Facing Orochimaru, who was lunging forward with a smirk, Owl reacted immediately, activating the Shinjutsu Conversion. His body rapidly swelled, seemingly converting chakra into potential energy as he threw a heavy punch at Orochimaru.
Bang
The fists of both sides crashed together, producing a low, muffled thud, followed by a violent airwave that vented in all directions.
Venting along with the airwave were both Orochimaru and Owl.
However, after retreating a few steps, Orochimaru quickly stabilized his figure, his gaze fixed on Owl, his mouth still carrying that smirk.
Owl, on the other hand, staggered back more than ten meters. His right arm, which had thrown the punch, was like a pretzel, completely twisted and deformed. Fortunately, he possessed the Shinjutsu Conversion; the twisted and deformed arm was recovering rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Clearly, even after activating Conversion and gaining a boost in potential energy, Owl's power was far inferior to Orochimaru, who possessed the Shinjutsu Great Strength.
Owl spoke with a cold face: "Seize him!"
The escorting shinobi of the convoy all reacted upon hearing this, joining the battle to besiege the suddenly appearing Orochimaru.
Heh
Orochimaru gave a light laugh.
In the next instant, Orochimaru's hand reached out from Owl's body and seized Owl's neck in passing.
Owl looked down with difficulty and only then discovered that at some unknown time, a Claw Mark had appeared on his body, and the hand of Orochimaru gripping his neck had precisely reached out from this Claw Mark.
"This!?"
The surrounding shinobi were all dumbfounded. Even the consistently arrogant Zabuza held back at this moment, not daring to act rashly.
It was not that he was cowardly, but rather that Orochimaru's methods were somewhat too strange. Those Claw Mark looked physical, yet Orochimaru could travel through them at will, making them impossible to guard against.
"Your Shinjutsu, I'll be taking it!"
Orochimaru himself also appeared in front of Owl through the Claw Mark and activated his Shinjutsu Absorption with a cruel grin.
In an instant, Owl was like he had received an electric shock; his whole body shook violently, completely losing the ability to resist.
Ichirō Fūma was overjoyed: "Hahaha, we got it! Quick, quick, after absorbing Conversion, we'll go straight to the Research Institute and absorb the Shinjutsu from Eida and Daemon as well!"
Orochimaru's mouth curled; Owl could no longer stir up any waves in his hands, and Conversion was about to be his!
Just then, Owl's head suddenly became bloated like a balloon.
"Eh?"
Orochimaru was stunned for a moment.
Pop
In the blink of an eye, Owl's head exploded.
However, the expected bloody mess did not appear. What splashed out after Owl's head exploded was merely clumps of white cellular tissue.
Before Orochimaru could observe closely, a cold glint pierced through Owl's body from behind and stabbed toward Orochimaru in front of Owl.
"Black Receivers!?"
Orochimaru was startled and quickly released the headless corpse of Owl, his body retreating violently.
However, after retreating just a few steps, a warning sign rose in his heart. Sensing an attack from behind, he hurriedly checked his momentum and leaned his body to the side.
Rumble
Almost at the same moment he leaned his body to dodge, a deafening explosion rang out behind him!
This explosion was extremely violent. The resulting airflow made his skin sting, causing him great alarm. Thus, he kicked off the ground forcefully, using the reaction force and the airwave from the explosion to leap up, retreating rapidly to a distance.
After landing, he scrutinized the situation on the field with a dark face.
The person who had used the Black Receivers to pierce through Owl's body and ambush him was no other than Sasuke Uchiha, with whom he had a deep grudge.
...
Sasuke was seen pulling his arm out from Owl's chest, then backhandedly taking Owl's heart out of the headless corpse, weighing it in his hand.
On the other side.
Naruto, who had failed to ambush Orochimaru with a Rasenshuriken, walked out from the large crater smashed by the Rasenshuriken.
Clearly, those who had just joined forces to surprise Orochimaru were Sasuke and Naruto!
And looking at the heart in Sasuke's hand, Orochimaru's gaze narrowed.
Because that heart was covered in complex sealing formulas, and it also contained the power of a Shinjutsu he was very familiar with.
The matter became clear instantly. Orochimaru himself was one of the high-level members of the Research Institute and understood White Zetsu clones all too well. Thus, he quickly guessed that the Owl from just now was merely a fake disguised by a special White Zetsu clone. As for the Shinjutsu Conversion, it did not belong to that White Zetsu clone, but was inside the heart covered in sealing formulas in Sasuke's hand!
"Damn it, I've been played!"
After figuring everything out, Orochimaru's face became increasingly gloomy.
Having the Shinjutsu slip through his fingers made Ichirō Fūma inside Orochimaru's body become hysterical: "Damn it, damn it! You fool, why are you still standing there? Go and seize Conversion! We have no more time!"
"Shut up!"
Orochimaru cursed.
Ichirō Fūma not only did not settle down but instead became even more frenzied: "We are all going to die! What are you hesitating for, you fool!"
Orochimaru's heart darkened.
He knew how cunning Ichirō Fūma was, so for the other party to be this hysterical, it must be that they sensed something or predicted something.
Swoosh
In the very instant Orochimaru was slightly distracted, a golden sword attacked from behind, slashing toward him.
This golden sword came with a momentum both fierce and fast. Even though Orochimaru possessed the Shinjutsu Premonition, it was already too late to dodge by the time he noticed, so he could only turn around and raise both arms to block.
And as he turned, his eyes were filled with brilliant golden light, his face paling with shock: "Uchiha—"
The golden sword fell, hacking fiercely into Orochimaru's body. After severing the two arms he had raised to block, the momentum did not decrease, landing on his shoulder. It slashed in from his shoulder all the way to his chest before it barely stopped.
Splatter
Orochimaru violently spat out a mouthful of blood, but a look of ease hung on his face because at this moment he finally saw clearly that the one holding the golden sword was not Shinji Uchiha, but Toneri Otsutsuki!
In the distance.
Sasuke curled his lip: "Tsk, I didn't expect this fellow Orochimaru to be so useless, letting Toneri take the advantage!"
Naruto also seemed to feel some regret that he had not performed.
Undoubtedly, after seeing Toneri Otsutsuki's Golden Wheel Rebirth Explosion slash into Orochimaru's body, both felt that the outcome of this battle was decided!
"Hahaha"
Orochimaru, whose arms were severed and whose body was nearly hacked open, suddenly began to laugh loudly.
"You—"
Toneri Otsutsuki was somewhat puzzled.
Orochimaru grinned cruelly: "He actually didn't act personally. It seems I've been looked down upon! Since it's like this, I'll let you so-called Six Paths level experience the terror of Shinjutsu!"
The only person he feared and was wary of was Shinji alone. If Shinji did not act, he would not be afraid in the slightest even if besieged by these three Six Paths level combatants, Sasuke, Naruto, and Toneri.