"What did you say?!" Raikage's fury erupted instantly at Naruto's attitude. Crackle! Lightning armor burst to life around his body.

  — Heavy Stream Break!

  He charged straight at Naruto's face!

  "So fast!" Naruto marveled, already brag himself for impact.

  Whoosh!

  But suddenly... sand intercepted Raikage's path.

  It was Gaara's doing.

  "Hmm?" Raikage turned bagrily. "Kazekage brat, you owe me an expnation!!"

  Raikage's guards, Darui and Cee, prepared to strike!

  Kazekage's guards, Temari and Kankurō, also readied their Giant Fan and puppets, standing in formation!

  In this teandoff, Gaara slowly stood up. "He's my friend. you let me ask him one question first?"

  Raikage snorted coldly, "Hmph, make it quick, or I'll take you down with him!"

  "Gaara..." Naruto looked at Gaara with a plicated expression. He hadn't told Orochimaru about his roundabout reasoning, not just because of his fear of Danzō's *Kotoamatsukami*, but also because of the bonds he once shared with someone in this room.

  A boy once alone in the desert, burdened with the same fate, a demon who only loved himself, had learo love others...

  "Hoo." Gaara took a deep breath to calm himself. Seeing Naruto here had almost made him doubt his own eyes, but he still believed in Naruto, vihat he must have an unavoidable reason for his as.

  Gaara stared at Naruto. "Naruto, I only have one question. Are those two samurai still alive?"

  Mifuhe samurai leader, tightened his grip on his sword slightly. The safety of his subordinates was his utmost .

  Naruto's gaze was steady. "Of course. I would never harm the i..."

  Gaara's tense lips rexed, and a faint smile appeared. "Alright. I've asked my question. Do what you o do. I trust that you have your reasons..."

  "Thank you..."

  Naruto ched his fists. The gratitude in his heart was beyond words.

  Raikage scoffed. "Kazekage, are you kidding me? Such childish words—are those what a ninja should say?!"

  Gaara replied firmly, "Childish or not, if you attaaruto again, you'll have to face me. I'll fight you to the end!"

  Raikage roared, "Fine! I'll kill you first, then the ails!!!"

  "Tch, these young people are so troublesome..."

  Onoki, the Tsuchikage, floated into the air. His old eyes, though dim, were still sharp. In the current ninja world, the ails was the only one Akatsuki hadn't captured. Eliminating the Jinchūriki here would not only thwart Akatsuki's pns but also weaken Konoha's power. Young man, bme yourself for taking su ambiguous stance, giving this old man a legitimate reason to deal with you openly...

  Zzz!

  As he thought, a transparent white cube formed between Onoki's hands, aimed directly at Naruto below.

  — *Dust Release: Detat of the Primitive World Teique*!

  Gaara shouted urgently, "Naruto, watch out!!!"

  "Too te... No one survives my Dust Release!" Onoki decred.

  Whoosh!

  The Dust Release beam, capable of disiing anything into molecules, shot downward at an angle.

  Naruto calmly raised his left hand, and the beam vanished instantly...

  Onoki was stunned. "What?!"

  Akatsuchi was equally shocked. "He ralized the old man's Dust Release—how?!"

  Kurotsuchi's eyes sparkled. "Amazing...!"

  Naruto looked up, murmuring, "The Tsuchikage's Dust Release is as troublesome as ever..."

  The Mizukage, Mei Terumī, the only one who had yet to act, observed with her enting eyes. *Naruto Uzumaki... His as and motives remain unclear. For now, I won't interfere with him. But Orochimaru, once a member of Akatsuki, ot be allowed to go free.*

  Swoosh!

  With that thought, Mei formed hand seals, her crimson lips parting to unleash a highly corrosive liquid towards Orochimaru.

  — *Lava Release: Lava Moeique*!!

  Spsh!!!

  The va poured down, corroding the ground into a smoky mess. Dozens of protective gray snakes dissolved and fell from Orochimaru's body, revealing his tattered clothing.

  Orochimaru remarked, "The Bloodline Limit of Lava Release... truly troublesome."

  Mei's eyes turned cold. "Chōjūrō!"

  "Yes! Even though he's one of the Legendary Sannin... I'll do my best!"

  Though Chōjūrō's voice trembled, his grip on his sword was firm. As he i with a massive amount of chakra, Hiramekarei grew to an enormous size. He swung it with all his might!

  — *Hiramekarei Unleashed*!!!

  Boom!

  "Ugh..."

  Orochimaru was struck squarely by Hiramekarei, crashing through the wall and into the hallway.

  Tap, tap, tap!

  Mei quickly pursued him.

  When Orochimaru got up, he found the colpsed wall sealed off by Mei's Lava Release. The area had bee a sealed chamber!

  Mei's phoenix-like eyes glinted with authority. "Orochimaru, it's said that you've ducted many dangerous experiments and colluded with Akatsuki. Your existence is a threat to the ninja world. Eliminating that threat is the duty of a Kage!"

  She formed another seal, and scorg acidic mist spewed from her lips.

  — *Boil Release: Skilled Mist Teique*!

  Whoosh!

  As the mist's tration increased, the air in the chamber grew hazy.

  Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle!

  Orochimaru's skin began to show signs of melting.

  His vertical pupils gleamed. "Lava Release and Boil Release—two Bloodline Limits. Though you're young, you surpass the potential of the previous Mizukage, Yagura. Would you be ied in being one of my test subjects?"

  Mei retorted, "Don't be ridiculous. Just dissolve here obediently..."

  "I'm not joking..."

  Swoosh!

  Orochimaru's neck suddeeowards Mei in a bizarre manner.

  "Huh?!" Mei gasped, retreating quickly. But the fined space left little room to evade... Orochimaru's neck coiled arouorso several times before sinking its fangs into her neck!

  Whoosh!!

  Orochimaru's neck retracted. "Ugh." Mei colpsed weakly. "That's... a curse mark to restrient. But... the mist's tration is at its maximum. Your body... will melt!"

  "Not necessarily..."

  The heavily injured Orochimaru chuckled seductively before opening his mouth wide, regurgitating a brand-new version of himself and rising amidst the gooey mess.

  Mei's eyes trembled. "How is this possible..."

  "Your teiques aren't strong enough to kill me. Among the current Five Kage, the only oruly capable of threatening my life is Tsuchikage Onoki's Dust Release..."

  Swoosh! Naruto suddenly appeared in the sealed chamber, pg a hand on Orochimaru's shoulder. "We have more important matters to attend to, Orochimaru..."

  Swoosh!

  He teleported away with Orochimaru.

  "The *Flying Raijin Jutsu*... He must have marked Danzō back then..." Mei's eyes narrowed. Her weakeate made it impossible to trol her chakra precisely, causing the Lava Release sealing the wall to dissolve.

  "Damn, the acidic mist is leaking into the ference hall. I have to adjust the tration..."

  The frontations during the Five Kage Summit came to a temporary halt.

  Naruto... was about to face Danzō in battle!