Chapter 75: Muketsu-ryu

"This! Such speed!" Fugaku's eyes instantly went stark wide. His Three Tomoe Sharingan kept spinning, yet still failed to capture the moment the opponent drew her sword.

Orochimaru likewise frowned tightly, a trace of gravity flashing through his golden pupils. He lowered his voice and said to Fugaku, "Careful, she is not comparable to the previous two."

At this moment, however, Banjiu's gaze suddenly turned toward Orochimaru. The corner of her mouth hooked into a bewitching smile, her voice soft yet carrying a hint of provocation: "But I'm quite interested in you, handsome guy." She lightly licked her lips, "If you weren't Lord Gerald's enemy, I wouldn't mind spending some time with you."

The moment Banjiu's words fell, Orochimaru revealed a smile: "In that case, you shouldn't mind introducing yourself."

Banjiu lightly swayed her waist, stepping forward a pace with elegant steps. Her voice remained seductive, yet gained a few degrees of coldness.

"Then let me formally introduce myself. I am Banjiu, Head of the Three Crows, also the Third Gate's guard."

Her fingers lightly brushed over the long blade at her waist, "I came here for two reasons: one, to stop you from seeing Lord Gerald; two... to avenge my teammates!"

The instant Banjiu's words fell, her eyes abruptly turned cold, killing intent surging like a tide.

"Mugenryu·Gekka!"

Banjiu's voice still echoed in the air, yet her figure had already vanished from the spot. A cold light flashed past; the blade edge, like a streak of moonlight, rushed straight at Uchiha Fugaku.

Fugaku's pupils shrank slightly, the three tomoe in his eyes spinning rapidly, coalescing into the kaleidoscope's complex pattern. Chakra instantly erupted; a ring of pitch-black ribs appeared out of thin air, firmly protecting him within.

"Clang!"

The crisp sound of metal collision pierced the night sky. Fugaku's heart had just risen with a trace of relief when the next moment he abruptly went stark wide-eyed.

"What?!"

He watched the scene before him with disbelief. That cold light actually sliced through Susanoo's defense as easily as cutting tofu, continuing to strike at his neck.

Time seemed to have become incomparably slow at this moment; Fugaku could clearly see the cold light shimmering on the blade, feel the chill of the sharp edge approaching his skin.

At the critical moment, Orochimaru's calm voice suddenly rang out beside him: "Hidden Shadow Snake Hands."

Dozens of venomous snakes shot out from Orochimaru's sleeves like arrows leaving the bowstring. They opened their bloody mouths, revealing sharp venomous fangs, charging straight at Banjiu.

Her brows furrowed slightly; if she continued the slash at this moment, she would definitely be bitten by the venomous snakes.

"Tch." Banjiu lightly clicked her tongue, abruptly retreating a step. Her movement was fast as lightning, almost leaving a Body Flicker in place.

"Mugenryu·Kensen!"

With a low shout, the long blade in Banjiu's hand turned into a cold light. Where the blade edge passed, Orochimaru's venomous snakes were instantly bisected. Fresh blood gushed like a spring, dyeing the ground beneath her feet red.

In that split second, Orochimaru's right hand fiercely slammed onto the ground, a deep powerful voice sounding:

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Boom— a huge cloud of smoke abruptly billowed. Before the smoke could disperse, a streak of purple poison suddenly shot out from within, heading straight for Banjiu.

Banjiu's pupils shrank; her body instinctively reacted. She pushed off with her foot, her figure leaping backward like an arrow leaving the bowstring. The poison brushed past her hair tips, raising a pungent white smoke on the ground.

At the moment of landing, Banjiu braced one hand on the ground, borrowing force to leap back again and create distance, then raised her head to look.

Only to see the smoke gradually disperse; a giant snake-type creature coiled before her, scales gleaming with cold luster under the lights. Those vertical pupils coldly watched her, as if appraising a delicious dinner. And atop the giant python's head, Orochimaru likewise coldly watched her.

"Seeing with my own eyes, looks like I have to reconsider my taste," Banjiu laughed lightly, her voice carrying a few degrees of provocation.

"A man together with so many snakes always feels a bit too slippery."

Hearing this, a dangerous light flashed through Orochimaru's eyes. He slowly stuck out his tongue, licked his lips, voice deep and cold: "Is that so? What a pity."

The tense atmosphere in the air instantly climbed to its peak.

At this moment Fugaku fiercely activated his Sharingan, the kaleidoscope pattern in his eyes spinning crazily, preparing to coalesce Susanoo's skeleton.

And right at this time, Fugaku suddenly felt his neck go soft. His skull involuntarily tilted to one side, his body as if having lost support.

"This is.!" Fugaku went wide-eyed, watching the twisting scene before him with disbelief. His brain spun rapidly, instantly understanding what had happened.

"Severed the nerves in my neck?!"

Orochimaru abruptly turned his head, gaze landing on Fugaku. His golden pupils abruptly contracted.

This bizarre injury was exactly like the Chakra Scalpel medical ninja commonly use, but the opponent's blade never touched Fugaku at all.

"That's right, this is my sword art·Muketsu-ryu," Banjiu's voice carried a trace of pride, "only needs the blade to approach, no need to cut the body to instantly sever nerves."

"Truly terrifying magic."

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes and said, a trace of wariness flashing through his eyes, while in his heart he confirmed his tactics: absolutely must not let the opponent approach by even a fraction.

Next second, his hands rapidly formed Hand Seals, low shout: "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Instantly, five figures identical to Orochimaru appeared out of thin air, surrounding him.

The clones exchanged a glance with each other, then scattered like arrows leaving the bowstring, laying an invisible net across the battlefield.

And one of the clones quickly came to Fugaku's side. He lightly pressed his right hand on Fugaku's neck.

In an instant, a ball of gentle green chakra emerged in his palm, slowly seeping into Fugaku's skin.

"Don't move," the clone said softly, "I'll repair your nerves."

Fugaku nodded slightly, enduring the discomfort. He could feel the severed nerves slowly knitting together.

Just at this time, Orochimaru's real body had already begun moving; the giant python abruptly raised its head, letting out a deafening scream,

In an instant, a mass of viscous purple-black liquid gushed out like a spring. These poisons rapidly coalesced in midair, forming a ferocious terrifying giant dragon.

The Poison Dragon opened its bloody mouth, howling toward Banjiu.

A pungent corrosive smell permeated the air; where the Poison Dragon passed, the ground was instantly corroded into a deep trench. The surrounding cherry blossom trees without exception withered and fell in an instant.

Banjiu's expression abruptly turned gloomy; a trace of heartache flashed through her beautiful eyes. She gritted her teeth, murmuring low: "You barbarians actually dare destroy my carefully arranged stage."

(Chapter End)