Rampaging Boil Release

At the critical moment, Namikaze Yoru suddenly grabbed the two beside him. Just as the devastating Tailed Beast Ball was about to swallow all three of them, their figures blurred abruptly and vanished from where they stood.

The next moment, the three had appeared in the distance—the location where Namikaze Yoru had hidden a Flying Thunder God Kunai beforehand.

The terrified expressions had yet to fade from the faces of the two who had just escaped death, only to be replaced by looks as though they had seen a ghost as they stared at Namikaze Yoru.

Perhaps Aburame Shibi did not fully understand what that instantaneous movement meant, but Nawaki did. This was the forbidden technique developed by his second grandfather. Since his passing, it had become a lost art, and countless people had failed to find a way into the Flying Thunder God Technique.

"Please keep this a secret. It's my private secret." He was mainly saying this to Nawaki; after all, of the three present besides Namikaze Yoru himself, only Nawaki understood this technique best.

Hearing this, the two snapped out of their shock and both nodded.

Although he had considered exchanging for the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal obtained from Root and using it on the two of them, the technique was not completely foolproof. It might also completely destroy the trust between them, so after considering it, he discarded the idea.

Having temporarily escaped danger, he released the Eight Gates. A faint sense of exhaustion washed over him, but Namikaze Yoru forcibly suppressed it.

Turning his attention back to the battlefield, he saw the Five-Tails Kokuō's Tailed Beast Ball sweep across where they had been moments ago. Everything was obliterated as if crushed by decay, leaving only a shocking, massive blank scar, as though a god had cleaved the earth with a giant axe!

Remembering it now, all three broke out in cold sweat, their backs seemingly soaked through. Without the Flying Thunder God Technique, they would likely have already been reduced to dust and started over right there.

The earth-shattering commotion completely alerted the central camp where Orochimaru was stationed.

Countless Konoha ninja poured out of their tents, while Orochimaru himself already stood at the front of the formation. Staring at the roaring giant beast in the distance, his eyes were filled with gravity. Though he did not know exactly what had happened, he could not allow the Five-Tails to continue rampaging and break through their defenses.

"Summoning Technique!"

Amid a massive cloud of smoke, an enormous purple serpent suddenly appeared, coiling beneath Orochimaru's feet. The moment it arrived, a deep voice sounded. "Orochimaru, have you prepared a Sacrifice for summoning me?"

Orochimaru did not reply, merely staring straight at the battlefield before him. Manda followed Orochimaru's gaze, and the scales across its body bristled as it snarled, "A Tailed Beast? Orochimaru, you dare—"

Orochimaru coldly cut him off. "I'll pay more. Double the Sacrifice."

Manda's complaints came to an abrupt halt. Its enormous tongue flicked out once as it replied, "Hmph... I'll do my best to help you, but don't expect me to risk my life for this."

Before the words had even faded, man and snake shot toward the Five-Tails like arrows released from a bow. Even with Manda's massive body, it appeared somewhat insignificant before the Five-Tails.

The two giant beasts collided with a thunderous crash, shaking the ground and mountains. Shockwaves swept outward with shattered rocks and violent gusts, leaving many Konoha ninja unable to keep their footing.

Using the advantage of striking first and the force of its charge, Manda slammed fiercely into the Five-Tails, knocking it back dozens of meters.

"Elite Squads, prepare combined ninjutsu!" Orochimaru's hoarse yet piercing command echoed across the battlefield.

The next moment, as though they had rehearsed it thousands of times, the Konoha ninja from several Elite Squads completed their hand seals almost simultaneously.

Their movements were perfectly synchronized as Chakra fluctuations converged in an instant.

"Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld!"

Dozens of ninja shouted in unison. The ground beneath the Five-Tails Kokuō instantly softened and collapsed, transforming into a vast, sticky mud swamp! Kokuō's enormous body immediately sank as it gradually descended into the mire.

"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!" "Fire Style: Great Flame Bullet!" "Wind-Fire Combined Ninjutsu!"

A fierce gale accurately swept into the towering flames. Fire borrowed the wind's momentum, while wind fed the fire's might. In an instant, they expanded into a blazing tornado that reached from earth to sky, howling toward the Five-Tails Kokuō trapped in the swamp with violent force.

Yet just as the combined ninjutsu was about to strike, an abrupt change occurred.

Facing the ninja squads' assault, the Five-Tails Kokuō threw back its head and let out a long howl. Chakra boiled throughout its body as vast amounts of high-temperature steam compressed intensely, wrapping around its entire body like a shield.

Watching the center of the battlefield from afar, Namikaze Yoru recognized it at once. This was the Five-Tails' unique Boil Release.

The scorching fire tornado crashed against the Five-Tails' steam shield with shrill hissing sounds. Vast amounts of water vapor evaporated, white mist spread everywhere, and the formidable flaming assault was steadily weakened until it finally dispersed.

"ROAR!!!"

The Five-Tails Kokuō roared again. The muddy swamp that had trapped it had already carbonized under the intense heat. Yet even so, it endured the lingering force of the combined ninjutsu and forcibly leaped free of the scorched marsh.

White light began gathering around the massive horn on its head, growing increasingly brilliant. It was clearly charging up for a counterattack.

"Scatter!"

Orochimaru immediately ordered the ninja forces to disperse. In the very next second, the Five-Tails seemed to cross space itself, surging forward with its enormous horn as the vanguard at an unimaginably violent speed.

"Boil Release: Horn Crash." Namikaze Yoru could not help murmuring as he watched the Five-Tails carve a blank path through the battlefield with a single strike.

Nawaki stood frozen beside him. Even his retreating steps had halted in shock at the sight as he muttered, "How are we supposed to face an opponent like this, one comparable to a moving natural disaster?"

"It's simple. Clap your hands together like your grandfather did and catch it as easily as a little figurine." Namikaze Yoru then added another jab, "Then generously give it away to someone else."

Orochimaru, who was confronting the Five-Tails head-on, looked even more grim. An attack brought together by elite ninja had left the enemy seemingly unharmed, and in its counterattack, who knew how many ninja had died on the spot before they could react.

"Orochimaru, retreat." Manda's deep voice sounded beside Orochimaru, clearly already entertaining thoughts of withdrawal.

Orochimaru said nothing, continuously thinking of a solution. What was even more despairing was that Stone Ninja could already be seen approaching in the distance. They clearly intended to use this opportunity to counterattack and break through Konoha's battle lines.

Fortunately, after unleashing such a large-scale Boil Release attack, the Five-Tails had also become somewhat weakened. This gave the other Konoha ninja a chance to pull back some distance.

Looking at Ōnoki as he flew nearby, Orochimaru forcefully suppressed his anger and demanded, "Tsuchikage, you actually released the Five-Tails onto the battlefield? Let's see how you plan to clean this up!"

Ōnoki had clearly prepared an answer long ago. Putting on a faintly angry expression, he replied, "The Five-Tails wasn't released by us Stone Ninja."

Before he could say more, the Five-Tails seemed to have already shaken off its weakened state and once again turned its violent gaze toward the retreating Konoha ninja.

With the Five-Tails posing a threat and Ōnoki watching covetously from the side, Orochimaru's expression turned utterly dreadful as he prepared to order a retreat.

Just then, thunderous cheers suddenly erupted from the Konoha camp.

With a tremendous boom, a mountain-sized Summoning Beast descended from the sky and, catching the Five-Tails off guard, pinned it firmly beneath itself.