Arrows screamed through the night.
Kidōmaru fired relentlessly, webs bursting from his mouth as spider threads blanketed the battlefield. Beneath him, dozens of small spiders skittered forward, converging on Yagyū Souma from every direction.
He had already entered Cursed Seal State.
Tsunade's voice trembled.
"Go—go now!"
"Tsunade-sama, don't panic," Souma said calmly. "They're Orochimaru's subordinates. This is our chance to capture them—"
He paused.
Only then did he truly notice her condition.
Her pupils were unfocused. Her breathing erratic.
Blood.
Before Souma could say more, Sakon and Ukon finished regenerating under the dual effects of medical ninjutsu and the Cursed Seal. They lunged at him simultaneously.
Arrows followed.
Souma's eyes sharpened. He activated Monstrous Strength, chakra erupting outward in violent currents that shattered incoming webs—
But more came.
Far more.
So this was what they meant by "a month or two of preparation."
Then—
Naruto ripped an arrow out of his own body.
Blood sprayed.
Tsunade froze.
Souma understood instantly.
So that was it.
Whether Naruto realized it or not, he had just forced Tsunade to confront her fear head-on.
Unintentional—or deliberate?
Either way, the effect was catastrophic.
Tsunade's consciousness shattered. Her knees buckled.
Souma stepped forward without hesitation.
"The Third Hokage isn't dead," he said coldly. "As long as Tsunade returns, everything else is worth the cost."
The next instant—
Jiraiya's pupils shrank.
"Regeneration…?"
Souma didn't look back.
"I can handle this side."
"Yes!"
Kidōmaru stared in disbelief.
That level of power—
Then Tsunade snapped.
"Is everyone in Konoha useless?!" she roared.
"Orochimaru is dead, and you still can't even clean up his leftovers?! Where's ANBU—are they all eating for free?!"
Sasuke broke free with Chidori, tearing through bindings and freeing Naruto.
Trees shattered. Rocks exploded.
In the darkness, Kidōmaru could barely track Souma's movements—only fragments of moonlight revealed faint traces of silk being torn apart.
Then—
Naruto stopped dead.
Souma stood there, expressionless.
Golden chakra blazed around his body.
Ukon's head was being pulverized by countless invisible fists, blood pouring from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.
His screams were short. Wet. Final.
Naruto finally understood.
They were never meant to kill Souma.
They couldn't.
But when Souma stopped holding back—
This was the result.
Kidōmaru felt something cold crawl up his spine.
This man wasn't just strong.
He was methodical.
Naruto's clones rushed Kidōmaru—but traps snapped shut instantly, webbing them in mid-air.
"If I didn't have blood phobia…" Tsunade muttered bitterly.
Kidōmaru laughed, dodging easily.
"Relax, Granny. You're just baggage."
He seized Tsunade.
Blood splattered again.
She couldn't move.
Naruto roared.
"Let her go!"
Too slow.
Too reckless.
Kidōmaru escaped—until—
BOOM!
A single punch sent him flying dozens of meters into a tree.
Souma advanced, arrows embedding into his body uselessly as chakra surged.
Medical knowledge. Battle instinct. Absolute control.
Tsunade watched in disbelief.
This wasn't brute force.
This was precision violence.
"Don't waste words on trash," Souma said flatly.
"Just kill him slowly."
Kidōmaru snarled—and unleashed everything.
Cursed Seal Level Two.
Webs expanded exponentially.
Then—
Tsunade moved.
A single step.
A single punch.
Kidōmaru was smashed into the ground like broken glass.
"What…?"
She stared at her hands.
Her fear was gone.
The moment she chose to act—
It vanished.
Souma didn't look surprised.
"Heart wounds can only be healed by the owner," he said calmly.
"I just created the situation."
Behind him, Sakon tried one last trick—splitting, invading—
Too late.
Spiral chakra shredded him into fragments.
Souma's voice echoed via mental transmission:
"Naruto. Sasuke. Help Tsunade."
They obeyed instantly.
Kidōmaru attempted retreat—
A final punch erased him.
Silence fell.
Jiraiya emerged, staring at the devastation.
"…You little monster."
Souma exhaled slowly.
Tsunade looked at him for a long time.
Then scoffed.
"Hmph. Annoying brat."
But her hands no longer trembled.
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