Konoha: Gu Master

A flash of cold light streaked through the battlefield.

Sasuke's Thunderfire Sword intercepted Guren's Crystal Blade with precise timing.

The crisp sound of clashing resonated in the air.

"Sasuke!" Guren glared at him with undisguised irritation.

"...?" Sasuke tilted his head slightly, puzzled by her reaction.

Suddenly, a sinister aura burst forth.

Orochimaru's neck extended unnaturally like a serpent, twisting mid-air as he lunged at Sasuke.

What the heck?!

Sasuke was startled but reacted instantly.

Lightning flickered as his Thunderfire Sword shattered Guren's Crystal Blade and pierced toward Orochimaru's neck.

Just as it was about to land, a row of crystalline spikes emerged from the ground, shooting upward at Sasuke.

This was Guren's Crystal Release: Jade Crystal Prison Technique.

The silent shimmer of lightning filled the air.

Kakashi casually tossed a kunai imbued with Chidori.

The kunai cleaved through the crystal spikes with ease, shattering them completely.

Guren's expression shifted, realizing she didn't have time to launch another jutsu.

"Hahaha!"

Jūgo's deranged laughter echoed as he charged.

His fist was coated in hardened black skin, a transformation caused by his innate Cursed Seal. Even his face had undergone a partial transformation.

Every time Jūgo entered this state, his bloodlust became uncontrollable.

Clang!

The Thunderfire Sword clashed with Jūgo's fist.

A tremendous force traveled along the blade, causing Sasuke's arm to tremble slightly.

Without changing his expression, Sasuke rotated his wrist, pouring a surge of chakra into the blade.

Chidori Stream!

Lightning erupted across Sasuke's body in a radiant burst.

Orochimaru halted his movements, his head retreating slightly.

If he charged in now, he'd surely be paralyzed by the electric current.

"Die!"

Jūgo ignored the pain, despite the lightning scorching his skin and leaving blackened marks. His claws extended into sharp talons as he lunged at Sasuke.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru's neck began to coil again.

Kakashi stepped forward, only to find crystalline walls sprouting from the ground.

The expanding crystals aimed to trap him like a prison.

Guren smirked, though her frustration at not engaging Sasuke was evident. Orochimaru's fixation on him forced her to settle for targeting Kakashi.

Shinho raised an eyebrow.

Behind him, a puddle of water morphed into Suigetsu Hozuki.

Suigetsu formed his fingers into a gun-like shape, pointing them at Shinho's head. A concentrated orb of chakra began to gather at his fingertip.

"Don't move," Suigetsu threatened with a sharp-toothed grin. "One twitch, and I'll blow your head off."

"Water Release: Water Gun Technique, the Hozuki Clan's secret jutsu," Shinho said casually.

"Impressive knowledge," Suigetsu said with a smirk. "Let's keep things civil, shall we?"

"Nop."

Shinho extended his hand, unfazed.

Suigetsu frowned and fired the water bullet without hesitation, striking Shinho's head directly.

The Turtle Jade Wolf Hide Gu activated instantly.

Shinho stood unaffected, as if nothing had happened.

He hadn't even felt the blow.

"How… how is that possible?!" Suigetsu looked horrified, stammering backward.

Shinho didn't waste words, landing a punch that knocked Suigetsu unconscious, withou even enabling him to to perform another jutsu.

…

Meanwhile, Sasuke's Sharingan flared to life, its three tomoe spinning rapidly.

Effortlessly dodging Jūgo's frenzied attacks, Sasuke turned his cold gaze toward Orochimaru.

Raising his Thunderfire Sword, countless arcs of electric light danced along the blade.

In an instant, he unleashed a blinding surge of sword light.

The blade pierced straight through Orochimaru's extended neck.

Blood sprayed into the air.

But in the next second, Orochimaru's body regenerated, his neck retracting to its original form as if nothing had happened.

"RAAAAH!"

Jūgo roared toward the heavens.

His body underwent a full transformation, his skin turning entirely black as cylindrical jet-like appendages sprouted from his back.

Losing control, Jūgo entered the second stage of his Cursed Seal transformation.

Sasuke remained calm, summoning his Thunderfire Sword back to his hand.

Just then, an overwhelming surge of chakra erupted in the distance, shaking the ground like the arrival of a tailed beast.

"What is that…?"

Sasuke instinctively tightened his grip on his sword, an unease settling over him.

"Edo Tensei," Shinho muttered, shaking his head. "Sensei is going to be furious again."

From the massive chakra, it was clear the summoned figures were none other than Hashirama and Tobirama Senju.

So it did seem like the butterfly effect caused by him had more effects than he had initially thought .

"Sensei? So Tsunade is here as well?" Orochimaru sneered. "She should be grateful to me, her old teammate, for reuniting her with her ancestors."

Knowing Tsunade's limits, Orochimaru was confident she couldn't possibly defeat both Hashirama and Tobirama.

It wouldn't be long before her side fell, and when the Edo Tensei reinforcements arrived, Shinho would stand no chance.

The advantage was his!

"Welp, Looks like we can't waste an more time," Shinho said, his tone flat., "Sasuke."

Though unlikely, he couldn't risk something happening to Tsunade.

Sasuke immediately moved to intercept Jūgo.

"Hahahaha!" Jūgo charged forward, his massive blackened fists swinging wildly.

Sasuke glanced at him, his Sharingan spinning rapidly.

The tomoe fused into a six-pointed star—the Mangekyō Sharingan.

Jūgo froze in place.

"What… is this the Mangekyō Sharingan?!" Orochimaru took an involuntary step back, his expression twisting in shock.

"That's right," Sasuke said with a smirk, relishing Orochimaru's panic.

He was increadably proud in his heart.

In front of Shinho, Sasuke had a feeling that his Mangekyo Sharingan was only a small powerup, with one of the notorious legendary Sannin reacting this way, the power of it was undeniable.

"How… how is this possible?!" Orochimaru's calm demeanor shattered. "How do you possess the Mangekyō Sharingan?!"

Sasuke's strength had far exceeded his expectations, and Orochimaru's instincts screamed at him to flee.

Yet this could be his best opportunity to capture Sasuke.

Moreover, with Edo Tensei reinforcements and his Yamata no Jutsu, he still had a chance.

"Why not?" Sasuke retorted, twirling his sword into a dazzling arc before pointing it at Orochimaru.

In that moment, he felt invincible.

"..."

Orochimaru's thoughts drifted briefly to Itachi Uchiha.

Like Sasuke, Itachi had awakened his Mangekyō Sharingan at a young age. Orochimaru had assumed Sasuke's talent was inferior, but now it seemed otherwise.

"Magnificent, Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru's lips curled into a sinister smile, his eyes brimming with greed. "You're indeed the perfect vessel for me!"

"Vessel?" Sasuke sneered. "You have no chance against these eyes!"

"Sasuke-kun, I'm not as simple as you think!" Orochimaru unleashed a torrent of chakra, his body rapidly expanding.

His clothes shredded as his form transformed into a massive white serpent with eight heads and eight tails.

The Yamata no Jutsu—Orochimaru's ultimate forbidden technique—loomed over the battlefield like a mountain, rivaling even the power of a tailed beast.

Sasuke froze momentarily.

Facing an opponent of tailed-beast caliber wasn't something he could easily handle.

His best option was to control the beast using his Mangekyō Sharingan.

But with eight heads, each with its own eyes, how could he possibly subdue it?

"Sasuke-kun!"

Orochimaru's eight heads roared in unison.

The deafening sound sent trees, grass, and debris flying in all directions.

The colossal serpent lunged at Sasuke, its massive jaws like black holes threatening to swallow him whole.

Yomi-no-Kuni

Sasuke activated his Mangekyō Sharingan's unique ability without hesitation.

The Thunderfire Sword erupted with blinding lightning as he thrust it forward.

Space distorted.

The lightning-infused sword beam struck one of Orochimaru's central heads, piercing the white-scaled hide and drawing blood.

But the injury was minor compared to Orochimaru's massive form.

"Damn it!"

Sasuke gritted his teeth and retreated as two of Orochimaru's heads slammed into the ground, raising clouds of dust and debris.

The remaining six serpent heads of Orochimaru's colossal eight-headed snake turned swiftly, lunging toward Sasuke Uchiha.

Fire Release: Great Dragon Fire Technique!

Sasuke swiftly sheathed his Thunderfire Sword. 

His swordsmanship, while precise and deadly, lacked the range needed to deal significant damage to such a massive enemy.

At this moment, his only hope was Lightning Release: Kirin.

Dodging the incoming attacks, Sasuke exhaled three massive fire dragons into the sky.

The scorching heat created a surge of rising air currents, rapidly forming thunderclouds overhead.

Boom!

A streak of lightning lit up the heavens, followed by a deafening series of thunderclaps.

Sasuke felt a small sense of relief.

Lightning Release: Kirin!

Ayakaiji!

The sound of chirping birds filled the air as Chidori transformed into a massive lightning bird, soaring out of the thunderclouds.

A colossal purple Kirin descended from the heavens with earth-shaking force, crashing directly into Orochimaru.

The ground trembled violently as the blinding lightning consumed Orochimaru.

"Did it work?"

Sasuke stopped in his tracks, anticipation lighting up his face.

The power of Kirin had reached its peak, enhanced further by the defense-ignoring effect of Ayakaiji. 

The combined impact should have been devastating.

"AAAAHHH!"

Orochimaru's pained yet furious roar echoed through the battlefield.

"This… this can't be!"

Sasuke's expression froze.

He had already used his strongest techniques, yet Orochimaru remained unscathed.

The confidence of his that had surged after awakening his Mangekyō Sharingan had took a hit at the moment.

"Sasuke, step back," Shinho said calmly, unfazed by the situation.

In the original timeline, Orochimaru had used the Yamata no Jutsu in his battle against Itachi Uchiha.

And he had lost miserably.

But was the Yamata no Jutsu weak?

Not at all.

Orochimaru's transformation into the Eight-Headed Serpent granted him power comparable to that of a tailed beast, along with near-immortality.

There were only two ways to defeat him: exhaust him or seal him.

Itachi had succeeded because he possessed the Totsuka Blade, which had sealing properties. Sasuke, however, had no such weapon.

Moreover, his Mangekyō Sharingan abilities were ill-suited to this battle.

Techniques that ignored defense were ineffective against Orochimaru's immortality, while abilities that bypassed distance struggled to harm such a massive body.

For Sasuke to defeat Orochimaru in this form, he would need to unlock Susano'o.

But he wasn't there yet.

"…"

Sasuke opened his mouth as if to argue but ultimately fell silent, retreating from the battlefield with a grim expression.

"Sasuke-kun!" Orochimaru's voice echoed menacingly as his body regenerated. "It's too late to run. Your body is destined to be mine!"

His eight heads ignored Shinho entirely, charging toward Sasuke once more.

Wind Tiger Cloud Dragon Gu!

Shinho waved his hand lightly.

The sky seemed to freeze for a moment before erupting with violent changes.

Winds howled around Shinho, forming countless semi-transparent tigers that surged forth in an unstoppable wave.

Above him, clouds split and merged, transforming into roaring dragons that shot toward Orochimaru.

Thousands of wind tigers and cloud dragons blotted out the sky, their sheer ferocity making the air tremble.

Orochimaru's vision darkened as the assault engulfed him.

The combined force of the wind tigers and cloud dragons tore through his massive body, carving deep trenches into the ground.

"What… what kind of jutsu is this?" Sasuke muttered, swallowing hard.

This was the first time he had witnessed Shinho using the Wind Tiger Cloud Dragon Gu.

Its sheer destructive power far surpassed that of his own Kirin.

As the assault subsided, Orochimaru reappeared, his once-pristine white scales now covered in bite marks and bleeding profusely.

"You can't kill me!" Orochimaru roared, his eight heads rising once more as he let out a deafening howl.

The stench of blood and decay filled the air.

Shinho remained calm, his body suddenly swelling to a height of over five meters.

Though still smaller than Orochimaru's monstrous form, he now stood as a veritable giant.

He had already understood, if he couldn't krill Shinho, he wouldn't be able to clain Sasuke.

The sheer size of the serpent's heads loomed like mountains, casting a dark shadow over Shinho.

But Shinho moved unhurriedly, clenching his fist.

Group Strength Gu!

With a single punch, Shinho released a shockwave imbued with the power of a dragon and an elephant, which manifested as the Beast Phantom above him.

Boom!

One of Orochimaru's heads shattered into pieces, spraying blood like a fountain.

Shinho leapt into the air.

Beside the dragon-elephant phantom, a spectral white elephant appeared.

He stomped down hard, crushing another head into a bloody pulp.

As two more heads lunged at him from either side, a third phantom—a black serpent—manifested.

Shinho clapped his hands together, causing the two heads to collide, tangling them hopelessly.

Golden Aroura Gu!

Shinho's body radiated golden light as his speed surged.

Encased in a phantom image of galloping horses, he charged forward like an unstoppable arrow.

"No!"

Orochimaru sensed an unprecedented danger.

Blood sprayed as Shinho pierced through Orochimaru's massive abdomen, leaving a five-meter-wide hole in his wake.

"AAAAHHHH!"

Orochimaru's agonized screams echoed.

Though he was immortalw, he could still feel pain and the pain he felt at the moment was unbearable. The massive wound was too grievous to ignore.

He collapsed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

His struggles ceased.

"Is he… dead?" Sasuke's voice trembled as he struggled to process what had just happened.

The Orochimaru he had been helpless against was defeated in mere moments.

"Orochimaru-sama!" Guren's expression was one of utter disbelief. "No! How could Orochimaru-sama possibly die?!"

Even Kakashi Hatake was left stunned.

This was one of the legendary Sannin, a ninja Konoha had pursued for years without success.

Just then, a flash of white light emerged from one of Orochimaru's remaining heads.

"You can't outrun light, Orochimaru," Shinho said calmly, intercepting the white light effortlessly.

In the original timeline, Orochimaru had survived even after seven of his eight heads were destroyed, reviving from the final one.

The only way to defeat him was to seal him completely.

"How do you know this?!" Orochimaru's voice was filled with shock and suspicion.

His body was too weak to continue, and he knew in his heart that he had lost.

Still, his curiosity burned, how had Tsunade managed to hold off the two Edo Tensei Hokage?

Immobilization Gu! 

Slavery Gu!

Shinho raised his hand.

Orochimaru's body stiffened instantly, unable to move. His pupils shrank as the Slavery Gu embedded itself within him.

Though uncertain of what it was, he knew it couldn't be good.

The next moment, Orochimaru's expression changed drastically as the Gu took effect.

Shinho smiled faintly.

The Slavery Gu was not an easy tool to use, requiring two conditions to succeed:

The opponent had to be incapacitated. And the user's soul strength had to exceed the target's.

Once implanted, the Gu initiated a soul clash. If the target's soul strength was insufficient, they would be unable to resist and fall under the Gu's control.

Orochimaru, weakened by his constant Living Corpse Reincarnation and damaged soul, was particularly vulnerable.

"You… what have you done to me?" Orochimaru asked, his expression a mix of terror and rage.

"Since you've met me, why not pay your respects?" Shinho replied, lifting the effects of the Immobilization Gu.

"I…"

Orochimaru hesitated briefly before kneeling and bowing his head. "This subordinate, Orochimaru, greets his master!"

"???"

Sasuke froze, unsure if he was caught in some illusion.

Otherwise, how could he even witness such an absurd scene?

"Orochimaru-sama, what are you doing?!" Guren was stunned, her heart sinking as she watched.

The three Fūma Clan jōnin were equally dumbfounded.

The Orochimaru they had placed their hopes in had not only fallen but surrendered completely

"..."

Even Kakashi rubbed his eyes. He knew his eyesight was getting worse as his age advanced. 

But he didn't know his eyesight would deterioratt to the point of seeing Hallusinations better than he could witness with the strongest genjutsu he knew. 

Has the world simply gone mad?! He was questioning his reality at the moment.

Crazy!

"Orochimaru, take care of your people."

Shinho didn't idle around, he turned and flew toward the adjacent battlefield.