"Summoning Technique!"
After scrambling back to his feet, Orochimaru did not waste time with unnecessary words. He bit his finger, quickly formed a series of hand seals, and slammed his palm onto the ground.
Poof!
A colossal creature appeared directly in front of Ryūjin.
It was an enormous purplish blue python. Its head alone stood two or three times taller than Ryūjin. The massive body coiled across the ground like a small mountain.
Even if the creature did nothing, its overwhelming presence alone was enough to suffocate an ordinary person with pressure.
It was Orochimaru's summoning beast, Manda.
"Orochimaru, why have you summoned me again?"
Manda's voice carried obvious displeasure as he glared coldly at Orochimaru.
"Do not underestimate this man. He is far from ordinary. Furthermore, he is a member of the Uchiha Clan. His genjutsu is extremely dangerous. Close your eyes immediately, I have never seen genjutsu this terrifying."
Standing atop Manda's head, Orochimaru spoke with complete seriousness.
Manda was not an ordinary summon. He was one of the Sage Snakes from Ryūchi Cave and possessed powerful sensory perception through senjutsu.
Even if he fought without using his eyes, his combat ability would not suffer.
"Orochimaru, have you actually become afraid of someone like this? How pathetic."
Manda laughed in disdain.
Despite saying that, he still shut his eyes immediately.
Manda always behaved arrogantly toward Orochimaru, but he was not foolish. In fact, he clearly understood that anyone capable of making Orochimaru this cautious was absolutely not someone to underestimate.
After all, Manda was fully aware of Orochimaru's strength. Without that level of ability, his pride would never have allowed him to sign a summoning contract with Orochimaru.
If even Orochimaru feared the opponent's genjutsu so much, then the illusion techniques must truly be terrifying.
"Aside from genjutsu, he also possesses a frightening flame dōjutsu. Be careful of that as well," Orochimaru added seriously.
"To be this afraid really does not suit you, Orochimaru," Manda replied with a hoarse voice.
Then he added coldly, "One hundred sacrifices, not one less."
"When have I ever shortchanged you?" Orochimaru replied with a raspy laugh.
Rumble!
Manda twisted his enormous body and charged straight toward Ryūjin.
With a single thought, Ryūjin entered Sage Mode. At the same time, he used the Body Flicker Technique and vanished from his position instantly.
Boom!
Manda's massive head smashed into the exact spot where Ryūjin had been standing, creating a huge crater in the ground.
"What is this? Just a coward who doesn't dare face me head on!" Manda sneered loudly, intentionally mocking him.
In truth, Manda did not dare underestimate Ryūjin in the slightest. A single glimpse could reveal many things. An ordinary ninja could not use the Body Flicker Technique to such an incredible degree.
"Fine. If you want it that badly, I'll give it to you."
Ryūjin chuckled and rushed directly toward Manda.
Earlier, he had already used the opportunity to place a Flying Thunder God mark on Manda's body. Because of that, he no longer had any concerns about fighting the giant snake.
"You're asking for death!"
Manda snorted angrily. His enormous body coiled and surged forward in an attempt to crush Ryūjin.
However, Manda quickly sensed something was wrong.
Within Ryūjin's hand, a sphere of chakra was rapidly forming. The power contained within it was enough to make even Manda feel uneasy.
"How is this possible... Rasengan?"
Standing atop Manda's head, Orochimaru's expression changed drastically.
"No... that is senjutsu. It is the Big Ball Rasengan! How does he know Jiraiya's ultimate technique?"
Orochimaru was completely stunned.
Could this Uchiha Ryūjin actually use senjutsu?
But when had he entered Sage Mode?
Wasn't time required to gather natural energy?
Moreover, anyone entering Sage Mode would display physical changes. Yet Ryūjin showed no obvious abnormalities at all.
Even more confusing was the Rasengan itself. In Konoha, only Minato Namikaze and Jiraiya were known to use that technique.
Since when did an Uchiha clan member learn it?
At that moment, Orochimaru felt thoroughly puzzled by Ryūjin.
Yet almost immediately afterward, a slightly crazed excitement appeared in Orochimaru's eyes.
The more secrets Ryūjin possessed, the more thrilled Orochimaru became.
A body like this would be the perfect vessel.
It was something Orochimaru had dreamed of obtaining.
Compared to the Kaguya clan brat he had recently discovered, this body was far more perfect.
Boom!
A violent explosion erupted as the attack struck.
A terrifying wave of energy spread in all directions.
Manda's enormous body was actually thrown into the air by Ryūjin's power.
As the giant snake crashed back down, the ground trembled violently with each impact, as if an earthquake were occurring.
The scale of destruction was absurd.
"Who exactly is this guy?"
Manda was completely stunned.
He was a legendary giant snake from Ryūchi Cave, yet a single ninja had flipped him over with brute force.
This completely shattered Manda's understanding of the world.
"Argh! Orochimaru, you bastard! Why didn't you say this person was this powerful earlier? You've completely screwed me over!"
Manda roared angrily.
Then, with another curse directed at Orochimaru, his massive body disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
He had fled.
"He runs pretty fast."
Ryūjin shrugged slightly.
Manda was the type who bullied the weak but feared the strong.
"Edo Tensei!"
Orochimaru's hoarse voice rang out, filled with excitement.
Ryūjin instinctively looked toward him.
The ground in front of Orochimaru suddenly split apart, and two coffins slowly rose from beneath the earth.
"Hehehe, Uchiha Ryūjin, this is a new technique that I have only recently mastered."
Orochimaru stuck out his tongue and licked his lips, his confidence returning.
Although Ryūjin's various abilities made him cautious, Orochimaru believed that no matter how powerful Ryūjin was, he could not possibly defeat this technique.
An immortal body and endless chakra.
It was essentially a cheat level ability.
Even if those two could only use fifty or sixty percent of their original strength, it would still be terrifying.
Clang!
Clang!
The sound of coffin lids opening echoed through the battlefield.
Two figures wearing armor from the Warring States era stepped out.
Ryūjin immediately recognized them.
Hashirama Senju.
And his younger brother.
"What is going on?"
Hashirama Senju looked around in confusion, unable to understand the situation.
He was clearly supposed to be dead.
"Someone has used the Edo Tensei to summon us."
Tobirama Senju quickly realized what had happened, and his expression immediately became serious.