Adrik coughed as he shakily got to his knees while clutching his chest. He shielded his eyes as the Hokage crashed into the tree next to him painfully. Adrik looked over as the dust cleared with his concern evident. The Hokage groaned as he pulled himself out of the small crater. He and Adrik looked up when Orochimaru laughed maniacally.
"You two are pathetic, just like the rest of this useless village. I was expecting more of a challenge, Sensei."
The Hokage scowled as he got back to his feet, Adrik following suit a second later.
"It seems you two were just destined to die here at my hand."
Adrik rushed forward with his daggers aimed at Orochimaru. He threw the one in his right hand, which was deflected, before circling around the pale man and going in for a stab with his other dagger.
Orochimaru turned around and deflected the stab before kicking Adrik in the side, sending him flying back. Orochimaru grit his teeth in pain as he was kicked in the back of his neck. He turned sharply and slashed at the Hokage. The old man grunted as his shin was barely nicked by the blade. Orochimaru thrust his sword forward, which the Hokage deflected to the left with his staff. He sent a kick to the pale man's side which was blocked by his forearm.
Orochimaru grabbed the Hokage's outstretched leg before slashing upwards with his sword. The Hokage yelled out in pain as his right leg from the shin down was completely severed. Enma instantly detransformed, sending a punch into Orochimaru's jaw. The pale man was sent flying back somewhat before regaining his balance. Enma picked up the Hokage before trying to drag him back, his severed leg oozing blood.
Before Orochimaru could lunge forward, he was hit in the back by two orbs of dense ash.
"Cinder Shot!"
Orochimaru turned around and deflected two more orbs of ash, a third and fourth hitting him square in his left shoulder. Orochimaru bared his teeth and hissed as his shoulder erupted in a searing pain. Looking over, he saw the ashes on his shoulder burning deep into his skin. He clicked his tongue as he looked back at Adrik. In an instant, he fell to the floor as a corpse. Once again, another Orochimaru dragged himself out of his previous self's mouth and stood up, lacking most of his previous injuries.
Orochimaru stumbled when he was grabbed by the back of his head and slammed into the ground, courtesy of Enma.
"Kid! Go help Hiruzen!"
Adrik nodded in surprise before running over to the Hokage, who was desperately trying to reign in his yells of pain. He crouched down next to the old man who was holding his leg, trying to put pressure on it.
"Shit. Old man, I need you to be as steady as possible right now!"
The Hokage nodded painfully, his eyes closed. He yelled as he felt his wound burst with a fiery pain. He yelled in agony as his flesh and muscles were singed badly. Adrik flinched as he hadn't had to do this before. The most he knew was that he needed to cauterize the arteries at the least.
The Hokage yelled loudly as he gripped his leg. Adrik's hands shook as burning ash leaked from his palms, covering the open wound. Adrik's eyes, widened with fear, turned to see Enma crash into a tree at incredible speeds. The summon barely managed to pull himself from the crater before a kunai to the stomach made him disappear in a puff of white smoke, meaning he was resummoned back to his world.
Adrik tried to keep his hands steady even as Orochimaru slowly walked towards him and the Hokage. He glanced down and figured the poor cauterizing patchwork would have to work for now. He stood up and drew his daggers before rushing towards Orochimaru once again.
The pale man barely gave the teen a glance as he grabbed him by the throat. Adrik slashed at Orochimaru, but his wrists were grabbed before he could do any damage. Orochimaru twisted the teen's wrists until he was forced to drop his daggers to the ground.
Adrik's eyes widened as the wind was knocked out of him by a punch to the stomach. Another followed the first before Orochimaru let go of him and kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back into a tree.
Orochimaru turned away from Adrik to look down at his former sensei. He smirked and drew his blade as he walked forward. He crouched in front of the old man, making him look up through the waves of pain he was feeling.
"It seems our games must come to an end, Sensei. I do apologize, though, as dismemberment isn't exactly my go-to."
The Hokage scowled as he stared at Orochimaru.
"It... seems so. But know... this... Orochimaru..."
Orochimaru raised an eyebrow.
"Oh? What's this? My dear Sensei wishes to leave me with some final words of wisdom before he dies at my hand, hm?"
The Hokage coughed up a bit of blood, making Orochimaru's smirk grow wider.
"Well, go ahead. You seem to be running out of breath as it is."
The Hokage looked at Orochimaru, surprising the man with a confident grin. Adrik coughed as he tried to get up, only to realize the trees had collapsed on top of him.
"Your invasion will fail, Orochimaru. If I die, more will rise to take my place. You will never win this pointless battle, my foolish student."
Orochimaru frowned as he stood up.
"Then, I should give you my final words as well if you are so prepared to die."
Orochimaru raised his sword high.
"Hiruzen Sarutobi, your time as the Third Hokage shall come to an end now, along with the life that you have led! Know that your death will bring about my reign, and your village will fall at my hands!"
The Hokage smirked as he closed his eyes.
"You truly are the worst student I've ever taught. Even someone like you should know the Will of Fire will burn on. Now, and forever."
Orochimaru scowled as he stared at the old man who was openly accepting his fate. Adrik watched from his place under the fallen trees with horror as Orochimaru stood over the Hokage with his blade over his head.
"Goodbye, Sensei..."
Orochimaru stabbed his sword downward, directly piercing the heart of the Hokage. The old man let out a gasp as he felt the stabbing pain. Orochimaru held his blade in the old man's chest for a few more seconds before removing it. The Hokage let out a breath as the blade left his chest. His eyes grew dim as his life began to fade.
Two tendrils of ash reached up from Adrik's hand and lifted the trees just enough for him to crawl out. Adrik got to his feet, stumbling in a daze. Orochimaru took a few steps back as he stared at his former sensei now taking his last breaths.
Adrik continued to stumble towards the dying Hokage, his eyes wide and his breath short. He fell to his knees next to the old man as his legs no longer held any strength. Orochimaru watched with a wicked grin as Adrik shakily put a hand on the Hokage's shoulder and gently shook it.
"H-Hey, old man... Old man... L-Lord Hokage...? Hey... Hey, w-wait a second. Old man, hold on..."
The Hokage blankly looked at Adrik before letting out a small grin.
"A... Adrik... Th-The Leaf... will a-always be... your home... P-Protect it... Protect... th-them..."
Adrik stared at the Hokage as he let out his final breath. Orochimaru snickered before bursting out into a fit of laughter.
"N-No... N-No, hold on, old man... C-Come on, get up... Old man...? H-Hey..."
Adrik continued to shake the Hokage's shoulder for a few seconds, feeling as the old man grew colder and colder by the moment. Orochimaru continued laughing maniacally before pointing his sword at Adrik.
"I must commend the old man! He sure knows how to inspire people! I don't even feel like killing you anymore, child. Perhaps I should leave this village with a parting gift, though..."
Orochimaru smirked as he walked over and grabbed the collar of the Hokage's mesh shirt.
"I should let them all see just how fragile they really are."
Orochimaru chuckled before he frowned. A hand grabbed his wrist that was holding the now dead Hokage's mesh shirt. Orochimaru scowled as he let go of the Hokage and yanked his hand back. He grew confused and a little irritated when he was unable to pull his arm out of Adrik's grasp. Orochimaru struggled for a few more moments before swinging his sword in his other hand towards Adrik.
Orochimaru watched in shock as Adrik grabbed the blade of the sword with his left hand, his eyes still widened. That was when Orochimaru noticed it. At the back of his mind, a burning pressure began to grow, the origin of said pressure being Adrik.
Orochimaru hissed in pain as he felt his flesh beginning to burn from the teen's grasp. He looked over to see the metal of his sword beginning to warp and glow brighter. His eyes widened as he finally managed to pull himself away. Adrik stood in place, however, simply staring at the pale man, not blinking.
Orochimaru got to his feet and began to sweat anxiously. Moments later, he was beginning to breathe noticeably harder. A few seconds passed and the burning pressure began to grow dramatically, the weight of it making him fall to his knees.
X
Jiraiya looked over at the arena with wide eyes when he sensed something incredibly malicious coming from the forested rooftop where the Hokage and Orochimaru were. Zabuza and Haku snapped their heads in the same direction as they immediately remembered this feeling.
The few enemy jonin around them that were still conscious looked fearfully towards where the burning pressure was coming from. They all dropped their weapons as they took some steps back.
"You two, get out of here, now! I don't know what's happening, but something's gone really wrong!"
Jiraiya looked back at Zabuza and Haku to see they were slightly shaking from the pressure. He himself was feeling the hair on the back of his neck beginning to stand up. He looked back at where the Hokage was with fear evident in his gaze.
X
Naruto and the other four Leaf Genin began to breathe hard as they stopped. A few meters in front of them, the Sand Siblings were all on the ground shaking from the palpable rage and the pressure in the air. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke immediately realized what was happening, but couldn't find the strength to move.
'Brat, you need to get your little friends and get the hell out of here, now!'
Naruto shook his head ever so slightly.
'N-No, I can't...'
The Fox glanced around worriedly as the shadows in its part of the mindscape seemed to grow darker with a wispy texture with embers blinking in and out of the haze.
X
Orochimaru, now dry heaving on his hands and knees, looked up and his fear intensified. Adrik's eyes, still wide, morphed to have glowing orange rings around the pupils and the edges of the irises with a tiny yellow dot forming in the middle of each pupil. Ashes rose from the corners of his mouth as he stared down the pale man. His hair began to float as if caught in a breeze.
The smoke rising from the teen formed behind him into a creature that Orochimaru had never seen. The creature's molten yellow eyes, filled with nothing but an infernal fury, stared at the pale man unblinkingly. Its molten maw, which had once been smiling maniacally, was now snarling at Orochimaru with an unnatural growl. The lightning pattern on its paws began to glow brighter, matching the scars below Adrik's arm wrappings that also began to glow a bright orange. It's uncountable tails swished violently, looking as if it was creating a storm of burning ash and smoke.
Orochimaru watched and heard as the creature let out a deafening roar that no other being could come close to matching. It faded back into the smoke, which disappeared back into Adrik. The teen bared his teeth as he stared at the pale man, now holding nothing but an uncontrollable, almost manic rage.
Orochimaru had no time to react when Adrik appeared right in front of him, slamming his fist into the pale man's face, sending him flying back.
As Orochimaru recovered in a crouch, he rubbed at his left cheek in confusion. He stared down the approaching chunin with a frown as he stood up, his fear significantly quelled.
"It seems that display of yours was just for show. I had entirely forgotten you are still but a chunin. Even so, it wouldn't do to keep such a potential threat alive."
Orochimaru vanished in a burst of speed, slamming his fist into Adrik's stomach. The teen doubled over before he was launched backwards. Orochimaru smirked as the teen flew away before he winced in slight pain. Looking down, he saw his right hand's knuckles had more color to them than usual. He paid the minor burns no mind as they were just that; minor.
Orochimaru put his arm up to block an incoming kick. His eyes narrowed when Adrik pivoted at the last moment, pulling himself to the ground before sending a knee into his opponent's unguarded chest. Orochimaru caught the knee with his other hand and shoved Adrik back. The pale man once again twitched as he felt the burns on his hand from making contact with the chunin.
Adrik landed in a crouch before jumping up high with his right arm held high. In it appeared a black chain made of solid ash. As Adrik fell back to the ground, he swung the long chain downward. Orochimaru wordlessly caught the chain before yanking on it, pulling the teen toward him. Adrik's and Orochimaru's free fists clashed for a second.
Orochimaru continued the power struggle for a few moments before noticing the burning sensation in both of his hands. He immediately kicked Adrik away, letting go of the chain in the process. He frowned when the chain had wrapped itself around his arm before he could let go. Orochimaru simply snapped the chain and yanked it off of his arm. The burns that came from doing so were more annoying than actually debilitating.
Adrik got to his feet with his mad snarl still present. He spread his arms to the sides with his palms facing down. Slowly, ashes began to form from the tips of his fingers to his elbows, making black, burning gauntlets with his arm wrappings burning away in the process. Lightning patterned marks appeared on the gauntlets, matching his glowing scars.
Adrik ran forward, bringing both of his arms up high. He slammed them down onto Orochimaru's guarding forearms in a sledgehammer style. Orochimaru grunted as, now, the burns from making contact with the teen were becoming rather painful.
Orochimaru pushed Adrik back before sending a kick to his chin. Before he could be sent up higher, he was pulled down and slammed onto the ground by his ankle. Adrik coughed up blood when Orochimaru stomped on his chest.
"Perhaps it was my fight with your Hokage, but it seems I've gotten a little bit weaker compared to earlier. A weakling like you wouldn't normally be this annoying to fight."
Orochimaru jumped away as black spikes shot up from the ground protectively around Adrik. He landed with a small grin as the teen got to his feet, still not saying anything.
"You were much more entertaining when you had that look of fear in your eyes..."
Orochimaru went through hand seals before slamming his hands on the ground.
"Earth Style: Earth Dragon!"
A dragon made of mud shot up from the ground before flying towards Adrik with a roar. Adrik put his hands to the ground as the dragon approached.
Orochimaru watched as the dragon was instantly impaled by dozens of spear tipped black chains that popped up from the ground. It crumbled back into stone as the mud dried from the heat of the ash. The pale man raised a curious eyebrow as he saw orange flashes dance between the chains before they broke down into piles of ash that receded into Adrik.
Orochimaru ducked to avoid a punch and blocked a kick aimed at his side. He deflected the jab aimed at his stomach and countered with a backhand to Adrik's head, sending him away once again. Orochimaru clicked his tongue when the teen wrapped a burning chain around his outstretched arm.
Orochimaru hissed in pain as his fleshed burned faster than he could break the chain. His right arm was now badly burned with his skin and some of his muscles being charred. The pale man cursed before he limply fell to the ground. His mouth opened wide to reveal a mostly unharmed Orochimaru, just as he had done before.
Orochimaru's eyes widened when he was hit in the face by an ash covered fist. He skidded back slightly before returning the hit with one of his own to Adrik's right cheek. The rogue Sannin watched with interest as Adrik landed further away in a crouch, panting heavily.
"No, it wasn't that I had become fatigued. You really are getting stronger as you fight."
Orochimaru's eyes glanced around Adrik's form. He grinned slightly as the teen let out pained grunts. Tiny clouds of black smoke slowly drifted around the teen. Little arcs of orange lightning danced between the miniature clouds, occasionally touching down on Adrik's skin, visibly hurting him and opening up small cuts on his body.
"This is new. The clouds of smoke can make static electricity like a lightning storm over an erupting volcano. But it seems this electricity is as harmful to you as it is to your opponents. To think that old bastard was hiding such a powerful tool in his weak little village..."
Orochimaru scowled.
"It's infuriating."
Orochimaru sped forward and kicked Adrik in the side. He grabbed the teen by the neck before he could be flung away and slammed him into the ground. Orochimaru picked Adrik up before he could reach for the pale man's arm and drove him into the ground again, dragging him through the dirt and slamming him once again into a tree. He let go of the chunin before sending an elbow into his neck.
Adrik's back hit the tree and Orochimaru took a few steps back, beginning to breath a little harder than before. The teen fell to the ground on his hands and knees and coughed up some blood.
Orochimaru turned away as he sensed his four guards were beginning to lose ground against the dozens of jonin and Anbu from the Leaf. His eyes narrowed as there were more ninjas fighting back than previously.
'Perhaps the Sand uncovered the truth.'
Orochimaru looked back down at Adrik with a smirk.
'Not that it matters much. My goal is complete.'
"It seems today is your lucky day, child. Your death won't be dragged out like your precious Hokage's. It appears I am running short on time."
Orochimaru walked across the clearing and picked up his discarded sword, frowning as it seemed he would have to get it reforged somewhere. Even so, it was still more than effective at killing the chunin still coughing on the ground. The pale man's head snapped towards Adrik when he heard a pained yell ring out along with a new wave of the powerful burning pressure from before. He began to sweat and raised his blade in anticipation for whatever was happening to the teen.
Adrik held his head as he thrashed around, yelling loudly. He looked up to the sky and opened his eyes wide before letting out a primal scream. Orochimaru looked up as the clouds began to darken overhead. His eyes narrowed as bright orange flashed from the dark clouds. He looked back down as the teen slammed his fists into the ground. He watched, intrigued, as Adrik coughed up ember-filled ashes from the back of his throat.
Adrik let out another yell as the ash coating on his arms faded. Orochimaru's eyes widened when the teen's eyes changed once again, becoming a molten orange with solid yellow pupils. The teen breathed hard as he turned his head to face Orochimaru and bared his teeth. The pale man saw when the teen opened his mouth slightly that there was a deep orange and yellow glow at the back of his throat. Now, instead of ash clouds, the chunin spewed orange embers from his mouth with orange lightning dancing between each one.
Orochimaru doubled over when he was hit hard in the stomach. He felt the spot where Adrik's fist impacted begin to burn badly before he was flung back. Before he could impact with a nearby tree, he was yanked hard by a black and orange cracked chain. The rogue ninja could only watch as a lightning and ash covered fist impacted with his face.
The chain kept Orochimaru in place as Adrik repeatedly punched him, each hit burning his flesh. Orochimaru grit his teeth as he blocked another punch. This only made room for him to be kicked in the side, still not being let go of. Adrik hit Orochimaru with a burning uppercut as the chain in his left hand loosened. He jumped up to chase after Orochimaru, kicking him higher and high.
Orochimaru brought his arms up to block another kick but it only served to burn his arms further. He coughed up a bit of blood that splattered onto Adrik's face as he was kicked in the stomach, going even higher up.
Orochimaru felt as the wind flowed past him. Below him, Adrik began falling back to the ground. He grunted in pain as he was yanked down by the chain still wrapped around his chest. They began falling faster and faster with Adrik letting out a shout as the air around the two began to burn.
"Hellstorm Meteor!"
Orochimaru yelled as the chain lit up with electricity, badly striking him. His eyes widened as he was pulled down further. Adrik was now over him with his hand pressing down into the man's chest, letting off sparks of orange lightning as they fell faster and faster. The air around them lit up in a blaze of bright orange and yellow lightning that struck the two repeatedly.
The only thing Orochimaru could do was yell as his burning body impacted with the ground at breakneck speeds. The hand on his chest burned as it made a crater in his ribcage. The area erupted in an explosion of lightning and scorching ash. The building below the miniature forest immediately crumbled under the impact, even some of the concrete being turned to dust.
X
Kakashi uncovered his eyes as the dust in the area settled. In the middle of a giant, scorched crater nearly as large as the arena itself stood a figure. He stared down with wide, orange and yellow eyes and an animalistic snarl at the object below him. The object opened up and out came Orochimaru looking badly injured and incredibly tired.
Kakashi began to run towards the two figures before he was stopped.
"Guy, you'd better have a damn good reason for stopping me right now!"
Guy merely glanced at Kakashi before looking back at Adrik.
"If you go out there, there is no guarantee that you will return. Whatever this power is, we must steer clear of it until it wears off."
Kakashi looked back at the scene and nodded begrudgingly. Even from their spot several dozen meters away, they could feel the heat of the burning pressure radiating off of Adrik.
X
Orochimaru stood hunched over in exhaustion as he stared angrily at Adrik. The teen stared back, not even so much as blinking. Orochimaru flared his chakra once before punching Adrik away. The teen flew back slightly before landing in a crouch. He sped forward as three ninjas dressed similarly to Orochimaru appeared behind the pale man.
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru?"
The man with six arms, horns, red skin, and long, white hair spoke as he kneeled behind Orochimaru. Two other ninjas of equally demonic appearance kneeled next to him. The pale man kicked Adrik away the moment he got close.
"I believe our mission here is coming to an end. I need to recover."
The three ninjas nodded before they began to surround Orochimaru. Nearby, many Leaf and Sand Ninjas made to advance to keep the rogue Sannin from getting away. They all stopped, however, when Adrik roared after getting back to his feet.
Everyone watched as a chain appeared in Adrik's right hand. It quickly began to grow hotter, making the air waver visibly from the heat as the chain went from black to a glowing orange. Adrik rushed forward again, his eyes widened as he was intent on trying to end his target.
Orochimaru scowled as he put his hand up to his three subordinates.
"Damnit, hurry up and-"
"Hellseeker!"
Orochimaru was cut off when his outstretched left arm was sliced clean off, leaving behind a charred stump. The pale man yelled in pain as he fell to his knees holding what used to be an arm. His three underlings surrounded him with fear in their eyes.
"Get me the hell out of here, damn you!"
The three Sound Ninjas didn't have time to flinch before they immediately began going through hand seals. Orochimaru turned his head to the side as he and the three ninjas began sinking into the ground.
"Damn you, you accursed brat! I will kill you along with the rest of this pathetic village one day, you hear me?! Not even the gods will save you from your destruction!"
The surrounding ninjas watched as Adrik swiped at Orochimaru again with the glowing chain, only to miss as he fully sank into the ground. Adrik jumped up and slammed a fist into the ground, sending fissures outwards and breaking the earth apart. He looked down expectantly before baring his teeth once again.
Everyone in the vicinity covered their ears as the teen let out a deafening roar to the skies above. Orange lightning flashed violently through the clouds overhead. Everyone's eyes widened when a single bolt of lightning was called down, striking down directly onto Adrik, which seemed to only make him more furious than before, if that was even possible.
Haku landed next to Jiraiya, who watched Adrik continue roaring into the sky. The Sannin stepped forward but stopped when that alone made Adrik snap his head in the man's direction. The nearby ninjas flinched before readying their weapons as they saw the rage in the teen's molten gaze.
Adrik began to walk in the direction of the ninjas, breathing out small clouds of ash as his eyes lost their molten glow. The clouds floating around him slowly faded away along with the lightning. He opened his mouth, letting everyone glimpse at the bright glow at the back of his throat as he raised his right hand high.
Before anything happened, however, Adrik's eyes went blank, shifting back to their regular appearance. He fell forward limply, lacking the strength to continue standing. Haku ran forward before anyone could react, catching the teen before he could faceplant into the ground.
Jiraiya and the rest of the surrounding ninjas sighed in relief as Adrik's palpable rage had finally ceased. Many of them, though, began to look around. They all had one question on their mind, but Jiraiya himself was the only one to ask.
"Where is the old man...?"