Hinata's palm struck Orochimaru's abdomen cleanly—only for her hand to pass straight through him, striking nothing but earth.
Earth Substitute.
Orochimaru's mastery over such techniques was terrifyingly precise.
"Impatient as always," Orochimaru's voice hissed mockingly from behind her. "Tell me, is your opponent Sasuke? Or do you see him as nothing? As the Hyuga Princess of Konoha, are you so arrogant as to look down on the Uchiha clan? Or perhaps," his grin widened, "you think only Itachi is worthy of your attention?"
He dodged lightly as Hinata's next palm strike cut through the air—swift and deliberate. Her silence only made her aura more oppressive.
Orochimaru's serpentine instincts screamed danger. He knew he couldn't allow her Gentle Fist to touch him—her chakra sealing points could paralyze his body even faster than Tsunade's raw strength could crush it.
Hinata's delicate expression hardened. Without a word, her strikes grew faster—each blow sharper, more precise, driving Orochimaru back as he twisted and slithered away.
"Don't underestimate the Uchiha!"
Sasuke's voice thundered from behind. His Sharingan spun, glowing a deep crimson as three tomoe locked into place. Lightning exploded from his body.
Then—he was gone.
Hinata's Byakugan rendered ambushes meaningless, but Sasuke's sheer speed forced her to turn and engage.
BOOM!
Sasuke's Chidori missed her by a fraction, smashing through a massive boulder instead. Shards of stone flew through the air, pelting Hinata's shoulders and hair.
Through her evolved Byakugan, Hinata saw every motion in crystalline clarity—each flicker of chakra, each pulse of lightning through Sasuke's veins.
In Sasuke's gaze, there was neither hatred nor excitement—only chilling calm. Orochimaru's taunts hadn't driven him. This battle was entirely his own choice.
Was it pride? A test of strength? Or a desire to know who truly stood above the other? Only Sasuke knew the answer.
Hinata, however, had no interest in fighting him. It was pointless. Her goal was singular—to confirm whether her sealing jutsu could neutralize Orochimaru. That answer alone would determine the future of her research.
"Enough with the chatter," Sasuke said coldly. His left hand crackled with lightning, still humming from the shattered boulder. In a flash, he lunged forward, slashing again.
Hinata dodged gracefully, retreating to gain distance, but Sasuke's relentless pursuit left her no room to breathe.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru retreated further, eyes glinting. He glanced down at his hands—the ones whose souls had been sealed by the Third Hokage. Though the pain had faded with his new body, the limitation remained, dull and infuriating.
"Since that's the case, then…" Orochimaru murmured, turning his gaze toward the experimental chamber behind him.
Every subtle movement of his was locked in Hinata's Byakugan sight. Even while clashing with Sasuke and countering his swift assaults, her attention remained fixed on Orochimaru's actions.
Sasuke noticed her distraction—and it infuriated him.
The only person capable of driving him into madness was Itachi. Orochimaru's provocations didn't matter to him. The reason he attacked Hinata was simple: he wanted to test himself. He wanted to know whether his current power could surpass hers.
Since their days at the Ninja Academy, Sasuke had watched Naruto, once the class dunce, grow at an astonishing pace. If not for the Cursed Seal and his Three-Tomoe Sharingan, Sasuke doubted he could have defeated him.
And Hinata—timid, unremarkable Hinata, who had once blended into the background—had now become someone unrecognizable, her strength ascending to a level he could no longer ignore.
It was as if he alone had been left behind.
"Damn it," he hissed through gritted teeth, frustration twisting inside him. What have I been doing all this time?
Driven by the unending hatred of his clan's massacre, Sasuke let go of all restraint. He unleashed the full power of the Cursed Seal, allowing its corruption to spread across his body. His chakra surged violently, growing darker, heavier—more potent. His physical abilities multiplied severalfold, but at a great cost to his body.
Through her Byakugan, Hinata saw every change in him—the distortion of his chakra network, the violent turbulence of his energy. Her heart trembled slightly at the sight.
In the next instant, Sasuke vanished. His speed had increased beyond what her eyes could follow for a split second. He appeared before her, hand outstretched, grabbing her by the neck. The impact sent her crashing through a dozen massive trees before slamming her into a stone wall.
Before Sasuke could strike again, Hinata's chakra flared—brilliant and divine. Partial Rotation surged from within her, a shimmering aura bursting forth. The sheer force repelled Sasuke's grip. She swung her palm toward his face, a sharp gust following her movement.
But it was merely a feint.
The true attack came from behind.
While the Sharingan could predict motion, it lacked a full 360-degree field of vision. Blind spots existed—and Hinata exploited them flawlessly.
Behind Sasuke, a puppet identical to Hinata in form and movement launched a silent assault. Crafted from reinforced steel and infused with conductive chakra filaments, the puppet could mimic her Gentle Fist technique perfectly.
Oh no! Sasuke thought. Even though his eyes couldn't see it, his instincts screamed danger from behind.
He raised an arm to block Hinata's frontal strike—only to be struck hard from behind.
Bang!
The puppet's kick slammed into his waist, sending him flying backward, blood spraying from his mouth. Before he could recover, two more puppets intercepted him midair, their chakra-infused palms striking in perfect synchronization.
Their Gentle Fist strikes landed mercilessly—targeting vital chakra points across his body.
For ninja like Kimimaro, the cursed seal's power allowed them to reopen blocked chakra points. For Naruto and other Jinchūriki, the tailed beast's chakra could override such seals.
But Sasuke was different. His strength came solely from the Cursed Seal—and once sealed, he had no higher power to rely on.
Hinata, unwilling to be distracted any longer, directed her puppets to continue their assault. The flurry of palm strikes didn't cease until every one of Sasuke's chakra points had been sealed.
Sasuke staggered, falling to one knee. He tried to speak—but instead coughed up blood. Through blurred vision, he watched helplessly as Hinata and her three puppets stormed into Orochimaru's experimental chamber.
…
"Lord Orochimaru… is that really necessary?" a pale man named Amachi asked nervously.
"Yes," Orochimaru replied, his tone smooth and unhurried.
Without Kabuto by his side, he couldn't perform certain forbidden techniques himself. Fortunately, he had Amachi—a willing assistant, and now, an unknowing sacrifice.
"The four seals—Tiger, Snake, Dog, and Dragon." Orochimaru said quietly. "A simple process."
Just as he finished forming the hand seals, the door burst open—shattered by a powerful kick.
Hinata stood there, framed by light and dust, flanked by her three dolls.
"Heh… it's over," Orochimaru said with a twisted smile. "Impure World Reincarnation!"
Amachi's body froze, terror flooding his eyes. "L-Lord Orochimaru! What's happening?!"
Even as a minor subordinate, he knew the meaning of those words. The realization sent a cold chill down his spine.
"You already know, don't you?" Orochimaru said softly, amusement flickering in his gaze.
"W-Why me?! I've always been loyal!"
"I have no shortage of loyalty," Orochimaru replied, voice smooth as silk. "But I do lack a suitable sacrifice. Sasuke is out of the question. That leaves you. Now—die for me."
Amachi could no longer speak. The ritual had already begun.
A heavy coffin emerged from the ground, creaking open to reveal a massive figure—over two meters tall, his presence overwhelming.
"The Third Raikage of Kumogakure," Orochimaru said, eyes gleaming with admiration. "Not quite as powerful as he was in life, but formidable nonetheless."
He pressed a talisman into the resurrected man's chest, erasing his will. "Now… go."
In an instant, thunder roared through the chamber. The Third Raikage's body crackled with lightning as he lunged forward, hand raised like a spear.
But before his strike could connect, Hinata's puppets intercepted. Their chakra threads tightened as they moved in perfect formation—one aiming for his head, another for his ribs, the third for his flank. Hinata herself followed with a blinding palm strike.
BOOM—!