Chapter 54: Orochimaru vs Kazuki

Orochimaru lay in the floor for a long time, and when he saw many people looking at him, he shook his head and got up. This was the first time he had consumed so much mental energy, and the dizziness and pain made him very uncomfortable.

Orochimaru pondered for a while. His "super sense" should be a state that people only enter when life and death are at stake. For example, during the most intense fight or when he is facing death, he will recall what he did in his lifetime. Generally, in battle, this state is usually short-lived, and it is impossible for anyone to deliberately induce it.

Ignoring others, Orochimaru sat quietly for 20 minutes, feeling that his mental power had recovered a little. He then took out six Kunais. As a gust of wind blew through the trees and the leaves fell one after another, Orochimaru entered a super-sensory state again, throwing all the kunai within three seconds.

The first one was very slow and was hit by the second one, then the third one, the fourth one... After the wind stopped, six kunai were neatly nailed to a tree trunk. Each kunai had at least two or three leaves stuck in it, and Orochimaru was separated from that tree by two other trees.

"If I can do this under normal circumstances, I will definitely be stronger."

Orochimaru couldn't calculate the trajectory of six thrown kunais. He just took advantage of his powerful mental power to achieve this feat. Although Itachi also needs to activate the Sharingan, Orochimaru had surpassed him technically with these throws.

The mental power Orochimaru used during the three-second super-sensory state was draining, and he spent the next 20 minutes recovering. Then he continued his training.

No matter how good the Shurikenjutsu is, it will not significantly improve his combat effectiveness in the future. However, the training of control of super-sensing state will benefit all his abilities, and Shurikenjutsu is just one training method.

........

"The speed of a ninja's hand seals is affected by many factors, such as bloodline talent, chakra volume, hand speed, proficiency, etc..." Arima began a new round of teaching today.

"Actually, there is another way. You can think of ways to improve the flexibility of your fingers. For example, soaking your hands in vinegar for a while, especially when you are young, may make your fingers more agile in the future."

Almost everyone here is over ten years old, so it might be a bit late for this method. Arima glanced at Orochimaru.

"Black Snake, you should be only eight years old, right? This method may be more useful for you."

"Uh, is that so?"

"Come on, let me see your hand."

"..." Orochimaru thought for a moment, extended one hand, and used his thumb to dislocate the other fingers with a "click" sound. Then he twisted each finger several hundred degrees, twisting them like a pretzel!

"Whoosh!" Orochimaru waved his hand, and his fingers returned to their original state.

"This...!"

Everyone around exclaimed.

"I think I know who Black Snake is now..."

Arima : "How did you do that?"

"Uh... Maybe it's because of my talent?"

"..."

The situation was a little awkward. At that moment, a 12- or 13-year-old ninja approached. The corners of his masked eyes were drawn very deep, and he had thick eye shadow, resembling a snake, but his eyes had white pupils!

A timely arrival.

From the Hyuga clan? Wait, this is...!

Orochimaru was very surprised. Through his mental power, he identified the newcomer as Hyuga Kazuki.

He had also joined the Anbu. Anbu often recruits new members after the Chunin exams.

"Reporting instructor, my code name is White Rooster, from the Hyuga clan, here to report."

So, Hyuga is also willing to let the genius of it's clan join the Anbu? Arima suddenly thought of something.

"White Rooster? You arrived just in time. Black Snake, your team members are all ready! Falcon, Nightingale, come out. Once you become official Anbu members, Black Snake will be your future captain."

"What? This guy is my subordinate?" Orochimaru was speechless.

"You are..." Hyuga Kazuki felt that the guy in front of him was very familiar, especially the eyeshadow on the mask.

"Byakugan - open!"

Hyuga Kazuki suddenly emitted his own momentum, and a subtle wave passed through Orochimaru's body.

Many people were shocked by the strength of "White Rooster", and they kept their distance from Orochimaru.

Although the identities of the Anbu members couldn't be kept secret internally, Hyuga Kazuki's actions were still unusual.

"I knew it was you!" Hyuga Kazuki's expression was complex.

During the Chunin exam, he understood Orochimaru as someone with a fire release technique beyond the Chunin level, who also used snake-type ninjutsu, and perhaps even excelled in genjutsu. Later, he heard his grandfather saying that Orochimaru and Tsunade had lost in the physical competition and were suspected of using water release.

"Orochimaru possessed many abilities, but he might not be a match for him," Hyuga Kazuki thought so. The Hyuga clan ninjas had always focused solely on the Gentle Fist and extended techniques. Their philosophy was that a ninja need not change techniques, and that by mastering one skill to the extreme, they could counter any technique with it.

To some extent, this was true.

At this moment, Falcon and Nightingale also appeared. Falcon had a large sword hanging from his waist. Not that ninjas couldn't use a katana, but good wielders were rare, and katana techniques were often not as straightforward and direct as ninjutsu. To enter the Anbu, Falcon must have his own special skills.

"No way, he's our captain?" Nightingale removed her mask, revealing a beautiful and charming face.

Her hands were slim and fair like jade, dressed in a green shirt, with jet-black hair tied up in a princess bun adorned with an emerald green leaf-shaped hairpin, tassels hanging down from the bun, silver bells swaying in the wind.

Nightingale possessed a white and tender melon-seed face, skin as delicate as porcelain, slender and picturesque eyebrows, twinkling black eyes, and a small, bright red mouth beneath a bridge-like nose.

Her whole appearance was slender and beautiful, and her voice was lively and melodious, like an elf in the forest, radiating a sense of vitality. Even in standard armor and attire, she looked like a pure water hibiscus, flawless and ethereal.

What an astonishing beauty!

Orochimaru was taken aback by this girl. At this moment, even Tsunade might not surpass her in looks, but Nightingale knew how to present her beauty as a ninja, which left Orochimaru speechless and captivated.

"Humph! What are you staring at?" Nightingale raised her chin provocatively. "Oh, you're the guy who spiraled into the sky and fell on that guy the other day, right?"

So, she's a feisty one!

Orochimaru's face darkened, and he ignored her.

"Hey, kid, I don't know how you got in here, or how you became the squad leader, but I won't take orders from a brat." Falcon also spoke, his tone not disdainful or dissatisfied, but rather indifferent and confident.

Arima didn't intervene, wanting to see how Orochimaru would handle the situation. The other substitute Anbu members were also watching as spectators.

"Then what do you suggest?" Orochimaru was a little displeased. He had planned to climb up the ranks with his own strength, but being questioned by team members who were assigned to him was hard to bear.

"Black Snake, I want to challenge you. If I lose, I'll accept your leadership." Hyuga Kazuki was straightforward, yet he had this kind of personality.

"If you defeat him, then I will follow suit." Falcon seemed to understand Hyuga Kazuki. He couldn't accept taking orders from a guy much younger than himself, especially if that person's strength was not up to par.

"Let's do it then, come at me." Orochimaru gestured.

"Okay!" Hyuga Kazuki rushed forward and tried to slap Orochimaru.

Orochimaru grinned as he gazed at Kazuki charging towards him. If he dared to provoke me, then I won't go easy on him.

Orochimaru's pupils turned scarlet in an instant, and everything around him seemed to slow down. He had grown accustomed to this super-sensory state. Looking at Kazuki's hand, Orochimaru dodged his attack effortlessly.

"What?" Hyuga Kazuki thought that Orochimaru had deliberately evaded, but he didn't expect to miss his target.

"Watch carefully!" Hyuga Kazuki roared in anger and launched another attack at Orochimaru with a palm strike.

However, Orochimaru did something that caught him by surprise. Orochimaru actually closed his eyes.

"Go to hell!" Hyuga Kazuki was furious, but Orochimaru kept dodging his attacks, seemingly teasing him and making him helpless.

"What a fast reaction speed, how did he do that?" In the eyes of the onlookers, Hyuga Kazuki's palm had already left an afterimage, but Orochimaru seemed like a boat on the sea, unperturbed.

Orochimaru felt the attacks coming again and again. Hyuga's Gentle Fist seemed to harness the power of the wind, but Orochimaru himself was like a piece of paper or a leaf, unaffected by the wind's force, easily evading each attack.

After all, it was Hyuga Kazuki. Orochimaru didn't need to enter his super-sensory state to dodge his attacks.

"How is this possible!" Hyuga Kazuki was so anxious that he couldn't even touch Orochimaru's clothes in front of everyone. Although Hyuga Gentle Fist was not purely about speed, and Orochimaru evaded in a mysterious manner, it would not be so easy to counterattack.

Nightingale rolled her eyes and said, "Are you just going to keep avoiding him?"

"Huh?" Orochimaru was taken aback, and he withdrew from the super-sensory state that had lasted for less than ten seconds. The sensation of dodging attacks effortlessly like a piece of paper had benefited him greatly. He stopped not because of Nightingale's words, but because he had been backing up and accidentally leaned against a big tree.

"What an opportunity!" Hyuga Kazuki was overjoyed. He stimulated the chakra in his body again, creating a confined space between him and Orochimaru, effectively binding Orochimaru.

"Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!" Hyuga Kazuki shouted and attacked Orochimaru with all his might!

"Haha!" Orochimaru finally opened his eyes, and his snake-like pupils gleamed with scarlet light, staring back at Kazuki indifferently.