Chapter 52: Thunder Release: Kirin! The Tragic Death of Manda and Orochimaru's Escape?
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Manda's huge snake eyes stared indifferently at Sasuke, constantly flicking his tongue as if assessing the young man before him.
"How could a kid like this put you in such a miserable state, Orochimaru? It seems I need to reconsider our partnership."
Manda's tone was full of disdain and doubt. Hearing this, Orochimaru quickly explained:
"He's not just any kid. Even in my current condition, it's because of him."
There was a hint of helplessness and resentment in Orochimaru's voice.
"However, I need his body for my reincarnation, so Lord Manda, please don't kill him," Orochimaru pleaded.
"Don't bargain with me, Orochimaru!" Manda roared angrily, opening his massive mouth wide enough to swallow a mountain. His bloody maw rushed towards Sasuke like a cannonball.
Seeing this, Sasuke didn't dare to be careless. He swiftly dodged Manda's attacks while taunting Orochimaru, "Hey, Orochimaru, why do other people's summoned beasts listen to them, but yours seems to be the master? Is this snake actually your boss? Hahahaha…"
Orochimaru ignored Sasuke's taunts, remaining calm and seated firmly on Manda's head, adjusting his posture as Manda continued his rampage through the woods. Trees and rocks alike were crushed as easily as paper.
Seeing such destruction, Sasuke knew he couldn't keep playing around. If the shinobi from Konoha noticed the commotion, it would spell trouble. Thinking of this, Sasuke quickly moved to higher ground to prepare his newly learned jutsu.
Orochimaru noticed Sasuke standing in such a conspicuous spot and sneered, "Sasuke, standing up so high—are you thinking about which direction you should run?"
Sasuke simply scoffed without responding, his disdain evident. He looked up at the sky, now covered in dark clouds, with lightning flashing ominously. The corners of Sasuke's mouth curled into a slight smile.
"You know, Orochimaru, grilled snake meat tastes better on a rainy day," he said calmly, with a hint of mockery.
Orochimaru frowned, thinking to himself, "What's this kid planning? Why did he suddenly mention grilled snake meat? What's his scheme?"
Despite his doubts, Orochimaru didn't take Sasuke's words seriously. He didn't believe Sasuke could pose a threat to him.
Sasuke, seemingly aware of Orochimaru's thoughts, smiled softly and extended his left hand. Blue and white lightning flickered around it as he pointed to the sky, his eyes focused and determined as if he were communicating with the forces of nature.
"The name of this technique is Kirin. Feel honored, Orochimaru—you're the first to witness it!"
As Sasuke spoke, the thunder and lightning in the sky began to stir violently. As if given life, they quickly converged to form a ferocious blue and white Kirin. The Kirin, with its massive body, bared its fangs and claws as it spewed thunder and lightning from its mouth, as if it were engulfing the entire world in its electric wrath.
"Disperse with the thunder," Sasuke said in a calm, almost indifferent tone, as if he were stating something ordinary. With a slight wave of his left hand, the massive Kirin shot towards Orochimaru like a meteor.
The moment Orochimaru saw the Kirin, he realized the terrifying power of the jutsu and was shocked. "This is a terrifying Lightning Release jutsu! It's definitely an S-Rank jutsu!"
As a ninjutsu scholar, Orochimaru couldn't mistake its power. Unlike regular Lightning Release, which relies on a ninja's chakra to generate electricity, Sasuke's Lightning Release drew from the natural lightning in the environment as an attack! Orochimaru realized that Sasuke's earlier Fire Release jutsu had been aimed at the sky on purpose, to create the conditions for this attack.
With little time to think, Orochimaru had to act quickly. He made a snap decision and jumped from Manda's head, diving into the snake's mouth.
"Orochimaru, you…!" Manda started to protest, but before he could finish, the Kirin struck him hard. Manda screamed in pain, his cries echoing as they gradually faded.
Sasuke approached Manda's lifeless body, only to find that Orochimaru's body was no longer atop the snake's head. As Sasuke inspected the area, he noticed a distinct sword wound on Manda's back. Realizing how Orochimaru had escaped the fatal blow, Sasuke muttered to himself, "Good move, using Manda to dodge the attack."
He remembered his own fight with Deidara, when he used a summoned beast to evade an attack. It seemed this tactic was indeed effective.
Sasuke was secretly relieved. If he hadn't read about it in the original works, he might not have guessed Orochimaru's method. Suddenly, Sasuke felt a weak presence approaching. He immediately became alert, knowing someone was coming. To avoid unnecessary trouble, Sasuke decided to leave quickly.
Not long after Sasuke departed, Anko arrived on the scene with two Chunin. They were stunned by the sight before them—a massive corpse of Manda lay on the ground, giving off a strong smell of charred meat.
"Is this… Manda?!" Anko's eyes widened in shock. She immediately recognized Orochimaru's summoned beast. However, Manda now showed no signs of life, his body covered in scars, looking utterly defeated.
Anko was overwhelmed with emotion and struggled to accept the sight. She stared blankly at Manda's corpse, memories of Orochimaru flashing through her mind. She couldn't understand why Orochimaru had infiltrated the Chunin Exams, or who could have been powerful enough to kill Manda.
Meanwhile, Sasuke had successfully reunited with Naruto and Sakura after leaving the scene. He then suggested that Naruto and Sakura find other teams to complete the mission, ensuring their safety without hindering their progress. After all, Sasuke's goal had already been achieved—there was no need to waste any more time.
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