Everyone on the bridge stood in stunned silence, awestruck by the sheer power and precision of Inoiki's technique.
Kabuto narrowed his eyes, a tinge of envy in his voice as he muttered, "Every time I see him wield elemental power with nothing but his thoughts—no hand seals, no preparation—it makes me jealous. Truly infuriating."
High above them, Inoiki now hovered in the air, his entire body wrapped in a glowing sky-blue aura. His presence pulsed with quiet intensity.
"I'm going after Orochimaru," he announced. "You handle Kabuto."
With that, he shot off like a comet, a streak of sky-blue light trailing behind him as he soared in the direction Orochimaru had taken.
Back on the bridge, Kabuto turned his gaze to Team Kakashi. Despite being on the defensive, he had held his ground remarkably well. It wasn't just because of his own skill—it was also due to the constraints of the battlefield.
Both sides had been fighting at a fraction of their full power. With Inoiki and Orochimaru clashing ahead, the team hadn't been able to go all out without risking interference or exposure.
But now, things were about to change.
Inoiki dropped from the sky like a meteor, landing hard on the cracked earth before Orochimaru. Dust and debris kicked up around him, swirling briefly in the air before settling. His eyes locked onto Orochimaru's, sharp and unflinching. His voice was calm, but carried an edge of disdain.
"I figured you'd be weaker after the Third Hokage sealed your hands, but this
Orochimaru's lips curled into a thin smile, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "You speak with such certainty. So sure of your victory." He let out a low chuckle. "It seems I'll have to remind you who I really am."
Without another word, Orochimaru bit into his thumb, blood welling up instantly. He pressed his hand to the ground, and the air around them vibrated with chakra.
"Summoning Jutsu!" he called out.
A deafening explosion of smoke burst from the summoning circle. The ground trembled. From the cloud emerged a massive, violet-scaled serpent—Manda, Orochimaru's most powerful and dangerous summon. Its slitted yellow eyes surveyed the scene with contempt, and its tongue flicked through the air, tasting the tension.
Orochimaru now stood tall atop Manda's enormous head, looking down at Inoiki like a puppeteer ready to resume his game.
Manda hissed, his voice deep and laced with irritation. "Why have you summoned me this time?"
"I need your strength," Orochimaru replied without hesitation. "Deal with him."
The giant snake narrowed his eyes and turned to face Inoiki fully. His tone dripped with disdain.
"To think... You call me to handle a boy like that? You really have sunk to a new low, Orochimaru. You expect me to fight without compensation? Where is the sacrifice you promised me last time?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Don't worry. I'll double it. You'll have a feast before the day is over."
Upon hearing Orochimaru's promise, Manda let out a low, excited hiss. Though he didn't fully trust Orochimaru to deliver the entire promised sacrifice, he knew at the very least he'd get to devour a few humans—that much was certain. And that was enough to pique his interest.
Meanwhile, Inoiki could already sense the murderous intent radiating from the massive serpent. He calmly released the sword in his hand. It hovered for a moment, then floated back into its sheath on his back as if obeying an unseen command.
Without hesitation, he reached into his ninja pouch and pulled out a scroll. With a swift flick, he unfurled it in the air. A burst of chakra surged through the area. There was a loud pop and a thick cloud of white smoke. When it cleared, a colossal sword—larger than anything a normal human could wield—floated in midair, suspended by Inoiki's psychokinesis. The air around it shimmered with pressure.
Inoiki glanced up at the towering Manda, unimpressed. "If you really wanted to take me down," he said coolly, "you should've summoned hundreds of thousands of snakes. Sending one giant target against me? This isn't even a real fight."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than the massive sword shot forward with blinding speed, slicing through the air toward Manda like a missile.
But Manda was more than just muscle—he was known for his speed and reflexes. With a sudden, fluid twist of his serpentine body, he dodged the attack with ease. The sword tore past where he had been a moment before, embedding itself into the ground behind him with a thunderous crash.
Inoiki didn't stop. With a flick of his fingers, the sword ripped free from the earth and flew again. And again. And again. Each time, it carved through the air with precision and force—but Manda continued to evade. His body bent at impossible angles, slithering through the battlefield like a shadow, never in the same place twice. Every near hit was followed by a sharp, serpentine motion that made the massive snake seem almost untouchable.
Despite the sword's size and speed, it couldn't land a clean blow. And the longer the battle dragged on, the more apparent it became: this fight wasn't going to be won by Inoiki so easily.
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