A New Snake In The Shinobi World-Chapter 351:

Is Orochimaru stronger than the First Hokage?

It seems almost certain.

After all, Hashirama Senju's power stemmed from Asura Ōtsutsuki, who inherited only half of the Sage of Six Paths' power. That alone speaks volumes about the First Hokage's strength.

He was indeed powerful, capable of effortlessly subduing Tailed Beasts. But compared to Orochimaru's current Six Paths-level abilities, the gap wasn't insurmountable.

Truth-Seeking Orbs were the purest manifestation of Six Paths power.

Uchiha Madara, wielding just a single Rinnegan, had been able to obliterate nine Tailed Beasts in an instant.

Orochimaru possessed both Rinnegan, combined with Flying Thunder God and Truth-Seeking Orbs. It wasn't surprising that he could incapacitate a Jinchūriki instantly with the element of surprise.

The black rods, created through Yin-Yang Release, were already capable of suppressing and disrupting a Tailed Beast's chakra.

Truth-Seeking Orbs not only carried that function but also possessed the power to obliterate all matter.

Furthermore, Orochimaru had struck the Jinchūriki's most vital chakra meridians, crippling her ability to fight back.

---

"Why did I join Akatsuki?"

Hearing Kakuzu's question, Orochimaru gave a faint smile.

"No grand reason. Perhaps… I was just looking for something to do."

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Every Akatsuki member had their own past before joining the organization.

Some were driven by faith.

Some sought wealth.

Some pursued art.

Some simply had nowhere else to go and treated Akatsuki as a temporary home.

"…Just looking for something to do?" Kakuzu narrowed his eyes. "Are you searching for the meaning of your existence?"

"Something like that."

Orochimaru shrugged, offering neither confirmation nor denial.

These days, aside from delving into advanced technology, the only thing that seemed to interest him was hunting Jinchūriki.

---

"OROCHIMARU, YOU BASTARD! STOP RIGHT THERE!"

A familiar roar suddenly rang out, cutting their conversation short.

Then—

Whoosh!

Three figures dropped from the sky, landing with force.

At the forefront stood a tall, muscular man with dark skin, dressed casually yet exuding an imposing aura.

"…Tch. Looks like we've got company," Kakuzu muttered, frowning.

Was Kakuzu strong?

If Orochimaru had to evaluate him, he would say moderately so.

Kakuzu's raw strength might barely reach Kage level, but at best, he ranked below the Third Hokage in his prime.

Among elite shinobi, he wasn't particularly outstanding.

So how had he survived this long? How had he defeated Jinchūriki?

The answer was his deceptive ability.

His Earth Grudge Fear technique allowed him to generate black tendrils that could be used for long-range ninjutsu. More importantly, those same tendrils allowed him to steal hearts and prolong his life.

Most of his victories came from deception.

An enemy would think they had killed him, lower their guard, only to be ambushed when he resurrected.

It was a tactic used frequently by both the Second Hokage and Danzo—feigning death to create an opening.

But against overwhelming force, such tactics were useless.

And when the Fourth Raikage was leading the charge, Kakuzu's usual tricks wouldn't work.

Because A wasn't just Kage-level, he was one of the strongest in that tier.

His raw power, combined with insane speed, made him nearly unstoppable.

Not to mention, he wasn't alone.

If Kakuzu tried to play dead, A's two subordinates would be there to finish the job before he could recover.

---

"…So it's the Fourth Raikage."

Orochimaru's lips curled into a smirk.

"What's the matter?" he asked lazily. "Something wrong?"

Something wrong?!

The Fourth Raikage's glare darkened as he spotted Yugito, bound and restrained atop Orochimaru's massive python summon.

His blood boiled with fury.

You came to my village, stole my Jinchūriki, and now you're asking me if something's wrong?!

"Don't play dumb!" A clenched his fists. "You already know the answer!"

He was impulsive. Hot-tempered.

And the kind of man who acted first and asked questions later.

But Orochimaru was the only man alive who could make him hesitate.

The other Kumo-nin were also staring at Yugito's restrained form.

Orochimaru's smirk widened.

"So, I take it you want her back?"

He sighed, almost mockingly.

"I hate to sound arrogant, but I'd advise you to abandon that idea."

"You bastard—"

"Wait, C!"

A young man with white hair and a slightly lazy expression suddenly stepped forward, stopping his companion.

"Darui, what are you doing?!"

"Don't rush in. Not against this guy."

Darui's tone was cautious.

Though he had never personally witnessed Orochimaru fight, as one of the Raikage's guards, he had detailed intelligence on the Sannin.

C, however, was younger. He had only recently become A's bodyguard and had no idea just how dangerous Orochimaru truly was.

Among their group, only A could last more than a few seconds against him.

Anyone else who rushed in?

Dead on arrival.

"…Orochimaru," A growled. "I'm not letting you leave today. C! Darui!"

"Right!"

"Understood!"

Lightning Release: Illusion Technique – Thunder Illusion Lightning Pillar!

Lightning Release: Black Panther!

Both Kumo-nin swiftly formed hand seals.

A faint beastly roar echoed as black lightning took the form of a massive panther, surging toward Orochimaru and Kakuzu.

Almost simultaneously, a blinding light, similar to the White Extreme Attack, flashed, robbing them of their vision.

As the Raikage, A knew exactly what had to be done.

His Jinchūriki had been captured.

He had found the enemy's trail and caught up to them.

If he hesitated because the enemy was too strong, then what kind of Raikage was he?!

But none of them realized—

Orochimaru was already playing on a different level.

With Nozomi's blinding light and his absurd speed, A shot toward Kakuzu in an instant.

He knew Orochimaru was strong.

Even with two guards backing him up, taking him down would be no easy task.

So instead, he aimed for the weaker target first.

Eliminate Kakuzu, recover Yugito, and then focus everything on Orochimaru.

---

"Too fast!"

Kakuzu's eyes widened.

He tried to dodge—

But blinded by the lightning beam, there was no way he could react in time.

Heavy Stream Storm!

BAM!

A devastating punch slammed into Kakuzu's back, right over his heart.

The force sent him flying.

But A wasn't finished.

Even as Kakuzu was launched through the air, A was already pivoting.

His next target: Orochimaru.

Yet—

Just as he was about to strike, an invisible force suddenly erupted from nowhere.

A massive repelling force surged outward, halting the Raikage's charge in an instant.

"Shinra Tensei."

***

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