Battle

Soon, Naruto and the others arrived at the small plaza, where the two groups came face-to-face.

Orochimaru stood there with his arms folded. Seeing that Jiraiya was among the newcomers, he gave a sinister chuckle. "Keh heh heh, Jiraiya, you dead-last! Since when did you start liking to make yourself look younger, just like Tsunade?"

The Jiraiya standing before him didn't look the way he had when Orochimaru had last seen him a few years ago. Instead, he looked as he had in Orochimaru's memories, back in his twenties.

So Orochimaru assumed that Jiraiya had made himself younger using the same method as Tsunade.

"Orochimaru, you're still the same as ever. Your laugh is just as disgusting," Jiraiya retorted, matching his tone.

Orochimaru merely shrugged, spreading his hands. "What? Have you forgotten how you ended up lying on the ground a few years ago?"

A few years earlier, Jiraiya had sought out Orochimaru, and the two had fought. Jiraiya hadn't wanted to kill Orochimaru then, and without using Sage Mode, he had lost.

After Orochimaru wounded him, Jiraiya had lain on the ground, thinking he was about to die at Orochimaru's hands. But in the end, Orochimaru had let him go.

"I'm not here to talk you into returning to Konoha. I've given up on that idea," Jiraiya said calmly.

Orochimaru gave another cackle. "I never thought someone as naive as you would finally come to your senses. So why are you here this time? And why bring two brats with you?"

Naruto was one thing, but Shisui Uchiha was only fifteen this year. In Orochimaru's eyes, they were both still children. He couldn't understand why Jiraiya had brought two deadweights along to meet him.

Jiraiya fixed his gaze on Orochimaru and said with absolute seriousness, "I'm here for one simple reason: I want to beat you up."

"Keh heh heh heh! Since when did the dead-last get so bold?" Orochimaru laughed exaggeratedly.

Jiraiya furrowed his brow. "I'm not joking. If you don't fight back, you'll suffer a little less."

Orochimaru's already sinister gaze grew colder. "Hmph. Let's see you try."

Naruto stepped forward. "Pervy Sage, take a break. I'll go first."

Orochimaru had found it strange when the brat beside Jiraiya stepped forward. But after hearing Naruto's words, he felt that Jiraiya was insulting him. His voice rang out, furious. "Jiraiya!"

Then he used his secret technique, Hidden Shadow Snake Hands. He decided to kill the brat first, then settle things with Jiraiya.

Several large snakes slithered from Orochimaru's sleeves, mouths open to reveal two poisonous fangs each. They lunged at Naruto, bringing with them a foul stench.

Naruto didn't panic. Orochimaru wasn't the only one who could use ninjutsu without Hand Seals.

He quickly used Spirit Energy Body Infusion, then formed a Rasengan. Since they were underground, Naruto controlled the amount of spirit energy he used. The Rasengan he formed was only about the size of a person's head, but that was enough.

He threw the Rasengan at the snakes. Spinning as it flew toward Orochimaru, the sphere carried violent spirit energy.

The moment the snakes touched it, the spirit energy coating the Rasengan tore them to pieces. Before throwing it, Naruto had calculated how much spirit energy he would need to form a membrane around the Rasengan's surface, so it wouldn't explode after destroying the snakes.

After shattering the snakes, the Rasengan continued toward Orochimaru. He dodged when it neared him, but by then the Rasengan had already exploded.

The small plaza wasn't very large, so Orochimaru couldn't use his defensive ninjutsu. He had no choice but to take the blast head-on.

Though the Rasengan was only the size of a person's head, Naruto hadn't been idle during this time. He had been constantly training to divide spirit energy, so the Rasengan's power was no small thing.

The shock wave from the explosion destroyed one of Orochimaru's arms, then sent him flying into the wall. He slid down it and fell to the ground.

As soon as he landed, Orochimaru opened his mouth. Two hands reached out from within, braced against his upper and lower jaws, and forced them apart. Another Orochimaru emerged from inside him, his arm already restored.

This was Orochimaru's Snake Shedding Technique. After being injured, he could transfer his wounds to the skin he shed, much like a snake shedding its skin.

Naruto didn't stop him. Ending the fight right away would have been no fun.

Orochimaru stood up, tore off the layer of skin clinging to his face, and stared at Naruto. "Brat, I underestimated you. If I'm not mistaken, that was Namikaze Minato's Rasengan you just used."

Naruto wasn't surprised that Orochimaru had recognized the Rasengan. Orochimaru had once been a Konoha ninja, so it wasn't strange that he knew Naruto's father.

But Naruto didn't say anything. He only nodded.

Orochimaru said nothing more. He opened his mouth and crouched down. Countless snakes poured from his throat, forming a tidal wave that surged toward Naruto. Every snake had its mouth open, each one holding a sword inside.

Naruto quickly formed Hand Seals and used Wind Release: Great Wind Disaster. Spirit energy gathered rapidly in his mouth, forming a vortex.

Then Naruto blew toward the wave of snakes charging at him. As soon as the vortex left his mouth, spirit energy rapidly expanded it. Naruto kept supplying it with spirit energy, and the snakes charging toward him were blown in every direction.

At that moment, the people behind Orochimaru moved into action. When Shisui Uchiha saw them charge, he darted forward to intercept them. Jiraiya, meanwhile, remained where he was, arms folded as he watched.

Though there were six people with Kimimaro, Shisui Uchiha could hold them off. Even without considering how powerful he was when using Susanoo, his Body Flicker Technique alone would be enough to give them a hard time.

Only Kimimaro among the six required caution. As for Jugo, though he was born with a Sage Body, he couldn't control it, which limited the strength he could bring to bear. The other four had strange abilities, but their actual strength wasn't great.

Shisui Uchiha was only fifteen, but thanks to his talent for the Body Flicker Technique, he had already mastered it to a high level. That was how he had earned the name Body Flicker Shisui in the Shinobi World.

He had drawn the Wakizashi from his back and was using the Body Flicker Technique, repeatedly driving the six men back.

The space was cramped, and Naruto had said to leave them alive, so Shisui didn't kill them. He only forced them back, keeping them away from Naruto and the others as they fought.

As for Naruto, when Orochimaru saw that the snake wave had failed, he turned and headed down the passageway. There was too little space underground, and most of his ninjutsu were difficult to use.

He wanted to move the fight to the surface. Naruto knew what he was planning, but didn't stop him. The underground space limited Naruto's own abilities as well.

He needed a fight that would let him go all out. Since beginning his training, he had only experienced two real battles—and this was the second.

The best way to improve his martial arts and ninjutsu was through actual combat, especially against an opponent stronger than himself. Orochimaru was exactly the sort of person who could help him hone his skills.

Naruto grabbed Jiraiya and quickly chased after Orochimaru. "Shisui, Pervy Sage and I are going after Orochimaru. Just knock them all out."

Naruto sensed which passage Orochimaru had taken, then used Flying Thunder God to reach the surface exit and wait for him.

It wasn't long before Orochimaru rushed out of the passage, only to freeze in shock.

Naruto stood not far in front of him, watching. Behind Naruto, Jiraiya sat cross-legged on the grass, looking as though he had been waiting for ages.

Before Orochimaru could speak, Naruto darted forward. At the same time, spirit energy gathered in the meridians of his legs.

Naruto used the second move of Mad Demon Leg: Stream Cutter. Just as he had when fighting Kakuzu, he threw Kunai bearing Flying Thunder God Marks and kept teleporting around Orochimaru.

The shock waves striking from all sides pinned Orochimaru in place, leaving him unable to move.

Orochimaru's right leg turned into a large snake, which burrowed into the ground. Naruto sensed it coming toward him; it was about to dig beneath him.

So he quickly switched moves and used Mountain Breaker, kicking the ground beneath him with all his strength.

The snake had burrowed to that spot. Its mouth gaped open, revealing Orochimaru's head. Kusanagi Sword shot from his mouth, thrusting toward Naruto aboveground.

When Naruto's kick struck the ground, Mountain Breaker's crushing force took effect. It churned the earth below into chaos, forcing Orochimaru's head deeper underground. Then it went still.

Naruto sensed the area. All that remained underground was a snakeskin. Orochimaru had already escaped and was digging his way back to the surface.

When Orochimaru emerged, dangerous glints flashed in his eyes as he stared at Naruto. "Brat, was that Flying Thunder God? Who are you?"

Orochimaru had obtained the Flying Thunder God Technique as well, but no matter how much he practiced, he had made no progress.

Seeing Naruto use the Flying Thunder God Technique, and the more he looked at him, the more familiar he seemed. It was as if he were looking at someone he knew.

"You'll find out soon enough," Naruto replied casually, then called out to Kurama in the Sealing Space.

Kurama responded from within the Sealing Space and quickly infused Naruto's body with his spirit energy.

As Kurama's spirit energy flowed into him, waves of energy rippled across Naruto's body. Then Naruto entered Sage Fox Mode.

When Orochimaru sensed the energy radiating from Naruto, it stirred a familiar feeling in him. Once Naruto entered Sage Fox Mode, realization dawned on him. "So it's you—the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki! How could the Third let you leave the village?"

Naruto had fully entered Sage Fox Mode. He raised his right hand and quickly formed a large Rasengan in his palm. "I'll tell you after I've finished beating you up."

Then he hurled the enormous Rasengan at Orochimaru.

Orochimaru bit his finger, quickly pressed both hands to the ground, and used Summoning Technique.

Three great gates carved with images of demons appeared in front of him.