Chapter 111: You Are a Good SisterShukaku's mood was terrible—so terrible he wanted to die.He had put in a massive effort, finally managing to coax Gaara into using the False Sleep Technique, which at last granted him a brief moment of freedom.Who could have guessed that after being happy for less than a few minutes, that incredibly annoying bastard would appear before his eyes—Kurama!This guy, who relied on having nine tails to boast that a Tailed Beast's strength was linked to its number of tails and looked down on him, was enough to make a whole day's good mood vanish with just a single glance.But the most infuriating thing was that before he could even make a move, that bastard Kuramastruck first, charging forward with a roar.Clearly, the innocent Lord Me should have been the one to strike first!However, Shukaku was now speechless.Because the Nine-Tailed before him was completely unreasonable; every attack was aimed at dismembering him!Just after he roared twice, the Nine-Tailed seized the opportunity and tore off one of his arms.Facing such a troublesome and disgusting enemy, Shukaku could only grit his teeth and struggle with all his might.But it wasn't very effective.The Nine-Tailed's Chakra capacity was indeed staggering, and it actually managed to suppress Shukaku.Using its two front paws, it pinned Shukaku down firmly.At the same time, it opened its massive maw, biting into Shukaku's body and tearing chunks of him away one by one.Of course, Shukaku was not entirely without the power to fight back.The ground for several kilometers around him had already been transformed into a desert.Under Shukaku's control, countless sands surged forth, covering the Nine-Tailed's body.On the outer layer of the sand were cursed markings similar to the patterns on Shukaku's own body.Those were patterns with sealing properties, and the sealing techniques of Sunagakure were developed based on them.He only needed to completely envelop the Nine-Tailed to seal this annoying fellow!Shukaku fantasized about his revenge in his heart, failing to notice a flash of cunning in the Nine-Tailed's ferocious eyes."The Eight Trigrams Seal has only loosened this much; I can only take over the body for a short time!""Naruto's mind is in a state of rampage. Once I lose control of the body, he will be sealed by a conscious Shukaku!""In that case, I'll burst out all my Chakra at once and weaken Shukaku to the same level as me!"Having made up its mind, Kurama did not hesitate, opening its mouth as wide as possible and biting down hard on Shukaku's fat belly.A scorching aura gathered in its mouth, forming an extremely high-density sphere of Chakra.Shukaku soon noticed this as well, and a flash of panic crossed his monstrous, ferocious face.A Tailed Beast Ball!He immediately saw through the Nine-Tailed's intention and began to thrash around frantically.If he were hit in the abdomen by the Nine-Tailed's Tailed Beast Ball, although he wouldn't die, his Chakra would suffer a terrifying weakening.In that situation, Gaara's Chakra would come into play and suppress his consciousness back down.He couldn't lose the freedom he had worked so hard to gain just like that.In the distance, Temari swallowed hard, realizing that the battle between the two giant beasts had suddenly become violent.The area that had been razed to the ground was now completely insufficient.They bit at each other, rolling into a ball, sweeping across the land like a force of nature.After a brief moment of terror, Temari finally snapped out of it and made the most correct choice—Flee!Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!Temari fled for her life in front, while the incarnations of the two Tailed Beasts shook the earth all the way, crushing and destroying the surrounding forest."This is the power of a Tailed Beast! From its appearance, the one fighting Shukaku should be Konoha's Nine-Tailed! But where did it come from? Where is Naruto?"As she fled, questions arose in Temari's mind.But immediately, she had no time to think.Because even Temari, who was not good at sensory perception, could clearly feel the violent Chakra fluctuations behind her.Something was coming!Thinking of this, Temari dared not delay at all and jumped down from the tree branch.Risking being crushed by the two Tailed Beasts behind her, she scrambled directly onto the ground, unfolded her fan, and shielded her head.Whir—Boom!A scorching aura swept past about a dozen meters above her head.Even so, Temari still felt a raging heatwave that almost baked her dry.Then, in the far distance, a massive explosion sounded.The earth shook violently, and the wind pressure from the distant explosion swept in, nearly blowing the prone Temari away.After about ten seconds, Temari finally climbed up from the ground, her head spinning and her vision blurred.When her vision finally cleared, she was shocked to find that the lush forest that had been before her had been halved by force.No! To be more precise, half of it had evaporated!Only half-trunks of trees remained standing, forming a massive ravine of timber that stretched for over ten kilometers!Temari couldn't spare the time to be shocked by the wondrous sight and hurriedly looked back at the two battling Tailed Beasts.At this moment, their state was not good either.Although Shukaku had deflected the Tailed Beast Ball at the last moment, letting it sweep past him to explode kilometers away, half of his body was still destroyed.The Nine-Tailed was in an even more wretched state; it couldn't even maintain its Tailed Beastform, and its originally solid body dissipated into nothingness."Hahaha! Lord Me won! You bastard!"Seeing this scene, Shukaku laughed shrilly and wantonly.However, Kurama gave a cold sneer: "Your next opponent is the truly dangerous one..."Along with its form, its voice quickly vanished.The pupils of the watching Temari shrank.Because in the center of the disappearing Nine-Tailed, a figure wrapped in a blood-red ChakraTailed Beast Cloak suddenly appeared.It was Naruto!"He is a Jinchuriki too?!"Temari finally realized, and at the same time, her heart leaped into her throat.The Nine-Tailed had dissipated, but Shukakuremained.That monster would certainly not let his enemy go!However, to Temari's surprise, the one who seemed unwilling to let the enemy go was Naruto!After the Nine-Tailed's consciousness was suppressed back by the Eight Trigrams Seal, Naruto's mind, which had been eroded by the Nine-Tails Chakra, returned, falling into a state of rampage.The Tailed Beast Cloak on his body also extended a third tail.At this moment, fangs grew in his mouth and his fingernails formed sharp claws as he lunged directly at Shukaku.Using both claws, Naruto was like a pangolin, drilling directly into Shukaku's body.Shukaku's Chakra was now sharply reduced, and he was already struggling to suppress Gaara; although he wanted to resist, he could no longer stop Naruto's actions."I... I'm not reconciled!"Finally, Shukaku let out a mournful cry, and his massive, towering body collapsed and scattered."Not good!"Temari realized something was wrong and immediately sprinted with all her might.Slash! Slash! Slash!Amidst the flying yellow sand, Naruto caught the powerless, falling Gaara after Shukaku collapsed and swung his claws at him repeatedly.Amidst the sound of flesh tearing, a large burst of blood erupted from Gaara's chest, and he was then heavily slammed onto the ground by Naruto.Wind Release: Hanging Net!Temari swung her giant fan, and a large area of net-like wind enveloped him.Naruto, who was about to continue his attack, had his attention drawn.He lightly raised his hand and with a casual strike, shattered the wind net directly.But in that brief moment, Temari caught up and blocked the way in front of Gaara.No matter how much she had feared Gaara before, her instinct as an older sister made her ignore her own safety and protect her brother with her life."Temari... quickly... get out of the way..."Gaara woke from the False Sleep Technique and saw the girl before him who, though delicate, was protecting him like a mountain. He spoke with a raspy voice.Swoosh!Temari didn't even have time to swing her fan before she was sent flying by Naruto.After crashing heavily to the ground, Temariendured the sharp pain and leaped up.Seeing Naruto trying to attack Gaara again, she grit her teeth and swung her fan.Wind Release: Wind Cutter!The wind blades that had easily severed the limbs of the Grass Ninja before hit Naruto's Tailed Beast Cloak, only causing his movements to pause for a moment, having no other effect.But Temari had already taken the opportunity to reach Gaara's side again, picking him up to turn and flee."Taking me, a burden... you will die too..."Gaara's voice was weak."Even if we die, I, your sister, will die before you!"Temari's eyes were wide, without the slightest hesitation.Feeling a foul wind approaching from behind, she suddenly turned around to face the nearing Naruto.Gaara slightly raised his head, looking at his sister who was prepared to die, and felt as if something inside him had shattered.If we're to die... let's die together...Gaara closed his eyes, but the expected pain did not come.He quickly opened his eyes again and found that Naruto's claw had stopped, less than three centimeters from Temari's heart."You..."Temari started to speak but hesitated.Naruto forced out a smile: "I told you, you're a good sister..."After saying that, he wobbled and fell to his knees.
Chapter 112: I Still Have Important Things to Do"I told you... you're a good sister."Naruto forced a faint smile onto his face, then his body went weak, and he collapsed onto one knee directly on the ground.Temari was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted: "Are—are you okay?""I'm fine, just a bit exhausted..."Naruto shook his head; although his voice was weak, his tone was relaxed and calm.As he spoke, he gestured with his chin toward Gaara: "You should worry about him first. I think I might have gone a bit too heavy-handed just now."Hearing this, Temari turned around and found that Gaara, whom she was holding, was in a critical state.The wounds Naruto had torn open on his body earlier were now gushing with blood.After realizing that Temari was no longer in life-threatening danger, the will he had barely used to support himself relaxed, and his head slumped as he passed out."Ah, Gaara!"Temari hurriedly placed him on the ground and pulled out emergency bandages and ointment from the ninja tool pouch at her waist.However, Gaara's injuries were far too severe; three claw marks on his chest extended from his left shoulder all the way to his right abdomen.The flesh was hideously turned inside out, and under the gushing blood, the ointment had no effect at all, and the bandages were quickly soaked through with blood.Temari busied herself for a while, but not only did Gaara's injuries show no sign of improvement, his breathing began to grow faint.Feeling his life slipping away, crystal-like tears welled up in Temari's eyes.She began to regret why she hadn't learned even a little bit of Medical Ninjutsu before.Even if it might not have worked, at least she wouldn't be as powerless as she was now.Just as Temari was blaming herself, a hand reached out."Naruto?"Temari was startled to find that after a brief rest, Naruto was actually able to stand up.Is this guy made of iron?Such terrifying vitality—even for the Uzumaki Clan, this is defying the heavens!Such a thought flashed through Temari's mind, and then she noticed Naruto pressing his palm against Gaara's chest.Buzz!A golden light was released from Naruto's palm.The blood gushing from Gaara's wounds also began to emit a golden glow.A strange rhythm surged from within Gaara's body. The wounds that had been losing massive amounts of blood now seemed to be sealed by something, and blood no longer flowed!"This is?"Temari's eyes widened.Naruto withdrew his palm: "I've helped him stop the bleeding, but he must receive treatment as soon as possible."Having finished speaking and having released his Hamon, he swayed slightly and began to fall toward the ground.However, Temari was quick and caught him in her arms.Holding Naruto's trembling arm, Temari felt her nose tingle: "Naruto, you... why did you do this? Clearly... clearly we Sunagakure are enemies who launched a surprise attack on Konoha, right?""You said before that there are no unbreakable alliances in this world, and I agree with that."Naruto smiled: "But I also firmly believe that just like the bond between you and Gaara, there are unbreakable emotions in this world. With these emotions as a foundation, even if Konoha and Sunagakure had a conflict today, perhaps tomorrow we can build a peaceful relationship. That is what I want to do...""The right thing!"Looking at his pale yet resilient face, Temari felt her vision blur with mist."During the first exam, you said that doing the right thing and eventually dying without regrets was your dream, right?""I'm surprised you still remember that." Narutocurled the corner of his mouth."All this time, I've been too weak, thinking that with my own strength, I couldn't change my father's thoughts or the Village's decisions," Temaribit her lip, "but if I had tried to resist, things might not have developed this way."As she spoke, she hoisted Gaara onto her back while also helping Naruto stand up."What are you doing?" Naruto looked at her in surprise."I'm going to take you both back to Konoha. Even though it might fail, I have to try to stop the Sand Ninjas!"Temari's voice carried an unquestionable determination."Can you manage?" Naruto glanced at Gaara, then back at Temari.The meaning in that look couldn't have been more obvious."Don't question my strength!"Temari gave him a threatening look....Temari wasn't joking.Although her strength was far inferior to Naruto's and Gaara's, when it came to traveling, she was quite formidable as a Wind Release Ninja.Even with two burdens like Naruto and Gaara, it only took Temari a short ten minutes to return to the outskirts of Konoha Village."Naruto!"Just as they arrived at the main gate, a pleasantly surprised voice called out.Hearing the voice, a smile appeared on Naruto's face, while Temari looked at the newcomer with some disbelief.Is this that girl named Karin? How did she change so much?Ever since the Third Hokage resolved her identity issues, Karin had been recuperating at Konoha Hospital.After a month, Karin's complexion was much rosier than before; she was no longer skin and bones, and she had even grown a few centimeters taller.No wonder Temari felt surprised upon seeing her."Naruto, what happened to you?"Seeing Naruto's weakened state, Karin rushed over in a hurry.The battle between Naruto and Gaara had taken place over a dozen kilometers away from the Village.But the final battle where the Tailed Beastmanifested was truly shocking, especially that Tailed Beast Ball from the Nine-Tailed, which was earth-shattering.Even while in the hospital, Karin had felt Naruto's Chakra fluctuations.Worried, she had immediately run out and followed her Chakra perception to find Naruto at the Konohagate."Get out of the way, I need to take them to..."Temari was about to push Karin aside to take Gaara and Naruto to the hospital, but then she saw Karin roll up her sleeves."Quick, bite me, Naruto!"Karin extended her fair, slender arm to Naruto.Temari was still confused, but Naruto, who understood Karin's ability, knew what she meant, yet he still hesitated: "Is your body okay?""Don't worry, after this period of recuperation, my body is already very strong!"Karin gave a reassuring smile and patted her chest.Temari was completely baffled and was about to ask a question, only to see Naruto lower his head and bite down on Karin's arm."Ah~~~"Karin blushed and let out a soft moan.What's going on? Could this be some kind of special play between the two of them?But what time is it now? They're actually playing this?Temari's face darkened, but before she could react, Naruto, who had been so weak he needed support just a moment ago, stood up with a glowing face.Naruto jumped a bit and stretched his body.Thanks to the influx of Karin's Chakra, he now felt his entire body filled with vitality."Karin, you lead the way and take Temari to Konoha Hospital. Gaara needs treatment as soon as possible."Having recovered his energy, Naruto turned back and gave instructions."What about you?"Temari and Karin asked in unison."I still have important things to do!"Naruto looked solemnly toward the direction of the arena.There, a purple barrier rose into the sky, standing like a giant beacon.
Chapter 113: The Elegance of the Konoha NinjaThe main stands of the arena.As feathers fell from the sky, a sudden change occurred.The Fourth Kazekage acted boldly, taking the Third Hokage hostage.The surrounding Anbu tried to step forward to stop him but were blocked by the Kazekage's two attendants.Although they were immediately cut in half and killed, that one second of delay was enough for the Kazekage to leap onto the roof with the Hokage.Then, four Otogakure Ninjas, who were already prepared, appeared and took positions at the four corners of the roof.Barrier Ninjutsu: Four Purple Flame Formation!A purple flame barrier rose into the sky.An Anbu member, unable to stop in time, crashed into it.With a scream, the Anbu member was instantly engulfed by the purple flames.The Konoha Anbu were blocked outside the barrier, left with no choice but to watch the situation inside."I didn't expect it to be you, Orochimaru."The Kazekage lifted his bamboo hat; seeing the familiar face beneath the veil, the Third Hokagecouldn't help but sigh.Orochimaru casually threw off his Kazekagedisguise: "A meeting between master and disciple after a long separation—you should at least act a bit moved, shouldn't you, Sarutobi-sensei?""I have no desire to offer you flowers, Orochimaru," the Third Hokage said, raising an eyebrow."No need," Orochimaru's voice was cold. "Because by tomorrow, the people of Konoha will be holding flowers as they visit your grave to pay their respects."At this, he sneered: "Of course, that's assuming Konoha hasn't been destroyed."Roar!!!Following Orochimaru's words, the terrifying roar of a ferocious beast erupted from the arena below."As expected, this day has finally come. You've eventually reached your dark hands toward the Village."The Third Hokage closed his eyes, his face showing regret and reluctance."This is just a whim of mine."Orochimaru replied with a smile."After all, Konoha's current weakness has exceeded my imagination. Destroying this Villageis just something I'm doing in passing."As he spoke, Orochimaru extended his long tongue and licked his lips.The Third Hokage frowned: "What do you mean by that?""Hehe, a mere Village can no longer limit my vision." Orochimaru raised his hand, gently placing his palm on his face. "I returned here only to complete my own immortal great work."*Rip...*Orochimaru tore off his face, revealing the delicate features of a woman.The Third Hokage froze, then goosebumps rose all over his body, and his voice trembled slightly: "Your forbidden jutsu succeeded?""That's right!" Orochimaru spread his arms as if welcoming glory from the heavens. "I have completed the immortality jutsu—[Living Corpse Reincarnation]!""By seizing the bodies of others to extend one's life, allowing one to exist in the world for a long time..."Recalling the experimental records of Orochimaruthat had been seized previously, the Third Hokageasked solemnly: "Which body is this for you, Orochimaru?""The second, I suppose." Orochimaru twirled a strand of hair with his finger, answering nonchalantly. "However, I've already selected my next vessel. I originally wanted to groom him into a form I like, but unfortunately, some issues seem to have arisen.""The one you're targeting is Uchiha Sasuke, isn't it?"The Third Hokage remembered that Sasuke had been given a Cursed Seal by Orochimaru, and it was the Heavenly Cursed Seal, just like Anko's.Thinking of this, he couldn't help but sigh with regret: "I should have killed you back then."Eleven years ago, Orochimaru's forbidden human experiments were exposed.It was the Third Hokage who led the Anbu in a raid on Orochimaru's laboratory.Unfortunately, due to a moment of soft-heartedness, he failed to stop Orochimaru, allowing his prized disciple to escape.Ever since discovering Orochimaru's trail during the second exam, the Third Hokage had been blaming himself for his previous mercy."You indeed lost the chance to eliminate me."Orochimaru shrugged in admission, while sticking the face skin back on, returning to that gloomy and cold face."The current me still maintains peak physical condition and strength. Compared to you in your old age, there is already a world of difference."Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!The Third Hokage didn't intend to waste words.While throwing a Shuriken, he quickly formed hand signs.In an instant, a deluge of Shurikens rained down.Orochimaru, however, was unhurried. He bit his finger and slammed his palm onto the ground.Summoning Jutsu: Edo Tense!*Swish!*A coffin abruptly emerged from the ground in front of Orochimaru, followed immediately by a second one.*Thud thud thud!*A series of sounds rang out as the two coffins acted like shields, blocking the sky full of Shurikens.Seeing this, the Third Hokage's expression changed slightly, but after observing for a second while holding his breath, he breathed a small sigh of relief."Fortunately, the third person wasn't summoned!""The third one didn't come out, huh? Well, no matter. These two are enough!"Following Orochimaru's voice, the lids of the two coffins fell with a creak.Two familiar figures appeared before the Third Hokage—"It's been a long time, First Hokage-sama, Second Hokage-sama..."The Third Hokage gave a bitter smile: "I didn't expect us to meet under these circumstances."...When Naruto returned to the Village, he found that all of Konoha was in a state of chaos.The Sunagakure and Otogakure Ninjas, who were well-prepared, launched attacks throughout the Village.The Konoha Ninjas reacted quickly, immediately engaging the enemy in a chaotic melee.The battle between the two sides was intense, with smoke rising from all parts of the Village.Seeing the corpses of Ninjas from both sides scattered along the road, Naruto's expression grew increasingly grim.From Temari, he had already learned that Kazekage Rasa had chosen to cooperate with the Otogakure and attack Konoha under the strong instigation of Orochimaru.So ultimately, it was all Orochimaru's fault!Naruto gritted his teeth, increasing his speed even more.Any Sunagakure or Otogakure Ninjas he encountered on the road were basically taken down in a single encounter.After spotting a familiar figure, Naruto quickly came to a halt."This is bad..."Looking at the two enemies wearing Hidden Sound Village headbands in front of her, Kurenai Yuhithought to herself that things were looking grim.After clearing out the enemies in the arena, except for the Anbu guarding the perimeter of the Four Purple Flame Formation to prevent emergencies, the Konoha Ninjas rushed to other battlefields to support the areas under attack.As a Jonin, Kurenai Yuhi was one of the team leaders, leading several Chunin to the battlefield near the Konoha Gate.The operation went very smoothly at first, as they basically dealt with all the enemies blocking their path.But the good times didn't last long, as Kurenai Yuhi's squad soon encountered a troublesome enemy.The person was wearing Konoha Anbu attire and seemed to be in a hurry to leave the Village for some urgent matter.Kurenai Yuhi felt something was wrong, so she stopped the individual.Little did she expect that the guy, seeing the situation was unfavorable, would directly launch a bold sneak attack.The Chunin had no power to resist and were easily killed by the opponent.Kurenai Yuhi barely managed to react; although the sneak attack landed, she successfully escaped.That person seemed to be in a great hurry, so he didn't pursue her and instead left quickly.Even so, Kurenai Yuhi was not out of danger.Because she soon discovered that after taking a palm strike from that person, her body had actually started to go out of control!No, to be precise, her body's control system had become scrambled.If she wanted to move her feet, her hands would move; if she wanted to move her hands, her head would tilt...When it rains, it pours.Just as Kurenai Yuhi was trying to adapt to this situation, two Otogakure Ninjas appeared before her."Misfortunes never come singly..."Watching the two enemies gradually approach, Kurenai Yuhi sighed.Although after some effort she had become roughly familiar with her scrambled body, her strength was significantly compromised as a result.Even though the opponents were just two Chunin, they had pushed her into a desperate situation.Her beautiful, expressive eyes seemed to be stung by the sharp blades in the Otogakure Ninjas' hands, and she couldn't help but squint slightly.In this moment of mortal danger, Asuma's figure flashed through Kurenai Yuhi's mind.But another figure somehow appeared in her heart as well."Even at a time like this, what am I thinking about?"Kurenai Yuhi gave a self-deprecating smile, then her gaze sharpened as she looked at the enemies: "Come on!"As a Konoha Ninja, even in death, one cannot simply wait to be slaughtered but must show their elegance!
Chapter 114: I'm Going by Air"Come on! You small-fry from the Otogakure!"Despite her lack of proficiency in controlling her body, Kurenai Yuhi showed no signs of cowardice.She forced herself to stand up, gripping a Kunaiwith a reverse hold.The two Otogakure Ninjas exchanged looks.They had also noticed that this beautiful KonohaJonin before them appeared to have very uncoordinated movements, as if she had suffered some kind of injury.As Orochimaru's subordinates, these two Otogakure Ninjas were not the type to show any mercy to the fairer sex.So, without hesitation, they drew Kunai from the tool pouches at their waists and rushed forward.Clang, clang, clang—Kurenai Yuhi brandished her Kunai, parrying several attacks.But with just one lapse in concentration, her weapon was knocked out of her hand by her opponent.She took a step back, feeling the solid wall behind her, her teeth clenched tight.Was she going to die here?What a shame; she had only recently been promoted to Jonin.But even if misfortune was about to strike, she wouldn't let these two bastards have it easy!Kurenai Yuhi took a deep breath, preparing to circulate her last bit of Chakra to use Genjutsu: "Let me show you—even in death, a Konoha Ninja will not just stick their neck out for the slaughter!"Clap, clap!Just then, a burst of applause rang out."Who's there?"The two Otogakure Ninjas looked back toward the source of the sound, but no figure appeared."You know? I once heard a saying from an elder."A young boy's voice sounded, followed immediately by intense pain.With a dull thud, the two Otogakure Ninjas were bypassed without any ability to resist, slammed into the wall behind them, and their heads slumped as they fell unconscious instantly."The greatness of humanity is the greatness of courage; the hymn of humanity is the hymn of courage."Kurenai Yuhi looked up and saw Naruto appearing before her, slowly offering a smile."That's why I think you're a great Ninja.""Stop acting like an adult with me, kid!"Kurenai Yuhi's mouth twitched as she scolded him loudly in dissatisfaction.However...She tilted her head, looking at the two defeated Otogakure Ninjas.Although these two were only Chunin, their strength was not to be underestimated.To think Naruto had dealt with them in a single encounter; it seemed his strength had reached at least the level of a Special Jonin, or perhaps even higher!Luckily I'm not in the same class as this guy, otherwise I'd be crushed by the gap!"Luckily I'm not in the same class as this guy, otherwise I'd be crushed by the gap!"Naruto's voice came through at that moment, giving Kurenai Yuhi a start.Then she felt a hand grab her arm, helping her up."You were thinking that just now, weren't you, Kurenai-sensei?"Seeing the astonished Kurenai Yuhi, Naruto spoke with a half-smile.In this situation, even if I really thought that, I can't admit it, you brat!What on earth does that little girl Hinata like about him? He's not cute at all!"I did not!"Kurenai Yuhi denied it loudly, while simultaneously raising her fist to try and prove she didn't have such thoughts.But she forgot that her nerves were still in a state of disorder.So, when Kurenai Yuhi tried to raise her arm, it was her head and neck that moved instead.And then...Mmph?!Naruto hadn't expected Kurenai Yuhi to lean in either; unable to dodge in time, he felt his teeth and lips collide with her surprisingly elastic red lips.The two of them stared at each other wide-eyed, only reacting after a moment.Naruto took a step back, seeing Kurenai Yuhi's fair, pretty face turn red at a visible speed.The resilience she had shown when facing death without yielding transformed in an instant into the look of a terrified young girl."Ahem," Naruto cleared his throat awkwardly, "Kurenai-sensei, is there something wrong with your body? Otherwise, with your strength, you wouldn't have been unable to beat even these two guys.""Uh... hehehe, you're right."Kurenai Yuhi, whose mind had been a mess, snapped out of it, realizing Naruto was trying to de-escalate the awkward atmosphere, and immediately replied with a forced laugh.As she spoke, she controlled her still-inflexible body, turning slightly to feign composure: "Some bastard attacked me earlier. He seemed to have a special ability that threw my body control into disorder, which is why..."Recalling that brief exchange just now, Kurenai Yuhi calmed down quite a bit, a look of relief flashing across her face: "Fortunately, that guy didn't seem to have much fighting spirit and didn't pursue me, otherwise I would have died there."Naruto placed a hand on Kurenai Yuhi's shoulder, using Hamon to sense her: "Is that so? Disordered body control? It must be that your nerve signals were disrupted; there seems to be a strange Chakra residing in your central nervous system.""Is that it? Well, I'll be able to adapt to this situation soon," Kurenai Yuhi said with a confident expression. "After all, I am a Jonin, this kind of thing..."Before she could finish, Naruto injected Vibration Release Chakra into Kurenai Yuhi's body.With just a slight vibration, the Chakra that had been disrupting Kurenai Yuhi's nerve signals was directly eliminated."Eh? I've recovered?"Kurenai Yuhi moved her limbs and was surprised to find that she could control her body normally again.She quickly turned her gaze to Naruto, only to find him looking back at her: "By the way, what's the situation over at the arena? You were there earlier, Kurenai-sensei, why did you come over here?"...After a brief exchange, Naruto quickly understood the intelligence Kurenai Yuhi possessed."The enemy Ninjas in the arena have been cleared out, but Orochimaru disguised himself as the Kazekage and took Third Old Grandpa to the roof to fight?""Orochimaru even summoned the corpses of the First Hokage and Second Hokage to fight, putting Third Old Grandpa in a bitter struggle?""The place where they're fighting is protected by the enemy's Barrier Jutsu, and the buildings below are doubly protected by a barrier and the First Hokage's Wood Release, making it impossible to break through, so people can only watch from the outside?"Kurenai Yuhi stood up and stretched her body: "In short, we are currently helpless regarding the situation inside."Naruto nodded, then turned serious: "Can I ask a favor of you?"Seeing him like this, Kurenai Yuhi was still a bit unaccustomed to it, her face flushing slightly: "What is it?""Among the Hidden Sand candidates, there's one named Kankuro. Since he was knocked out by Nejiearlier, he should still be in the arena's infirmary. His sister Temari is on our side and is stopping the Sand Ninjas' actions, so I hope you can go there and protect Kankuro's safety."Naruto's words startled Kurenai Yuhi: "Temari? Although I don't know how you got hooked up with her, she's only a Genin, right? What ability does she have to make the Sand Ninjas stop?""Temari's father is the current Kazekage. Moreover, Gaara, who was the Sand's trump card, is heavily injured, and Baki, the Sand's commander, has also been knocked out. Her identity is very useful now," Naruto explained."I see, I understand. Leave everything to me!" Kurenai Yuhi nodded in agreement, then asked curiously, "What about you? Your combat power will also be a major asset in Konoha's counterattack.""I'm going to the arena too, but I'm going by air!""Flying?""Yeah!"Naruto nodded heavily, then looked toward the clearly visible Four Purple Flame Formation in the distance.When Kurenai Yuhi left, Third Old Grandpa's condition was already not very good.If it dragged on any longer, something bad would likely happen.In that case...Summoning Jutsu!Naruto slapped the ground, summoning a large, purplish-red toad over ten meters tall."Gama-gyotsu! Go over there, top speed!"Naruto leaped up and stood on top of Gama-gyotsu's head."Right!"Gama-gyotsu replied in a booming, muffled voice.Its muscular frog legs crouched down, then exerted force like springs.Boom!The ground beneath it cracked extensively.Gama-gyotsu soared into the sky, crossing a distance of several hundred meters in an instant, heading toward the arena.
Chapter 115: Flying Over the BarrierWhoosh, whoosh, whoosh—The gale surged violently.Naruto stood atop Gama-gyotsu's head, crossing a vast distance in an instant.The fiercely surging airflow felt like a blade, scraping against his face.But Naruto didn't care at all, his gaze rapidly scanning the various battlefields below."What is that?"Sakura sent an enemy flying with a punch; looking at the massive shadow passing overhead, she couldn't help but look amazed.Because she possessed a certain talent for Genjutsu, she hadn't been affected by the large-scale illusion in the arena earlier.At Sakura's active request, she had been assigned to the squad led by Might Guy to support other battlefields."A toad? It looks familiar; could it be that gentleman? Excellent!"Might Guy recognized this iconic summoned beast, and joy flashed in his heart.As he spoke, he turned to look at his disciples fighting nearby: "It seems the victory of this war will ultimately belong to our Konoha. Keep it up, don't let your youth down!"Neji and Tenten exchanged a look but didn't speak.Rock Lee answered loudly, "Yes, Guy-sensei!"Before his voice had even faded, Rock Lee's momentum soared into the sky.Eight Gates! Fourth Gate: Gate of Pain, Open!His speed exploded, his skin flushed red, and he radiated a blistering heat.Rock Lee was like a hot wind, racing through the streets, leaving a trail of defeated enemies behind him."Well done, Lee!" Might Guy cheered loudly.Lee looked back, revealing a flash of bright white teeth.Then he looked down at his fists, and Naruto's figure unconsciously flashed through his mind."This power exists to protect the things that are important.""The old me was foolish to the extreme, easily using it for battles against my comrades!""Luckily Naruto beat some sense into me. Now that I've found the precious things I want to protect, I can finally use this power in the right way!"...Naruto withdrew his gaze, feeling slightly more at ease.At that moment, after a series of continuous leaps, Gama-gyotsu had crossed nearly half of Konoha in just a few dozen seconds, arriving near the arena."It's Jiraiya-sama's summoned beast! Could it be that Jiraiya-sama has returned?"Seeing that giant toad, one of the Anbu guarding the area—wearing a dog-faced mask—recognized its identity."One of the Sannin, Jiraiya-sama? That's great!"The other Anbu were all pleasantly surprised.After all, some time had passed since the Third Hokage was trapped inside the Four Purple Flame Formation.The situation inside was obscured by the Reanimated First Hokage's Wood Release; they couldn't see the situation at all from the perimeter.Now that Jiraiya had arrived, perhaps the deadlock could truly be broken.However, to their disappointment, after Gama-gyotsu landed, the person who jumped down from its head wasn't Jiraiya, but Naruto, whom they all knew.The dog-masked Anbu stepped forward to ask: "Eh? Why are you back? And why do you have Jiraiya-sama's toad with you?""Jiraiya? Ah, I've been training with him for the past month."Naruto came before the Four Purple Flame Formation and raised his palm. "Third Old Grandpais inside, right?""Careful!"An Anbu member hurriedly tried to stop him.But his words were a step too late; Naruto's palm had already pressed against the surface of the Four Purple Flame Formation.Several Anbu turned their heads away, unable to bear the sight, seemingly having already foreseen Naruto's fate.Because everyone who had tried before had been turned into charcoal by the flames upon it.Boom!Naruto was forced back half a step by the counter-shock, but the Four Purple Flame Formation also rippled because of it.He's okay? How did he do it?The Anbu members stared with wide eyes in surprise and gathered around.Naruto's brow was locked tight as he shook his hand.Noticing the questioning looks in the eyes of the gathered Anbu, he explained: "This is the Vibration Release I developed. Although it has the ability to disperse Chakra, it currently still needs to be used through bubbles as a medium."Speaking to this point, Naruto sighed: "However, the flames of this barrier really counter my bubbles, so causing that much of an impact just now is my limit.""I see."The dog-masked Anbu shook his head, his voice dropping low."What's the situation inside now?" Naruto moved his shoulders.The cat-masked Anbu said crossly, "That doesn't have anything to do with a Genin like you, does it?""Tanikawa, go guard over there," the dog-masked Anbu barked a reprimand, then proceeded to tell Naruto the situation they had observed earlier."Third Old Grandpa's life force has become weak; it seems the two Hokage have caused him a lot of trouble."Naruto nodded after hearing this and leapt back onto Gama-gyotsu's head."What are you going to do?" the dog-masked Anbucouldn't help but ask."I've checked; the height of the Four Purple Flame Formation is about a hundred meters. I can try to flip over it." Naruto pointed toward the sky."Huh? Even with the toad's help, that's impossible, right? It's too high!" The dog-masked Anbufrowned."How will we know if we don't try?"Naruto smiled, then knelt on one knee, his palms pressed against Gama-gyotsu beneath him. "Are you ready?""Of course!"Hearing the muffled reply, Naruto poured Hamonwildly into Gama-gyotsu's body.Under the enhancement of this strange vibration, Gama-gyotsu felt his body fill with power, and he kicked off hard with both legs.Boom!The giant toad soared into the sky.Several Anbu shielded their eyes with their hands, looking in shock at the gargantuan object in mid-air."Not good! The toad's momentum has run out at about eighty meters high!""Naruto has jumped! Using the power of the toad beneath his feet, he can go even higher!""Even if his Taijutsu is great, he can't clear a height of twenty meters, can he?"Indeed, even with Taijutsu as strong as Naruto's, he couldn't leap twenty meters in one go.Using all his strength, he only jumped fifteen meters, still five meters away from the top of the Four Purple Flame Formation."Is he going to fail?""No! Look at his hands, a colorful light is coming out!"Under the dog-masked Anbu's direction, the group saw Naruto's palms facing downward, as a large mass of colorful bubbles condensed and emerged from his palms.Pop, pop, pop, pop!Accompanied by a series of crisp bubble-popping sounds, Vibration Release Chakra erupted.Relying on the reaction force, Naruto forcibly propelled his body several meters higher.Seeing that he had already exceeded the maximum height of the Four Purple Flame Formation, the Anbu members were instantly excited.However, the smiles on their faces lasted for less than a second.Because just now, the Four Purple Flame Formation actually shot up a section higher!"Hehe, did this kid really think we didn't notice him?"As one of the maintainers of the barrier technique, Kidōmaru of the Sound Four wore a wicked expression.Even though this sudden increase had pushed the Four Purple Flame Formation to its limit,facing an extra twenty meters, Naruto absolutely could not flip over it!After all, those bubbles just now had exhausted the Vibration Release Chakra he had just refined.It was too late to refine more Chakra on the fly!But facing this abrupt change, Naruto's expression remained normal, and he casually pulled out a dozen explosive tags from his tool pouch.They were all burning; clearly, he had prepared them in advance.Boom!Amidst the black smoke in mid-air, Naruto was thrown upward, tracing a graceful arc."He succeeded!"Amidst a chorus of cheers, Naruto cleared the Four Purple Flame Formation and began to drop downward.At the same time, he bit his finger and slapped the air.Ninjutsu: Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique!
Chapter 116: Run If You Don't Want To DieNinjutsu: Summoning Jutsu: Stall-Crushing Technique!A loud poof echoed.A large cloud of white smoke exploded in mid-air.But immediately, a terrifying wind pressure struck, scattering the mist.Orochimaru, below, felt the sky darken and looked up.A colossal entity appeared overhead, almost completely filling the space above the Four Purple Flame Formation.The sunlight from above was completely blocked by its massive size, as if it had turned dark."Hey, kid, what is this place?"As soon as Gamabunta appeared, he realized he was plummeting rapidly.After glancing downward, his expression changed slightly, and he roared loudly.Although summon beasts are always thick-skinned, being summoned from over a hundred meters up just to be dropped was definitely not a pleasant experience!Naruto stood on his head, pressing both palms against Gamabunta's skin, pouring Hamon into him as if it were free."Lend me your size, Gamabunta! Smash that place below to pieces!"Hearing Naruto's loud shout, Gamabunta looked down carefully and realized that beneath his feet was a tangled, twisted forest of trees.That was created by the Reanimated First Hokageto guard against attacks from above.Previously, the Anbu on the perimeter had tried to use Summoning Jutsu to summon clay from above the barrier to support the Third Hokage inside.But their methods were all blocked by the Reanimated First Hokage in this way."Heh, trying to clear the battlefield this way?"Orochimaru sneered, instantly seeing through Naruto's plan.After all, he was very familiar with Jiraiya and was no stranger to this move.Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence!Under Orochimaru's control, the Reanimated First Hokage clapped his hands, and the already lush forest grew once more.The rapidly growing trees were like a giant hand, twisting, curling, and spreading open to form a complex, intricate net.Seeing this, Gamabunta drew the short blade from his waist, turned his body, and descended at an even faster speed."The Darkness Jutsu has faded?"The Reanimated First Hokage shifted his attention to use Wood Release against the enemy above, causing the darkness that obscured the Third Hokage's vision to fade.Although confused, he didn't slow down, immediately retreating a few steps while swinging the Monkey King Enma staff in his hand to repel the approaching Reanimated Second Hokage.Then, the Third Hokage, agile as a monkey, swung through the trees using both hands and feet, disappearing from the Reanimated Second Hokage's sight.Although the Reanimated First Hokage's Wood Release destroyed the Third Hokage's Earth Release, it also transformed the battlefield into a layout very suitable for the Third Hokage's movements.If not for this, the Third Hokage probably wouldn't have lasted long under the joint attack of the two Hokage and Orochimaru.But even with the terrain advantage, the Third Hokage was an old man after all, and his stamina was being drained rapidly in the battle.After finding a relatively safe spot to hide, he panted heavily, his forehead covered in sweat, and his clothes soaked through.The Third Hokage leaned against a tree trunk, sitting on the ground to recover his stamina while looking up at the sky.The moment he saw Gamabunta, a smile appeared on his face.That guy Jiraiya said he wouldn't interfere in the Village's affairs, but he still stepped in at this critical moment.Boom!Under the gaze of several people below, Gamabunta fell like a meteor, crashing heavily into the not-yet-fully-formed Wood Release net.Trees broke and shattered, and a large hole was smashed right through that giant net.But the Wood Release net was a multi-layered structure; after crashing through several layers, Gamabunta's descending momentum was finally exhausted.He failed to destroy all the Wood Release network, instead falling into danger himself.The Reanimated First Hokage, unhurried, controlled the trees to attack from all directions, wrapping layer upon layer around Gamabunta.The Hamon Naruto poured in played a role; on one hand, it reinforced Gamabunta's skin, and on the other, it dulled his sense of pain.Therefore, after the impact, Gamabunta was unaffected, his mind remained clear, and he swung his short blade wildly.Amidst a series of cracking sounds, his short blade severed all the trees reaching toward him."Damn! Gamabunta won't last long!"The Third Hokage saw the danger hidden beneath Gamabunta's brave performance, so he forced himself to stand up, preparing to use Ninjutsu to support him.Orochimaru also sensed his teacher's intention, so he immediately formed hand signs, concentrated, and controlled the Reanimated Second Hokage to launch an attack.Water Release: Water Severing Wave!The Reanimated Second Hokage spat out a high-pressure straight water jet from his mouth; with a flick of his head, the water jet acted like a sharp blade, cutting and shattering everything in front of it.The Third Hokage discovered the danger and dared not delay, dodging quickly, narrowly avoiding the same fate of being cut in half as the trees in front of him.But just as he landed, the Reanimated Second Hokage flashed in front of him.In a fleeting instant, the two Hokage exchanged blows several times, ending with the Third Hokagebeing kicked away.Hiss, hiss—The Reanimated Second Hokage was preparing to pursue, but heard a sizzling sound.He looked down and discovered that before the Third Hokage was kicked away, he had actually attached several explosive tags to his body.Immediately, without waiting for the Reanimated Second Hokage to react, the explosive tags detonated with a roar.When the smoke cleared, the Reanimated Second Hokage slumped to the ground, half of his body blasted away."Fortunately, it's the controlled Nidaime(2nd)-sama, whose battle IQ is very low. Even if the Edo Tensei puppet can self-repair, it will take some time, enough for me to help!"The Third Hokage, having been kicked away, rubbed his aching chest and barely managed to crawl up from the ground.Looking up, he saw that Gamabunta's sword-swinging movements were already sluggish, clearly unable to hold out for much longer.And Naruto sat cross-legged on his head, eyes slightly closed, as steady as Mount Tai."Aren't you done yet, Naruto?"Gamabunta asked loudly while continuing his actions.Naruto?!Hearing his words, both Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were shocked.Neither of them had expected that the one who came to support was not Jiraiya, but a Genin!"Naruto? Why are you here? Run away!"The Third Hokage shouted anxiously, while Orochimaru sneered: "I didn't expect you to still be able to bring me a surprise, kid!"Naruto naturally couldn't hear their words, but amidst Gamabunta's questioning, he suddenly opened his eyes."The Chakra I just refined should be enough!"As he spoke, Naruto leaped up and shouted: "Gamabunta! Oil!""Alright!"Gamabunta agreed loudly, stopped his movements, and took a deep breath.Pfft!His cheeks puffed out, and as he adjusted his head, he sprayed a large amount of toad oil all around and below.Naruto poured the massive amount of Chakra he had just refined down Gamabunta's body, injecting it all into the toad oil."What is he trying to do?"This question flashed through the minds of both the Third Hokage and Orochimaru simultaneously.But before either of them could figure out what was happening, the toad oil sprayed by Gamabunta twisted and deformed under a strange fluctuation."This is... bubbles?"The Third Hokage frowned, but when he looked up, he saw Naruto jump off Gamabunta's head, pass through the chaotic trees, and land beside him.Just as he was about to say something, Narutograbbed his arm and fled toward the edge of the battlefield."Run if you don't want to die, Third Old Grandpa
Chapter 117: Turn the Tide of the Situation"If you don't want to die, run, Third Old Grandpa!"Naruto landed beside the Third Hokage and, without a word, grabbed his arm and threw him onto his back.The Third Hokage didn't even have time to react before he was being carried by Naruto, fleeing toward the edge of the battlefield."Bubbles made of toad oil? But this state looks somewhat familiar."Orochimaru looked up, thinking seriously.Under the influence of Vibration Release Chakra, the massive amount of toad oil spat out by Gamabunta expanded into a giant bubble, and it was still continuously growing.And unlike those bubbles that explode upon contact, this toad oil bubble exhibited incredible containment; as the bubble expanded, everything in its path was swallowed inside.It was very fast, and in almost the blink of an eye, the outer wall of the bubble had reached Orochimaru.As for the Reanimated First Hokage and the Reanimated Second Hokage, they didn't even have time to flee and were swallowed directly into the bubble.Seeing this, Orochimaru frowned. "Sacrificing explosive power to give the bubble the ability to expand and contain?"While thinking, he opened his mouth wide, and a Green-Scaled Poison Snake shot out from within.In mid-air, the Green-Scaled Poison Snake also opened its mouth wide, spitting out a long kusanagi sword that stabbed toward the expanding bubble.Boing!The sharp tip of the sword slipped on the bubble's outer wall and was then bounced away.Bubbles made of toad oil are different from bubbles produced by soapy water; they possess extreme flexibility.With the first strike failing, Orochimaru quickly formed hand seals and attacked again to test it."Wind Release: Wind Cutter!"Blades formed of gale-force winds swept forward.But amidst a series of popping sounds, a large number of wind blades were all deflected, failing to cause any damage to the bubble.Facing the approaching bubble, Orochimaruretreated rapidly while trying hard to recall.Soon, he remembered that Naruto had used a similar move in the Forest of Death.At that time, Naruto was fighting two of his subordinates and used bubbles to swallow their arms.He then activated a Ninjutsu, vibrating their arms into fine powder.That move seemed to be called something like 'Sky Space Explosion Bomb.' Could it be the same move this time?At this thought, Orochimaru's speed increased a bit more, and he soon retreated to the edge of the Four Purple Flame Formation barrier."Damn, Orochimaru is already on guard; he wasn't caught inside the bubble!"Naruto had also brought the Third Hokage to the inner wall of the barrier, muttering to himself with a tight frown.He couldn't detect Orochimaru's life fluctuations inside the bubble.If possible, Naruto had hoped to engulf Orochimaru in the bubble and end the battle directly.Unfortunately, the Chakra stored inside the bubble for expansion was now insufficient, and the speed of its growth had slowed down.If he didn't detonate it now, Orochimaru would have plenty of time to use high-powered Ninjutsuto break the bubble."Naruto, what move is this?"The Third Hokage got off Naruto's back and looked at the massive bubble before him, which covered almost the entire battlefield, unable to help but ask curiously."Heh, this is the strongest technique I can use right now!"Naruto looked back, showing a confident smile while forming hand seals in front of him. "That's why I named this move—""Vibration Release: Intense Shock Explosive Sky Violent Light Extinguishing Caesar-style Super Bomb!"The Third Hokage slapped his forehead. "Huh? Such a long and nonsensical name, how did you come up with that?"He wanted to continue complaining, but his vision was suddenly flooded by a burst of intense light.Hummm!There was no deafening explosion; instead, a light more intense than the sun radiated from within the toad oil bubble.In an instant, even the Anbu outside the Four Purple Flame Formation had to look away to avoid the blinding white light.After an unknown amount of time, the white light finally dissipated.The Third Hokage shook his head, feeling that his vision was still a blur of white.It took a dozen seconds before he finally recovered his sight.Immediately, the Third Hokage's breath hitched, and his pupils shrank.Before him now was a completely empty, flat ground.Whether it was the Earth Style Walls and Wood Release forest created during the battle or the roof beneath their feet, all had vanished.It was as if a giant mouth had taken a bite out of the area, swallowing everything whole.The Third Hokage could clearly see Orochimaru on the other side of the battlefield, also wide-eyed, staring at the cleared space in disbelief."A technique that releases Shockwaves inside a bubble to completely grind down and destroy everything within?"The Third Hokage looked at Naruto, his heart stirring. "Such destructive power is practically on par with that fellow Ōnoki's Dust Release!"Clap, clap, clap!Orochimaru masked his surprise and raised his hands to applaud."I must say, Uzumaki Naruto, you truly give me surprises time and time again."As he spoke, he walked over slowly. "But I'm curious, how much Chakra do you have left now?""Oh no! Naruto's Ninjutsu was powerful, but after destroying the Earth Style Walls and the Deep Forest Creation, the change in terrain is actually disadvantageous for me!"The Third Hokage's heart skipped a beat.Meanwhile, Naruto's body swayed slightly. If the quick-witted Third Hokage hadn't supported him, he probably would have collapsed to the ground.Orochimaru was right; after using that Ninjutsu, Naruto's Chakra was almost completely depleted.After all, he had already fought a major battle with Gaara, and he had only lasted this long because he had taken a bite of Karin earlier.However, summoning Gamabunta and using the Vibration Release Ninjutsu both required a massive amount of Chakra, directly exhausting what little Naruto had left."Hehe, it seems I guessed correctly."Orochimaru stopped in his tracks.A swirl of ashes gathered around him, slowly piecing together into two figures."The fact that you can summon toads means you've been training with Jiraiya, right? The two of you have very similar fighting styles; once you get hot-headed, you start wasting Chakra recklessly."Orochimaru sneered, his gaze toward the Third Hokage and Naruto full of mockery.The Third Hokage bit his lip, his gaze steady as fire, and whispered, "Naruto, don't leave my side in a moment. I will protect you.""Don't worry, Third Old Grandpa, I'm not that kind of hot-headed idiot."Naruto smiled, then forced himself to stand straight and raised his voice. "Hey, you androgynous freak, if you surrender now, you might still be able to save your life.""Still talking big when death is at your door?"Orochimaru was unmoved. He glanced over and saw that the Reanimated First Hokage and the Reanimated Second Hokage had finished reforming.So, with a wave of his hand, he gave the order to attack: "Go get them.""You two Hokage, just how long are you going to let yourselves be manipulated?"This time, Naruto didn't look at Orochimaru. Instead, he looked at the two Reanimated Hokage, his face beaming with a confident smile. "Turn the tide of the situation!"Wood Release: Tree Binding Technique!Flying Thunder God Slash!Orochimaru was stunned.The moment he realized something was wrong, tree branches growing from beneath his feet had already firmly bound his legs.At the same time, a cold flash of light appeared as the Reanimated Second Hokage swept past Orochimaru, carving a massive wound into his chest.Thud!Orochimaru had no time to react. A large amount of blood sprayed from his chest, and he fell to the ground with a dull thud.The situation had reversed!
Chapter 118: You've run out of tricks, Orochimaru!"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"Orochimaru's chest had suffered a heavy blow, nearly split in half by the Reanimated Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Slash; the wound was so deep his spine was visible.His eyes were lifeless as he lay on the ground, seemingly unable to accept what had just happened.Previously in the battle against Sasori of the Red Sand, Orochimaru had experienced the situation where Edo Tensei puppets went out of control.Therefore, in subsequent research, he sacrificed the puppets' strength and erased their intelligence to greatly enhance his control over them.Even the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, in a state with less than a tenth of his peak strength, shouldn't be able to break free from the constraints of Edo Tensei.Moreover, even the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama had broken free, which was even more impossible.Was it because the Talismanic Incantations placed inside the puppets were destroyed?Impossible!Talismanic Incantations were just an external manifestation; what truly controlled the Edo Tenseipuppets was the Chakra infused into their brains!This Chakra is closely linked to Edo Tensei and should regenerate as the puppet reconstructs...Wait!Orochimaru's pupils constricted sharply.He remembered Naruto saying during the fight with Gaara that Vibration Release Chakra has the ability to dispel other Chakra.So the Ninjutsu this kid released—was the target the two Hokage from the very beginning?Orochimaru, realizing the connection, his body shuddered, followed by several squelching sounds.The Reanimated Second Hokage had returned to his side, his Kunai stabbing several times, leaving multiple wounds on Orochimaru's body."Big brother, see if this guy is dead yet."Senju Tobirama turned to look at his elder brother.Although he also had sensory abilities, due to the precision issues of Edo Tensei, his current strength was less than a fifth of his peak.To be safe, Senju Tobirama still asked his brother for his opinion."He's not dead yet! Watch out!"Before Senju Hashirama could answer, Narutoshouted from a distance.Although his Chakra was nearly bottomed out, Hamon was still fine.Through life energy sensing, he could clearly discover that Orochimaru still possessed powerful vitality.Shua!In the next second, Orochimaru's mouth opened to its limit.Another Orochimaru lunged out from the mouth, also opening his mouth wide.A Green-Scaled Poison Snake popped out from his mouth, opening its large maw to spit out a sharp blade.The kusanagi sword!Facing the blade aimed at his heart, Senju Tobirama didn't dodge or evade, even stepping forward.With almost no resistance, the kusanagi swordpierced through his chest.But in return, the Kunai in Senju Tobirama's hand also left a deep wound on Orochimaru."Orochimaru, I, the creator, understand the pros and cons of Edo Tensei better than you!"Senju Tobirama sneered.Although his steps stopped for a moment due to the force contained in the kusanagi sword, making him unable to continue chasing the fleeing Orochimaru.But when he struck just now, Senju Tobirama had made full use of the Ninjutsu he had developed over the years.Sizzle, sizzle...The sound of burning came, and Orochimarulooked down, his pupils shrinking.At some point, a burning explosive tag had been attached to his body.And judging by the burning state, it was about to explode.But it wasn't over; Senju Tobirama knew that a single explosive tag couldn't kill Orochimaru.So he was seen quickly forming hand seals.Ninjutsu: Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags!Under the effect of the Ninjutsu, the explosive tagon Orochimaru's body continuously summoned new explosive tags, causing continuous fixed-point concentrated explosions.For a time, only the rumbling sound of explosions could be heard incessantly.Meanwhile, Senju Hashirama slapped both palms on the ground.Wood Release: Wood Locking Wall!A row of wooden pillars erupted from the ground, curving to form an arched wall, completely covering Orochimaru.Normally, this move forms a powerful defensive barrier to protect the caster themselves.At this moment, it became Orochimaru's tomb, preventing him from using the Orochimaru-style Stand Jutsu to escape while also confining the explosions, fully applying the power to Orochimaru."Aaaaaahhh!!!!"Accompanied by the seemingly endless explosions, Orochimaru's screams came from within the Wood Locking Wall.The expressions of the Sound Four maintaining the barrier changed drastically; they never expected the situation to reverse so quickly.Just a moment ago, Orochimaru had a confident face, seemingly able to take the lives of the Third Hokage and Naruto at any time, but now he had fallen into terrifying danger.They were about to move, but the situation before them changed once again—"Edo Tensei: Release!"Orochimaru's voice carried a hint of trembling, yet it was still clearly audible."What?"The Senju brothers' expressions changed.But before they could do anything, their Edo Tenseibodies collapsed and crumbled, leaving only translucent souls standing in place.Following that, the explosions inside the Wood Locking Wall also stopped because there was no Chakra to maintain the summoning.Crack!From the ground beside the Wood Locking Wall, Orochimaru emerged, his whole body charred black and in a wretched state.Clearly, he was heavily injured at this moment and had almost lost his fighting ability.However, as one of the top powerhouses in the Ninja World, Orochimaru's own will was also quite formidable.Even though he was heavily injured, he didn't hesitate for a moment because of his injuries and immediately began forming hand seals.Edo Tensei!The Third Hokage and Naruto were also at the end of their ropes; he had just released the Edo Tensei, and he only needed to summon the two Hokageagain, and victory would still be his!"Don't even think about it!"The Third Hokage leaped forward, and while rushing over, the Adamantine Staff transformed from Enma in his hand rapidly extended, trying to interrupt Orochimaru's actions.Longsword of the Sky!At the critical moment, the kusanagi sword that Orochimaru had summoned earlier and which had stabbed Senju Tobirama flew up.It was something Orochimaru summoned from within his body; even if it wasn't close at hand, it was still under the master's control.Just as the Adamantine Staff approached Orochimaru, the flying kusanagi sword slashed down fiercely, knocking it off course and making it poke heavily into the ground beside Orochimaru's feet."I've succeeded!"Orochimaru showed a smile.In front of him, two Coffins rose rapidly from the ground.Seeing this, the Third Hokage's eyes nearly split: "It seems I must use that move!"However, before he could form hand seals, the situation shifted once again.The two Coffins, which had already risen halfway, suddenly stopped, no longer making any movement."Hmm???"Both Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were startled, not understanding what had happened.Then, both turned their gazes simultaneously toward the place where a sound came from nearby.Crackle!Naruto had arrived at the center of the roof at some point.Originally, this place was covered with many trees and tiles, but they had all been destroyed by his Vibration Release Ninjutsu just now.Therefore, Naruto easily destroyed the ground and dug out two people from inside.The two were Kenago Sumire, who had been crippled by Kankuro in the preliminaries, and Kin from the Sound Three.Meeting Orochimaru's gaze, Naruto showed Kin, whom he was holding in his arms."From the beginning, I was curious why you chose the roof as the battlefield. It was to hide the Living Sacrifices in the space beneath the roof to activate Edo Tensei, wasn't it?"Naruto smiled: "It seems my deduction was correct. You've run out of tricks, Orochimaru!"
Chapter 119: For the sake of Konoha, use the adamantine staff on him!"It failed!"Orochimaru's reaction was swift.Seeing Naruto snatch away the living sacrifice and the Edo Tensei jutsu being interrupted, he knew that victory in this battle no longer belonged to him.Thus, Orochimaru opened his mouth wide without hesitation, and a white shadow lunged out from within.Looking closely, it was actually a giant white-scaled python with a human head and a snake's body.Its head bore the distorted and grotesque appearance of Orochimaru, hideous and terrifying, enough to make one shudder.The scales on the giant python's body were each a living, small white snake.Tens of thousands of white snakes squirmed in unison, a sight that would strike chill into anyone's heart with just one glance.This bizarre and frenzied form was precisely Orochimaru's true appearance after countless forbidden experiments.However, having revealed his true form, he had no intention of continuing the fight. Instead, he twisted his body and fled toward the distance.After all, the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tagsjutsu from earlier had also caused massive damage to his main body.The Konoha Destruction Plan had already failed; it was wiser to flee as soon as possible.However, Orochimaru had not fled very far when a dazzling blaze descended from the sky.Fire Release: Great Flame Whirlwind!The sweeping flames surged forth, and with the coordination of Wind Release, they formed a massive dome of blazing fire, trapping Orochimaruentirely inside.When the flames dissipated, the white-scaled python was charred black all over, emitting the smell of roasted meat as smoke wafted from its body."You flickering candle of a dead old man! Damn it! How dare you..."Having suffered successive blows, Orochimarucollapsed powerlessly to the ground, finally unable to stop himself from roaring in anger.The calm and composed, effortless demeanor he had always displayed was thrown to the back of his mind once he felt his life was threatened."You look truly pathetic like this, Orochimaru..."The Third Hokage landed in front of Orochimaru, looking down at the monster crawling on the ground and hissing in distortion, his eyes filled with sorrow.Once upon a time, Orochimaru was his most highly regarded student.Compared to the hot-tempered and willful Tsunade with her young miss attitude, and the shiftless Jiraiya who disliked taking responsibility, Orochimaru was naturally calm, far-sighted, and exceptionally talented—he was practically a copy of the Second Hokage.It was only the deaths of his parents, comrades, and disciples that eventually led Orochimaru down the wrong path of pursuing immortality by any means necessary.Over the years, the Third Hokage often wondered if things would be different today if he had cared more for Orochimaru back then and given him more ideological and spiritual guidance."Hey, Hiruzen, are you going to be soft-hearted again like you were eleven years ago?"Sensing the Third Hokage's hesitation, an eye grew out of the adamantine staff in his hand, and it shouted a rebuke.The Third Hokage's body swayed slightly, unsure of how to answer for a moment.Because Enma was right; looking at the wretched Orochimaru, he indeed felt a surge of pity."Lord Orochimaru!"At this moment, the Sound Four also reacted.Seeing Orochimaru on the verge of death, they no longer cared about maintaining the Four Purple Flame Formation and rushed over desperately to rescue him.The towering Four Purple Flame Formation made a hissing sound as it began to collapse and dissipate.But this process would take some time, so the Anbu on the outside still couldn't break in; they could only watch as the Sound Four approached the Third Hokage.Sensing this, the Third Hokage immediately raised the adamantine staff.As long as the staff fell, he could crush Orochimaruinto a pulp."Hi... Hiruzen-sensei... it's me... Orochimaru..."Orochimaru raised his head tremulously.On that fierce and bizarre ugly face, a human-like expression of pity emerged.For a split second, the Third Hokage seemed to return to that afternoon decades ago.In front of the Memorial Stone in the KonohaCemetery, a young Orochimaru held a white snake's shed skin, his gaze toward him filled with confusion.The Third Hokage's arm trembled, not because he was too old to lift the adamantine staff, but because he truly couldn't bring himself to personally kill his prized disciple."Hiruzen!"Enma shouted loudly, yet he still couldn't shake the Third Hokage's resolve.Seeing the Sound Four getting closer and closer, Enma was anxious beyond measure.Just as he was in a panic, Naruto's voice rang out from the distance."Third Old Grandpa!"The Third Hokage snapped out of it and looked back at Naruto."Do the right thing!" Naruto's gaze was incredibly serious at this moment. "For the sake of Konoha, use the adamantine staff on him!""No!"The Sound Four screamed, their eyes wide and bloodshot.However, their cries were of no use.The Third Hokage closed his eyes, and the adamantine staff in his hand, like a heavy sledgehammer, fell heavily, causing the entire ground to tremble.Squelch!Orochimaru's entire head was like a tomato run over by a truck, instantly hammered into a pool of bloody pulp.His entire snake body trembled for a moment, and then the white snakes that made up his scales all went limp and stretched out.The Third Hokage did not stop; he swung the adamantine staff repeatedly, like pounding rice, smashing the body of the giant python beneath his feet to pieces."Lord Orochimaru!"The Sound Four's eyes nearly split from rage as they reached Orochimaru's side.Among them, Sakon was the most impulsive. Without checking Orochimaru's condition, he swung his fist and charged at the Third Hokage.The Third Hokage was also at his limit, his physical strength severely depleted, so he did not face him head-on but instead leaped backward.At the same time, Enma also released his transformation from the adamantine staff and returned to his original form as the Monkey King.With several muffled thuds, Sakon and Enma exchanged blows several times in a matter of breaths.Enma's tail coiled, attempting to bind Sakon's limbs.To his surprise, a hand suddenly extended from Sakon's ribs and grabbed Enma's tail."What?!"Enma never expected Sakon to have such a move and couldn't help but be stunned for a moment.Sakon took this opportunity to extend a leg from his abdomen and kicked Enma heavily."Ugh!"Enma cried out in pain and was sent flying back.Having dealt with his opponent, Sakon wanted to step forward and kill the Third Hokage to avenge Orochimaru.But he had only taken one step when he felt a tightening around his waist."What are you doing, Kidomaru?"Sakon turned back, looking angrily at his companion who had spat out spider silk and entangled his waist."The Konoha Anbu are already here; now is not the time to fight! Retreat with Lord Orochimaru!"Kidomaru gave the spider silk a hard tug, pulling Sakon back.Then Jirobo and Sakon worked together to hoist Orochimaru's mangled python body, and the four of them fled as a group."Don't think you can escape!"The Four Purple Flame Formation had completely dissipated, and several Konoha Anbu rushed forward, trying to stop the Sound Four.Ninjutsu: Spider Binding!Demonic Flute: Illusionary Warriors Manipulating Melody!Kidomaru formed hand signs with his four hands, while Tayuya played her flute.Caught off guard, several Anbu were blocked by a massive spider web filled with Chakra and then fell into a siege by three angry ghosts.By the time they finally broke free, the Sound Fourhad already disappeared with Orochimaru's body."Damn it, they got away!"The Anbu with the dog-face mask punched his palm, his voice full of resentment."Alright, don't dwell on it."The Third Hokage's aged voice rang out.Several Anbu snapped back to their senses and hurriedly gathered around: "Lord Third, are you alright?"The Third Hokage shook his head: "It's just excessive Chakra consumption. First, send Narutoto the hospital, then clear out the enemies in the Village. You can show mercy to the Sand Ninja, but the Sound Ninja are to be killed on sight!""Yes!"The Anbu answered in unison and efficiently divided the tasks....On the massive Konoha wall, two figures appeared, overlooking the smoke-filled Villagebelow.They wore bamboo hats on their heads and cloaks with red clouds on a black background, their gazes cold and indifferent."Tsk tsk, although it escaped the fate of destruction, it seems it still suffered quite a bit of damage."Kisame Hoshigaki, carrying his great sword, shook his head and sighed, but there was no hint of pity in his voice."To think a once prosperous Village has turned into this. Truly pitiable."Uchiha Itachi withdrew his gaze.Kisame Hoshigaki turned his head to look at him upon hearing this: "To make such a comment, that's really not like your style, Itachi-san. Could it be that even you feel nostalgic for your hometown?""No," Uchiha Itachi hid half of his face beneath his high collar, the Three-Tomoe Sharingan in his eyes slowly rotating. "I don't feel nostalgic at all."Having said that, he turned his head to look outside the Village.In that dense forest, a battle was also taking place.
Chapter 120: My Foolish Little BrotherOutside Konoha Village, deep within the dense forest."It's finally over..."Sasuke leaned against a large tree, his breathing heavy and his body wounded. Blood slowly dripped down the Kunai in his hand.A small patch of the once-lush jungle had been leveled by the battle.Dozens of Otogakure corpses lay scattered across the ground.Kakashi stood at the other end of the battlefield, looking slightly better than Sasuke.Although he was also breathing heavily, he had no wounds on his body and was simply supporting himself with one hand against a nearby tree."Judging by the pattern on their Headbands, these guys are Otogakure, right? Why did they suddenly appear and attack us?"Sasuke caught his breath and couldn't help but ask out of curiosity as he slowly walked toward Kakashi.Just moments ago, he had finished his training with Kakashi and was rushing back to participate in the final rounds of the Chunin Exams.To his surprise, a large squad of Otogakureemerged from the woods outside the Village and launched a surprise attack on them.Normally, Kakashi could have dealt with them alone given a bit of time.But now, both he and Sasuke had just completed their training and were in a state of significant physical exhaustion.As a result, it took nearly half an hour of fighting to finally eliminate all of these enemies."I'm afraid something major has happened."Kakashi looked at the corpses littering the ground, a serious aura emanating from his eyes.Even though it was an era of peace, undercurrents surged between the various Villages, and covert skirmishes were not uncommon.However, sending a squad of dozens to launch such an overt assault on Konoha Ninja was practically equivalent to a declaration of war.Otogakure Village seemed to be under Orochimaru's influence; could it be that the guy has already started his move?Recalling the earth-shaking fluctuations from outside the Village earlier, Kakashi's heart couldn't help but sink."Anyway, let's get back to the Village as soon as possible."No sooner had Kakashi finished speaking than a sudden change occurred.A corpse at Sasuke's feet suddenly flipped up.Before Sasuke could even react, the person grabbed him by the neck, pinning him down."It's you, Yakushi Kabuto?"Kakashi took a few steps forward but stopped, wary of Sasuke's safety, and frowned at the man who had seemingly returned from the dead."I didn't expect you to see through it, SeniorKakashi."Yakushi Kabuto hid behind Sasuke, one hand restraining him while the other pulled down his face mask.That face, usually so refined and easygoing, now appeared incredibly loathsome."What do you want?" Kakashi said in a low voice, his mind racing.Yakushi Kabuto's strength was not to be underestimated; his easy defeat of Sasukepreviously was a prime example.With Sasuke now in his hands, Kakashi was truly hesitant to act, fearing for the boy's safety."I don't know how you did it, but being able to neutralize the Heavenly Cursed Seal's erosion effect still came as quite a surprise to Lord Orochimaru."Yakushi Kabuto replied with a smile, as if they weren't in a standoff but just chatting: "So, Lord Orochimaru sent me here to put a collar on his neck!"As he spoke, the Kunai in his hand pressed against Sasuke's neck; a single slight movement would make Sasuke's blood splatter on the spot."As expected, Orochimaru's target is Sasuke!"Kakashi understood clearly, but he couldn't help feeling some self-reproach.After all, it had long been known that Orochimaruwanted to take Sasuke.Yet he had momentarily neglected Sasuke's protection, allowing him to fall into such a dangerous situation!Of course, Sasuke had no intention of blaming Kakashi for failing to protect him.At this moment, his heart was filled only with a raging fire of anger: "What did you say?"Yakushi Kabuto's mention of putting a collar on him was equivalent to treating him like a pet.Even though he had once been defeated by the man, hearing such an insult made it impossible for Sasuke to suppress his rage."Hehe, not convinced? But I think you should know that all anger must be backed by strength."Yakushi Kabuto applied a bit more pressure, the Kunai moving a fraction closer and slicing through the surface of the skin on Sasuke's neck.Blood flowed and dripped from the tip of the Kunai, while a chill and Killing Intent invaded Sasuke's body.If it had been right after graduation, Sasuke might have been frozen in terror in this situation.But now, he was already completely different."Before these eyes of mine, you are nothing but a fish on a chopping block. You're no different from those defeated Otogakure, just a bit more lively, perhaps!"Sasuke's voice was icy as he turned to look at Yakushi Kabuto."Hehe, your..."Yakushi Kabuto was about to mock him when he suddenly realized something was wrong.Sasuke's Sharingan should have clearly evolved to Two-Tomoe, yet now the patterns in both his pupils were actually single-tomoe!Although he hadn't figured out the situation yet, Yakushi Kabuto had always been a cautious person.Though he couldn't kill Sasuke, he unhesitatingly used his Chakra Scalpel, intending to disable Sasuke's fighting capability first.As Yakushi Kabuto released his Chakra, Sasuke's Sharingan spun rapidly, evolving from single-tomoe in both eyes to Three-Tomoe in an instant.Furthermore, the strength of its Dojutsu Powerwas far beyond even Kakashi's!Eye for an Eye: ACT 1!A Stand image emerged in front of Sasuke.This was a Stand ability he had developed a month ago.By rewriting the Sharingan into a single-tomoestate, he could store up Dojutsu Power.By subsequently releasing the stored power, he could force his Sharingan to Breakthrough to the Three-Tomoe state.To be safe, Sasuke also used the Kunai stained with his own blood as a bridge to infuse Hamoninto Yakushi Kabuto's body.Buzz~Yakushi Kabuto felt his whole body shudder.Although he had undergone special training to counter genjutsu...under the interference of Hamon and a Sharingangenjutsu significantly strengthened by a month's worth of stored power, Yakushi Kabuto inevitably fell into the illusion."Sasuke! Don't kill him! This guy likely holds a lot of information on Orochimaru!"Kakashi shouted upon seeing this.Sasuke halted his movement, the Kunai in his hand less than a centimeter away from Yakushi Kabuto's heart."Hmph, what kind of useful information could someone of this level possibly have?"Watching Kakashi leap forward to bind Yakushi Kabuto, Sasuke curled his lip in disdain.Yet despite his casual words, the satisfied smile on his face was genuine.Easily taking down the enemy who had previously defeated him felt like warm water washing over him, rinsing away all the hardship and fatigue of his month of rigorous training.As he stretched his body, he couldn't help but exclaim, "What a great feeling! It's as refreshing as putting on a new pair of underwear on New Year's morning!"Clap, clap, clap!A round of applause echoed from the forest.Then, a voice rang out that made Sasuke's expression turn hideous and his whole body tremble."It's truly heartening to see you're still so full of life, my foolish little brother!"Uchiha Itachi!