Taijutsu: Monstrous Strength Fist!
"Break, break, break—"
Orochimaru's young, forceful voice echoed across the night sky.
The Monstrous Strength Fist, a technique eventually mastered by Tsunade, was prematurely created by Orochimaru. Surging, light blue chakra, meticulously controlled, gathered in his right hand. A visible wave of light blue chakra even emanated from his fist as it powerfully slammed into the fort's main gate.
The bandits behind him stared foolishly at Orochimaru. They were stunned by his actions. What was a five or six-year-old child trying to do, punching a five-meter-high, ten-centimeter-thick gate? It completely defied their imagination!
But reality often contradicts expectation.
Boom—
An earth-shattering explosion rang out from the fort gate. The bandits clearly felt the ground beneath their feet tremble slightly.
Crash, crackle, smash—
Orochimaru's right fist instantly shattered the entire five-meter-tall gate, sending pieces flying several meters away. The powerful punch, wrapped in a strong gale, ripped the gate off its hinges and hurled it into the forest outside the fort.
The tall figure watching from the distant tree was also momentarily stunned, a look of surprised amusement crossing his face.
"Huff, huff—"
Orochimaru turned around, panting heavily. His dark-golden snake eyes scanned the remaining bandits. Over a hundred were left, but their overwhelming numbers no longer gave these terrified men courage. Their faces were ashen as they stared at Orochimaru.
Orochimaru drew two more kunai from his ninja pouch. He still wore that faint, sinister smile, possessed that same look of bloodthirsty madness, and radiated the chilling, demonic killing intent. He spoke in the same gentle tone: "Well, shall we continue?"
Within the bandit crowd, two leaders—clearly distinguished from the other small fry by their leather armor—exchanged glances. They teamed up, forming a coordinated attack. Gripping their katanas tightly, they charged Orochimaru with desperate, savage looks.
Orochimaru stood motionless, watching them approach. The two leaders held their swords with steady force. Their footsteps were quick, and their movements fluid and coordinated, clearly demonstrating long-practiced teamwork.
"Shing, slice—"
In the blink of an eye, the two men crossed paths in front of Orochimaru, each leaving behind a flash of steel that would impress any ordinary person. Orochimaru was instantly sliced into three pieces.
However, before the two leaders could celebrate, two sharp kunai were pressed against their vulnerable necks in the very same moment.
"Pscht—"
Blood sprayed. Two massive heads, their eyes still holding disbelief, flew into the air.
Poof—
The body of Orochimaru, sliced into three sections, burst with a soft pop, transforming into three segments of a thick tree branch (Substitution Jutsu: Kawarimi no Jutsu).
Fifty-one!
If the faces of the hundred-odd bandits had been described as dirt-colored before, they now resembled gold-colored parchment.
Swoosh, swoosh—
Orochimaru flicked out two black blurs, claiming two more lives.
Fifty-three!
"Aah! Aah!"
The bandits screamed and scattered in all directions. This was the scene Jiraiya and Tsunade witnessed as they rushed in, leaving them momentarily dumbfounded!
Orochimaru formed hand signs again, rapidly weaving a series of textbook-perfect Jutsu seals in the space of a breath.
Fūton: Great Breakthrough!
"Hoo—"
Taking a deep breath, Orochimaru violently expelled it, instantly generating a localized gale as furious as a Category 5 typhoon. Under Orochimaru's precise control, this sudden violent wind swept up the intense heat and flames from the bonfire. Its force rapidly escalated several notches, wrapping the surging flames and transforming into a raging, dancing fire dragon in the night sky.
The ferocious fire dragon circled the clearing, swallowing the fleeing bandits one by one. Those merely brushed by the dragon instantly turned into screaming torches. After running a few meaningless steps, they helplessly collapsed to the ground. The lives of the bandits were continuously being harvested!
Fifty-four, fifty-seven... one hundred and one!
Everywhere lay burnt and charred corpses. Terrified and injured men screamed relentlessly, clutching their wounds on the ground. The air was filled with a foul stench, a mixture of blood and burnt flesh!
The fort clearing now resembled a terrifying scene from a battlefield of demons (Shura). Orochimaru's small figure stood quietly in the midst of this carnage, illuminated by the firelight, looking like the God of Destruction who had crossed into this world.
Jiraiya and Tsunade stared blankly at Orochimaru's somewhat slender back, suddenly feeling that the distance between themselves and this peer was immense. Orochimaru's silhouette stood unshakeable, powerful as a mountain.
The figure on the distant tree muttered to himself: "No mistake. Adapting to conditions, utilizing the situation to one's advantage—that is the essence of combination Jutsu. This child was born to inherit my mantle! Hahaha!"
Orochimaru sensed the presence of Jiraiya and Tsunade. He turned around, smiling with a hint of fatigue. "I'll cover you. You two clean up the rest."
Jiraiya and Tsunade naturally didn't object. The remaining bandits had been completely terrified by Orochimaru and posed no threat. Orochimaru clearly intended this to be their training.
The two charged forward, kunai in hand.
Orochimaru quietly went about opening the other buildings, eliminating any remaining bandits hiding in concealed places.
"Creak—"
This was the last room in the row of crude houses on the left. The roughly made door swung open. "Yaaah—" A sharp shriek erupted. Orochimaru frowned slightly, and then a sour, foul stench—possibly mixed with bodily fluids or excrement—wafted out.
Orochimaru's dark-golden eyes swept inside the room.
The large room contained only a crude bed made of planks and straw mats. On the bed were several women of various ages, all with plain looks and ragged clothes. Their garments, clearly ripped and tattered, could not conceal their lower bodies, which still had traces of a milky-white substance.
These pitiable women screamed in terror upon seeing Orochimaru enter. They huddled together, scrambling to retreat into the corner by the headboard.
Seeing that Orochimaru was a small child, a few women visibly relaxed, but when they caught sight of the blood stains smeared on his body, their faces immediately turned vigilant and terrified again.
Orochimaru glanced indifferently at the women, then turned to leave.
Suddenly!
His sensory perception registered an inexplicable fluctuation.
He spun around instantly, his pair of sharp, dark-golden snake eyes fixed on a dark corner of the room. A strong surge of killing intent, sharp as a blade, rushed toward the corner that Orochimaru sensed.
"Uh—"
A young, soft grunt came from the dark corner.
Immediately, a piercing light exploded in Orochimaru's eyes. Interesting!
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