"Orochimaru… one of the Legendary Sannin, now a rogue ninja?"
Uchiha Izumi stared in shock at the figure standing atop the giant serpent's head.
She hadn't expected this to be his identity.
She'd originally thought these two could never stand against the Uchiha clan leader who possessed the Mangekyō Sharingan—but now, she wasn't so sure.
Orochimaru might be a defector, but in Konoha, his name was known by all.
He had reached Kage-level strength many years ago. After all this time, just how much more powerful had he become? Could even the clan leader—formidable as he was—truly match someone who had been at that level for so long?
"Clan Leader Fugaku… you've certainly exceeded my expectations."
Orochimaru's snake-like pupils fixed on Uchiha Fugaku.
He hadn't even seen how Fugaku had killed those two massive serpents.
And that Body Flicker Technique he'd just displayed—Orochimaru had never seen speed like that in his life.
Recalling the intel Akatsuki held on Fugaku, a flicker of wariness crept into his mind.
He had suspected since his last visit to Konoha that Fugaku was far from ordinary.
But to think he'd hidden himself so deeply—possessing the Mangekyō Sharingan all along.
"To impress one of the Legendary Sannin—what an honor," Fugaku replied, his voice laced with sarcasm.
"Back outside Kirigakure… that was you, wasn't it?"
Orochimaru had already pieced it together—the mysterious man he'd fought back then was none other than Uchiha Fugaku.
"It was," Fugaku admitted without hesitation. Then his tone sharpened.
"But… using a shadow clone to speak with me—don't you think that's a bit rude? Or did you really think such a clone could fool me?"
His gaze shifted away from the serpent's head to a patch of rotting leaves.
The "Orochimaru" and "Jūzō Biwa" standing atop the giant snakes were nothing but shadow clones. The real ones, he knew, were hiding beneath those leaves.
The decayed foliage split apart, and the true Orochimaru and Jūzō emerged from underground.
"You can actually see through shadow clones?" Orochimaru's voice carried a note of caution.
"Don't compare your ordinary Sharingan to these eyes."
Fugaku sneered.
Ordinary Sharingan couldn't distinguish a clone from the original, but certain Mangekyō Sharingan could—like Madara's. Fugaku's eyes held that same ability.
"So this is Uchiha Fugaku, the one who awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan?" Jūzō gripped the Executioner's Blade on his back, his expression heavy.
"That's right," Orochimaru replied with a cold smile, though his eyes betrayed caution.
"Orochimaru. Jūzō Biwa, rogue ninja of the Hidden Mist—whatever your reasons for sneaking into Konoha, now that you're here, you won't be leaving."
Fugaku's gaze swept briefly over Jūzō before his voice turned icy.
"Clan Leader Fugaku, I'd love to test the Mangekyō Sharingan for myself… but unfortunately, our mission is complete. We're leaving."
Orochimaru shook his head. Akatsuki's task had been to create a diversion, drawing Konoha's attention to aid Iwagakure's operations.
That goal had already been achieved, and his serpents scattered throughout the forest told him many Konoha ninja were already on their way.
"You won't have that choice."
Fugaku's cold smile deepened. The others were far behind, unable to match his Body Flicker speed—but even alone, he was confident against the two of them.
A low hum filled the air as the pattern in his right Mangekyō Sharingan began to spin.
"Be careful—don't meet his gaze!"
Orochimaru quickly covered his eyes with a transparent membrane, like a snake's protective layer, and warned Jūzō.
Jūzō instantly lowered his head, avoiding eye contact.
But against Fugaku's evolved "true illusion," it was useless.
In a blink, Fugaku vanished—reappearing behind Jūzō.
A massive black skeletal hand materialized, sweeping forward with a howling gust.
Jūzō whirled around in shock, Executioner's Blade braced with both hands.
Clang!
A tidal wave of crushing force crashed into him. The Executioner's Blade snapped in two with a sharp crack.
The shockwave hurled him backward. Both arms bent grotesquely under the pressure, bones snapping through the skin as blood streamed down.
"Space displacement… no! We're trapped in his genjutsu! His illusion doesn't even require eye contact!"
Even with his vision blocked, Orochimaru could sense through his serpents that Fugaku had teleported behind Jūzō. Akatsuki's intel now made sense—this was a genjutsu capable of inflicting real, physical harm without direct eye contact.
Orochimaru had faced many illusions, but none so terrifying.
"Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"
His jaw stretched impossibly wide, as if tearing apart, and a torrent of venomous snakes poured forth like a river, surging toward Fugaku.
"Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"
Fugaku formed seals, chakra surging to his throat before erupting outward in a flood of fire.
The roaring blaze, hot enough to melt stone, slammed into the Snake River.
The moment flame met scales, the serpents burned to blackened husks. The fire surged forward, incinerating the entire river until not a single snake remained.
With Orochimaru's assault neutralized, Fugaku turned toward the retreating, broken-armed Jūzō.
In another instant, he was beside him.
The black skeletal hand appeared again, snatching at Jūzō.
The giant hand closed before he could escape.
"Aahhh!"
There was a sickening crunch—Jūzō's body crushed into pulp, blood and gore dripping through the skeletal fingers.
The hand opened, letting the remains fall to the ground.
Fugaku turned his gaze back to Orochimaru.