Amidst the turbulent forest, a white pigeon looked around blankly, flapping its wings.
Just as it was about to take off, a fierce light erupted beside it.
Then, the white pigeon was cleaved in two from the middle.
Like a gem cut by a high-pressure water jet, it was sliced smooth as a mirror, falling to the ground before being burnt to charcoal by the pursuing lightning that followed.
Following the direction of the flashing lightning, each time thunder exploded, two figures clashed at that spot.
"Bolo Breath!"
After another clash, Sasuke, standing firm in a clearing, opened his mouth.
He spat dragon fire towards Sakura, who floated in the sky, her whole body exuding white steam.
"Yes, that's it! Zoans must follow their inner wildness and achieve resonance with the will within the Fruit!"
Sakura raised her arms, swinging them and clapping them together forcefully in front of her.
Her Devill Fruit ability defied nature, revealing its overwhelming dominance.
It overturned heat, converting it to frost, and then lightly and casually turned the frost back into flames.
Under the influence of her ability, Sakura's cherry-blossom-pink hair turned crimson like blood.
[High Temperature Mode: Blazing Flame Martial Body!]
On the ground, Sasuke's eyes suddenly dimmed, but his opened fanged mouth seemed to contain the sun, spewing forth terrifying heat and flames.
Flame light rose, fire pillars shot forth.
Sakura in the sky lowered her head, allowing the cruel ravaging of the flames mixed with shockwaves, showering down the dragon's judgment!
"Hmph, how's that!"
After expelling all the remaining air in his lungs as flames, Sasuke wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb, bringing up a small wisp of flame.
"Interesting idea, but not enough!"
A pair of fair hands forcefully tore through the flames, revealing Sakura's figure completely unharmed.
This level of flame couldn't even penetrate her Steel Skin, let alone overcome her control over heat.
"Watch closely! Fruit development is the process of turning incredible imagination into reality!"
Her Devil Fruit ability allowed Sakura to interfere with the fire column Sasuke had spewed, dragging it to the ground like a rope.
Immediately after, the dancing fire rope was raised again, like a javelin.
[Fish-Man Karate: Modified: Flame Stream Over-the-Shoulder Throw!]
The condensed solid-state flames surged forth, a blood-red path winding out, rapidly extending forward.
"Not good!"
Seeing this absurd scene, Sasuke's pupils contracted.
If he was hit by the Haki carried within the flames, he would truly lose.
In desperation, he mobilized Senjutsu Chakra again, condensing it on the scales on his body's surface to strengthen his defense.
At the same time, the surrounding ground began to writhe. Under the control of the Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation, it formed numerous white-scaled giant snakes slithering upwards.
"Tsk, why are you regressing again?"
Sakura clicked her tongue in displeasure. She formed a few single-handed seals and summoned a slug.
"Sakura-chan, ugh, so hot, so hot!"
The slug, just landing on the ground, was singed by the surrounding flames. It bounced around dodging, making sizzling sounds.
"Katsuyu, help me enter Sage Mode!"
Sakura immediately raised her hand towards Katsuyu.
Not wanting to be burned by the flames anymore, Katsuyu nodded in agreement and merged into Sakura's body.
A wisp of breeze quietly arose, carrying the violent fluctuations of Natural Energy, draping the feathery robe over the girl.
In the silence where all sounds were hushed, the boundless sky was occupied by green.
Under illusory light shone, the barren earth, ravaged by their conflict, instantly grew lush green forests.
The violent wind of Sage Art, at this moment, swept across the land.
[Sage Art: Heavenly Evolution Technique: Return!]
Sasuke horrified looked up, covered by endless natural energy. The Senjutsu Chakra on his body and the surrounding Inorganic Reincarnation he had activated all disintegrated.
This left him, partially dragonified, directly exposed to the flame stream Sakura had thrown back, and he was completely engulfed by the flames.
"Ugh!"
The boy felt himself burning.
His consciousness gradually dissipated under the impact of Haki.
In the distance, having retreated another several hundred meters to watch, Naruto couldn't sit still the moment he saw the black-haired boy engulfed by flames.
"Sasuke!" He yelled and started to rush forward.
But Jiraiya, who had already moved to his side, held him back.
"Pervy Sage, what are you doing?!" Naruto turned back angrily.
Beside him, Tsunade cooperated by knocking Naruto on the head. "Idiot, this is Sasuke's training. If you rush in like that, won't all his previous efforts be wasted?"
Even as observers, they could see that Sakura was now gradually breaking down the techniques Sasuke had built up through past training, in order to unearth his deeper power.
Jonins occasionally used this method when developing new techniques, but the risk was too great and generally required the care of a professional Medical-Nin.
But right now, where in the entire Ninja World could you find Medical-Nins better than the two present?
Not to mention there was another one right inside the training ground, real-time formulating potential excavation training for Sasuke.
'Damn, we wanted such treatment too!'
"But speaking of which, have these young people developed in a crooked way?"
Jiraiya released Naruto and rubbed his sore arm.
'Shouldn't Ninjas maintain distance, stylishly throw shuriken, and toss out some Ninjutsu?'
'How come the current kids have all their skill talents allocated to their physical bodies, becoming as strong as inhuman things.'
'Was this some new trend among young Ninjas?'
Jiraiya's thoughts momentarily ran off track, but were soon called back by a tremendous roar.
"Roar——!"
An existence shaking the world, wielded boundless power.
A cherry-colored dragon tore through countless giant trees, bursting from the forest, ascending, soaring between sky and forest, roaring loudly.
"Success?"
Sakura's Observation Haki spread, sensing the crimson eyes of the dragon in the sky.
It seemed Sasuke's rational side had been overwhelmed by his emotional side. The bestiality in his subconscious would connect with the Fruit's will, allowing him to excavate his ability more deeply.
Boom!
Just as Sakura quietly waited for the dragon to make its move, a blinding, immense thunderstorm erupted from the dark clouds in the sky.
Without warning, and without any Chakra Interference.
Terrifying flames, like a meteor, rapidly bombarded towards this spot, brushing past Sakura and trampling a forest behind her into scorched earth covered in sparks.
"Seems it's done. Hey, you can stop now!"
Sakura shouted to Sasuke in the sky, but the response was the dragon's coiling body as it circled in the air.
Immediately after, a tornado, carrying thin strands of lightning, descended from the sky, beginning to wreak havoc as it rolled towards the distant Konoha Village.
"Hmm, is Sasuke's condition a bit off?"
Naruto built a shade over his eyes with his hands, gazing into the distance at Sasuke in the sky.
Then he saw the growing tornado heading towards them, and Sakura throwing a Flying Thunder God kunai to flicker beside them.
"Tsunade-nee, you all need to hide far away! That idiot has gone berserk!"
"Ha?"