A New Snake In The Shinobi World

Madara's low words made White Zetsu freeze in shock.

"The Rinnegan's power has awakened?"

Madara could sense the awakening of the Rinnegan's abilities, and White Zetsu wasn't entirely surprised.

After all, the Rinnegan was not only Madara's own creation but was also connected to the Gedo Statue.

The link between the Rinnegan and the Gedo Statue transcended physical limits, capable of spanning the enormous distance between the moon and the earth.

Now that the Gedo Statue remained tethered to Madara's body, it was natural for him to feel the shift in the Rinnegan's power even across vast distances.

But still…

"At Nagato's current age, the Rinnegan shouldn't have fully awakened…" Zetsu murmured.

"Who knows…" Madara's voice was calm as he closed his eyes again. "It doesn't matter. Keep an eye on him. His current body won't be able to handle the strain of such power for long."

"Understood!" White Zetsu nodded.

---

The Land of Lightning

The country was known for its towering mountain peaks, constantly surrounded by roaring thunder and lightning. It was this perpetual stormy atmosphere that gave the land its name.

"Damn it… Orochimaru, I swear I'll kill you one day!"

In the infirmary of Kumogakure, A stood next to the hospital bed where his father, the Third Raikage, lay injured.

The ambush against Orochimaru had been a complete disaster.

Not only had Orochimaru managed to escape their combined forces, but he had also humiliated them in the process. His Susanoo had even fired two chakra rockets at them during his retreat.

A hadn't reacted quickly enough, putting distance between himself and the center of the explosion, and if his Lightning Release Chakra Mode hadn't absorbed the aftermath, both he and his severely injured father might have died.

But even with his swift actions, the Third Raikage had been gravely injured.

The kunai wound in his back was deep, cutting down to the bone and damaging internal organs.

Even worse, Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword had dealt a critical blow, piercing dangerously close to the Third Raikage's heart.

"Brother, how is Father?"

A voice broke through the tension as a young man walked into the room.

The boy had dark skin, short yellow hair, wore black sunglasses, and carried twin swords strapped to his back.

Although his usual demeanor was laid-back and even playful, at this moment, he was deadly serious.

A looked up at him. "He's stable for now, but it will take time for him to fully recover."

"Orochimaru… is he really that strong?" the young man, Killer Bee, asked incredulously.

A's expression hardened. "Yes, Bee… he is."

He then detailed the events of the battle for Bee, recounting Orochimaru's use of space-time ninjutsu, the Sharingan, Wood Release, and even Magnetic Release.

Every single ability Orochimaru wielded was troublesome on its own, but together, they had made him nearly untouchable.

Bee—adopted brother and partner of A—listened intently. Despite being young, Bee was already the Jinchuriki of the Eight-Tails and a prodigious ninja.

Though they weren't related by blood, Bee viewed the Third Raikage as a father figure. Hearing about the extent of his injuries filled him with anger and disbelief.

"So many people surrounded Orochimaru, and he still managed to injure Father that badly? Are you serious?" Bee asked, stunned.

A's face darkened. "That's not all. He used a kunai to pierce Father's Lightning Release Armor."

Bee's jaw dropped. "A kunai? How is that even possible? Father's armor is stronger than most defensive jutsu. It can even withstand a small Tailed Beast Bomb!"

A nodded grimly. "I don't know. From the angle I saw, I couldn't figure out how he did it either."

The truth was, even A found it hard to believe. The Thunder Release Chakra Mode was renowned for its unmatched defensive properties. How could something as basic as a kunai bypass it?

But there was a reason for this—Orochimaru's right Mangekyo Sharingan.

The technique wasn't flashy or destructive like some of the other space-time abilities, but it was devastatingly effective.

Orochimaru's right eye could tear space itself.

This ability, while seemingly passive, had immense utility. Unlike other Mangekyo techniques such as Kamui, which required a build-up of power, Orochimaru's space-tearing technique worked instantaneously and allowed him to bypass energy barriers and chakra defenses.

It didn't matter how strong the armor or barrier was, his eye would create a rift in the chakra flow, opening a gap that could be exploited.

The Lightning Release Armor, despite its incredible strength, had been no exception.

The technique worked within a range of five meters and could only affect chakra-based constructs like barriers or energy shields. While it lacked offensive power on its own, its utility in breaking through defenses was unmatched.

Orochimaru had used this ability multiple times during the ambush, tearing apart the energy of Dust Release, ripping through the Lightning Release Armor, and summoning kunai from his separate space during his battle with Onoki.

The ability to summon kunai from a pocket dimension was especially advantageous. Combined with the Flying Thunder God Technique, it allowed Orochimaru to teleport instantly without worrying about placing or retrieving kunai on the battlefield.

This dual use of space-tearing and teleportation had made Orochimaru almost untouchable during the fight.

Even someone as experienced as Onoki, with his battlefield awareness and ability to sense space fluctuations, had barely managed to avoid being killed outright by this combination.

The one limitation of Orochimaru's technique was its range. He could only summon kunai or manipulate space within a 30-meter radius. Beyond that, his Mangekyo Sharingan lacked the power to access his separate dimension.

---

Back in the Sound Village, Orochimaru stared at a test tube in his hand, its contents swirling faintly under the light.

Shaking the liquid gently, he murmured, "Next… enhanced clones and Edo Tensei."

***

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