Orochimaru and Kabuto lingered at the outskirts of the battlefield, far enough not to draw attention, yet close enough to watch every movement.
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, the gleam of the Sharingan reflection dancing in the lenses. "Lord Orochimaru, it looks like Sasuke-kun has the advantage. As expected."
Orochimaru's tongue slid across his lips, amusement curling at the edges of his smile. "Heh… only because Naruto-kun hasn't shown his true hand. Let's see how long Sasuke can keep that lead."
He had studied Naruto closely before, even if never in a true battle to the death. From what Orochimaru had observed, Naruto's strength already sat at a level most villages would consider a nightmare—elite jōnin at minimum, teetering toward the domain of the Kage. And that was without fully accounting for the Nine-Tails sealed within him. If Naruto learned to harness Kurama's chakra… Orochimaru's eyes gleamed hungrily. His power might even eclipse the Hokage themselves.
Still, for now, Naruto was holding back. Without Sage Mode, his current strength danced between jōnin and elite jōnin. Against Sasuke, who had already reached the threshold of a quasi-Kage, Naruto's disadvantage was real.
If Sasuke pushed his cursed seal into its second stage, his strength would climb even higher. Orochimaru knew Sasuke's abilities down to the smallest detail—he had cultivated him, after all. But knowing Naruto… Orochimaru suspected the real battle hadn't even started.
Kabuto tilted his head, watching the dust swirl as Sasuke kicked Naruto across the field.
"Is this all you've got, Naruto?" Sasuke's voice rang out, sharp and mocking. His expression twisted with irritation as he stalked forward. "A minute ago, you were acting so high and mighty. Is this the extent of your strength?" He narrowed his eyes. "What's wrong? Don't tell me you can't even manage a shadow clone anymore."
Blood dripped from the corner of Naruto's mouth as he rose, brushing it away with the back of his hand. Despite the sting in his ribs, his lips curved into a smirk.
"Heh… You think a scratch like that means you've won?" His eyes hardened, the old warmth gone, replaced with a steel edge. "Who gave you that confidence, Sasuke?"
Inside, Naruto's mind was racing. Damn it. Splitting off the Nine-Tails earlier drained more out of me than I wanted to admit. And Sage Mode… I can't use it yet. Not until they're ready.
Far away—thirty miles by his estimation—four shadow clones sat hidden in quiet corners of the land, bodies motionless as they absorbed the flow of nature's energy. Each one was preparing to enter Sage Mode, storing the power until Naruto needed it most.
But it came at a cost. With four clones maintaining the process simultaneously, Naruto's body couldn't create any more without breaking their concentration. If even one of those clones was disrupted, all their efforts would crumble.
It was a risk—but one Naruto deemed worth it. He had chosen four for insurance; when the time came, just one of them dispersing would instantly flood him with Sage Chakra.
Until then, he had to hold out on his own.
Sasuke's eyes narrowed into cold slits. "If that's all you've got… don't blame me for what comes next."
Lightning crackled in his palm, the sound of a thousand birds screaming at once. "Chidori."
Naruto mirrored him, extending his right hand, chakra swirling with a familiar roar. "Rasengan!"
Both sprinted forward, feet digging into the cracked earth, trails of raw energy tearing across the ground behind them.
"RAAAH!"
"HAH!"
The Rasengan and Chidori slammed together, a blinding sphere of blue and white colliding in the center of the battlefield. The sound was deafening—like thunder splitting the sky. The ground beneath them fractured, veins of earth bursting outward from the impact.
Boom!
The force threw both boys back, their bodies tumoring across the stone.
But Sasuke recovered first. His Sharingan whirled, three tomoe spinning rapidly, and with a flick of wire hidden in his sleeve, he jerked his fall into control. In an instant, he was back on his feet, Kusanagi already gleaming in his hand.
He lunged.
The blade cut through the air, aiming straight for Naruto's gut.
From the sidelines, Sakura gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "Naruto!"
Yamato and Sai tensed, horror flashing across their faces. If Sasuke landed that strike, there would be no chance to save him.
Kabuto leaned forward, eyes shining. "Is this it? Has Naruto finally been—"
But Orochimaru only smirked, his tongue flicking out in anticipation. No… not yet.
Sasuke's grin twisted with cruelty as the tip of his sword neared Naruto's stomach. "I win, Naruto."
Naruto's eyes, however, blazed with something else entirely. His voice was low, steady. "It's done."
Sasuke froze. "What—?"
Miles away, one of Naruto's hidden clones dissolved into smoke, the gathered nature chakra instantly rushing back to the original. The power surged into Naruto's body like a tidal wave, filling every vein with raw, overwhelming force.
His eyes sharpened, orange pigmentation marking his face. Sage Mode.
The shift was instant.
Before Sasuke's blade could pierce him, Naruto moved. His fist shot forward, faster than Sasuke's Sharingan could fully track.
Sasuke's eyes widened. He dodged—just barely, leaning his head aside. Naruto's fist whistled past, the knuckles missing by inches.
And then the real strike hit.
"Frog Kumite."
An invisible force slammed into Sasuke's face, a blow carried not by flesh but by the very air around Naruto's fist. The impact cracked like thunder.
CRASH!
Sasuke's body was hurled backward, flying hundreds of meters before slamming into a stone cliff. The wall shattered, rock fragments exploding outward as his body struck.
From their vantage point, Kabuto's eyes widened, his voice trembling. "What—what just happened? Naruto's punch… it didn't even connect! So how…?"
Beside him, Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, tongue curling out as he studied the battlefield with rare intensity. He knew many things—he had dissected the curse seal, stolen from the First Hokage's cells, even experimented with Sage arts in Ryūchi Cave.
And yet, even he could not fully grasp the technique he had just witnessed.
"Fascinating," Orochimaru murmured. "So this is Uzumaki Naruto's true power…"