Learned from Orochimaru

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The sensation of free flight never came as Akatsuchi found himself ensnared by thorny vines coiling tightly around his body.

"What is this?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes in suspicion.

At first, he thought it might be the legendary Wood Release, but he quickly realized these thorns were emerging from Muzan's hands. Unlike Wood Release, these thorns felt more organic, pulsing with a lifelike energy. A sense of ominous foreboding swept over him.

Boom!

With a sudden burst of strength, Akatsuchi shattered the thorny restraints, forcing Muzan's next move to an abrupt halt.

"Of course," Muzan thought. "To deal with these elite soldiers, you must incapacitate them before injecting the blood."

Muzan didn't pursue the matter further. Akatsuchi was a formidable opponent, and the outcome of their confrontation was far from certain. Only moments ago, Akatsuchi had attempted to trap him using Earth Style techniques. If Muzan hadn't been vigilant, he might have been caught.

"Hmm..."

Sizing up his opponent, Muzan contemplated a special method—one that could instantly turn the tide in his favor. He decided to abandon ninjutsu and engage in close combat instead.

The combination of his powerful punches and Hatake-style swordsmanship was lethal, even to someone as strong as Akatsuchi. The Iwa ninjas nearby weren't even worthy of entering the fray. The two who had tried to ambush Muzan were swiftly reduced to bloody shreds by a single punch.

Blood rained down in torrents. No one could survive that attack.

Muzan was patient, waiting for the right moment. Even though Akatsuchi was a fierce opponent, Muzan's strategy of trading injuries for damage kept him on the defensive in close quarters.

Clang!

Their kunai clashed in a flurry of sparks. Akatsuchi, feeling the force behind Muzan's strikes, was pushed back. He tried to counter with ninjutsu, but then he saw something shocking—Muzan's neck suddenly elongated!

Never forget who Muzan's master is. As a disciple of Orochimaru, Muzan had mastered the art of body transformation, allowing him to reshape his body at will. His ogre-like physiology enabled him to instantly alter his form.

Snap!

Akatsuchi's eyes widened in shock as his kunai slashed through Muzan's neck. Yet, despite the decapitation, Muzan's head remained attached, and his jaws closed in on Akatsuchi's throat.

Gah!

Akatsuchi struggled to pull away, but Muzan's teeth sank deep into his neck. If only Muzan knew sealing techniques, he might have tried them.

Akatsuchi tried to break free, but Muzan had anticipated this. Suddenly, Akatsuchi felt a cold sensation invading his body, freezing him from the inside out. His entire body began to tremble as the sinister force spread through his organs.

Several ninjas, stationed around the battlefield under Akatsuchi's command, were taken aback by the sudden turn of events. They had been standing guard to prevent Muzan from escaping, thinking the fight would be straightforward. But now, they were in utter shock.

"Lord Akatsuchi! We have to save him!"

"How is he still alive after his head was cut off? What kind of monster is this?!"

"Something's wrong! Look, my lord, he—he's changing!"

Muzan remained on the battlefield, his plan now a success. No one had anticipated that his neck could stretch like that, catching Akatsuchi off guard. The moment Muzan's jaws clamped down, he injected a massive amount of blood into Akatsuchi's body, forcibly transforming him into an ogre.

This was the only way to resolve the situation.

Muzan glanced at the surrounding ninjas—there were quite a few of them. Handling them all on his own was impossible. His eyes gleamed with a murderous light.

"I've already taken care of the most troublesome one. Now, it's your turn to die!"

Konoha had launched a feint attack to aid Muzan and his allies. Even though the Iwa ninjas were aware of Konoha's plan, they had to commit most of their forces to stop it. If the front lines showed any signs of breaking, Konoha wouldn't hesitate to turn their feint into a real assault.

As for the troops meant to block Konoha from reaching the Kannabi Bridge, with Akatsuchi in command, there would've been no problem. After all, he could handle their siege with ease. If it hadn't been for Muzan using Orochimaru's ninjutsu, defeating him might not have been possible.

Holding his own head in his hands, Muzan calmly placed it back on his neck. His flesh and bones reattached seamlessly, leaving no trace of the wound. The scene was horrifying to everyone watching.

"I'll send you to meet the Shinigami now!" Muzan declared, his voice filled with cold determination.

He looked over at the transformed Akatsuchi, who had lost all sanity and now behaved like a wild beast, tearing through his former allies. With Muzan's help, the entire area became a bloodbath, with newly transformed ogres attacking the living without reason.

"Stop, Fujiwara! I'm your teammate!"

"Why are they attacking us? Run! They've turned into monsters!"

"Help!"

Screams echoed across the battlefield, blending with the sound of exploding tags in the distance.

When the chaos finally subsided, the Iwa ninjas who had been transformed into ogres knelt on the ground, retching as they realized what they had done—they had devoured their own comrades. Staring at their bloodied hands, they could hardly believe it, but the bits of flesh hanging from their mouths made it impossible to deny.

Many of them pulled out kunai, intending to end their own lives, but they weren't even capable of committing suicide. In their madness, they began to harm themselves with whatever weapons they could find.

The first to be transformed, Akatsuchi, had received the most blood from Muzan. Combined with his original strength, the transformation had made him even more powerful than an ordinary ogre.

Regaining some clarity, Akatsuchi glared at Muzan.

"You'll pay for this!" he growled, feeling the surge of unnatural power coursing through him. This power came from Muzan, the one who had cursed them with immortal bodies.

"What strong willpower," Muzan mused, observing Akatsuchi's trembling form. Part of his will had been transferred into Akatsuchi, Muzan's best method for controlling ogres. But Akatsuchi wasn't going down without a fight.

"What a hassle…" Muzan sighed.

If Akatsuchi fully embraced his transformation, he could easily rise to the rank of the Twelve Kizuki.

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