191

*Chapter 191: The Great Technique! 1*

A pleasant surprise!

This was truly a pleasant surprise!

Orochimaru’s initial target had been Itachi Uchiha; he deeply coveted Itachi's talent.

However...

He couldn’t win!

He was no match for Itachi Uchiha!

So...

He had no choice but to settle for the next best thing—turning his attention to Sasuke.

But what Orochimaru hadn’t expected...

Was that Sasuke’s talent surpassed Itachi’s!

Sasuke was younger, more impressionable, and the perfect candidate for Orochimaru’s next vessel!

Not only did Sasuke’s Sharingan show great promise, but his aptitude for learning ninjutsu was extraordinary.

He had even mastered space-time ninjutsu!

That was none other than the Flying Thunder God Technique, invented by the Second Hokage!

An S-rank space-time ninjutsu!

Orochimaru had studied the Flying Thunder God Technique during his early years of researching forbidden jutsu.

He was well aware of its complexities—it required extraordinary talent, and not just anyone could learn it!

Perfect!

Absolutely perfect!

Orochimaru’s breathing quickened, and his gaze toward Sasuke burned with an intense heat, as if Sasuke were a delectable dish.

He was drooling!

Utterly craving it!

“Let’s end this quickly!”

Orochimaru glanced at the First Hokage standing beside him and took a small step back.

At that moment...

The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, stiffly stepped forward. He raised his head, his crimson eyes locking onto Sasuke.

Clap!  

Hashirama’s hands came together, his fingers interlocking to form a hand sign.

“Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!”

Hashirama’s voice carried no emotion; he was like a soulless machine.

In an instant...

An overwhelming surge of chakra flowed from Hashirama’s feet into the ground.

Buzz!  

The earth trembled violently.

Moments later...

Green vines erupted from the ground, growing rapidly and transforming the area into an uninhabitable tangle in the blink of an eye.

The already dense Death Forest became even more overgrown.

Coupled with the whip-like vines thrashing about, the tight space grew impossibly narrower.

Sasuke leapt between the thrashing vines.

Swish! Swish! Swish!  

Suddenly...

Vines coiled around Sasuke’s ankles, yanking him down.

Crash!  

Sasuke landed heavily on the wooden vines, which then multiplied and began to wrap around him layer by layer.

“A godlike Wood Style!”

Sasuke’s eyes flashed with a trace of envy as he looked at Hashirama, but it was only momentary.

Wood Style was Hashirama’s Kekkei Genkai.

The Sharingan could not copy it.

If Hashirama had been in his original body instead of this reanimated state, things would have been much trickier!

However...

For now...

Sasuke wasn’t particularly worried.

With a system that allowed him to recover to peak condition at any moment, coupled with the Flying Thunder God Technique, Sasuke had the ability to escape whenever he wished.

“Water Style: Water Shockwave!”

But just then...

Tobirama Senju’s voice rang out as he unleashed a torrent of water.

A terrifying surge of water combined with the surrounding Wood Style vines, transforming the area into a wooden basin.

Or rather...

A sea basin!

In an instant...

Sasuke was submerged in water. The immense water pressure, combined with the entangling Wood Style vines, completely immobilized him.

“As expected of the teamwork between two Hokage!”

Sasuke’s expression remained calm. For two Hokage to join forces to restrain him, in a way, this could be considered an acknowledgment of his strength.

“Sasuke, what do you plan to do now?”

Standing on a tree branch, Orochimaru gazed intently at Sasuke. His tongue coiled around a kunai—the very same Flying Thunder God kunai that Sasuke had left behind earlier.

Clearly...

This was bait.

---

---

Orochimaru was waiting for Sasuke to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"The Flying Thunder God has already been used twice."

Sasuke stared indifferently at Orochimaru, his voice emerging from the water, accompanied by a few bubbles.

Having Water Style chakra,

Speaking underwater for a bit was still manageable.

"I could easily eliminate you with the Flying Thunder God Technique, but that would be far too boring..."

"After all, it’s rare to come across such an entertaining game."

"Let me show you something else."

"My power beyond ninjutsu!"

Sasuke widened his eyes, the blood-red Sharingan in his pupils instantly turning into pitch-black irises as he deactivated his Sharingan.

*+180 (90)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes flickered once more.

"Oh?"

The excitement in Orochimaru's serpentine eyes grew more intense as he eagerly stared at Sasuke.

"What other surprises do you have for me?"

"Come on, show me already!"

"I can hardly wait!"

It had been a long time since Orochimaru felt this thrilled—his inner excitement was nearly uncontrollable.

The Sharingan was deactivated!

What did this mean?

If it wasn’t a surrender...

Then there must be another technique!

Hurry and show it to me!

Orochimaru’s gaze toward Sasuke started to shift. But even at this moment, he still hadn’t realized who the true prey was.

*Whoosh!*

Tobirama Senju shot toward Sasuke like a torpedo.

In this stretch of sea,

He moved as if in his element.

For a Hokage so adept at Water Style, this scene was quite fascinating!

*Whoosh!*

In an instant, Tobirama reached Sasuke and lunged at his shoulders with both hands.

Their orders were clear: capture Sasuke alive!

Not to kill him!

Both the First Hokage and the Second Hokage were incomplete, mindless versions of themselves, revived through the Impure World Reincarnation.

This greatly limited their power, but it made them incredibly easy to control.

*Smack! Smack!*

Suddenly—

The sound of two bodies colliding echoed.

Sasuke had somehow raised both hands to intercept Tobirama’s. The two were now locked in a stalemate.

*+190 (95)*

The numbers before Sasuke’s eyes fluctuated again.

"What incredible strength!"

Sasuke was slightly startled. He had already reached an SS-level strength attribute, yet even so, he could still feel Tobirama’s overwhelming power.

Was this the monstrous strength of the Senju clan?

Sasuke was momentarily astonished.

His expression remained unchanged, still maintaining an air of calm indifference.

Orochimaru stood at the edge of the sea,

Fixing his gaze on Sasuke.

A smirk played on his lips.

"How will you break free?"

Orochimaru could only think of the Flying Thunder God Technique, and he was confident Sasuke had more Flying Thunder God kunai.

But...

The proud Uchiha had already declared he wouldn’t use the technique again.

Surely, he wouldn’t contradict himself!

While Orochimaru pondered,

Sasuke suddenly closed his eyes.

In an instant,

It felt as if the entire world had gone silent.

"Eight Gates Formation."

"Sixth Gate."

"Gate of View."

"Open!"

Veins bulged on Sasuke’s forehead, his black hair billowing as terrifying green energy surged around him, instantly destroying the wooden vines restraining his body and the surrounding sea of water created by Water Style.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...*

The sea around Sasuke began to spin like a tornado.

The moment Tobirama’s hands touched Sasuke, the horrifying rotational energy ripped his body into pieces.

*+200 (100)*

The numbers before Sasuke’s eyes surged.

"Hahaha!"

Orochimaru’s expression had turned maniacal, as the surprises just kept coming one after another.

But, amidst his crazed delight,

Orochimaru’s expression gradually grew serious.

This was the Eight Gates Formation!

He knew full well what it meant.

It was a technique he never expected Sasuke to master, but in the face of such power, caution was imperative.

"Attack with full force!"

*Chapter 191: The Great Technique! 2*

Orochimaru immediately issued a command to Hashirama Senju.

From the beginning, Hashirama Senju had only used a single Wood-Style jutsu.

Most of the effort to capture Sasuke was left to Tobirama Senju.

Now, with Tobirama shattered and his body slowly piecing itself back together from dust, it was Hashirama’s turn to act!

Whoosh!  

At that very moment, Sasuke leapt high into the air, hovering midair with a cold gaze fixed on the ocean and forest below.

“Morning Peacock!”

Sasuke roared suddenly, throwing his fists forward at incredible speed.

Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish! Swish!  

In an instant, flames created by the friction of his fists with the air descended like a torrential rain.

From below, it looked just like a peacock spreading its feathers!

The intense heat of the fireballs instantly evaporated the seawater below and set the vines on the ground ablaze.

The roaring flames knocked Tobirama’s regenerating body apart once again.

*+210 (105)*

Sasuke’s field of vision flashed with numbers once more. The accumulation of points had reached an impressive level.

Clap!  

Hashirama pressed his hands together.

“Wood-Style: Wood Locking Wall!”

Hashirama spoke calmly as rows of wooden pillars erupted from the ground, surrounding him protectively.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!  

The devastating force of Morning Peacock pounded relentlessly against the Wood Locking Wall, eventually setting it on fire.

Finally, when the last wave of flames struck the wooden wall—

Crack!  

A loud noise echoed as the Wood Locking Wall shattered completely, exposing Hashirama inside.

“As expected of the First Hokage’s Wood-Style!”

Sasuke couldn’t help but admire it. For the Wood Locking Wall, even in an Edo Tensei state, to block Morning Peacock—it was truly extraordinary.

A complete power level above Yamato!

*+220 (110)*

Sasuke didn’t stop there. Standing midair, he hovered, thanks to the immense recoil of Morning Peacock. As this force dissipated, he began to descend.

“The Seventh Gate...”

“Gate of Wonder...”

“Open!”

Sasuke’s eyes gleamed with a terrifying red light as blue steam radiated from his entire body. His power surged to even greater heights.

At that moment, while descending, Sasuke pinpointed an area encompassing both Hashirama and Orochimaru.

His hands formed a seal, resembling the face of a tiger.

“Daytime Tiger!”

Sasuke unleashed the Daytime Tiger, a devastating Taijutsu move. It was time to end this fight.

A colossal white tiger erupted from Sasuke’s hands, barreling straight toward Orochimaru not far ahead.

Of course, Hashirama was also in its path!

This was Sasuke’s most powerful Daytime Tiger. The fearsome tiger’s head charged forward with unparalleled force.

“Wood-Style: Ranking Shield Technique!”

Hashirama clapped his hands together, creating a shield in the shape of a ferocious, fang-bearing demon face on the ground. The shield enveloped both him and Orochimaru in protection.

Boom!!!  

The Daytime Tiger collided with the demon-faced shield, instantly sending a shockwave into the sky. The resulting explosion resembled a mushroom cloud from an atomic bomb, rising above the Forest of Death.

*+230 (115)*

Sasuke’s vision flickered again as numbers jumped rapidly.

---

In the Forest of Death, every team was engaged in the survival game, working hard to collect scrolls.

Rumble!  

Suddenly, the earth shook violently.

A mushroom cloud ascended into the sky, drawing everyone’s eyes toward its direction.

Not far from the tower, under a tree, Temari and Kankuro stood guard over Gaara.

Gaara was unconscious, leaving Temari and Kankuro to shoulder the responsibility of protecting him.

The sudden quake filled both their eyes with shock.

“Terrifying!”

“Is this... someone fighting?”

Kankuro’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

The collision of energy on this scale was far beyond his comprehension!

For a puppeteer like him, such overwhelming power was simply untouchable!

“Maybe... it’s possible...”

---

*Temari's voice trembled slightly. She suddenly regretted coming to the Leaf Village to participate in the Chūnin Selection Exam.*

Ahead, Uchiha Sasuke was brutally fighting Gaara!

Now, such a massive collision had taken place—it was absolutely terrifying!

The Genin of the Leaf Village were too frightening!

Wasn't this supposed to be just a Chūnin Selection Exam?

Why did it feel like a battle between Kage-level ninjas?!

“Whew!”

After finishing her sentence, Temari took a deep breath and exhaled heavily. Her whole body was tense.

"If we manage to survive this, I swear I'll never come to the Leaf Village again!"

Kankurō said with absolute determination. He'd had enough of the Leaf Village's ninjas.

If the Genin were this terrifying...

The Jōnin must be utterly overwhelming!

Better not mess with them!

*Meanwhile, on the other side:*

Kiba Inuzuka, Shino Aburame, and Hinata Hyūga were moving swiftly through the forest.

Their goal was simple:

To grab another set of Heaven and Earth scrolls and progress in the Chūnin Exam.

The direction they were heading in...

Was exactly where Sasuke and Orochimaru were battling!

BOOM!  

The violent tremors shook the ground, making the trees beneath their feet quiver and sway.

Instantly.

The trio stopped in their tracks.

"What kind of power is this?"

Kiba’s eyes widened as he exclaimed. Akamaru, by his side, wasted no time and burrowed into his arms in fear.

Immediately after, a strong gust of wind surged through, sweeping past their bodies. The sheer force of it was even more powerful than Wind Release jutsu.

Their bodies were blown back several meters before they managed to regain their footing.

"Are we really going to continue?"

Kiba swallowed hard, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"There are monsters ahead!"

Shino’s voice quivered slightly. The bugs he had sent out to scout were all annihilated in the shockwave just moments ago.

He had no idea what lay ahead.

And yet...

This was only the residual impact of the clash!

"Byakugan!"

Hinata Hyūga widened her eyes, her pupils narrowing sharply as her vision expanded outward toward the source of the commotion.

"Two people!"

"No, wait!"

"Three people!"

"Hold on!"

"Four people!"

Because the distance was so far, Hinata couldn’t make out the exact figures. She could only discern a blurry number of people.

"We should just run in the opposite direction!"

Kiba immediately turned around. He really didn’t dare take another step forward.

It was just too terrifying!

Such a level of destruction couldn’t have come from one side alone.

This was a full-blown fight!

If two Genin could generate such power in battle, Kiba couldn't even begin to imagine who they were.

"I agree!"

Shino turned without hesitation.

"I... I agree too!"

Hinata was reluctant. She wanted to stand by Naruto’s side, to witness him progress in the Chūnin Exam, and to see him earn the acknowledgment of everyone.

But...

Her strength was limited.

She couldn’t go any further!

And so.

The three members of Team 8 began to retreat swiftly in the opposite direction of the clash.

For their reconnaissance-focused team, finding people was easy.

Avoiding people was just as simple!

---

*Meanwhile, on the other side of the explosion:*

The trio of Team 10—Ino Yamanaka, Chōji Akimichi, and Shikamaru Nara—was resting in the forest.

Up until now...

They hadn’t encountered a single opponent or even caught sight of any scrolls.

As they paused to rest, Chōji had already devoured three whole bags of snacks.

“This is such a drag...”

Shikamaru muttered, looking helplessly at Chōji and Ino. If it weren’t for Asuma-sensei’s strong recommendation, he really wouldn’t have bothered with this boring Chūnin Exam.

It was absolutely pointless.

BOOM!  

Suddenly.

---

*Chapter 191: The Great Technique! 3*

---

The ground trembled.

A howling wind swept through, bending even the branches of the trees.

The gust blew the snack bag straight out of Choji’s hands, scattering its contents into the wind.

“This... this...”

Ino’s wide eyes stared at the rising mushroom cloud in the distance, her heart pounding fiercely.

“It seems there’s someone incredibly powerful among this year’s candidates!”

Shikamaru, maintaining his usual calm, analyzed and assessed the situation with his sharp mind.

“My snacks!”

Choji was still frozen in the act of reaching for his snacks, though the bag had long since been blown away, leaving him clutching at thin air.

Then, he glanced down.

His hands were empty.

“They’re gone!”

Choji’s eyes widened, filled with grievance and frustration, and even a trace of anger.

“This isn’t just about the snacks anymore.”

Shikamaru’s gaze was fixed on the towering mushroom cloud, his expression serious as he struggled to identify the source of such overwhelming power.

“Choji, Ino, follow me! We’re retreating!”

Shikamaru made a quick decision. He could clearly see the confusion in Ino’s eyes and the bewilderment in Choji’s.

“Whoever’s in this forest might even be too much for Asuma-sensei to handle. This isn’t our battlefield anymore!”

After briefly explaining, Shikamaru immediately started running in the opposite direction.

“Got it!”

Ino nodded and followed close behind him.

“Understood!”

Choji, though still thinking about his lost snacks, obediently followed Shikamaru’s lead.

Shikamaru said to leave...

So, they left!

Not far from the forest entrance, Anko had just entered the Forest of Death in search of Orochimaru. She immediately sensed the terrifying tremors.

Boom!

Anko nearly lost her footing and fell to the ground, her wide eyes fixed on the distant mushroom cloud.

“No way!”

“Someone’s actually fighting Orochimaru!”

“Who could it be?”

A massive question mark loomed in Anko’s mind. She could tell that the recent tremors had something to do with Orochimaru.

Apart from Orochimaru, Anko couldn’t think of anyone else in the Forest of Death capable of generating such powerful energy waves.

But...

This wasn’t something that one person alone could have caused.

Who was it?

Frowning deeply, Anko darted toward the explosion, becoming the only one heading into danger in the Forest of Death.

---

*At the Tower*

In the entrance hall, Naruto and Sakura felt the tremor. The entire tower was shaking.

“An earthquake?”

Naruto quickly shielded Sakura and moved her to the corner of the tower. Being indoors and some distance from the mushroom cloud’s center, they couldn’t see what was happening.

“Maybe... I guess!”

Sakura was equally puzzled. She had never experienced such a strong tremor before. The sudden shaking was so intense that even dust fell from the ceiling.

“It’s not an earthquake!”

A proctor standing at the doorway looked outside with a grave expression, his heart filled with dread.

“It’s a battle!”

The proctor took a deep breath, the fear evident in his voice. A battle of this magnitude could have killed him if he were closer to the action.

“It’s definitely Sasuke!”

Naruto grinned confidently and gave a thumbs-up. To him, no one in the entire Forest of Death could possibly be a match for Sasuke.

“How are you so sure?”

The proctor’s eye twitched. The last thing he wanted to believe was that it was Sasuke—especially after Sasuke had just humiliated him earlier.

“It couldn’t be anyone else!”

Naruto clasped his hands behind his head and laughed. His admiration for Sasuke had reached near-blind devotion.

---

Meanwhile...

+1000 (+500).

After seeing his score jump, Sasuke watched as the points on the screen rose again.

They directly hit the max of 1000 points.

It left him slightly surprised.

All he had done was use the Daytime Tiger technique. Was that really such an over-the-top move?

Unbeknownst to Sasuke...

The explosion caused by the combination of the Afternoon Tiger and the water vapor generated by the Morning Peacock, colliding with the Wood Style: Fang Mask, had already alarmed the entire Forest of Death.

Perhaps no one realized that the person responsible for this explosion was Sasuke!

But...

It was enough for the system to recognize it as a truly spectacular showoff!

Click! Click! Click!  

Accompanied by a series of mechanical sounds, the Fang Mask of the Wood Style opened, revealing Hashirama Senju completely unscathed.

"What incredible defense!"

Sasuke couldn't help but admire it in his heart.

As expected of the man hailed as the God of Shinobi!

Sasuke had only seen this ghostly Fang Mask in the anime during the battle between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.

This is the ultimate defense that could even withstand a blow from Susanoo!

Blocking the Afternoon Tiger was no surprise!

"Wood Style: Birth of the Flowering Tree World!"

Hashirama clasped his hands together again. Instantly, vines began sprouting from the scorched ground, growing even faster than before.

As the vines transformed into towering trees, their tops bloomed with clusters of crimson flowers.

The flowers blossomed, scattering pollen in all directions.

The entire process was exceptionally smooth, and in an instant, the clearing was once again overrun.

"Water Style: Giant Waterfall Jutsu!"

Tobirama Senju, reformed through the Reanimation Jutsu, spewed a torrent of water, instantly creating a vast ocean.

The state of Reanimation Jutsu:

Undying bodies.

Infinite chakra.

Facing these two top-tier deceased shinobi felt like battling endless trees and an unending sea!

From a certain perspective, in the original anime, the Third Hokage’s decision to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal was indeed resolute.

At least he managed to take down two opponents at the cost of his own life.

Otherwise, he might have met a tragic end inside the barrier!

Ding! Ding!  

Ding! Ding!  

...  

Ten consecutive chimes signaling a learning breakthrough echoed in Sasuke's mind.

The Eight Inner Gates technique had been unlocked.

Sasuke quickly opened the system panel, not even glancing at other sections, and directly navigated to the attributes interface.

Familiar with the layout, he allocated points to physical attributes in quick succession.

After finishing, he added one more point to his spirit attribute.

"Orochimaru, this game with the dead ends now. I’m tired of playing!"

Sasuke shouted loudly, his body radiating both searing heat and a refreshing coolness as he recovered from all his previous exhaustion.

In his battle against Hashirama and Tobirama, Sasuke had gained a clear understanding of his abilities.

For now, he could consider himself at the Kage level.

However, if the two were not in their Reanimated states, he might be able to defeat the Second Hokage but would definitely not stand a chance against the First.

That was the conclusion Sasuke reached after his battle.

Whoosh!  

In an instant, Sasuke activated the Flying Thunder God Technique and appeared right in front of Orochimaru. After all, the kunai marked with the Flying Thunder God seal was still wrapped in Orochimaru’s tongue.

+240 (120)

The numbers in Sasuke’s vision suddenly jumped.

"Sasuke, didn’t you say you wouldn’t use the Flying Thunder God Technique anymore?"

Orochimaru had genuinely believed Sasuke’s words just moments ago.

Now, seeing Sasuke suddenly appear in front of him, he was slightly startled and instantly prepared for battle.

"I never said I was trustworthy."

Sasuke replied coldly. His earlier statements about not using the Flying Thunder God Technique were merely to lower Orochimaru’s guard.

Why wouldn’t he use the jutsu he had mastered?

+250 (125)

In that instant, Sasuke’s eyes transformed from pitch-black pupils into blood-red Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, glowing brilliantly.

Genjutsu!

Control!

Sasuke unleashed the innate abilities of his Mangekyō Sharingan, enhanced by his SSS-tier illusion attribute.

At this moment...

---

*Chapter 191: The Great Technique! 4*

Sasuke’s genjutsu abilities have completely surpassed Itachi’s.

In an instant.

Orochimaru’s snake-like eyes glazed over, and his entire body froze momentarily. However, this was merely a very basic Sharingan control technique, incapable of controlling someone of Orochimaru’s level for long.

*+260 (130)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes flickered again.

"Now it’s time to end the Impure World Reincarnation!"

Sasuke’s face radiated extreme confidence. A black shadow appeared under his feet, spreading over Orochimaru.

"This... you…"

Orochimaru’s eyes were still dazed, but he hadn’t completely lost control over his body. He was actively resisting Sasuke’s genjutsu.

"Assist me," Sasuke said flatly, raising his hands casually.

The shadows of the two connected.

When Sasuke raised his hand, Orochimaru’s hand followed.

At this point, Sasuke only needed to use his Mangekyō Sharingan to suppress Orochimaru’s will; controlling his body wasn’t necessary.

Using the Shadow Mimicry Technique was sufficient.

*+270 (135)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes began jumping even faster.

At that moment, Tobirama and Hashirama Senju both reacted, dashing quickly toward Sasuke.

"Flying Thunder God Technique!"

In an instant, Sasuke teleported himself and Orochimaru to another location.

That location was where several Rain Village ninja had died. Their corpses were now being torn apart by a pack of wild dogs.

The sudden appearance of the two immediately caught the dogs’ attention.

The wild dogs, driven by their food-guarding instincts, snarled viciously at Sasuke and Orochimaru, their sharp fangs still stained with the blood of the Rain Village ninjas.

Sasuke completely ignored them.

"What are you trying to do?" Orochimaru demanded, using all his strength to fight for control of his consciousness. His body was entirely immobilized.

This feeling was excruciatingly frustrating.

Orochimaru had never imagined he would be reverse-controlled by Sasuke. At this moment, he felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation, as if his defeat was an inevitable misstep.

"I’m going to cancel the Impure World Reincarnation," Sasuke said calmly. Without further words, the bloody Mangekyō Sharingan intensified its power, controlling the chakra within Orochimaru’s body and forcing it into his hands.

Hand seals began to form.

Sasuke’s hands started weaving seals, and the connected shadow compelled Orochimaru’s hands to mimic the same seals.

*Rat - Ox - Monkey - Tiger - Dragon - Boar*

As each seal took form, Orochimaru’s dazed pupils flickered with shock.

Impossible!

How could Sasuke know the seals to undo the Impure World Reincarnation?

Orochimaru’s heart was filled with astonishment.

*+280 (140)*

"Release!"

Sasuke uttered the word, controlling Orochimaru’s chakra to complete the technique.

Clap!  

Sasuke raised his hand again, touching the similarly raised hand of Orochimaru.

Flying Thunder God Technique!

Swish!  

The two instantly returned to the battlefield where they had just fought. On the ground lay the Flying Thunder God kunai that had fallen from Orochimaru’s mouth earlier.

Not far away.

Hashirama and Tobirama Senju both broke free from the binds of the Impure World Reincarnation. Their gazes focused entirely on Sasuke.

"Uchiha Sasuke, your strength is truly remarkable. In you, I see a glimpse of Uchiha Madara. I hope you can carve out your own destiny," Hashirama said, his eyes fixed on Sasuke, offering him high praise.

Even though he had been controlled earlier, it didn’t mean he was unaware of what had transpired.

"Sorry for the trouble," Hashirama said, his final words before his soul ascended. The Edo Tensei crumbled, revealing the face of a person.

It was Kimimaro, one of Orochimaru’s subordinates.

Having missed the Chūnin Exam, he had been thrown into an Impure World Reincarnation coffin by Orochimaru as a living sacrifice to summon the First Hokage.

"You little Uchiha brat," Tobirama said.

"I never expected you to master the Flying Thunder God Technique so proficiently!"

---

---

*"In my knowledge as Senju Tobirama,"*

*"You’re the first one!"*

*"I hope your Sharingan isn’t as evil as the others!"*

Senju Tobirama’s face was full of pride. He wanted to praise Sasuke; after all, Sasuke had mastered his prized Flying Thunder God technique.

But.

Sasuke was still an Uchiha.

Tobirama inherently held a deep-seated bias against the Uchiha clan. This prejudice made it hard for him to set aside his pride.

For him to even say such words, it was already incredibly difficult!

As soon as Tobirama finished speaking, his soul ascended to the heavens, leaving behind his revived form on the ground, exposing half of Zaku’s face.

Zaku and Kin received the same fate.

They never even made it to the Chunin Exam arena.

Thus, they were destined to be discarded pawns.

However.

The real reason wasn’t the Chunin Exams. Even if these two had passed, they would have ended up as sacrifices anyway.

From the moment Orochimaru decided to execute his proud Edo Tensei on the Chunin Exam stage, their fates had already been sealed.

In Orochimaru’s plan, these two were simply the perfect living sacrifices for Edo Tensei!

---

*+1000 (500)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped again. Receiving praise from two Hokage instantly boosted his prestige. The system judged this as an extremely powerful display of dominance.

---

*Swoosh!*

Suddenly.

Orochimaru broke free from the genjutsu, opened his mouth wide, and spat out a white snake.

The white snake then opened its mouth again, spitting out Orochimaru anew!

---

*"Sasuke, your genjutsu foundation is excellent, but you haven’t mastered the kind of powerful illusions Itachi wields,"* Orochimaru said.

*"But that’s fine."*

*"It’s perfect for me!"*

*"In the future."*

*"I will learn a vast array of genjutsu. I won’t let your potential go to waste!"*

Orochimaru’s narrow eyes locked onto Sasuke. Moments earlier, he had used his Orochi Substitution technique to escape Sasuke’s genjutsu.

It wasn’t that Sasuke’s genjutsu wasn’t strong.

It was just that the technique used was a basic Mangekyo Sharingan illusion—more than enough to control an ordinary Genin effortlessly.

But.

This was Orochimaru, after all!

---

*"Orochimaru, you have no future left."*

As Sasuke spoke, his shadow broke free, and his hands swiftly formed seals. In his right hand, a mass of dark, twisting lightning emerged.

---

*"Storm Style: Chidori!"*

Sasuke’s hand instantly wielded a Storm Style-powered Chidori.

This Chidori appeared to be completely silent, emitting no sound at all.

The twisting lightning morphed into black laser-like arcs, circling his palm in a spherical pattern.

By using Storm Style Chidori again, Sasuke felt even more resolved to seek out Jiraiya as soon as he left the Forest of Death.

Currently, in terms of form transformation, Sasuke could only create a single sphere.

But if he could learn the Rasengan…

Sasuke believed he could evolve his Storm Style Chidori into a more complex spherical form—what he envisioned as the legendary *"Spiral Chidori!"*

---

*+290 (145)*

The numbers in front of Sasuke’s eyes jumped once more. Fighting Orochimaru kept the points accumulating at their original boosted rate, unchanged even after the two Hokage left.

---

*"Storm Style!"*

*"Kekkei Genkai!"*

*"Oh my god!"*

*"Sasuke!"*

*Chapter 191: The Great Technique! 5*

---

"Give me your body!"

"Only I am worthy of your body!"

"I want you right now!"

Orochimaru's narrow snake-like eyes gleamed with a sudden light, his entire body trembling with excitement.

In an instant, Orochimaru opened his mouth wide.

He forcefully spat out a white snake.

After the white snake appeared, it opened its mouth wide again and spat out another white snake.

However, this second white snake was completely different from the first in appearance.

It looked almost like it had some dragon-like features!

"Sasuke."

"In light of all the surprises you've given me..."

"I'll give you a little surprise too!"

"This is an S-rank forbidden jutsu."

"A jutsu that allows me to transform into a dragon!"

"The Eight-Headed Serpent Technique!"

Orochimaru's excited voice didn’t come from his original body, which was already lying lifeless on the ground.

Clearly, it was a decoy.

The voice came from the strange-looking white snake he had spat out last.

As soon as the white snake finished speaking, its body swelled up and grew larger.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

In an instant, the ground began to tremble again.

As the white snake transformed, an enormous beast appeared in Sasuke's line of sight.

A head resembling that of a dragon...

Its mouth filled with sharp fangs.

And there weren’t just one, but *eight heads in total.*

Orochimaru had transformed into an Eight-Headed Serpent!

Its terrifying pale body radiated a fearsome power that was difficult to even look at directly.

This was the *Eight-Headed Serpent Technique!*

---

When Orochimaru's monstrous eight-headed form appeared, even the vast Death Forest seemed insignificant in comparison.

Each of its heads...

Was several times larger than the surrounding trees.

The enormous creature instantly became visible to everyone in the Death Forest.

For a moment, the entire area was stunned.

---

Temari and Kankuro, members of the Sand Village team, stared wide-eyed at the gigantic serpent in the distance.

Shock!

Fear!

"This is even more terrifying than Gaara's Shukaku!"

Temari's voice trembled as she spoke, her fighting spirit completely drained. All she could think about now was escaping the Death Forest as quickly as possible.

"Now I finally understand why this place is called the Death Forest!"

Kankuro's composure completely collapsed. He was utterly dumbfounded, his body trembling as he instinctively glanced back at his puppet, Crow.

Forget it.

I’m never coming back to Konoha again!

This place is impossible!

---

At the same time...

Team 8 and Team 10, all six of them, also saw the enormous eight-headed serpent.

The fear in their hearts spread uncontrollably.

They began to flee even faster!

---

Anko Mitarashi was sprinting toward the scene.

*BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!*

Anko felt the tremors once more and looked up. She immediately saw the enormous eight-headed serpent.

"Orochimaru!"

Anko let out a sudden cry, quickening her pace even more.

That horrifying figure...

That kind of overwhelming aura...

It could only be Orochimaru.

As Orochimaru’s former apprentice, Anko knew him all too well. Though fear gripped her heart, she couldn’t hold back. She had to go.

---

In his eight-headed serpent form, Orochimaru stared intently at Sasuke. The eyes of each serpent head glimmered with excitement.

"Sasuke."

"Do you see it now?"

"This is what true ninjutsu looks like!"

"Now, do you understand what makes a jutsu great?"

Orochimaru's voice was filled with pride. This was his most prized forbidden technique, the pinnacle of his power.

"A great jutsu?"

Sasuke's lips curled into a faint smirk, and a hint of disdain flashed through his eyes.

"Orochimaru."

"Maybe you really don’t know what a great jutsu is."

"Since you've chosen to use the Eight-Headed Serpent Technique..."

---

---

"Then, let me show you."

"Behold the most terrifying power of the Uchiha clan!"

As Sasuke spoke, his pitch-black eyes instantly transformed, revealing the blood-red Mangekyō Sharingan. His gaze radiated extreme confidence and pride.

"Susano'o!"

Sasuke's voice sounded calm and collected.

At that moment, an overwhelming and terrifying chakra began to emanate from his body.

The purple chakra materialized into an almost tangible form.

In an instant, it enveloped Sasuke, forming the shape of a massive humanoid skeleton.

In the next moment—

Muscles and flesh began to form.

Bones emerged prominently.

The skeletal structure was soon covered with veins and flesh, all encased within a cloak-like layer of chakra. Atop this structure, a tengu mask was placed, completing the transformation.

"This is the true greatness of a jutsu!"

Sasuke's calm voice echoed between heaven and earth, exuding an aura of arrogance and disdain for all living beings.

End of chapter