Jiraiya: "Is Orochimaru being serious?"
Senju Tsunade: "Although the creature he just summoned isn't his strongest summoning beast, Manabu, it's not far behind. I didn't expect Orochimaru to be so ruthless against a teenager!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen: "I told you—Orochimaru was born this way."
Orochimaru felt a wave of frustration surge within him.
These people were blatantly lying through their teeth.
A teenager? Are they blind?
Can't they see I've been getting pushed back this whole time?
What now? Am I not even allowed to fight back?
---
"Naruto, be careful!"
At the same moment the Nine Tails warned him, the giant black snake summoned by Orochimaru lunged forward, its gaping mouth wide open and aimed straight at Naruto.
Reacting swiftly, Naruto infused his feet with lightning-nature chakra and leapt high into the air, barely avoiding the creature's massive jaws.
But the danger wasn't over.
With a chilling hiss, the black snake spewed a thick cloud of poisonous black gas.
A cacophony of bangs filled the battlefield as the surrounding shadow clones were instantly wiped out by the snake's toxic breath.
"So, what do you say now, Naruto? Do you need my power?" the Nine Tails asked, voice tinged with smugness.
Naruto slowly shook his head, eyes full of resolve.
"No, big fox. I haven't reached my limit yet."
The Nine Tails felt a pang of discomfort. What kind of person refuses offered power?
"Tch! If he starts relying more on his own strength, the sealing technique will weaken faster, and the chances of me escaping will increase!"
Naruto raised an eyebrow, clearly amused.
"You're really sly, Nine Tails. All this time, you acted reluctant when I borrowed your power, but deep down, you were enjoying it, weren't you?"
The Nine Tails was momentarily at a loss for words.
He'd been exposed.
That world reflected his true thoughts—and they weren't exactly flattering.
So much for building trust with a Jinchūriki.
Every time he lent Naruto his power, it was just to loosen the seal a little more. The goal was simple: escape.
Naruto: "What, cat got your tongue? Did I hit the nail on the head?"
Nine Tails: "Y-Yeah, yeah, you're the smartest. Now leave me alone! Go fight that Uchiha brat by yourself later!"
Naruto's triumphant smirk froze in place.
Wait... I have to face Sasuke alone?
He looked across the battlefield at Sasuke, who stood empowered by Orochimaru's cursed seal.
Without the Nine Tails' power, Naruto wasn't sure he could even compete.
He glanced up at the black screen above, muttering softly:
"If only... I could be as strong as him…"
---
Orochimaru, still standing atop his massive snake summon, made his next move—not toward Naruto, but toward Sasuke.
Knowing he had no way of combating a creature of this size and power, Sasuke didn't hesitate. He turned and bolted, with the snake hot on his heels.
He ran. It chased.
Just when it seemed Sasuke would be caught—
Naruto appeared.
Dressed in black, his figure flickered onto the battlefield like a bolt of lightning. In his hand was a swirling ball of chakra—except now, it had a razor-sharp edge added by wind nature transformation.
"Wind Style: Rasenshuriken!"
A high-pitched screech erupted from the technique as it launched straight at the snake.
The Rasenshuriken struck true.
The giant serpent's body was shredded, sliced apart by countless microscopic blades. Wounds burst open across its body, and the destructive force continued to expand.
Realizing the danger, Orochimaru made a quick decision. He leapt off the snake, abandoning it entirely.
"ARGHHHH!"
The snake let out an earth-shattering roar before it collapsed, lifeless, in less than three seconds.
Blood rained down from above, and the air filled with the putrid stench of the slain beast.
The monstrous snake had been reduced to a mangled pile of flesh—completely unrecognizable.
"He even learned how to change his chakra nature…" Orochimaru muttered, stunned.
It was impossible to defeat a black snake of that caliber with just a standard Rasengan.
This one, after all, was the illegitimate offspring of Manda himself.
Wanshe must never know about this.
Every time Orochimaru summoned Manda, the massive serpent demanded a human sacrifice in return. If Manda found out his own child had been butchered—by Orochimaru no less—he might never agree to work with him again.
Still reeling, Orochimaru heard Naruto's voice taunting him.
"Seems like you're really fond of Sasuke. Too bad for you, though—he doesn't like your type."
Orochimaru: "..."
Gritting his teeth, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes at the confident Naruto standing before him.
"Hmph. Looks like I've been underestimated by a brat like you."
"Now I'll show you the power of a Sannin!"
---
Orochimaru's form began to twist grotesquely as he transformed into a snake-like state, slithering with incredible speed through the forest.
Naruto stood still, eyes sharp, ears tuned to the faint rustling of leaves.
"As expected of one of the legendary Sannin. He's fast!"
He stayed vigilant, turning slowly, tracking Orochimaru's movement with every sense.
Suddenly—slash!
Without warning, a claw slashed across Naruto's face.
He staggered back, blood trickling from a fresh wound.
Even with his lightning chakra at maximum output, he hadn't been fast enough.
---
Sakura: "Naruto!"
---
Minato: "He's strong, but still not quite at Orochimaru's level…"
Orochimaru: "Hmph. Now do you see, Hiruzen-sensei? I'm not like that feeble old man you once were."
Hiruzen clenched his fists.
He knew deep down that Naruto likely couldn't defeat Orochimaru.
Still, watching this unfold, he couldn't help feeling disappointed.
Damn it. Can't someone just embarrass this snake for once?
As he lifted his eyes toward the black screen, something caught his attention.
A red chakra began to surge and swirl around Naruto's body.
"That… That's the Nine Tails' power!"
"And it's massive!"
"When did the Nine Tails become so generous?"
For the first time in a long while, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt his heart race with excitement.
Maybe—just maybe—with the Nine Tails' power, Naruto had a chance.
---
Uchiha Madara: "Oh? So he's finally drawing on the Nine Tails' chakra?"
Senju Hashirama: "That fox is indeed powerful. It's hard to say who will come out on top now."
Naruto: "But I used the Nine Tails' power in the Forest of Death before… and I still lost to Orochimaru, didn't I?"
Nine Tails: "You fool. That time, you only tapped into my chakra because you were mad. But this Naruto—he's receiving my chakra voluntarily. That's a big difference."
Naruto: "Then why don't you ever take the initiative with me?"
Nine Tails: "Why don't you train harder first? After all these years, your chakra reserves are still laughable. Reflect on that, Naruto."
Naruto: "…Tch."
---
Orochimaru, emboldened by his earlier success, didn't hesitate.
He opened his mouth wide—and from the depths of his throat, a snake slithered out.
And from that snake's mouth emerged a sword.
It was the Kusanagi Sword—legendary in the shinobi world as the sharpest blade known to man.
The sword shot forward, extending unnaturally fast, aimed directly at Naruto's heart.
But before it could strike—
A massive red chakra arm formed from Naruto's body and grabbed the Kusanagi Sword mid-air.
"Is that… the Tailed Beast Cloak?"
The crimson chakra wrapped protectively around Naruto, shielding him completely. The Kusanagi Sword—no matter how legendary—could not pierce the Nine Tails' chakra.
And because Orochimaru had expelled the sword from his mouth, he couldn't retract it either. He was stuck—completely exposed.
Naruto's lips curled into a confident grin, his eyes now glowing a deep red.
Another giant chakra arm formed beside the first.
Then, in the air above him, a massive Rasengan infused with Nine Tails chakra began to spin.
"Take this! Shugyoku Rasengan!"
---
To be continued…