"I never expected to encounter so many outstanding children in a single day..."

After recognizing Yu's identity, Orochimaru's ambition became even stronger in his gaze.

This person...

'Is he the reason this kid feels needed and has a meaning to his existence...?'

Facing Yu, who suddenly appeared before him, Kimimaro looked somewhat stunned at this handsome youth and then glanced at the surprised Haku beside him.

"Hehe, what a small world."

"I never thought that even in a remote village in the Water Country, I would encounter Orochimaru Senpai"

Yu chuckled lightly, his expression calm and relaxed as if he were chatting with a dear friend. Those who didn't know would think he was facing some kindly elder, not the Orochimaru who made people's blood run cold.

'Damn it... luckily, I arrived in time...

Otherwise, Orochimaru would have stolen the show...'

Little did anyone know, while Yu smiled outwardly, inside, he was cursing up a storm.

'Kaguya Kimimaro, huh...'

At the same time, Yu also noticed the white-haired boy beside Haku, who was staring at him. He had originally planned to take Haku along to find Kimimaro, but he never expected to encounter him here.

"Speaking of which, I've recently established a village of my own."

"So, Yu-kun, would you be interested in visiting my village?"

Greedily eyeing the white-haired youth before him and recalling various rumors about him in the ninja world, Orochimaru couldn't help but extend his long tongue.

'Looks like he's also eyeing me up...'

Seeing the greedy look Orochimaru gave him, Yu's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze turned cold: "I'm sorry, Orochimaru Senpai, but I have to return to the village to report to Sarutobi-sensei..."

After all, Orochimaru had immediately moved to seize the secret of the Rinnegan when he first saw it in Pain's possession. So, it wasn't really surprising that he would covet his body now.

"Sarutobi-sensei, huh..."

Hearing Yu mention the Third, it seemed to stir up distant memories in Orochimaru, and a slightly trance-like expression appeared on his sinister face.

"That's too bad..."

"It seems I'll have to knock you all out and take you back to my village as guests."

Coming back to his senses, Orochimaru's face revealed a sinister smile, and his narrow serpent-like eyes gleamed with malice.

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"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!!"

Suddenly, Orochimaru made his move, with several large pythons shooting out from his sleeves in an instant.

"Five-Colored Threads!!"

Observation Haki had already been constantly tracking Orochimaru's movements. Facing the countless snakes rushing to bite him, Yu showed no mercy. With a seemingly gentle clawing motion, he tore through the air, instantly slicing through all the snakes Orochimaru sent his way. The battle between two Kage Ninjas was about to erupt.

"That's only if you can pull it off..."

The feature of the Thread Fruit not requiring hand seals obviously had the advantage in battle. While Yu was speaking, he simultaneously severed Orochimaru's pythons with a claw strike on his hand, then fiercely kicked out in mid-air!

"Color of Arms: Coating!!"

"Foot Shaving String!!"

Along with Yu's incredibly swift Taijutsu movements, eight intertwined black threads coated with Armament Haki burst forth from the tip of his foot, instantly cutting the ground beneath him into eight sharp grooves.

'So fast...'

Seeing Yu's speed of attack, Orochimaru immediately abandoned the idea of using hand seals and instinctively crossed his hands in front of him.

"Boom!!"

However, Orochimaru clearly underestimated the strength of the lines reinforced by Yu's Armament Haki. The hands blocking in front of him were instantly severed by these extremely sharp black threads, and he, along with a circle of surrounding trees, was cut into two.

As the falling trees raised a cloud of dust, Haku and Kimimaro watched in astonishment at the sudden Kage Ninja battle unfolding before them.

"Both of you, stand behind me..."

Yu's voice was grave as he spoke to the two children. Though he couldn't see through the dust before him, he knew Orochimaru wouldn't be defeated so easily.

Among the many opponents he had faced, Orochimaru's aura was the strongest he had encountered aside from the Third Raikage. Even though he had battled fierce opponents like Han, the Jinchuriki of the Five Tails, and the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, their ferocity paled in comparison to the intense and deadly aura emanating from Orochimaru. It was an aura forged by taking thousands of lives.

"Hehehe... Truly deserving of being Konoha's strongest prodigy..."

"No wonder the Third Raikage and the Fourth Mizukage fell by your hand..."

Amidst the dust, Orochimaru's deep laughter could be heard.

"Such sharp threads, such immense destructive power."

"This must be your Kekkei Genkai, and today I finally get to experience it."

Once the dust settled, Orochimaru's body which was severed in two slowly appeared, yet his expression remained calm and unaffected as he spoke to himself.

"Ah!!"

Watching this horrifying scene unfold, Haku couldn't help but exclaim, while Kimimaro beside him widened his eyes.

"It seems your body is no longer human..."

Helplessly watching countless snakes crawl out of the wound where Orochimaru's body had been severed by him and reattach his body together, Yu couldn't help but furrow his brow.

As one of the legendary Three Sannins, Orochimaru was indeed formidable. What would be a fatal attack for most ninjas had virtually no effect on Orochimaru.

"My body has undergone multiple soft tissue modifications. There's nothing in this world that can kill me."

After fully restoring himself, Orochimaru stood up from the ground and stuck out his long tongue.

Soft Tissue Modification—after years of human experimentation, Orochimaru had already extensively modified his body. Not only could he turn his limbs into whip-like extensions to launch attacks, freely stretch or twist them in any direction, but he could also withstand the majority of physical attacks.

"There's nothing that can kill you? I'm not so sure about that..."

Listening to Orochimaru's words, Yu responded noncommittally. Just like in the world of ninjas, where so-called absolute defenses ultimately succumb to various countermeasures, ninjas claiming to be immortal often meet death in the end.

"Hehe... It seems killing the Fourth Mizukage has made you very arrogant, Yu-kun."

Seeing Yu seeming to underestimate him, Orochimaru's narrow snake-like pupils emitted a dangerous glint. "Then let me show you the vast difference between Kages!"

"Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!!"

As he spoke, Orochimaru's mouth opened wide at an astonishing angle.

Countless pythons crazily surged out from his mouth, and in the blink of an eye, an exaggerated wave of snakes flooded the entire forest.

Carrying an overwhelming momentum, they swiftly surged toward Yu and the others, and each snake's mouth spat out a sharp katana.

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