Staring at the corpse, he gritted his teeth and muttered, "The operation is over."
"Let's head back!"
He was exhausted, his chakra reserves nearly depleted.
Two Sound Ninja hoisted him up, and swiftly leaped away.
The ANBU operatives immediately gave chase, shouting, "You won't escape!"
In mid-air, a male ninja with six arms turned, spewing webs from his mouth that spread wide.
The ANBU, caught off guard, found themselves ensnared.
Their kunai slashes were useless, entangled in the sticky substance, growing more trapped with each attempt.
Frustration mounted as they watched Orochimaru slip away.
A chanting echoed in their ears.
"O King of Presence!"
"Mask of flesh and blood, all creation, fluttering wings, that which names humanity!"
"Heat and strife, the sea beyond, rolling southward, step forward!"
"Destruction Art 31: Red Flame Cannon!"
They turned.
Naruto, his hand raised, calm and composed, was the source of the incantation.
His voice was unwavering, yet it sent chills down their spines.
In his open palm, an orange flame condensed, fierce and radiant.
Released, it shot forward with incredible speed.
Before the webs could touch it, they sizzled and dissolved into smoke.
From among the group, a burly figure stepped out.
Hands clapped, seals formed.
A summoning jutsu was launched, conjuring a massive earthen golem.
It was intended as a shield, but it could not halt the seemingly small ball of light.
The fireball blazed through, mud liquefying, dripping away.
In an instant, it burst into white smoke and vanished.
The cannon's power did not diminish in the slightest.
The heavyset man gritted his teeth, standing his ground against it.
With a thunderous explosion, the shockwave surged forward.
Those under his protection were disturbed, forced to land.
Naruto dashed forward in an instant, catching up to them: "I haven't told you that you could leave."
Those still trying to escape suddenly found their steps becoming heavy.
Some sort of shackle seemed to bind their ankles, rooting them to the ground.
A technique?
No.
This was not a technique.
The fallen man's horrified gaze was fixed on Naruto.
Merely the presence emanating from this blond youth rendered them motionless.
What kind of terrifying creature was this!
"Naruto-kun." Orochimaru turned to look, his face now twisted and grim, devoid of its usual playful smile. "Are you that eager to avenge the Third Hokage?"
"He did something unforgivable to you."
With deliberate slowness, Naruto unsheathed his blade: "What is the technique that drags out the souls of the dead? Hand it over."
"You're interested in that technique?" Orochimaru exclaimed, then broke into a sinister laugh. "Do you wish to see your parents?"
"If that's the case, Naruto-kun, we could make a deal."
He eyed Naruto's sword, recalling the searing pain in his chest, similar to the feeling when his arms had been severed.
That was a technique capable of harming the soul.
Perhaps, with thorough research, he could restore his arms.
Naruto shook his head in disgust: "I will not make deals with someone who plays with souls."
"Furthermore,"
"Orochimaru, what gives you the illusion of having bargaining power?"
"Do you still possess the capability?"
Orochimaru's face was grave as he looked down at his useless hands. "If it weren't for this seal, there might still be a chance to escape."
Without the ability to form seals, a ninja becomes nearly powerless. "If only I knew those incantation-based techniques that don't require seals..."
"Don't think about harming Lord Orochimaru." The harsh voice of protest came from nearby, accompanied by a sinister chakra fluctuation.
Three towering anthropomorphic creatures appeared, though Naruto's gaze swiftly moved past them.
His eyes landed on a female ninja with pink hair. Her skin had darkened in hue, and multiple white horns had sprouted from her head. Her aura had undergone a tremendous transformation, not only amplifying her own chakra but also infused with a more chaotic and aggressive energy. It was this surge of power that enabled her to rise under his pressure.
Once just a regular elite chunin, she now stood as a jonin.
Another ninja, having grown an extra head, experienced similar changes in his body and joined Tayuya to stand in Naruto's path.
A six-armed ninja swiftly scooped up Orochimaru, retreating rapidly. The heavyset ninja wished to join them in protecting Orochimaru's escape, but his severe injuries forced him to remain behind, activating a similar state in an attempt to block Naruto.
The six-armed ninja moved with incredible speed, his abilities enigmatic. The ANBU operatives found themselves helpless against his web-like traps.
Orochimaru glanced back, glaring intently at the battle's direction until it disappeared around the corner.
"The Cursed Seal is one of my proudest achievements, granting ordinary ninjas the power to unleash extraordinary strength in an instant." But could that strength allow them to hold off Naruto long enough for him to flee? This thought crossed his mind as the six-armed ninja carrying him suddenly halted, inertia flinging Orochimaru forward, sending him tumbling heavily to the ground.
In his tumble, Orochimaru caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye.
The dark red blade pierced through the heart.
In an instant, the flicker of lightning twisted erratically, and silently, one swift strike ended a life.
The six-armed ninja never even realized Naruto was upon him.
"So Jirōbō and the others could only hold you off for such a short time?" Orochimaru marveled with a tinge of awe.
"Speak." Naruto held his blade sideways, raising his other hand. "What is that technique?"
"How did you manage to toy with the souls of the deceased?"
As he spoke, he lifted his hand, casting aside the need for incantation.
"Bakudō #30, Shitotsu Sansen."
Sharp triangular beams of golden light shot forth, pinning Orochimaru by his feet and abdomen, locking him to the ground.
"This is truly unfortunate." Orochimaru raised his head, straining against his bonds. "It's been a long time since I've found myself so cornered."
"If I were to give you that technique, would you let me go?"
Naruto remained silent, raising his sword, targeting Orochimaru's throat.
Orochimaru let out a dry laugh, scrutinizing the figure before him.
Escape was improbable.
Neither substitutions nor clones would suffice.
This blonde brat's sensory abilities were terrifyingly acute.
He wasn't keen on killing him immediately.
Falling into the hands of Konoha or Danzo was not an option.
If so, there was only one course of action left.
He suddenly opened his mouth, not to extend a tongue, but to unleash a brown serpent, clenching a gleaming, chilling blade in its fangs.
Naruto lunged with his sword.
Unexpectedly, the slash was not aimed at himself but rather
at Orochimaru himself.
The brown snake twisted, its long sword driving through its master's heart.
With all his strength, Orochimaru glared at Naruto with his golden slit eyes: "A body so broken could never allow me to escape from your grasp with honor."
"But, Naruto..."
"We will meet again one day."
"As for that jutsu..."
"Perhaps you'll find it one day, Naruto."
Blood flowed relentlessly, staining his body, as his breath and chakra rapidly declined. Naruto stared at the rapidly withering corpse, his brows furrowing in thought. Inside, it was empty—soulless. No trace of Orochimaru's presence was escaping from the husk.
It wasn't a ruse of "false death" or a substitute. Moreover, that parting statement, "We will meet again one day." Orochimaru didn't know he was facing a true death. So, did he have a technique to "resurrect" himself? How decisive. Knowing I wouldn't kill him and would only seal him away, he unhesitatingly chose to end himself. Would rather die than reveal the jutsu to me. Or was it that he would rather die than be captured by Konoha?
The ANBU operatives had arrived, watching from a distance behind Naruto, an aura still surrounding him that kept them at bay. More startling to them was the sight of the skewered corpse. Konoha's S-Class missing-nin. The mastermind behind this incident. The murderer of the Third Hokage. Orochimaru had fallen before Naruto.
Retracting his blade into its sheath, Naruto turned and looked at them with a calm glance.
This chapter features the climactic moment when Orochimaru apparently meets his demise at the hands of Naruto. As the dust settles, ANBU operatives arrive to assess the scene, contemplating the implicating circumstances surrounding the enigmatic shinobi's end.
(End of Chapter)