章 231: Chapter 232
Hissss…
The sound of snakes hissing and slithering filled the narrow, damp underground cave, creating a mental image of countless serpents winding their way toward the center of the cavern.
In the heart of this underground lair, Orochimaru and Kabuto were hiding inside the belly of a large snake. Orochimaru, once so familiar with snakes, now found himself cornered by them.
"It seems there's no escape," Orochimaru muttered with a cold smirk.
No matter where he hid, the snakes with Rinnegan eyes pursued him relentlessly, driven by their innate knowledge of his every tactic.
Even as he eliminated them, Gensou's ability to convert new serpents to his side brought forth fresh waves of Rinnegan-eyed snakes, along with other animals joining the hunt.
Orochimaru had done all he could to delay them, but ultimately, he was forced into this nameless cave.
Though he had initially chosen to flee, Orochimaru was never one to lack the resolve to fight when pushed to his limits.
Drenched and weary, he slithered out from the snake's belly.
Looking around, he found himself surrounded by dozens of pairs of Rinnegan eyes, each fixed intently upon him in the dark, humid space.
"It's a surprise that Pain was killed by Gensou," Orochimaru's raspy voice echoed.
In his time with the Akatsuki, he had coveted Pain's Rinnegan but was unable to act due to Pain's overwhelming strength. Instead, he had set his sights on Uchiha Itachi's Mangekyou Sharingan—only to meet disastrous results.
Now, seeing those coveted eyes again, this time wielded by Gensou, who was even more formidable, Orochimaru couldn't help but feel bitter.
He wondered if resurrecting Gensou using Edo Tensei had been part of Gensou's plan all along. How else could he explain how Gensou had so swiftly broken free and completed his own resurrection?
If that were true, then Gensou was far more terrifying than he had imagined.
A slight twitch crossed Orochimaru's eyelid as he looked at one of the nearby snakes with Rinnegan eyes. He sneered and called out:
"Lord Gensou, after all, I'm the one who released you from the underworld. If you're going to kill me, I think I at least deserve a reason."
Orochimaru genuinely wanted to know Gensou's motive for hunting him down. They hadn't crossed paths since the events in Tanzaku Town, and their only connection was Sasuke, through whom Orochimaru had suffered rather than gained.
From his perspective, they should have no real quarrel.
He stared at the snake's Rinnegan eyes, awaiting a response.
But what he received was nothing more than a gaping, foul-smelling maw.
Gensou's message was clear:
"My reasons for killing you are none of your concern."
"Fine!"
A frosty glint flashed across Orochimaru's face as he tore the attacking snake in two.
Accustomed to treating others as disposable, he never expected to one day be viewed with equal disregard, denied even the courtesy of conversation.
"Just a pitiful creature who was defeated by Hashirama! You might have crawled back to life, but the one who killed you isn't here anymore—did you really think you're invincible now?"
With a clap of his hands, Orochimaru summoned a coffin from beneath the ground just as the Rinnegan-controlled snakes closed in.
"Welcome to your inevitable fate," he declared with a cold smile.
With a heavy thud, the coffin lid fell open, and a commanding voice echoed from within:
"Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Massive trees sprang up from the ground, even more powerful than during the Chunin Exams, rapidly transforming the damp cave into a sea of green.
The summoned snakes attempted to resist but were quickly ensnared by the overwhelming force of vines and branches, which only grew stronger.
In moments, the Wood Release forest pierced through the cave's ceiling, extending through layers of soil and reaching the surface.
"You again, young man."
With the clinking sound of armor, Hashirama stepped out of the coffin, casting a frown at Orochimaru.
Once again, he'd been summoned to the living world. By his count, this was the third… no, there had been more, though he couldn't recall them clearly.
He sighed, blaming his brother Tobirama for developing Edo Tensei, which had left both the living and the dead restless.
"Greetings again, First Hokage!" Orochimaru smiled, hands forming seals as he maintained control.
This time, due to using a high-quality sacrifice enhanced with Hashirama's own cells, his reanimation was far stronger than in the Chunin Exams, forcing Orochimaru to stay on guard to prevent the First Hokage from taking control.
"Just as I expected—he's terrifyingly strong!"
Having experienced Gensou's defiance during his reanimation, Orochimaru should have been more cautious, especially with someone of Hashirama's caliber. But given the current situation, he had no choice.
To combat a monster like Gensou, he needed another monster like Hashirama.
Should Hashirama break free of his control… that was a risk he would have to take.
"First Hokage, an old friend is waiting for you up there."
Seeing Hashirama look at him thoughtfully, Orochimaru urgently pointed upward.
"An old friend?"
Hashirama immediately thought of someone and was about to speak when a commanding voice suddenly echoed from above:
"Shinra Tensei!"
Instantly!
An unstoppable repulsive force obliterated the Wood Release forest that had extended to the surface and continued downwards.
Soil, rocks, the cave, the forest—everything in its path was pushed back with immense force.
Orochimaru turned to Hashirama, shrugged, and said:
"He's here."
The next moment, with a loud crash, Orochimaru gave up all attempts at resistance and was sent flying back, his body twisted and battered.
(End of Chapter)
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