Kimimaro had also clearly heard the sound of breaking. He gripped the bone blade in his hand a little tighter, feeling a hint of urgency.
He had to take this guy down quickly. Whether in size or state, the One-Tail wasn't yet in its complete form.
It would be easier to act now than to face it after it transformed fully.
"Shikotsumyaku: Dance of the Clematis, Flower!"
Kimimaro placed his hand on his own spine, then pulled out one of the bones. The long, flexible bone twisted like the toughest rope.
Sharp bones suddenly jutted out along Kimimaro's entire arm, spinning and growing into a massive spiral-shaped spear.
He had tried before to use the Dance of the Clematis to break Gaara's Absolute Defense. Even though part of Shukaku was out now, it still shouldn't be too much of a problem.
The bigger issue was that even if he broke the Absolute Defense, Kimimaro wouldn't have a free hand to attack the half-asleep Jinchuriki inside.
Kimimaro swung the spine in his hand, instantly wrapping it around Gaara's leg.
Since Shukaku was basically a pile of sand stuck to him, it was caught off guard by the move and fell forward face-first.
Jinchuriki and tailed beasts really were the same—they just stood there attacking like a turret, with hand-to-hand skills about as refined as scratching their foot on the spot.
"Stop lying there and get over here!"
Kimimaro yanked back the spine in his hand and shouted toward Naruto, who had been blown away by the sandstorm earlier.
Naruto scrambled up from the ground in a hurry and ran over.
Whether it worked or not, they had to at least try. As soon as Kimimaro finished speaking, he thrust the spear formed from his arm down hard.
Then he slashed downward with force.
Gaara, wrapped in sand, instantly tilted his head back with his eyes shut as he was exposed—but only for a moment, before Shukaku's sand tried to cover him again.
Kimimaro's attack created just enough of a pause for Shukaku's claw to grab Kimimaro's upper body and lift him into the air.
The claw then clenched tightly, and the sudden crushing pressure made Kimimaro cough up blood.
Naruto didn't have time to draw a weapon and saw that the sand was about to cover Gaara again.
"Wake up already!"
Naruto gritted his teeth, grabbed Gaara by the collar, and with a loud thud, headbutted him hard.
The sand that had been trying to cover Gaara suddenly stopped, and Gaara's eyes were forced open from the blow.
At that moment, the barrier above them gave off another sharp cracking sound.
With a loud crash, the entire purple barrier was pushed apart from within by a black sphere.
The already damaged wood splintered and fell down in pieces.
The people surrounding the barrier quickly backed up a few steps in response, retreating to a safe distance.
The black sphere, as the barrier broke, spun and shrank back, its color fading until it became a clear, crystal-like white ball.
A barely audible "pop" sounded, and the shiny white sphere shattered into countless glittering fragments.
Aside from the gap in midair where the sphere had swallowed everything, some of the vegetation grown by the Wood Style on the rooftop was still there.
The large amount of water stored inside the barrier poured down from the roof, and the whole area around it was quickly covered in mist.
When the Sound Four were forced to break the barrier, they immediately rushed into the white mist.
Hozuki Mangetsu and Hatake Satoru jumped down from the broken trees, landing on the rooftop beneath the vines and branches.
Unfortunately, they couldn't see Orochimaru's frustrated expression.
Hatake Satoru curled his lips casually, looking in a good mood.
The bodies of those who had died from Edo Tensei, along with Sarutobi Hiruzen's corpse, lay scattered across the broken wood.
Orochimaru was barely standing on a branch with his head lowered, while the Sound Four ran straight toward him the moment they came in, not noticing Hatake Satoru or Hozuki Mangetsu at all.
"Let's go."
Orochimaru rasped the words out when he saw the four of them.
That guy, Hatake Satoru...
When he came out of the Limitless Void, all the information and sensations from the Edo Tensei suddenly flooded into his mind.
It was different from the feeling in the Void where he could see and hear everything.
This was purely useless information overwhelming his brain, replacing his original thought process and stored memories.
················
Forget ninjutsu—he could barely even think straight.
Even saying a single short word took great effort, and the moment he said it, he would forget he had spoken it.
Although this effect wasn't permanent, it would probably last for about three days and nights.
He couldn't sleep or rest, only think endlessly.
After that, it would depend on Orochimaru's luck—most likely, he would forget all his ninjutsu for a while.
The Sound Four clearly didn't realize the problem, quickly supporting Orochimaru as they leapt out of the mist.
... .. ....
The five figures were immediately exposed to everyone's view.
The Sunagakure and Konoha Anbu who had been waiting nearby instantly perked up.
"They're leaving!"
Several of them leapt forward, running across the rooftops toward the people carrying Orochimaru.
"Ninja Art: Spider Binding."
One of them, apparently acting as the rear guard, formed hand signs and spat out a web of chakra threads.
Several Anbu along with Sand ninja were blocked by the web.
Those few people couldn't possibly stop them—the Sound Four reacted too fast, had solid strength, and were clearly prepared.
Besides, chasing them wasn't the most important thing right now.
Even though Orochimaru looked to be in bad shape, he was still alive.
But if he was alive… what about the others?
Kakashi frowned deeply, glancing toward the misty side where the broken branches gave off an eerie silence.
Hozuki Suigetsu quickly moved up onto the fog-covered roof, but the tangled vines and heavy mist made searching for anyone difficult.
"This fog is way too thick—what are you doing, calling for rain here?"
"Sorry, sensei, but I already stopped the Hidden Mist Technique. It should clear up soon."
Two familiar voices came from within the fog, and a moment later, two figures emerged one after the other from the haze.
---
Read 30 advanced chapters on my patreon
patreon.com/GustinaKamiya
---