The howling wind whipped the waves against the pitch-black reefs, the overcast sky casting an oppressively somber mood over everything.
A seabird perched atop the rocks, scanning its surroundings for prey. Suddenly, the bird, which had been pecking at the ground for food, jerked its head up in alarm.
An enormous, unparalleled shadow loomed over it in an instant!
Startled, the seabird flapped its wings in a desperate attempt to take flight, but it had barely lifted off when the massive figure crushed it beneath its weight!
With sheer brute force, Sakura Haruno had dragged the entirety of the Eight-Tails' colossal form from the battlefield to the edge of the sea!
Terumi Mei stared in shock at the trench stretching all the way to the coastline, momentarily at a loss for words.
"Don't just stand there—we're up."
As the golden staff shrank rapidly in her hand, Sakura shot a glance at Terumi Mei before charging straight toward the Eight-Tails.
Shifting the battlefield to the nearby shore wasn't just to prevent the Eight-Tails' Tailed Beast Bomb from harming innocents—it also gave Terumi Mei's Water Release an advantageous terrain.
This way, Terumi Mei wouldn't need to expend massive amounts of chakra to create a favorable environment. Plus, Kakashi also possessed Water Release chakra.
In truth, Sakura herself had water among her chakra natures.
Aside from water, she also had yin, yang, and earth—a total of four chakra attributes (per official canon).
But, well…
Under Sarutobi Hiruzen's tutelage, Sakura had only learned the Water Release: Water Formation Technique and the Earth Release: Mud Wall.
Ninjutsu? It didn't hit nearly as hard as her fists.
And whether it was facing the Raikage, Orochimaru, or the Two-Tails, neither Water Release nor Earth Release had proven particularly effective.
Sakura, Terumi Mei, and Kakashi raced along the trench toward the Eight-Tails. But then, out of the corner of her eye, a flash of lightning streaked into view, charging at them without hesitation!
The Raikage…
Sakura's expression tightened slightly. Before she could react, Kakashi swiftly formed hand seals.
"Lightning Release: Thunder Tiger Barrage!"
As Kakashi completed the technique, a ferocious lightning hound lunged toward the Raikage!
…Wait a second.
Wasn't it supposed to be a tiger?
Why was it a dog?
Sakura mentally grumbled for a split second before brushing it off and charging forward with Terumi Mei.
Meanwhile, Jiraiya, who had been tailing the Raikage, seized the moment as the Thunder Tiger Barrage slowed the Raikage's steps, catching up in an instant.
"Sage Art: Super Giant Rasengan!"
Jiraiya thrust out his hand, unleashing a Rasengan the size of a house!
The Raikage, having just shaken off the Thunder Tiger Barrage, turned to see this and felt his pupils constrict.
His old strength was spent, and his new strength hadn't yet recovered…
This timing—he couldn't dodge!
The wind roared, the ground trembled. Sakura and Terumi Mei's eyes narrowed as they saw the massive black sphere hurtling toward them!
No need to think twice—they dodged immediately!
A Tailed Beast Bomb!
Seeing the Raikage in peril, the Eight-Tails had fired a Tailed Beast Bomb!
And its target… was Jiraiya!!
The Tailed Beast Bomb narrowly missed the Raikage—clearly, the Eight-Tails had calculated the angle perfectly!
Jiraiya, having leapt into the air to exploit the Raikage's opening, had no way to evade mid-flight!
Sakura's eyes shrank to pinpoints. She immediately moved to rush forward!
If she could use Earth Release: Mud Wall and Adamantine Prison Wall to form a reinforced concrete barrier and redirect the Tailed Beast Bomb's trajectory…
It could work!
At the same moment, Kakashi, seeing Jiraiya in mortal danger, prepared a technique—evidently thinking the same thing as Sakura!
"Little Jiraiya!"
Fukasaku, the sage toad, cried out in alarm!
"I know!"
Jiraiya gritted his teeth, staring down the Tailed Beast Bomb barreling toward him, his mind racing.
If he took the Raikage down with him here…
"Earth Release: Mud Wall!"
"Ninja Art: Adamantine Prison Wall!"
"Water Release: Water Formation Pillar!"
Sakura, Terumi Mei, and Kakashi unleashed their defensive techniques in unison!
The golden staff in Sakura's hand instantly split into dozens of rods, interlocking to form an adamantine wall in front of Jiraiya!
Then, a carved dog-headed earthen wall enveloped the adamantine framework!
A towering pillar of water surged upward, blocking the path of the reinforced Mud Wall!
But then, a fourth figure joined the fray!
"Summoning Technique: Triple Rashomon!"
Three massive, ghostly iron gates, dozens of meters tall, erupted from the ground in front of the water pillar!
It was Orochimaru!
Jiraiya whipped his head around in shock to see Orochimaru behind him!
Orochimaru wiped the blood from his hands, a byproduct of the summoning, and pointed at himself with an air of nonchalance. "Don't get the wrong idea—I'm doing this for my own survival.
"Not for you, so don't flatter yourself."
He gestured to show that he and Jiraiya were on the same trajectory.
But wait—hadn't this guy just been—
Jiraiya had no time to dwell on it. The Tailed Beast Bomb was already screaming toward them!
It smashed through all three Rashomon gates, its momentum barely diminished, then shattered the water pillar and broke through the adamantine Mud Wall, grazing just over Jiraiya's head!
The bomb streaked toward a distant, cloud-piercing snowy mountain!
BOOM!!!
A blinding flash and a deafening explosion followed in quick succession!
Scorching flames and violent shockwaves scattered the snow for dozens of miles around, melting it into rain before evaporating it into endless steam!
A gust swept in from the distance. The chill in the air vanished in an instant. Thanks to the sheer distance, even the Tailed Beast Bomb's explosion felt to Sakura like a gentle breeze—almost like the warm air from a heater.
Kind of cozy, actually.
Her pink hair fluttered lightly in the warm wind as the golden staff returned to her hand.
As expected of the Monkey King—even a direct hit from a Tailed Beast Bomb didn't leave a scratch.
But it also spoke to the power of Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword.
The Raikage clambered to his feet, glaring furiously at Orochimaru. If not for him, Jiraiya would already be dead!
How could the hot-tempered Raikage stomach this?
"You—"
"Raikage, was the Eight-Tails trying to kill me along with them?"
Before the Raikage could finish, Orochimaru cut in, seizing the initiative. His golden eyes locked onto the Raikage.
"You—"
"I'll let this slide for now, but you owe me an explanation later."
The Raikage opened his mouth to snap back, only to be interrupted again by Orochimaru. It also reminded him—the fight wasn't over.
Sakura cast a deep, lingering look at Orochimaru before turning and charging toward the Eight-Tails without a backward glance.
The Raikage, swallowing his rage at Orochimaru, pursued her.
Jiraiya gave Orochimaru a complicated look, sighed inwardly, and then chased after the Raikage.
Orochimaru watched them depart, glancing at the hand he'd just used to form seals.
His body had moved on its own.
Meanwhile, the Eight-Tails, having bailed out the Raikage with that Tailed Beast Bomb, now roared and charged straight at Sakura!
Lacking wings to fly or hooves to gallop, the Eight-Tails was relatively slow among the tailed beasts.
Before it could cover much ground, Sakura was already upon it!
"Die!"
Her pink figure descended from the sky, a torrent of ferocious chakra gathering at her feet like a collapsing heavens!
"Heavenly Guardian Kick!"
"ROAR!!"
The Eight-Tails bellowed in defiance, swinging a massive fist toward Sakura!
The terrifying chakra in that giant fist clashed with Sakura's strike!
A muffled boom rang out. Sakura was sent flying backward, while the Eight-Tails' enormous body crashed to the ground!
"Sakura!"
Kakashi shouted in alarm!
Mid-air, Sakura quickly adjusted her balance, landing steadily on the ground. But at that moment, a towering figure appeared behind her!
"Die!"
"Heavy-Style Burst!"
The Raikage's furious voice thundered from behind. Sakura turned to face the burly man, casually sidestepping and blocking his fist—bigger than her head—with a single hand!
"What?!"
The Raikage's fury intensified, and he reared back for another strike!
But Jiraiya had arrived. Fukasaku, perched on his shoulder, opened his mouth and formed hand seals:
"Sage Art: Water Release: Water Gun!"
A jet of water shot from Fukasaku's mouth, razor-sharp and aimed straight at the Raikage!
The Raikage's scalp tingled. Instinctively, he raised a metal armguard to block!
Crack!
The water jet sliced clean through the armguard!
Using that split-second reprieve, the Raikage leapt out of the water gun's range!
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