Whatever Kadaj had struck him with only seemed to worsen with time. Orochimaru could feel his strength being slowly sapped away, but it was no cause for real concern just yet. He was powerful, and it would take some time for that nasty little trick to start to cripple him.

He suspected that was what Kadaj was counting on.

He neatly avoided Nnoitra's weapon, both coming and going, and leapt back to put some space between them again so that this time they wouldn't be able to interrupt him. Not even Nnoitra with that blasted sonido.

He completed the jutsu, and sent an army of black mamba forth. Their fangs probably wouldn't bother Nnoitra, but they'd keep Kadaj busy while Orochimaru dealt with his partner. He needed to split them, and deal with one at a time.