Left with nothing but a desperate struggle for survival, Hanzō barely held on without Sanshōuo's aid.
After a brief exchange, half his body was torn apart by Orochimaru's strike. He crashed to the ground, slowly regenerating.
"How is this possible?"
Hanzō screamed wildly, eyes wide with disbelief.
He couldn't accept that someone he'd once bested so easily was now overpowering him like this.
His once-proud swordsmanship now felt like a joke before Orochimaru.
"Face your end!!!"
"Your era has long since ended."
[Ninjutsu: Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!]
Orochimaru suddenly shot out his right arm. From the wide sleeve burst several pythons, tightly coiling around Hanzō.
[Summoning Jutsu!]
Immediately after, Orochimaru summoned a massive serpent which instantly swallowed Hanzō whole and sealed him inside.
"You useless trash," Chiyo spat out a curse as Orochimaru approached.
She too was nearing her limit.
"You'll join your mortal enemy soon enough."
[Wood Release: Silent Binding Bind!]
Kurenai seized the opening Hanzō left while distracted. Slamming her foot down hard, she released a powerful shockwave that sent the attacking puppet flying backward.
At the same time, she formed hand seals. Thick branches erupted from the forest, coiling tightly around Chiyo.
"Got one."
The giant serpent summoned by Orochimaru opened its mouth again, swallowing Chiyo whole before vanishing into smoke.
"Well done."
"Come help us quickly!"
Jiraiya had been knocked back by Kinkaku, yet wore a grin of joy.
Kinkaku and Ginkaku, who had managed to kill Tobirama, were indeed far stronger than Hanzō and Chiyo.
Now both brothers radiated crimson Tailed Beast Chakra. Each move they made packed even greater force than before.
"You disrespectful brats don't even know life from death!"
"Die!!!"
Ginkaku roared furiously, clashing blades with Fugaku before retreating several steps and waving the Bashōsen wildly.
Blazing flames erupted from the fan, engulfing Tsunade and the four others within their reach.
Amplified by Tailed Beast Chakra, the Bashōsen unleashed at full power.
[Uchiha Return!]
Facing the raging flames rushing toward him, Fugaku returned the attack with a scornful smirk.
Swinging his armored war fan fiercely, he hurled the flames back at twice the speed, enhanced by Wind Release, striking with twice the force.
"What!?"
Both Kinkaku and Ginkaku were stunned by the sudden reversal.
In the instant they froze, the fire engulfed them in an instant.
Aaargh! Aaargh!
Two agonized screams tore through the inferno, shrill and piercing.
Following closely came twin waves of chakra surging violently from within the flames.
Two gigantic beasts, each with six tails swaying behind them, emerged dimly within the fire.
"They've transformed into Tailed Beasts. We need to seal them together!"
[View Gate, Open!]
Tsunade instantly opened the Sixth Gate of the Eight Gates, triggering a massive surge of chakra.
With a slight flutter of her wings, she vanished in a flash.
[Summoning Jutsu!]
Smoke billowed up as Bunta materialized beneath Jiraiya's feet. His face marked by Sage Mode.
[Susano'o]
"Fugaku!" Fugaku Uchiha let out a low cry as his black Susano'o enveloped him.
No longer holding back, Fugaku activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and instantly summoned Susano'o in its ultimate form.
The black complete-body Susano'o exerted an overwhelming pressure for the first time. Its massive frame slowly rose into the air.
"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"
Orochimaru's mastery of Wood Release wasn't enough to replicate the Thousand Hands: Power Technique, but under the current circumstances, the Wood Human was more than sufficient.
The colossal wooden figure, entwined with wood dragons, took thunderous steps forward, shaking the ground with every stride.
Facing the four ninja attacking together, Kinkaku and Ginkaku—already transformed into tailed beasts—knew no fear.
"I'll kill you all!!!"
With a roar in unison, the two brothers burst forth from the flames.
Their six tails lashed forward at blinding speed toward Tsunade and the others.
"Bold of you."
Tsunade twisted left and right, deftly dodging the tail attacks.
*Bang!*
As soon as the words left her mouth, her powerful punch slammed into Kinkaku's gut.
Enhanced by monstrous strength, the Tailed Beast cloak, and the Eight Gates, the single strike carried terrifying force.
Kinkaku's massive frame instantly curled into a fetal position, pain flashing across his beastly face.
His body was sent flying backward uncontrollably, but it suddenly halted mid-air.
"Come back here."
Orochimaru manipulated the wooden figure to clamp down on Kinkaku's tail, yanking him violently back in front of Tsunade.
"Perfect timing."
Without sparing a word of thanks, Tsunade followed up with a flawless string of blows.
The sight almost made Jiraiya cover his eyes.
"Big bro!!!"
Ginkaku wanted to save his brother but neglected his own predicament.
The black perfect-body Susano'o simply swept its blade through once, cleaving off all of Ginkaku's tails.
With another downward slash, the earth shook violently.
If not for Ginkaku's quick evasion, that single blow would have left him reeling for ages.
Before even touching the ground, Jiraiya had already prepared his attack.
[Sage Art: Fire Release: Toad Oil Flame Bullet!]
A combined technique performed alongside Gamabunta, infused with Sage chakra, packed incredible power.
Oil-fueled flames surged forward, rapidly engulfing Ginkaku and the area he was about to land on.
"Ahh~"
Unlike ordinary fire techniques, this drenched his entire body in flames.
The tailed beast chakra burned away wildly, and the agony peaked.
*Puff! Puff!*
Two heavy thuds echoed as their bodies hit the ground.
Reverting back to human forms, Kinkaku looked utterly broken, his reincarnated body slowly regenerating.
Before he could even attempt to rise again, Orochimaru manipulated the wooden figure to seize him like a doll, leaving him completely helpless.
Ginkaku fared worse—he was cleaved clean through by Susano'o's blade. Lying in pieces, he still couldn't regenerate.
They never imagined they'd be crushed so mercilessly.
Have today's shinobi truly become this strong?
Had those two beams of light seen earlier been that easy to overcome?
Jiraiya immediately released the Summoning Jutsu and returned Bunta to Mount Myoboku.
"Seal it. We're done here."
Tsunade dispelled her buffs and gracefully brushed invisible dust from her sleeve, exuding unmatched elegance.
"Understood."
Jiraiya walked over to Ginkaku and pulled out a sealing scroll, sealing him within.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru also dispelled his Wood Human and sealed away Kinkaku.
"What should we do with this Five-Tailed Beast?"
A black Susano'o landed beside Kokuō, who now dared not move a muscle.
Staring at Fugaku's face within the Susano'o's head, he gulped nervously.
Faced with this dark giant—he couldn't survive even a few sword strikes.
"Be smart and just go in—quietly."
"For your own good."
Tsunade tossed a sealing vessel to the ground beside Kokuō, smirking coldly.
"I understand, I understand."
Having suffered under Kawaki before, Kokuō was now extremely obedient, nodding frantically.
Without needing any help, he climbed into the sealing vessel himself.
"Haha~ Turns out this one's actually well-behaved."
Fugaku withdrew the black katana that had been pressed against Kokuō's forehead, then released his Susano'o.
Their mission guarding the Five-Tailed Beast had been successfully completed.
As they chatted and laughed together, Madara raged somewhere in the shadows.
"You're all utterly useless!!!"
...
Naruto: Please add to your bookmarks: (m.