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Orochimaru held Hiruzen Sarutobi hostage.
The Konoha Jōnin, like Kakashi and Guy, didn’t dare attempt a rescue. They feared any rash move might provoke Orochimaru into killing Hiruzen—a distinct possibility.
“Orochimaru, do you truly have no feelings left for Konoha?” Hiruzen looked at Orochimaru with sorrow. Was letting him go back then… a mistake?
“Sensei, what’s the point of discussing this now?” Orochimaru replied calmly. Did Hiruzen think a few words could make him stop? That was wishful thinking. Having come this far, Orochimaru wouldn’t back down. His resolve wasn’t so easily swayed.
“<Four Violet Flames Formation!>”
The Sound Four appeared, using the barrier Ninjutsu, Four Violet Flames Formation, to seal off the area.
“This is the battlefield for us, teacher and student. Do you like it, Sensei?” Orochimaru extended his long tongue, licking the kunai held against Hiruzen’s neck.
“That creep! Shin, I’m going to kill him!” Kushina, watching the situation unfold, was disgusted.
The distance between Orochimaru and Hiruzen was already close. Orochimaru’s actions looked disturbingly intimate; Kushina felt nauseated.
“Go ahead.” Shin felt he needed to wash his eyes too.
——
At that moment, Hinata was also bewildered.
How did Konoha suddenly descend into chaos? Even the proctor left. Hinata didn’t know if she should still fight.
However, she didn’t have much time to hesitate. Naruto Uzumaki, now with six tails manifested, charged towards her.
“<Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Vacuum Palm!>”
Seeing the rapidly approaching Tailed Beast Naruto, Hinata panicked slightly but instinctively reacted, blasting him away.
The palm strike, launched from a distance, sent Naruto flying far back, embedding him into a wall so deeply he couldn’t be easily removed.
Though sent flying, Naruto wasn’t injured. The Tailed Beast cloak’s defense was formidable, especially in his current six-tailed state.
“Hinata, fight seriously! Let me see your strength!” Shin yelled to Hinata.
Hinata paused for a moment upon hearing Shin, then nodded with determination.
——
“He’s here too.”
Orochimaru couldn’t help but glance towards Shin’s location. He hadn’t known Shin was in Konoha before. Focused entirely on his Konoha Crush plan, Orochimaru hadn’t paid attention to other matters.
Though aware of Shin’s presence now, Orochimaru wasn’t panicked. He knew Shin Uzumaki wouldn’t help Hiruzen Sarutobi.
“<Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams One Hundred Twenty-Eight Palms!>”
Hinata assumed the Gentle Fist stance and attacked the Tailed Beast Naruto.
Her fists rained down continuously on Naruto, but they were all blocked by the Tailed Beast cloak. Her attacks couldn’t penetrate its defense.
As for the Gentle Fist’s pressure point strikes, they were also useless, blocked by the Tailed Beast cloak.
The Tailed Beast cloak was practically an S-rank defensive jutsu, at the very least.
Of course, this depended on the Tailed Beast. Against other Tailed Beasts, Hinata’s Gentle Fist could definitely break through their defenses.
“This level of Tailed Beast transformation poses no threat.” Shin observed Hinata, then controlled the Nine-Tails within Naruto Uzumaki, causing two more tails to erupt.
Almost a complete Tailed Beast transformation. The sheer chakra pressure alone caused the small stones on the ground to shatter.
Hinata’s expression turned serious. The light in her Tenseigan intensified as she began to draw upon its power.
“<Shinra Tensei!>”
The Tailed Beast Naruto, charging towards Hinata, was hit by the repulsive force and sent flying again.
With Hinata at the center, everything around her was blasted away by the repulsive force.
This terrifying power was devastating. The training ground, which had served as their battle arena, was completely reduced to ruins.
“Hinata is so strong!” Karin couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Actually, if you fought Naruto Uzumaki, it would be even easier than for Hinata,” Shin told Karin.
It wasn’t that Karin was stronger than Hinata. Hinata possessed the Tenseigan; Karin definitely couldn’t match her in terms of raw power.
However, Sealing Jutsu were extremely effective against Tailed Beasts. Karin could directly seal the Tailed Beast back, and it would be effortless for her.
“<Tenseigan Chakra Mode: Activate!>”
Hinata activated her Tenseigan Chakra Mode.
Emerald Green Chakra enveloped her body—surrounding her like flowing robes, with similarly colored prayer beads orbiting around her.
——
“Tenseigan Chakra Mode already? Does she really need to go all out?” Shin rubbed his nose.
However, Hinata’s performance satisfied Shin greatly. Even without entering Tenseigan Chakra Mode, she could easily handle the current Naruto Uzumaki. But using Tenseigan Chakra Mode was the safer approach. Sometimes, caution was the top priority. Hinata did well in this regard.
‘It’s all thanks to my teaching,’ Shin couldn’t help but take credit.
After Hinata activated Tenseigan Chakra Mode, the immense chakra pressure immobilized the Tailed Beast Naruto.
Even Orochimaru and Hiruzen Sarutobi turned their attention towards her. Orochimaru was so focused that he didn’t even notice Hiruzen taking the opportunity to escape.
“This immense pressure… it surpasses even Pain’s! Is this the power brought by the evolution of the Byakugan?” Orochimaru speculated internally. He couldn’t think of any other reason.
Could the evolved Byakugan be even stronger than the Sharingan? Orochimaru wasn’t sure. Perhaps only Shin Uzumaki could answer his questions, but Orochimaru doubted Shin would bother.
——
With the enhancement of Tenseigan Chakra Mode, Hinata’s current strength likely surpassed Pain’s. However, the outcome of a real fight was uncertain.
Hinata lacked combat experience. Relying solely on power scaling, Hinata clearly couldn’t crush Pain yet.
Though Hinata possessed the Perfect Sage Body thanks to Shin’s Life Contract, her chakra reserves were still insufficient.
The stronger the jutsu, the greater the chakra consumption. Hinata was still young; her chakra wasn’t enough to use the Tenseigan limitlessly.
“<Gentle Fist Art: Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!>”
Still using the Gentle Fist, but now in her Tenseigan Chakra Mode, the power Hinata unleashed was incomparable to before.
Whatever Tailed Beast cloak Naruto had, it couldn’t withstand the Gentle Fist attack this time. Naruto’s Tailed Beast cloak was shattered, and his chakra points were completely sealed.
Neither his own refined chakra nor the Nine-Tails’ chakra could be used temporarily.
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