Naruto: Konoha’s Kanpu

Chapter 900: Sage Mode vs. Sage Mode

Watching Orochimaru's confident smile, Kanp? suddenly remembered the Armament Haki from earlier, and vaguely felt that he had missed some important information.

“Big brother, he has Steel Release Kekkei Genkai, you have to be careful!” Karin, who was behind him, had stopped crying and loudly reminded him.

‘Steel Release?’

‘No wonder he can block my Kusanagi Sword. But how can Orochimaru have the Steel Release Kekkei Genkai?’

‘Could it be that he's also cheating with some green light on his head?’

Kanp? looked at Orochimaru's forehead suspiciously.

“Hah

Orochimaru suddenly burst into laughter, seeming to enjoy Kanp?'s expression, “What’s wrong, not going to make a move?”

Kanp? couldn't stand that tone, and immediately gathered his thoughts. With a move of his thought, the Chakra inside his body instantly transformed into Lightning Attribute and poured into the Kusanagi Sword.

Boom!

Amidst the thunder, Kanp? turned into a shadow and disappeared on the spot.

Orochimaru's pupils narrowed slightly, the dark golden vertical pupils quickly caught sight of Kanp?'s figure and he swung his fist.

Steel Release – Snake Steel Fist!!

Bang!

The steel-hardened fist broke the air, like a metal projectile, slamming towards Kanp?. Kanp? countered with a horizontal sword strike, carrying a blade of azure lightning, heavily hacking onto Orochimaru's wrist.

Clang!

In the crisp sound of metal collision, Kanp?'s sword easily swept away Orochimaru's ‘steel’ hand, and even the lightning on the blade spread wildly along his ‘steel’ body. ?

But unfortunately, Orochimaru seemed oblivious to it all. He stomped on the ground, fiercely rushing towards Kanp?.

‘Lightning doesn't work?’

Kanp? decisively switched to Wind Attribute.

Konoha-Style – Slashing Wind!

Kanp? slashed instantly, and a visible green blade shot out from the Kusanagi Sword, breaking through the waves of air, and instantly slashed onto Orochimaru's steel head.

Duang!!

Orochimaru's footsteps paused, and he grinned: “It’s too light!”

Kanp? was not convinced, ‘Let the music play on and continue the dance!’

Konoha-Style – Dance of the Crescent Moon!

Konoha-Style- Moonlight!

Konoha-Style – Flame Slash!

Konoha-Style – Water Storm Cut!

Secret Art – Hazy Moon Night!

Kanp? unleashed his mastery of Konoha-Style Kenjutsu crazily, slashing countless fireworks on Orochimaru's steel body. He even forcibly stabbed Orochimaru's ‘steel’ chest!

Unfortunately, every time Kanp?'s sword struck Orochimaru, he would skillfully dampen the force on the Kusanagi Sword with subtle vibrations. Though it seemed like Kanp? was causing sparks to fly from Orochimaru's body, it was actually just fireworks generated from the rapid friction between the blade and the steel body, while Orochimaru remained unharmed!

“Hehehe, your Konoha-Style Kenjutsu seems ineffective against me now, Kanp?-kun.” Orochimaru looked at Kanp? with a smile.

Combining Steel Release and his Body Modification, Orochimaru had been diligently practicing the integration of ‘steel' and flexibility. Now, in this battle, it has achieved great results against the enemy!

Feeling delighted, Orochimaru thought about his own Wood Release and Sharingan again!

Suddenly, he was transported back over a decade ago when he was still one of the legendary Konoha’s Sannin, and Kanp? was just a rookie Shinobi from an insignificant clan. At that time, Orochimaru enjoyed affectionately calling him ‘Kanp?-kun’.

“Kanp?-kun, please entertain me to your heart's content.” Orochimaru looked at Kanp? with eyes full of anticipation, seeming eager for Kanp? to ‘go all out’.

“Orochimaru, you're being weird.” Kanp? felt very uncomfortable.

Orochimaru just smiled and remained silent.

“Well, if that's how it is, then let me see how thick your snake skin really is!” Kanp? immediately activated Sage Mode!

A strand of Natural Energy surged into Kanp?'s body from all directions, instantly merging with his chakra to form Senjutsu Chakra.

In that instant, Kanp?'s body suddenly emitted an invisible glow. From afar, it seemed as if he was filled with an otherworldly aura, like an immortal exiled from the mortal world.

…

At this time, Sasuke and Karin are supporting each other and hiding behind a tree. Their eyes are staring closely at the battle between Kanp? and Orochimaru.

‘That guy is indeed not ordinary Kirigakure’s Shinobi, but I didn’t expect that he is one of the legendary Sannin, Orochimaru…’ Sasuke's face was stern, a mix of fear and excitement swirling within him, ‘I just fought against a legendary Shinobi…’

Karin, however, frowned. She remembered that Orochimaru didn't seem to have a Kekkei Genkai, but the Steel Release he used earlier couldn't be an illusion.

‘What is going on?’

…

“Sage Mode?”

Orochimaru's eyes lit up when he saw Kanp?’s appearance, and he exclaimed excitedly, “Sage Mode indeed enhances one's attack and… defense!”

‘In that case… Sage Mode, activate!’

Orochimaru chuckled coldly, then clasped his hands together and also started absording the surrounding Natural Energy, refining Senjutsu Chakra.

Due to his ‘special' constitution and the gift from the White Snake Sage, Orochimaru's Sage Mode could be considered perfect. In just a few seconds, Orochimaru's eyes were gradually filled with eerie purple eye shadow.

Kanp? was taken aback for a moment upon seeing this, then his expression changed slightly, ‘Orochimaru has mastered Sage Mode?’

‘In the original story, he couldn’t…’

‘Is it a butterfly effect?’

Kanp? pondered over it, but couldn't figure it out.

However, seeing Orochimaru's Sage Mode about to be completed, Kanp? quickly calmed himself and immediately flickered to him.

Sage Art: Konoha-Style – Slashing Wind!

Under Sage Mode’s enhancement, Kanp?'s sword struck out, and a huge green blade resembling a boiling sandstorm shot out, overwhelming Orochimaru like a tidal wave.

Seeing this, Orochimaru's eyebrows furrowed sharply!

Before mastering Sage Mode, he didn't feel much, but now that he had, he realized that Kanp?'s Sage Mode was unexpectedly fast!

It was practically more perfect than perfect!

At this moment, Orochimaru still needed a bit of time to activate Sage Mode, so he naturally didn’t dare to directly confront the terrifying slash. He swiftly twisted his feet and swiftly slithered like a snake, but still keeping his upper body and hands still.

When Kanp? saw this, he switched to Thunder Dance decisively, transforming into a blur and trailing behind a bright purple lightning sword, fiercely slashing at Orochimaru's waist and abdomen.

Sizzle…

Amidst the piercing friction sound, Kanp?’s sword finally cut through Orochimaru’s steel body. After the blade passed, it left behind a gruesome wound of flesh and blood, with lightning raging within!

Kanp? spins spun, leaped, continuously slashing with a second, third slash…

But by the fourth slash, Orochimaru suddenly soared into the air, avoiding Kanp?'s lightning sword. And at the same time, the three gruesome wounds on his body visibly healed at an astonishing rate, then were covered again by the dark steel skin.

Orochimaru successfully activated Sage Mode.

“Kanp?-kun, please continue to strike me.” Orochimaru landed lightly, looking at Kanp? with a playful gaze. The purple eye shadow at the corners of his eyes reflecting the faint sunlight, seemingly mocking him.

‘Sage Mode against Sage Mode?’

Naturally, Kanp? wasn't intimidated. In a blink of an eye, he once again swung a huge blue blade.

The blade whistled, thundering and crushing towards Orochimaru.

The corner of Orochimaru’s mouth showed a grin, and he does not dodge or evade, just crossed his right arm in front of him.

Clang!!!

With the intense metal friction sound, the enormous blue blade crazily cut into Orochimaru's ‘steel' hand, the violent force pushing Orochimaru involuntarily backwards, leaving two deep gouges in the ground beneath his feet.

Kanp? stared attentively. Under Tenseigan’s vision, he could clearly see the muscles under Orochimaru's right arm are vibrating rapidly, dispersing the damage from the blade at an incredible frequency.

Such muscle vibration frequency couldn't be achieved by ordinary Taijutsu Shinobi, not even Guy. Only Orochimaru, who had undergone Body Modification, could achieve this!

‘Steel Release combined with Body Modification?’

Kanp? finally understood why Orochimaru was so tough.

Immediately after, a thought flashed through his mind, and his gaze suddenly focused on Orochimaru’s left hand.

‘Why did he only use his right hand to block?’

‘Showing off?’

‘Or was there something wrong with his left hand?’

‘Wait!’

‘Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode, useless left hand…’ A flash of insight exploded in Kanp?'s mind!

‘I see!’

‘Uchiha Shin!’

‘Orochimaru took over Uchiha Shin’s body!’

‘No wonder he can master Sage Mode!’

Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode is actually quite simple. As long as they can withstand the erosion of Senjutsu Chakra injected by the White Snake Sage, they can get started. Then, by utilizing Uchiha Shin's body, which doesn't reject foreign objects, Orochimaru managed to master Ryuchi Cave’s Sage Mode!

‘If that’s the case, Orochimaru can also obtain Wood Release by transplanting Hashirama’s cells…’

‘A while ago, I recalled hearing Orochimaru went to the prison to find Danzo.’

‘Is it because of Hashirama’s cells?’

Kanp? scalp felt numb.

But then, he frowned again, because this explanation still can’t explain Orochimaru's Steel Release Kekkei Genkai.

‘He couldn't just implant a Steel Release Kekkei Genkai Shinobi into his body, right?’

‘Or…’

‘Apart from my own Collection Technique, the only other way to obtain someone else's Kekkei Genkai seemed to be… Hiruko’s Chimera Technique?’

‘I remember that Hiruko was friends with the Sannin when he was young. If Orochimaru pretended to befriend him, then ambushed Hiruko when he least expected it, then use despicable means to coerce…’

‘Isn’t he taking it too far?’

‘Uchiha Shin’s body, Hiruko’s Chimera Technique, is Orochimaru trying to become a god?!’