After watching the black shadow disappear, Orochimaru's heart was filled with complex emotions.
Having nearly used up all his chakra in the recent fight, he didn't dismiss his Shadow Clone. Instead, he used pure Taijutsu (Hand-to-Hand Combat) to spar with it.
A cold, god-like, ruthless look flashed in his dark-golden snake eyes. Orochimaru leaped up. His rapidly moving figure was like a giant python quickly gliding through the woods, winding through the trees in curved, strange, snake-like patterns, successfully dodging the shuriken the clone fired with a series of "thud, thud, thud—."
He stomped violently on a nearby tree trunk, and while doing so, drew a sharp kunai from the ninja tool pouch on his right leg.
Orochimaru shot out like an arrow from a bow, charging toward the Shadow Clone.
The Shadow Clone, having replicated Orochimaru's personality, was naturally not afraid of battle and also brandished a kunai, closing in.
"Cling, cling, cling—"
Orochimaru and his clone seemed to turn into two black blurs, constantly engaging and separating in the air, in an intensely fierce exchange.
"Cling, hiss, hiss—"
After another fierce collision, Orochimaru noticed a strange sound. He couldn't help but glance at the kunai in his hand. The originally sharp and pointed kunai now looked like a piece of scrap metal, covered in terrible friction marks and dents.
"Huff, puff—"
Orochimaru's eyes were locked on the Shadow Clone across from him, maintaining his vigilance. The clone shared the same combat experience and skill as the main body; in essence, this was a battle against himself.
However, ordinary ninjas, even if they learned the Shadow Clone Jutsu, didn't dare to use it casually, let alone for training. After all, the massive amount of information flooding back from the clone upon its dismissal was enough to overwhelm anyone with insufficient willpower and spiritual energy, potentially rendering them catatonic.
For Orochimaru, the strength and capability of his soul were undoubtedly one of his most powerful assets.
A sharp gleam flashed in his dark-golden snake eyes. In the next instant, Orochimaru charged forward at high speed.
"Swoosh—"
The Shadow Clone threw the equally damaged kunai in its hand.
Orochimaru's powerful soul perception clearly registered the kunai's attack angle and trajectory in his mind. He slightly tilted his head, easily dodging it, and unceremoniously hurled his own kunai out.
"Swoosh—"
The high-speed flying kunai transformed into a dark, dangerous black streak in the air.
The Shadow Clone leaped aside to evade. Orochimaru smiled coldly, seized the initiative, pushed off the ground with his foot, and rushed in.
As Orochimaru sprinted to within an arm's length of the Shadow Clone, he slammed his right foot to a stop and stepped forward with his left.
In the rapid transition from motion to stillness, a strong surge of force was generated. Orochimaru used a special technique to transmit this force, starting from his foot, up to his waist, and then transferring it to his right fist.
Immediately afterward, his young yet firm right fist shot out like a cannonball, wrapped in a strong gust of wind, aimed directly at the Shadow Clone's face!
The agile Shadow Clone was momentarily shocked. In an emergency, it quickly crossed its arms to defend its face.
A slight, successful smirk touched Orochimaru's lips. His right fist, which was moving with the force of thunder, instantly changed its trajectory. The tip of his right elbow abruptly shot out from the side, striking the Shadow Clone's left cheek.
The powerful blow, like a bolt of lightning, hit with a "poof—," causing the Shadow Clone to burst into a cloud of smoke.
"Huff, puff, huff, puff—"
Orochimaru slumped onto the ground, breathing heavily. His dark-golden snake eyes were filled with chilling indifference and determination. He was harsh to others, but even harsher to himself!
He immediately sat up cross-legged and began to refine chakra.
Once he had enough chakra to perform the Shadow Clone Jutsu again, Orochimaru began his second battle of hand-to-hand combat against himself.
...
In this strenuous training, which nearly squeezed the very limit of his being, Orochimaru's strength rapidly improved.
The sun began to set. An entire day had passed in the blink of an eye.
In the dim glow of the setting sun, Orochimaru lay exhausted on the ground, "huffing and puffing," breathing greedily. His physical exertion had reached its absolute limit.
His entire body was agonizingly sore and weak.
His training shorts were dirty and torn, like a beggar's clothes. Through the shredded fabric, faint bluish-green and deep-purple bruises were visible.
Orochimaru looked back at the sun, which was about to disappear below the horizon. He managed to stand up, activated the Ninja Walk, and hurried toward the village.
He stepped into a noodle shop. Ignoring the owner's surprised look, he quickly finished his dinner.
After dinner, night had fallen.
Orochimaru walked quietly on the road home. A fresh night breeze, carrying a slight coolness, blew past, easing some of his physical fatigue.
"Ah, woo-woo-woo—"
Suddenly, a weak girl's crying sound came from the side of the road.
Orochimaru's steps faltered. This soft, young voice was like a sweet, clear spring instantly flowing into the lake of his heart. He instinctively turned his head to look.
It was by the door of a charity food distribution shop. Konoha Village was one of the most affluent places on the entire ninja continent. Many people displaced by local wars liked to migrate to Konoha, which consequently led to a large population of wanderers and orphans.
This distribution shop was one such place, opened by the monks of the Fire Temple to dispense porridge and food to the displaced orphans.
Using the light spilling from the shop door, Orochimaru's gaze settled on a little girl, dressed in a grey-black cloth, sitting on the ground, quietly sobbing.
The girl looked about five or six years old. Her black, shoulder-length hair was messy, like a bird's nest.
Her grey-black cloth clothing was tattered and covered in dust and mud. It was also ill-fitting, being about a hand-span too short for her body. The cold air from the Land of Earth (Iwa no Kuni), mixed with the chilly night wind, made the little girl tremble.
But at the moment, the girl didn't notice the cold. She seemed to be suffering immense distress. Large tears, like strings of broken, glistening pearls, continuously fell. Her two dirty little hands pitifully wiped at them, but she couldn't stop, instantly evoking sympathy in anyone who saw her.
Orochimaru watched quietly for a moment. Then, thinking of the dark, lonely mansion waiting for him at home, his heart softened, and he walked toward the little girl.
A shadow fell over her. Sensing a stranger approaching, the little girl stopped crying, gave a sob, and her pair of black, watery eyes stared directly and curiously at Orochimaru, who was also dressed in ragged clothes.
The dark-golden snake eyes and the black, watery eyes met in a strange intersection the moment the little girl looked up.
The two children, both in ragged clothes, stared at each other blankly.
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