A Transmigrator's Story in the Hyuga's Main Branch-Chapter 177: The Hyuga’s Defense: When Pride Meets War (6)

Hirayoshi reacted swiftly to the incoming attacks, utilizing a devastating combination of his Hyuga Rotation and gravitational abilities, which now fused with the mysterious white chakra coursing through him.

The sheer power of this fusion easily repelled the onslaught of Purple Flames and chakra-infused sword waves, sending shockwaves across the battlefield as he spun with perfect precision.

The rotational force, augmented by his gravitational control, created a barrier of repulsion that left Orochimaru and his Edo Tensei summons with no choice but to fall back.

Orochimaru's grin faltered as he realized the gravity of the situation—literally. Hirayoshi was advancing rapidly, his power seemingly growing stronger with every second, and Orochimaru knew Hiruzen and the others wouldn't arrive in time to assist. He had to act quickly.

With no other choice, Orochimaru commanded Izuna Uchiha to unleash his two most potent Mangekyo Sharingan abilities.

First, Izuna activated Amaterasu, summoning the black flames of inextinguishable fire that could burn through anything in their path.

The flames erupted toward Hirayoshi, seeking to engulf him. However, to Orochimaru's astonishment, Hirayoshi's gravitational manipulation stopped the flames in midair, halting their deadly advance.

With a mere flick of his wrist, Hirayoshi reversed the flow of gravity, sending the black flames hurtling back toward Orochimaru and his forces.

"Impossible!", Orochimaru hissed, his eyes narrowing in disbelief. Amaterasu had failed.

Next, Orochimaru signaled Izuna to activate Tsukuyomi, a powerful genjutsu that traps the target in a world of torment for what seems like days within a single second of real-time.

Yet, to Orochimaru's utter shock, the attempt also failed. Hirayoshi seemed completely unaffected by the Mangekyo Sharingan's illusionary world, as though his mind had a natural barrier against it.

Seeing no other option, Orochimaru, Kagami, and Izuna leaped back from Manda, dodging Hirayoshi's next assault.

The Hyuga Patriarch had already entered a fully empowered state, his white 'chakra mode' form with black markings enlarging his arms with raw energy.

His massive chakra-imbued limbs stretched out, aiming directly for Orochimaru. The sheer force behind the attack made Orochimaru's pulse quicken for the first time. The crushing weight of Hirayoshi's power was unlike anything he had ever encountered before.

Recognizing that he had to defend himself, Orochimaru's usual smug expression disappeared. He quickly decided to use his strongest technique for survival.

His body began to transform, the serpent-like features of his true nature emerging as he activated the Eight Branches Technique.

A massive, white, eight-headed serpent erupted from Orochimaru's body, towering over the battlefield with a size and strength that dwarfed most other techniques.

This form, known as Yamata no Orochi, gave him not only immense defensive capabilities but also the power to challenge even the most dangerous enemies head-on.

The enormous serpentine form roared as it collided with Hirayoshi's enlarged chakra-infused arms, and the clash of power shook the earth beneath them.

Orochimaru's gamble had paid off, at least for the moment, as the Eight Branches Technique bought him the time he needed to defend himself and recalibrate his strategy. Additionally, fortunately for him, Manda also successfully crawled back below and was directed to focus only on Hirayoshi's giant golem alongside Baku next.

However, just as Orochimaru transformed into his massive eight-headed serpent form, the rest of the Konoha forces arrived, rushing to join his exchange against Hirayoshi.

Inside, they were all taken aback at how quickly Orochimaru had been forced to use his strongest technique just to survive.

Hirayoshi's ability to also effortlessly repel and dismiss legendary shinobi like Izuna and Kagami Uchiha in their enhanced Edo Tensei forms was enough to send shockwaves through the Konoha forces.

The Hyuga Patriarch, standing calm and composed, seemed unfazed by their power, solidifying him in their minds as a threat beyond Kage-level.

But just as they were preparing to engage, Hiruzen suddenly froze, his instincts flaring. He barely had time to react before sensing the lethal presence of Sakumo Hatake, a key figure in the Anti-Hokage alliance.

In an instant, Sakumo had appeared behind Hiruzen, his famed White Light Chakra Sabre poised for a lethal strike.

Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock, realizing how close he had come to death without realizing that he had his entire life flashing in front of his eyes for a moment.

Fortunately, Mito Uzumaki had already sensed Sakumo's approach long before Hiruzen had. Her chains erupted from the ground, aiming to trap the Hatake prodigy before he could finish his attack.

But what came next left Mito stunned—Sakumo shifted his direction mid-strike with an inhuman fluidity, avoiding her chains entirely and retreating before anyone could react. The speed of his movement was staggering beyond anything Mito had anticipated.

She watched in disbelief as Sakumo utilized his combination of techniques with a precision that left no openings.

His "Samurai Step" technique, combined with lightning chakra surging through his leg muscles and wind release enhancing his mobility, allowed him to move unpredictably in any direction at blinding speed.

His mastery of the Body Flicker technique, paired with the first two inner gates being perpetually open, amplified his already deadly prowess.

He could rapidly change direction, appearing and disappearing like a shadow. His use of earth release to travel beneath the ground added another layer to his unpredictability, making him a nearly perfect assassin.

Sakumo's presence was overwhelming—his movements were so swift and erratic that even Mito, with her legendary sensory abilities, struggled to keep up.

Mito's thoughts quickly darkened as she realized the gravity of the situation, 'He's on the level of Tobirama Senju, maybe even faster... If I hadn't sensed him earlier, Hiruzen would already be dead. That speed... the way he maneuvers... it's like he's untouchable. How did Hiruzen manage to turn such a powerful figure into his enemy?',

Mito glanced at Hiruzen with a mix of disbelief and frustration, 'Instead of allying with the most powerful village leadership Hiruzen leads; he allied with the marginalized Hyuga and Uchiha instead... How did you let this happen, Hiruzen? How did you fail so miserably that someone like him would abandon the leadership of the village and side with the outcasts?'

In the distance, the clash between Hirayoshi and Orochimaru's enormous eight-headed serpent form continued to shake the battlefield. Orochimaru's gigantic body was slithered and coiled in a desperate attempt to keep Hirayoshi at bay, but the Hyuga Patriarch's attacks, empowered by his immense gravitational abilities and mysterious chakra, were relentless.

Sasuke Sarutobi, recognizing the danger, launched himself forward using his staff, which expanded to propel him through the air.

As he flew toward the battle, he conjured his signature Blue Flames Release, a rare and powerful fire technique, to bombard Hirayoshi from a distance.

The intense blue flames twisted and spiraled toward the Hyuga leader, forcing him to shift his attention away from Orochimaru momentarily.

Ashina Uzumaki, from the ground, sent his Adamantine Sealing Chains into the fray, their glowing lengths shooting forward to try and bind Hirayoshi. The chains crackled with energy, threatening to restrain the Hyuga patriarch's movements.

At the same time, Izuna and Kagami Uchiha, now fully under Orochimaru's control, leaped onto Orochimaru's massive form, using it as a platform to attack Hirayoshi in midair.

Izuna, with his Mangekyo Sharingan active, unleashed fierce sword strikes imbued with his unique magenta chakra waves, while Kagami supported with his lethal Purple Flames Release, sending bursts of violet fire into the fray.

Mito, standing below, gritted her teeth as she assessed the situation. Despite her own reservations about Hiruzen's leadership, she couldn't let the Hyuga Patriarch overpower their forces.

Her chains, already poised for battle, extended even further as she decided to join the fight, sending them hurtling toward Hirayoshi with renewed determination.

However, even as she moved to help, her attention and many of her chains remained divided. She had to keep tabs on Sakumo Hatake, whose rapid, unpredictable movements posed a constant threat.

His sudden appearances across the battlefield were like blinding flashes of light, a deadly force that could strike at any moment. Mito knew that if she let her guard down for even a second, Sakumo could exploit that opportunity to attack Hiruzen or any of their key allies.

'This battlefield is madness... every second counts...', Mito thought, her focus locked onto both Hirayoshi and the elusive Sakumo.

However, Mito also noticed something strange. Ashina, despite his considerable power as the strongest Uzumaki patriarch in history, didn't seem to be giving his all.

Just as she was about to 'reprimand' him, her eyes widened in sudden realization. A portion of Ashina's chains had discreetly wrapped around Sakumo, and in an instant, Ashina launched himself toward the elusive swordsman with calculated precision.

Mito nodded, a sense of relief washing over her. Ashina seemingly hadn't been holding back out of resentment toward Konoha after all.

Instead, he had used his superior Uzumaki sensing abilities—far greater than her own—to track Sakumo's lightning-fast movements and catch him off guard.

She recognized now that both Ashina and Sakumo, formidable in their own right, would be evenly matched. Ashina's quick action neutralized a critical threat, leaving her and the others to focus fully on the Hyuga Patriarch.

With renewed resolve, Mito propelled herself into the air using her chains, joining the others who were already engaged in the fierce aerial battle with Hirayoshi.

As her chains extended toward the Hyuga leader, glowing with power, she prepared herself for the fight ahead.

The sheer intensity of Hirayoshi's chakra was overwhelming, but with Ashina handling Sakumo and the others focused on Hirayoshi, she believed they might just stand a chance.

However, just as Hiruzen had prepared to join the others in the fight against Hirayoshi, his senses screamed a warning, this time more on time.

His eyes widened in alarm as he detected another powerful presence moving toward him with remarkable speed.

A sudden wave of freezing cold energy washed over him, chilling him to the bone. Instinctively, he used his staff to propel himself backward, narrowly avoiding the attack.

Stunned, Hiruzen quickly searched the battlefield for the source of the frigid energy, and then he saw her—a figure moving effortlessly through the chaos with deadly precision.

It was Hinome Hyuga, the 17-year-old elusive prodigy of the Hyuga clan. Her presence was unnerving, her chakra radiating strength, vitality, and an unusual frost-like quality that Hiruzen had never felt from a Hyuga before.

Hinome's expression was cold and focused, and her movements swift, graceful, and lethal. In terms of battle style, she didn't resemble the typical Hyuga warrior.

There was something more refined, something dangerous about her aura that made even the seasoned Hokage feel a sense of unease.

The once elusive prodigy had finally made her entrance onto the battlefield, and her sheer speed and unique chakra presence indicated that she was not to be underestimated.