In an instant, Sora was plunged into immense crisis.
Earth Release combined with the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki's sneak attack… simple yet effective.
Amidst the rumbling earth, Kushina, clad in a pale red Chakra Cloak, descended from the sky. She saw Minato collapsed on the battlefield, drenched in blood, and her beautiful eyes naturally filled with a flash of anger.
"Yuki Sora…"
"You will pay for all of this!"
In her extreme fury, the black Tailed Beast Bomb in Kushina's hand mercilessly slammed down.
Looking up,
Gazing at the pale red figure descending from the sky, a look of surprise couldn't help but appear on Sora's face.
'First Stage Perfect Jinchuriki…'
'Uzumaki Kushina can also activate the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode?'
Sora felt very astonished. This Nine-Tails Chakra Mode was a special state that required the Nine-Tails' acknowledgment to activate.
It enveloped the entire body in dense Chakra, greatly enhancing speed and power, and allowed the user to sense and distinguish enemies based on their malicious or benevolent intent.
To put it bluntly, this was already a power belonging to the high-level authority range within the Ninja World.
Once the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode was activated, one basically possessed mid-level Kage combat power, equivalent to the level of power held by Sage Mode Naruto, the Second Hokage, or Hanzo the Salamander.
'Uzumaki Kushina?'
'She could do it too?'
'Was there something wrong with this world?'
Of course…
Surprised as he was, Sora's expression remained quite calm, without a trace of fear.
As his Reiatsu surged, he spread the silvery-patterned Blut Vene across his entire body.
Tailed Beast Bomb!
The ultimate offensive technique capable of destroying all creation!
Blut Vene!
The ultimate impregnable wall that could defend against all attacks!
The Strongest Spear vs The Strongest Shield!
Which would prove superior?
In an instant, the silvery light shimmering from the Blut Vene extended into the void, forming a silvery-white membrane in front of Sora.
The next moment, the Tailed Beast Bomb in Kushina's hand, along with the golden-red chains bursting from her back, slammed fiercely onto that silvery-white membrane.
This strike was also the strongest attack Kushina had comprehended after gaining the Nine-Tails' acknowledgment. The terrifying Chakra contained within was enough to tear a Kage-level Ninja to pieces in an instant.
Boom!
The energy of the Tailed Beast Bomb erupted, directly triggering an apocalyptic implosion on the battlefield.
Even though ninety-nine percent of its power was directed at Sora, the mere pressure radiating outwards still made the Ninjas on the battlefield feel an indescribable fear, causing many to involuntarily shrink their pupils and retreat in horror.
"This…"
"Is this the power of a Tailed Beast Bomb?"
"Kushina-sama?"
"Was she the secret weapon Minato and Jiraiya mentioned?"
"Truly terrifying!"
The Jonin of Konoha's various clans couldn't help but exclaim loudly.
Recently, Kushina's condition was a top secret among top secrets. Not even every one of these influential clan's Jonin in Konoha was aware of it.
Now, seeing Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki re-enter the battlefield in a powerful new form, many Konoha's Jonin, besides being shocked, also felt a subtle sense of relief.
After all, Kushina's appearance, at this critical moment when Minato had been defeated, was truly a lifesaver for Konoha!
At this moment,
Under the gazes of countless Ninjas, some ecstatic, some horrified, Kushina's Tailed Beast Bomb crashed violently against that silvery membrane.
Buzz!
Buzz!
When the Tailed Beast Bomb, capable of destroying all creation, collided with the Blut Vene, capable of defending against everything, it oddly didn't result in the massive explosion one might expect.
Instead, these two clashing energies merged together like turbulent ocean currents.
The black Tailed Beast Bomb and the silvery membrane transformed into black and white waters, mutually merging and devouring each other.
The boundary between black and silver shifted back and forth, as if contesting for dominance in the energy fusion.
Then…
A moment later, the surging black current seemed to lose its final strength, being completely swallowed by the silvery membrane.
As the contest of energy levels concluded, an extremely dazzling white light exploded across the battlefield.
Boom!
It was like the detonation of a sun, emitting a blazing light that illuminated the entire battlefield.
At this moment, there was no sound, no blast wave, only the blinding white light, a fierce, brilliant white light as intense as a newborn star, impossible to look at directly.
Hum!
Buzz!
The white light shot into the sky, tearing apart the floating clouds, connecting the clear blue sky with a white pillar below, as if it had become the only dazzling existence in this world.
At this time, not only the Ninjas on the battlefield, but even the Ninjas, residents, and ordinary people in towns within a hundred-mile radius, could see that extremely dazzling white pillar of light when they looked up at the sky. It was like a world wonder standing within this land, shocking and moving.
"This…"
"What is that!??"
On the battlefield, even Jiraiya, who had experienced countless major battles, looked at the white pillar of light with eyes full of apprehension.
Gazing at that soaring, dazzling white light, he wasn't sure exactly what had happened, but he knew that the clash between Kushina and Sora must have unleashed power far exceeding ordinary Kage-level.
'That was perhaps power only the Old Man in his prime could possess!!!'
Finally,
The dazzling white light gradually faded, and the figures of Sora and Kushina reappeared in everyone's sight.
The terrain there had been completely altered.
Centered around Sora's feet, a crater over fifty meters in diameter had sunk into the ground.
The dark, black pit was bottomless, a wound on the earth blasted out by the residual waves of their clash.
And there, Sora still stood poised in the void.
His right hand held the hilt of Hyorinmaru, his gaze raised towards the sky.
Meanwhile, Kushina, who had launched the aerial sneak attack, was still blocked by that silvery membrane.
Not only the Tailed Beast Bomb, but even the golden-red chains bursting from her back had been torn apart by the membrane, scattering into countless Chakra Fragments.
"You…"
'The Tailed Beast Bomb was actually consumed!??'
Kushina looked at Sora's calm, undisturbed face, feeling endless astonishment rise in her heart.
She never imagined that the Tailed Beast Bomb released with the Nine-Tails' power could be so effortlessly neutralized by Sora.
This time, Kushina hadn't even seen that terrifying Danku from before!!!
'Yuki Sora…'
'Just how many trump cards does he have!??'
Kushina felt a bit numb.
'Wasn't the Nine-Tails the most powerful force in this world…?'
'Why could this man always face the Nine-Tails so calmly, and each time so easily suppress its power?'
'This was truly unbelievable!!!!'
No matter what, Tailed Beasts were forces that surpassed ordinary Ninjas, and the Nine-Tails was undoubtedly the king among them, possessing terrifying power that even Madara and Hashirama couldn't afford to underestimate.
But now, the Nine-Tails power that Kushina wielded was being suppressed by Sora again and again, making her start to doubt her life.
"Kurama…"
"Are you actually reliable!??"
Kushina questioned in her heart with a tone of shock and doubt.
"Grrraaaaaah!"
"Kushina, you foolish woman, when fighting this guy, can you not space out? Being so careless, do you want to drag me to death with you???"
Before the words faded, the Nine-Tails' roar echoed in her ears.
"What?"
Just as Kushina was utterly stunned, she suddenly saw a layer of golden patterns flare up on Sora's right hand.
Then, a flash of sword light swept past, striking her Chakra Cloak.
"Urgh…"
A soft cry escaped her, and then Kushina was sent flying by Sora's slash once again.
Bang!
Amidst the loud noise, Kushina, clad in her pale red Chakra Cloak, crashed disgracefully into the ground, head first, legs pointing skyward, assuming the headfirst planting posture once more.
One moment, consuming the Tailed Beast Bomb.
Another slash, sending the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki flying.
Just as the Konoha Ninjas thought hope for a reversal had arrived, Sora ruthlessly shattered that hope.
"Kushina-sama!"
"Kushina-sama!"
"Kushina-sama!"
Several Konoha's Kunoichi rushed over and, with practiced ease, dug the headfirst-planted Kushina out of the ground.
More Konoha's Ninjas, however, stared dumbfounded at Sora, their faces a mix of collapse and disbelief.
'Even Kushina-sama can't do it?'
'She's clearly the village's secret weapon, yet she still lost so decisively…'
'First Minato-sama, now Kushina-sama … is there no one in the village who is a match for this monster Yuki Sora?'
"This, this is impossible!"
The expressions of the Konoha's Ninjas present were utterly crushed.
After all, Kushina's new mode possessed visibly immense power. Yet even this upgraded, re-upgraded Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki was still ruthlessly sent flying by Sora.
Even the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki is using hacks, and it's still not enough?
What the hell are they even fighting for!!!
Many Konoha's Ninjas couldn't help but curse inwardly.
The Nine-Tails!
That was the nightmare of countless Ninjas, a truly terrifying Tailed Beast standing at the pinnacle of the Ninja World.
And now, even this terrifying power still couldn't suppress Sora!??
As the First Stage Perfect Jinchuriki, with a sneak attack from the sky, Kushina completely missed, and then cleanly counter-attacked.
Such a result was something the Konoha's Ninjas present found hard to accept.
On the battlefield, Kushina stood up. She raised her head, looking towards Sora standing poised in the sky in the distance.
"I have indeed become stronger!"
Kushina touched the pale red Chakra Cloak on her body and whispered to herself, "If it were before, just that single slash would have left me basically unable to stand. But now, with Kurama's power, I am completely unharmed!"
"So…"
"We can win!"
"There must be a chance!"
Kushina clenched her fists tightly.
Though she had been repelled, she wasn't disheartened, because she deeply understood that the enemy she faced now was at the level of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!!!
At this moment, the attention of everyone on the field was drawn to the red and white figures. Even their breathing unconsciously halted.
And just then, a sharp shout suddenly rang out across the battlefield.
"Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique!"
It was Jiraiya, leaping into the air.
He had bitten his finger and completed the summoning hand seals.
Bang!
White smoke exploded.
The next moment, a figure as large as a hill fell from the sky, suppressing the area above Sora.
That was…
A gigantic red toad, holding a giant smoking pipe in its mouth, layers of bandages wrapped around its waist, with a short sword tucked into them.
Summoning Technique!
Jiraiya, seizing the moment the battlefield had stalled, launched a surprise attack with the Food Cart Destroyer Technique. The massive red toad, over 50 meters tall, descended with the force of a crushing mountain, pressing down fiercely onto Sora.
Boom!
The enormous toad landed, collapsing the entire section of the battlefield. The ground for a thousand meters around crumbled again, cracking with numerous dense fissures. Some unfortunate Ninjas were caught in the area, crushed alive into puddles of blood by the giant toad.
Indiscriminate damage!
It was clear Jiraiya was disregarding everything.
He couldn't afford to worry about the Konoha's Ninjas on the battlefield anymore… he seized the opportunity to launch his strongest attack.
"Sora!!!"
Mei cried out, her beautiful face turning pale with alarm.
"What?"
"You damned Uchiha!!!"
Yagura had been momentarily distracted, allowing Jiraiya to force him back with a Fire Release.
By the time he charged forward again, his opponent had been replaced by Fugaku with his Three-Tomoe Sharingan.
"The Uchiha shall not be disgraced."
Fugaku stood with one hand behind his back, blocking Yagura's path.
"I'll disgrace your ugly ass!!!"
Yagura, seeing the giant toad summoned onto the battlefield in the distance, couldn't help but curse outright. This was his mistake, allowing Sora to be sneak-attacked by Jiraiya!!!
'Damn it all!'
'If anything happened to Sora, whether it was myself or the Uchiha, they all truly deserved to die!!!!'
…
On the other side of the battlefield.
"Jiraiya, I've been pretty busy lately too. What enemy is it this time you called me out for? Is it that old schemer Manda again?"
The giant red toad spoke in a human voice, emitting a low rumble.
"Manda?"
"No!"
Jiraiya, standing on the toad's head, shook his head, then said with a serious expression, "Bunta, it's not Manda this time. It's an Ice Release Ninja named Yuki Sora. However…"
"He's probably harder to deal with than Manda!"
In his words, Jiraiya's tone was also filled with full apprehension.
'Yuki Sora!'
'A mere sixteen-year-old youth, yet possessing such terrifying power. If given a few more years to grow, who in the entire Ninja World could stop him!??'
'For the village, for the peace of the Ninja World, he absolutely must not be spared!!!'
Jiraiya gritted his teeth. He had broken away from Yagura's entanglement precisely to come here and join forces with Kushina to kill Sora!
To eliminate Kirigakure's greatest threat!!!
"Well then, Jiraiya…"
"Where is this Yuki Sora you mentioned?"
Gamabunta's giant eyes scanned the battlefield, but to him, humans all looked pretty much the same.
He really couldn't tell who the powerful enemy Jiraiya spoke of was.
"Don't know."
Jiraiya clapped his hands together, his expression grave. "He definitely wouldn't be taken out that easily, anyway. We must be very careful. That guy is an extremely dangerous person…"
However, before he could finish-
A flash of sword light came from the shadows.
Sharp.
Severe.
Radiating an aura of frost.
In an instant, the very air seemed to freeze, unable to make any sound, forced to allow that cold light to slash towards Jiraiya's back.