Staring at Uchiha Shinji, Orochimaru looked as if he were gazing at a masterpiece.
In Orochimaru's eyes, whether it was Uchiha Shinji's body, perfectly fused with the First Hokage's cells, or the Hogan glowing with an eerie brilliance in her eye sockets, both were things he coveted intensely.
Rarely, Orochimaru let out a sigh of admiration: "Truly a perfect body!"
"Is he the one who's as renowned as Lady Tsunade and Lord Jiraiya, one of the 'Hidden Leaf's Three Shinobi,' Orochimaru? What a disgusting guy."
Feeling Orochimaru's unabashed desire for her, a chill surged through Uchiha Shinji's heart, goosebumps rising on her skin.
She didn't know what was going on today.
The Akatsuki traitor hiding in a puppet she encountered earlier had also looked at her with the same possessive gaze.
Now, meeting Orochimaru, it was the same.
It was as if all the lunatics and perverts of the shinobi world had crossed her path in a single day.
But with her parents still missing, even if he was a lunatic or a pervert, she had to pry their whereabouts from his mouth. So, she fearlessly met Orochimaru's gaze: "Did you ambush my father and mother? Where are they?"
"I like that look in your eyes!"
Orochimaru licked his lips, stepping toward Uchiha Shinji one step at a time.
His pace was steady, his expression relaxed, as if Uchiha Shinji was already his prize.
Uchiha Shinji glared at Orochimaru fiercely: "Won't talk? Then I'll just have to kill you!"
"Hahaha!" After a burst of laughter, Orochimaru, still advancing, said, "Kid, can you kill me?"
Snap! Uchiha Shinji wasted no more words, clapping her hands together fiercely: "Wood Release, Advent of a World of Trees!"
Whoosh! Instantly, countless vines surged from the ground, rushing toward Orochimaru with the force of a tidal wave.
Because her opponent was a powerhouse on par with Tsunade and Jiraiya, Uchiha Shinji held nothing back, unleashing her strongest Wood Release technique right from the start.
Swish, swish, swish! Almost simultaneously with Uchiha Shinji's activation of 'Advent of a World of Trees,' a gust of wind accompanied the arrival of several figures landing on a large tree at the edge of the battlefield.
These were none other than Shizune, who had shaken off her pursuers, and Kakashi and Sasuke, who happened to be nearby and rushed over after receiving a distress signal.
Shizune exclaimed, "Oh no, the one intercepting Uchiha Shinji is Orochimaru!"
For Hidden Leaf shinobi, the name 'Orochimaru' carried undeniable weight.
"I didn't expect it to be that lord!"
Kakashi instinctively used honorifics, his brows furrowing tightly.
Sasuke quickly said, "Then what are we doing standing here? Let's hurry and help her!"
Kakashi stopped Sasuke, shaking his head: "Uchiha Shinji is unleashing 'Wood Release.' We can't just charge in."
Shizune nodded lightly: "Uchiha Shinji's control over 'Wood Release' isn't fully refined yet. If we rush in now, we might get caught in its indiscriminate attacks."
Sasuke said, "So we just watch?"
Noticing Sasuke's eagerness, Kakashi said gravely, "Sasuke, this is real combat, not a spar at the shinobi academy! Our enemies this time aren't just Akatsuki members but a powerhouse like Orochimaru. If we act recklessly, not only will we fail to save Uchiha Shinji, but we'll also get ourselves killed."
Shizune agreed with Kakashi's view: "Yes, reinforcements should already be on their way. For now, our job is to keep a close eye on Uchiha Shinji!"
"Hmph!"
Sasuke let out a cold snort.
Kakashi looked toward the battlefield: "Don't worry. If the situation turns critical, we'll act!"
On the battlefield.
Facing the overwhelming sea of trees surging toward him, Orochimaru, with a smirk, didn't dodge. Instead, he launched himself forward. Like a snake, he slithered through the gaps in the forest of vines, closing the distance to Uchiha Shinji in the blink of an eye, exuding a bloodthirsty aura.
"You!?"
Uchiha Shinji hadn't expected Orochimaru to charge through the sea of trees, and she froze for a moment.
Orochimaru gave her no chance, his softened body coiling around her in an instant: "You're mine now!"
In the face of danger, Uchiha Shinji's hands clenched tightly, instinctively activating the terrifying blood-manipulating ability of her Koryugan.
Orochimaru, poised to seize her, suddenly froze, his movements slowing. His already pale face turned deathly white.
Without a doubt, the Koryugan's power had activated.
At such close range, the Koryugan's blood manipulation reached its peak, halting the flow of Orochimaru's blood in an instant.
"Die!"
Seizing the opportunity, Uchiha Shinji unleashed a 'Monster Strength Fist,' slamming it into Orochimaru's face.
Boom! In an instant, Orochimaru, struck by Uchiha Shinji's 'Monster Strength Fist,' was sent flying, crashing through countless vines and kicking up a massive cloud of dust.
"This!?"
The three onlookers were dumbfounded.
When Orochimaru's ambush had nearly succeeded, all three had tensed, with Kakashi even beginning to form hand signs for 'Chidori.'
But no one expected the tide to turn in an instant.
One moment, Orochimaru held the upper hand; the next, he was sent flying by Uchiha Shinji's fist. And it wasn't just any punch—it was the 'Monster Strength Fist' taught to her by Tsunade.
That single blow would kill most people outright!
However, Orochimaru clearly wasn't most people.
He crawled out of the rubble, his deformed face still wearing a faint smile, his eyes locked on Uchiha Shinji: "So that's the power of those eyes!"
Looking at Orochimaru, Uchiha Shinji's face was filled with dread.
She could hardly believe that Orochimaru, who had taken a direct hit from her 'Monster Strength Fist,' was acting as if nothing had happened.
Especially his twisted, deformed face paired with his calm demeanor—it created an indescribably eerie atmosphere.
"Die! Die!"
In a panic, she chaotically urged her 'Wood Release' forward.
In an instant, the briefly calmed sea of trees roared back to life, surging toward Orochimaru from all directions.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Orochimaru bit his finger, rapidly forming hand signs before slamming his hands to the ground.
Bang! A massive snake emerged from a cloud of white smoke.
The snake, dozens of meters long and rearing up as tall as a three- or four-story building, was immediately ensnared by countless vines the moment it was summoned.
Sensing danger, the snake thrashed wildly, snapping several vines, but more quickly wrapped around it. In mere moments, it was swallowed by the sea of trees.
Yet the engulfed snake didn't draw even a glance from Orochimaru. His eyes were fixed solely on Uchiha Shinji. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the snake, he lunged at her once more.