Chapter 291
Hell Thrust: Four-Finger Strike!
This was the signature technique of the Third Raikage, a move honed to deadly perfection.
By focusing chakra into his fingers, the Raikage created a thrusting technique with unparalleled piercing power—stronger than Kakashi's Chidori.
And as the number of fingers used decreased, the power became even more concentrated.
At its peak, when reduced to a single finger, the technique became known as the Strongest Spear, capable of breaking through even the toughest defenses, including the Lightning Release Armor.
But now, the Raikage was using four fingers.
Even so…
The Third Raikage's hand came to an abrupt stop, a punch-length away from Orochimaru's face.
What had halted his attack was a thick layer of solidified white chakra—a defensive manifestation of Susanoo in its second form.
"Tch. Is that all?" the Third Raikage muttered, his sharp eyes narrowing.
He had underestimated the defensive power of Orochimaru's Susanoo.
Orochimaru, meanwhile, stared at the Raikage's hand, his crimson eyes flickering.
"For four fingers to nearly break through the second form… the piercing power of this technique is absurd," Orochimaru thought. "But… this is the end of it."
"What?"
The Third Raikage, sensing something off, saw Orochimaru's hands moving through a sequence of seals.
Realizing the danger, the Raikage reacted immediately, pulling back to create distance.
But the Raikage wasn't retreating to avoid the fight.
"If four fingers aren't enough, then I'll use three," he muttered to himself, his sharp instincts analyzing the situation.
Based on the damage dealt to Orochimaru's Susanoo, he calculated that even if the opponent upgraded to a stronger form, two fingers would be enough to shatter its defense entirely.
And he was right.
But Orochimaru wouldn't give him the chance.
The moment the Raikage withdrew, Orochimaru's preparations were complete.
Light green markings appeared around his eyes, and his pupils transformed into slitted, snake-like irises.
Taking a deep breath, Orochimaru unleashed his technique.
Sage Art: White Rage Technique!
Whoosh!
From Orochimaru's mouth, a small black bead shot forth, followed by a long white dragon spiraling around it.
"What the hell is that?!" the Second Tsuchikage muttered, his senses sharpening as he watched the attack unfold.
The dragon coiled tighter around the bead, spinning faster and faster until—
Buzz!
BOOM!
The dragon exploded in a brilliant flash of blinding white light, accompanied by a high-pitched, ear-splitting noise that seemed to shake the very air.
The light was so intense it turned the previously eerie, fog-covered arena into a space brighter than daylight.
The soundwaves rippled outward, vibrating the chakra within anyone caught in its range.
Even the Third Raikage, as fast as he was, couldn't escape.
His vision overwhelmed by the flash, the Raikage instinctively shut his eyes, trying to sidestep the attack. But with the air vibrating and his chakra disrupted, he could no longer perceive his surroundings accurately.
Slash!
The flash ended as suddenly as it began, leaving behind only silence… and the sound of blood splattering.
Orochimaru's figure appeared behind the Third Raikage, the gleaming blade of the Kusanagi Sword slick with blood.
The attack had pierced clean through.
"Ugh…" The Third Raikage coughed, blood spilling from his mouth. "This technique…"
"Something new," Orochimaru replied, his voice calm but cold. "The air vibrations disorient your chakra flow, while the visual overload renders you blind. During that moment, you're completely defenseless, and I can move freely while you cannot."
"…You… You're a terrifying opponent…"
"I'll take that as a compliment."
Boom!
The Raikage fell to one knee, the lightning chakra surrounding his body flickering and fading.
"Your endurance is incredible," Orochimaru remarked, his tone devoid of emotion. "That's why I'll ensure you die here and now."
Without hesitation, Orochimaru flickered forward.
Slash! Slash!
Two more fatal strikes—one to the heart, the other to the throat.
The Third Raikage collapsed entirely, his powerful body no longer moving.
From the edge of the arena, the Second Tsuchikage stepped forward, observing the scene with a somber expression.
"You truly show no mercy," he said, his voice low as he looked at the fallen Raikage.
"There's no room for mercy when dealing with an enemy," Orochimaru replied calmly.
The Sage markings around his eyes faded, and the Kusanagi Sword vanished from his grasp in a ripple of space.
At the same time, countless Flying Thunder God kunai embedded across the battlefield began to fly back toward Orochimaru, returning to him automatically.
After gathering the kunai, Orochimaru walked over to the Third Raikage's body, crouching down.
As he prepared to extract the Raikage's cells, he suddenly felt a disturbance behind him.
"Second Tsuchikage," Orochimaru said without turning. "Your stealth and sensory skills are impressive, but don't forget, you're my summon. Did you really think you could sneak up on me?"
Orochimaru turned his head slightly, his golden eyes locking onto the Second Tsuchikage, who stood with his hands clasped, a faint Dust Release light glowing between them.
"…I should've known it wouldn't be that easy," the Tsuchikage muttered, his voice laced with resignation.
Before he could act, a coffin rose from the ground behind him.
The coffin opened, emitting a strong suction that pulled the Tsuchikage inside before slamming shut.
Boom!
The coffin sank back into the earth, leaving no trace behind.
---
At that moment, a familiar voice echoed in Orochimaru's mind.
"Orochimaru, two powerful chakras are heading your way," Tagitsuhime warned.
"I know," Orochimaru replied calmly. "But the battle is over. You and the others should retreat."
"Understood. Be careful."
As the three Ryūchi Cave summons disappeared, the dense fog around the arena began to dissipate. The battlefield was now exposed, revealing a sunlit sky and a field of utter devastation.
Orochimaru crouched beside the Third Raikage's lifeless body, extracting a sample of his cells before sealing it inside a vial.
With the sample secured, Orochimaru vanished from the ruins just moments before the Fourth Raikage and Killer Bee arrived.
"Father…"
"Father!"
The Fourth Raikage dropped to his knees, lifting his father's body from the blood-soaked ground. His face twisted with grief as Killer Bee stood silently behind him, fists clenched.
---
Elsewhere, Orochimaru found a secluded spot to regroup.
Sensing no immediate threats, he began weaving a series of seals.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Across the Cloud and Sand Ninja battlefields, countless coffins rose from the ground.
But this time, it wasn't a summoning—it was a retrieval.
The reanimated ninjas, still engaged in battle, were suddenly pulled into the coffins one by one.
Before anyone could react, the coffins sealed themselves and sank back into the earth, taking the undead soldiers with them.
"One coffin per ninja," Orochimaru mused, watching the process. "Perfectly calculated."
With the reanimated forces withdrawn, the battles against the Cloud and Sand Ninja armies had effectively ended.
***
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