The Death of Yakushi Kabuto

Tsunade, weakened by her hemophobia, was carried for a long time by Shizune, limping all the way, before she finally came to her senses.

She could sacrifice herself for the memory of Dan Katō and Nawaki, abandoning herself to despair, but the truth was someone was desperately trying to save her, and she had involved those who cared about her.

She couldn't involve others for her own selfish reasons.

Not to mention that the last one left to fight was Uzumaki Naruto, the child of Minato and Kushina's legacy.

Tsunade couldn't imagine, nor could she bear, the reality of Naruto being harmed while protecting her.

So she returned, her eyes covered with a black cloth.

She covered her eyes to prevent herself from becoming immobile again due to her hemophobia.

The now-healed Shizune was slumped on her back, legs clasped to her chest, guiding the way.

Tsunade landed with a thud, her clothes fluttering.

"Naruto, I'll heal you." Shizune landed, her heart aching. She cupped Naruto's bloody left hand and performed the Mystical Palm Technique.

Naruto's face was still ferocious, and he stared intently at Yakushi Kabuto, saying "Thank you" in as gentle a tone as he could manage.

He exerted force with his arm, slowly pulling his hand away and letting it hang by his side. "My battle isn't over yet."

"It's over." Tsunade took off her jacket with great presence, revealing a grey cardigan that showcased her voluptuous and muscular physique, a blend of curves and lines that exuded a unique strength.

She lifted her leg, her sandal hitting the ground, and the earth in front of her instantly cracked apart, a lightning-fast fissure shooting towards Yakushi Kabuto.

No fancy moves, just direct, powerful, terrifying strength.

Yakushi Kabuto leaped aside to dodge. He knew Tsunade's kick was just a threat, meant to scare him away.

He smiled gently, "Lady Tsunade, have you returned to accept our offer?"

As he spoke, his eyes flickered, observing.

As far as he knew, Tsunade hadn't fought since leaving Konoha. Even though her strength and Chakra were still there, she couldn't exert much power.

As long as he removed her blindfold and cut her wrist to let blood splash on her face, he should be able to incapacitate her.

The remaining weakened Naruto and the maidservant were no threat.

However, as Yakushi Kabuto was contemplating how to deal with Tsunade, Naruto, covered in a blood-red Demon Fox cloak, leaped into the night sky, swinging a Chakra-infused blood claw downwards.

His pupils were still clear and rational, but beneath the surface, madness simmered.

Yakushi Kabuto was smashed to pieces, exploding into a shower of wood chips. His true body hid behind a large rock. "Why are you still so fierce? Has the Demon Fox lost control?"

Before he could contact Orochimaru via radio, Naruto's nose twitched, and he instantly locked onto his location and lunged again.

He quickly formed hand seals and dodged with the Body Flicker Technique just before the claw could shatter the rock, fleeing towards Orochimaru without hesitation.

But Naruto was faster, pure speed, disregarding exhaustion. "What are you running for? Why are you running! Come back, keep fighting me!"

The Demon Fox cloak grew larger, even sprouting a tail.

Yakushi Kabuto ran, using every substitution, body flicker, and clone technique he had, but Naruto's true body remained locked onto him.

Bang!

Yakushi Kabuto was slammed down hard. Naruto's claw-like cloak pressed down on his back, the force so great he couldn't resist and get up.

He channeled all his Chakra into releasing Yin Healing Wound Destruction, protecting his target for Naruto's next attack: his heart.

But the fierce and ruthless crimson claw, with its sharpness and power that outpaced the growth of his cells and tissues, pierced through the Chakra protection and crushed his heart.

Blood flowed and spread across the wild grass between the bones.

His consciousness faded, dimming.

At this moment, Orochimaru finally broke free from Jiraiya and arrived beside the corpse.

"Shadow Snake Hand."

Dozens of thick, mottled giant pythons flew out from Orochimaru's sleeve, binding Naruto.

Thump!

The blindfolded Tsunade flashed between them.

With surging, powerful punches and her entire body leaning forward, her immense strength instantly pulverized the snake swarm into a spray of poisonous blood and minced meat.

Orochimaru's expression turned as cold as a corpse crawling out of a grave. "Tsunade, you will regret this."

Tsunade remained silent.

Amidst the swirling smoke, Orochimaru grabbed Yakushi Kabuto's corpse and merged into the ground as if diving into a pond. "Uzumaki Naruto, I don't intend to kill you yet. Wait..."

A growling laugh emanated from Naruto's throat. "Clown!"

Orochimaru was accustomed to using eerie threats to instill fear, accustomed to seeing people's terrified expressions, but Naruto had never shown it, not once.

Even back in the Forest of Death during the Chunin Exams, when he was as weak as an insect, he was still arrogant enough to make Orochimaru grit his teeth.

Only Orochimaru's eyes and his black hair on his white forehead were visible above the ground. "I will make you feel true fear. I hope you can still keep up the act then."

"Act?" Naruto's face was completely black, but his white teeth were bared in a deeply sarcastic smile. "Pitiful prejudice."

Orochimaru's pupils bled, and he burrowed into the earth, fleeing at full speed. He couldn't stand to see this brat for another second.

Before he could think of a way to make it suffer and respect him, he absolutely would not speak to this fox demon brat, absolutely not!

Shizune said anxiously, "Lady Tsunade, quickly check on Naruto!"

Tsunade removed her eye patch, and the bloody mess left by Yakushi Kabuto entered her vision, making her dizzy again.

Biting her red lips and bracing herself on her knees, she turned her head to look at Naruto, who was almost a black thread wrapped in blood-red chakra, like a fox.

She took off the green crystal pendant from her chest, worth three mountains – a relic from her grandfather, the First Hokage. It contained his special Wood Release chakra and had the power to suppress Tailed Beasts.

Even though she hadn't dared to sell it despite her gambling debts, Tsunade now walked up to Naruto without hesitation, intending to fasten it around his neck.

Naruto instinctively felt disgusted and raised a paw to block, "Grandma Tsunade, no need, I'll be fine slowly."

Inside his mind, the Nine-Tails was roaring madly, amplifying the negative emotions and encroaching on his consciousness.

But besides making him a bit unclear-headed and occasionally wanting to slaughter villages, there were no other bad effects.

As the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Jiraiya had calculated that Naruto's own usable chakra was about seven Kakashis.

However, the actual total amount was one hundred Kakashis, with the remaining ninety-three passively used to suppress the Nine-Tails' seal.

It was like comparing a checking account to a fixed deposit.

Naruto had just used up his checking account and forcibly drew too much from his fixed deposit, which led to the Nine-Tails' rampage.

But this level of encroachment couldn't control his body; at most, it made him extremely irritable.

"Just wear it when I help you!" Tsunade embraced Naruto, her immense strength pressing him close. She washed his face and forcibly fastened the necklace.

Jiraiya watched with wide eyes, especially when Naruto struggled unhappily. The way his body curved under the pressure and the speed at which it sprang back when she released him.

His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and his hands instinctively made a grasping motion.

The necklace was shaped like jade but felt cool against his skin, soaking into his heart and slowly rising to Naruto's brain.

The Nine-Tails' energy weakened, and drowsiness and intense pain struck him simultaneously, causing him to squat on the ground.

His palms were completely red, covered in dense red blood spots, all from chakra desperately breaking through his skin.

Shizune proactively took Naruto's right hand and released the Mystical Palm Technique to heal him, calm and gentle.

Naruto carefully looked at Shizune, "Sister Shizune, you're actually very beautiful. Why don't you dress as brightly as Grandma Tsunade? Your outfit and hairstyle are affecting your looks."

Hearing Naruto's sincere words and looking at his clear, bright eyes, Shizune blushed and nodded, "Mm."

Jiraiya narrowed his eyes slightly and weakly walked to Tsunade's front, "Tsunade, cough cough... help me..."

Tsunade looked disgusted, grabbed Jiraiya's wrist, and released her chakra.