"Perfect cooperation..."
Atop the rock wall, a hint of horror flashed through Chiyo's turbid eyes, which was immediately replaced by deeper madness.
The tacit understanding between that blond brat and the Kyūbi was simply inconceivable.
This definitely couldn't be honed in a short time, unless the Kyūbi accepted him from the very beginning.
How was that possible?
The relationship between Jinchūriki and Tailed Beasts had always been mutual hatred and devouring.
The so-called perfect Jinchūriki was someone who gained the Tailed Beast's approval during their interaction.
But this child was only five years old!
"He cannot be allowed to live."
"If he is allowed to grow up, Konoha will possess the most terrifying weapon in Jinchūriki history."
A thought surged in Chiyo's mind as she looked at the battlefield.
The remaining six puppets retreated steadily under Naruto's fierce attack, and Sunagakure ninjas lay scattered on the ground.
Baki tried to support with Fūton (Wind Release), but was smacked away by Naruto's tail, crashing into the rock wall, his life or death unknown.
Defeat was certain.
But Chiyo was unwilling.
She had lived for more than seventy years, experienced two Ninja World Wars, and personally trained a genius like Sasori of the Red Sand.
She would absolutely not lose to a five-year-old child.
Even less could she... lose to Hatake Sakumo's son!
"Since that's the case..."
"Then let's die together!"
The surprise in Chiyo's eyes had turned into ruthlessness at this moment.
Chiyo's hands suddenly changed seals. The Chakra threads no longer controlled the puppets, but connected to those fallen Sunagakure ninjas on the ground.
"Kugutsu no Jutsu: Shishin Kassei (Puppet Technique: Corpse Activation)!"
"What?!"
Kakashi's face changed.
He saw those Sunagakure ninjas who were originally lying on the ground with heavy injuries suddenly stand up mechanically.
Their eyes were hollow; Chiyo forcibly controlled their bodies with Chakra threads!
What was more terrifying was that the abdomens of these "living corpses" began to swell, and strange purple-black patterns appeared on their skin surfaces.
"That is..."
"Puppet Poison Bomb! She wants to self-destruct!"
Aburame Jun's insects gave him accurate intelligence immediately.
"Retreat fast!"
"Naruto, leave there!"
Kakashi shouted sternly while rushing towards Naruto.
But Naruto didn't hear.
Or rather, he heard, but his body wouldn't obey.
"Brat, something's wrong!"
"That old hag's Chakra has become very dangerous!"
At the same time, the Kyūbi's voice also exploded in Naruto's mind.
Hearing this, Naruto wanted to retreat, but his legs suddenly went soft.
Maintaining the One-Tail state for a long time was too much of a burden on a five-year-old body.
Worse still, during the battle just now, he accidentally inhaled some poisonous mist.
In Kyūbi Mode, he could tough it out.
But now, the Kyūbi's Chakra had begun to dissipate...
"Teacher... I..."
Naruto felt his vision blurring, and the red Chakra cloak on his body began to flicker unstably.
"Boom!"
The first "living corpse" exploded.
Purple poisonous mist exploded like a mushroom cloud, instantly covering a ten-meter radius.
Wherever the poison mist passed, vegetation withered and rocks corroded.
"Naruto!"
Kakashi gritted his teeth, his Sharingan spinning wildly.
"Doton: Doryū Jōheki (Earth Release: Earth Style Rampart)!"
He slapped his hands on the ground, and an arc-shaped earth wall rose around Naruto, attempting to block the poison mist.
But the poison mist was too corrosive; the earth wall was corroded through as soon as it rose.
"Fūton: Daitoppa (Wind Release: Great Breakthrough)!"
Morishita Tetsu formed seals to release Fūton, wanting to blow away the poison mist, but the effect was minimal.
"Mushi Gun: Kyūshoku (Insect Swarm: Absorption)!"
Aburame Jun's insects pounced on the poison mist, but died in droves upon contact.
The poison mist continued to spread.
The second, the third "living corpse" exploded in succession.
Purple poison mist almost covered half the battlefield.
Naruto knelt on the ground, the red Chakra cloak on his body completely dissipated.
He coughed up a mouthful of black blood, his vision blurry.
"Brat, hold on!"
The Kyūbi roared in the seal space, trying to transmit Chakra again, but Naruto's body had reached its limit.
"So... sorry, Kurama..."
"I... am too weak..."
Naruto's consciousness gradually scattered.
"Bastard! Don't sleep! That old hag is coming!"
The Kyūbi continued to roar.
Although this brat was weak, he was the Jinchūriki who treated him best in so many years.
Uchiha treated him like a beast at the drop of a hat, Mito completely suppressed him... and that madman Uchiha Kaze didn't respect his will at all.
Comparatively, this brat Jinchūriki was really decent.
"Jinchūriki brat, die!"
At this moment, Chiyo, having jumped down from the rock wall, held a poisoned kunai in her hand and stabbed straight at Naruto's throat.
"Don't even think about it!"
Kakashi exhausted his last bit of Chakra, turning into a streak of lightning to block in front of Naruto.
"Puchi!"
The kunai pierced Kakashi's left shoulder, and the poison spread instantly.
He groaned, but firmly grabbed Chiyo's wrist.
"Sharingan · Genjutsu!"
The Three Tomoe spun wildly, trying to hold Chiyo back for even a second.
But Chiyo was prepared; she closed her eyes, fighting solely on Chakra sensing.
"Useless, Hatake Kakashi."
"All of you will die here today."
The sneer on Chiyo's face had turned into madness as she drew a second kunai.
Kakashi wanted to dodge, but the toxin had already eroded half his body, rendering him immobile.
He closed his eyes.
Father, sorry...
"Clang—!"
The crisp sound of metal collision.
But the imagined severe pain didn't come.
Kakashi opened his eyes.
He saw a slender, pale hand clamping the poisoned kunai with two fingers.
The owner of the fingers stood between him and Chiyo.
The black clan robe was spotless in the poison mist, and scarlet Mangekyō gazed calmly at Chiyo.
"That's about enough."
Uchiha Kaze's voice was very light.
Light as a feather.
But Chiyo felt like she was crushed by a mountain.
Not aura, not Chakra.
But... space itself was solidifying.
"You..."
Chiyo wanted to speak, but found she couldn't even open her mouth.
Everything around stood still.
The poison mist stopped spreading, the shockwaves of the explosions froze in mid-air, even the wind stopped.
Only Kaze could still move.
He released his fingers, and the poisoned kunai fell to the ground with a clang.
Then, he raised his hand.
Five fingers spread open, facing those still-expanding "living corpses" around.
"Amenoshinra · Spatial Stripping."
As his five fingers clenched, all those corpses about to self-destruct were swallowed by space.
The poison mist also disappeared along with them.
The battlefield returned to calm.
Except for the puppet fragments all over the ground and the fallen Sunagakure ninjas, it was as if that fierce battle just now had never happened.
Chiyo stared wide-eyed, her turbid eyes trembling.
What kind of method was this?
This person in front of her... exactly who was...
However, Chiyo no longer had the chance to continue thinking.
Black flames had already swallowed her.
"Can you still move?"
As Chiyo was burned to death, Uchiha Kaze turned around and looked at Kakashi.
"Barely..."
Hatake Kakashi forced himself to stand up.
Looking at Uchiha Kaze who picked up Naruto, doubts in his heart grew uncontrollably.
Clearly, he was the guy who launched the rebellion and used Naruto.
But now... why behave like this?
Also... what was going on with Naruto's state just now?