Chapter 226: Six Paths Orochimaru
(T/N: There is now a p.atreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early release of up to 30 chapters edited smoothly. https://www.p.atreon.com/INeedRest)
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At this moment, both sides had their eyes on Naruto and Sasuke's attack, hoping it would interrupt Orochimaru's transformation.
Even Madara, now facing the prospect of Orochimaru's complete transformation, inwardly hopes that Naruto and Sasuke will succeed.
Click! Click!
A crisp cracking sound echoed from the white sphere, and a slender arm reached out.
Moments later, the entire orb shattered with a resounding bang.
Orochimaru's new form emerged, evolving further into a new state.
His attire remained similar, but two small horns had sprouted from his head, and black spheres floated ominously behind him.
His skin turned pale once more, giving him an even more unsettling appearance.
As Orochimaru stood there, the Tailed Beast Bomb and Black Flame Arrow raced toward him.
With a lazy smile, he expanded one of the black spheres to shield himself.
Everyone watched as the black sphere and the two attacks clashed.
Naruto's attack held out for a moment, while Sasuke's Black Flame Arrow was instantly extinguished.
The quick demise of Sasuke's attack darkened his expression.
'Shit'
To Sasuke, it was a stark reminder—he wasn't yet on par with Naruto.
However, realization dawned on him as he noticed Naruto's attack was strengthened by the Sage Mode.
'I see'
Click! Click!
Another sound of cracking came, signaling the destruction of Naruto's Tailed Beast Bomb.
Orochimaru remained unfazed, but Madara's eyes reflected disappointment.
Still, he wasn't too concerned.
Orochimaru, while powerful, hadn't fully fused with the Ten Tails yet.
The two horns, uneven in length, and a few tails behind him were clear signs of his imperfect transformation.
Orochimaru understood those flaws but didn't mind at all.
His life was now near eternal, his vitality endless, and any injuries he sustained would heal in no time.
With the Ten-Tails inside him, he had most of the chakra of all the tailed beasts.
Namikaze Minato's (Yin) Nine-Tails served as the core, supported by the other tailed beasts' chakra.
Even with Naruto still possessing the other half of the Nine-Tails, Orochimaru wasn't worried.
His pursuit of perfection would, of course, demand that Naruto not be spared.
Swish! Swish!
Suddenly…
Colt rushed onto the battlefield with Jiraiya, heading straight towards Tsunade.
Orochimaru glanced down and chuckled.
"Jiraiya, even though you didn't get to witness my ascension, it's still quite something to see my current state."
He smirked and then sighed.
"I should thank you, too. Without you, I wouldn't have made it past that critical point."
When Orochimaru fully merged with the Ten-Tails, he had faced its fiercest backlash.
His body felt as though it was being torn apart, the pain seeping deep into his soul.
His will to live, combined with his desire for immortality, had carried him through the ordeal, but the bond between the Sannin was also an important point that played a part.
Colt looked from Orochimaru to Jiraiya, then finally to Tsunade.
"Is this a three-person soap opera?"
"Is this really the time to joke around?"
Tsunade was irritated.
Colt scratched his head sheepishly, "I was just getting into the moment."
The sheer extent of Orochimaru's new power had caught him off guard.
Orochimaru had taken Obito's place as the Ten Tails' first Jinchūriki.
Seeing Colt's antics, Hashirama asked, "Tsunade, is this your boyfriend? He's a bit young, but he's quite strong. I approve"
"Grandpa! Stop with the jokes," Tsunade growled, waving her fist.
"That's what I've been meaning to tell you—this is Colt! Also, a Senju"
"Oh, my mistake!" Hashirama laughed heartily, albeit a little embarrassed.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya and Orochimaru's engaged in a conversation but it ended abruptly.
In the blink of an eye, Orochimaru vanished, reappearing beside Jiraiya in a flash, kicking him hard enough to send him flying.
"So fast! He's matching my Flying Thunder God without using any space-time jutsu!" Namikaze Minato was stunned.
That was not mentioning that Orochimaru's speed was purely physical, which showcased his immense strength.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama, chimed in seriously, "The Flying Thunder God may be faster now in your hands, Minato, but remember—I invented it. Don't forget about that."
Minato smiled helplessly with a sweat drop on his forehead.
The tension on the battlefield was palpable.
"Jiraiya-sensei!" Naruto shouted, dispelling his energy demon fox and charging at Orochimaru.
Boom!
Naruto's clone was easily dealt with, turning into a puff of smoke.
But the real Naruto appeared behind Orochimaru, a Rasengan ready for him.
"Even his Shadow Clone technique is good," Minato observed with pride, having just apologized to Tobirama.
"That's my Shadow Clone technique too!" Tobirama added smugly.
He was enjoying this attention slightly.
Orochimaru remained still as Naruto launched his attack.
The Truth-Seeking Ball reacted on its own, blocking the Rasengan and unleashing spikes in retaliation.
Colt swooped in just in time, grabbing Naruto and pulling him to safety.
"Be careful. If you get hit by the Truth-Seeking Ball, your body will be erased," Colt warned.
Naruto nodded but then he stared in shock, realizing how close he'd come to danger.
"Orochimaru, huh?" Colt mused as he stared at his foe.
Orochimaru, in turn, regarded Colt with a strange pity.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Colt wondered, confused by Orochimaru's gaze.
With a dismissive wave, Orochimaru responded, "I'll give you the respect you deserve, as you're the opponent I've valued the most."
With that, Orochimaru called upon Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama.
"You possess the powers of both the Senju and Uchiha. I will let these legendary ninjas of the past test your abilities!" Orochimaru declared.
He was talking about the 'Madara' and 'Hashirama'.
Both fighting at the same time against Colt. It was clear that Orochimaru considered Colt too highly.
But at the same time, he was saying Colt was no longer his opponent that was why he looked at him with pity.
Madara scowled. "Do you really think I need Hashirama's help to deal with this youngster?"
Orochimaru's smile widened.
"You were beaten by him not long ago. Don't underestimate him once more."
Madara's dissatisfaction grew, but he couldn't really refute him.