As Kakashi, Naruto, and Sasuke raced through the forest, tracking Gaara's trail, Naruto's mind was still processing the flood of memories and knowledge he had involuntarily inherited from Kabuto. Among the chaotic torrent of information, the first thing that he focused on was their most immediate concern: Gaara. His past stood out thanks to its similarities with him. Another jinchuuriki ostracized by their village, but Gaara's case was much, much worse than his.
Kabuto was all about messing with people's heads to use it against them. As a spy, he observed how people behaved and understood the motives for their actions. For example, Gaara's dad, the Kazekage, saw his son as nothing more than a broken weapon. From day one, Gaara was treated like a tool, just a container for the One-Tail beast. When it was clear that Gaara was struggling to suppress the Shukaku, the Kazekage sent assassins, including Gaara's own uncle, to test him. If they killed him, it meant Gaara was a failure. No wonder Gaara's so messed up. Naruto wished he could do something to help Gaara. But Kakashi sensei wanted them to aim for the kill, to minimize casualties. The whole situation was seriously screwed up.
To make the situation worse, the old man, the Third Hokage, was facing off against the previous Hokage and even the First Hokage's wife, who was a jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails like him. Her name was Mito Uzumaki, and she was a powerful kunoichi with insane chakra and sealing skills. Kabuto had always suspected Naruto really was the same clan as her, figuring Naruto was probably an Uzumaki too. His last name could be a ruse to throw people off, but given the fact that he was a jinchuuriki and had a huge amount of chakra, it was possible that he was one. The thing was though, almost all Uzumaki had bright red hair. Naruto's hair color actually resembled the Yamanaka or the late Fourth Hokage. But Kabuto had ruled out that Naruto was related to the Fourth after seeing his performance in the first round of the chuunin exams. Naruto was deeply insulted.
Another big problem he learned of from Kabuto was within the village itself. That was a guy called Danzo, who was the old man's teammate. The guy ran ROOT, a shady underground ANBU unit that did a lot of dirty work. Danzo's methods were brutal and underhanded, training his subordinates to be emotionless tools and even having them kill each other. Naruto felt that this was somewhat similar to what Gaara's father was doing. It was like these bastards got off of making other people suffer.
Naruto couldn't believe the Third Hokage was letting someone like Danzo run his own secret ANBU. It just didn't make sense. Danzo's links to Orochimaru made the situation worse. They worked together on some sick experiments on people. The Hokage was seemingly not aware of the extent Danzo had sunk to. But Danzo was stabbing the village in the back right now by not lifting a finger while Konoha was being attacked. Kabuto suspected that the man wanted to be Hokage himself and was using the invasion as an excuse to get rid of Hiruzen. He really had to tell the old man about this, but it was not as urgent as what they were doing now.
He looked at Sasuke as he unconsciously ran his hand over Orochimaru's curse mark. Naruto shivered. Even Kabuto did not know what the curse seal did, exactly. Orochimaru designed it way back, and had put it on his student, Anko -the crazy snake lady from the Forest of Death. But he had modified it based on some experiments conducted on some kid named Juugo, who could passively absorb nature chakra. The cursed seal replicated this and made someone stronger because of it, but their mind becomes unstable because of the overload of nature chakra. However, Orochimaru had many secrets inside the cursed seal that no one else was privy to.
Naruto watched the seal with his Rinnegan, trying to understand how it worked. He could see that there was a silver of chakra imbibed in the seal, but that looked too small to be this nature chakra that Kabuto knew about. It seemed that only sages could sense nature chakra, so maybe the Rinnegan couldn't see it. He was going to have to ask the pervy sage about this.
What Naruto had gleaned from Kabuto was that Orochimaru had a creepy hobby: body-swapping. And guess who was up next on his wishlist? Sasuke! Orochimaru was eyeballing Sasuke's body like it was the last piece of cake at a birthday party. The plan? Stoke the fires of Sasuke's family drama, then swoop in with promises of power-ups and new abilities—basically like con-man. Naruto knew he had to tell this to Kakashi. There was no way he was going to let Team 7's resident brooder get turned into Orochimaru's newest toy. The bastard might be a pain in the ass, but he was his teammate, damnit!
Sasuke shot him a weird glance, clearly wondering why Naruto kept staring at him. Naruto quickly snapped his gaze back to the road, filing away his questions for a less life-threatening moment.
Speaking of Sasuke's brother, Itachi took the whole 'rebellious phase' to an extreme by wiping out his entire clan, sparing only Sasuke, and then deciding to hang out with a group called the Akatsuki. These guys weren't your average book club. Nope, they were a full-blown bent-on-world-domination terrorist organization, aiming to extract the chakra of tailed beasts from jinchuurikis like Gaara and Naruto. Now aware of them, Naruto was understandably a bit on edge. The gang included a puppet enthusiast named Sasori, the moody psychopath Itachi, and a water-loving shark-dude named Kisame from the Hidden Mist. Orochimaru knew about Akatsuki's leader, but Kabuto was not told who that was. But all of them were super strong ninja.
As Kakashi's clone and Naruto's clones rushed to drop the unconscious Sakura at the hospital, Kakashi's clone quickly turned to Naruto's. "What did you get from Kabuto about the Sound Village's plan?" he asked urgently.
Naruto's clone scratched his head, recalling the details. "Kabuto was gonna help summon a bunch of giant snakes in the village. With him out of the picture, the snake threat won't be so bad I guess. But Orochimaru was talking about waking up some old Kage using something called Impure World Reincarnation"
Kakashi's face went white. "Ressuruct the past Kage? Are they going to summon the First, Second and Fourth?"
"I think so? Orochimaru said something about having some trouble getting hold of the Fourth. But he planned to summon the First and Second Hokage, the First's wife Mito Uzumaki, and two Kage from other villages. He thinks that some of the summonings may be stopped by the Hokage and Jiraiya, but the remaining should be enough."
Kakashi felt a kind of primal fear when he heard that the First Hokage was going to be summoned. He had listened to his father's stories about him, which were from his grandfather who had actually seen the guy. The First Hokage and Madara Uchiha were regarded as Gods on earth, their clashes often causing maps to be redrawn due to the sheer scale of it. The Wood style was one of the most feared Bloodline limit at that time for a reason. The Second Hokage was also a formidable force to deal with. He didn't know much about Mito Uzumaki other than the fact that she was rumored to be the container of the Nine-Tails at her time. That made her a formidable shinobi as well. Depending on which past Kage of the other villages were involved, there was a significant cause of concern there as well.
Seeing Kakashi paling rapidly, Naruto hurried on to add. "But he's only gonna revive them at a fraction of their full power. Something about Orochimaru wanting to make sure that they won't break out of his control…"
"Well, that's a relief…" Kakashi sighed. This should at least be manageable for the Third Hokage and Lord Jiraiya. "What else?"
"The Sound guys are attacking all over the place," Naruto explained. "They're hitting the main gates, the academy, and even the hospital. They plan to stretch us out and mess everything up before they're stopped."
Kakashi's clone nodded, processing the information. "With Kabuto out, we've cut off a good part of their plan, but we can't let our guard down. Orochimaru might be the greatest threat, and the revived Kage could turn the tide. Thankfully, Lord Jiraiya is with the Hokage. We'll see what we can do once we get Sakura to safety."
Kakashi paused, suddenly curious. "If you absorbed all of Kabuto's memories, do you gain any of his skills?"
"Well, it's complicated." Naruto frowned. "I know a lot of stuff about medical ninjutsu now, but I don't feel like I can do them yet. My chakra control is piss poor because of the huge amount of chakra I have. Even though I got the water walking exercise down and I've started learning elemental jutsu, I'll need to control it much better than that to handle medical ninjutsu. And even if I did, it'll take a lot of practice to get it down I guess."
"That makes sense." Kakashi nodded. "Still, your bloodline is incredible, Naruto. I haven't heard of anything like it before. I would like to know more details about it, but now is not the time."
"Yeah, I know." Naruto nodded. "Pervy sage told me that he had a student a long time ago who had this bloodline. It's incredibly rare, he said."
"Well, it's good that Lord Jiraiya knows about it." Kakashi was relieved. "That makes things a lot simpler. Did he mention what clan that student was from?"
"Funnily enough, pervy sage said that guy was an Uzumaki too. But he said this is not a bloodline of the Uzumaki clan as far as he knew." Of course, Naruto knew why he got the Rinnegan from the sage's explanation. But that did not explain how this Nagato guy got it…
"That's… strange." Kakashi hummed. "From my understanding, the Uzumaki bloodline limit is their strong chakra, thick enough to be solidified and morphed into objects." Kakashi was scarce on the details, as this was not the time or the place to talk about Naruto's mother.
"That checks up with what Kabuto knew about my clan as well." Naruto nodded. "But no one ever told me I'm from such a big clan!"
"Well, the Uzumaki were unfortunately wiped out in the Second shinobi war, with only a handful of survivors." Kakashi consoled him. "The fear against the clan is still prevalent in some of the villages that destroyed them. It's probably for your own safety that you were never confirmed to be of the same clan, Naruto. Due to Konoha's strong ties with them, many would think you were named in honor of the clan. As you don't have their red hair, people would write off your name as a coincidence."
"Hiding in plain sight, huh?" Naruto nodded in understanding. "You knew who my parents were, sensei?" He asked hopefully.
Kakashi sighed. "I did, but I am forbidden from revealing it, Naruto. Perhaps the Hokage himself will reveal it when the time is right. Just know that they loved you deeply and were heroes of this village."
"That means a lot, Kakashi-sensei," Naruto said quietly, trying to absorb the weight of everything he'd just learned. The knowledge of his clan, his parents, and the history behind his lineage was overwhelming. The knowledge filled him with an overwhelming sense of connection—a belonging he had craved all his life. Most comforting of all was the assurance that his parents had cherished him deeply, a stark contrast to Gaara's painful upbringing. This realization, that he was truly loved from the start, warmed him from within, soothing some of the old aches in his heart.
Jiraiya held on to Gamaken while the samurai toad expertly dodged Mito Uzumaki's chakra chains. He was thankful that Gamaken could sense the attacks easily, as the toads used nature chakra and their senses were heightened without requiring a special sage mode. Lady Mito was probably using her chakra-sensing abilities to guess their position since Tobirama's technique also stripped sight from his allies. The technique was mainly intended to target the Third Hokage, since his senses were not as sharp as they were in his prime.
"Lord Jiraiya, she is persistent," Gamaken commented as two sets of chains flanked them and curled around them. The toad leaped away at the last second, firing a water bullet towards his opponent.
"Yeah, but I'm glad she's nowhere near her full power." Jiraiya shivered. "Although she may not have been mentioned as much as Lords First and Second Hokage, she would easily be stronger than any of the shinobi currently alive."
"I'll count my blessings." Gamaken sighed, leaping sideways as another chain impaled the air where he occupied a moment ago. "But don't you think this pattern of attack is a little… predictable?" He asked in a low voice.
"Yeah, I picked up on that too." Jiraiya replied in a low voice. "If my suspicions are correct, I think Orochimaru may have underestimated Lady Mito a bit too much."
Gamaken's eye widened. "Then I'll continue what I'm doing, giving both of you a little more time."
Jiraiya glanced furtively at where the Third Hokage was facing his two predecessors. "A few minutes more, sensei." He was glad Orochimaru was fully occupied in his efforts to control the three reanimated shinobi. If he too joined the fray, Hiruzen may be in serious trouble.
Hiruzen swung his Adamantine staff in a broad sweep, shattering the roots Hashirama had directed at him through his Wood Style. He was grateful that this incarnation of Lord Hashirama was considerably weakened. He would have been unable to face the full strength of such techniques, known to restrain even the tailed beasts.
Detecting a surge of water-natured chakra, Hiruzen thrust his staff towards Hashirama, using his body as a pivot to swiftly maneuver out of the incoming attack's path.
Once repositioned, Hiruzen did not dare let up his momentum. He quickly gathered his chakra and unleashed a powerful Fire Release: Dragon Fire Technique. A colossal stream of fire erupted from his mouth, roaring towards Hashirama with intense heat. The fire met a barrier of thick vines and leaves conjured by Hashirama's reflexive defense, creating a sizzling clash of elements. Once again, Hiruzen used his staff to move from his location. As expected, a deadly stream of water sliced through his earlier location and missed him by a hair's breath.
"Why don't you seal them away, Sarutobi?" Enma asked, taking advantage of the brief respite.
"That would be a temporary solution." Hiruzen agreed. "However, what is sealed can be unsealed, unless one is willing to raise the stakes." While he spoke, he turned the battleground into a swamp to immobilize his opponents. In response, Hashirama quickly employed his Wood Style to construct a platform over the swamp, effectively shielding the entire arena. Hiruzen then spun his staff, skillfully deflecting a barrage of Water bullets that the Second had launched at him.
"Higher stakes?" Enma enquired.
"There is one place where they would be permanently sealed. I believe you can guess where, old friend,"
"No!" Enma protested. "Don't speak of such a sacrifice so lightly! Jiraiya seems to be preparing himself for using the sage arts. We will stop them together once he is ready."
To Enma's relief, Hiruzen agreed. "It seems that it will not be necessary. Orochimaru has made a grave mistake in his calculations." He raised his staff suddenly as the Sword of Kusanagi leapt at him from the darkness, intending to pierce him.
"A mistake?" Orochimaru chuckled. "Tell me, sensei, what mistake did I make this time?"
"You will realize it soon enough." Hiruzen suppressed a smile.
"If you think that clown's senjutsu will be enough to stop us, I will have to burst that feeble hope." Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "My summons have limitless chakra, and their bloodlines are potent. Perhaps I should stop toying with you two and instruct my summons to step things up. What do you say, sensei?" Orochimaru clasped his hands together to form a ram seal.
Mito Uzumaki smiled triumphantly as she felt the last bit of control Orochimaru had on her vanish. The moment she had learned of Tobirama Senju's Impure World Reincarnation technique was the moment she started her work on countering it. A technique such as that would be disastrous in the wrong hands, and there was nothing more horrifying than having to come back to the world of the living only to murder your former comrades and loved ones. Originally, Tobirama developed this jutsu to counter the Uchiha threat prior to the founding of the Hidden Leaf Village, during a time when the Senju and Uchiha were fierce adversaries. Back then, the safeguarding of such a dangerous technique was simpler; it was entrusted only to those within the Senju clan who bore a deep-seated vendetta against the Uchiha, ensuring it stayed out of enemy hands. However, the power of the technique had somehow made Tobirama obsessed with it. A technique that should have been forgotten with the warring states era hence made a resurgence in the First Shinobi War, with Tobirama using captured spies to reanimate his enemies to fight against their villages.
Such a technique was a double-edged sword. There was no guarantee that that sword would not be pointed against Konoha. However, Tobirama was adamant in documenting it in the forbidden scroll of seals, intending it to be used solely by his direct successors, under the most dire circumstances.
How Orochimaru gained access to the technique, she would not know. However, she had considered such an eventuality and had decided to defend herself against being manipulated. She prided herself in reaching the pinnacle of Uzumaki sealing arts due to the technique she had developed to counter it: The soul seal.
A normal seal had to be inscribed in a piece of paper or a solid object. Uzumaki had gone a step beyond, and had learned sealing arts so thoroughly that they could infuse sealing formula into anything. Even chakra itself. She had taken the logical next step. Chakra disappeared after death, merging and becoming one with nature. However, what about a sealing formula inscribed onto one's very soul?
The soul seal was painstaking to develop. She did know a lot about the mechanisms of souls due to some of the more …notorious Uzumaki of the past. The ones that had tamed the Death God and forced it into a contract. Leaning on those studies, she understood and hypothesized the structure of the soul, and found the point in the human body where one would be able to access it. In ancient literature, it was referred to as Sahasrara or the Gate of Heaven, and was located at the crown of the head. It was located above the eight physical gates and was the path through which the soul left the body and traveled to the afterlife. Forming a seal around the hypothesized location of the Sahasrara was tricky, since it was almost impossible to locate it as a human. However, it looked like the ancient scriptures were correct, and her seal had finally, finally worked.
"Thank you for buying me some time, Jiraiya." Mito Uzumaki's voice cut through the darkness.
"You'll have to teach me what you did, Lady Mito," Jiraiya smirked, his eyes already toad-like after accepting the influx of nature chakra. "But I believe we have a battle to finish.".
Mito smiled back. "Do you know, Jiraiya, that a bridge goes both ways?" She flipped through some hand signs and latched on to the link that Orochimaru had used to control her for so long. "It seems that Orochimaru has not learned this simple truth."
Jiraiya's eye widened. "You mean…"
"Indeed, yes." Mito completed her hand signs and exerted her will, intending to turn the tables on her summoner.
"Looks like I went sage mode for nothing." Jiraiya muttered, a little disappointed.
Orochimaru froze. He was just about to command the three reanimated shinobi to tear into their opponents without prejudice. He had enjoyed toying with his opponents, but he had to get on with destroying the village. However, the moment when he moved his chakra to command his subordinates when he realized that something was not quite right. He felt a disturbance in the link between himself and Mito Uzumaki.
"What is she…" Orochimaru's body went rigid. At that moment, the darkness that permeated their surroundings vanished and the Hokages stopped their attacks.
"Fascinating." The Third Hokage relaxed marginally, seeing Orochimaru's plight. "I never believed this would be possible."
Orochimaru tried to resist as his body moved against his will. "What… What is happening?"
Hiruzen watched the hand seals his former student was forced to perform with a twinge of amusement. "Did you not tell me that you wanted to learn all the jutsu in the world, Orochimaru? I believe you will quite like this one."
"How is that hag controlling me?" Orochimaru hissed. "I summoned her!"
"Lady Mito was always a cautious type," Hiruzen remarked. "She always feared Lord Second's reanimation technique. When someone of her caliber dedicates herself to developing a counter for it, you can be sure that it would be quite impressive." He chuckled.
"What is… this technique?" Orochimaru said in fear. "These are not the hand seals to release the resurrection!"
"It seems Lady Mito is seeking a permanent solution." Hiruzen humoured his old student. "Tell me, Orochimaru, do you understand why the Uzumaki were so feared that entire nations conspired to obliterate them from existence?"
Orochimaru's eyes flickered with irritation and helplessness as he continued to be puppeteered through the sequence of hand signs. "Spare me your cryptic musings, old man," he hissed through clenched teeth.
"The tales of the past aren't mere folklore, especially when they speak of an Uzumaki who dared to bind the Death God itself within his seal, striking a fearsome pact."
"Cease your rambling..." Orochimaru snarled, attempting to dismiss the legend.
"Ah, but history becomes a legend when it is too vast to be believed," Hiruzen countered smoothly. "Consider this, Orochimaru: the pact was a contract of sacrifice. The Uzumaki summoner traded his own soul to ensure his foes would perish alongside him, sealed within the belly of the Death God. This is the ultimate finality. Haven't you wondered how the Great Hero of this village stopped the Nine Tailed Fox thirteen years ago?"
As the weight of Hiruzen's words settled, a chilling realization dawned on Orochimaru, making his blood run cold. "You mean to say she's compelling me to summon..."
Just then, Orochimaru's hands, moving beyond his control, clapped together in completion of the jutsu. A profound, otherworldly chill swept through the air as he felt a sinister presence coalesce behind him. Turning slowly, a pulse of dread tightening in his chest, Orochimaru's eyes met a ghastly sight. Emerging from the swirling shadows was a colossal, spectral entity, its gaunt, skeletal form draped in tattered robes darker than the deepest abyss. These robes fluttered as if stirred by an unseen wind. Tormented cries reached his ear, whispering tales of anguish and eternal captivity. The dim light of the surroundings seemed to shy away, swallowed by the darkness of its enigmatic presence.
"Shinigami", Orochimaru said in a hoarse whisper. It was the form of a being that he feared the most from the moment he was informed of the death of his parents. Orochimaru was gripped by a profound terror that he had never experienced before. His lifelong pursuit of power and immortality was about to culminate in the most meaningless way possible, where not just defeat, but total obliteration of his soul awaited. Orochimaru's body trembled violently as the Death God began to extract his soul. The cold, inexorable pull felt like hooks tearing through his spirit, each tug evoking agony that seemedto erode his very being. Panic surged through him, the primal fear that he might cease to exist, that all his schemes and betrayals would end in futility. His eyes, wide with the raw fear of oblivion, darted frantically, seeking an escape. At that moment, they landed in the Sword of Kusanagi, his most prized possession.
Orochimaru exerted his overwhelming will to live on the legendary sword, and it responded to his command. In one swift motion, it flew towards Mito Uzumaki, who had her hands clasped together in concentration. Jiraiya could not react quickly enough. The sword impaled the Uzumaki matriarch, momentarily disrupting her concentration. Orochimaru immediately flipped through the seals to undo the reanimation.
"Impure World Reincarnation: Release!" Orochimaru commanded. There was a tense pause before lights slowly began to envelop the three reincarnated shinobi, signaling the dissolution of the jutsu. The technique disrupted, the Shinigami wavered for a moment before dissolving to nothingness.
Mito turned to the Senju brothers, her expression resolute. "I shall join the two of you after I conclude matters here," she declared. Her hands began weaving through a new series of intricate seals. As she finished, the light that had signified her release slowly dimmed and vanished. Orochimaru, his eyes widening in alarm and confusion, watched her intently.
After a moment, the light signifying her release faded. Orochimaru looked at her, more than a little alarmed. Without warning, a surge of chakra burst forth from Mito. Chains, glowing with an eerie, ethereal light, erupted from her form, hurtling towards Orochimaru. They wrapped around him in a flash, and a complex sealing formula began to crawl along the chains like a living entity. The symbols pulsed with power, converging upon a bound Orochimaru, freezing him in place as they spread through his body.
Hashirama gave Mito an understanding smile and turned to the Third Hokage.
"Sarutobi," He said, finally free to talk to his old student. "you've protected the village well. Yet, as the leaves turn, so too must the Hokage's mantle pass. Consider this in the times to come."
Tobirama nodded. "I see that you have carried this heavy burden far longer than the two of us, my old friend. I know that you will find a worthy successor."
"It was not my intention to continue so long," Hiruzen said, his voice heavy with emotion. "My successor had unfortunately fallen more than a decade ago. However, I will keep your words in mind, sensei. Times of peace had dulled my urgency in finding a worthy candidate."
The two past Hokage smiled and allowed the reanimation to be fully released. Their physical forms turned to dust. Two emaciated corpses fell to the ground, both wearing headbands with sound insignia.
"His own subordinates," Jiraiya spat, his voice tinged with contempt and a hint of sorrow for not recognizing Orochimaru's treachery sooner. "As expected from a man who wouldn't flinch at killing children."
Mito's gaze hardened at Jiraiya's words, a spark of fury igniting in her eyes. "Explain," she demanded, her voice steady but filled with an icy resolve.
"He kidnapped and experimented on children of our village, and fled when he was discovered." Jiraiya's expression darkened as he recounted the sins of his former comrade. He winced slightly as he noticed the ominous red glow beginning to emanate from Mito's eye, her chakra swelling with a palpable intensity that threatened to engulf them all.
"...What experiments?" The fury simmering beneath her words was palpable.
Jiraiya hesitated, the weight of the truth pressing down on him. "He attempted to create children capable of using Wood Release by implanting them with your husband's cells," he confessed, his voice grim.
As he spoke, the air around them thickened, charged with Mito's escalating fury. Jiraiya found himself struggling to breathe under the oppressive force of her killing intent, which now surged like a storm around her.
"You." Mito's voice was a menacing growl, her gaze locking onto Orochimaru. A shroud of red chakra enwrapped her, solidifying into an ominous aura as she raised her palm towards him. The chakra swirling around her condensed into a dense, dark orb at the center of her palm. "You dared to kill the children of Konoha? To defile my husband's remains?!"
The air around her seemed to crackle and vibrate as chakra continued to coalesce in front of her palm. The dense chakra sphere grew steadily, its roiling surface accumulating more power. As the sphere reached its full potency, it hummed with destructive energy, and a miniature black sun of raw power was poised above her hand.
"Jiraya, take Hiruzen and summon yourself out of this barrier!" She commanded.
"Got it!" Jiraiya nodded to Hiruzen, then turned to Gamaken. "Gamaken, request Lord Fukasaku to reverse summon us to Mount Myoboku immediately!"
Hiruzen, understanding Mito's plan, immediately unsummoned Enma and reached Jiraiya, who grabbed hold of him. Gamaken disappeared in a puff of smoke. A few moments later, Jiraiya disappeared with the Hokage.
"No!" Orochimaru's voice tore through the air, a mix of fury and desperation. "You fools! If you unleash that power here, you'll obliterate your beloved village!"
Mito smiled humorlessly. "I'll have to thank your brave bodyguards for safeguarding it, then." With a thrust of her palm, she launched the Tailed Beast bomb towards an immobilized Orochimaru.
Orochimaru realized at that instant that he had been had. The four purple flames formation was still active.
"Fools, undo the barrier! Undo-" Orochimaru could not finish that sentence as the tailed beast bomb exploded in his face.
Inside the barrier, the Tailed Beast Bomb exploded with a deafening roar. An enormous explosion filled the barrier and stretched and strained its limits. As the attack reached its peak, the immense pressure and heat began to take their toll on the barrier's integrity. The inner layer of the barrier, closest to the explosion, started to vaporize under the relentless assault of the Tailed Beast Bomb. It disintegrated, unable to withstand the concentrated energy that bombarded its structure at every moment.
The destruction of the inner barrier had dire consequences for the four shinobi maintaining the two barriers. The sudden release of energy from the inner barrier's collapse overwhelmed them, their forms evaporating in a flash of scorching light. As they perished, the outer barrier, now unsupported, flickered out of existence, no longer sustained by their chakra.
Although the barriers failed, they fulfilled a crucial function; they directed the majority of the blast upwards. The explosion, rather than spreading outward in all directions, funneled a significant portion of its energy skyward. A colossal pillar of fiery energy shot into the sky, piercing the clouds and dissipating into the atmosphere. This redirection spared the surrounding area from total annihilation, though the ground zero of the impact was scorched, leaving a charred crater as a testament to the bomb's power.