Hinata's Answer

However, the so-called Corpse Manipulation Technique is not without its drawbacks.

In the original work, Kabuto's performance during the battle against the Sannin showed no signs of him being able to fight Kakashi.

In reality, Kabuto didn't deliberately hide his strength in that battle; he just happened to run into his nemesis.

That's right, it's the Monstrous Strength Technique that's said to be able to take down a puppet with a single punch and utterly crush puppeteers.

Corpse Manipulation Technique, which originated from "Puppet Manipulation Technique," also inherited this weakness of Puppet Manipulation Technique. In fact, the only difference between the two manipulation techniques is that one uses puppets and the other uses corpses; their combat styles are actually very similar.

They are all high-attack and high-defense types, focusing on physical attacks. Ordinary attacks are not very effective against them, but once their defenses are broken, they become very troublesome. For example, Tsunade's Monstrous Strength Technique can leave nothing but dust after one punch. A living person with enough speed might be able to dodge it, but puppets are not so agile.

Puppets can be killed with a single Monstrous Strength Technique, and corpses are no exception.

However, on the other hand, what living person could withstand a single punch from Tsunade- on?

In the original story, Jiraiya said, "I almost lost my life twice. Once was when I was training with Naruto and saw him develop a fourth tail, and the other time was when I was spying on Tsunade at the hot spring..."

He nearly killed Jiraiya, one of the Sannin, with a single punch.

Its power is evident.

Therefore, Kabuto abandoned the Corpse Manipulation Technique in that battle because it was pointless.

It wasn't until Kabuto combined the Impure World Reincarnation with "Impure World Reincarnation Manipulation" that this weakness of "Doki Manipulation" was completely overcome. Impure World Reincarnation Manipulation is essentially a mass-production version of Impure World Reincarnation. Historically, the Second Hokage invented this Ninjutsu simply to have corpses perform certain suicidal tactics. Later, Orochimaru discovered Ninjutsu potential and improved it into the version used in the battle against the Third Hokage. "Impure World Reincarnation - Orochimaru Version" achieves the goal of resurrecting the dead and manipulating their souls by cloning their bodies and summoning their spirits—how this is done will be explained in later chapters.

The original "Impure World Reincarnation Return" technique could only revive the dead to carry out missions or tactics that required certain death, making it at best an interesting and practical tactical Ninjutsu. Orochimaru's improved "Impure World Reincarnation" technique could summon and manipulate a small number of the dead to fight. Although the dead were weaker than when they were alive, they were still a powerful supplement to the user's combat power. Even for a ninja of Orochimaru's caliber, it was a core tactical Ninjutsu. Later, Kabuto's final version, "Impure World Reincarnation Manipulation," summoned dead whose strength was very close to that of the living, and incorporated the characteristics of Doki Manipulation Technique. It could summon and manipulate a large number of the dead at the same time, making it a strategic Ninjutsu.

Kabuto was at most at the level of an ordinary Kage Level in his later years, but this Ninjutsu gave him the confidence to form an army by himself and fight against the Allied Shinobi Forces independently. His strength suddenly increased a thousandfold. There are very few strong people in the history of the Shinobi World who can do this, which is truly admirable.

From this perspective, the Impure World Reincarnation Manipulation, after Third of iterations and evolutions, following the evolutionary path of Impure World Reincarnation Return - Impure World Reincarnation - Impure World Reincarnation Manipulation Technique, has evolved into a top-tier, overpowered Ninjutsu in the Hokage world.

On another note, the Second Hokage's Ninjutsu didn't gain much fame on his own. Instead, it was improved upon by later generations and became signature Ninjutsu that shone brightly. Besides the Fourth Impure World Reincarnation, there's the Flying Thunder God Technique of the Fourth Hokage—derived from the Second Hokage's Flying Thunder God Slash —and Sakura's advanced Water Release: Water Release: Water Gun, a tactic derived from the Second's Water Severing Wave. He's practically Lei Feng in the Hokage world...

Let's get back to the main topic.

Kabuto doesn't need to be so cautious when facing Hinata.

Even though the Byakugan can see through the puppet's mechanisms and the flow of energy in the Doki Hinata, it's impossible to use concealed Ninjutsu or other tactics to ambush Hinata when she has no blind spots in her vision.

However, the difference in combat power was enormous; Kabuto didn't need covert operations at all. He didn't need complex tactics; he only needed to—

Confront them head-on.

The advantage is huge; just go for A.

Simple, brutal, and effective. Brute force can overcome any technique; the difference in combat power is too great. Even if Hinata's Gentle Fist Technique is no weaker than Neji's, so what?

Fists and palms clashed, bodies swayed wildly, and the slender figure of the black-haired girl dodged and weaved amidst the onslaught of the Doki.

The Gentle Fist is unpredictable, combining softness and hardness. When it is soft, it is like flowing water, sticky and continuous, touching, brushing and pulling. When it is hard, it is like a tiger descending the mountain, with power that can break mountains and split seas. A single punch can penetrate the spine and rupture internal organs.

However, the Doki were, after all, just corpses. The Gentle Fist, which was quite effective against living people, was somewhat ineffective against them. Pressure Doki strikes could block the flow of Chakra, but they had little effect on the Doki, who mainly relied on Taijutsu for attacks. The powerful force of the Gentle Fist could break the arms and bones of Doki with a single punch, but the corpse Doki, who knew no pain, would not even flinch and continue charging forward. Even if they were immobilized, Kabuto could still use Chakra to continue manipulating their broken bodies from the shadows. Therefore, it was necessary to completely incapacitate them!

At this point, the battle was nearing its end.

Before she knew it, a jumble of corpses lay scattered around the girl—the word "jumbled" was barely enough to describe the bizarrely shaped pieces of flesh.

Having repelled another wave of attacks from the Doki, Hinata, supporting herself on her knees, sweat dripped from her face onto the ground, her breathing becoming increasingly labored.

She looked up, and a look of despair flashed in her eyes for a moment before her resolve returned.

Suddenly, another wave of new Doki surrounded them!

Then—ninja tools rained down, attacking relentlessly!

The black-haired girl's Byakugan widened in anger, the trajectory of the incoming ninja tool imprinted in her black and white vision. Her right hand silently extended, tracing a precise arc through the air. The next moment, the fastest and fastest Kunai was suddenly grasped tightly by a hand, and then—

"Clang clang clang--!"

The sound of ninja tools clashing violently!

The girl spun around, parrying and deflecting with the agility of a fish, sometimes dodging, sometimes blocking. The seemingly impenetrable barrage of ninja tools from the Doki, with nowhere to hide, still had gaps in the Byakugan's all-seeing field of vision. Her nimble figure moved like a leaf in a storm, shifting and turning, always appearing to be in complete control.

They withstood another wave of attacks!

Only...

Hinata's trembling arms hinted at her rapidly depleting stamina. The relentless attacks gave her no chance to catch her breath; while Gentle Fist is known for its endurance, it cannot withstand such exhaustion!

We're doomed to lose.

Hinata was well aware of her physical condition. She had used up all her trump cards, and even risked trying pressure point techniques that greatly amplified her Chakra circulation. All the muscles in her body were already going weak, and it was almost a miracle that she had been able to hold on until now.

The next wave of attacks will probably be their death sentence, won't it?

Victory was assured, yet the Doki remained inactive.

Dou's voice rose softly from the shadows.

"Hinata- neechan, you're truly amazing! You've managed to hold on until now... But this must have been your limit, right? You've already lost."

Kabuto emerged from the darkness, his seemingly ordinary eyes behind his glasses holding a strange glint in them.

"Then, could you tell me the direction Sasuke went? After all, getting out of Kakashi's and the Anbu's sight is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to capture Sasuke... As payment, I can spare your life, how about it?"

The answer I received was a pair of stubborn eyes.

Even if you kill me... I will never betray my comrades!