Two ships bearing the banners of Kirigakure hoisted their anchors and began to move southward, away from the shore. Biwa Jūzō, Hōzuki Mangetsu, and Terumī Mei remained on land, watching as the ships drifted farther and farther away until their silhouettes blurred into the horizon, leaving behind only two tiny black specks in view.
Only then did they retract their gazes, their eyes eventually settling on Biwa Jūzō.
How to act next—
That was something their leader, Jūzō, had to decide.
However—
"Boom!!"
From the north came a thunderous explosion.
A dense swarm of birds burst from the forest canopy like a rolling cloud of black mist, wings flapping wildly in panic as they scattered in all directions. A powerful shockwave tore through the air, kicking up dust, toppling trees, and tearing up the earth. Even those standing on the distant shore—Jūzō and the others—could feel the pressure of that immense air current.
Even though they had yet to see Kyoichi or Orochimaru's figures, the sound and tremors alone were enough to tell how fierce the battle must be.
"Mangetsu, you're on point."
Jūzō gave the order without hesitation.
"...Knew nothing good would come from staying behind," Mangetsu muttered under his breath.
Still, he didn't protest. After all, members of the Hōzuki clan, with their Hydrification Technique, were nearly immune to physical attacks—perfect for leading the charge and scouting ahead.
Of course, shadow clones could also serve the same purpose.
But truth be told, shadow clones divided the user's chakra evenly. Creating one meant your chakra reserves would immediately drop to half. For those with abundant chakra, this wasn't much of an issue—it barely affected their combat performance.
Yet for those whose reserves weren't so deep, every bit mattered. Using shadow clones could easily push them into a dangerous state.
So, when other options existed, shadow clones were best kept as a backup plan.
"Less talking, more moving."
Jūzō urged.
Mangetsu stopped complaining and immediately dashed forward.
Jūzō and Terumī Mei followed from behind, forming a triangular formation as they advanced into the forest. Along the way, two more shockwaves swept through, strong enough to make the trees groan and bend—but aside from that, there were no further obstacles.
They soon arrived at the battlefield.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
As the saying goes—the wind fuels the flame, and the fire rides the wind.
Orochimaru and his shadow clone performed a near-perfect combo. Three massive fire dragons, empowered by the gale, roared forward with devastating force, scorching the forest as they advanced. Trees turned to ash, the ground split and blistered, and birds that hadn't flown far enough were caught mid-air, their wings seared—falling straight into the inferno below.
At that moment, the destructive potential of Fire Release was on full display.
But—
Their opponent was not one to be taken lightly.
Kyoichi clapped his hands together, chakra surging into the ground.
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Rampart!"
A towering wall of stone burst upward, cutting through the forest. The wall was so vast that entire trees still clung to its surface, showing its sheer size and power. When the three fire dragons struck it, all they managed to do was carve out three massive craters—the wall itself held firm, shielding Kyoichi completely.
The impact triggered another shockwave that rippled outward, nearly toppling Jūzō and the others from their vantage point in the treetops.
Then Orochimaru moved again—
"Earth Release: Tearing Earth Turning Palm!!"
He slammed his hand into the ground.
A black fissure shot forward like lightning, spreading and widening as it advanced. Within moments, a massive chasm tore through the forest, swallowing trees whole. The giant wall that had withstood the fire dragons cracked and split apart under the immense force.
But behind it—
There was no one.
Beneath the very trees where Jūzō's team stood, Kyoichi suddenly erupted from the earth.
"Jūzō-senpai, what brings you here?"
Kyoichi called out, his tone casual despite his battered appearance.
He was in rough shape—face pale, dark circles beneath his eyes, and his clothes shredded. Through the torn fabric, numerous wounds could be seen: slashes, burns, punctures, bruises…
And this was Kyoichi, master of high-grade Earth Hardening Techniques.
For him to be in this condition said enough—Orochimaru, one of the Legendary Sannin, was truly a monster.
"We came to extract you," Jūzō replied.
"Kyoichi, are you all right?" Terumī Mei asked, concern clear in her voice.
"I'll live."
Kyoichi exhaled, then gathered chakra.
"Earth Release: Hardened Titan Form!!"
A massive rock giant rose from the ground, intercepting a streak of blinding lightning that tore through the air.
"Jūzō-senpai, take everyone and fall back!" Kyoichi shouted rapidly. "I can still hold him off. Orochimaru can't finish me here. Once you're at sea, he won't be able to chase."
A voice echoed from the distance—cold and drawn out:
"Kyoichi-kun, you're not getting away!"
"Hmph! Orochimaru, that's the tenth time you've said that these past two days!" Kyoichi snapped back, unbothered.
"Heh... I suppose I can't help it," Orochimaru's voice replied, laced with intrigue. "Your endurance fascinates me, Kyoichi-kun. Your chakra isn't vast, your Sage Mode burned out long ago—yet you continue to fight."
Orochimaru was, in truth, baffled.
At first, Kyoichi had matched him using Sage Techniques. As Orochimaru expected, the mode faded after a short time. He thought then that Kyoichi would soon fall—his chakra reserves weren't vast, only a bit above the average jōnin's.
Even if he couldn't overpower him directly, Orochimaru figured he could simply wear him down.
But no matter how long they fought, Kyoichi's chakra didn't deplete as it should have. Despite repeatedly using high-level Earth Release techniques, his chakra consumption remained mysteriously low. For two days straight, he had managed to keep Orochimaru locked in a stalemate through sheer technique and control.
"You think I stayed behind out of recklessness?" Kyoichi said calmly. "I value my life, Orochimaru. If I dared to stay and hold you off, it's because I know I can."
At his waist, the Eye of God shimmered faintly with light, pulsing with every movement—
a hidden power flickering beneath the chaos.