"So this is the power of the Mangekyō Sharingan? "
Orochimaru's pupils constricted sharply.
Though Jūzō Biwa was not quite Kage-level, he was still a top-tier jōnin.
To kill him so easily—Fugaku Uchiha's power was enough to send chills down Orochimaru's spine.
What unsettled him even more was that the genjutsu couldn't be broken.
He had already tried to dispel it and failed.
Now, his only option was to endure until Fugaku's ocular power ran out and the illusion dissolved on its own.
"Yamata no Jutsu—! "
From his body burst massive serpent heads and tails, one after another.
In an instant, he transformed into a monstrous white serpent with eight heads and eight tails—his gigantic form looming like a pale mountain.
"Hmph—"
Fugaku let out a cold snort.
A surge of ocular power and chakra poured into his Susanoo, its body rapidly shifting—muscles and flesh forming over its frame, legs taking shape.
Within moments, Susanoo became a towering giant, tens of meters tall, standing firmly on two legs.
This was Susanoo's fourth form, the final stage before its complete body. Against the current Orochimaru, it was more than enough.
Thud… Thud… Thud…
Radiating destructive force, Susanoo strode toward the Eight-Headed Serpent, leaving massive footprints in the earth.
Hiss… hiss…
All eight heads roared and lunged from different angles, fangs bared.
Under Fugaku's control, long, pitch-black blades—each over ten meters—materialized in Susanoo's hands.
Shhh! Shhh!
The blades swept in wide arcs—four heads were severed in an instant, crashing to the ground amid gouts of blood.
The other four heads sank their fangs into Susanoo's body… only to shatter their own poisonous teeth without leaving so much as a scratch.
The Eight-Headed Serpent's attacks could not pierce the fourth form of Susanoo.
Shhh!
Another strike—four more heads fell.
It wasn't over.
Susanoo charged forward, twin blades cleaving into the now headless serpent's massive body.
Shhh! Shhh! Shhh!
In mere heartbeats, the once-mighty serpent was torn apart.
From one of the bloodied chunks, Orochimaru emerged, slick with viscera.
He had barely surfaced when his gaze locked with a pair of blood-red eyes.
Fugaku had sensed his regeneration the instant it began.
"Demonic Illusion: Shackling Stakes! "
Orochimaru's vision spun as the hypnotic power took hold.
Though his soul had vulnerabilities, Orochimaru's will was still formidable—ordinary illusions couldn't restrain him. Only the likes of Tsukuyomi or Kotoamatsukami could.
But Fugaku's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan could cast a genjutsu nearly equal in power to Tsukuyomi itself—far beyond Orochimaru's ability to break.
"Not good—! "
He tried to shut his eyes, but it was too late.
Massive spectral stakes pierced his body, pinning him in place, pain searing through him.
"Aghhh—!"
He struggled but could not move.
Fugaku dispelled the True Illusion, revealing Orochimaru's immobilized body and the shredded remains of Jūzō Biwa.
Though the illusion was gone, the Shackling Stakes remained, holding Orochimaru fast.
Fugaku walked toward him.
"Never thought I'd fall into your hands…" Orochimaru said bitterly—the only thing he could still move was his mouth.
"I'm not surprised. You've achieved a twisted kind of immortality but left a weakness in your soul… and the Sharingan is the natural predator of that weakness." Fugaku's tone was calm.
As he spoke, he began sealing Orochimaru's chakra.
"You… know? " Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock. Few knew the secrets of his Living Corpse Reincarnation, yet Fugaku did.
"I know more than you think." Fugaku's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile.
Orochimaru's gaze deepened. "We all underestimated you. With someone like you around, I imagine Hiruzen-sensei must be… troubled."
"You can ask him yourself in a moment," Fugaku replied lightly.
He could have killed Orochimaru and taken a corpse back—but a living captive would be far more impactful. And killing this vessel wouldn't end him; Orochimaru might still resurrect elsewhere via his cursed seals.
To truly kill him might require Nagato's Human Path to rip out his soul—nothing less.
"The clan leader… caught Orochimaru alive? "
Uchiha Izumi stared, stunned. Even without seeing the fight, the outcome was clear. Her earlier worries were pointless—Fugaku had won decisively and captured an S-rank rogue ninja alive.
"Even Orochimaru couldn't match him…" She couldn't help but feel a surge of admiration.
Shff! Shff! Shff!
More figures arrived—Uchiha clan members who had followed Fugaku into the Forest of Death but couldn't match his speed.
When they saw Orochimaru bound and helpless, they erupted in disbelief.
Orochimaru's reputation was infamous. To subdue him alive proved the clan leader's overwhelming strength. And the entire fight had taken less than half an hour.
Excitement rippled through the Uchiha—Fugaku's victory filled them with pride and exhilaration.