Chapter 139

Leo knew that even if he completely destroyed Orochimaru's body right now, as long as there were still ninjas with cursed seals planted by Orochimaru alive, Orochimaru could still be reborn from their bodies.

To truly kill Orochimaru, he would need to not only destroy his current body but also find and eliminate every single ninja who had been cursed, leaving no trace behind. Alternatively, he could use the strongest sealing technique of the Uzumaki clan, the Reaper Death Seal, to trap Orochimaru's soul inside the belly of the Death God of this world.

However, his primary objective wasn't to kill Orochimaru. He intended to first prevent Orochimaru from placing a cursed seal on Sasuke and then demonstrate his strength in front of Orochimaru to facilitate future negotiations.

"Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"

Orochimaru, having restored his body, crouched down, his mouth opening wider than a crocodile's. Thousands of venomous snakes poured out of his mouth, quickly forming a mountain of snakes that surged towards Leo.

From their previous encounter, Orochimaru understood that engaging in close combat with Leo, given the terrifying power he had displayed, would be a recipe for disaster. Hence, he summoned a massive number of snakes to swarm and attack.

"Fly away!"

Leo waved his wand, first summoning Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword before lifting his gaze to the countless hissing snakes coming towards him.

This formation would likely cause anyone with a fear of dense crowds to lose their composure immediately.

Faced with the Ten Thousand Snakes Formation, Leo first lifted his wand, then stowed it in his task space.

He could use the powerful Fire Jutsu to indiscriminately attack, but since its nature was similar to Amaterasu—continuously burning anything flammable—it would eventually incinerate the snakes but might also set the entire forest ablaze.

His control over the Fire Jutsu wasn't as refined as Grindelwald's mastery.

He then took out the Kusanagi sword, contemplated for a moment, and placed it in the pouch made from the Seamless Expansion Spell at his waist.

With his current formidable body and reflexes, wielding the extremely sharp Kusanagi sword, he could chop through the snakes with ease, much like a lawnmower. But this would leave him covered in blood, which was not only unpleasant but would also tarnish his image as a prince, especially if the arriving Anbu were to see him in such a state.

Ultimately, he decided to use ninjutsu.

Given the situation, large-scale Fire Release Jutsu would be most effective, but he wasn't skilled in it. The Phoenix Fire Jutsu would work as well, considering his abundant chakra in this state.

However, remembering that Anbu ninjas would likely come to inspect the battlefield after the fight, he abandoned that idea. His intelligence in Konoha indicated he wasn't adept with the five elemental jutsus.

So, he formed hand seals and shouted:

"Welcoming - Thousand-Handed Kill!"

As a monk from the Temple of Fire, it was quite normal for him to know the temple's secret techniques.

The golden Thousand-Handed Kannon statue enveloped Leo, and countless venomous snakes that darted towards him were blocked by the statue.

At the same time, the golden hands behind the Kannon transformed into streaks, instantly smashing all approaching snakes into a bloody pulp.

"Immovable King!"

Once all the snakes were eliminated, Leo changed his hand gestures, and the golden Thousand-Handed Kannon transformed into the red, different Immovable Kings. Two red fists flew out, striking Orochimaru and peeling off another layer of skin.

"So, you've learned the techniques of the Temple of Fire."

Orochimaru, with his extensive knowledge, immediately recognized the jutsu Leo was using, his brow furrowing in contemplation.

Leo's displayed taijutsu and ninjutsu had become quite troublesome for him. Unless he summoned the Ten Thousand Snakes for assistance, overcoming Leo to pursue Sasuke seemed nearly impossible.

However, summoning the Ten Thousand Snakes would escalate the situation significantly, jeopardizing his plan to invaded Konoha in collaboration with the Sand Village. This could lead to the cancellation of the Chunin Exams, nullifying all his previous plans.

Moreover, having delayed here for so long, it was highly likely that the Third Hokage had already received intelligence and dispatched Anbu ninjas to this location.

Therefore, Orochimaru decided that his best course of action was to retreat for now and find another opportunity to place a cursed seal on Sasuke. After all, there was still over a month until the official Chunin Exams.

"I'll remember you, Prince Leo of the Fire Country!"

Orochimaru did not attempt to bypass Leo but instead headed towards the tower where Sasuke and the others had fled, leaving behind a parting remark as he slowly retreated, clearly intending to leave the Forest of Death for now.

"Konoha Invasion Plan."

Seeing this, Leo didn't pursue. Instead, he smiled and said a few words.

Orochimaru's body stiffened, his eyes filled with disbelief:

"How do you know about that?"

The Konoha Invasion Plan was known only to him and his closest confidants, the Fourth Kazekage, and Danzo. Could this Prince of the Fire Country be connected to Danzo or the Fourth Kazekage?

The Fourth Kazekage was unlikely; after all, he was the Prince of the Fire Country, not the Kazekage of the Sand. So it must be Danzo.

"Did Danzo tell you?"

"It doesn't matter. What matters is that I want to make a deal with you. I want you to use the spies you have planted in Konoha to find out where the forbidden scrolls are hidden."

Leo revealed his true motive for this confrontation.

"It seems Danzo didn't inform you. That makes things interesting."

Orochimaru, ever perceptive, realized that Leo was definitely not Danzo's man.

Since Danzo, being one of Konoha's high-ranking officials, would know better where the forbidden scrolls were hidden, it was clear that Leo was not Danzo's agent.

A prince from the Fire Country, a monk from the Temple of Fire, aware of his Konoha Invasion Plan and seeking the forbidden scrolls, coupled with strength comparable to a Kage-level ninja, made Leo an enigmatic figure, piquing Orochimaru's interest even further.

If previously Orochimaru had been intrigued by Leo's sudden display of extraordinary strength, now it was Leo's identity and objectives that intrigued him.

He didn't believe that Leo was merely a prince of the Fire Country. Orochimaru even suspected that Leo might not be a true prince but another expert in disguise, much like how Orochimaru planned to impersonate the Kazekage.

"What's in it for me to help you get the forbidden scrolls? You should know that I just lost a highly valuable chess piece because of you, which doesn't sit well with me."

Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips with a wicked grin.

Leo responded with a friendly smile:

"The benefit is that I won't reveal your Konoha Invasion Plan to the Third Hokage and won't obstruct your pursuit of Sasuke."

"Do you even hear what you're saying?"

Orochimaru's gaze turned cold.