Manda's massive vertical pupils contracted into a thin line from extreme terror, fixated on the Tailed Beast Ball that was continuously condensing before him, emitting destructive fluctuations. He could clearly feel the terrifying energy contained within it, enough to completely erase his colossal body from the world! The shadow of death clutched his heart tightly.
"Woooooah—!!!" He let out a terrified and futile shriek, struggling with all his might, trying to break free from his restraints. However, in the face of Naruto's exquisite Sealing Jutsu, which could even suppress Tailed Beasts, all his struggles seemed so pale and powerless.
"Orochimaru! You bastard! Quickly release this great one's Summoning Jutsu! Hurry!!!"
Manda finally panicked completely, letting out a desperate roar, no longer caring about the dignity of a powerful being.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru was in an equally dire situation. Having used the Snake Substitution Jutsu repeatedly, his already scarce Chakra was almost depleted, and his body was in an extremely weakened state. How could he not want to immediately release the Summoning Jutsu?
Manda, as the strongest summoned beast in his possession, required a hundred living sacrifices each time he was summoned. For him, with his numerous sources of "test subjects," this was merely a "somewhat troublesome" consumption of resources.
But right now, there was only one way to forcibly release the summoning—to forcibly override or break the Eight Trigrams Sealing Style placed on Manda with a Sealing Jutsu mastery far superior to Naruto's.
For his current state, this was an impossible task.
And the reason for Naruto's murderous intent towards Manda was simple and direct—living sacrifices.
Orochimaru doesn't have cloning technology yet... Originally, when Orochimaru and Danzo Shimura were in cahoots, in order to create Wood Release Ninja, they secretly kidnapped sixty innocent infants as test subjects, engaging in human trafficking. In the end, only one child miraculously survived.
In the past, when Orochimaru still bore the title of "Sannin" and fought on battlefields, he could use enemy Ninja to satisfy Manda's appetite, which could barely be covered up as "acts of war"... But now, with Orochimaru completely fallen, where else could the "sacrifices" he provided to Manda come from?
"Boom—!!!!!"
The Tailed Beast Ball, at an extremely close range, squarely hit the center of Manda's massive head! Destructive energy instantly erupted, completely engulfing Manda's entire head and even a small portion of his body!
Manda couldn't even let out a desperate wail. His hard skull and scales instantly vaporized and disintegrated before the absolute power of the Tailed Beast Ball! The terrifying explosion's shockwave spread wildly outwards in a spherical shape, pulverizing everything in its path—soil, rocks, and trees!
However, Naruto noticed that around him, golden Chakra automatically condensed again, forming a solid phantom of a fox head, steadily blocking the violent aftershocks generated by the Tailed Beast Ball explosion.
He hadn't actively controlled it... The only one who could do that was that tsundere big guy.
When the smoke and chaotic energy of the explosion slowly dissipated, all that remained where Manda had been coiled was a huge, charred, shocking crater. Scattered at the edge of the crater were some charred and broken remnants of large bones from the snake's tail.
The weakened Orochimaru was sent flying by the terrifying aftershocks of the explosion! Of course, before firing the Tailed Beast Ball, Naruto had already created a Shadow Clone to take Gaara, who was nearby, to a safer, more distant location.
"Bang!"
Orochimaru's body crashed heavily into the trunk of a giant tree before he finally stopped. He struggled to his feet again, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, looking utterly disheveled. When was the last time he was in such a sorry state? He had almost forgotten the feeling.
However, before he could catch his breath, there was a flash of golden light before his eyes! Naruto's main body closed in again!
"Bang!"
Another heavy blow landed on his shoulder, and the immense impact sent him flying backward uncontrollably again, slamming him hard onto the ground.
Orochimaru raised his sinister eyes, glaring intently at the approaching Naruto. However, even at such a desperate juncture, no despair or fear showed in his eyes.
As long as... the inheritor of the Cursed Seal still existed, his soul could be reborn in a new vessel... he would not truly die! This was his biggest trump card. Moreover, it was still far from the point where he needed to fully rely on that fallback.
"Old Man! Found him! Here, that Orochimaru guy has been subdued by Naruto!"
Just then, a familiar and loud voice came from the forest not far behind.
Naruto turned to look. He saw Jiraiya pushing aside bushes, pointing excitedly towards them. Closely following him was a solemn-faced Hiruzen Sarutobi.
It seemed the earth-shattering explosion of the Tailed Beast Ball earlier had drawn them here.
Naruto turned his head, his eyes once again locking onto Orochimaru, "Don't worry, I won't kill you."
This statement clearly startled Orochimaru.
Of course, Naruto not killing Orochimaru was not out of mercy or compassion. On the contrary, it was because he knew that with Orochimaru's methods of self-preservation, the guy was highly likely to resurrect through the Cursed Seal in another vessel, and then he would only hide deeper, which would be troublesome.
Therefore, the safest way was to keep him "alive" but strip him of all ability to resist or do evil. First, completely seal him, and then... find a way to use the power of those Mangekyo Sharingan to fundamentally alter his will!
"I will seal you away." Naruto took a step forward, his voice cold, "Don't even think about escaping. Even if you hide at the ends of the earth, with this, I can find you."
His gaze swept towards Orochimaru's shoulder—there, a Flying Thunder God Mark, unique to him, was clearly branded.
Realizing that he was at the end of his rope, Orochimaru slowly, somewhat unsteadily, stood up. However, to everyone's surprise, not only did he not show despair, but beneath his lowered head, the corners of his mouth slowly stretched upwards, forming an extremely eerie arc.
"The Old Man placed great hopes on you, even wanting you to become Hokage..."
Orochimaru's voice carried a strange excitement, and this bizarre statement not only made Naruto frown, but also stunned Jiraiya and Third Hokage, who had slowed their pace behind him due to Naruto's decision not to kill.
"But, I will now completely sever that unrealistic wish of his!"
"Uzumaki Naruto!"
Orochimaru suddenly raised his head, screaming at Naruto in front of him, his snake-like eyes burning with almost insane excitement.
"Why do you, an ordinary civilian Ninja, possess such astonishing talent in Space-Time Ninjutsu and Sealing Jutsu?!"
"Why did you become the Nine-Tailed's vessel?!"
"Why has no one even told you who your deceased parents are?!"
This series of questions made Third Hokage's expression suddenly change!
"Stop talking!"
Third Hokage shouted sharply, rushing towards Orochimaru recklessly!
"There is only one answer!" Orochimaru completely ignored Third Hokage's attempts to stop him, his voice becoming even more shrill with excitement.
"Shut up!"
Jiraiya also instantly understood his intention, his face turning ashen as he rushed forward with him, attempting to intervene.
Amidst the chaos and shouts, Orochimaru used his last ounce of strength to make his declaration.
"Uzumaki Naruto! Because you are—the biological son of Fourth Hokage Minato Namikaze, who sacrificed himself to protect Konoha and seal the Nine-Tailed!!!"
"Whoosh—!"
The moment his words fell, several brilliant golden chains instantly shot out from behind Naruto, precisely and swiftly wrapping around Orochimaru's body layer by layer, firmly restraining him!
However, in that last moment before the chains tightened, the expression of shock, bewilderment, sadness, or disbelief that Orochimaru had expected to see on Naruto's young face did not appear.
All he saw was a calm expression. As if what he had just revealed was a fact already known.
After forming the last hand seal, Naruto, expressionless, simply pressed his palm, adorned with sealing runes, onto Orochimaru's chest, where he was bound by chains and unable to move.
"Eight Trigrams Sealing Style!"
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