Chapter 83: Orochimaru vs Hanzo

A green figure moved swiftly across the battlefield. Under Might Duy's overwhelming speed, the Rain ninja had no power to resist.

The explosive tags on their bodies were mere decorations, detonating harmlessly in the air.

"Truly worthy of Lord Duy!"

The other Konoha ninja couldn't help but marvel.

Contrary to the original course of history, Might Duy, displaying his prowess on the battlefield, was deeply admired. Most importantly, he would fight with all his might to save everyone, even when Orochimaru, during combat, couldn't spare the time to protect his own comrades. With this kind of dedication, Might Duy naturally garnered respect.

"Every time I see Duy-kun fight, it doesn't feel like a ninja battle at all," Orochimaru mused.

In ninja battles, strategy and psychological warfare were crucial; strength alone wasn't enough. One needed to exploit every possible advantage to create opportunities for victory.

Might Duy, on the other hand, disregarded all the fancy tricks. Just fists and feet—there was no time for strategy or psychological games. The enemy was simply overwhelmed by brute force.

Beside him, the Jonin Ran watched Might Duy's display of power with a complex expression. The disparity between them was clear. If Might Duy held the Jonin title, he would undoubtedly be promoted to Elite Jonin at any moment, a leader capable of commanding Konoha teams against the enemy.

Yet, Might Duy remained a Genin. Currently, Konoha lacked the manpower for evaluations, which was the sole reason for his continued Genin status.

As they watched Might Duy dominate the battlefield, the Rain ninja, surprisingly, intensified their attack. Amidst the booming explosions of detonating tags and the scattering flames, Orochimaru licked his lips.

"Deceptive tactics?"

It seemed the battle between Chiyo and Hanzo had finally concluded.

Purple mist began to spread across the battlefield. At this point, the Rain ninja turned and retreated.

A gigantic figure descended from the sky.

Boom!

A massive salamander landed amidst the battlefield.

With the spreading poisonous mist, even Might Duy had to retreat, appearing beside Orochimaru.

"Duy-kun, please look after the others."

Orochimaru looked at the figure standing atop the salamander. Hanzo of the Salamander had finally arrived on the Konoha battlefield.

"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."

Might Duy understood he wasn't a match for Hanzo; the opponent's poison mist was his biggest counter.

"I'm counting on you, Duy-kun."

Orochimaru rushed forward, signaling all Konoha ninja to fall back. If the Konoha ninja continued their assault, the enemy's poison mist would inflict heavy casualties on the entire camp.

However, even as he went to fight, he didn't need to worry about his rear. Might Duy was someone he could truly entrust with this task.

He rolled up his sleeves, revealing peculiar runes on his arms.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

A massive purple snake appeared on the ground, confronting the salamander.

"Orochimaru!" Hanzo's face was grim. This opponent was no pushover. He had only dared to challenge Orochimaru again after a recent increase in his own strength.

"It seems you've defeated Chiyo," Orochimaru observed, standing on the snake's head, looking down at Hanzo.

Hanzo didn't answer. Instead, he quickly formed hand seals.

"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"

He tilted his head back and spewed a massive torrent of water, instantly engulfing the surrounding area like a tidal wave.

The salamander also opened its mouth, spraying purple liquid.

"Poison Mist Jutsu."

The water mixed with the purple poison, turning into a purple stream, bubbling like magma.

"It burns!" Manda roared. Although he wasn't directly hit by the poisonous water, the parts of his body touched by the overflowing water experienced intense pain.

Orochimaru was prepared for this. His hands swiftly formed seals.

"Immortal Sealing Technique: Transference Jutsu!"

Manda's body was enveloped in a transparent barrier. The surrounding poisonous water flowed into the barrier like a void, making it glow even brighter.

Hanzo was already familiar with Orochimaru's technique, having fought him several times. This Orochimaru could utilize the jutsu cast by others, making him a very troublesome opponent.

He commanded the salamander to charge.

The heads of the two colossal creatures, the salamander and Manda, collided with a resounding thud.

Simultaneously, Orochimaru and Hanzo clashed. Snake shadows darted out, met by powerful streams of water.

The two figures flickered across the bodies of their summoned beasts, exchanging blows.

Compared to Hanzo, who specialized in Water Style, Orochimaru was more versatile. While their strength was comparable, Orochimaru possessed a wider range of jutsu.

He continuously unleashed various Earth Style jutsu, creating islands of rock and earth amidst the poisonous water, like archipelagos in an ocean.

The two figures moved from their summons to these small islands, their forms constantly crossing paths.

"Your strength has indeed grown, Hanzo," Orochimaru remarked, licking the blade of his Kusanagi sword, which dripped with blood.

Hanzo clutched the cut on his shoulder. It was laced with poison, but his own internal toxins quickly neutralized it.

"Your strength hasn't changed much," Hanzo sneered, glancing at Orochimaru's purplish arm, where poison was seeping out.

Unlike the original timeline, the two were now evenly matched.

The next moment, they clashed again. Although Orochimaru seemed to have the upper hand, Hanzo's greatest strength was the omnipresent poisonous mist. Fighting in this environment would gradually wear Orochimaru down.

"Earth Style: Underworld Swamp!"

Orochimaru launched his attack. The small island beneath Hanzo's feet instantly transformed into a muddy swamp, attempting to engulf him.

The next moment, the swamp swallowed a pool of water.

Hanzo's figure emerged from the poisonous water, his sickle slashing towards Orochimaru. Orochimaru's body instantly transformed into a swarm of snakes, engulfing Hanzo.

Snake Clone Jutsu.

The engulfed Hanzo turned into water.

Water Clone Jutsu.

Both figures reappeared atop their respective summoned beasts, eyeing each other cautiously.

"You're truly troublesome, Demigod Hanzo."

"You're not bad yourself, Orochimaru."

Orochimaru chuckled, bringing his hands together.

"I have one more jutsu. If you can withstand it, then we, Konoha, will withdraw from the Rain Country battlefield."

Hanzo narrowed his eyes. A jutsu that warranted such a statement from Orochimaru must be formidable. He even gave him a warning.

"Brace yourself, Hanzo!"

Orochimaru slammed his hands onto the ground.

"Immortal Sealing Technique: Final! Infinite Serpent!"

A small white snake appeared in Orochimaru's hands, visibly growing larger. Conversely, the surrounding water, rocks, and earth began to shrink.

After casting the jutsu, Manda vanished in a puff of smoke, and Orochimaru's body dispersed into countless snake shadows. He was nowhere to be seen.

In a matter of moments, the small white snake had grown to the size of the salamander and charged towards Hanzo.