Chapter 23: Ryu vs Orochimaru

A sinister smile curled upon Orochimaru's lips as he extended his serpent-like tongue, relishing the imminent clash. With swift precision, his hands sprang into motion.

"Shuriken Shadow Cloning Technique!"

A shuriken whirled through the air, swiftly followed by a deluge of identical blades unleashed by Orochimaru's shadow clone. They descended upon Ryu like a relentless storm, striking him without respite.

Having inherited the A-level ninjutsu from the third Hokage, Orochimaru, being a direct disciple had mastered the technique effortlessly. Yet, Ryu remained composed, bringing his hands together calmly as he uttered:

"Wind Escape · Big Breakthrough!"

An overwhelming gale surged forth from Ryu, shattering the shuriken shadow clone into fragments. While Wind Breakthrough was considered a basic C-level ninjutsu, its impact hinged on the user's proficiency.

In the hands of an exceptional shinobi, it could topple vast swaths of forest. Executed by Ryu with his vast chakra reserves, it resembled a tempestuous typhoon capable of obliterating everything in its path.

Observing his failed assault, Orochimaru's lips curled again with excitement, his raven-black hair whipped by the winds. He murmured in anticipation, "Such enviable chakra! Such an imposing physique! How I yearn to conduct a thorough dissection study."

His hands, however, didn't falter even for a moment.

"Fire Escape, Inferno Ignition!"

From Orochimaru's maw erupted a scorching fireball, hurtling toward the ground. Flames rapidly consumed the earth, swelling into a raging sea of fire, fueled further by the howling winds. The conflagration surged forward with intensified ferocity.

Orochimaru, on par with the legendary Sarutobi Hiruzen in the realm of ninjutsu research, maximized the potency of his fire escape technique using the wind's assistance. The ensuing devastation would be unparalleled.

In the blink of an eye, the tide of battle turned drastically.

Engulfed by the scorching wave of fire, Ryu found himself encircled by an inferno. Orochimaru contemplated his next move, a twinge of regret coloring his thoughts. He never expected this ninjutsu to eradicate Ryu, but it could certainly impede his pursuers and buy Orochimaru some time.

Despite his yearning for Ryu's extraordinary physique, Orochimaru decided to retreat. Konoha's relentless pursuit lingered in his mind, urging him to prioritize his escape before addressing any other desires.

Alas, Orochimaru's retreat was thwarted by an unforeseen turn of events.

In that fleeting moment Orochimaru turned his back, Ryu materialized from the shadows, wielding a kunai honed to icy perfection, aimed directly at Orochimaru's neck.

Tear!

A sensation, unlike flesh and blood, reverberated through Ryu's hands.

In the next heartbeat, Orochimaru morphed into a mud clone, disintegrating with a resounding crash.

"The Fourth Hokage never can never be underestimated," Orochimaru's familiar voice echoed from behind Ryu.

Simultaneously, the sound of serpents slithering and silk rustling filled Ryu's ears.

Snakes Assault!

Dozens of venomous snakes erupted from Orochimaru's sleeves, their fangs sinking into Ryu's back with savage determination.

Boom!

Just like Orochimaru before, Ryu's form shifted into an earthen clone, adorned with explosive tags.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Explosions erupted in rapid succession, shattering the serpents into lifeless remnants strewn across the battlefield.

Ryu, reappearing in his true form, fixated his gaze unwaveringly on the settling dust, his hands poised to form another set of seals.

Suddenly!

The sound of a projectile slicing through the air at breakneck speed shattered the silence. Orochimaru's unmistakable countenance hurtled toward Ryu, his elongated head propelling him forward, wielding a gleaming longsword with lethal intent.

A faint twitch graced the corners of Ryu's eyes. Despite his foreknowledge of Orochimaru's ability to detach his elongated head, witnessing the bizarre spectacle firsthand still sent shivers down his spine.

The opponent's agility was astonishing, leaving Ryu with no choice but to abandon his seals and swiftly unsheathe a kunai to counter the attack.

Clang!

The clash of metal reverberated in rapid succession as their weapons clashed multiple times. Eventually, Ryu's kunai was deftly severed by Orochimaru's sword, forcing Ryu to temporarily retreat.

"That's quite impressive," Orochimaru, his head reattached to his body, twisted his neck and remarked, "But it falls short compared to Tsunade's exceptional abilities."

In response, Ryu unleashed a fireball.

Orochimaru effortlessly evaded it, and the two combatants resumed their fierce exchange.

Orochimaru's physical body had undergone meticulous enhancements, greatly amplifying his flexibility and agility, rendering his close-quarters combat unpredictable. With his wealth of combat experience, Ryu would have been no match for him in the past.

However, now armed with the power of the Wood release, Ryu's physical prowess had been significantly augmented. While he may not rival Tsunade's strength, he surpassed her in other aspects, enabling him to confront Orochimaru with confidence.

Except for one particular threat—the sword.

Presumably, this was the legendary Kusanagi sword.

Although the Kusanagi sword was considered one of Hokage's most treasured artifacts, Orochimaru possessed one that surpassed expectations, as Ryu had discovered during their earlier confrontation.

Boom!

Ryu launched a powerful punch, only for Orochimaru's remarkably nimble body to effortlessly evade his strike. It was like watching a masterful juggler in action.

Seizing the opportunity while Ryu's previous force dissipated and his new force had yet to manifest, Orochimaru's prepared detached head soared once more, executing a swift turn. The Kusanagi sword in his mouth aimed directly at the back of Ryu's neck.

"It's your turn to wait!"

Instead of surprise, Ryu responded with a smile. The dense surge of electric current that enveloped his entire body signaled his utilization of the Thunder Style: Body Flicker.

In an instant, his speed surged dramatically.

Swiftly turning around to face the oncoming Kusanagi sword, Ryu extended his hand, disregarding the injury on his palm, and firmly grasped the weapon.

Orochimaru's expression instantly changed, sensing that something was amiss and attempting to retreat, but it was too late.

Stab!

Chakra within Ryu's body surged forth, causing his palm gripping the Kusanagi sword to emanate intense lightning.

Metal conducts electricity, and lightning possesses incredible speed.

Consequently, Orochimaru could only watch helplessly as a blinding display of electrical energy gathered in Ryu's hand, coursing along the length of the sword and surging toward his entire body.

Zizizi~~~

It was as if a chorus of countless birds sang within Orochimaru's very being.

In that moment, it was too late for him to react. His body trembled uncontrollably, emanating a scent of charred flesh. Soon, his once-pale complexion transformed into a scorched black.

Different individuals exhibit varying effects of Thunder Style.

Similar to Uchiha Sasuke's Chidori's effectiveness against Deidara.

During the Fourth Great Ninja War, a ninja from the allied forces attempted to paralyze Deidara, who was already tightly restrained, with Thunder Style, only to find it as ineffective as a mere tickle.

Although Ryu seldom relied on Thunder Style in everyday situations, its foundation of power remained. When he unleashed its true potential, its impact rivaled that of renowned Thunder Style users.

Otherwise, Orochimaru, renowned for his resilience against ninjutsu, would have easily escaped Ryu's clutches.

A minute later, with Orochimaru's life force extinguished before him, Ryu withdrew his hand.

Continuing the pursuit would only waste valuable chakra.