"Bzzzt~"
Sasuke formed Chidori at the flank and thrust it at the serpent's body, enduring the searing pain in his chakra pathways. His Three-Tomoe Sharingan locked onto its weak point—the spot where the Death Energy was thinnest.
Clang!
The deafening impact left their ears ringing. Kin, silver-gray, and dark red chakra exploded outward, splitting a huge fissure in the ground. Pebbles flew into the air, and the shock wave sent leaves swirling across the sky.
"Damn it, hold!"
Naruto gritted his teeth. Fine cracks spread across his shield, its golden chakra growing fainter as the death energy ate away at it, and his arms began to shake.
"Hah~"
Sasuke's Chidori struck the serpent's body, only for dark red chakra to coil around it. Bloody markings spread up his arm to his elbow. Even his Sharingan grew blurry, and his vision began to double.
"Aah~" Sasuke bit his tongue, using the pain to keep himself awake and force his mind clear.
"Sasuke, that's the resolve I wanted."
The Orochimaru Clone's face had lost all color, growing deathly pale. Beads of blood dripped from his chin and gathered in a small pool on the ground, yet his eyes shone with a frightening intensity. "That's it... that's how you should be!"
He abruptly increased his chakra output, and the snake-shaped death chakra instantly bore down on them—
"Aaah~" Naruto cried out in pain. His shield shattered completely, his golden chakra scattered, and the serpent's tail struck him, sending him crashing into a tree trunk. He spat out a mouthful of blood.
The nine-tails chakra weakened instantly. The scarlet faded from his pupils, and he slid limply to the ground.
Thud!
Sasuke was thrown back as well, landing beside Naruto as his Chidori dissipated completely. He braced himself against the ground and tried to