Chapter 207: Chapter 207: When the Bottom Line is Reached
"Bring me Hinata Hyuga. I want to study her."
Kabuto Yakushi made his demand for an exchange of eyes right in front of Naruto.
After a long silence, Naruto quietly took the fan from his back, the golden chains of Adamantine Sealing Chains slipping from his sleeve and attaching to the fan's handle. Holding it firmly in his hand, he smiled, his face radiating a deceptive kindness. "I didn't quite catch that. Could you say it again?"
Seeing Naruto's stance, Kabuto felt a flicker of panic, but he adjusted his glasses and forced himself to remain calm. "You must have heard by now about that girl's recent display of power. As someone who also pursues the truth, I've developed a strong interest in the evolution of the Byakugan. As someone chosen by Lord Orochimaru, surely you can understand this insatiable curiosity?"
Naruto tilted his head slightly, his expression carrying a hint of mockery. "If you're so interested, why don't you capture her yourself? Why ask me to do it?"
Kabuto spread his hands in a gesture of helplessness. "If I had the ability, I wouldn't be asking for help. With the strength that girl has shown, who in the current ninja world could subdue her? None other than you, Naruto-kun."
At this, Kabuto's tone turned more suggestive. "Besides, I believe that if you were the one to approach her, there'd be no need for force. That girl would come willingly. After all, during the Pain invasion of Konoha, her defense of you was known to everyone."
Naruto's voice turned cold. "So, you're planning to use her feelings for me to lure her into your grasp, right?"
Kabuto quickly clarified, "No, no, no, it's not deception. I never intended to harm her! I simply want to unlock the secrets of the Byakugan, nothing more. It's not a bad thing for her either, is it? It could help her better control her power!"
Naruto's expression remained unreadable. "That does sound reasonable. But I want to add a condition."
Kabuto's eyes lit up. "Name it!"
Naruto grinned, his smile sharp as a blade. "You'll need to donate your corneas first—and then undergo my Kotoamatsukami."
Kabuto's heart sank instantly. "Naruto-kun, you must be joking."
Naruto's voice turned icy. "To me, what you're asking for is just as absurd."
Kabuto sighed, his disappointment evident. "It seems we have no grounds for negotiation."
Naruto's tone grew dangerous. "Exactly. From the moment you set your sights on Hinata, I had no intention of negotiating. Listening to your excuses was merely to decide how I should deal with you."
Kabuto asked cautiously, "And have you decided?"
"Yes. Take this!"
Crackle! Purple lightning erupted from Naruto's hand, coating the fan as he hurled it forward with force.
Clang! Clang! Clang! The chains extended, lengthening as the fan shot through the air!
Kabuto, having anticipated an attack, quickly retreated.
Slash! The chains reached their limit, and the fan halted mid-air.
Kabuto muttered to himself, "So, that's the maximum range of this technique…"
"Naïve." Naruto's faint smile deepened as his right hand formed a seal.
"Secret Technique: Shadow Transmission!"
Whoosh! The shadow of the fan on the ground suddenly stretched, merging with Kabuto's shadow. His body froze instantly!
Kabuto's face twisted in shock. "It can do that!?"
Swish! Naruto teleported from the fan's Flying Thunder God mark, lightning crackling around him as he stepped onto the fan's surface and shot toward Kabuto.
But Kabuto, a master of Sage Mode, had exceptional sensory abilities. Sensing imminent danger, he activated the white snake extending from his abdomen, which opened its mouth wide and spat out a brand new version of himself.
It was Orochimaru's Substitution Technique!
Rip! Naruto's lightning-coated hand pierced through the shed snake skin, continuing his pursuit.
Kabuto swiftly formed hand seals and unleashed his next move. "Sage Art: White Extreme Technique!"
Boom! A small white dragon, infused with sage energy, emerged, clutching a dark red orb in its claws as it lunged toward Naruto.
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "That's Kabuto's White Extreme Technique! A combination of sound and light, it's like a flashbang—highly troublesome."
Kabuto calculated carefully. "Naruto has the Preta Path and can absorb this technique. So, I'll detonate it at just the right moment!"
Whoosh! Suddenly, a shadow extended from under Naruto's feet, linking to the shadow of the white dragon. The dragon froze in place!
Kabuto frowned. "Another shadow technique? It can stop the White Extreme Technique's movement, but it can't prevent it from exploding. Even if the blast radius is reduced, it should buy me enough time to escape or counterattack."
Clang! The white dragon coiled in place, wrapping itself tightly around the orb.
Naruto remained calm, forming new hand seals. "Shadow Master Technique: Wu Wei Seal!"
The Shadow Master Technique was a new move Naruto had developed over the past two months. By connecting to shadows, it allowed him to extend the range of certain techniques, enabling him to cast jutsu remotely through a shadow medium.
As for the Wu Wei Seal, it was a secret sealing technique passed down by Elder Ebizō of Sunagakure, capable of sealing the delayed effects of a technique. Naruto had used it many times before, but this was the first time he combined it with the Shadow Master Technique in combat.
Whoosh! The white dragon, poised to explode, was forcibly silenced, freezing in a chaotic state at the brink of detonation.
Kabuto's face turned pale. "He sealed it? Did he manipulate the White Extreme Technique through the shadow somehow?"
Naruto approached unhurriedly. As he passed by, he extended his left hand, activating the Preta Path of the Rinnegan to absorb the White Extreme Technique completely.
"Damn it! Naruto's mastery over jutsu has improved again. The White Extreme Technique was one of the few moves that could affect a ninja of his caliber, and he just neutralized it like that!"
"Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"
Crack! Crack! Crack! The ground beneath Naruto's feet and the stone walls on either side seemed to come alive, transforming into countless sharp spikes that lunged at him.
"Inorganic Reincarnation, huh? Manipulating lifeless objects? Then this move is perfect for you!"
Clap! Naruto brought his hands together.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!"
Boom! Massive trees erupted from the ground, spreading rapidly and overwhelming the battlefield. The stone spikes controlled by Kabuto were all blocked by the advancing forest.
Boom! Boom! Boom! The intertwining tree trunks rolled across the terrain, closing in on Kabuto's position.
Kabuto, seeing no way to resist, ceased his efforts and watched as the forest engulfed him, crushing him beneath its weight.
Naruto lowered his hands from the seal, surveying the forested battlefield. He murmured, "Kabuto probably won't die from this. Let's see where he'll emerge from."
Drip, drip, drip. Streams of water seeped through the gaps in the trees, pooling together to form a humanoid figure.
It was the Hydrification Technique of the Hozuki Clan, capable of nullifying most physical and ninjutsu attacks!
Standing atop the forest, Naruto looked down at Kabuto. "Kabuto, I've already shown mercy. You're a smart man—you should know the difference between losing an eye and losing your life."
"I won't give up either my eyes or my life!" Kabuto replied coldly, raising his hands in a seal.
"Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!"
Boom! A coffin rose from the ground with a thunderous impact.
"Because I still have my trump card, kept hidden until now!"
Bang! As the coffin lid fell, Naruto's usually calm eyes widened in shock.
"Bushy Brows-sensei!?"
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