49. The Serpent & The Hawk

The air was heavy with tension as Sasuke stood face-to-face with Orochimaru. The flickering torchlight within the hideout cast long shadows across the walls, making Orochimaru's features even more sinister. His snake-like eyes gleamed with a sickly glow, and his smile sent a shiver down Sasuke's spine. But this was a confrontation that had been building for years, and Sasuke had been waiting for this moment.

"I've been waiting for this, Sasuke," Orochimaru hissed, his voice smooth, yet dripping with venom. "To see just how much you've grown. Show me."

Sasuke didn't waste any time with words. He vanished from sight in an instant, his Chidori blazing to life in his hand as he closed the distance between them. Lightning crackled around him, illuminating the room with flashes of blue as he drove the attack toward Orochimaru's chest.

But Orochimaru was just as fast. His body twisted unnaturally, dodging the strike with a fluidity that shouldn't have been possible. He slithered backward, his movements snake-like, as if his entire body was boneless.

Sasuke's Sharingan spun, tracking every movement, every shift in Orochimaru's form. The distance between them vanished in seconds as Sasuke pressed his attack, his blade cutting through the air with deadly precision. Orochimaru countered, summoning snakes from his sleeves that lashed out at Sasuke, their fangs dripping with venom.

The battle was fierce, but this was only the beginning.

Naruto's fist connected with the chest of one of Orochimaru's high-ranking followers, sending the man flying into the stone wall with a sickening crunch. The force of the impact cracked the stone, and the man slumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Who's next?" Naruto grinned, his blue eyes flashing as he summoned another Rasengan to his hand. The void energy within it made the spinning orb ripple and distort, giving it an unnatural appearance as it hummed with raw power.

Several more of Orochimaru's shinobi surrounded Naruto, their eyes filled with determination and fear. They knew they were outmatched, but Orochimaru had given them orders, and they would follow them to their last breath.

Naruto launched himself at the group, his movements a blur as he engaged them in a furious battle. His Kyubi-enhanced cloak, infused with void energy, made his every strike powerful and unpredictable. His fists connected with their weapons, shattering them, and his Rasengan tore through their defenses, sending them flying with each blow.

"You're not stopping me from getting to Orochimaru!" Naruto shouted, his voice filled with determination as he continued to fight.

Sasuke's blade flashed through the air as he clashed with Orochimaru again and again, their movements a blur of speed and power. Orochimaru's snake-like reflexes kept him just out of reach of Sasuke's attacks, but Sasuke was relentless. His Sharingan gleamed as he predicted each of Orochimaru's movements, adjusting his strikes with deadly precision.

"You're faster, Sasuke," Orochimaru hissed, a smile playing at the edges of his lips as he dodged another strike. "But you've yet to show me anything truly impressive."

Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He knew Orochimaru was taunting him, trying to bait him into making a mistake. But Sasuke had learned patience over the years. He had trained for this moment, and he wouldn't let his emotions cloud his judgment.

"Don't worry," Sasuke said coldly, his voice low and dangerous. "I'm just getting started."

Without warning, Sasuke unleashed a new technique—Chidori Nagashi—a surge of lightning chakra exploded outward from his body, creating a barrier of electricity that spread through the room. Orochimaru's serpentine eyes widened as the lightning surged toward him, but he quickly countered, summoning a massive snake to shield himself from the attack.

The force of the lightning strike caused the ground to shake, and the snake exploded into pieces, its body disintegrating under the power of Sasuke's attack. Orochimaru, though unharmed, seemed impressed.

"Interesting," he murmured. "You've learned a few tricks."

Sasuke wasted no time, following up with a flurry of strikes. His blade moved like lightning, cutting through the air with precision as he drove Orochimaru back.

Sakura ducked under a sweeping blade, her fists glowing with chakra as she delivered a powerful punch to her opponent's midsection. The force of the blow sent the man crashing into the ground, the earth beneath him cracking from the impact.

Her opponent groaned in pain, but Sakura didn't give him a chance to recover. She leapt into the air, delivering another chakra-infused punch that sent shockwaves through the ground, knocking out several more of Orochimaru's forces that had been moving in on her position.

"I'm not the same kunoichi you remember," Sakura said, her voice filled with resolve as she surveyed the battlefield. Her years of training had made her stronger, faster, and more confident in her abilities. The enemies she faced now stood no chance against her newfound strength.

But there were still more to come.

Orochimaru's body twisted unnaturally as he evaded another one of Sasuke's attacks, his movements becoming more erratic and snake-like. "You've grown, Sasuke, but you'll need more than brute force to defeat me."

Sasuke's Sharingan spun as he locked onto Orochimaru's chakra flow. His opponent was slippery, but Sasuke could see the patterns in his movements, the weak points in his defenses.

"Then I'll show you something else," Sasuke said, his voice calm but filled with intensity.

He raised his hand, and dark, swirling chakra began to gather around him. It was the power of the Curse Mark, purified by his years of training, merged with his soul. The air around him darkened as the power surged through his body, filling him with a strength unlike anything he had wielded before.

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with interest. "Ah… the Curse Mark. I've wondered how much of it remained with you. Show me, Sasuke. Show me everything."

Sasuke didn't hesitate. With a burst of speed, he launched himself at Orochimaru, his blade glowing with the combined power of his Chidori and the Curse Mark. The ground cracked beneath him as he struck, the force of the attack sending shockwaves through the room.

Orochimaru barely managed to dodge, but Sasuke was faster. He appeared behind Orochimaru in an instant, his blade already slashing downward. Orochimaru twisted out of the way, but the tip of Sasuke's blade grazed his side, drawing blood.

Orochimaru's smile widened as he looked at the blood on his hand. "Yes, Sasuke. That's it. Show me your true power."

But Sasuke wasn't finished. He raised his hand again, the dark chakra swirling around him as he prepared his next attack.

Anon moved like a shadow through the battlefield, his void energy allowing him to teleport in and out of combat with ease. His blade, infused with the power of the void, sliced through his opponents with precision, each strike disrupting the very space around them.

The high-ranking shinobi he was facing were strong, but they were no match for Anon's mastery of the void. His blade cut through their defenses like butter, and within moments, several of Orochimaru's followers lay defeated at his feet.

Anon's eyes scanned the battlefield, locking onto Orochimaru's main hideout in the distance. "It's almost time," he murmured to himself. "We need to end this quickly."

With that, he vanished in a burst of void energy, reappearing next to Naruto and Sakura as they continued their battles.

Sasuke's body crackled with energy as he prepared his final strike. Orochimaru, standing across from him, still wore that infuriating smile, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"You've grown stronger, Sasuke," Orochimaru said, his voice calm despite the situation. "But strength alone won't be enough to defeat me."

Sasuke's grip tightened on his sword, the dark energy swirling around him growing even more intense. "This ends now, Orochimaru."

With a final burst of speed, Sasuke charged forward, his blade glowing with the power of the Curse Mark and his Chidori. The ground shook as he moved, the air crackling with energy.

Orochimaru raised his hand, preparing to counter, but Sasuke was faster. He appeared behind Orochimaru in an instant, his blade already in motion. The force of the strike sent shockwaves through the room, and for the first time, Orochimaru's smile faltered.

The blade connected.