Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!
Suddenly, a massive python coiled tightly around Shirou's waist and yanked him backward with violent force—instantaneously!
The blood-red Sharingan with a single tomoe caught only a fleeting glimpse of a crimson figure brushing past him, the gust of wind whipping painfully against his cheek. He swore he had never felt such a strange mix of fear and... familiarity, even from a venomous snake.
"Kushina!"
At that moment, Tsunade roared, smashing a massive boulder with her fist and sending it hurtling toward Kushina.
Boom!
It was only then that Shirou's brain and body snapped into action. He turned, glaring at the distant figure of Uzumaki Kushina with a surge of fury.
That wind—it had nearly scraped his face. He had almost been obliterated!
The terrifying, powerless sensation of brushing shoulders with death stirred an unfamiliar ferocity deep within him.
The tomoe in his Sharingan spun rapidly, and then—a second tomoe emerged!
"Kushina!"
Gritting his teeth, Shirou called out her name, each word deliberate and seething with anger.
He was furious. That fox girl had nearly crushed him with her bare hands!
Though he had faced death before as a ninja, the sheer helplessness he felt against such overwhelming power was a terror he had only known in his past life.
But in this life? He vowed to seize absolute power!
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The Fourth Tail of the Nine-Tails Jinchūriki clashed head-on with one of the Sannin in their prime. Even now, in her Third-Tail state, she surpassed most ordinary Jōnin by a wide margin.
Orochimaru, Jiraiya, and Tsunade were not yet at the pinnacle of their strength.
"Damn it!"
On the battlefield, Jiraiya cursed under his breath.
Though terrifying, a Jinchūriki had many weaknesses. Most relied purely on instinct. But Uzumaki Kushina was no ordinary Jinchūriki. She forced them into a bind.
If they fought her seriously, the three of them wouldn't have ended up in such a sorry state.
"Tsunade, hurry up with the sealing!"
The violent aftermath of the battle had leveled the forest. The Konoha ninjas, watching from a safe distance, braced themselves to assist if needed.
This level of battle was far beyond what they could handle.
Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall!
A sudden earthen wall rose before Tsunade, blocking an incoming attack.
Turning back, she saw the jutsu had been cast by none other than Shirou. Her face contorted with anger.
"Shirou! Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
"Captain Tsunade, focus on the sealing jutsu!"
Shirou stepped forward, emanating an aura of terrifying chakra. At the same time, sinister markings began to spread visibly across his face.
He had released the restraints of his Cursed Seal, letting its power engulf him. The markings, once confined to half his face, now spread across his entire visage, and a surge of unprecedented strength coursed through his body.
For the first time, Shirou ignored Tsunade's scolding. Instead, he gave her a solemn smile.
"Three minutes! Captain Tsunade, you said my limit is three minutes!"
Under the sunlight, his cursed, marked face seemed almost monstrous. Yet, seeing him like this, Tsunade froze for a moment.
"Jiraiya-sama, Orochimaru-sama—three minutes! I'll take Captain Tsunade's place for three minutes!"
With a firm shout, Shirou fully unleashed his inner power. His chakra skyrocketed!
The three stood strategically, keeping Kushina confined as they awaited the sealing.
"This guy!"
Jiraiya's eyes widened in shock. He was only a Chūnin—how could his chakra be this immense?!
On the other side, Orochimaru—panting heavily as he kept Kushina in check—glanced at Shirou with his golden, snake-like eyes. His expression was filled with curious intrigue.
What was this mysterious power?
"Don't you dare die!"
Behind him, Tsunade took a deep breath, clutching the sealing scroll tightly as she began forming hand seals.
Lightning Release: False Darkness!
A terrifying bolt of lightning shot toward Kushina. Watching, Jiraiya couldn't help but shout, "Is this guy a monster too?!"
The power resembled the infamous Sound Four's Curse Mark states. While typically at the level of an elite Chūnin, in their first-stage Curse Mark, they rivaled Tokubetsu Jōnin. In their second stage, they temporarily matched full-fledged Jōnin.
As Shirou released his restraints, the black markings spread, darkening his skin. His muscles bulged, his physique grew larger, and even his hair lengthened.
Cursed Seal, Stage Two:
His nails sharpened, his ash-gray skin toughened, and his Sharingan—now sporting two tomoe—turned entirely black within his sockets.
"Kushina! Snap out of it!"
Fully immersed in the power of the Cursed Seal and Sage Body, Shirou felt an unparalleled surge of strength. However, it also stirred a savage desire within him.
Letting out a primal roar, he launched himself at her with astonishing speed.
Seeing this, the drained Jiraiya and Orochimaru wordlessly coordinated, supporting him in the battle.
Three minutes.
They had heard Shirou's declaration. This form had a strict time limit.
During this time, Shirou's strength soared, making him temporarily equal to a Jōnin in combat.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The clash intensified. To Shirou's dismay, however, he was quickly overwhelmed.
His two-tomoe Sharingan spun in confusion.
Kushina's third tail was fading, her power diminishing—so how was she still this overwhelmingly strong?!
"Be careful!"
From afar, Jiraiya winced as Shirou was sent flying by a single punch. This guy was crazy enough to engage a Jinchūriki in hand-to-hand combat!
Earth Release: Earth Dragon Bullet!
Jiraiya's supporting attack momentarily forced Kushina back. Taking advantage of the opening, Shirou roared and switched to swift strikes and ninjutsu instead of close combat.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Shirouo confined the rampaging Jinchūriki to a limited area, while Konoha's other ninjas retreated to safety.
From afar, countless eyes widened in disbelief at the sheer scale of the battle.
"What kind of monster is that?! Can we even fight something like that?!"
"So that's a Jinchūriki…"
Among the onlookers was Minato Namikaze, a civilian-born ninja witnessing such power for the first time. His eyes were filled with awe and fear.
Staring at Kushina, Minato thought, Terrifying!
"This kind of power…"
Seeing the forest erased by a Tailed Beast Bomb, as though wiped off a map, he understood. Such devastating strength needed to be controlled by the village.
Minato's shock slowly transformed into resolve.
"Kushina!"
At that moment, Minato's expression hardened. He finally understood the Third Hokage's teachings.
This wasn't just about power—it was about the village.
Such overwhelming strength had to be in the hands of the Hokage—anything else would spell disaster.
The Will of Fire burned brighter than ever in Minato's heart.