Tonight, the moon hung dark in the sky, and the winds howled relentlessly. It was a night perfectly suited for clandestine actions, murder, and thievery. The Uchiha clan appeared to be quite animated this evening. The third and second elders, surrounded by clan members, took the streets, seemingly celebrating an event of unknown significance.
"Remain here, and I'll keep watch on Uchiha Sagijima," said an Anbu operative.
The bustling Uchiha streets were inadvertently followed by two Anbu agents. A Uchiha ninja glanced their way, and for a moment, the two Anbu rubbed their eyes, confused.
"How odd..."
Unbeknownst to them, the expressions of several team members became tense.
"Third Elder, Kaze has escaped, and our guards have led a group away," whispered one of the clan members.
...........
"It's here," said a black-clad ninja, a seasoned Jonin with heightened perception. The vicinity of Orochimaru's location showed very few chakra signatures, with only Orochimaru's presence standing out amidst ordinary people.
"He's on the ground floor."
"Prepare the barrier team." A shadowy figure glanced at the two Chunin present. "You stay outside; the rest of us will clear the area first."
The four Uchiha Chunin united their efforts, casting a sealing jutsu upon the ground. In the darkness of the night, a square-shaped barrier emerged silently from the ground, soon encompassing a vast area nearby.
This barrier effectively isolated the detection of chakra fluctuations and mental power, even dampening any sounds. Once formed, it remained imperceptible even to the naked eye amidst the dark night.
Before long, several people inside the hospital were manipulated by using illusionary techniques. These seemingly ordinary individuals, clad in hospital gowns, shuffled dazedly to an open space.
"He's here. So many people, it seems the third elder is making quite an effort for me." Orochimaru occasionally used his mental power to sense the movements outside. He had already noticed the commotion, yet made no move. In the eyes of Uchiha's sensory ninjas, Orochimaru's position remained unchanged.
"Slow down," the Uchiha ninjas cautiously approached the underground warehouse, and Orochimaru's body trembled slightly, beads of sweat forming in his armpits.
This trembling wasn't from fear; it was the excitement of a predator hunting its prey!
They sought to capture me and exploit my power, but I yearn to exterminate them and absorb their strength! The corners of Orochimaru's mouth curved into a bloodthirsty smile, and his serpent-like pupils flickered with an eerie red light amid the dim surroundings!
"Bang!" The door was kicked open, but a Chunin swiftly dodged, and nothing happened. The warehouse was empty, dimly lit, with numerous separate autopsy rooms cluttered about, filled with medical equipment in disarray. Curtains obstructed the view, suspicious bloodstains dotted the area, making the entire vast space resemble a monstrous maw.
"Ha, isn't he just a kid with powerful mental abilities? Why fear when I possess the Sharingan!" Observing the other ninjas leisurely approaching, the Chunin mocked, feeling quite embarrassed that he was still in a combat stance.
"Head, the kid is right in front," the sensory ninja reported.
"Oh, I thought he would prepare a surprise for us, but it seems he's given up," Kaze replied casually, though deep down, he remained vigilant. The last time Orochimaru eluded him had been a great humiliation. He wouldn't underestimate him again.
The basement warehouse of the hospital was considerably spacious. Although Konoha no longer conducted human experiments at this time, some secretive anatomical research was still ongoing, involving a few corpses. The group remained cautious, fearing hidden explosive tags. Kaze didn't care about the tags; his main concern was Orochimaru's escape.
"Orochimaru, you can come out now and accompany us." Kaze called out, his voice echoing through the dark and empty space with an air of certainty.
"The Third Elder underestimates me greatly. Dispatching three Jonin and five Chunin teams—it appears they lack confidence." Orochimaru's voice echoed from all directions.
"What Third Elder? We are..." a Chunin began to retort, but Shadow raised his hand, silencing him.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" Kaze initiated the attack directly, and a hurricane erupted, shattering curtains and medical equipment throughout the hospital. The powerful gust created a thick cloud of dust, obscuring everyone's vision!
Damn it! Something's not right with this smoke!
Kaze cursed inwardly, as several Uchiha ninjas, being elite, immediately employed Water Release jutsu to disperse the smoke.
"Quite embarrassing,"Orochimaru's voice taunted.
"Hissssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss!" Suddenly, countless snakes emerged from all directions, invading walls, ceilings, cabinets, and the water-covered floor, surrounding the ninjas like a massive ocean seeking to devour its prey.
"He's still here." The sensory ninja calmly nodded to Kaze.
Several Uchiha Chunin brandished their kunai, slashing and decimating the horde of snakes. Blood splattered around, and the ground quickly turned crimson, akin to a scene from hell. Yet, the snakes posed no real threat to so many experienced ninjas.
The three Jonin occasionally dispatched shuriken to deal with the few snakes that approached them, their vigilance unwavering, ever watchful for Orochimaru's appearance.
But then, "Stay alert and take care of yourselves!"
"Bang-ah!" A colossal snake, measuring about twenty meters long, erupted from the water, seizing a focused Uchiha clan's member and pulling him into the air!
"Ah!" The ninja struggled frantically, but the massive serpent's sharp teeth bit down with a forceful "click," cleaving the unfortunate victim into two pieces!
"Be cautious!" A Jonin promptly pulled a Chunin to safety, as another colossal medical instrument nearby morphed back into a giant snake.
"Leap!" The Jonin reacted swiftly, causing the snake's bite to miss, its tremendous force creating an astonishing sound.
"Go to hell!" The Jonin delivered a powerful kick to the snake's head, sending it flying, then quickly formed hand seals. A burst of high-temperature fire reduced the giant snake to a charred corpse.
"Wind Release: Wind Blade!" Uchiha Kyo called out, summoning a massive wind blade that sliced through the snake that had killed the Chunin, rending it into four pieces before it emitted a pitiful hiss. The immense corpse collapsed onto the ground.
"Be careful! Orochimaru--!" The sensory Jonin never forgot his duty, maintaining vigilance over Orochimaru. However, an inexplicable feeling of nervousness and panic enveloped him, as if his fears had been magnified exponentially!
Suddenly, Orochimaru's scarlet serpent-like pupil seemed to appear directly before his eyes. He tried to shout, but a powerful mental force surged into his mind, sending him reeling backward!
"Pfft!" The sensory Jonin felt as though he had suffered a heavy blow, his breath instantly escaping him. His head buzzed, and blood flowed from the corners of his mouth, yet his eyes reflected sheer horror!
"Damn it! This technique, could it be... the Emotion Stimulation Illusion Technique!" He was stunned by its power; how could this technique be so devastating?! If not for swiftly cutting off his extended mental power, he might have fallen into a coma!
However, as it stood, the Jonin was mostly incapacitated, his strength greatly diminished. Contemplating why Orochimaru was familiar with this technique, he muttered curses, fully aware of the Third Elder's misuse of this technique. Orochimaru possessed mental power far more formidable than they had assumed!
"Hmph, lost one already?" Orochimaru's cold voice echoed with irony.
To him, the Third Elder's jutsu was akin to a mental assault technique, crude and straightforward. No matter how skilled they were in genjutsu, he could simply crush them using sheer mental prowess!
Especially this sensory Jonin, who had recklessly used his mental power to persistently track him, unknowingly linking their mental energies together. This made it even easier to launch such an attack!
Orochimaru sneered, regretting that his body could not exert its full power directly; otherwise, he would have had them explode on the spot!
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