The weight of the chakra amalgamating in Naruto's hand could be the reserves of a chuunin on its own. That sheer mass had just slammed into a century-old tree, tearing it off its roots.
Orochimaru felt a frown form on his face. Getting hit by that wasn't going to be fun.
It was then.
Vwhoom!
A paw, with Fuinjutsu markings coated on flesh of sand, slammed into the area where Orochimaru stood.
'Hiding in Surface Jutsu!'
With Naruto's fist assailing him from the side, and Gaara's extension of Shukaku's hand from above, Orochimaru was left with nowhere to run but down.
Into the crumbling tree bark.
Seeing this, Suguru's eyes flashed.
The way Orochimaru melded with the material was almost artistic — chakra flowing seamlessly as he became one with the wood.
Naruto's hand had torn through the ancient tree with devastating force, while Gaara's sand paw crashed down with enough power to pulverize stone. Yet Orochimaru had slipped between their attacks like water through fingers.
Suguru admired this, his silver eyes gleaming. 'Orochimaru's evasion skills are even more impressive in person.'
He would have to learn that jutsu soon.
—Vwoop!
The battle escalated as Orochimaru emerged from the ground behind Naruto, his elongated neck stretching unnaturally.
Tatsuya's Sharingan flared to life, tracking the movement before Orochimaru could strike. With practiced precision, Tatsuya formed hand seals and unleashed a breath of flames
'Fire Release: Great Fireball Jutsu!'
The sheer heat melted the fake skin on Orochimaru's body, forcing Orochimaru to abort his attack.
Unfortunately for the Sannin…
Gaara's sand surged forward in waves, attempting to ensnare him. Orochimaru danced between the tendrils, his body contorting in ways that defied human anatomy. Each movement was calculated, each evasion perfect.
No bones existed in that jelly-like form.
"Naruto, behind you!" Tatsuya shouted as Orochimaru's tongue lashed out like a whip.
Naruto spun, kunai in hand, slicing through the extended appendage. Orochimaru hissed in pain but seemed more amused than injured.
"Such coordination," Orochimaru chuckled. "How interesting that two jinchuriki would work together so effectively."
Suguru's clone reported movement in the periphery — Anko was circling around, preparing to join the fray.
The battlefield was becoming increasingly complex, a bunch of powerful shinobi converging on a single point.
What about him? The examination proctor?
Gaara's sand formed a protective barrier around Sasuke's unconscious form while Mitsuko and Sakura retreated to a safer distance.
Suddenly.
—Woosh!
The sand around Gaara shot forward as long spikes of impaling death, forcing Orochimaru to leap high into the air.
It was exactly what Naruto had been waiting for.
Suguru saw the terrifying quantity of chakra built up in a split second. A flash of red burst out of the jinchuriki as he yelled out his jutsu.
"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" he shouted.
The next thing Suguru knew was that an army of clones had been summoned into existence. They populated the branches, the ground, and almost every tree trunk in the area.
It was an army a thousand strong.
"…"
Some had even appeared beside the observing Suguru.
"…"
Suguru's clones and Naruto's clones stared at each other for a moment.
"…I'm the exam proctor. Don't mind me, Naruto-nii~"
Naruto's clones nodded and joined their army, approaching Orochimaru at terrifying speeds, with some parts of their limbs coated in the Partial Version 1 Jinchuriki Cloak.
Although it wasn't a complete Version 1 transformation… to face a thousand such fists and kicks wouldn't be fun.
It would tear any shinobi apart.
Luckily, Orochimaru was one of the Sannin.
'Summoning Jutsu!'
Another huge mass of chakra had been kneaded in an instant. This time, it wasn't Naruto, but Orochimaru summoning Manda into the Forest of Death.
Seeing such a large snake, Gaara was about to transform as well.
However, Naruto's voice echoed into existence.
"No! Let me handle this."
—Bite.
Naruto slammed his hand down.
'Summoning Jutsu!'
The same mass of chakra that Orochimaru used was a mere breath to someone like Naruto.
Thus.
—BOOM!
—BOOM!
Gamabunta appeared, crushing the old branches all around him, standing before an old friend.
Suguru watched in awe as the two massive summons faced off. Gamabunta's enormous form dwarfed the trees around him, while Manda's serpentine body coiled menacingly, ready to strike.
"So, Orochimaru, you've summoned me for this?" Manda hissed, his forked tongue flicking out. "I expect a hundred sacrifices for my trouble."
Gamabunta drew his tanto, the massive blade gleaming in the filtered sunlight. "Jiraiya's brat, eh? Never thought I'd be fighting alongside you so soon."
"Let's go, Toad Boss!" Naruto yelled, and a war cry resounded throughout the area.
Suguru's gaze was thus drawn to the thousand-strong army of Naruto clones swarming around the battlefield, with each palm holding a swirling concentration of chakra.
"…That's not fair,"
Suguru's brow twitched at the sheer display of chakra quantity. Each clone forming a Rasengan?
What monstrous chakra was this?
"Now!" the original Naruto commanded.
Like a tidal wave of orange and blue, the clones surged forward.
Hundreds of Rasengans slammed into Manda's scales, the grinding chakra tearing through the serpent's defenses. Manda's pained hiss echoed throughout the forest as chunks of his flesh were ripped away by the relentless assault.
—Flash!
—Boom!
Gamabunta seized the opportunity, powerful legs propelling him through the canopy in a single bound. His tanto slashed downward, aiming for Manda's head during his descent.
However…
The Forest of Death was the perfect terrain for a snake.
Manda's body twisted unnaturally, weaving between massive tree trunks and ancient roots with impossible flexibility. What should have been a killing blow merely grazed his scales as he disappeared into the dense foliage.
"Damn it!" Gamabunta growled. "He's using the terrain!"
Orochimaru's laughter echoed through the trees as his hands formed seals at blinding speed.
'Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!'
A devastating gust tore through the forest, dispelling hundreds of Naruto's clones in an instant and forcing Gamabunta to brace against the onslaught.
Suguru observed Gaara, who had encased Sasuke in a protective cocoon of sand. The redhead's face remained impassive, but his eyes tracked every movement, ready to defend against any attack.
Truly, the impenetrable defense that even the original had.
Meanwhile, Tatsuya crouched on a branch, Sharingan active, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. His hands hovered near his kunai pouch, muscles tensed like a coiled spring.
He was weaker in brute strength compared to the two jinchuriki. However, that didn't mean he had zero lethality.
Beside him, Mitsuko and Sakura kneaded their chakra. With the ongoing battle, the time would come when Orochimaru would lack the chakra to break a collective Genjutsu.
Suddenly.
'Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!' Orochimaru heaved a massive breath.
Multiple dragons of flame roared through the forest, setting the canopy ablaze and forcing everyone to scatter. The heat was so intense that Suguru could feel it even from his observation point.
Furthermore… this combination hinted at something more dangerous.
Suguru's eyes flashed.
Perhaps it was time to intervene.
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