Chapter 72: Lightning Style: Kirin!
(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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"Hinata, which scroll is your group missing?" Colt asked, returning to Hinata's side after watching Kankuro and Temari leave with Gaara.
"The Heaven Scroll," Kiba spoke up first.
Hinata nodded her head.
"Okay." Colt took out the two scrolls contributed by Temari, gave the Heaven Scroll to Hinata, and threw the other one away.
"Don't stop with the scroll, go directly to the tower."
He estimated that Gaara's hypnosis would wear off in a few hours, and he didn't want Hinata's team to face trouble if the Jinchūriki became angry.
It wouldn't be good to cause trouble for Hinata instead of him.
"Alright, we'll protect Hinata," Kiba nodded firmly, with Shino agreeing silently.
After witnessing the battle, both Kiba and Shino, who were originally satisfied with their abilities, realized how much they had to improve.
They secretly decided to undergo special training from their clans after the exam.
Hinata was reluctant to leave but did so nonetheless. She understood that staying wouldn't help much.
After the three left while quickly heading to the central tower, Colt rushed in the direction of Team 7.
Using his [Kagura's eye], he sensed Team 7's chakra fighting against a powerful and dark chakra.
Thinking for a bit, Colt planned to confront Orochimaru.
At full speed, it took him only a few minutes to cover the nearly ten-kilometer distance.
He arrived to find a tragic scene: Sakura had fallen weakly to the ground, Sasuke clutching his neck in pain, and Orochimaru's flaming fingers about to press hard on Naruto's stomach.
In the nick of time, the silver bracelet on Colt's wrist quietly disbanded, turning into thousands of strands.
[Colt Style: Wind Style: Thousand Wind Cuts]
With Wind chakra, all the flying strands shot out, each turning into a sharp blade, slashing at Orochimaru's arm!
"Hm?" Orochimaru's instincts warned him, but it was too late to stop. His entire arm was cut off from the shoulder!
Naruto narrowly escaped.
In a flash, the Body Flicker Technique was used and Colt appeared in front of the snake Sannin, delivering a lightning-fast punch!
Orochimaru, caught off guard by Colt's speed, took the blow directly.
The force sent him crashing through several trees before he barely managed to stop.
"Kamiyo Colt!" Orochimaru hissed, wiping the blood from his mouth. Despite his body's enhancements, the punch had still caused some damage.
"Colt, you're finally here..." Naruto's voice was weak but relieved.
"Naruto, rest. Leave the rest to me."
"Leave it to you?" Orochimaru smiled ominously. Several snakes sprang from his severed arm, retrieving and reattaching it seamlessly. "Do you really think you can fight me after a lucky sneak attack?"
Colt nodded seriously. "I'm quite confident in dealing with a Sannin like you."
Orochimaru was surprised. "You know me?"
"Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. I just didn't expect you to come to a Chūnin exam to bully a bunch of kids," Colt replied sarcastically.
Orochimaru's face darkened, a murderous aura erupting from his body.
His target had been Sasuke, but he couldn't deny he was bullying these children.
"Are you ready for a Sannin's wrath?"
Orochimaru summoned snakes from his hands, their bloody mouths biting at Colt. As the topmost scientist in the ninja world, he could release snakes from any part of his body.
Colt raised one hand, forming a seal with his fingers. His silver bracelet transformed, strangling and destroying the snakes cleanly before returning to his wrist.
Orochimaru noticed Colt's eyes and couldn't believe it.
"Sharingan?"
However, he didn't realize Colt's eyes were actually the Mangekyō Sharingan.
With increased ocular power, Colt could use some dōjutsu techniques even in the 3-Tomoe state, albeit weaker.
"I'm more and more interested in you, Colt-kun," Orochimaru licked his lips. With the Sharingan, Colt's value in his eyes rose rapidly, almost surpassing Sasuke's.
Orochimaru, who had considered withdrawing, instantly changed his mind. He wanted to also leave his mark on Colt!
Orochimaru's hands quickly formed seals, and he lay on the ground.
"[Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes]!"
His mouth opened like a portal, countless giant snakes drilling out, densely covering the ground.
"Let me show you real power, Kamiyo Colt!"
Colt knew that he was facing a great enemy, not just because of Orochimaru's strength, but because every jutsu came with mental damage he couldn't escape.
[Fire Style: Great Fire Annihilation] [Wind Style: Great Breakthrough]
The fiery flames and gust of wind formed a rapid fire tornado, sweeping the snakes on the ground into the air.
Orochimaru's neck stretched infinitely, flying towards Colt, spitting out a sharp long sword.
"Get away! Don't you know any normal jutsu?!" Colt shouted, disgusted.
He had never fought such an awkward battle!
[Lightning Style: Chidori Spear]
A ball of lightning appeared in Colt's hand, and it was extended into a beam and waved like a lightsaber, slashing Orochimaru's long neck from a distance.
Orochimaru used his Body Replacement Technique again, crawling out of a snake's mouth.
"Very good, you're much stronger than Sasuke!"
The better Colt performed, the more excited Orochimaru became. Another snake then opened its mouth and bit at Colt.
[Fire Style: Dragon Flame Jutsu]
A series of great fireballs spewed from Colt's mouth, turning the snake to ashes and shooting up into the sky.
Meanwhile, Colt's true purpose was achieved. The Forest of Death was already humid and cool, and with Colt's continuous Fire Style jutsu, the sky was now covered with dark clouds.
Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
He looked at Orochimaru with a smirk.
"A present for you, Orochimaru."
Though unsure of Colt's meaning, Orochimaru raised his guard.
Colt raised his arm, lightning in his hand reflecting the sky.
[Lightning Style: Kirin]
In a thousandth of a second, an angry divine beast of thunder and lightning appeared in the sky and roared.
The blinding flash of lightning caused Anko, who was on her way in the distance, to change her expression and accelerate.
When the strong light dissipated, there was no trace of Orochimaru.
Colt didn't believe for a second that he had killed Orochimaru.
In terms of survival ability, Orochimaru was undoubtedly among the top three, if not the first, in the ninja world. A few lightning bolts wouldn't be enough to kill him. (E/N: Tobo can definitely compete, but who else? Hmm)
He didn't intend to continue chasing but looked back at Team 7.
Sakura was watching Sasuke and Naruto nervously, both unconscious from exhaustion.
Colt stepped forward and used medical ninjutsu to treat their injuries. Naruto and Sasuke recovered quickly but remained unconscious, having consumed too much chakra.
"How's your scroll collection going?" Colt asked Sakura.
"We just beat a team from the Hidden Rain Village and got their scroll," Sakura replied.
"Then wait for me here. I'll go grab a Heaven Scroll and come back."
As Colt was about to leave, an anxious voice came from a distance.
"Are you all right? Where did Orochimaru go?"