章 46: Clash

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The next moment.

The curse's sinister power surged through Sasuke's veins, injected directly into his body.

"Ahhhh!!" Sasuke screamed, his face contorted in agony as searing heat coursed through him.

A magatama-shaped curse mark, resembling the Sharingan, appeared on his neck—a dark symbol of Orochimaru's twisted influence.

Sasuke caught Orochimaru's gaze, and saw a satisfied smile spread across the Sannin's face.

"If you truly desire strength and vengeance against Itachi, come to me, Sasuke," Orochimaru said, his voice dripping with promise and danger.

With that, Orochimaru straightened and left, leaving Naruto and Sasuke unconscious on the ground, both succumbing to the curse's power.

Menma, watching from a distance, glanced at the two fallen shinobi. Sensing Sakura's chakra rapidly approaching, he hesitated for only a moment. Swiftly, he locked onto Orochimaru's chakra signature and pursued him, vanishing from sight.

Menma's sensory abilities were finely tuned, allowing him to detect chakra signatures within a radius of ten kilometers. He planned to shadow Orochimaru, staying just far enough behind to remain undetected, intending to confront the Sannin in an isolated area.

But Menma underestimated Orochimaru.

"Heh, I thought it was just a passing rodent, but you came straight for me? When did Konoha's little brats become so bold?" Orochimaru's voice rang out, cold amusement lacing his words.

Just a few kilometers in, Menma realized Orochimaru had stopped. The snake-like shinobi turned his piercing gaze directly toward him, his tone chilling.

"Tch. Truly one of the legendary Sannin. I thought I could hide my presence at this distance, but I underestimated you, Orochimaru," Menma thought, startled at first, but quickly composed himself. He stepped out from the shadows, revealing his presence.

As he emerged, Menma reflected on his lack of experience compared to the veterans he was dealing with. Despite his abilities, in the world of shinobi, he was still a rookie. Today was a harsh reminder of that fact. But he wasn't discouraged—he knew he had room to grow.

Orochimaru's serpentine eyes narrowed as Menma approached.

"I assume you know me, Orochimaru-san, but allow me to introduce myself formally. I am Uzumaki Menma, the current Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails," Menma said, his tone calm, facing Orochimaru with a confident smile.

"Hmph, so you know who I am, and you've sought me out. Menma-kun, you're not as simple as you look," Orochimaru remarked, his gaze probing.

As one of Konoha's former elites and with ties to Danzo, Orochimaru knew well the secrets of the Hidden Leaf, including Uzumaki Menma's identity as the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki. His initial impression of Menma had been dismissive, but now it seemed the young man was far more than what he appeared to be.

"Information isn't what's important here, Orochimaru-san. What matters is why I came to you, and what I can offer in return. I believe we can strike a deal that benefits us both," Menma suggested, his expression unchanging.

"A deal? Menma-kun, you misunderstand. If there's something I want, I'll simply take it," Orochimaru sneered, his eyes gleaming with malice.

Boom!

Orochimaru unleashed his chakra, an oppressive force that made the air around them vibrate. His aura was far more menacing than Menma had anticipated.

Whoosh!

In a blur, Orochimaru closed the distance between them, his attack swift and serpentine.

'Of course, it comes to this,' Menma thought, unfazed by Orochimaru's aggression. Negotiating with someone like Orochimaru was never going to be a simple exchange of words.

Kurama!

Menma was already prepared, calling upon the Nine-Tails within him.

Hmph!

Boom!

Menma's chakra exploded outward, a crimson aura enveloping him. Three blood-red chakra tails swirled behind him, his power spiking dramatically.

"!?"

Orochimaru's eyes widened as he felt the cold, potent energy.

"The Nine-Tails' chakra… and already three tails?" Orochimaru's expression shifted from contempt to cautious intrigue. While Menma's chakra still wasn't on Orochimaru's level, the transformation was enough to make the Sannin reconsider his approach.

Swoosh!

Without hesitation, Menma launched himself forward, propelled by the overwhelming force of the Nine-Tails' chakra. His speed and strength were enough to overwhelm most jōnin.

Swish!

Menma's left leg came down in a powerful arc.

"!?"

Orochimaru braced himself, taking the blow head-on.

Bang!

The impact reverberated through the ground, Orochimaru feeling the immense force behind the strike.

'This brat...' Orochimaru's gaze darkened, realizing Menma was no ordinary opponent.

"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Orochimaru retaliated, thrusting his arm forward as serpents erupted from his sleeve, fangs bared as they shot toward Menma.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

A wave of snakes lunged at Menma, their fangs gleaming with venom.

"Hmph." Menma smirked, his chakra tails moving as if they had a life of their own.

Snap!

With a clap of his hands, his red chakra cloak surged, the tails whipping forward.

Crash!

In a violent display, Menma's chakra tails smashed through the incoming snakes, reducing them to mangled heaps.

Orochimaru's eyes flickered, momentarily surprised by Menma's raw power. But that wasn't enough to make him retreat.

Boom!

Before Menma could press his advantage, Orochimaru leaped back, pulling away briefly as he prepared his next move.

"Summoning Jutsu!" Orochimaru bit his thumb, slamming his hand onto the ground as he completed the seals.

Poof!

A massive cloud of smoke erupted, revealing Manda, the colossal serpent towering over the battlefield, its eyes fixed on Menma.

A massive cloud of smoke erupted, revealing a towering serpent from Ryuchi Cave, its enormous body coiled and eyes gleaming with malevolent intent. Orochimaru stood atop its head, his serpentine smile never wavering.

This was no ordinary snake, but it wasn't Manda either—the most powerful of the Ryuchi Cave serpents. Orochimaru hadn't deemed that necessary. This one, while strong enough to crush any opponent below the level of a jonin, was still no match for Menma, who was now wielding the power of the Nine-Tails, with three tails of its chakra manifesting around him.

"Ryuchi Cave truly has no shortage of giant snakes," Orochimaru thought smugly. "This one should be enough to test Menma for now."

Unlike the snake that Naruto and Sasuke had faced in the past, this one was far more dangerous. Orochimaru knew that Menma's strength surpassed theirs by a considerable margin.

Summoning jutsu, huh? Menma thought, eyeing Orochimaru standing atop the serpent's head with a hint of envy. That's pretty cool. I'll have to get my hands on one of those someday.

The snake lunged at Menma, its speed and power far beyond what any ordinary jonin could handle. In his normal state, Menma might have struggled to react, but now, infused with the Nine-Tails' chakra, his senses and reflexes were razor-sharp.

With calm, focused eyes, Menma leaped effortlessly.

"Rasengan!"

The familiar sphere of spiraling chakra formed instantly in his palm.

"!?"

Orochimaru's eyes widened. That speed...!

Menma moved with incredible agility, dodging the snake's gaping maw and slamming the Rasengan directly into its head.

"Bang!"

With a deafening crash, the Rasengan tore through the serpent's skull, spraying blood across the battlefield as the snake crumbled to the ground.

This brat... Orochimaru thought, his eyes narrowing dangerously. He had underestimated Menma. A mere child—no, a shinobi—had forced him to get serious.

A cold gleam appeared in Orochimaru's eyes as he bit his thumb and began weaving hand signs. Chakra flared around him, and with a grim expression, he summoned a sword from within himself.

"The Kusanagi Blade..." Menma recognized the legendary sword, his eyes narrowing. The blade was renowned for its unparalleled sharpness, able to cut through any defense.

Looks like Orochimaru's finally serious. This will be a real test of my strength, Menma thought, his resolve hardening.

His chakra surged, the blood-red aura of the Nine-Tails glowing brighter. He crouched low, ready to strike.

"Boom!"

With a sudden burst of speed, Menma launched himself at Orochimaru, closing the distance between them in an instant.

"Heh," Orochimaru chuckled, his eyes gleaming with bloodlust as he met Menma head-on.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The sound of steel clashing echoed as Orochimaru's Kusanagi Blade met Menma's chakra-enhanced fists. Each blow sent shockwaves through the air, their strikes reverberating through the clearing.

"Bang!"

"Boom!"

Explosions shook the ground as their battle intensified, both combatants pushing themselves to the limit. Menma could feel the strain on his body, but the Nine-Tails' chakra was healing him almost as fast as he was injured. With each clash, he grew more accustomed to the immense power flowing through him.

He's adapting! Orochimaru realized, his expression growing darker. Despite the vast difference in skill and experience, Menma was holding his ground, even fending off the Kusanagi Blade using the Nine-Tails' chakra.

Blood trickled from a cut on Menma's arm, but the wound closed almost instantly. His Uzumaki lineage, combined with the Nine-Tails' chakra, made him a formidable opponent.

Orochimaru's initial contempt turned to grudging respect. He had underestimated how well Menma could wield the Nine-Tails' power. Most jinchuuriki would struggle to control such overwhelming chakra, but Menma was doing it with startling proficiency.

"This brat... he's not just a vessel for a bijuu. He's a true shinobi," Orochimaru muttered, irritation creeping into his voice. He had thought Menma would falter, consumed by the Nine-Tails' rage. But Menma's control was exceptional.

What Orochimaru didn't know was that Menma and Kurama had a tentative understanding. Though far from perfect synchronization, Kurama was willing to lend Menma his power, and Menma's Uzumaki heritage made him uniquely capable of handling it.

Three tails? No... this isn't my limit, Menma thought, sensing the ebb and flow of the chakra inside him. He would need more power to match Orochimaru's strength.

Kurama, I need more. Give me everything you've got!

Hmph, let's see if you can handle it, Kurama's voice rumbled in his mind, laced with a hint of approval.

"Buzz!"

The air around Menma crackled as his chakra surged even further. The red chakra cloak thickened, and a fourth tail began to form behind him. Orochimaru's eyes widened.

"This... this is..." Orochimaru whispered, his voice betraying a flicker of uncertainty. The sight of four tails brought with it a palpable sense of dread. Even he, one of the Sannin, knew better than to underestimate the power of the Nine-Tails.

If this continues... Orochimaru thought, realizing the danger. Even he might not be able to handle Menma if he fully unleashed the Nine-Tails' power. The battle needed to end before Menma grew stronger.

"Ninja Art: Formation of Ten Thousand Snakes!" Orochimaru shouted, spitting forth a massive swarm of serpents. The snakes erupted from his mouth, forming a writhing wall of scales and fangs between him and Menma.

Menma's eyes gleamed with fierce determination as he watched the mass of snakes writhing toward him. Orochimaru was trying to escape, but Menma had no intention of letting him go.

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