Chapter 201 Orochimaru

"Hattori, you really don't know how to be grateful."

Orochimaru hissed, his yellow, slit-like eyes glaring like a snake locking onto its prey. His Konoha Crush Plan had been foiled by the breaking of the Four Violet Flames Formation.

While the loss of his subordinates was insignificant, the fact that Hiruzen Sarutobi was still alive and well enraged him. His meticulous plans had yielded no results, and a searing emotion, one that Orochimaru, in his relentless pursuit of immortality, had not felt in a long time, surfaced within his cold-blooded heart.

Normally calm, patient, and ruthless in his pursuit, Orochimaru's snake-like rationality had been suddenly provoked.

"To dare to interfere here… It seems you no longer care about your identity being exposed."

Logan remained silent, his figure wielding the blade growing larger in Orochimaru's yellow pupils. Orochimaru snorted coldly, raising his kunai to clash with Logan's beautiful short sword.

Clang!

Black metal met white steel, and a tiny notch appeared immediately. Orochimaru's eyes gleamed as he kicked towards Logan, who evaded without surprise. Orochimaru's mouth then opened wide.

"Can you please stop using such disgusting techniques all the time?" Logan, who remained silent, showed disgust on his face. Before the snakes could come out, he broke away and formed hand seals with his hands.

"Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"

A mass of snakes appeared, threatening to surround Logan from all sides.

Boom!

With a roar, flames burst forth, and several fiery dragons flew towards the swarm, incinerating anything they touched. The mark of the Divine Bird on the back of Logan's left hand flickered unnoticed. The intensity of the fire suddenly surged, like being infused with Chakra, growing larger against the wind.

The crimson flames were interlaced with a hint of gold, their fierce aura causing the snakes to hiss in terror. One after another, they melted in the flames, turning to charred ash. Seeing the ferocity of Logan's flame, Orochimaru decided against unleashing more snakes.

"It's just a mid-level Fire Release Ninjutsu, yet you wasted so much Chakra." Orochimaru said with a sneer. He naturally assumed the scorching flames were the result of Logan pouring Chakra into the Ninjutsu. The last of the remaining snakes, slightly smaller, slithered from his mouth as he licked his lips and began forming hand seals of his own.

Logan's expression remained unchanged, and he subtly moved his left hand behind his back, 'It seemed that after signing a contract with the Divine Bird Clan, My Fire Release Ninjutsu received a significant boost.'

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!" The ground began to soften and sink, turning into a sticky swamp aiming to trap Logan's feet.

"Don't waste your time with such low-level tricks." Logan sneered as lightning surged around him. He stomped hard, sending a powerful shockwave through the muddy swamp, and launched himself into the air. As his short sword gleamed like silver, he commented, "You're just wasting your Chakra."

"Heh." Orochimaru chuckled gloomily. As Logan was about to land, he sensed something was wrong and twisted his body abruptly.

Two massive snakes, nearly ten meters long and as thick as barrels, burst from beneath the swamp with a roar, their mouths wide open, aiming to swallow Logan whole!

He barely dodged the snapping jaws, the putrid stench of their saliva-laden yellow-white fangs grazing past him. Just as he narrowly avoided being bitten, another attack came. A kunai, gleaming with a dark luster, was thrust towards Logan as he landed in awkward position.

Logan raised his hand and tried to block it with Shimizu, but Orochimaru's relentless assault suppressed him without giving him a chance to breathe.

Logan countered with taijutsu, defending and striking back. The two giant snakes landed and hissed, surrounding both combatants. Orochimaru shifted his footing, intentionally pushing Logan in one direction. Logan's eyes flickered, and with a powerful blow, they temporarily separated.

A big snake suddenly lunged forward, but Logan, now amid a rapid exchange of blows, did not panic. He was looking to break free from close-quarters combat. Just as the gaping maw was about to swallow him whole, a burst of blue-white light erupted in the foul darkness.

With a burst of speed, Logan, wielding his Chidori, pierced through the snake's body, emerging from within with a flash of light. The blood and flesh around him evaporated instantly. Pushing his Lightning Release to its limits and stimulating his cells, Logan continued his assault, driving his blade straight through the head of Orochimaru's second snake.

"Huff…"

As Logan gasped for breath, Orochimaru, despite his failed attack, seemed unconcerned. He murmured with a chilling calmness: "It seems your Lightning Release has improved... No wonder you were able to break the Four Violet Flames Formation."

His gaze swept over the lightning coursing around Logan's body, which seemed harmless yet fierce, "I must admit, I've developed a certain interest in your technique."

"Oh."

Bang!

Broken fragments of bricks and water droplets from a Water Release technique splashed over from the other side of the battlefield. In the heat of combat, Orochimaru instinctively glanced over at the distant clashes, where Earth Walls and Water Dragon Bullets were colliding. Suddenly, his body bent like a bow as he was slammed into the ground by a tremendous force.

"Don't be distracted." Logan, who was wrapped with a large amount of electric current, said coldly. He stood on top of Orochimaru who fell to the ground and punched down with full force, "Shouldn't you experience this Lightning Release properly?"

Orochimaru's expression changed as he struggled to block the blow. His arms braced against Logan's fist, but he was still crushed down against his chest. Twisting his body to try and redirect the force, Logan kicked him away.

As Orochimaru skidded along the ground, Logan darted after him, moving like a shadow. Grabbing Orochimaru's collar, he thrust Shimizu directly toward the vulnerable neck.

Pfft!

The sharp blade plunged halfway into the ground, but Orochimaru's neck actually twisted at an impossible angle. At the same time, his hands turned boneless and were used as whips to throw at Logan.

Logan grunted as the lightning around him flickered and dimmed, and he was knocked back into the air. He steadied himself mid-air and landed, clutching the spot where he had been struck. A searing pain spread through his nerves, reaching his brain.

Regaining his breath, Logan recognized Orochimaru's Soft Physique Modification Technique, allowing his body to stretch and twist in any direction. Such a technique was particularly effective against opponents accustomed to standard close-quarters combat, as its unnatural movements rendered typical combat experience useless.

"Your speed is impressive." Orochimaru commented nonchalantly as he stood back up, rubbing his neck, which had almost been sliced open by Logan's blade, 'His strength could not be underestimated...'

Under the sunlight, in Logan's hand, Shimizu gleamed like water. Orochimaru's initial fury was gradually cooling during the fight. His eyes were icy as he recalled their last battle in the Otogakure, 'Back then, he didn't have that blade…'

Opening his mouth, he spat out the long Kusanagi Sword, gripping its hilt firmly. He knew ordinary weapons wouldn't suffice against Logan.

Meanwhile, the battle between Hiruzen and two past Hokages raged on with thunderous intensity. The sun was now past noon, leaning toward the west. In the forest in the distance, one Jinchuriki pursued another. Though the chaos of the Chunin Exams had initially been wild, it was starting to stabilize, yet the skirmishes persisted. Logan steadied his hand and charged forward with Shimizu, engaging Orochimaru, who wielded the Kusanagi Sword, once again.