Naruto: Manipulation-Chapter 179: The Four Edo Kage!

Kakashi Hatake's instincts were right.

Because Uchiha Sasuke had indeed chosen to defect.

When Orochimaru and Uchiha Obito approached him and promised to make him stronger, Sasuke made up his mind to abandon Konoha.

Even if...

They were dangerous rogue ninja.

But for the sake of revenge, Sasuke didn't care where his power came from. As long as he could one day kill Itachi, he was willing to cast everything aside.

"Hmph..."

Even as he chose to follow Orochimaru, Sasuke's pride never wavered.

"Don't disappoint me."

"We won't..."

Orochimaru, unfazed by Sasuke's attitude, licked his lips with snake-like greed.

"I want nothing more than for you to become as powerful as possible..."

Ideally...

Powerful enough to awaken the Rinnegan.

Then, the fruit Orochimaru would harvest would be all the sweeter.

Unfortunately...

They had barely left Konoha when Kakashi, tracking their trail, caught up.

"If it's not trouble on their side..."

Orochimaru glanced sideways at Obito.

"...then it must be that your old friend isn't ready to give up on you."

"Hmph."

Obito snorted, full of disdain as he turned and leapt toward Kakashi.

"I'll handle him. You two keep moving."

"Much appreciated,"

Orochimaru smiled wickedly.

Ah... the shinobi of Konoha...

They never seem able to cut their bonds.

As he looked at Sasuke, Orochimaru couldn't help but see another blond brat in his mind...

And that blond brat's teacher.

Surely by now...

Jiraiya and Naruto were training somewhere in the Land of Fire. If they learned that Sasuke had gone with him, that would complicate things.

"Let's go."

Orochimaru turned to Sasuke with a smile.

"We don't want the wrong people hearing about this before we're gone."

But before the words even left his mouth—

Splash!

A water bullet burst from the trees!

Orochimaru's smile vanished. He raised his arm—but the water strike tore straight through it like a bullet!

"This is..."

His heart chilled.

This technique—he recognized it instantly.

The Water Gun Technique of the Hozuki Clan!

And its mastery far exceeded that of Suigetsu, the young Hozuki boy Orochimaru had once captured.

"Hahaha!"

Laughter rang from the forest.

"Kids these days... amazing."

The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, stepped out from the trees, scratching the back of his head as if embarrassed.

"I thought I'd nailed the ambush. Can't believe you're still alive."

"..."

There was no humor on Orochimaru's face.

Because he could already sense it—

This man... had been resurrected by Edo Tensei.

Which meant...

Someone else out there could use the technique!

"Alright then."

Gengetsu shrugged as Orochimaru stayed silent.

"Even if I didn't kill you in the ambush, the result of our fight won't change much... right?"

"Who is this guy?"

Sasuke asked instinctively.

"Youngsters these days don't even know me?"

Gengetsu puffed out his chest, stroking his mustache.

"This is what we call disrespect to our ancestors..."

"Second Mizukage... Gengetsu Hozuki,"

Orochimaru narrowed his snake-like eyes, his gaze deadly.

"But what I find even more curious..."

"Is who performed the Edo Tensei that brought you here?"

Because...

A legendary user of the Water Gun Technique, summoned with such precision, had to be someone important.

"Correct!"

Gengetsu dramatically gave Orochimaru a thumbs-up, then sighed.

"Too bad I can't tell you the second answer."

"But..."

"I've already guessed it."

Orochimaru's eyes locked onto Gengetsu, cold and dangerous.

"Kabuto... it's you, isn't it?"

He was certain now.

Aside from himself and Lord Shigen, the only person capable of mastering Edo Tensei to this extent... was his former assistant.

Especially...

A version this perfected.

Orochimaru's expression grew darker as he thought about that once-useless assistant who'd once trailed behind him, unable even to participate in real combat.

"No wonder..."

A cold voice sounded behind him.

But faster than that voice—

A blade!

A tall, bandaged figure appeared out of thin air behind Orochimaru—his sword stabbing clean through him.

"So it's you..."

Orochimaru spat blood, glaring at the attacker with contempt.

"Second Tsuchikage, Mu..."

"Kabuto..."

"You really were hiding a lot from me, weren't you?"

His eyes turned murderous.

"Did you think summoning two Kage with Edo Tensei gave you the right to betray me?!"

In the next instant—

Orochimaru's mouth opened wide.

Another Orochimaru burst from it!

"Summoning Jutsu!"

Using his body replacement technique, Orochimaru retreated to a safe distance and instantly summoned two coffins!

"My collection..."

"...isn't inferior to yours."

Thud!

Two coffin lids fell open.

And two figures stepped out.

The Fourth Mizukage, Yagura!

The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa!

During the Chunin Exam incident, Orochimaru hadn't used these two. He'd saved them—knowing they wouldn't have been much help against the resurrected Hokage.

But now...

They were just what he needed.

The battle dynamic shifted instantly.

Orochimaru plus two Kage versus Gengetsu and Mu—three Kage against two. And no one knew the Edo Tensei technique's flaws better than Orochimaru.

"My, my... such a vast collection, Lord Orochimaru,"

Mu's mouth echoed with Kabuto's voice, still full of mocking respect.

"Perhaps I moved too soon..."

"But..."

Kabuto's tone turned serious.

"The difference between Kage matters. Your two 'artifacts' didn't exactly perform well in life..."

Yagura was assassinated by Kisame.

Rasa? Orochimaru himself had killed him.

Meanwhile...

Mu and Gengetsu were true monsters—veterans of the Warring States era. The only mark against them was that they'd once lost to Shigen.

Then again...

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Everyone had lost to Shigen.

"Well then..."

"Let's test that theory in battle."

A mocking smirk crossed Orochimaru's lips.

He knew the gap between Kage.

But he had only summoned them as distractions.

The real force...

Was himself.

Because he understood Edo Tensei better than anyone.

And more importantly—

His ally was nearby!

Once Obito finished off Kakashi, he would be here any moment.

"Sasuke, stay back."

Orochimaru calmly raised his hand.

"You've already seen Lord Shigen's strength—but let me show you what a true Kage-level battle looks like. You don't get many chances like this."

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