c21 The Fifth Hokage
In truth, Naruto's real strength was far from what Kabuto or even Tsunade had assumed. Against someone on Orochimaru's level, Naruto would naturally be uncertain. However, although Kabuto's medical-ninjutsu-based attacks were unpredictable, he lacked overwhelming offensive techniques. His victories came from exploiting the weaknesses of others, as he had done with Tsunade. Against an opponent like that, Naruto still had confidence. Kabuto's movements were extremely precise, his evasion speed sharp, and he could use Earth Release tunneling as well. Most importantly, his cellular regeneration ability allowed him to recover from wounds with astonishing speed.
Under such conditions, Naruto understood that large-scale ninjutsu would not be ideal. It would be best to decide the fight with a single Rasengan, but to land that one decisive blow, he would need either to restrain Kabuto's movements or strike when Kabuto had no time to react.
This time, Naruto created a large number of shadow clones, sending several of them to circle around Kabuto first, preventing Kabuto from monitoring Naruto's every movement. Naruto's taijutsu had improved significantly, but his clones still failed to overpower Kabuto. Kabuto handled their attacks with calculated caution and kept his composure throughout the exchanges. At that moment, Naruto lunged from behind with a Rasengan, but Kabuto detected the distinct spiraling sound characteristic of the technique and slipped aside.
Missing the strike, Naruto realized attacking from a blind spot was useless. A high-level technique like the Rasengan emitted too many warning signs for Kabuto to miss. Meanwhile, Naruto's clones were nearly erased by Kabuto's chakra-scalpel strikes. Naruto had no choice but to activate his Lightning Release armor and close the distance using kunai in close-quarters combat. When Kabuto saw the lightning chakra flowing across Naruto's body, his expression stiffened. After several rapid clashes, Kabuto found that his chakra-scalpel couldn't cleanly penetrate through the protective lightning layer encasing Naruto.
Even so, Naruto had no means to incapacitate Kabuto quickly. The Lightning Release protected him, but the kunai lacked the killing power to finish Kabuto, and Kabuto's regenerative abilities allowed him to recover from nearly any cut. The two were locked in a temporary stalemate. At that moment, Naruto produced two more shadow clones. Seeing this, Kabuto smirked. "Numbers aren't everything. As long as I deal with them carefully, you'll only drain more chakra."
"You'll find out soon enough," Naruto said, rushing in. As soon as he closed the distance, he began forming hand signs at point-blank range. The lightning surged from the kunai, discharging directly into Kabuto's arm. Although Kabuto's entire body stiffened from the sudden electrical shock, he still forced a smile. "Not bad, but that alone can't kill me." Naruto increased the output of his Lightning Release, and Kabuto's entire body went numb, leaving him unable to move.
At that instant, Naruto's clone struck Kabuto's back with a Rasengan. Kabuto's eyes widened in disbelief as he was hit. From Kabuto's perspective, a technique requiring such dense chakra control should only be usable by Naruto's original body. Kabuto spun across the ground upon impact, boring a crater where he landed. Even so, the powerful blow still didn't kill him, and the gaping wound began knitting back together at a visible rate. But his chakra reserves were hit hard; with such severe internal damage, he couldn't restore himself fully. Though alive, he could no longer move.
Lying on the ground, Kabuto said to Naruto, "I never expected you to channel that much chakra into a shadow clone. Just who in the world are you?"
Tsunade stared at Naruto, stunned. The boy had defeated the same opponent who had overwhelmed her in combat. A rush of emotions flooded her mind, and her image of Naruto changed completely. Suddenly, she felt that everything the boy who dreamed of becoming Hokage had shouted earlier was not without merit.
At that moment, Orochimaru who had been clashing with the weakened Jiraiya noticed the situation and abruptly attempted to kill Naruto. Breaking away from Jiraiya, he led Jiraiya into a trap during pursuit, causing Jiraiya to be momentarily disabled. Orochimaru then lunged straight toward Naruto's exposed back. At that instant, Tsunade saw it and cried out, "Naruto, behind you!"
Naruto heard Tsunade's shout and instantly surged Lightning Release through his body, narrowly avoiding Orochimaru's sudden strike. The Kusanagi sword held in Orochimaru's mouth was unimaginably sharp Naruto knew that even with his Lightning chakra protecting him, that blade could still pierce straight through him. A direct hit would not simply injure him; it could take his head clean off. Naruto rolled aside and fixed his eyes on Orochimaru. With both arms rendered useless by the Reaper Death Seal, Orochimaru could no longer perform hand signs or ninjutsu, leaving him to fight using only his serpentine movements, his prehensile tongue, and the Kusanagi.
Originally, Naruto only needed to stall by dodging until Jiraiya fully recovered, but doing so would leave Tsunade exposed to danger. Naruto created a shadow clone to pressure Orochimaru, but Orochimaru demolished it effortlessly with his tongue, the Kusanagi, and fluid, snake-like footwork completely unlike Kabuto's measured style. Seeing this, Naruto stepped protectively in front of Tsunade and tried to think of a countermeasure. If Orochimaru still had use of his arms, Naruto would have been driven back instantly, but in this situation, there was still a slim chance. At that moment, Tsunade behind him stood up, and the diamond mark on her forehead burst open. "Yin Seal: Release. Ninjutsu Creation Rebirth." Her wounds sealed instantly, and she stepped past Naruto. "From here on, I am your opponent, Orochimaru. I am the Fifth Hokage!"
Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "So you finally overcame your hemophobia… and you've perfected a forbidden technique that rapidly restores your body."
"It's not mere healing—it's regeneration," Tsunade replied. "I've stored chakra in this seal for years. When I release it, my body repairs itself continuously. You can't kill me."
Then Tsunade touched the blood on her lips and began forming hand signs. Recognizing the move, Orochimaru instantly retreated to Kabuto's side, while Jiraiya also started forming seals. Almost simultaneously, all three of the Legendary Sannin performed their summoning techniques.
In the next moment, Gamabunta, Katsuyu, and Manda appeared across the battlefield. Gamabunta joked to Jiraiya about whether this was a class reunion, while Manda demanded human sacrifice as payment. Katsuyu, as always, spoke softly and sparingly. Katsuyu moved first, spraying a stream of acidic fluid toward Manda, but despite his size, Manda twisted his massive body with surprising agility, avoiding the attack entirely.
Manda retaliated by coiling around Katsuyu, preparing to crush her before biting down, but Gamabunta intervened, slashing at Manda with his tanto. Manda countered by biting down on the blade, and for a moment, he fought both summons without losing ground. Katsuyu quickly divided into smaller clones to slip free of Manda's coils. Gamabunta abandoned his trapped weapon and leapt back, combining forces with Jiraiya to unleash the Toad Oil Flame Bullet. The massive fire technique scorched the battlefield, but it only burned the skin Manda had shed to escape, and the giant serpent launched a surprise attack by tunneling underground.
Manda flicked his tail as a decoy to distract Gamabunta, then shot his head upward from behind, jaws wide to crush him. At that instant, Tsunade used her monstrous strength to lift Gamabunta's discarded tanto and drove the giant blade straight through Manda's mouth, pinning him to the earth and immobilizing him completely.
With Manda restrained, Tsunade turned her fury on Orochimaru. She charged forward with her monstrous strength, landing blow after blow. Each punch shattered the ground and sent shockwaves through the air; anyone else would have died instantly from even one strike. If Orochimaru had not been possessing a recently acquired host body, he would have been pulverized. But even his enhanced vessel could not endure such relentless, devastating force. After several crushing hits, Orochimaru began coughing up blood.
The operation was now a complete failure, and Orochimaru was forced to retreat, fleeing the battlefield with Kabuto at his side.
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