"How fascinating. That's Monstrous Strength—the Senju clan's taijutsu that blasts out shockwaves at range. Are you really a surviving orphan of the Senju?"
At this moment, Orochimaru became utterly serious.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"
However, Orochimaru aimed in the wrong direction...
The Bringer-of-Darkness Technique crippled his vision; to Orochimaru it was pitch-black, nothing visible, leaving only intuition to guide him.
And his intuition failed—several ferocious serpents shot from his sleeves, lashing wildly at empty air.
Only then did Orochimaru realize he had been careless.
He'd just taken a serious wound, yet thought he could still suppress the boy, capture him, and drag him back to the lab to study—perhaps pry out the Senju clan's secret.
He hadn't expected this opponent to be so troublesome.
Icy moonlight bleached the ground, but in Orochimaru's view it was pitch black; he couldn't see his own hand.
Then a howling rush of wind rose behind his head.
"Behind me?"
Orochimaru ducked at once, pain contorting his face.
His back!
He'd bent too fast!
Blood was already seeping out.
"Not good!"
Orochimaru knew trouble was coming.
"Substitution Technique!"
Bang!
Bang!
However, even substitution didn't help.
Night Maple smashed the first substitute with one blow; with the second, Orochimaru already felt a razor gale of fists raking his face.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Orochimaru snapped back and let out a sigh.
At such a young age to have this combat instinct—simply a genius.
Positioning, timing—everything was precise; with pure fists and feet alone, the boy had forced him back.
He didn't seem like a mere genin at all.
Orochimaru's taijutsu wasn't stellar, but trained under the Third—an Kage-level master—even ordinary shinobi likely wouldn't match him.
Yet he'd failed at tidying up a kid who had only just awakened a kekkei genkai.
Those successive strikes… with that terrifying momentum, a single punch could probably drop a common shinobi.
Night Maple hadn't expected Orochimaru to back off like that.
This was one of Konoha's Legendary Sannin?
Kinda weak.
A bit stronger than Namikaze Minato, maybe—but not by much.
Orochimaru's performance left Night Maple a little disappointed.
"Again!"
Night Maple still wasn't satisfied.
"?!"
Orochimaru was enraged.
He'd been minding his wounds and trying not to make a commotion, using only thirty percent of his power.
And now you really think Orochimaru is easy to bully?!
"Kusanagi Sword…"
Orochimaru lowered his head and drew the Kusanagi from his mouth.
"Stop!"
Suddenly a massive Adamantine Staff dropped from the sky!
It slammed down between Orochimaru and Night Maple, forcing them apart.
Orochimaru was blasted away again, crashed to the ground, and spat a mouthful of blood.
At the same time, Night Maple's Bringer-of-Darkness was dispelled.
Sight restored, Orochimaru glimpsed the Adamantine Staff and sheathed the Kusanagi at once.
Sarutobi Hiruzen landed, recalled the Adamantine Staff, and turned quickly to Night Maple. "Night Maple, are you—"
He cut himself off—the mood felt off.
He turned to see Orochimaru lying on the ground.
"What happened here?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned.
Orochimaru had actually been beaten until he coughed blood?
It seemed Night Maple was anything but simple.
Night Maple pointed at Sarutobi. "Lord Third, your Adamantine Staff sent him flying."
"Huh?"
Was that me?
Blood at his lips, Orochimaru still smiled. "Sensei, it's nothing. I merely heard someone had suddenly awakened the Senju kekkei genkai and was curious to test him, that's all."
"Insolent!" Sarutobi glared. "Orochimaru, instead of reporting at once, you came here to 'test' him?"
"You've overstepped all bounds!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen was truly angry!
Not long ago, the First's lady had asked that Night Maple return home—if anything happened to him, how would he explain to her?
Orochimaru's unauthorized probe had already crossed Sarutobi's line.
This Orochimaru—once hoped to inherit his mantle—now causing such trouble.
"Night Maple, as for Orochimaru's conduct, I'll give you a satisfactory answer tomorrow!"
With that, Sarutobi took Orochimaru away.
Night Maple watched them go, thinking, Could the old Third have sent Orochimaru to test me?
On second thought, the old man was soft-hearted; he probably wouldn't do that.
It was likely Orochimaru himself had taken an interest.
But Night Maple didn't care. His strength grew by the day.
Barring surprises, within a year he would completely fuse the Hashirama Senju character card and obtain all of Hashirama's power!
Besides, with Sarutobi dragging Orochimaru off like that, he wouldn't come bother him again anytime soon.
Once Night Maple's strength rose another notch, it would be his turn to visit Orochimaru and "discuss" insights into Impure World Reincarnation.