Chapter 23: The Flying Thunder God
"What incredible reaction speed!" Uchiha Naoki couldn't help but marvel as the wound on his neck sealed itself shut. The Second Hokage was far more formidable than he had anticipated.
"It seems significantly stronger than a standard Impure World Reincarnation body." Watching Senju Tobirama land and immediately prepare for another assault, Naoki stomped the ground, launching a preemptive strike. "Lava Burial!"
The sudden geyser of magma forced Senju Tobirama to abort his attack, using a swift Body Flicker to evade.
"But can Orochimaru already produce an enhanced version of a single reincarnated body?" Uchiha Naoki was certain. The Senju Tobirama before him was definitively stronger than the one from the original Konoha Crush arc. The sheer, oppressive Kage-level aura he radiated was on a different level.
"And the Flying Raijin Jutsu is a major problem." Even being countered by the Second's Water Release was manageable. His days of training underwater had built up a significant resistance. But combining that with the instantaneous movement of the Flying Raijin made the situation precarious. He was uncertain if his current physical speed and reaction time could keep up. If he couldn't, the Flying Raijin could kill him several times over in the blink of an eye.
"But that's fine. A true challenge is the only way to grow!" His Observation Haki locked onto the Second Hokage the moment he reappeared. Uchiha Naoki's body ignited, transforming into a blazing torrent of lava as he charged. "Hound Dog, Chase the Red Lotus!"
ROAR!
A ferocious, molten hound materialized, its maw wide open as it lunged at Senju Tobirama.
The moment he appeared, the Second Hokage sensed the dire threat. Facing the onrushing inferno, he immediately threw a single Explosive Tag while his hands flew through seals. "Explosive Tag: Chain Detonation!"
This technique allowed him to summon an infinite stream of explosive tags to bombard a target after marking them with just one. The explosions would continue relentlessly until the target was utterly destroyed.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Flame Hound was instantly shredded into dissipating embers by the continuous blasts. The concussive roar echoed for miles, and the ground was pitted with new craters.
From within the exploding smoke and dust, a volley of sharp shuriken suddenly shot forth. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"
One became two, two became four! In an instant, the sky was densely packed with a storm of sharpened steel.
To a careful observer, a few specific kunai mixed within the barrage seemed different. They were Flying Raijin kunai!
"After all, he's a man forged in the fires of war. His combat experience is exceptional," Naoki noted. The old trick hadn't even finished before the new one was launched. Using the distraction of the first attack to set up the second, layering danger upon danger—who could react in time?
"Under normal circumstances, one would need to focus entirely on evading this dense shuriken barrage…" Uchiha Naoki let the projectiles pass harmlessly through his elementalized body. "But if Flying Raijin kunai are mixed in…" He looked up just as one of those special kunai flew past his face, its coordinate now marked. "Then it becomes truly inescapable!"
Whoosh!
Senju Tobirama teleported to the coordinate in a flash of space-time ninjutsu, the kunai in his hand already sweeping toward Uchiha Naoki's throat. "It's over!"
Shunk!
Another spray of molten rock.
In less than half a minute of combat, Uchiha Naoki had already suffered two 'fatal blows'.
But!
A smirk touched the corner of Uchiha Naoki's mouth. He turned his reforming head to face the astonished Senju Tobirama and thrust a superheated fist toward the Hokage's heart. "Inferno Hound!"
Hiss!
Such a swift counter-attack was completely unexpected by Senju Tobirama. Therefore, even with his incredible reflexes, he couldn't dodge completely.
Thud!
When Senju Tobirama reappeared a short distance away, a grievous, smoldering fist-sized hole was visible in his chest, nearly piercing clean through. Though the nature of his reincarnated body began immediately regenerating the damage, it gave Senju Tobirama a crystal-clear understanding of Uchiha Naoki's lethality.
"Cursed Uchiha…!" Senju Tobirama's face was dark with fury. He, the esteemed Second Hokage, had been put in such a sorry state by a mere youth, and an Uchiha at that—the clan he despised most. It was unforgivable. "I will not be so careless next time!"
Hearing this, Uchiha Naoki's excitement only grew. "I wouldn't have it any other way!"
Not Far Away – The Second Front
"It's time for our battle to begin as well!" Orochimaru bit his thumb once more and slammed his palm onto the ground after a sequence of seals. "Summoning Jutsu!"
BOOM!
A massive cloud of smoke erupted, revealing a thick, monstrous purple serpent with a single, sharp horn. It was Orochimaru's personal summon, Manda.
"Orochimaru! You dare summon me so casually!? Have you prepared the one hundred sacrifices I demand?!" Unlike the friendly rapport other shinobi had with their summons, Manda was more like a tyrannical overlord, showing no respect to his summoner.
"Don't worry, I understand the terms," Orochimaru replied calmly, his gaze never leaving the Scarlet Sand Scorpion. "Now then, come, Sasori! Let us see if you can truly eliminate me today!"
Sasori snorted coldly from within Hiruko. "Do you think adding an oversized snake will grant you victory?" With a contemptuous sneer, the back of Hiruko's shell opened, and Sasori's true, youthful form stepped out. He unsealed the scroll containing his prized puppet. "This is perfect. I'll use you to test the power of my improved Human Puppet!" A cold, cruel smile graced his handsome features.
"Iron Sand: Drizzle!"
More condensed and numerous than in his previous battle with Naoki, a massive storm of black iron sand projectiles shot forth. The colossal Manda had no time to react; bloody mists erupted all over its body as the needles struck home.
"ROOOAR!!!"
Manda bellowed in agony, its massive tail whipping forward with enough force to make the air itself crack.
"Iron Sand: Spike!"
Facing the enraged serpent, Sasori was unimpressed. Dealing with such a large, brute-force creature was simplicity itself for him.
Thwip!
The iron sand already embedded in Manda's body spread rapidly, targeting and blocking neural pathways, instantly paralyzing the great serpent's movements.
"Iron Sand: Great Burial!"
The Third Kazekage puppet exerted its power again. The ground beneath Manda churned and surged, the iron sand acting like a metallic quicksand, swallowing the serpent whole. No matter how Manda struggled or tried to use its serpentine speed, it was futile. It was being buried alive, crushed into nothingness.
"Orochimaru, you bastard! Save me, now!" Manda roared, its pride shattered by the humiliation.
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Orochimaru appeared near the struggling Manda, his hands completing a seal. A mighty dragon of water erupted from his mouth, crashing into the iron sand. The water caused the sand to clump and solidify, disrupting its flow for a critical moment, allowing Manda to break free from the confinement.
"You wretch!!!" Manda's first act upon escaping was to immediately lunge, its massive maw gaping wide to devour the Scarlet Sand Scorpion whole. "DIE!"
In response, Sasori merely raised a hand indifferently. "Iron Sand: Piercers!"