Chapter 128: Rescuing Team 7

Chapter 128: Rescuing Team 7

Ino was about 70-80% sure that the person with Team 7 was Orochimaru. Before the Chunin Exams, she had a feeling she might encounter him, but she hadn't expected it to happen so soon.

"Team 7 might be facing a powerful enemy. We should go check it out," Shikamaru said, his mind racing with possibilities after witnessing the powerful Wind Style jutsu. None of those possibilities boded well for the Konoha ninjas.

Among the current genin, Ino was the best at Wind Style in Konoha. If even she admitted that the mysterious ninja's Wind Style was stronger than hers, how could Team 7 possibly fare well?

Ino pondered for a few seconds. She couldn't let her teammates think she was indifferent to her fellow villagers. In this era, and even in the times when Kakashi and Naruto would become Hokage, the Will of Fire was something that had to be upheld. She could slack off in action, but her words had to show concern.

She nodded to Shikamaru. "Let's go now. I'm a bit worried about Sakura and her big forehead."

They called Choji over. Although he was reluctant to leave the roasted bear paw, he never opposed decisions made by the other two and happily followed along.

Seeing that Karin was still following them, Ino added, "Don't follow us anymore. It might get really dangerous from here. You're too weak. Stay back."

Three kilometers wasn't far. By the time Team 10 arrived, they saw Naruto unconscious, pinned to a tree with kunai, while Sasuke charged at the enemy with Chidori, only to have his wrist caught and thrown backward.

"What are you doing here? Run! Take those two idiots and run!" Sasuke, mid-air, spotted Team 10 and shouted fiercely, his expression fierce.

Orochimaru, disguised in a Kusagakure uniform, glanced at them briefly but said nothing, seemingly uninterested in Team 10.

Shikamaru halted. If even Sasuke from Team 7 was urging them to run, how strong was this enemy? He wouldn't forgive himself if Team 10 got wiped out trying to save Team 7. He began weighing the risks.

Their hesitation gave Team 7 no time to recover.

Sasuke, still mid-air, became Orochimaru's next target.

Orochimaru's neck suddenly elongated, flying over ten meters as his fangs gleamed, aiming to bite Sasuke's neck.

Ino couldn't sit still anymore. Sasuke was tied to the Indra chakra, and at this stage, she didn't want any changes good or bad to happen to him, fearing it might affect her.

She had no choice but to act.

She jumped out, her hands quickly forming seals. "Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"

A silver line of water shot forward. Orochimaru's neck had a strange elasticity, slippery and rubbery, making it hard to cut. The Water Severing Wave slowed down but still managed to slice through his neck, sending his head and half his neck flying into the air.

The severed neck turned into a swarm of white snakes, reconnecting as countless snakes twisted together. With a few movements, his neck was fully restored.

Orochimaru's golden eyes turned to Ino. He licked his lips, his gaze radiating bone-chilling killing intent.

Ino felt slightly uncomfortable but was used to dealing with eerie situations. Her strong mental energy kept her from being overwhelmed, unlike Naruto and Sasuke, who sometimes had to resort to self-harm to escape mental pressure.

"Hurry, retreat! This guy's too strong!" She signaled Shikamaru and Choji to take Team 7 and run.

Sasuke had no intention of fighting to the death. Sakura supported him as they retreated first. Naruto was still unconscious, so Choji carried him and ran.

Ino glanced subtly at Naruto's situation. She had expected this, but there was no time to deal with it now.

She quickly formed seals.

She needed to create a big scene so the village wouldn't ignore this.

Taking a deep breath, she exhaled water-attribute chakra toward Orochimaru, who wore a mocking smile.

"Water Style: Great Water Collision Wave!" In the middle of the forest, a massive surge of water appeared out of nowhere, toppling trees and churning the soil. Insects fled in all directions as the flood wreaked havoc, resembling a natural disaster.

Orochimaru hadn't expected Ino to start with such a powerful move. He wasn't known for having vast chakra reserves in fact, among the Sannin, he had the least. Plus, he didn't want to reveal his identity before the main event, so many of his techniques were off-limits. He was momentarily caught off guard.

The surging water changed the terrain. Shikamaru took the injured and exhausted Sasuke from Sakura, while Choji carried Naruto. Karin, who had been following from a distance, looked around and, wanting to prove her usefulness, helped Sakura up and joined the group.

Sakura was confused. "Who are you?"

"You little brats, don't think you can escape!" Orochimaru was furious.

After years of fame, being ambushed like this and letting his prey slip away was unbearable.

He quickly formed seals, preparing to finish off these genin with a single jutsu.

Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a chubby Ino. This thing had an eerie expression, floated lightly, and moved incredibly fast.

It lunged straight at him.

Even Orochimaru, with all his experience, was puzzled.

The Second Mizukage had died when the Third Hokage had just taken office, and Orochimaru had been a child back then. He had only heard of the Exploding Water Colliding Wave but had never seen it in person. He hadn't expected a Konoha genin to use the Second Mizukage's signature technique.

His instincts screamed danger. This chubby, seemingly foolish thing could cause him significant harm.

He wouldn't die no one could kill him now but his current body might be damaged.

Orochimaru acted decisively, biting his thumbs and slamming his hands on the ground.

"Triple Rashomon!"

Three massive gates rose from the earth, their humanoid faces opening wide as if to devour any physical attack.

The chubby Ino's speed kept increasing as the water chakra inside her was continuously heated.

The Exploding Water Colliding Wave was a technique based on water clones, which possessed the intelligence of the original. It wasn't a mindless Tailed Beast Bomb.

Seeing the three gates, the chubby Ino paused, feeling insulted by the enemy's assumption.

"You think I'm stupid? Why would I crash into the gates?"

Ino stared intently at Orochimaru. As the increasingly massive chubby Ino made a sharp turn in mid-air and collided with Orochimaru, she formed the final seal.

"Boom!"

The explosion was deafening, sending shockwaves that snapped trees in half. Hot oil and steam scattered in all directions, and dark clouds quickly gathered overhead.

The explosion was so intense that not only the genin in the Forest of Death but even the villagers in Konoha could hear it.

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