Tsubaki released the Hiding Like a Mole Jutsu and popped out of the ground to find white smoke swirling around her. Unlike the vast majority of commercially available explosive tags, which produced black smoke as a by-product of the black powder they used, her nitrocellulose paper bombs produced white smoke much like that of the Summoning Jutsu. The end result was much the same, though: a short-lasting but impenetrable smokescreen.
"Did I get her…?" she murmured to herself.
The smoke stirred.
Without even thinking, Tsubaki performed a back handspring as radiant rays of golden light pierced through the veil of white smoke. In the next instant, an enormous golden-gloved hand burst out of the smoke and grabbed at her, but its fingers closed around nothing but air.
"I didn't want to resort to this, but you forced my hand," Hikari hissed as her golden Susano'o drew itself to full height, towering over the nearby warehouses. "You're coming with me whether you want it or not!"
Without taking her eyes off her opponent, Tsubaki leapt backwards, scattering a handful of paper bombs before her with a casual toss. Hikari's heart leapt into her throat as Tsubaki performed the Rat Seal, the sign usually used to trigger explosive tags, but instead of exploding in her face, the tags belched yellow flames and started streaking towards her!
"Ninja Art: Delayed Explosion — Rocket-Propelled Tag Jutsu!"
These tags were slightly less powerful, since part of their explosive force served as propellant. But by leaving a small gap in the fūinjutsu binding the paper bombs, Tsubaki could make them rocket forwards with some measure of control by setting off only part of the explosion.
The Susano'o staggered back as dozens of explosive tags abruptly altered their trajectories, avoiding its skeletal limbs before slamming into its golden chakra carapace and detonating in rapid succession at point-blank range. Hikari shrugged off the shockwaves, sweeping one of the Susano'o's arms through the smoke to clear her line of sight, but this was no ordinary smoke…
"Vapour Style: Skilled Mist Jutsu!"
…but rather a highly corrosive acidic mist!
The white mist began eating away at the Susano'o's bones, causing its chakra to lose structural integrity and melt away in rivulets of golden blood. The already incomplete chakra construct sagged and collapsed to its knees, even as the surrounding buildings eroded and crumbled with the encroaching haze's unstoppable advance…
With only a few seconds before her Susano'o failed, Hikari cancelled her summoning jutsu and returned the velociraptors to the hideout to spare them this needless pain. The mist was dissolving their tissues faster than they could regenerate them, making them effectively useless.
"So, this is it…" Hikari said softly as she closed her bloodshot eyes. "I'm sorry, Lord Orochimaru…"
"Looks like we got here just in time, eh?"
Hikari's eyes flew open.
A towering wall of green crystal surged up between her and Tsubaki, sealing the corrosive mists on the far side. With the last of her strength, Hikari reinforced her Susano'o's legs, driving her G*ndam sideways, and with one shuddering lurch, it launched itself clear of the lingering acid fog.
"Guren," Tsubaki said with gritted teeth, cancelling her jutsu with a wave of her hand. "…and Kabuto."
There was no point in using the Skilled Mist Jutsu against Crystal Style nature transformation; silicon dioxide-based crystals were naturally immune to most acids… save, of course, for hydrofluoric acid. Even the famed piranha solution could do little more than scrub such crystals squeaky clean.
"Sorry it took so long, but I had to wait a few minutes for Four-Eyes here to enter Sage Mode," Guren called out. "Let's wrap this up quickly, shall we? Lord Orochimaru doesn't like being kept waiting."
Tsubaki's hopes of escape were immediately dashed.
To keep up with an Honoured Sage, she would need to enter Sage Mode herself or at the very least possess the Mangekyō Sharingan and speed on par with Sasuke's… but seeing as she had none of these things, she was all but done for…
"I apologise, Mistress Tsubaki, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to proceed as planned," Lady Katsuyu's voice suddenly rang out from Tsubaki's pocket, making her jump. "I'm going to have to summon your reinforcements after all… you won't be able to handle these three on your own."
Earlier, Katsuyu had shaved off a sliver of herself and concealed the miniature divided self in Tsubaki's pocket, just in case her pride got the better of her and jeopardised her own safety and that of Sasuke's… a precaution that, as it turned out, had been anything but unnecessary.
A plume of white smoke erupted from beneath Tsubaki's feet, billowing upwards and swallowing her silhouette figure in an instant. In response, Guren and Kabuto clapped their hands together, readying their co-operative technique as they waited for the smoke to clear…
"Drumroll, please."
"Like hell I'm doing that."
"Lady Katsuyu?"
"Drrrrrrrr…"
A gust of wind tore through the ruined buildings, and the smoke swiftly dispersed. Standing beside Tsubaki was a woman of similar build, draped in a white and red cloak that barely concealed the bulge of her massive breasts. From Kabuto's and Guren's vantage on a nearby rooftop, her face appeared concealed in shadow beneath her wide-brimmed hat, pulled low over her eyes… that hat!!
That crimson hat, embroidered with the character for fire…!
"Don't tell me…" Guren breathed, her pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
That white cloak emblazoned with crimson flames at the hem…!
"Unless it's some kind of trickery, I'd say that's the real deal…" Kabuto said grimly, his vertical-slit eyes narrowing. "That chakra's no joke."
He could barely draw breath, the oppressive sensation emanating from the woman was on par with Lord Orochimaru's— but not because of malice or killing intent, but simply due to the sheer amount of chakra radiating from her body…
"It's been a long time since the Chūnin exams, Kabuto," the woman said wistfully. "I see you haven't changed a bit since then… you've simply grown from an ant into a slightly bigger ant."
In this timeline, Kabuto had never lost his master, so he had never injected himself with Orochimaru's cells in an attempt to seek out his own identity. Though he had not acquired any outwardly serpentine traits, his senjutsu chakra betrayed his sagehood. His Ryūchi Cave Sage Mode was startlingly perfect, turning only his irises yellow and his pupils into slits, and giving him green eyeliner… but even so, he was still no match for her.
"It really is her…" Kabuto said bitterly. "Guren, don't let your guard down…"
"Accept no substitutes!" Sakura roared, whipping off her hat and cloak in one smooth motion and sending her breasts jostling wildly. "Manyū Sakura, the one and only Sixth Hokage of the Hidden Leaf!"
Sakura quickly whipped around and handed the garments to Tsubaki.
"Mind holding these for me while I fight?" she whispered. "I just got these back from the dry cleaner's."
Tsubaki let the silken fabric slip through her fingers and fall onto the grimy ground.
"Oops," she said not at all convincingly.