Inferno Style: Kagutsuchi: Amaterasu Sword

Three attacks instantly blasted three huge craters into the snow, and three figures emerged from it. Sasuke looked over.

There were three of them: one thin, one fat, and one woman.

All of them wore Snow ninja forehead protectors.

Sasuke took the lead and charged at Fubuki Dongou, the fat man. Lightning Style chakra coated the Kusanagi Sword as Sasuke slashed at him, but blue light flashed from the armor on his body and blocked the strike.

Kakashi said, "Sasuke, that's the Land of Snow's unique chakra armor. It can absorb chakra and bolster its own defense!"

Sasuke snorted. "Absorb chakra? Let's see how much you can take!"

The Mangekyo appeared in Sasuke's eyes and focused.

"Amaterasu!"

Pitch-black flames instantly engulfed the fat man, leaving him utterly dumbfounded.

Seriously?

Using a finishing move right from the start?

Though Fubuki Dongou was completely bewildered, Amaterasu's heat was already scorching his chakra armor. Then, the next moment—

With a crisp crack—

The chakra armor shattered. Black flames covered Fubuki Dongou, and the searing heat made the fat on his body sizzle. Moments later, Fubuki Dongou was reduced to ashes.

Though he performed poorly against Sasuke, Fubuki Dongou was one of the three strongest Snow ninja in the Land of Snow.

Kakashi's opponent was Nadare Roga, while Naruto's opponent was naturally Fubuki Kakuyoku.

Seeing this, the director's eyes lit up.

"Film it, now! This is perfect battle footage!"

The other two Snow ninja were deeply shaken upon seeing Fubuki Dongou killed by Sasuke.

However, Sasuke clearly had no intention of helping the others.

Naruto was fighting the female ninja before him rather timidly, and he was no match for her!

Two threads shot out from Fubuki Kakuyoku's chakra armor, binding Naruto before she flew away with him.

Seeing this, Hinata said, "Sasuke-kun, hurry and save Naruto!"

But Sasuke said, "If we follow Naruto, won't that lead us straight to the enemy's headquarters?!"

Besides, Naruto had the Nine-Tails inside him. There was no way he would die.

Though the Nine-Tails was hated by people, every time Naruto turned the tide, he relied on the Nine-Tails' power.

Meanwhile, Kakashi—

Nadare Roga mocked Kakashi. "I wonder whether you're still that useless coward who only knew how to run away in disgrace!"

Kakashi wasted no words and rapidly formed hand seals. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

The sea behind Kakashi gathered into a water dragon and charged at Nadare Roga.

With the sea behind him, using Water Style ninjutsu was far more convenient than creating water out of chakra from thin air.

Nadare Roga quickly formed hand seals. "Ice Style: Tiger-Devouring Ice Dragon!"

Ice turned into a snarling tiger that tore the Water Dragon Bullet apart before charging at Kakashi.

Kakashi slapped the ground. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"

An earth wall engraved with dog heads blocked the ice tiger.

But Nadare Roga formed hand seals again. "Ice Style: One-Horned White Whale!"

On the sea, seawater transformed into a gigantic whale that leaped into the air and crashed down toward Kakashi and the ship!

Kakashi lifted his headband. "Ice Style: One-Horned White Whale!"

Kakashi used the same jutsu, forming a massive white whale that slammed Nadare Roga's whale aside. The two ice whales crashed into the sea, raising towering waves!

Sasuke looked at Nadare Roga before him.

Then arcs of electricity covered Sasuke's body as his Lightning Style chakra activated. "Inferno Style: Kagutsuchi!"

Amaterasu engulfed the Kusanagi Sword, and Sasuke instantly turned into a flash of lightning as he rushed out!

The Kusanagi Sword covered in Amaterasu sliced through the chakra armor's defenses in one stroke, then severed Nadare Roga's head!

Kakashi's eyes widened as he stared in disbelief at Nadare Roga's two halves being burned by Amaterasu.

An opponent he had considered formidable had been beheaded by Sasuke in a single move!

It was simply unbelievable. Without realizing it, Kakashi thought of something...

Sasuke was only ten years old, yet he had already surpassed Kakashi's current strength!

It was simply... terrifying!

The more Kakashi thought about it, the more frightened he became. If the Uchiha rebellion had happened back then and they had been exterminated according to Danzo's plan...

The Uchiha clan would certainly have protected Sasuke at all costs. In a few years, Sasuke would surely surpass Uchiha Madara!

But Konoha would not produce a second Hashirama Senju!

After the lingering fear came slow, growing relief.

Fortunately, the Uchiha and Konoha had now reached a balance.

Kakashi even had a bold thought.

Perhaps it would not be unacceptable for the Uchiha to have more power.

If it were purely for the village's sake, an Uchiha becoming Hokage would not be bad. Given their way of doing things, Konoha would not be in such a humiliating state now.

Just then—

Kakashi said to Sasuke, "Sasuke, hurry and come with me to save Naruto!"

Koyuki Kazahana said, "I'm going too!"

Kakashi said, "What are you going for? Stay here!"

Koyuki Kazahana said, "I'm the princess of the Land of Snow!"

With that, Koyuki Kazahana took a hexagonal necklace from around her neck. It was the mark of the Land of Snow's princess!

Kakashi nodded.

Koyuki Kazahana said, "Follow the railway. At its end is where Doto Kazahana is!"

The Land of Snow had long had railways because it was far from the continent and far from war.

Konoha could build railways as well, but it was located in the center of the continent and had to guard against other nations.

Following the railway, Sasuke and the others arrived at a huge, gloomy palace.

This was Doto Kazahana's base!

The palace had once been bright and sunny, but Doto Kazahana had turned it into this.

Koyuki Kazahana clenched her fists, her heart filled with unwillingness.

She glanced at Sasuke, her eyes full of hope.

Meanwhile—

Inside the palace, Doto Kazahana expressionlessly asked Fubuki Kakuyoku, "So you're saying you're the only one who came back alive?"

Fubuki Kakuyoku was drenched in cold sweat, but she still nodded.

Doto Kazahana wanted to slap Fubuki Kakuyoku to death, but after thinking it over, if he killed her, he would be left with no subordinates.

Doto Kazahana lowered his hand, then placed a "chakra lock device" on Naruto. Once worn, the device would absorb the host's chakra like a parasite and could not be removed.

Naruto felt weak all over and collapsed to the ground.

Naruto felt that he could no longer draw upon the chakra within his body!