"Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!"
Just as Manda forced Gamabunta back once more, Jiraiy, who is standing atop the toad's head, shouted out the Ninjutsu's name.
Gamabunta immediately spewed a torrent of oil, while Jiraiya followed up with a blast of fire. The moment the oil met the flames, it ignited into a colossal fire dragon, surging forward with devastating force.
If this attack connected, putting out the flames wouldn't be easy.
"Triple Rashomon!"
Orochimaru wasn't about to be outdone. With a swift Summoning Technique, three massive gates erupted from the ground, blocking the fiery onslaught.
Meanwhile, Manda took advantage of the obscured vision to burrow underground, slithering toward Jiraiya like a ground dragon.
"Below us!"
Gamabunta reacted instantly, driving its massive tanto downward just as Manda burst from the earth. The blade clashed against the snake's fangs, but Manda's tail coiled around from the opposite side, attempting to ensnare them.
"Ninja Art: Wild Lion's Mane Technique!"
Jiraiya's white hair, reinforced with Chakra, hardened like steel, lashing out to wrap around Manda's tail. The razor-sharp strands sliced deep gashes into the snake's scales.
"Now!"
Orochimaru suddenly slithered out from Manda's mouth, his own tongue morphing into a snake that lunged at Jiraiya.
He would've loved to pull off his signature 'Snake-Spits-Man, Man-Spits-Snake, Snake-Spits-Sword' combo, but since the Kusanagi Sword had been stolen, he could only settle for [Hidden Shadow Snake Hands[.
Left with no choice, Jiraiya retracted his hair, weaving it into a protective armor around himself.
"Ninja Art: Needle Jizo!"
Orochimaru's tongue was cut directly and retracted again, but he showed no sign of frustration.
"You let your guard down, Jiraiya."
"What?"
Jiraiya was startled when he heard that, then turned his head as if he had noticed something.
Sure enough, in that direction, the First and Second Hokage, which were previously crushed by the Food Cart Destroyer Technique, had already regenerated, their bodies fully restored.
This was the true terror of the Impure World Reincarnation.
Even if the revived Ninja couldn't match their original strength, as long as the caster lived and their souls remained unsealed, their bodies could never be truly destroyed.
"Ninja Art: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
Countless vines erupted from the ground and walls, rapidly entangling Gamabunta and Jiraiya, attempting to immobilize them.
However, the First Hokage was not in his prime, and it took a lot of time just to perform such a Ninjutsu, so Jiraiya still had time to react after discovering it.
He immediately dispelled Gamabunta's summoning to avoid being trapped, then quickly ran to the other side.
'Damn it… Should I use Sage Mode?'
Jiraiya hesitated. After all, activating Sage Mode inside the village would cause even greater destruction.
Moreover, it takes some time for him to accumulate the Natural Energy to use the Sage Mode. In this case, it is questionable whether both himself and Hiruzen can hold on for that long.
Looking at Hiruzen, who was also forced to retreat under Danzo's 'reckless' offensive, Jiraiya grew increasingly anxious.
'If Orochimaru and Danzo weren't defeated soon, the village would still be in danger.'
With his mind made up, Jiraiya prepared to summon the two Toad Sages, Fukasaku and Shima, to assist him.
But at this moment, an intense sonic boom tore through the air from afar.
From such a distance, everyone could only see a tiny dot rapidly growing larger as it closed the gap between them at an unbelievable speed.
Around the figure, the air seemed to explode outward, forming visible shockwave ripples.
Boom!
Before anyone could react, Manda's head was struck as if pierced by a spear, slamming straight into the ground.
The impact cratered the area in front of the Hokage Building.
The First and Second Hokage, who had only been revived less than five minutes ago, were once again reduced to fragments before they could even dodge.
Even Hiruzen and Danzo, who were still locked in combat, were sent flying by the shockwave, forcing them to pause their battle and regain their footing.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru's body was reduced to a mangled, unrecognizable mess in the attack. After Manda suffered a fatal injury and was forcibly unsummoned, Orochimaru's remains splattered back onto the ground.
However, this 'mere fatal injury' was nothing to Orochimaru.
You could say Orochimaru wasn't the strongest in combat, but you could never say his survival skills were lacking.
The pile of flesh soon split open again, as if shedding skin, and a female version of Orochimaru with a brand new look emerged from it.
This was the original appearance of Orochimaru's current vessel.
"Naruto-kun, you arrived much faster than I expected."
Orochimaru said in his usual eerie tone.
From the depths of the crater, Naruto slowly stood up, brushing off the dust and debris before leaping effortlessly to Jiraiya's side.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of you later."
Naruto pointed a finger at Orochimaru before turning to Jiraiya and nodding toward Hiruzen's direction.
"Jiraiya-sensei, who's that guy fighting old man Third?"
With Naruto's arrival and his overwhelming strike that took down Orochimaru's summon, Jiraiya's previously sinking mood lifted.
Back when he had taught Naruto the Rasengan, he had already sensed something extraordinary about the kid.
But he never expected Naruto to be this strong, and also made such a dramatic entrance.
"That guy? That's Danzo Shimura. A scheming old bastard."
"So, he and Orochimaru are behind all this?"
"Pretty much."
Jiraiya wasn't entirely clear on the details yet, but he had pieced together most of it.
"Alright, so he's an enemy too."
After getting Jiraiya's affirmative answer, Naruto vanished from his spot again.
Then, a fist imbued with Armament Haki struck Danzo before he could react.
Danzo, stubborn as ever, took the punch to the face without a sound, his body sent flying.
Naruto then used Moon Step to pivot mid-air, appearing behind Danzo at an even faster speed.
Grabbing the back of Danzo's head, he slammed him straight into the ground.
Though the sequence seemed long, the entire exchange took less than two or three seconds.
Looking down at Danzo, who was now buried headfirst into the earth with only his legs sticking out, Naruto dusted off his hands.
"All done. Old man, you really got beaten up bad-"
"Naruto, watch out!"
Hiruzen suddenly exclaimed, but his reminder seemed a little slow.
Danzo had already reappeared right beside Naruto.
But he didn't attack immediately.
The reason is very simple, because at this moment, sealing marks have begun to appear on Naruto's body.
[Self-Cursing Sealing Technique]
It is a Forbidden Technique that required physical contact to implant the seals into the target's body.
During the brief moment of 'invincibility' granted by Izanagi, Danzo had successfully marked Naruto with the seal.
Danzo knew that Naruto's movements were now restricted, and even his Chakra would be difficult to use.
"I should have killed you a long time ago, Uzumaki Naruto."
Now that there is one more person who knows the truth, Danzo, who has gone completely crazy, no longer cares about the life or death of the Jinchuriki.
'Just die already!'
'This was the perfect chance to settle old and new grudges at once.'
"Fortunately, it's not too late now."
As he said that, Danzo pulled out a kunai and thrust it toward Naruto's throat.
Clang! Snap!
The first sound was the kunai striking Naruto's neck.
The second was the kunai breaking.
"…Hmm?"
"…Eh?"