"Let's make this quick, then! Edo Tensei!"
The battle between Orochimaru and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi, had reached a fever pitch.
Meanwhile, Kazama, transformed into the Two-Tails, Matatabi, was absolutely dominating the fight against the One-Tail, Shukaku. It was a one-sided beatdown.
Matatabi's power was already greater than Shukaku's, and with Kazama's own strength added to the mix, it only took a few moments for Shukaku to be pummeled into retreat.
"What the hell kind of monster are you?! One second you're me, the next you're Matatabi!"
Even Shukaku, fearless as it was, felt a chill of terror toward Kazama.
Kazama, however, didn't even acknowledge Shukaku's shock. His priority was clear: take down Shukaku fast and go help the Third Hokage.
"Tailed Beast Bomb!"
Kazama, still in Matatabi's form, opened his massive jaws. A Tailed Beast Bomb, even stronger than Shukaku's, formed in an instant. With one blast, Shukaku was sent reeling back to its original form, sealed once again inside Gaara.
Seeing Shukaku return to Gaara's body, Kazama reverted to his human form.
"Get Gaara back to Sunagakure, now!"
At Kazama's command, Kankuro and Temari—who had previously doubted him—nodded furiously like pecking chickens. They were utterly stunned by Kazama's string of jaw-dropping feats.
"Haha! How's it feel, Sensei Sarutobi?"
Orochimaru cackled wildly as his Edo Tensei-summoned First and Second Hokages overwhelmed the Third, forcing him into constant retreat.
"Damn it!"
Caught off guard, the Third Hokage was knocked to the ground by the First Hokage's Wood Release. Before he could recover, the Second Hokage's Water Release came crashing in.
Though known as the "Professor of Ninjutsu," the Third was no longer in his prime. His stamina had waned with age, and against the relentless assaults of the First and Second Hokages, he was clearly outmatched.
"Enma!"
Desperate, the Third summoned Enma, the Monkey King with a diamond-hard body.
"Hold Orochimaru back! Don't let him control the First and Second any longer!"
"Heh, Sensei Sarutobi, you think a single monkey can stop me? Delusional!"
Orochimaru spat out a Kusanagi Sword, sharper and stronger than ever. Even Enma, with his indestructible body, winced in pain from its strike.
"No one's coming to save you, Sensei Sarutobi. My Shishienjin (Four Violet Flames Formation) is the ultimate barrier—no one can break through from the outside!"
"Susanoo!"
Just as Orochimaru boasted about his invincible Shishienjin, Kazama arrived, his Complete Body Susanoo towering over the battlefield. With a single swing of its massive sword, the so-called "ultimate barrier" was sliced apart like paper.
"Kazama, you bastard!"
Humiliated by the instant destruction of his barrier, Orochimaru was livid. Realizing Kazama's arrival meant Shukaku's defeat, he knew he was out of his league. Even a Tailed Beast couldn't stop Kazama—Orochimaru didn't stand a chance.
The mere sight of Kazama brought back memories of the Death Forest, where Kazama had hit him with an Amaterasu Thousand Years of Death. Orochimaru still felt the sting of that attack, a decade's worth of pain in his backside!
"Stop him!"
Orochimaru ordered the Edo Tensei First and Second Hokages to hold Kazama back while he prepared to flee. But against Kazama's Complete Body Susanoo, even two Hokages were no match.
"No offense, you two!"
In an instant, the First and Second Hokages were reduced to nothingness by the Susanoo's sword, wreathed in otherworldly flames.
"Trying to run? Leave the Kusanagi Sword behind first!"
With a single swipe of the Susanoo's massive hand, Orochimaru's right arm—still clutching the Kusanagi Sword—was snapped off. Then, Kazama landed another Susanoo Thousand Years of Death.
Orochimaru, drenched in cold sweat from the pain, spammed dozens of Body Flicker Techniques to barely escape with his life.
Truth be told, Kazama hadn't intended to kill Orochimaru. After all, Orochimaru would eventually redeem himself and play a key role in reviving the past Hokages to fight Uchiha Madara. For now, Kazama spared him.
Plus, Kazama knew Orochimaru's arsenal of forbidden jutsu could be useful. He was already planning to bring Orochimaru under his control, especially with the Akatsuki—his next, even tougher opponent—looming on the horizon.