Chapter 146: The Slaughter
The moment Orochimaru's command fell, Aokita and Aokiya shot out like two arrows released from a bow. A group of Anbu ninja and Jiraiya followed closely behind. Orochimaru remained hidden among the crowd, everything proceeding according to his plan.
The Sand Ninja's reaction was not slow. Shortly after the Aokita brothers rushed out, the Semi-Kage level powerhouse among the Sand Ninja immediately reacted. His bull-like, strong body was surprisingly agile and flexible. He instantly leaped out of his tent and roared: "Enemy attack!"
Even with the Semi-Kage's timely warning, five Sand Ninja elites were too slow to react as they exited their tents and were instantly cut across the throat by the sharp kunai of Aokita and Aokiya.
Under the orange glow of the campfire, five crimson fountains of blood erupted from the scene.
Pfff, pfff, pfff! Five corpses fell limply to the ground, their faces frozen in expressions of disbelief, their consciousness gone forever.
The thick scent of blood instantly diffused, acting as the signal to commence battle. The two sides immediately engaged in close combat.
The Semi-Kage powerhouse with the hideous scar face saw that a quarter of his subordinates had died in a single moment. His face instantly contorted with rage. The scar that crossed half his face seemed to writhe like a living thing due to his angry breathing and flushed cheeks, a chilling sight.
The scar-faced Semi-Kage wasted no time. A powerful, overwhelming Semi-Kage-level aura burst from his body, his Chakra surged, and he drew the sharp kunai from his ninja pouch, boldly rushing toward Aokita and Aokiya.
Although Konoha had launched a successful surprise attack, killing five Sand Ninja elites, the remaining Sand Ninja had fully reacted, and everyone was immediately entangled in chaotic combat.
Orochimaru suppressed his own Chakra signature, fighting two Sand Ninja in what appeared to be a 'lively' skirmish. He was like a poisonous snake lurking in the dark, watching the flow of the entire battle, patiently waiting for the perfect moment to erupt.
His dark-golden eyes scanned the entire battle. Orochimaru's gaze slightly hardened.
The individual strength of the two sides was roughly equal, but there were still fourteen Elite Chūnin remaining on the Sand Ninja side. The severe numerical imbalance meant that every Konoha ninja was fighting against nearly two Sand Ninja, making the struggle extremely arduous.
However, Orochimaru was not worried about the Elite Chūnin level fights. He was confident that the hidden strength of Chi and Blue Bird (due to the Yamata Cursed Seal), as well as the significantly improved abilities of Sakumo, Jiraiya, and Tsunade, were enough to deal with the Sand Ninja elites.
Orochimaru was more focused on the skirmish between Aokita, Aokiya, and the scar-faced Semi-Kage.
In that battle zone, the clang of kunai colliding was incessant.
Though both Aokita and Aokiya were Jōnin, facing the much stronger Semi-Kage powerhouse still overtaxed them. With every clash, both felt their hands go numb. However, as twin brothers, their perfect coordination, tricky angles, and seamless transition between attacks gave them astonishing combat power, preventing the Semi-Kage from escaping and successfully holding the line.
The Turning Point
Just then, Chi and Jiraiya launched their simultaneous offensive, and the battle suddenly changed.
Chi, utilizing his powerful bloodline limit, abruptly activated the First Stage of the Yamata Cursed Seal. Golden, cloud-like curse seal markings swiftly spread across his entire body.
An aura nearly fifty percent stronger than before suddenly burst from Chi.
His inconspicuous figure instantly merged into the shadow beneath his feet, only to emerge the next moment from behind a Sand Ninja elite. The sharp kunai in his hand traced a beautiful arc in the air, plunging toward the Sand Ninja's back.
Puncture! The sound of metal entering flesh rang out. Crimson blood flowed freely. A sharp wound opened in the Sand Ninja's back, his heart shattered. He collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Chi struck once and moved on without hesitation.
As if by agreement, seeing Chi's power surge, Blue Bird also decisively activated the Yamata Cursed Seal. Markings resembling golden ants extended into his Jūgan (Heavy Eyes).
The power of his soft fist (Jūken) suddenly increased greatly. Gentle Fist Style: Eight Trigrams Empty Palm Thirty-Six Palms!
Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang! The explosive, firm force within the gentle fist punches compressed the air, sending out shockwaves several meters long and as thick as an adult's arm. These waves struck the opposite Sand Ninja in the chest like high-speed bullets.
The immense force instantly shattered the Sand Ninja's heart. He spat out a mouthful of hot, bright red blood, dead beyond a doubt.
A sharp, silver-white flash, like a blinding blade light, streaked through Sakumo's keen eyes, making them sting.
At an unknown moment, his right hand had already grasped the hilt of the White Fang Blade on his lower back.
Clang! A crisp sound, and a bolt of silver-white light, like silk, suddenly appeared in the void and vanished instantly.
A bloodstain, rapidly growing clearer and wider, appeared on the neck of the Sand Ninja facing him. The ninja covered his neck in agony, but it was useless. The blood flowed increasingly, like a turned-on faucet. His eyes quickly lost focus, and he fell to the ground in a heap.
Jiraiya surged the Chakra in his body, forming hand signs: Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet Jutsu!
Dozens of raging, high-temperature fireballs suddenly erupted from the mouth of a massive, fiery-red dragon head, instantly engulfing the Sand Ninja in front of him.
Tsunade put on two black gloves. Her full, attractive figure shot out like a nimble monkey. A pale blue Chakra glow enveloped her right fist as she slammed it hard toward a Sand Ninja.
The immense, unadorned punch broke the bones of the Sand Ninja's defending hands. Before his scream was halfway finished, Tsunade's punch shattered his throat cartilage and carotid artery.
The sudden, massive shift in the battle did not escape the senses of the scar-faced Semi-Kage. Shocked, his powerful and stable aura momentarily stagnated due to the intense emotional fluctuation.
Like a cunning viper that had been patiently waiting for the opportunity, Orochimaru, who had been lurking to the side, suddenly unleashed an astonishing killing intent from his dark-golden eyes.
Swoosh! The Cursed Sword Muramasa instantly flashed out of its sheath with a soft chime.
A supremely evil and dominant aura suddenly permeated the entire field. The demonic claws and ghostly visage wrapped around the blade's surface caused the two Sand Ninja Chūnin who had been 'happily' fighting Orochimaru to seemingly fall into a terrifying Genjutsu, instantly losing their composure.
Orochimaru ignored the two confused Sand Ninja Chūnin. Seizing this precious battle opportunity, his entire body shot out in a flash.
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