Chapter 442: Sun Goddess – Pakura
"Thank goodness, Lady Pakura , you're safe."
The six surviving Sand Shinobi looked relieved to see Pakura unharmed, but their joy was short-lived. A thunderous rumble, like an earthquake, shattered their expressions.
In the distance, a massive Wood Style giant, towering like a mountain, was stomping toward them. Every step was like a peak crashing down, shaking the earth and sending gusts of wind sweeping through.
Faced with a force that seemed like a natural disaster or divine wrath, even Lady Pakura —now hailed as the "Sun Goddess"—struggled to hold her ground.
"Found you!"
Atop the head of the wooden giant, Orochimaru, with his keen eyes, spotted Pakura glaring at him from afar. His face bore a smug, mocking smile.
"So this is the view that the First Hokage, the God of Shinobi, once saw?"
"It really is something."
Orochimaru sighed with admiration.
He paid no mind to Pakura , who had developed her Scorch Release to an unimaginably fearsome level.
Her ninjutsu talent was indeed exceptional. Before acquiring Wood Style, even his full-body Yamata no Jutsu couldn't withstand the terrifying heat she unleashed.
But unfortunately—
If Pakura had the talent to evolve her Scorch Release to the level of the "Sun Goddess," he, Orochimaru, was also a once-in-a-century genius. His talent in ninjutsu was no less. He had raised Wood Style to the level of the God of Shinobi.
The only thing he lacked now was Sage Mode and the final technique, True Several Thousand Hands. Aside from that, he was essentially the Second Coming of Hashirama.
Against the Wood Human Technique, which could grab a Tailed Beast Ball bare-handed, even the Sun Goddess would be powerless.
What's more… chakra reserves were Pakura 's fatal flaw.
If it were Sasori of the Red Sand, he might have been able to hold his own. But Pakura ? Orochimaru scoffed.
Still, he was quite interested in her Scorch Release. If he could capture Pakura alive, that would be ideal.
Orochimaru thought with a wicked gleam in his eye.
"Damn it!"
Pakura glared at the wooden giant approaching from afar, her face twisted with unwillingness.
Although her Scorch Release was powerful enough to destroy the wooden giant, the opponent's chakra reserves were overwhelming. Even if she destroyed it, it would quickly regenerate—whereas her own chakra wasn't enough to sustain her high-intensity Scorch Release.
Losing due to a lack of chakra… that was what frustrated her the most.
But there was no helping it. In the entire village, only Sasori had access to unlimited chakra by converting his heart into a puppet core capable of absorbing natural energy.
She and the others had tried—but none had succeeded in creating a puppet core of their own.
"Lady Pakura , please go. We'll stay behind to hold him off. You must survive."
The large, heavy-set Sand ninja stepped forward and said resolutely.
"Yes, Lady Pakura , you've done enough for us. Now it's our turn to fight for you."
"With your talent, I believe you'll one day defeat Orochimaru—but not today. Please, retreat for now."
Today's battle had seen many of their comrades escape only because of Pakura 's explosive counterattack, which stalled Orochimaru's assault. Without her, they would all have perished under his terrifying Wood Style.
They had seen her strength with their own eyes. Given time, she could refine her Scorch Release even further and one day defeat Orochimaru—not today, but in the future.
Now, after her explosive efforts, Pakura had little chakra left. Continuing to fight would be suicide.
With the Fourth Kazekage missing, the Sand Village was on the brink. They couldn't afford to lose a powerhouse like Pakura too.
"I appreciate your loyalty… but you couldn't even hold Orochimaru back for a second."
Pakura cast a sidelong glance at the six of them, panting heavily.
"…"
The six sand shinobi, who had steeled themselves for noble sacrifice, instantly froze. Their eyes glazed over, their faces flushed with embarrassment. They wanted to say something—but couldn't refute her.
Because she was right.
"All right."
Seeing the wooden giant approaching, Pakura 's expression darkened. "Fall back. I'll deal with Orochimaru."
"But—"
"Whoever can escape, do it."
"I—"
"That's an order!"
"…Yes, ma'am!"
In the end, the six of them accepted reality. At Pakura 's command, they began retreating. They understood that staying would only mean more bodies on the ground, and they couldn't help her either.
In fact, they might end up becoming the reason Pakura couldn't flee.
Just like now—she was only staying because she was protecting them.
"How interesting."
A hundred kilometers away, ten thousand meters in the sky, atop an ink bird, Li Yao stretched lazily. He had sensed the battle between Pakura and Orochimaru well in advance.
Orochimaru truly lived up to his reputation as a genius. He had managed to elevate Wood Style to Hashirama-level in such a short time—impressive.
But what really delighted Li Yao… was Pakura .
His "little sister-in-law's" Scorch Release had evolved to a kekkei tōta (Bloodline Selection) level. It was no longer just physical heat.
Pakura 's Scorch Release had reached the essence of heat—particle motion.
The faster the particles moved, the higher the temperature.
Now that she had grasped the core principle of heat, Pakura could apply it to external objects. When using her high-heat taijutsu, her clothes, shoes, and armor wouldn't burn off anymore.
She could synchronize her outfit with her Scorch Release chakra, causing them to radiate heat without being destroyed. They maintained their form even after battle.
Her talent was frightening. At least in terms of Scorch Release, Li Yao couldn't compare.
At this point, Pakura 's power resembled someone who had eaten a "heat fruit" in One Piece and awakened. Her abilities extended from herself to affect her surroundings.
She could now create a domain-like heat field and used far less chakra to maintain it.
That was how she had been able to hold off Orochimaru's Wood Human Technique long enough to allow most of the Sand ninja to retreat.
Still, her chakra reserves couldn't compare to Orochimaru's.
Sometimes, immense chakra reserves alone could crush all hope.
That was why Hashirama Senju was called the God of Shinobi—invincible and unmatched.
Wood Style was powerful enough to tame the Tailed Beasts, but what made Hashirama terrifying was his monstrous chakra level—comparable to half of the Nine Tails. It was absurd.
And Wood Style could absorb others' chakra too. Who wouldn't feel hopeless facing that?
With such vast reserves, Hashirama's Wood Style ninjutsu became battlefield-scale artillery. He could kill you from dozens of kilometers away—you wouldn't even get close.
Against a long-range opponent like that, even the Second Tsuchikage, Mu, with his Bloodline Selection Dust Release, was powerless.
In the entire shinobi world, only Madara—with similarly terrifying chakra and his own version of "mecha"—could compete with Hashirama.
Poof!
Li Yao created a shadow clone and said, "Help Pakura . Let her go all out in this fight."
(END CHAPTER)
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