Shen Mo had foreseen this outcome.
He knew that if Naruto's Nine-Tails form reached eight tails, Minato's chakra would awaken, resealing the beast.
Now, before everyone's eyes, Naruto gradually reverted to his human form, his clothes miraculously intact.
"Amazing!" Iruka clenched his fists, shouting with excitement. "Naruto did it! He controlled the Nine-Tails!"
The crowd exchanged glances, then erupted in cheers.
"Way to go!"
"He actually tamed the Nine-Tails!"
"Naruto, you're incredible! Konoha won't let enemies use us!"
"Thanks to Naruto, the Hokage was saved!"
Some ninja remained skeptical of Naruto's control, but Iruka's shout was perfectly timed. In their desperation, people clung to this miracle without question.
Naruto, hearing the cheers and seeing the destruction he'd caused, felt a pang of guilt. But a strange warmth stirred within him.
If not for his father, Konoha might have fallen because of him…
The thought chilled him.
"Hey, why're you just standing there?" Sasuke's voice cut through.
He, Neji, and Haku approached, their clothes disheveled but unharmed. They'd defeated the two death knights.
"Naruto-kun," Haku said, offering a hand with a radiant smile. "The fight's not over yet."
"Haku…" Naruto's eyes reddened. He took Haku's hand, standing up.
Under the sunlight, amid the ruins, the four exuded an odd sense of harmony.
Gaara stared, stunned. It was real. Even as a monster, Naruto's comrades didn't reject him. Such bonds truly existed.
His heart shook.
Unaware, Naruto's group pressed on. "Be careful next time," Sasuke said, gripping his sword, eyeing Naruto. "Can you still fight?"
"Of course!" Naruto clenched his fists. "That Orochimaru jerk—I'll make him pay!"
He glanced at the ongoing battles.
Rasa was being pummeled by Guy and the Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
Hiashi guarded Hiruzen, still afflicted by the Soul of Bones.
Orochimaru, however, was struggling.
He faced a swarm of Konoha's forces. His bone dragon, heavily damaged, had been recalled. Using half his summoned materials, he conjured ghouls and death knights to barely hold the line.
But one opponent was particularly troublesome.
"Apocalypse!" Tsunade's cry rang out.
The dark orb that had blasted him with a laser now rose again as a radiant sun.
Enough already!
Orochimaru's perpetually pale face darkened. He was certain Tsunade's holy power countered him. Her disruption of his Impure World Reincarnation last time likely stemmed from this incompatibility—like water to fire, the stronger would consume the weaker.
In hindsight, pitting the bone dragon against her was a mistake. Its strength lay in magic resistance, but Tsunade's physical attacks, infused with anti-undead properties, were its bane.
Orochimaru glanced at Sasuke's group, now tackling his undead, then at Rasa, increasingly battered under Guy's kicks. He knew—he'd lost this stage.
Not enough cans?
His gaze lingered on Hiruzen, safe now, disappointment burning in his eyes. Just one more Soul of Bones, and his teacher would've been his undead servant.
Orochimaru wasn't one to dwell. If today was a loss, there was no point continuing.
"I admit, your luck won today," he said, clutching his skull staff, his cold gaze sweeping over his foes. "But this is just the beginning. The truth will be mine."
"You think you can escape now?" Tsunade panted, summoning a holy spear.
The others, silent, closed in, their intent clear.
Orochimaru's powers—unkillable corpses, a mighty bone dragon, eerie skills, and items—exceeded expectations. If he escaped, Konoha would face another crisis.
"Tsunade," Orochimaru said, smiling as he raised his staff, as if he were the victor. "My class inheritance taught me one thing: never try to kill a lich!"
Death Nova!
Dark energy exploded from him, unleashing a terrifying shockwave.
Even his remaining undead swelled, a chilling premonition gripping everyone.
"Get to me!" Tsunade shouted, raising her hand. "Holy Sanctuary!"
A pristine white shield enveloped those who rushed to her side.
BOOM!
Explosions rocked the battlefield, corrosive, fetid shockwaves threatening to devour all.
This was a lich's retreat tactic—Corpse Explosion.
Though Orochimaru's luck with grand prizes was lacking, his standard skills, honed by 500 Level 3 cans, were formidable.
Tsunade strained to maintain the Holy Sanctuary.
Then, Jiraiya's intuition flared. He activated his can-drawn skill: Prophecy.
Seeing five seconds into the future, his face paled.
He bolted from the shield's safety.
"Jiraiya!" Tsunade shouted.
As he ran, the corrosive blast scorched his clothes and skin. Despite his screams, he didn't stop, racing toward Hiruzen, guarded by Hiashi.