C5 The Fight with the Orochimaru

Turning around, Neji caught Orochimaru's chilling gaze fixed on him, a sinister smirk playing on his face.

"Ne, Neji-sama..." Haku's face was ghostly white, his body trembling as he stared at the menacing Orochimaru just a breath away. Neji swiftly pulled Haku behind him, mustering a calm facade to meet Orochimaru's stare.

"Orochimaru, you've frightened my friends."

"Oh? To remain so composed in my presence? You truly are the one who bested the Seven Ninja Swordsmen. The Hyuga clan has indeed produced a remarkable genius."

Neji's pupils shrank, veins around his eyes popping as his breathing grew labored.

"You were there at that time?"

Orochimaru's mouth stretched into a grin, his long tongue circling his lips before slipping back inside.

"Hehehe, indeed. Your Ninjutsu intrigues me. You're curious about Kimimaro, aren't you? Then come with me."

Orochimaru's voice carried an enchanting allure. For a moment, Neji felt himself sway, but he quickly snapped back to reality.

"And if I refuse?"

"Refuse? Hehehe, well, that depends on whether you're capable of such defiance!"

Suddenly, a frigid intent to kill radiated from Orochimaru. Neji yanked Haku by the collar, hurling him to safety before spinning around to confront Orochimaru with a card in hand.

"Fire Style: Great Fireball Technique!"

The card transformed into a massive fireball, nearly five meters across, engulfing Orochimaru's position. But with his Byakugan, Neji saw clearly that Orochimaru had vanished the moment the fireball made contact.

"Above!"

Neji's gaze shot upwards, catching Orochimaru completing his hand seals in midair.

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

The ground shook with a thunderous roar as the dissipating fireball was reignited by the fierce wind, hurtling back towards Neji. Startled, Neji didn't hesitate to launch another card.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

A colossal waterfall, nearly eight meters high and ten meters wide, materialized before Neji. The torrential downpour doused the flames and flooded the terrain, leaving a shallow pool of water, five centimeters deep, in its wake.

"Hahaha! You're becoming increasingly captivating. That card must be the key to your Seamless Ninjutsu, isn't it? So, where did you get it? Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!"

Orochimaru's arm transformed into a quintet of entwined snakes that lunged at Neji with such speed, he had no chance to evade.

"Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!"

Neji played another card, unleashing an invisible force that shattered the serpentine assault into a rain of blood and flesh. By the time Orochimaru touched down, he was already forming seals with his hands and striking the ground.

"Earth Release: Rising Earth Spears!"

A pointed spear of earthy yellow shot up from beneath Neji's feet. Anticipating Orochimaru's Earth Release, Neji had kept a vigilant eye on the ground. Sensing a ripple of Chakra, he leapt into the air, evading the attack that failed to even graze his shoes.

"Truly worthy of the Hyuga clan, the surprises you provide just keep on coming!"

Far from discouraged by Neji's evasion, Orochimaru's face broke into an exhilarated grin. In a blink, he was behind Neji, mouth agape, ready to bite down on his neck.

Without looking back, Neji stooped and kicked backward, aiming for Orochimaru's chin. Orochimaru, narrowly avoiding the kick, had no choice but to abandon his bite and tilt his head back.

Neji rolled thrice across the ground, putting distance between himself and Orochimaru, his breathing growing erratic.

"How repulsive. What are we, children brawling? To think you'd use your mouth to bite and infuse natural Chakra into my body. What's your endgame?"

Orochimaru's smile faded, his expression turning grave.

"To have come this far, what's your name?"

"Hyuga Neji."

"Well then, Mr. Neji, it's time I got serious!"

Orochimaru's arm quivered, and in an instant, it split into several snakes that surged toward Neji. As they soared through the air, each snake's mouth brandished a gleaming sword.

Unfazed, Neji tossed another card into the fray.

"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!"

A massive fireball devoured the serpent in an instant, reducing every snake to ash within the flames. Yet, Neji's expression remained stern. He leaped away just as the ground where he had stood burst open, revealing a gigantic snake head. Orochimaru emerged from its gaping maw, slathered in slime, and lunged at Neji.

Despite his mental preparation, Neji's stomach roiled at the sight before him.

"The clarity of the Byakugan is truly admirable," Orochimaru taunted. "But it's useless if I'm faster than your body can react."

His words barely hung in the air before he closed the distance, giving Neji no time to respond. But as Orochimaru's jaws were about to snap shut on him, Neji's body crackled with a sudden surge of lightning.

Taken aback, Orochimaru instinctively dodged, only to realize the lightning was a fleeting distraction. Neji seized the moment to put some distance between them.

"You little pest!" Orochimaru seethed, feeling outmaneuvered and irate. As he prepared to give chase, an Eight Trigrams pattern two meters square unfurled around him. A transparent figure, identical to Neji, swiftly delivered a barrage of strikes.

"Eight Trigrams 128 Palms!"

Gasping for air, Neji's body trembled as he stood on the water's surface, eyes fixed on Orochimaru. In a last-ditch effort, he had crushed a Lightning Release card. The Ground Walk technique electrified Neji, causing him harm but fortunately, the surrounding water conducted the electricity away.

The onslaught of 128 palms ended, and the Eight Trigrams pattern vanished. Orochimaru, however, remained standing, his expression icy and unyielding.

Neji remained vigilant, fully aware that any lapse in concentration could be fatal. For most, being struck by the Eight Trigrams 128 Palms would render them incapable of using Chakra, but Neji harbored no such certainty when it came to Orochimaru.

True to Neji's expectations, Orochimaru's mouth began to widen slowly. First, a pair of hands emerged, then a head, and gradually a body, until finally, Orochimaru stood whole and unscathed before him.