicing into the incoming bone whip while Orochimaru rapidly widened the distance between them.
Hand-to-hand combat with a disposable puppet?
Orochimaru scoffed internally.
What do you take me for—Jiraiya?
He was a frail, delicate summoner, thank you very much.
"Heh."
Sasori was clearly enjoying himself.
Armed with precise intelligence and maintaining pressure throughout the exchange, he pressed his advantage relentlessly.
While the bone whip continued to lash at Orochimaru, Hiruko's left arm sprang open, several pods ejecting as cylindrical canisters shot outward.
"Prosthetic Arm: Thousand Needles!"
If Needle Barrage was a tool for frontal annihilation, then Thousand Needles perfectly embodied Oda Nobunaga's philosophy of overwhelming firepower.
The canisters expanded midair, each large cylinder bursting open to release over a dozen smaller ones.
Those, in turn, detonated—spewing dense, high-velocity, poison-coated needles in every direction.
It was eerily reminiscent of cluster munitions from another world.
The coverage was so extensive that it not only sealed off every possible escape route for Orochimaru, but even engulfed the distant area where Oda Nobunaga and the others had already withdrawn.
"Wind Release: Pressure Damage!"
At this point, Kakuzu—who had been holding back for various reasons—had no choice but to intervene.
The fight between Orochimaru and Sasori was spiraling completely out of control, growing larger and more destructive by the second—
and now even his employer was being dragged into it.
The Earth Grudge Fear mask representing Wind Release manifested, blasting out a compressed gale that swept the battlefield clean.
All the poison needles flying toward Nobunaga were instantly blown away.
"Don't damage the boss!" Kakuzu bellowed as he moved in, attempting to forcefully separate the two Kage-level combatants before things escalated further.
But just as Kakuzu stepped onto the battlefield—
he forgot one crucial detail.
Sasori's partner was still here.
In Deidara's eyes, Kakuzu's intervention looked very much like teaming up with Orochimaru to gang up on Sasori-danna.
And that?
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Already the type who loved chaos for chaos's sake, Deidara's eyes lit up with excitement as he plunged his hands into his clay pouch—
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