My Techniques are a bit off

Orochimaru's disdain for the group wasn't misplaced.

They were, after all, a ragtag bunch:

A Nara jōnin whose ability paled in comparison to Kakashi and whose injured arm rendered him almost ineffective.

Two genin with no unique skills or noteworthy abilities.

And a chunin whose powers, though fluctuating and promising, had yet to demonstrate the capacity to surpass a jōnin comprehensively.

Why would one of the legendary Sannin take them seriously?

"Shh—"

Orochimaru's blade effortlessly dissipated the shadow clone, a satisfied smile spreading across his face. Leaning on his katana, he spoke with a soft, almost teasing tone:

"Have you prepared your techniques yet? Will you control hair? Wield ice release? Or perhaps conjure iron inside your opponents' bodies?"

[He knows everything…]

Link dismissed his summoned stand, Catch the Rainbow. His heart sank. He had gambled on the Stand Summoning Technique but hadn't pulled anything worthwhile in the past four attempts.

Silver Bracelet: Nearly useless in direct combat.

Dragon's Dream: Effective only with esoteric feng shui knowledge, and combat was hardly the time for such things.

Death Thirteen: Invincible in dreams but irrelevant here.

Catch the Rainbow: Required rain to function, leaving it powerless in this arid landscape.

[The stand pool is too vast to rely on summoning something useful mid-battle. I can't waste chakra on such odds anymore.]

Determined, Link shifted his mindset.

[Time for a straightforward fight.]

Releasing another shadow clone, he continued weaving seals. Even without a stand, his transformed state granted him enough physical prowess to hold his own against Orochimaru. While his speed and reflexes fell short, he was confident in his ability to engage in close combat, especially since Orochimaru's manipulation of the Kusanagi sword required chakra-based ninjutsu.

Even if Orochimaru's genjutsu struck, Link had Headhunter Technique as a counter, and his shadow clones could mitigate damage.

"Hold on tight!"

The Mountain Drake flapped its wings, suddenly rising dozens of meters. The sharp ascent pinned Iris and Ami against its scales, their bodies straining under the pressure. As the dragon stabilized, it turned and began flying toward the Land of Fire at full speed.

The roaring winds buffeted the group. Even Nara Ensui's blood-soaked clothes began to freeze in the high-altitude cold.

Orochimaru, standing below, released his grip on the Kusanagi sword.

Taking a step forward, he smirked. "Is it that you can't unleash your technique? Or perhaps you need more chakra and time? Or..."

His vertical slit eyes gleamed with malice. "Could it be you don't even have full control over your powers?"

Suddenly, his figure blurred.

"Thud!"

Ensui, despite his heightened vigilance, fell victim to a sudden genjutsu. He froze momentarily before being kicked with devastating force, his body hurtling through the air.

It was a display of sheer dominance—an adult effortlessly overwhelming a child.

"Swish!"

The moment Ensui was struck, Link reacted instinctively, halting his seals. His body transformed, his entire form becoming a myriad of blades. The transformation was so intricate that even individual body parts morphed with precision, resembling a peacock's fan of razor-sharp feathers.

Orochimaru barely evaded the attack, the edge of Link's blades grazing his robes. His neck extended grotesquely, bending at an unnatural angle as he lunged to bite Link's head.

"Whoosh!"

Link's right arm reverted to normal. His fingertips glowed with blue-white chakra flames inscribed with the kanji for Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth.

Without hesitation, he aimed his glowing hand at Orochimaru's cheek.

Just before the two could exchange blows, Orochimaru's neck recoiled, retreating into his body with unnatural fluidity.

Ignoring the laws of inertia, his body reset itself, creating a disorienting sight.

"Is that the Five Elements Seal? No… it's different," Orochimaru muttered, his smile fading for the first time.

The instinct honed from countless battles warned him to avoid direct contact. Despite his modified body, something about that seal felt inherently dangerous.

[A shame…]

Link maintained a calm expression as he swallowed another soldier pill. He didn't dare launch another reckless attack. His speed and reaction time were no match for Orochimaru, and any misstep could prove fatal.

The dragon's ascent had been strategic, creating a battleground in the skies where large-scale ninjutsu would be impractical. If Orochimaru used such techniques here, it would endanger Link but also himself.

Link's seemingly aimless summoning of stands had been a calculated feint to gauge Orochimaru's intentions.

Was he after a corpse for experimentation? Or did he want to capture Link alive?

The gamble was clear: Orochimaru's recklessness.

In the manga, Orochimaru often relied on his modified body to tank damage—taking Naruto's punches or willingly enduring Sasuke's flames. If Orochimaru let his guard down and took a hit from the Five Elements Seal, Link and Ensui might gain the upper hand.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru's instincts proved too sharp.

"Step."

Ensui staggered back onto the dragon, clutching his injuries. The cold winds whipped through his disheveled hair as he regained his footing.

"That's a dangerous technique," Orochimaru murmured, his tone laced with intrigue. His eyes glinted with predatory greed. "You're becoming more fascinating by the second, Link-kun."

Iris and Ami clung to the dragon's back, barely able to move. The altitude and speed were too much for their untrained bodies, leaving them vulnerable.

[One more minute… not enough time to reach the Land of Fire before my transformation ends.]

Ignoring Orochimaru's predatory gaze, Link calmly calculated his next move. Orochimaru seemed to have deduced his limits: his chakra reserves and inability to maintain his transformed state for long.

The Sannin showed no urgency, clearly willing to wait Link out.

With his earth-based techniques rendered ineffective in the sky, his options were limited. The Kusanagi sword, still circling ominously, hadn't even been redeployed.

[I'm trapped. Like a bug ensnared in a web, the more I struggle, the tighter it gets.]

Link made a decision.

"No point in holding onto false hopes."

"Whoosh!"

The dragon suddenly dove toward the ground.

"A desperate struggle?" Orochimaru smirked, his voice dripping with mockery.

~~~

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