Chapter 186: Orochimaru’s Sage Mode
Kawakaze and the Raikage fought fiercely, while on the sidelines, Orochimaru and the Kumo Ninja were equally engaged in an intense battle.
Both sides clashed in a lively and relentless manner. The Raikage had not brought many people—Orochimaru counted fifteen in total—but all of them were Jōnin. There were no lower-level Genin or Chūnin among them. Among these was Dodai, a formidable opponent with a Kekkei Genkai, who was particularly difficult to deal with.
Initially, Orochimaru had the upper hand with his surprise attack, but the Kumo Ninja quickly regrouped. Now, facing fourteen Jōnin under coordinated command, Orochimaru was beginning to lose his initial advantage.
The swarm of snakes summoned by Orochimaru caused little trouble for the Kumo Ninja. Under Dodai's leadership, they advanced and retreated with precision, balancing close- and long-range combat seamlessly. They efficiently neutralized the snakes and launched coordinated counterattacks.
From a distance, Lightning Release techniques struck at Orochimaru, forcing him to dodge, only for him to face three Kumo Ninja in close combat. Orochimaru parried their attacks with his sharp blade, skillfully countering despite being outnumbered.
While Taijutsu was not Orochimaru's specialty, it was not a weakness either. He deflected the strikes of the three Kumo Ninja and retaliated when the opportunity arose. As another Lightning Release strike approached, Orochimaru forced his attackers to retreat with a powerful slash, dodging just in time.
The moment he landed, Dodai seized the opportunity.
"Lava Release: Rubber Ball."
Dodai transformed his Chakra into rubber, spitting it out to encase Orochimaru. As the rubber closed in, it rapidly formed into a sphere, trapping Orochimaru securely.
Orochimaru slashed at the rubber twice but quickly realized he could not break free. The material was incredibly resilient, absorbing the force of his strikes.
"Take this opportunity and attack!" Dodai commanded.