"Hmm…"
The battlefield had fallen into a strange, tense silence.
What Naruto had just unleashed was something neither Tsunade nor Orochimaru—who had been quietly observing from the sidelines—had ever seen before.
For a brief moment, even Orochimaru's usually composed expression cracked.
His pupils shrank, then expanded with a dangerous gleam.
"Does this brat… really possess such talent?"
A flicker of desire ignited deep within his eyes.
Talent like this—raw, explosive, and unpredictable—was exactly what Orochimaru sought.
Tsunade, standing at the center of the field, was no less shocked.
"That move just now…"
She had never expected Naruto, of all people, to reach such a level.
"Wind Release: Vacuum Sword!"
This was Naruto's first true Wind Release combat technique—one that fused chakra control, nature transformation, and physical combat into a single devastating attack.
The moment it was unleashed, an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted outward like a storm breaking through the heavens.
A massive blue wind blade formed instantly, tearing through the air with terrifying force as it slashed straight toward Tsunade.
But that wasn't all.
In Naruto's hand was the Kusanagi Sword, a weapon capable of absorbing chakra and amplifying the power of its wielder. The blade coiled with wind chakra, enhancing the already fearsome attack.
The fusion of the two created something entirely new—
A technique even stronger than the original Vacuum Sword once used by Konoha's Jonin, Hayama Shirakumo.
Yakushi Kabuto and Shizune, who stood nearby, were stunned speechless.
Only Jiraiya remained calm.
He stood with his arms crossed, a proud smile on his face, nodding slightly as he watched Naruto's performance.
Tsunade, however, did not retreat.
Instead, her lips curled into a faint, confident smile.
"I really underestimated you…"
In an instant, she gathered chakra into her index finger.
Then—
Boom!
She thrust her finger downward into the ground.
The earth shattered violently.
A massive layer of soil flipped upward, forming an enormous wall of hardened earth that stood like an unbreakable fortress.
This wasn't just a simple defensive technique.
Its scale and density far exceeded even the Earth Style: Earth Flow Wall.
Naruto's wind blade collided with it—
And split it clean in half.
The shockwave tore through the battlefield, scattering debris in every direction.
But Tsunade had already moved.
Using the rising earth as a stepping stone, she leapt forward, closing the distance between herself and Naruto in an instant.
"Take this!"
Her finger strike shot forward like a spear.
Despite its simplicity, the sheer force behind it was comparable to a divine weapon.
Naruto's expression sharpened.
"It won't be that easy to get close!"
He swung the Kusanagi Sword again.
At once, chaotic chakra surged into the air, forming countless wind blades that shredded everything in their path. The atmosphere itself seemed to fracture under the pressure.
Even Tsunade didn't dare take the attack head-on.
She weaved through the storm, dodging left and right, her movements precise and controlled.
Then—
"I've got you!"
She broke through the defense.
Naruto attempted to counter with close combat, but the moment Tsunade approached, he felt it—
An overwhelming pressure.
It was like facing a mountain.
Heavy. Immovable. Absolute.
Without hesitation, Naruto slashed horizontally with the Kusanagi Sword.
Tsunade tilted her body slightly, narrowly avoiding the strike.
Then her finger flicked upward.
Boom!
A deafening impact echoed across the battlefield.
Naruto was sent flying instantly.
His body slammed into a large tree, snapping the trunk in half upon impact.
Tsunade exhaled softly and blew on her fingers, a faint smile on her lips.
"Unexpected, but in the end, a brat is still a brat."
"This match… is mine."
But then—
Puff!
Naruto's body suddenly exploded into a cloud of white smoke.
Tsunade's expression froze.
"What?!"
"A Shadow Clone?!"
Everyone present was stunned.
The Naruto who had just wielded the Kusanagi Sword and unleashed that terrifying Wind Release technique had seemed completely real.
There had been no flaw. No hesitation. No sign of deception.
And yet—
It had been a clone all along.
A voice rang out from behind her.
"I told you not to underestimate me!"
"I'm Uzumaki Naruto—the man who will become Hokage!"
Tsunade's eyes widened.
Behind her, among dozens of remaining shadow clones, Naruto's real body had already charged forward.
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
"Wind Release: Cutting Winds Technique!"
Dozens of shadow clones released their techniques simultaneously.
A violent storm erupted.
Wind blades filled the sky, tearing through everything in their path. The sheer number of attacks covered almost the entire battlefield, leaving no room to escape.
Though each blade was weaker than the Vacuum Sword, their overwhelming quantity made them just as deadly.
Caught off guard, Tsunade had no choice but to endure the attack.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Shhhhhh—!
A series of dull impacts echoed as her body was struck repeatedly.
In an instant, blood splattered across her clothes.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Shizune cried out in alarm.
But her concern wasn't just about the injuries.
Tsunade's healing ability was extraordinary—wounds of this level were nothing to her.
The real problem was something else.
Hemophobia.
Tsunade had a deep-seated fear of blood.
Seeing so much of it at once could cause her to collapse before the battle even continued.
Tsunade knew this better than anyone.
She clenched her teeth—
And shut her eyes tightly.
As long as I don't see the blood… I won't be afraid.
Naruto stared at her in shock.
"What kind of monster is this old lady?!"
"She's actually tanking my attacks with her body?!"
Even so, he didn't hesitate.
"If your eyes are closed, you won't be able to block my next move!"
With a roar, Naruto charged forward.
Despite her closed eyes, Tsunade could sense his approach.
"Don't underestimate me!"
She roared back, thrusting her finger forward once again.
If that strike landed, Naruto's body would be pierced clean through.
Even Jiraiya couldn't stay calm anymore.
"Watch out!"
He was ready to intervene at any moment.
But at the very last second—
Naruto's body dissolved.
It transformed into a swirling gust of wind.
Jiraiya's eyes lit up.
"That's… Wind Body Replacement?!"
Tsunade clearly felt her attack connect—
But in the next instant, the target vanished like air.
Her expression changed.
"What kind of jutsu is this?!"
Naruto didn't give her time to think.
Appearing at close range, he launched his final attack.
"Wind Release: Hurricane Punch!"
All of his chakra surged into his fist.
The air itself roared as the punch descended like a storm.
Boom!
With her eyes closed and her movements restricted, Tsunade couldn't react in time.
The blow landed cleanly.
A muffled groan escaped her lips as her body was sent flying through the air.
"Lady Tsunade!"
Shizune rushed forward, catching her mid-air and immediately beginning treatment.
The bleeding was quickly controlled.
Carefully, Shizune wiped away the remaining blood from Tsunade's body.
Tsunade still didn't open her eyes.
Silence fell across the battlefield.
Orochimaru watched everything, a faint smile forming on his lips.
Even Kabuto couldn't help but speak.
"Lord Orochimaru was right… Uzumaki Naruto possesses greater talent—and power—than Uchiha Sasuke."
The shadow clones disappeared one by one.
Naruto stood alone, breathing heavily.
"That's it…"
"I win!"
His voice rang out clearly.
Tsunade, eyes still closed, felt a complicated mix of emotions.
"To think… I'd lose to a brat…"
After a moment, she spoke.
"But a bet is a bet. You've won this round."
Jiraiya burst into laughter.
"Tsunade… you really haven't changed."
"When it comes to gambling, you always lose."
Then he glanced at Naruto.
"Still, Naruto—if Tsunade didn't suffer from hemophobia, and if she hadn't been injured and forced to close her eyes…"
"This fight wouldn't have been so easy."
Naruto froze.
"Hemophobia…?"
At that moment—
Tsunade's eyes snapped open.
"Jiraiya… stop talking!"
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