Chapter 175: Naruto's Blood, Sakura's Rampage (Part II) (Patreon)

Chapter List: Naruto: Sakura Blizzard

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"So, it turns out that Kakashi Hatake entrusted you with Sakumo Hatake's swordsmanship. It seems he has great expectations for you!" Orochimaru finally recalled where he had seen Sasuke's swordsmanship before. A sly smile crept across Orochimaru's face. If Sasuke, who had learned the White Fang's Sword Technique, were to betray them, he wondered how Kakashi Hatake would feel. Would his emotions mirror those of the Third Hokage when he faced Orochimaru's own betrayal?

"Diverting your attention during a battle is not a good habit, Orochimaru!" Just as Orochimaru was pondering, Sakura's voice resounded in his ears. Simultaneously, Naruto and Sasuke combined their efforts, forcing Orochimaru to retreat a distance before swiftly leaping backward themselves.

"Suiton—Water Dragon Bite Burst…"

Whirl-style water surged across the ground, and numerous arrow-like streams of water shot up from Uzumaki, hurtling towards Orochimaru suspended in mid-air. With Sakura's abundant chakra supply, the dense deluge of water formed a torrential rain of arrows, though this rain was ascending from below.

"This is the ninjutsu used by the Second Hokage," Orochimaru immediately recognized the technique. He had come across records of it before, but he hadn't known the method of mastering it. He hadn't expected to experience it firsthand today.

Countless arrows brushed past him, leaving numerous wounds all over Orochimaru's body. Then, the airborne water streams quickly coalesced into the shape of a dragon's head, opening its massive jaws and descending upon Orochimaru below.

"Boom..."

Orochimaru's body fell to the ground, causing a splash of water to rise around him. His body lay motionless on the ground, appearing lifeless.

"Is this guy taken care of?" Sasuke furrowed his brow, uncertain.

"No, Orochimaru isn't so easily dispatched," Sakura replied cautiously. Among the Legendary Three Ninja of Konoha, Tsunade excelled in medical ninjutsu and provided logistical support, while Jiraiya possessed the greatest combat prowess. However, when it came to survival skills, besides Orochimaru, no one dared to claim the top spot.

As in the original storyline, Orochimaru had faced countless near-death experiences, yet he always managed to survive, even when sealed by Uchiha Itachi's Amaterasu. His tenacity was unparalleled, and he couldn't be defeated with a single Suiton technique.

"I can't sense any signs of life from him," Naruto said, puzzled. Due to his extraordinarily robust vitality, Naruto was exceptionally sensitive to the life force of others. He could easily perceive whether someone was alive or dead. "But my instincts tell me he hasn't died!"

"Stay cautious," Sakura whispered. The three of them formed a back-to-back formation, ready for both offense and defense, preventing any potential surprise attacks from behind.

"Hehehe..."

Orochimaru's sinister laughter echoed through the forest. Suddenly, the body that had fallen to the ground began to melt, eventually turning into a puddle of mud.

"I never expected to witness the ninjutsu once invented by the Second Hokage today. You've truly given me a delightful surprise!"

The Second Hokage had invented numerous ninjutsu techniques. In Sakura's past life, people even jokingly referred to him as the man with an arsenal of Forbidden Techniques. Apart from these forbidden arts, the Second Hokage was renowned for his proficiency in the Flying Raijin and Suiton arts. His mastery of the Flying Raijin earned him the title of the fastest ninja in the world, while his Suiton techniques had earned him the moniker "Water God." Suiton ninjutsu relied heavily on the quantity of chakra applied, and being a member of the Senju clan, the Second Hokage had an ample supply of chakra. Consequently, most of the Suiton ninjutsu he developed relied on an abundant chakra output. However, this also meant that the Suiton techniques he created, though powerful, were beyond the reach of most, as not everyone possessed the immense chakra reserves of the Senju clan.

The Suiton technique, Water Dragon Bite Burst, which derived its strength from the supply of chakra, was something Orochimaru had never expected to encounter in his lifetime. Little did he anticipate that Sakura, a Konoha Genin, would bring him such a significant surprise.

"It's an Earth Clone after all..." When Sakura and her two companions saw the puddle of mud on the ground, their hearts sank. They had tangled with this enemy for so long, ultimately defeating him through a sneak attack, only to discover that it was just an Earth Clone. This realization made them acutely aware of the immense power of a Jonin-level ninja. Surviving the battles of the ninja world was no simple feat.

"I've made up my mind. Originally, I was only planning to give Sasuke a small gift, but now I want to present each of you with a little gift."

As Orochimaru's voice fell, Sakura and her companions felt the ground beneath their feet tremble. Cracks began to appear.

"There's something below us! Get out of the way!" Naruto shouted, and Sakura and Sasuke leaped into the air. Just as they did, a massive serpent burst forth from the ground, opening its enormous mouth to bite at them.

"Suiton—Exploding Water Shockwave..." A deluge of water gushed from Sakura's mouth and struck the serpent's head, forcefully knocking its massive head aside.

"Now, I don't have much time left to toy with you. Sasuke, you shall be the first to receive my gift!" Orochimaru stood on the ground next to the giant serpent. A maniacal grin stretched across his face. After uttering these words, his neck instantaneously elongated, and two snake-like Kiba fangs protruded from his mouth. His entire head lunged toward Sasuke's neck.

"Damn it..." Sasuke widened his eyes, attempting to evade, but suspended in mid-air, he couldn't muster the force to do so. He could only watch as Orochimaru's head lunged toward his neck.

"Swoosh..." Suddenly, a long blade flew through the air and impaled Orochimaru's neck onto a tree trunk. Orochimaru's movement abruptly halted, and he stared blankly as Sasuke escaped his grasp.

"To think you've stopped me from getting Sasuke. You're asking for death..." Orochimaru's neck was pinned to the tree by the blade, blood oozing from the wound. However, Orochimaru seemed unperturbed, his eyes fixated on Sakura, now brimming with murderous intent. Although he had noticed Sakura and Naruto's talents, it was Sasuke's Sharingan that interested him the most. As he was about to bestow the Curse Mark, Sakura's interruption at a critical moment had thwarted his plan, leaving Orochimaru consumed by a single emotion—vengeance.

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Next Chapter >>Chapter 176: Naruto's Blood, Sakura's Rampage [Continued]