A rumble tore through the rocky plains. Then, without warning, the ground a couple hundred meters away cracked and split apart. A colossal red summoning snake, dozens of meters long erupted from the earth. It reared its massive head, hissing viciously as its glowing yellow eyes locked onto Daichi and Tsunade with predatory intent.
Kakashi's eyes widened as he looked at the giant serpent. "That's…"
"Orochimaru's summon… Looks like that bastard is still alive." Jiraiya muttered as he looked at the creature with slightly narrowed eyes.
Daichi didn't look up from his patient as all his attention was on his teacher. But as Shizune looked into the eyes of the large beast she realized that they were its target. "It's… It's looking right at us."
Just as those words left her lips, the snake sped towards their location with the intent to swallow them whole.
"Shit," Jiraiya muttered, muscles tensing.
But before the snake could close the distance, Tobirama vanished in a blur and reappeared between the snake and his comrades. Jiraiya and Kakashi quickly stood in a diamond formation, but Tobirama raised his arms, weaving swift hand seals.
"Water Style: Water Severing Wave!"
A violent torrent of superheated water erupted from Tobirama's mouth, heading straight for the serpent.
The water jutsu sliced clean through the gargantuan serpent body, cutting it into several pieces. The beast shrieked and convulsed, its body collapsing into several writhing portions. The severed remains crashed into the dirt with a thunderous impact.
But just as the beast fell, something moved within its body. From inside the snake's corpse emerged a silhouette, stepping free of the bloody remains with disconcerting calm. A moment later the summoning creature vanished in a puff of smoke and it obstructed the sight of the Leaf ninjas, but only for a few moments.
As Tobirama, Jiraiya and Kakashi stood guard the smoke cleared and they finally saw the figure of a fairly tall kunoichi. She was fair-skinned with pupil-less brown eyes. She had green hair that she tied in a bun on top of her head with a hair needle running through it and one short and long strands of hair with orange tips framing each side of her face.
Kakashi took a closer look and he suddenly recognized the enemy in front of him. "Wait. I think that's Pakura of the Sand village."
Jiraiya nodded when he heard that. "The Hero of the Hidden Sand huh. I heard she died from an attack by the Hidden Stone village a few years ago."
"She's a reanimation. Her eyes are a dead give away." Tobirama spoke up. 'Another reanimated corpse… Orochimaru must be pulling out his reserves.'
"What can you tell me about her strength?" The Senju asked his team.
"She was a renowned kunoichi during her lifetime. She possesses a Kekkei Genkai known as Scorch Style. She can create heat orbs that "mummify" her enemies by evaporating all the moisture in their bodies. At least that's what I've heard. A strong and difficult opponent." The Toad sage quickly recalled the intel he had on her and updated his team.
The Second Hokage nodded. 'A Scorch Style user huh. Very rare.' The reanimated Kage quickly made a decision. "Then I'll handle her. You two stay here and guard these three."
Just at that moment, without preamble, Pakura launched a scorching orb of heat at Tobirama. He immediately countered with a defensive swirl of water, steam hissing where the two elements collided. The two opposing elements quickly cancelled each other out.
Without hesitation, she launched her next attack. Spheres of orange fireballs appeared and shot toward Tobirama with deadly precision, each one capable of evaporating a human body on contact.
The Second Hokage wanted to dodge but stayed firm in his spot. In the short few seconds it took for the enemy to create her jutsu and attack him, Tobirama had already analyzed and found the enemy's strategy. 'She can control those flame orbs and their direction. She's trying to separate me from the team. It won't be that easy.'
"Water style - Water Sphere Jutsu."
Tobirama made a single seal and shot several powerful water spheres and destroyed the fireballs. As the steam spread from the collision of fire and water, Orochimaru who was hidden, forced his reanimated ninja to charge up another attack. An attack far stronger than any used till now.
Pakura held her hands up in the air and began gathering a large amount of chakra. It quickly changed its nature into her special Kekkei Genkai and soon a large orb of orange fire was floating above her head.
Even before Pakura completed her attack, Tobirama could sense the strength of the jutsu. 'Such a large scale jutsu. That's not just for me.'
He quickly came up with a countermeasure. "Kakashi! Create an earth defense dome around all of you. Now."
The Jonin didn't question the kage and immediately weaved seals and placed his hands on the ground. "Earth style - Barrier Defense Dome jutsu."
The earth dome covered all of them except Tobirama.
"Take this." At that moment Pakura unleashed her attack. The giant scorch ball flew towards the Leaf ninjas and when it got near them it suddenly exploded.
But just before the attack hit Tobirama clapped his hands together and gathered his chakra.
"Water Style - Water wall!"
A powerful current of water appeared out of thin air. It surrounded the earth barrier and shielded it against the enemy jutsu.
Boom!
A large explosion of steam erupted obscuring everyone's vision. Suddenly Pakura sensed several kunais coming her way and dodged them.
But a few got stuck in her body and just as she was about to remove them, her head was severed and flew in the air.
The next moment her body exploded as a powerful wind jutsu from Tobirama tore it apart.
Pakura, who had a small bit of consciousness in her, was stunned. Her head flew and fell several meters away and after a few seconds her body slowly began to regenerate.
She saw a Leaf Anbu standing a short distance away and gazing at her with a cold look. 'I didn't even sense him coming. What a powerful ninja. Who is he?'
Tobirama touched the ground and felt the presence of another large creature. 'That's another summoning snake but I can't feel his presence. So he's hiding himself and stalling. He's waiting for the right time to strike.'
The masked Senju then gazed at Pakura and had an idea. 'If he thinks I'm entangled with her then maybe he might take that risk. Now that I know for sure that he survived, killing him here is the best choice… It seems I can't undo her reanimation just yet.'
—-
At the same time, some distance away from the disguised Tobirama, was Orochimaru. He was underground hiding his presence but he could sense everything that was happening.
'It's a good thing I asked Kabuto to bring their genetic materials just in case. I never imagined I'd have to use my reserves. Pakura and Gari. My last two pieces. I need to use them well. I'll only have a shot at taking Tsunade's blood if the Second Hokage is occupied… And Pakura is the best counter I have for his water jutsus.'
Orochimaru focused and soon felt that his puppet was ready.
Pakura fully regenerated and soon re-engaged in battle with the masked Hokage.
—-
At that moment Kakashi dismissed his earth barrier and looked around. The entire area surrounding them was a smoking crater. 'What a powerful jutsu. Kekkei Genkai attacks are no joke.'
Just then on the opposite side, another eruption of earth signaled the arrival of yet another gargantuan snake. Jiraiya crouched low, preparing a summoning of his own. "I'll handle this one—"
But before he could complete the sign sequence, Kakashi sprang forward, lightning crackling around his hand. "I got it."
"Raikiri!" The Copy Ninja's voice rang out as he dashed in a blur.
Kakashi's lightning-covered hand shot forward, piercing straight through the summoning's skull in one precise strike. The snake convulsed before dissolving in a puff of smoke, its contract broken.
Jiraiya exhaled. "At least that's one less problem."
Daichi, meanwhile, had remained by Tsunade's side, ignoring the chaos around him. He kept stabilizing Tsunade's chakra from within even as the surroundings were filled with the chaos of battle. "Her body is still trying to morph, and it's ripping her apart. And being in the middle of a battlefield isn't helping." He whispered, voice slightly shaking.
But even under the dire circumstances, Daichi continued with his delicate medical work. "Shizune, watch our surroundings. I need to keep stabilizing her."
Shizune nodded, positioning herself defensively.
Jiraiya glanced at the battlefield and made a decision. He turned to Daichi and Shizune and spoke. "You're right. We can't stay here."
"But how can we-"
Jiraiya merely gave a small smile as he looked at Tsunade's older apprentice. "Don't worry. I'll take us someplace safe. Somewhere Orochimaru's summons can't harass us."
He quickly bit his thumb, preparing to use a summoning technique. "I'll swallow us in the Toad Mouth and have us slip away from here. We can hold out in the toad's esophagus and move quietly."
He quickly formed hand seals. "Summoning Jutsu: Toad Mouth Bind!"
A fleshy membrane began to materialize around them as Jiraiya attempted to summon the esophagus of a giant toad. The walls of the summoning began expanding, ready to envelop them and provide a near-impenetrable defense.
But just as it began forming, a wave of foreign chakra surged through the air.
Patterns of black script appeared on the ground, clashing with Jiraiya's summoning formula. The entire technique fizzled, the partial conjuring receding into a swirl of disrupted energy.
"What—?" Jiraiya frowned. "A summoning counter-seal?"
From the shadows, a familiar voice echoed. "I don't think so, Jiraiya."
A tall, pale figure stepped into the clearing, a sly smile playing on his lips. His golden eyes gleamed with malicious amusement.
Orochimaru.
'It seems Danzo's suicide jutsu didn't work. Looks like I'll have to do it myself.' Jiraiya thought as he looked at his former teammate. He had none of the affection he once held for the man and now Jiraiya was determined to stop him.
Orochimaru tilted his head, amused. "Did you really think I'd let you take her so easily?"
The Toad Sannin smirked hearing that and countered. "Do you really think you can keep us here?"
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "I do, Jiraiya. After all the effort I put into getting her here, I can't just let you whisk Tsunade off so easily."
At that moment Kakashi appeared near Jiraiya and it increased their odds of victory.
Despite having the numbers against him, Orochimaru smiled. "Kakashi, how wonderful to see you again. I saw what you did to my subordinates. And I have to say… I'm not pleased."
"You're the one who sent them to fight me, weren't you? So you don't have anyone to blame but yourself." The copy ninja shot back with a calm tone.
"Kukukuku…" A malicious breath rose from the Snake Sannin. "Kakashi, you've gotten a lot bolder since the last time we've met. But don't mistake that boldness for strength. Otherwise I might just kill you."
Orochimaru's deadly intent spread and it froze Shizune, and made Kakashi sweat. But Daichi and Jiraiya were unaffected. The Genin continued with his treatment while the white haired Sannin clenched his first and confronted the enemy.
As he stood there observing the Leaf ninjas, Orochimaru was surprised inside. 'My intent affected Kakashi and Shizune. And Jiraiya being unaffected is expected. But how is Daichi continuing with his medical jutsu? Was he not hit or is he strong enough to ignore my chakra? Hmm… Well, I'll find out sooner or later.'
"Orochimaru! You won't get the chance to hurt anyone else again. I won't let you." The Toad Sage spoke with anger as he looked at the enemy.
"We'll see about that Jiraiya." The Snake Sannin made a seal and a coffin appeared near him. The lid opened and a new reanimated ninja walked out and stood near the Snake Sannin.
Standing beside Orochimaru was a ninja with spiky, light-brown hair and prominent jaw-lines. He was wearing the standard flak jacket of the Hidden Stone village with a single-sleeved shirt underneath.
The former Anbu captain quickly recognized the new reanimated ninja. "That's Gari of the Hidden Stone village. He was a member of the Explosion Corps."
Hearing that intel, Jiraiya frowned and gazed at Orochimaru with even more disgust. "You really have lost all morals. To desecrate the bodies and souls of so many shinobi."
The Snake Sannin scoffed at hearing those words. "Hmph! I'm not here to debate about the right and wrongs and the morality of the world. Besides, we've done things far worse during the wars."
"That was war time circumstances! What you're doing is different." The toad sage replied with anger.
Orochimaru chuckled at that poor defence. "Kukuku… I'm sure that excuse helps you sleep at night. Unlike you and that village full of hypocrites, I'm just being true to myself."
"And what about attacking and experimenting on your own comrades. Your own teammate? What justification are you going to come up with for that?" Kakashi asked with anger in his tone.
"That's just it, Kakashi. I don't need to justify myself to you or anyone else. But since you asked, all I'm doing is advancing science and my goals." Orochimaru replied. He looked at the Leaf team in silence. 'I've gathered enough chakra. It's about time to make my move. But I need to make sure Tobirama doesn't get in my way. My success hinges on whether or not he'll take the bait.'
Orochimaru's aggressive chakra spread in the air and it was palpable. "You should know me by now, Jiraiya. Once I set my sights on something I won't let it go... Now, hand over Tsunade!"
Jiraiya and Kakashi immediately settled into a fighting stance while Shizune stood guard over Daichi. "Not a chance." The Toad Sage was ready to fight with all he got.
The field fell silent and the tension was thick. Tsunade trembled at Daichi's feet, the wood spikes from her side partially cut off but threatening to regrow. Shizune maintained pressure on the open wound, eyes darting between Orochimaru and Gari.
Tobirama clashed with Pakura a few hundred meters away, water slicing against superheated orbs. Kakashi hovered near Jiraiya, lightning flickering at his fingertips, preparing to fight once more.
"Since you're all so determined… Have it your way."
------------------
Author's Note:-
The difficult thing is to balance out the fights. OP Tobirama vs Weakened Pakura. I have to put myself in their position and create the fight scene, all the while keeping in mind what the others are doing. Its not an easy task.
But I really really enjoy planning out these scenarios and writing them.
I'm not intentionally stalling this arc, its just, all these things were planned even before the Mizuki naruto scroll incident. Even this very scene.
Anyway, Hint: Daichi is about to take action.
If you like my story and want to read ahead, then check out my P.a.T.R.E.0.N page. I've uploaded up to 30 additional chapters there.
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