Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 58: One Trump Card After Another

Using a brief moment of distraction, Naruto's first clone arrived. Facing Orochimaru's Shadow Snake Hands, he pushed forward with both hands, the powerful wind pressure pressing the snakes firmly to the ground, while simultaneously blasting Naruto, who was releasing his ninjutsu, away. To avoid affecting the actions of those behind him, he deliberately disappeared. Orochimaru withstood the gust of wind, but was also more severely restricted. Just as he was about to transform his neck to give the children a shock with his snakes, half of his body suddenly went numb. The remaining barbed wire made the most of it. Naruto, who also knew Lightning Release, used his clones with the barbed wire still intact to release powerful electric currents, while the broken ones spewed out streams of water at a steady pace. The water reached Orochimaru just as his body was recovering from the first wave of powerful electric currents.

The second wave of Lightning Release was so powerful that even the clones that unleashed this combination attack were destroyed. But at the same time, the three clones still in flight, along with the main body, landed on the ground from four directions. Their target was clear: one threw a kunai with a string attached, precisely looping it around Orochimaru's neck, and then dashed forward without hesitation, with the intent to rip his head off. The other three Narutos slapped their hands onto the water where the lightning had just passed, instantly changing the nature of the surging water from dynamic to utterly still.

The water is frozen!

What?! This kid can use Ice Release?!

Orochimaru's body was frozen in ice, and if his neck didn't stretch out soon, Naruto would really pull it off. But this was exactly the opportunity Sasuke needed. When it comes to actually killing someone, there's no time to worry about the heart; once the head and body are separated, death is inevitable!

As the lightning of Chidori struck, the unusual neck lacked snake-like scales for protection; even if it did, they would only be torn apart by Chidori. Orochimaru's head was completely severed, and even after the attack ended, Naruto's clone didn't hesitate for a moment, continuing to drag the head forward at breakneck speed. He wouldn't give Orochimaru a chance to reattach his head. To survive, Orochimaru would have to use the even more chakra-consuming "Shedding Skin" technique! Moreover, this substitution jutsu had limited speed; it couldn't be fast enough, giving him ample time to return to Sasuke's side.

The severed "corpse" didn't spurt out much blood; most of its body was locked beneath the ice, with only its strangely long, broken neck dangling limply outside. Sasuke, panting heavily, stared intently at the "corpse," his Sharingan, maintained by the last of his chakra, revealing something even more bizarre.

"Run!" Sasuke shouted in alarm, warning Naruto that something was wrong! However, his exhausted body was no match for Naruto's infinite energy. One of Naruto's clones instantly teleported to Sasuke's side and flung him toward another Naruto.

Suddenly, the "corpse's" neck straightened, and a sword flew out, accurately piercing the nearest person. Naruto's clone, having just rescued someone, couldn't dodge in time and was struck squarely, disappearing almost instantly. Then, the sword abnormally lengthened, continuing its trajectory towards Sasuke, but its tip was ultimately deflected. Naruto, clad in a semi-transparent chakra cloak, grabbed the sword, pulling it down and plunging it straight into the ground. What was once a divine sword capable of melting iron like mud, easily severing an ordinary person's hand, now only managed to graze Naruto's skin, drawing a few drops of blood.

A ghastly white snake head emerged from the severed "corpse," meeting a pair of bright red beastly eyes. A dense layer of red chakra, like bubbles clinging to its body, outlined the cloak of a fox beyond its human form, and a massive fox tail swayed slowly behind it!

"The Tailed Beast Cloak?" Orochimaru realized something was wrong. He had originally intended to test what surprises the seemingly composed Naruto might have in store, so he attacked where Naruto was most vulnerable, forcing Naruto to confront him directly. He hadn't expected to discover this contraption! A teenager could possess astonishing chakra and employ brilliant tactics, but controlling the power of the Nine-Tails was far more difficult, and the sudden burst of power from a single tail was even more suspicious! At this stage in Konoha, no one, and no reason whatsoever, would willingly teach a Jinchuriki to use the Nine-Tails' power! That was the Nine-Tails!

Naruto didn't bother with pleasantries; his lifetime of battle experience had long since taught him that fighting was a no-nonsense affair. He opened his mouth, and the fox form in his Demon Fox Cloak also opened its mouth. This time, Naruto didn't unleash any of the Five Elements, but pure chakra bullets! He was only prevented from being thrown back too far by the recoil thanks to his tail, but Orochimaru wasn't so lucky. Part of the ice seat that had frozen him was shattered, and Orochimaru crashed through a tree and flew far away.

The battle was drawing to a close, and Orochimaru had no chance of catching up this time. Firstly, Naruto had used Kurama's power, significantly increasing his speed; secondly, the direction of his attack had been predetermined, and Anko was in that direction. Naruto hoisted Sasuke onto his back, then grabbed Sakura by the tail, and began running again. This time, his speed was so great that even the two ninja children got carsick, retching up the remaining fluid in their stomachs as soon as they landed.

"Phew... they're not chasing us anymore." Naruto breathed a sigh of relief as his orange-red chakra was absorbed into his body, and the beast-like characteristics influenced by Kurama's power gradually disappeared.

His companions, who had been terrified by him, were still in shock the whole way. Sasuke, with his chakra almost depleted, managed to activate his Sharingan and saw a Naruto who was completely different from the one he knew.

"What is that?" Sasuke asked.

"That? It was Kurama who lent me his power." Naruto's beast eyes hadn't completely disappeared yet, and he calmly said something incredible. "You all know the rumors about me, right? Actually, some of them are true. The so-called Nine-Tailed Fox is currently sealed inside me, but he has a name, Kurama."

Sakura's pupils dilated in shock. As a child who grew up listening to ghost stories about fox spirits, not discriminating against Naruto was already a sign of good upbringing. However, she never imagined that ghost stories could be true. Although Naruto was not the incarnation of the fox spirit, he did indeed seal the fox spirit and could borrow its power at any time.

Sasuke wasn't much better off than Sakura. He had never believed the rumors, and even loathed people bringing up those clichés in front of him. But he had never considered that Naruto really had any connection with the demon fox, and besides, he had never seen Naruto use that power before!

While his companions were brainstorming, Naruto breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, clutching his chest.

"Naruto? What's wrong!" Despite being a little angry that Naruto hadn't told him anything, Sasuke still instinctively paid attention to Naruto's condition first.

After running so frantically for so long, a normal physiological state would be flushed and panting heavily. But Naruto's face was pale, and there were abnormal noises in his breathing. Was he injured? Injured and still so reckless!

"It's nothing, I just used up too much chakra all at once, I'm a little tired." Every word Naruto said was true, but it concealed important information. The sudden drain from using large-scale ninjutsu and shadow clones in succession severely tested the resilience of his meridians. He had just used up so much chakra, and the Nine-Tails' chakra immediately stepped in, forcefully holding up his already torn meridians. He wasn't just tired; he also felt pain all over his body. If it weren't for the Nine-Tails' chakra's self-healing properties, he would have collapsed the moment he relaxed.

As soon as Naruto collapsed, the other two struggled to their feet. Sakura was the least exhausted, so she volunteered to find a resting place. She quickly discovered a hidden tree hollow and, together with Sasuke, carried Naruto inside. Sasuke, having watched Sakura set up a makeshift trap, finally succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep, leaving only Sakura, who had initially been placed in the protective position, still awake.

Sakura used her newly learned illusion technique to cover the cave entrance, and sat by the cave with a kunai in hand, giving herself a good pep talk.

Hang in there, Sakura. My comrades protected me; now it's my turn to protect them!