Chapter 186: Orochimaru’s Sage Mode

Kawakaze and the Raikage fought fiercely, while on the sidelines, Orochimaru and the Kumo Ninja were equally engaged in an intense battle.

Both sides clashed in a lively and relentless manner. The Raikage had not brought many people—Orochimaru counted fifteen in total—but all of them were Jōnin. There were no lower-level Genin or Chūnin among them. Among these was Dodai, a formidable opponent with a Kekkei Genkai, who was particularly difficult to deal with.

Initially, Orochimaru had the upper hand with his surprise attack, but the Kumo Ninja quickly regrouped. Now, facing fourteen Jōnin under coordinated command, Orochimaru was beginning to lose his initial advantage.

The swarm of snakes summoned by Orochimaru caused little trouble for the Kumo Ninja. Under Dodai's leadership, they advanced and retreated with precision, balancing close- and long-range combat seamlessly. They efficiently neutralized the snakes and launched coordinated counterattacks.

From a distance, Lightning Release techniques struck at Orochimaru, forcing him to dodge, only for him to face three Kumo Ninja in close combat. Orochimaru parried their attacks with his sharp blade, skillfully countering despite being outnumbered.

While Taijutsu was not Orochimaru's specialty, it was not a weakness either. He deflected the strikes of the three Kumo Ninja and retaliated when the opportunity arose. As another Lightning Release strike approached, Orochimaru forced his attackers to retreat with a powerful slash, dodging just in time.

The moment he landed, Dodai seized the opportunity.

"Lava Release: Rubber Ball."

Dodai transformed his Chakra into rubber, spitting it out to encase Orochimaru. As the rubber closed in, it rapidly formed into a sphere, trapping Orochimaru securely.

Orochimaru slashed at the rubber twice but quickly realized he could not break free. The material was incredibly resilient, absorbing the force of his strikes.

"Take this opportunity and attack!" Dodai commanded.

The remaining fourteen Kumo Ninja sprang into action, each unleashing their specialized techniques:

"Lightning Release: Lightning Ball."

"Lightning Release: False Darkness."

"Lightning Release: Thunderclap Arrow."

...

For a moment, various Lightning Release techniques shot out from the Kumo Ninja, converging on Orochimaru inside the rubber sphere. The electric flashes exploded with deafening noise.

If hit directly, Orochimaru would either be killed or severely injured.

Dodai smirked with satisfaction, as though he could already envision Orochimaru electrocuted and reduced to charred remains. So this is the famed disciple of the Third Hokage? Just so-so.

Controlling his Chakra, Dodai opened a hole in the sphere directly in front of Orochimaru, allowing the concentrated Lightning Release attacks to surge through. The combined strikes reached Orochimaru in an instant.

However, Orochimaru's lips curved into a faint smile, completely devoid of fear.

In the next moment, the sphere was flooded with lightning, engulfing Orochimaru in a brilliant display of energy. Just as Dodai began to revel in his apparent success, he noticed something unusual.

Inside the sphere, Orochimaru's body unraveled into a pile of snakes—it was just a clone!

"Sage Art," a low, ominous voice sounded from not far away. Dodai quickly turned to locate the source.

Orochimaru's appearance had transformed. A menacing aura radiated from him as green markings appeared around his eyes, and a single horn protruded from his forehead. Despite the strange changes, there was an unsettling beauty in his form.

Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode!

"Consider it an honor," Orochimaru said in a chilling tone.

"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation."

Forming hand seals rapidly, Orochimaru activated his technique. The ground beneath the Kumo Ninja suddenly began to shift.

The soil rapidly gathered and shot upwards, forming massive spikes that grew with terrifying speed.

"Ah!"

Several Kumo Ninja, unable to evade in time, were impaled and killed instantly.

"What kind of Ninjutsu is this?!" Dodai muttered, his expression tense. He sensed no Chakra fluctuations from the ground, which defied his understanding. Had the soil itself come to life? Ridiculous!

Dodai realized that only his vigilance and sharp eyes had saved him—he'd noticed Orochimaru forming hand seals in time to avoid the fatal attack.

"Not bad," Orochimaru remarked, licking his lips as though unimpressed by the current outcome.

Boom!

A crater formed beneath Orochimaru's feet as an immense surge of Chakra erupted from his body. The energy propelled him forward like an arrow, sending him hurtling toward the remaining Kumo Ninja at breakneck speed.

"He's much faster," said Dodai, his eyes narrowing as he observed Orochimaru's significantly increased speed.

"Defend!" came the quick order from the Kumo Ninja. Using Earth-Style Wall, they raised a thick earthen barrier in Orochimaru's path.

Dodai added a Protective Rubber Wall over the Earth-Style Wall, reinforcing the defense further.

Boom!

A loud crash echoed as Orochimaru tore straight through the Earth-Style Wall without slowing down. The wall crumbled with a deafening noise, raising a cloud of dust.

"How is this possible?" Dodai muttered in disbelief. Only moments ago, Orochimaru had struggled to break free from the Rubber Ball.

Now, under the amplification of Sage Mode, Orochimaru's abilities had skyrocketed—not just in speed but in every aspect. His strength was on an entirely different level than before.

The Kumo Ninja gasped, their eyes struggling to keep up as Orochimaru's figure vanished.

"Ah!"

A bloodcurdling scream filled the air as one of the Kumo Ninja was beheaded. The severed head hit the ground with a sickening thud, blood pooling around it. The headless body collapsed as Orochimaru's figure reappeared in the eyes of the remaining Kumo Ninja.

"Form a formation!" Dodai ordered sharply.

The Kumo Ninja quickly organized themselves into groups of three, forming triangular formations to defend against Orochimaru's relentless attacks.

"Lightning Release: Thunder Binding."

Each group drove their weapons into the ground, forming hand seals and bracing themselves with one hand. Lightning-infused Chakra spread through their weapons, intertwining to create a powerful Lightning Release barrier that trapped Orochimaru within its confines.

"Attack!"

Dodai didn't even need to issue the command; the Kumo Ninja had already begun their assault on Orochimaru.

"It's always the same old tricks. You underestimate me too much," Orochimaru said with a light laugh, sticking out his tongue to lick the still-warm bloodstains on his blade.

As the Lightning Release Ninjutsu from the Kumo Ninja closed in, Orochimaru dodged each attack effortlessly.

In Sage Mode, Orochimaru's perception abilities were greatly heightened, rendering attacks of this level meaningless to him.

"Sage Art: White Rage Technique!"

Forming a hand seal, Orochimaru released a glowing red dragon from his mouth, its jaws holding a black orb. The dragon began circling the orb, spinning faster with each rotation.

After a moment, the entire red dragon plunged into the black orb.

Boom!

The orb erupted with a massive explosion, unleashing a violent flash of light that consumed the entire area. The dazzling brilliance was accompanied by an ear-splitting sound.

The Kumo Ninja were rendered completely blind, their vision overtaken by a white blur. Simultaneously, their bodies were struck by excruciating pain. The shockwaves from the explosion disrupted their senses, leaving them paralyzed and unable to move.

Orochimaru, however, was entirely unaffected. Moving through the white light as if it were his domain, he easily broke the Lightning Release barrier. With his sharp blade in hand, he walked forward leisurely, like a grim reaper from the depths of hell.

Without hesitation, he began mercilessly ending the lives of the immobilized Kumo Ninja.

"How dare you!" the Raikage roared, his eyes bloodshot as he witnessed the carnage.

Overcome with rage, the Raikage turned to leave Kawakaze behind, intending to attack Orochimaru directly.

"You want to rescue them now? It's too late," Kawakaze said, blocking the Raikage's path. His combat suit was in tatters, riddled with holes, and his body bore wounds that bled and healed continuously.

Hearing the commotion, Orochimaru glanced at the Raikage. Meeting his furious gaze, Orochimaru casually grabbed a Kumo Ninja by the hair.

The corner of Orochimaru's mouth curled into a sinister smile as he slowly slit the ninja's throat.

Destroying both body and soul!