Chapter 158: Earth Style: Underworld Swamp and Fire Style: Great Flame Flower
At this moment, Tanigawa, a Sand Ninja Jōnin who had been explicitly warned by the three Semi-Kage level commanders before the battle, finally spotted Orochimaru. He charged toward Orochimaru with another Jōnin comrade and a squad of about a hundred Sand Ninja subordinates.
Orochimaru's powerful mental strength suddenly sensed a killing intent aimed at the back of his head. He quickly whirled around, his dark-golden eyes instantly locking onto the hundred-man Sand Ninja squad. He easily detected the strength of the two Sand Ninja Jōnin.
Orochimaru gave a cold smile and, without signaling anyone else, immediately began weaving hand signs.
Earth Style: Underworld Swamp Technique!
The ground within a few dozen meters in front of Orochimaru suddenly collapsed, giving way to gurgling, yellowish-brown mud bubbles that continuously rolled and surged.
Orochimaru infused Chakra and gave a guiding gesture. The churning mud in the collapsed pit instantly shot into the air. Under Orochimaru's control, it condensed into a gigantic, yellowish-brown Underworld Swamp Net, covering the sky and surging down toward Tanigawa and his squad.
Tanigawa and his Jōnin comrade exchanged glances and attacked in unison.
Wind Style: Sickle Weasel Slice!
Two long, crescent-shaped, sickle-like wind blades, each about a meter long, appeared from the hands of the two Jōnin. Under their control, the four invisible wind blades, making buzzing sounds as they cut the air, instantly tore the Underworld Swamp Net to shreds.
Orochimaru was unconcerned. The Underworld Swamp Net had bought him enough time, and the hand signs for his next Jutsu were complete.
Earth Style: Rising Earth Hell!
The ground beneath the nearly hundred-man Sand Ninja squad suddenly shattered. Countless stone pillars and earth spikes, accompanied by a deafening rumble, shot wildly out of the ground.
A succession of dull crushing sounds rang out. In an instant, a small fraction of the Sand Ninja were impaled and killed by the sharp stone pillars. Even more ninja had their arms broken and legs injured by this powerful Earth Style Jutsu, instantly losing their combat capability.
Orochimaru's two Jutsu attacks were tightly linked. Furthermore, both were wide-ranging and powerful Earth Style techniques. Taken by surprise, Tanigawa and his comrade sustained minor injuries.
Ignoring the blood flowing from the scrape on his right forearm caused by an earth spike, Tanigawa watched in horror and fury as his subordinates suffered nearly fifty percent casualties in this single exchange. His heart chilled, and he finally understood why the three Semi-Kage level commanders had so severely warned him to keep a close eye on Konoha's Orochimaru.
Being an elite Jōnin from a great nation, his combat will remained unbroken despite his fear. He and his comrade launched a counterattack.
Wind Style: Great Vacuum Sphere!
Pure Chakra gathered in Tanigawa's mouth and, after high condensation, was spat out in one fierce breath.
The extremely condensed, high-pressure wind sphere, shrieking an irritating squeal, squeal, squeal, shot toward Orochimaru.
Sand Style: Sand Tsunami Funeral Technique!
A fierce Chakra fluctuation radiated from Tanigawa's Jōnin comrade. The ground beneath Orochimaru's feet instantly turned into surging yellow sand, and a powerful suction dragged Orochimaru slowly underground.
The cooperation between the two Sand Ninja Jōnin was well-coordinated: one used Sand Style to restrict Orochimaru's movements while the other used the fastest attacking Wind Style Jutsu to capitalize on the opportunity.
However, facing this coordinated attack, Orochimaru merely licked his lips. He seemed to already smell and feel the imminent burst of blood.
Orochimaru controlled his Chakra, concentrating it on his feet. Using a special technique, he abruptly unleashed it, causing his feet to explode from the ground like a rocket booster. Boom! A sand pit erupted in his place as his entire body shot into the sky, simultaneously dodging the incoming high-pressure vacuum sphere.
In mid-air, Orochimaru's offensive became even more dominating.
Fire Style: Great Flame Flower!
While still aloft, intense heat suddenly rose in the air before him, warping the view and the atmosphere.
In the very next moment, five terrifying, fiery meteorites, each approximately ten meters in diameter and condensed with orange-yellow flames, trailed long jets of fire like a sudden meteor shower. Accompanied by furious winds, they whistled down, violently slamming toward Tanigawa and his men.
Tanigawa, seeing the immense power of the Jutsu Orochimaru unleashed, was terrified. He and his Jōnin comrade hastily raised a defensive Jutsu.
Earth Style: Earth Flow Rampart!
Two solid, tall rock walls suddenly erupted from the ground, tightly shielding Tanigawa and the other Sand Ninja Jōnin.
Rumble! The five massive fiery meteorites violently crashed into the earth.
Two of them directly pulverized the two thick ramparts but had exhausted their power, saving the two Sand Ninja Jōnin from harm.
However, the subordinates Tanigawa brought with him lacked such strength or luck.
Three enormous fiery meteorites crashed squarely into the crowd.
The Sand Ninja, consisting entirely of Chūnin and Genin level fighters, instantly suffered a devastating blow.
The three fiery meteorites reduced at least ten Sand Ninja to bloody pulps. The ensuing violent explosion dragged approximately twenty more Sand Ninja into the flaming hell.
Figures, like human torches, ran madly around, rolling on the ground trying to extinguish the flames, their wretched screams echoing everywhere.
Before the Sand Ninja could recover, Orochimaru descended from the sky, holding the wicked Muramasa.
A demonically beautiful black blade-flower bloomed at the tip of the dark-black demonic sword, instantly slicing three more Chūnin level Sand Ninja in two.
Orochimaru's eyes flashed. He thrust Muramasa backward, successfully blocking a Kunai sneak attack from Tanigawa. Concentrating Chakra in his leg, he twisted his body and whipped his right leg upwards in a razor-sharp arc. This fierce kick, utilizing Chakra Enhanced Strength (Mystical Palm Technique), slammed hard into Tanigawa's ribs.
Crack! The sound of breaking bone rang out. Orochimaru knew that even a Jōnin's physical toughness meant at least three broken ribs from that strike.
Tanigawa, struck by an overwhelming force to his vulnerable ribs, was instantly overwhelmed by intense pain. His eyes widened, and he spat out a large mouthful of blood, flying backward weakly.
Hearing the shhh, shhh, shhh of gathering sand, Orochimaru turned his head to see the other Sand Ninja Jōnin, face filled with grief and rage, controlling a huge hand made of yellow sand that was violently slamming toward Orochimaru.
Orochimaru's pale, slender fingers wove a sequence of hand signs like a phantom.
Earth Style: Underworld Great Hand!
The ground collapsed, and mud erupted. An Underworld Great Hand, even larger, more condensed, and possessing greater power and effect than the yellow sand hand created by the Sand Ninja Jōnin, suddenly erupted. It moved faster than its predecessor, smashing the yellowish-brown sand hand to smithereens, and then slammed heavily down onto the Sand Ninja Jōnin's body.
Pffft! Orochimaru saw bright red blood splatter out from beneath the Underworld Great Hand.
Deeply inhaling the rich, bloody scent in the air, he smiled wickedly. He turned around and slowly walked toward Tanigawa, who had three broken ribs, had his internal organs pierced by the fractured bones, and was already at death's door.
The scattered flames on the battlefield illuminated Orochimaru's pale, handsome face, making him look as tyrannical and sinister as a demon.
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