Mizukage's Pokémon Ninja Scroll

Chapter 173 Cat and Mouse

Orochimaru's teasing voice, like a cat playing with a mouse, rang in Tachibana Kanagawa's ears.

Due to the vast difference in strength, and the fact that Orochimaru didn't seem to intend to launch the first attack, it was only after the opponent got this close that Tachibana Kanagawa reacted.

Jianchuan Ju suddenly exerted force with both legs and left the branch she had just stepped on.

Then he turned around and looked at Orochimaru, who was standing still in the same spot.

Kisame Hoshigaki quickly took the flounder, and Tachibana Kanagawa, looking wary, confronted the enemy together.

Although it seemed that only Orochimaru had appeared, Tachibana and Kenkawa still dared not be careless in the slightest.

Recalling Orochimaru's words, Tachibana Kenkawa feigned confusion and asked.

"Found me? Have the other ninja swordsmen already been dealt with? Orochimaru-senpai actually came to deal with a nobody like me personally."

According to Jianchuan Ju's estimation, Lanzi definitely hasn't arrived at Wuyin Hospital yet.

Tachibana Kanagawa only hoped that Orochimaru would talk to her a little more so that she would have a chance to get supplies.

In his current state, let alone fighting back, he doesn't even have a chance to run away. Even if Orochimaru really lets him fly into the sky, his chakra won't last long.

Although Orochimaru realized that the kid on the other side seemed to be trying to stall for time, he didn't pay too much attention to it.

"Kid, don't you remember? We talked about it last time."

Jianchuan Ju was now genuinely puzzled.

The last time we met was when we were chasing Yakushi Nonou.

However, when Tachibana Kenkawa saw Orochimaru appear, he was so frightened that he couldn't remember what Orochimaru had said.

Orochimaru, seeing Tachibana's expression, assumed the brat was still trying to stall for time. He stuck out his tongue, licked his lips, and spoke with a hint of a smile.

"As I said before, when we meet again, we can get to know each other better."

Upon hearing Orochimaru's words, even in this tense atmosphere, Tachibana Kanagawa almost dropped his grip on the divine spear.

Even Kisame Hoshigaki, who was standing to the side, glanced back and forth at the two people who were talking with a strange expression.

"Dr. Tachibana, if you're close to Orochimaru, I can go now."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Jianchuan Ju immediately retorted.

However, I did recall that last time I used the "Secret Technique * Mysterious Protection" to become immune to Orochimaru's genjutsu, which led the other party to mistakenly believe that I had some kind of special constitution.

Given Orochimaru's wicked nature, even though he hasn't suffered any losses from the Sharingan yet, he still won't easily let go of those with special constitutions.

However, this is just a "secret technique," and if handing it over can save my life...

However, before Tachibana could explain, Orochimaru seemed to have noticed Kisame Hoshigaki speaking earlier.

Their gazes toward the two of them became even more intense.

"A member of the Hoshigaki clan? Seems to be a special individual. Looks like I'm in luck today."

Okay, now Tachibana Kenkawa doesn't need to explain anything.

Kisame is indeed an anomaly among the Hoshigaki clan; ordinary members of the Hoshigaki clan do not have blue skin.

Now that both of them have been added to Orochimaru's research materials list, it seems this secret technique can be saved.

Just as Tachibana Kenkawa was racking his brains, thinking about how to stall for time, or even how to escape from Orochimaru's nose.

Seeing two such valuable research subjects right in front of him, Orochimaru could hardly contain himself.

"Danger!"

A prompt sounded in her mind, and Jianchuan Ju immediately jumped off the branch.

In the next instant, several brightly colored venomous snakes shot out from all directions toward the spot where Jianchuan Ju and the other person had just been standing.

Fortunately, thanks to Tachibana's warning, Kisame Hoshigaki also quickly dodged.

However, while still in mid-air, a large number of venomous snakes immediately flew over like shadows.

With Orochimaru right in front of her, Tachibana Kenkawa didn't want to lose her balance due to her chakra wings and be taken down in one blow.

He simply exchanged a glance with Kisame Hoshigaki.

The two of them simultaneously raised their legs, their soles hitting each other and pushing off forcefully, instantly using each other's momentum to retreat and once again evade the snakes' attack.

However, it was only then that Tachibana Kanakawa, who was accelerating her descent into the ground, realized this.

At this moment, the entire ground was densely covered with countless venomous snakes of all kinds, and many of them had a long sword with a cold glint extending from their mouths.

These strange snakes, spewing long swords from their mouths, were pointing directly at Tachibana Kanakawa, who was falling from the sky.

There was no time to form hand seals and use ninjutsu to clear the poisonous snakes below, so Tachibana Kanagawa had no choice but to spread his wings again and fly into the sky.

But, as expected.

Orochimaru, who seemed unhurried on the side, was not about to let go of his pre-selected experimental subject so easily.

"Wind Release: Chaotic Airflow"

A large-scale, chaotic current once again enveloped the area around the tachibana, interfering with its flight.

Forced to remove the chakra wings from his back, Tachibana Kanagawa fell from the sky once again.

Fortunately, having adjusted its position during the brief flight, Tachibana Kanagawa did not land on the ground. Instead, it flipped over and used its chakra to attach itself to the back of a giant tree.

Looking back, Kisame Hoshigaki, who had somehow circled behind Orochimaru, was wielding his flounder and slashing forcefully.

The enormous chakra blade actually sliced ​​Orochimaru in two.

However, Orochimaru, who was cut in two, did not bleed at all. Instead, he gradually lost his color and fell to the ground as two pieces of soil.

"Earth Substitute! When?"

Just as Kisame Hoshigaki was stunned, Orochimaru's body slowly emerged from the trunk of a giant tree behind him.

"Hidden Shadows, Many Snake Hands!"

Countless thick, long snakes emerged from Orochimaru's sleeves and rushed towards Kisame Hoshigaki, who was suspended in mid-air with no way to dodge.

Faced with the attack coming from behind, Kisame Hoshigaki forcibly curled up into a ball, but not to avoid the attack.

A large amount of chakra tail flames shot out from the two round holes on the flounder, immediately causing Kisame Hoshigaki to spin rapidly in the air.

At the same time, the chakra light blade formed by the flounder also changed from its previous sword shape to a shape similar to a hoe.

As Kisame Hoshigaki spun rapidly in mid-air, its hoe-shaped flounder blades sliced ​​the incoming giant pythons into several pieces.

"That's interesting."

Watching Kisame's series of actions, Orochimaru felt no frustration at his failed sneak attack; instead, his interest grew even stronger.

Hidden behind a tree in the distance, Tachibana knew that Kisame Hoshigaki might seem to have temporarily held off the enemy.

But this was only because Orochimaru was simply toying with the two of them and wasn't going all out, or perhaps he wanted to capture a live experimental subject.

Kisame Hoshigaki is far from being as strong as he was in the original story, and could be quickly defeated by Orochimaru if he gets serious.

"We can't wait any longer!"

Although she felt that there might still be a little too little time, Tachibana Kanagawa was also worried about any unforeseen changes, so she immediately formed hand seals and cast a summoning spell.

Hopefully, Lanzi has made it this far.

"Bang!"

As white smoke burst open, Jianchuan Ju's expression changed.

"How could it consume so much chakra?"

How much supplies did Lanzi bring?

(End of this chapter)