The Adventurous Gamer Ninja - Daichi Hekima [Vol. 02]

Chapter 382 - The Power of Daichi Hekima

Orochimaru was too busy reveling in Shizune's pain and focusing on Jiraiya to notice the silent exchange between Kakashi and his student. "You must truly be heartless," he purred to Daichi. "Look at her, choking right before you, yet you won't even glance up? Or is it that you're too afraid to see what I could do next?"

Suddenly, Daichi's arm snapped up. In a single fluid motion, he flung the kunai straight at Orochimaru's face, specifically his right eye.

It was an action so abrupt that Jiraiya reflexively tightened his stance, unsure if Daichi had simply lost control or truly aimed to blind Orochimaru.

Orochimaru smirked, already moving. "Finally a reaction," he murmured.

In the same heartbeat, he deftly twisted his head aside, letting the kunai whistle harmlessly past his ear. A thousand times, Orochimaru had faced such attempts; this was child's play to him. "Really, Daichi? That's the best you can—"

A flash of lightning. A sharp, crackling hum filled the air.

In that instant, someone appeared in midair, launched from the trace line of a small teleportation seal etched onto the kunai's handle.

Orochimaru's smirk barely had time to fade before he felt an intense, searing pain in his right arm. The sensation was immediate and absolute. His entire limb went numb before he even had the chance to react.

His eyes shifted to the side and he saw Kakashi there.

The Copy Ninja had appeared above him in a blur of motion, his lightning chakra hummed with lethal intensity.

Kakashi's voice was low but fierce, "Chidori...!"

The blade of lightning had already sliced through Orochimaru's right arm, severing it cleanly at the shoulder. Blood spattered across the ground in thick droplets as the dismembered limb, let go of Shizune and fell to the ground.

At that same instant, Kakashi's free arm wrapped tightly around Shizune's waist. 'No time to linger.' And he reactivated the short-range teleport and vanished from Orochimaru's immediate reach.

Orochimaru's eyes flared wide in pain and fury. "Damn you—!"

But Kakashi was already gone, vanishing in another short-range teleport, guided by the same cunning markings. He and Shizune reappeared behind Jiraiya's position, dust swirling in the brief space they'd occupied. Kakashi set Shizune down carefully, supporting her weakened frame with an arm.

Shizune stumbled, dropping to her knees, gasping for breath and frantically trying to purge the venom from her bloodstream. Kakashi stood next to her, lightning fizzling out around his hand. "You're safe now," he murmured, though worry stained his voice as he saw how pale she looked.

For the first time in many moments, Shizune's eyes welled with tears that mingled with her ragged breathing. She was still shaking from the venom's effect, but she was glad to be alive. 'Daichi... Master Jiraiya... Kakashi... they all came through.'

Jiraiya, quickly assessing that Shizune was out of immediate danger, flicked his gaze to Daichi. The boy was still crouched over Tsunade, ignored everything else, and let out a relieved breath now that Shizune was rescued.

The white Haired Sannin immediately turned his attention back to his former teammate and looked at the missing arm. 'He can't be happy about that.'

He was right. An unholy shriek of anger tore from Orochimaru's throat. "Kakashi... you...!" Orochimaru spat, his face contorting in pain and fury.

The severed stump of his right shoulder already began to writhe unnaturally. Suddenly a sickening mass of white snakes slithered and hissing from the severed stump and they quickly extended to the arm laying on the ground.