Action at last.

(Perspective of Zoro)I stared at him blankly, my mind content with satisfaction of a job finished. Well, not actually completed, as we still have the job of rescuing Ace, but still, one travels by using milestones as stepping stones, or to put it in a better way, the wise ones do.Orochimaru called me inside, after the process finished. But I was ready before he finished, already sensing the energy potential emitted by the warehouse. It was certainly not of the snake man’s, as I could identify his as more of greyish, more suited to the cunning, scheming manner. But this energy was far more stronger than his, and Orochimaru itself had fairly powerful chakra.(yes, I know what chakra means, btw.) This one was raw power, straightforward enough and pure in a strange way.I walked through the broken doors and found a man sitting on the dirty floor, his figure distinctly distinguished between the two men, appearing rather very broad, muscular, and tall in front of the two men.I instantly recognised the man to be the one I desired to see. It was very easy to identify him, as I have seen numerous wanted posters, and heard enough various stories about his stature and personality.He was still smiling when I came by and I saw him apparently trying to make a conversation with Orochimaru, in vain. He was clearly not a person prone to talking. Or prone to any jolly activities, by the look of it.While in the meantime Roger seemed joyous, almost blissful, considering he was just dead a few minutes ago. Even though he seemed perfectly alright, his eyes were black, a very abnormal sight, not to mention a few minor cracks found in his body. I was at first afraid that due to these small imperfections, this Roger would not be existing till long. Despite my fears, he later proved to be more durable than I thought.Roger was nothing like I expected. Even though I his physical attributes were almost as I had imagined, his body language and personality completely baffled me. I had honestly thought that he would have a sigma male complex full package.All with mysterious character and a silent leader. I did not anticipate this. This guy was almost like luffy.I mean, almost. He was very talkative, and was more or less always smiling. Grinning, in a way. The whole experience seemed kinda unnatural. He was asking Orochimaru about how he was bought back to life, and where he was.And Orochimaru replied, nonchalantly, “ just wait till the Zoro guy comes. I expect he will explain everything to you. Because I have other work to do other than partying with your jolly ass.”“Oh, don’t act like that, reply to me. Anyways, i’m hungry. Do you have anything to eat?” Asked Roger.“Like I said, ask anything you want to Zoro. And no, I don’t have anything to eat and even if there was I would not give it to you.”I walked up to him and spoke , “ come with me, I know the best ramen shop around here. We can eat there, and in the meantime, I will make clear your doubts.”I admit, I was a bit nervous at first, but then the nervousness flew away in no time. I was getting used to his behaviour, and both of us planned to eat where myself and Tsunade had met up with Shizune. The Tonkatsu Tenko Ramen shop. It was getting late by now, half past five by the look of the sun’s position. I concluded that it would be just the right time to eat supper by the time we finished things here and covered everything up and left. It may be a little early for me, but I accepted as I also needed energy to recuperate.I just wanted to slash the guy and walk off, the same way I had got myself in. But this time, it wouldn’t be so easy. I gauged my level and worked out a plan. A stupid one at that. But an efficient one, I presumed.And this is how it went.Orochimaru spoke to me then, ignoring the man sitting besides him, “ Well then, where’s my payment?”I then walked closer to him, facing against him, a distance of five metres or so spanning between the two of us. Kabuto stood a little way behind his master, his eyes fixed on Roger, bit silently observing us too, without doubt.I stopped there and announced, “ As you wish, here is your reward for doing my needs.” I told that and took my left hand to my eye, my right clasped around the sheath of Shusui, the best of my swords. I touched my hand to my eye, my index and middle fingers opening my eyelid, with my thumb pushing back my skin right below the eye.

‘Ittōryū Iai : Rokujūkyū pound ho !!’Great slashes of pure power surged through the warehouse, cutting air itself, and hit Orochimaru straight in the chest.It hit him unaware, while he was still blinded with the greed of receiving the Rinnegan. But Kabuto was aware, and knew beforehand that something was off.He precisely ducked when the slash rippled across the room. Never mind about Roger; He bent down several seconds before I even showed any intent on making the attack, how he knew baffled me.Orochimaru’s body was almost severed in half, and he fell down, a pool of blood already enveloping his lean body. He spat out his saliva, coughing up blood alongside.Then happened something, a circumstance unlooked for. His mouth widened, like, abnormal wide, and two hands grasped the jaws of his mouth from inside. The two arms pushed back his mouth to a greater extent than I thought possible, and another Orochimaru emerged from within, a feat atypical and somewhat disgusting. The new Orochimaru was covered in a green translucent gluey substance, all while he was pushing himself out of his old body.He came out, smiling, a hidden malice simmering to show in it. “ You have chosen your choice now, Zoro. Brace to regret your decision. Your course of action has caused your demise, and inevitably, thy destruction. Prepare yourself.”~~His lower half began to extend and accelerate toward me really fast, and he came at me, like a snake pouncing on its prey. Mid air, his hands turned into snakes, big pythons coloured in olive-grey, their mouths open, their razor sharp fangs trying to intimidate me.I took up my stance, ready to strike at the group of snakes, and a possible ‘ surprise’ attack by Orochimaru from behind the reptiles.But when I slashed, they simply melted. Orochimaru’s whole body started to melt. Then slowly Kabuto, and the warehouse. Everything started to drip, melt as if they were butter kept in the open in a sunny afternoon. I watched transfixed as even Roger slowly turned into a ball of red Kingsnakes and slithered off, each snake spreading and wriggling over the length of the forest.

Later my eyes blurred, black dots dancing in my eyes, and I felt a great compulsion to just lay down and fall asleep. But no. There seemed something unnatural here. Orochimaru cannot do this. This level of nature manipulation is not possible, even by him. I hit mu temples with my wrist, trying to repel the upcoming wave of nausea. I staggered, then straightened myself to a sharp ninety degree angle. I stood tall, and let my vision settle.

It was a genjutsu.An illusion which was used on me to take me down.Only it didn’t work, and it never will. Genjutsu of such level won’t work on me. Me, one who possesses a Rinnegan, cannot be controlled, or even barely affected, by a mere normal genjutsu. Though this was one of the most advanced ones I have ever seen,( not that I have seen any lmaoo), this was no match to my high-level illusions.

I became aware of my surroundings, and slowly the black dots and blurriness receded. I blinked a few times, and steadily glanced.Everything was as it was. Except for the fact that the snake man was just a meter away from me, ready to stab me to death with a long sword.

I immediately jumped back, retreating to safe ground for recovering my senses to the fullest extent possible. Next came his neck, stretching out, and the mouth opened to reveal another snake inside it. It seems that there is no limit to this man’s obsessions with snakes. And then the snake opened it’s mouth, and a shiny chokuto blade sprang at me, from within, also extending, how I don’t know. It came at me with a ferocious speed, and I had barely any time to dodge, as it sharply tore my shirt. With my dodge, came another attack, where he leapt towards me and held out his hands, and a python materialised from under his sleeve. It dashed at me, and I parried when I plunged the tip of Shusui straight into the eye of the snake. I used it as a grip and pulled at Orochimaru, expecting him to fall towards my feet. Instead, when I jerked the snake towards me, it turned into ash and disappeared.

I took out my Wado Ichimonji, preparing for my counterstrike.