From Danmachi to God of Ninja

Chapter 82: Chapter 82

Despite achieving that result, Kiriya did not press the advantage.

Instead, he planted his sword against the ground and dropped to one knee, fine sweat already forming across his forehead.

The poison from earlier had weakened his body’s functions.

"How is it, Kiriya-kun? That was a blood toxin I specially prepared for you."

On the other side, Orochimaru did not look bothered after being kicked away. Instead, he stood up and explained with a smile.

"A blood toxin? Nothing special."

Kiriya cast Yang Power: Everflowing Vitality on himself, and the weakness quickly faded.

Powerful strength surged through his blood and spread to every corner of his body.

"You can even remove poison of that level so easily? What a fascinating medical ninjutsu. But whether you’re bluffing or whether it truly works that well, I’ll verify it with my own hands."

Orochimaru shot forward, rushing straight toward Kiriya, and thrust his sword at Kiriya’s throat.

Slash!

The blade pierced through Kiriya’s body without any resistance.

"What? An afterimage!"

"Hinokami Kagura: Fake Rainbow."

Orochimaru’s pupils shrank, and a powerful sense of danger surged through him. He could only twist around and raise his sword to block.

"Hinokami Kagura: Fire Wheel."

With the sound of a sharp blade cutting through bone and flesh, Kiriya’s fierce vertical slash came down and severed Orochimaru’s sword-wielding right arm.

Blood sprayed out, and Orochimaru’s already pale face became even more bloodless.

’To think he can create afterimages with pure taijutsu alone. I have to admit, that was beautifully done.’

Orochimaru silently praised him.

At the same time, he confirmed one thing.

Kiriya’s medical ninjutsu truly was powerful.

Even the deadly poison Orochimaru had specially prepared could be neutralized with ease.

’It’s almost like the First Hokage described in the old records...’

In Kiriya’s dictionary, there had never been such a phrase as stopping while ahead.

His sword cut a sharp arc through the air, heading straight for Orochimaru’s neck, aiming to take his head off.

Slash!

At that moment, the sword that had fallen to the ground suddenly stretched longer and stabbed toward Kiriya’s waist.

At the same time, Orochimaru’s remaining left arm transformed into several pythons and shot toward Kiriya.

"Hidden Shadow Many Snakes Hand."

The timing was precise, and the angle of attack was vicious and tricky, fully worthy of the Sannin’s name.

Clang!

Kiriya did not dare take the Kusanagi Blade with his body, so he could only prioritize blocking it.

But the powerful impact still made his body pause slightly, and the pythons seized that opening, biting down on him.

Crack!

Their fangs struck Kiriya’s skin, but there was no sound of flesh being pierced. Instead, it sounded as if they had bitten into iron or stone.

The fangs shattered outright, and the snakes could only hiss in pain as they shrank back.

"That feeling... I see. You used Wood Release to cover your body with a layer of wooden armor. What an interesting idea."

From the stump of Orochimaru’s severed arm, countless tiny snakes emerged and connected together, pulling the arm back into place.

After a faint rustling sound, Orochimaru’s severed arm was restored as if nothing had happened.

"You really are hard to kill."

Kiriya held his sword and sneered at Orochimaru.

"I wonder if you’ll still grow back if I cut you into minced meat."

"Hehe. If you can do it, then come and try, Kiriya-kun."

Orochimaru stretched out that tongue of his, the kind that could make countless mature women weak at the knees, and licked his lips.

Kiriya had just stepped forward, ready to rush in, when Orochimaru finished forming seals and slapped his hand heavily against the ground.

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Bang!

As a huge cloud of white smoke dispersed, an enormous python appeared in front of Kiriya.

Orochimaru stood atop the giant serpent’s head, looking down at Kiriya from above.

His eyes were filled with thick curiosity and expectation.

"Well then, Kiriya-kun, how will you respond to this?"

Orochimaru laughed, then controlled the giant python and charged toward Kiriya.

Rumble, rumble!

The giant beast’s movement shook the earth.

When something reached a certain size, it did not need any so-called technique. Every movement it made carried terrifying power.

Naturally, Kiriya could use his swordsmanship to cut this python into pieces.

But that method would take time and effort, and it would also give Orochimaru too many chances to take advantage of him.

Kiriya was not going to create trouble for himself.

Or he could do something even simpler and ignore the giant python entirely, rushing onto its body to fight Orochimaru at close range.

But that...

Would not be satisfying enough.

So he chose the simplest and most brutal method.

Bang!

Just as the giant python rushed in front of Kiriya and opened its stinking, bloody mouth to swallow him whole, a massive hand pressed down directly on the serpent’s head and smashed it deep into the ground.

"This is... How magnificent!"

Orochimaru leapt aside to avoid the enormous hand.

Looking at the towering figure before him, his face revealed an intoxicated expression.

Standing in front of him was a twelve-meter-tall wooden arhat with one head and eight arms.

Its face looked compassionate, yet the domineering sight of one hand pinning down the summoned serpent struck straight into the soul.

Even Orochimaru was getting excited.

"So this is Wood Release? In such a short time, you’ve already developed it to this point... Kiriya-kun, you really have given me a tremendous surprise."

"If you like it that much, then go down with it."

Kiriya’s voice suddenly appeared from behind him.

Orochimaru was startled and immediately swung his sword backward, but Kiriya had already expected it.

He moved first, kicking Orochimaru onto the giant python’s body, where a massive wooden palm pinned him down hard.

"Aaaaaah!"

"Wuuuu!"

Both Orochimaru and the giant python let out miserable cries.

The latter, especially, twisted its enormous body violently, trying to escape the wooden arhat’s crushing palm.

But all it received in return was an even more terrifying beating.

Bang, bang, bang!

One punch.

Two punches.

Three punches.

In the blink of an eye, fists fell like cannon fire, hammering the giant python summoned by Orochimaru into a mess of flesh.

To ordinary shinobi, this serpent was practically a prehistoric beast.

But in front of the wooden arhat, it was nothing more than a little snake getting beaten down.

Naturally, Orochimaru, who was on the giant python’s body, did not fare much better.

His whole body was smashed flat like a pancake and embedded deep into the serpent’s flesh.

"Hm?"

Kiriya commanded the wooden arhat to stop attacking and frowned as he looked at the scene.

"This guy really is as durable as ever."

Just as that thought appeared, the mouth on Orochimaru’s nearly flattened head suddenly opened wide.

A hand reached out from inside.

Then came a head, shoulders, and finally an entire body.

Orochimaru emerged covered in a mysterious, sticky fluid, still staring at Kiriya with that same burning gaze.

His tongue moved on its own, licking his lips and chin.

"..."

Kiriya felt a chill of disgust run through him.

’Did this guy really have no self-awareness, or did he just not care?’