Wood Release

"Jiraiya—"

"Teacher."

Minato Namikaze lay sprawled on the ground, looking utterly battered.

Smack.

Kurohane planted his foot on Jiraiya's head.

Jiraiya, already unconscious, was like a doll in his hands. His body, black as charcoal, still gave off heat.

"Mad Ghost, Jiraiya."

Kurohane moved his foot, stomping on Jiraiya several times.

"So much for the Sannin."

Kurohane wore a contemptuous expression and licked his lips.

"Don't touch Teacher Jiraiya, you bastard!"

Minato shouted. He had no chakra left, and his body had reached its limit. He didn't have the strength to even push himself up.

"Oh?"

Kurohane lowered his foot and slowly walked toward Minato with a smile.

"You Leaf brats really are interesting."

Kurohane crouched in front of Minato and lifted his chin with one hand.

"You're powerless, yet none of you know fear. Is that courage?"

"Or are you just stupid?"

Dang!

Kurohane was taken slightly by surprise and glanced at Minato.

He'd used the last of his strength to swing at Kurohane, but it had been useless. He hadn't even managed to break through his guard.

Still, Kurohane's expression darkened.

"You really are interesting."

Kurohane laughed.

"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"

Kurohane brought his foot down toward Minato's head, but chains shot out and stopped his kick just in time.

"Ahhh!"

Kurohane looked toward the chains. The red-haired girl over there was shouting as she forced more chakra out of herself.

Chains extended from her back, reaching toward Kurohane.

Whoosh.

Kurohane glanced to the side again. Minato, who had been lying there, was gone.

His gaze swept the area, quickly finding the blond-haired figure.

A girl was carrying him on her back as she ran.

He also spotted someone familiar.

The girl had carried off Jiraiya, blackened from head to toe, too.

Her small frame bore the weight of two people, but her speed hadn't slowed.

"One by one, huh?"

Kurohane finally flew into a rage. Chakra poured from his body, and its vastness washed over Kushina's chains, causing them to snap.

The Uzumaki Clan's unique bloodline power backfired, and Kushina collapsed. But her strong will kept her forcing herself to stay upright.

"Put me down! Kushina—!"

"Trust Kushina!"

Seeing Kushina down on one knee, Minato grew frantic.

But Mikoto, who was carrying him, quickly told him to stop.

"Mikoto—"

Minato didn't call out again. He could hear the tremor in Mikoto's voice.

Mikoto had endured even more than Kushina—more than he had.

Knowing this, Minato fell silent.

He looked ahead. Kurohane's attack was already coming, and Kushina made no move to dodge.

At this rate, Kushina would undoubtedly take the full force of the blow, and the consequences would be unimaginable.

Dodge!

Minato screamed inwardly, but Kushina did something else.

Her body relaxed. She didn't close her eyes; they still shone brightly.

Just like always, she wore her big-sisterly smile. She showed no fear—or, if she felt any, it didn't show.

"Yueshu!!!"

Minato finally shouted. He didn't call for Jiraiya, but for the rival he'd never once managed to defeat.

He didn't know where Yueshu was now. He knew Yueshu had long since lost the ability to fight, and probably couldn't even stand, just like him. But Minato believed in him anyway.

Whatever the circumstances, that guy would answer!

"Wood Release: Wood Wall Technique!"

Kurohane was less than twenty centimeters from Kushina when a wooden wall suddenly burst from the ground between them.

"Wood Release: Wood Thorn Technique."

With a bang, the wall didn't break, but a visible dent formed in it.

As the sound faded, wooden thorns began shooting up from the ground, forcing Kurohane back.

"Thanks for the effort."

A familiar voice reached Kushina's ears, and she collapsed.

"You're late, idiot!"

Gently caught in his arms, Kushina could feel Yueshu's warmth. A faint blush touched her cheeks as she grumbled.

She didn't know if Yueshu would save her, but her hero had been this still-somewhat-awkward boy standing before her since a year ago.

Slow, lazy, and always sleeping, but—

"Go beat him."

"My hero."

"That's a tough request."

"But..."

"I've got this."

The familiar voice and exchange made Kushina smile to herself.

"Get some rest."

Yueshu let go of Kushina. A nearby branch caught her and carried her away.

The wooden wall withdrew, leaving Yueshu and Kurohane facing each other.

"You've certainly taken good care of me! How about I return the favor?"

"There's one surprise after another."

"Same for me!"

Kurohane and Yueshu locked eyes. The fight was about to begin.

"Rasengan!"

In an instant, the two began their first exchange.

Kurohane dodged lightly and threw an elbow at Yueshu.

Yueshu caught it with his palm, using the force to return an elbow strike.

Kurohane returned the favor, and the two were soon locked in close combat.

Kurohane had already been fighting for some time and was clearly weakened, especially in terms of stamina. Yueshu could now handle him.

"Wood Release: Wood Entanglement Technique."

Yueshu kicked Kurohane away to open some distance, then immediately formed Hand Seals.

Branches all around them reached toward Kurohane.

"Fire Style: Fire Whirlwind."

Kurohane wasn't about to back down. He formed Hand Seals, and a whirlwind swept out from his body, spreading in every direction and burning the branches reaching for him.

Yueshu pulled out a Kusanagi Sword and hurled it at him.

Kurohane swung his palm, sending an Air Palm flying and knocking the Kusanagi Sword away.

Yueshu was struck by the Air Palm and turned into a puff of smoke.

The Kusanagi Sword flying through the air also turned into a puff of smoke, and Yueshu burst out from within it, gripping the sword.

"Earth Style: Earth Rising Dragon Technique."

Kurohane slapped the ground, and an earth dragon surged up from beneath it.

"Focus on one point!"

Yueshu gripped the sword with both hands and brought it down in a slash.

The earth dragon was cut in two, and Yueshu came face-to-face with Kurohane!

Yueshu hurled the Kusanagi Sword in his hand. Kurohane, already injured, couldn't react to its speed.

The Kusanagi Sword transformed into Yueshu. He gripped the blade, his eyes meeting Kurohane's.

The blood-red Three-Tomoe Sharingan slowly spun.

"Genjutsu!"

Yueshu used the Sharingan's ability to cast a genjutsu directly on Kurohane.

It didn't have much effect, but even half a second was enough.

"Rasengan!"

Yueshu's clone, the one who had thrown the Kusanagi Sword, charged in with a Rasengan, while Yueshu himself also swung his sword.

Attacked from both sides, Kurohane was still dazed!

The next instant, Kurohane came to his senses, but the attacks from both sides were already about to hit him.

His chakra suddenly burst outward, and his body began to move.

The Rasengan and Kusanagi Sword were successfully blocked.

Rotation!

Yueshu was thrown back, shock filling his eyes.

Kurohane had used the Hyuga Clan's Gentle Fist secret technique, Rotation—a Gentle Fist technique known as the absolute defense: Rotation!

Though shocked, Yueshu didn't stop. He immediately began forming Hand Seals.

Most of his chakra was drained away. Yueshu slapped his palm against the ground.

"Wood Release: Deep Forest Emergence."

Yueshu felt nearly all the chakra in his body being drained away, leaving only a little.

Great trees burst from the ground one after another, their branches stretching toward Kurohane. Kurohane couldn't sustain Rotation indefinitely. The battle had entered a stalemate.