"What a magnificent specimen!"
"The Third Raikage!"
"He fought alone against tens of thousands of Iwagakure shinobi for three days and three nights before dying of exhaustion!"
"This is a legendary warrior who could battle tailed beasts on equal terms!"
Orochimaru gazed at the summoned Third Raikage with deep satisfaction. The reanimated leader's powerful physique emanated terrifying strength that seemed to vibrate through the very air.
"Hehehe... This is a precious gift from the Hidden Cloud Village, so naturally I must make excellent use of it."
Orochimaru raised his fingers and formed the controlling seal. The Third Raikage's eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing a flash of lightning crackling within his pupils.
Swish!
Orochimaru's figure suddenly leaped backward, staring at the Third Raikage with genuine alarm and horror.
"What the hell is happening?"
"There were no problems during previous experimental trials! Why is there suddenly a risk of losing control?"
The Third Raikage stood in the exact position where Orochimaru had been moments before, his hand extended outward as if he had attempted to strike down his supposed master!
A struggling consciousness, unwilling to accept control, wavered back and forth behind the Third Raikage's eyes.
Apparently, the legendary leader was attempting to break free from the Impure World Reincarnation's binding, though his efforts were ultimately unsuccessful.
The sudden attack just moments ago represented the absolute limit of what he could accomplish while fighting the technique's control!
If Orochimaru hadn't reacted with lightning speed, he would have died on the spot.
"There's still resistance and independent thought. It seems the Impure World Reincarnation isn't truly perfected yet. There remains significant room for improvement!"
Perspiration dripped down Orochimaru's forehead. That had been genuinely terrifying.
He once again attempted to assert control over the Third Raikage, and this time he succeeded in suppressing the resistance.
"Excellent! Now proceed with the attack!"
Orochimaru gestured with authority, and the Third Raikage's eyes lost their defiant spark. He turned around and transformed into a bolt of lightning, rushing toward the two combatants still engaged in fierce battle.
"Whew..."
"Indeed, it was wise not to treat the Impure World Reincarnation as a completely reliable trump card. With my current abilities, I cannot perfectly control too many powerful deceased warriors!"
Orochimaru could now summon numerous corpses through the forbidden technique, but he lacked the capacity to maintain perfect control over all of them simultaneously.
If he attempted to animate too many at once, the reanimated dead might successfully break free from his command entirely.
"Six additional summons at maximum, and they cannot be excessively powerful!"
Orochimaru calculated silently while concealing himself deeper within the forest, observing the devastating battle erupting before him!
Sizzle...
The Third Raikage moved with the speed of actual lightning. He appeared on the battlefield one moment and stood directly before Kakuzu the next instant!
Hell Stab: Four-Finger Nukite!
Whoosh!
Powerful lightning chakra concentrated around four fingers, forming an indestructible spear point that instantly pierced through Kakuzu's chest with devastating force.
Kakuzu's eyes widened with shock and disbelief, bloodshot vessels spreading across his pupils as he stared at the shinobi who seemed to have teleported directly in front of him.
What in the world is happening?!
How can anyone move that fast?!
"Ugh!"
Kakuzu collapsed to his knees uncontrollably as a damaged masked creature emerged from behind his back before crumbling into ash.
"Damn bastard! You actually destroyed a heart I collected with such difficulty!"
"Kakuzu!"
Hidan raised his bloody triple-bladed scythe high overhead, leaping down from his elevated position to slash at the Third Raikage with his weapon gleaming dangerously!
The Body Flicker Technique activated, and the Third Raikage transformed into blue lightning, vanishing from his position the moment before the sharp blade could connect.
Bang!
Dust and debris erupted upward as Hidan gripped his scythe cautiously while scanning the surrounding area.
"Above you! He's directly overhead!"
After recovering from his injury, Kakuzu growled a warning to Hidan, who had come to rescue him. Hidan raised his head suddenly to see the muscular figure plummeting from the sky, striking his shoulder with tremendous violence.
Terrifying force exploded on impact, producing a teeth-grinding snapping sound as the bones in Hidan's shoulder began fracturing rapidly!
"Argh! That hurts, you bastard!"
Waves of intense pain crashed over him, instantly contorting Hidan's features into a hideous expression. However, injuries that would incapacitate ordinary people became a form of stimulation for the immortal zealot.
Swish!
Completely ignoring the shattered bones in his left shoulder, Hidan furiously swung his bloody triple-bladed scythe and attacked the Third Raikage with savage desperation.
The Third Raikage's expression remained completely unchanged. He didn't even bother attempting to dodge as he observed his opponent's taijutsu techniques being systematically dismantled.
He stepped forward with his left foot and rushed directly in front of Hidan. He raised his shoulder to block the handle of the scythe, preventing Hidan from generating proper leverage. Then he exploded with overwhelming force from his elbow, striking his opponent's heart with devastating precision.
Splurt!
A mouthful of blood erupted from Hidan's lips!
Hidan was launched backward instantly, tumbling through the air for a considerable distance before smashing through several massive trees and creating an enormous crater in the ground!
"Incredible..."
Jiraiya gasped as he witnessed the sudden dramatic shift in the battle's momentum.
The man with the strange scythe must be dead. Such a devastating attack striking vital points—survival is impossible!
However, their enemies hadn't been completely eliminated yet!
Jiraiya observed three masked creatures surrounding Kakuzu in protective formation before facing the Third Raikage's position. Lightning Release, Fire Release, and Wind Release techniques poured forth in overwhelming torrents.
"Go to hell!"
BOOM! BOOM...
Deafening explosive sounds spread in all directions. The violent detonations lifted enormous chunks of earth, while expanding shock waves released unparalleled destructive power throughout the forest!
"Unfortunately, this is an Impure World Reincarnation body. No matter how powerful the ninjutsu, it cannot truly destroy the Third Raikage!"
Shihouin Naraku sat cross-legged high in the air, observing the fierce battle below with leisurely interest.
Naraku wasn't surprised that Orochimaru had employed the Impure World Reincarnation technique once again.
The appearance of the Third Kazekage had been expected, but the Third Raikage being summoned by Orochimaru genuinely surprised him.
How did Orochimaru manage to obtain this legendary warrior's remains?
Could it be that Orochimaru's activities in the Hidden Cloud Village not only caused Eight-Tails to go berserk, but also involved grave robbing the Third Raikage's burial site?
That's probably exactly what happened!
Consider the Fourth Great Ninja War, when Yakushi Kabuto was desecrating graves across the entire world. It's obvious who taught him those techniques.
"Ah, I understand now. I was wondering why the Hidden Cloud Village was pursuing Orochimaru with such fury, as if their ancestors' graves had been desecrated. So there's this additional reason."
"Tsk, tsk, tsk... Kakuzu and Hidan are in serious trouble now. With the combined assault of the Third Kazekage and Third Raikage, plus Orochimaru lurking in the shadows, they're already at a severe disadvantage."
Hidan's abilities are indeed formidable, but I wonder if Orochimaru is aware of his opponent's cursed technique: Death Controlling Possessed Blood!
It doesn't matter if he's unaware. As long as Orochimaru remains hidden and doesn't expose himself, and the two reanimated warriors don't possess blood for Hidan to manipulate in his rituals, he can do whatever he pleases.
They're already dead. Let's see Hidan try to kill them again!
When you think about it, the Immortal Duo is genuinely in deep trouble.
I wonder when the remaining Akatsuki members will arrive!
Shihouin Naraku's handsome features displayed an expression of someone thoroughly enjoying the spectacle. Within his Observation Haki's detection range, other Akatsuki organization members were systematically eliminating various rogue shinobi who were obstructing their path!
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