The battlefield was in ruins.
Orochimaru stood atop Manda's massive head, his lone figure proud and domineering.
"Was this really necessary? Did you have to force me to kill you all?"
He sighed softly, his cold eyes indifferent.
At the same time, his heart bled.
The laboratory he had just dug out had been completely destroyed by summoning Manda.
"Just a few dozen humans?" Manda sneered after swallowing the remaining ANBU.
"Next time, prepare at least a hundred!"
Digesting humans restored the energy it had consumed.
Being summoned always cost it dearly.
"Fine." Orochimaru nodded, preparing to release the summoning.
Suddenly—
"I sense an enormous chakra approaching!"
Manda twisted its head toward the hillside, tongue flickering ominously.
Snake perception was sharp… but Manda's was monstrous.
"Hmm?" Orochimaru looked up and saw a figure rushing down the slope.
"Seems there's still a stray survivor."
His tone dripped with disdain.
"No… something's wrong!" Manda's voice turned tense.
"This chakra is extremely strong!"
"Strong? How strong?" Orochimaru frowned.
"Stronger… and it's still increasing! This is impossible!"
The figure leapt from the hillside, crashing down with thunderous force.
BOOM!
The ground caved in under his feet.
Orochimaru stared, eyes narrowing.
"Drake?"
"What a coincidence, Orochimaru."
Drake stepped out of the crater with a faint smile.
"How could it be you?"
"Oh? Why can't it be me?"
He walked forward casually.
"Manda! This boy is dangerous!" the serpent warned, voice heavy with fear.
"Kill him first," Orochimaru muttered, secretly forming a Snake Clone.
SWOOOSH!
Manda attacked.
Its colossal tail swept sideways, obliterating everything in its path — aimed straight at Drake.
"Bind."
Just one cold word.
WHIP! WHIP! WHIP!
Trees around them moved as if alive. Branches shot forth, coiling around Manda's tail like an endless web.
"What?!" Orochimaru's pupils shrank.
"This isn't Wood Release… he didn't even form seals!"
One word… and the forest obeyed.
CRACK! SNAP!
Manda thrashed violently, but the branches only tightened.
"He's not even using chakra!" Manda hissed in terror.
"Orochimaru — release the summoning NOW!"
Drake was already standing before it.
"Manda?"
"Y-Yes? You know me?"
"Good." Drake smiled.
"Then die."
His hands came together.
"Wood Release — Advent of the World of Trees!"
The earth trembled violently.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Massive trees burst upward, towering dozens of meters high, still growing, spreading, multiplying.
"Orochimaru! DISMISS ME NOW!!!"
Manda screamed as vines strangled its massive body.
But Orochimaru's fingers froze on the final seal.
He wasn't a fool.
If he dismissed Manda now — he'd be the one trapped.
The scene became nightmarish.
Endless branches wrapped Manda like a spider cocoon, crushing tighter and tighter.
CRACK!!!
With a sickening explosion, the great serpent burst apart, blood and flesh painting the land crimson.
Orochimaru leapt down, standing before Drake.
"So it's true… I guessed correctly."
His eyes burned with maddened fascination.
"You repelled the Raikage's son and the Eight-Tails jinchūriki in the Land of Hot Water…"
"You frightened even the aged Madara in the Land of Grass…"
"Drake… everyone underestimated you."
"Even your teacher, Minato, doesn't know your true power."
His voice trembled with excitement.
"Someone like you should not rot in filthy Konoha…"
"Come with me! Let us pursue true ideals together!"
THUD!
Drake's fist pierced clean through Orochimaru's chest.
"I see you've failed to understand what freedom really means."
HISSSSSS—
Orochimaru's body began dissolving into countless snakes.
"You talked all that nonsense just to buy time for your real body to escape."
Drake watched calmly as the snakes scattered.
From far away, Orochimaru's voice echoed:
"Oh? You figured it out?"
A figure stood over a kilometer away.
"Drake, your strength has earned my respect… but killing me is impossible."
He slammed his hand against the ground.
POOF!
A green snake appeared.
"Remember this glorious moment!" Orochimaru licked his lips.
"Next time we meet… you'll fear me."
The snake opened its jaws and swallowed him whole.
Drake blinked.
"…Did he just commit suicide?"
BOOM!
The snake vanished in smoke.
Orochimaru was gone.
Drake rested his arm against a tree.
"A true genius…"
"Others use summoning to fight. He uses it to run."
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