"Orochimaru." Jiraiya sighed, instantly casting aside his personal feelings and regaining his composure. He held a kunai, his gaze fixed coldly on Orochimaru.
"Since you have chosen to stand completely against Konoha, I will not sit idly by! This time, I will fight with everything I have!"
"Summoning Jutsu!"
Facing his former friend, Jiraiya didn't dare to be careless. He knew full well that Orochimaru's ninjutsu were bizarre and difficult to handle; he could definitely tie him down. He didn't have much time. He had to defeat Orochimaru as quickly as possible. Only then could he save Naruto Uzumaki from the other Naruto.
Poof!
After a swirl of smoke, two toad sages appeared on Jiraiya's shoulders.
"Jiraiya-boy, who's the opponent this time? It's been a while since you've summoned us," Lord Fukasaku's old, aged voice sounded.
"Pa, something doesn't seem right," Lady Shima said, rubbing her eyes and looking at Naruto and Naruto Uzumaki in astonishment. "Why are there two Narutos?"
"Eh? You're right!" Lord Fukasaku was also surprised.
"Honored Sages, that is the Naruto from another world. There's no time to explain. First, help me stop Orochimaru and the One-Tail."
"Looks like the situation is dire." The two sages then noticed the One-Tail wreaking havoc in Konoha, their expressions turning grave.
"Let's go all out!! Gamaken, Gamabunta, Gamahiro!! The Tailed Beast is all yours." Three giant toads were summoned and immediately engaged Shukaku in battle. The three toads were the top fighting forces of Mount Myoboku, their bodies as massive as a Tailed Beast's. The strongest, Gamabunta, could go head-to-head with Shukaku with his ninjutsu alone. Although Gamaken and Gamahiro were not as strong as Gamabunta, they were at least at the level of elite Jonin. Working together, they forced Shukaku back, making him cry out in pain again and again.
"Toad Oil Flame Bullet!" Jiraiya was the first to attack. His combination ninjutsu with the two sages engulfed Orochimaru in a blazing inferno that dyed half of Konoha's sky red.
Orochimaru's entire body was set ablaze, but his expression remained relaxed. He even stuck out his tongue and licked his lips. "Hehehe, as expected of Jiraiya. What a terrifying ninjutsu. With the help of two sages, you're already close to the level beyond Kage. But… it won't be that easy to defeat me."
With a cold laugh, Orochimaru's body bizarrely melted away in the flames. In the next moment, he reappeared, completely unharmed, far from the sea of fire.
"Is that… Snake Substitution?" The sharp-eyed Jiraiya saw a white snake burrow into the ground the moment Orochimaru melted. It was a snake ninjutsu developed by Orochimaru, and it was extremely difficult to deal with. Because Orochimaru was so keenly aware of the fragility of life, he had an absurd number of life-saving jutsu. If one were to rank life-saving techniques, Orochimaru's various snake substitutions would definitely be in the top three.
A scientist who fears death is the most terrifying kind of enemy.
In a direct confrontation, Orochimaru was definitely no match for Jiraiya. But! Orochimaru's ability to be a nuisance was maxed out. He only needed to keep Jiraiya occupied. Understanding this, Orochimaru continuously used ninjutsu to stall for time. Snake Substitution, Earth Flow Wall, and even the ultimate defense, the Triple Rashomon.
Jiraiya and the two sages' various combination ninjutsu were all perfectly neutralized. This began to make Jiraiya anxious, and he even prepared to use Sage Mode!
While Orochimaru was tying up Jiraiya, Naruto had also arrived in front of Naruto Uzumaki. Although there was only a year's difference in their age, Naruto was half a head taller than Naruto Uzumaki. It was normal to have a growth spurt at this age.
Naruto's eyes were playful as he grabbed Naruto Uzumaki by the collar and lifted him up. His speed was ordinary, but for some reason, Naruto Uzumaki couldn't dodge. His legs flailed uselessly in the air.
"Let him go!" The Konoha 12 attacked simultaneously.
The Shadow Imitation Technique restrained Naruto's legs, while the rest of the genin launched various ninjutsu attacks.
"I admire your courage, but I have no interest in playing house with you right now." Naruto's expression remained unchanged, but Shikamaru's face suddenly paled, and he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Swish.
A cold light flashed. All of the genin except for Naruto's own team were sent flying by the flat of his blade. Naruto had no intention of killing them. The Konoha 12 had decent talent; it would be a pity to kill them. Naruto was not a bloodthirsty person. To be precise, he rather cherished talent.
"Everyone!!" Naruto Uzumaki's pupils constricted, his heart filled with grief and indignation. "Ah, you bastard! I'll kill you!!!" he roared.
"Kill me? You can't even grasp the most basic aspect of assessing a situation? Arrogance comes with a price." Naruto's eyes turned cold, and the Reiatsu in his body surged through his palm. Naruto Uzumaki's body began to tremble, and a thin layer of frost formed on his exposed skin.
"I never thought that my other-world self would be such a failure." Naruto's voice was filled with disappointment. He lifted Naruto Uzumaki up to his face and whispered in his ear, "By the way, I'm only one year older than you."
"You're kidding me," Naruto Uzumaki's eyes widened in disbelief. Could one really grow strong enough to defeat the Third Hokage in just one year? Was he really that much of a genius?
"What are you thinking? I'm not you," Naruto said, shaking his head helplessly. This Naruto Uzumaki's level of idiocy far exceeded his imagination.
Suddenly… he felt bored. He couldn't see anything worth looking forward to in this Naruto Uzumaki.
Maybe I should just kill him.
With this thought, Naruto increased the output of his Reiatsu, his left hand slowly reaching for Naruto Uzumaki's heart. His arm, enhanced by Reiatsu, could easily pierce through Naruto Uzumaki's chest and take the piece of the puzzle that would complete his own power system.
As for Naruto Uzumaki's fate… who cared?
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
Naruto Uzumaki's teeth chattered from the cold. Watching Naruto's left hand draw closer, he felt a sense of despair.
"Kid, do you want power?" a hoarse voice echoed from the depths of Naruto Uzumaki's mind.
This different Naruto was putting a lot of pressure on the Nine-Tails. He might really have the ability to extract him. Compared to being controlled by an unknown Naruto, the Nine-Tails preferred to stay inside Naruto Uzumaki. The Nine-Tails knew he couldn't just sit back and watch.
"Kid, if you don't fight back, you might die! This guy in front of you is far stronger than you. Accept my gift and kill him!"
Hearing the Nine-Tails's temptation, negative emotions surfaced in Naruto Uzumaki's eyes. In his mind, the Nine-Tails's voice echoed continuously, and an extreme, violent rage swept through his brain. A crimson chakra began to bubble to the surface of his skin. His Blue blue eyes transformed into beastly pupils.
"ROAR!" A beast-like roar escaped Naruto Uzumaki's lips as his consciousness was consumed by negative emotions.
Looking at this Naruto Uzumaki, Naruto felt a bit dazed. He couldn't even resist the negative emotions brought on by the Nine-Tails. He was so weak he could be crushed with a single foot.
Is this my other-world self? He's so… pathetic. It makes me want to kill him right now.
BANG.
Naruto Uzumaki broke free from his grasp and lunged at Naruto.
Naruto caught his hand and delivered a knee strike to his stomach, doubling him over into the shape of a bow.
"Blargh." Naruto Uzumaki spat out stomach acid, the intense pain causing his consciousness to blur for a moment. But it quickly ignited his beastly nature, and he roared in fury.
Naruto wasn't finished. He casually flung Naruto Uzumaki a dozen meters away, then tapped his foot lightly. In the next instant, his body gracefully appeared above the flying Naruto Uzumaki, suspended in mid-air, and he brought his right foot down.
BANG.
Naruto Uzumaki's body shot towards the ground like a cannonball once more. The rock layers beneath shattered like a thousand-layer cake, and dirt flew everywhere. Naruto's expression was indifferent as he pointed his right palm downwards.
"Hado Number 4: Byakurai." A bolt of lightning struck the Naruto Uzumaki in the deep crater, electrocuting the surrounding soil until it gave off a burnt smell. Naruto Uzumaki let out a piercing roar, his sanity almost completely devoured.
WHOOSH!
A powerful gust of wind and red chakra erupted from the crater. Naruto Uzumaki shot towards Naruto at an even faster speed, two crimson tails having already formed behind him. His skin was gradually being covered by red, chakra-condensed fur. He was already half-man, half-beast.
SMACK.
Naruto emotionlessly reached out and grabbed Naruto Uzumaki by the face, slamming him into the ground. A rare look of astonishment appeared on Naruto Uzumaki's murderous face.
"Tch, this Naruto Uzumaki is so lame. And this Nine-Tails is so pathetic. Not as brilliant as me," the Nine-Tails inside Naruto said, a strange sense of superiority in his voice.
"Do you want to play with them?" Naruto asked.
"Hmph, forget it. I have no interest in weaklings," the Nine-Tails snorted, full of arrogance. "When you stand at the top, the scenery you see is naturally different. I won't make a move so easily."
Hearing the Nine-Tails's pretentious words, Naruto felt a sense of helplessness. He didn't know which game the Nine-Tails had learned these lines from, but they did sound rather imposing.
"Then let's end this quickly." Naruto's arm tensed, pressing Naruto Uzumaki's face deeper into the dirt. He began to punch Naruto Uzumaki's body, one fist after another.
BAM, BAM, BAM.
The continuous sound of blows echoed through the air, and the Naruto Uzumaki beneath him gradually became even more ferocious.
"How troublesome. I can't kill him, and I can't knock him out," Naruto frowned, throwing Naruto Uzumaki into the air. He then flickered, leaving a trail of afterimages in the sky. Naruto Uzumaki was like a sandbag, bouncing around in the air, his aura not decreasing but instead growing stronger.
BOOM.
Three tails appeared behind Naruto Uzumaki, the evil chakra almost taking physical form.
Naruto instantly appeared above Naruto Uzumaki, his figure blurring. He gently stomped his foot. The Reiatsu and chakra swirled with the surrounding air, reducing resistance and the pull of gravity. Combined with his own speed, this seemingly light stomp carried an undeniable power.
BOOM.
Naruto Uzumaki was once again stomped into the ground. And the Naruto floating in the air had already formed a white Rasengan in his hand.
"Ultimate Kido: Rasengan." The white Rasengan floated down gently. In an instant, an endless light and heat burst forth, forming a massive, elliptical explosion that completely destroyed everything in sight. The resulting shockwave spread out at an incredible speed, instantly filling the air with smoke.
The explosion faded. Naruto Uzumaki had returned to his human form, lying in the large crater, covered in wounds.
"What a terrifying jutsu!!" The Konoha 12 watched this scene in shock, completely devoid of any will to fight. The age difference between the two Narutos was not large, so why was the gap in their strength so immense?
"This is bad!" Jiraiya, who was still entangled with Orochimaru, caught a glimpse of what was happening and was alarmed. He never thought that Naruto Uzumaki, even with three tails released, would be so easily toyed with by the other Naruto. He couldn't even fight back. The Nine-Tails inside Naruto Uzumaki was even beginning to despair.
"Hiss… what kind of jutsu is that? Why is the other-world Naruto so powerful?" Lord Fukasaku and Lady Shima were also shocked. "Why is he attacking Naruto Uzumaki?"
Jiraiya was frantic, but Orochimaru was as slippery as a snake. He refused to engage in a direct confrontation, instead using various ninjutsu to stall.
Naruto had already arrived in front of the nearly unconscious Naruto Uzumaki, preparing to extract the power.
Before the despairing eyes of everyone present, Naruto's right hand slowly approached Naruto Uzumaki's heart. Naruto Uzumaki had already given up resisting, quietly waiting for the end.
"Naruto…" Kakashi was still lying on the ground, tears streaming down his face. He wanted to act, but for some reason, his body had no will to fight. The warm blood beneath him was a glaring crimson, and the image of killing a comrade was vivid in his mind. I, Kakashi, can't protect my comrades. I can't even save my own student. I… am a failure.
No one could save Naruto. It was all over.
CRASH.
Suddenly, a figure descended from the sky, landing in front of Naruto and creating a small crater, kicking up a cloud of dust.
"Young man!! To give up so easily, that is not your youth!"
"Kakashi! My fated rival! Have you already given up? In that case, I win this time!"
Might Guy's voice echoed through the silent arena.
The Konoha 12 immediately cried out in surprise.
"Guy-sensei! Are you okay?"
"We still have hope!"
As if in response to the genins' expectations, Might Guy turned his head, gave a thumbs-up, and flashed a brilliant smile, his white teeth gleaming in the sunlight.
"Hey, my leg is almost healed! Now, leave it to me! My youth… has not yet burned out!!"
He then turned to Naruto and roared with a powerful voice, "Boy from another world! Remember this! I am Konoha's Sublime Blue Beast, Might Guy!!"
"From now on, I will be your opponent!!"
Several medical-nin began to move through the battlefield, healing the injured Jonin. Jiraiya and Orochimaru's battle was taking place outside the arena. He had to hold back Shukaku while fighting Orochimaru, so he couldn't get away.
Although Might Guy had stepped forward, no one was optimistic. The Kage-level Third Hokage had been defeated. How could Guy, a mere elite Jonin, possibly be a match for Naruto?
"Guy-sensei!!" Rock Lee's eyes shone with a moving light. Even knowing he's no match, he still resolutely stood up to protect his comrades. This is the resolve of youth! In comparison, I had lost my will to fight earlier. Damn it! Rock Lee punched the ground in self-reproach.
"Guy-sensei." The other genin were also infected by Might Guy's passion, and they all glared at Naruto with a shared sense of enmity.
"What is that guy doing here?"
"Why is he so fearless? Is he hiding some kind of Kekkei Genkai?"
"Might Guy? How can his taijutsu possibly be a match for Naruto's? His genjutsu is too terrifying," the awakened Jonin murmured in despair. Compared to the genin, these Jonin clearly had no faith in Might Guy.
"Guy." Kakashi lay on the cold ground, feeling the warmth of his own blood. He strained to lift his eyes and look at Might Guy, his heart filled with anxiety. Might Guy had always been a loser. Although he had become an elite Jonin through hard work, he couldn't use any ninjutsu. There was absolutely no way he could defeat Naruto.
"Guy…" Looking at Might Guy standing resolutely in front of Naruto, Kakashi's heart was filled with confusion. He knew that Guy was a complete and utter ordinary person. His father was a genin, and he himself was no genius. Since they had met, he had always been desperately trying to catch up to him. He had challenged him countless times, only to be defeated every time.
But… he had never given up on his ninja way. He had burned his youth to the absolute limit.
"Lee, watch closely! This is my youth! Now is the time to let it burn!"
Might Guy's voice was firm and powerful.