Chapter 83: Powerful Breakthrough

Despite hitting Gaara multiple times with Chidori, Sasuke found that even the devastating piercing power of his attack couldn't break through the layers of sand that cushioned Gaara's body. Though the assaults caused some trouble, they hardly inflicted any real damage.

As Gaara's form continued to morph into that of a tanuki, his power surged, and even the Sealing Jutsu that held him earlier had long since shattered. Every wave of his massive arms generated shockwaves that made approaching him impossible, much less landing a hit.

Sakura leaned against a nearby tree, quietly using medical ninjutsu to tend to her injuries. In the previous clash, Gaara had broken free from the seal, and his giant sand claws almost tore Sakura apart. Thankfully, Sasuke noticed just in time and managed to pull her away, but his left arm was still injured, and Sakura had lost most of her combat ability.

Fortunately, Gaara didn't continue to pursue Sakura, his mind too consumed with killing Sasuke, the one who had injured him earlier.

When Sasuke found himself overwhelmed and out of options, Naruto Uzumaki finally arrived to back him up.

"Multi Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Naruto roared, and countless shadow clones appeared, rushing at Gaara to apply pressure.

Meanwhile, Naruto himself jumped over to Sakura's side. "Sakura, are you okay?"

Sakura forced a smile. "I'm fine. Go check on Sasuke."

"No need," Sasuke grunted, stepping out from behind a tree. Though clearly battered and bruised, he forced himself to appear unfazed.

Seeing Sasuke still alive, both Naruto and Sakura let out breaths of relief.

"Great! We can take him down together!" Naruto cheered, confidence brimming in his voice.

Sasuke gave a faint smirk, but just as he was about to respond, his body suddenly convulsed, and he collapsed to his knees, gasping for breath. An intense pain erupted from his neck, and the Curse Mark flared up, causing him to groan in agony.

"Damn it... not now!"

The strain from using Chidori multiple times was far beyond what Kakashi had warned him about. His body was utterly exhausted, and the Curse Mark was feeding off his despair, spreading its dark influence.

Naruto and Sakura rushed to his side, worry etched on their faces.

"What's wrong with you, Sasuke-kun?" Sakura asked, fearful that his injuries were worse than they appeared. Her medical skills wouldn't be enough if it was the Curse Mark acting up.

"My body... won't move," Sasuke admitted bitterly, his pride stinging more than his injuries.

Suddenly, Sasuke noticed Gaara barreling towards them, his monstrous sand form tearing through Naruto's clones with ease.

"Watch out! He's coming!" Sasuke shouted in warning.

Naruto whipped around, his eyes wide. "No way... that fast? My clones barely slowed him down!"

Gripping his kunai tightly, Naruto stepped forward. "Sakura, take care of Sasuke! I'll handle this!"

With determination burning in his eyes, Naruto summoned another wave of clones and charged straight at the advancing sand beast.

Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, the battle raged on. Hiruzen Sarutobi, despite having regained much of his strength thanks to the Almighty Elixir, was being worn down by the relentless attacks from the reanimated First and Second Hokage. The seemingly immortal bodies of the former Hokage kept regenerating no matter how much damage was inflicted.

"Damn it... Even with this power, I can't break through," Hiruzen muttered, his breaths ragged.

"Sarutobi! This won't work!" Enma warned, his voice urgent. "Their regenerative abilities are too much. You need to strike at the core!"

Hiruzen gritted his teeth. "I know... But their defensive and regenerative capabilities are monstrous. If only I could get past them and reach Orochimaru."

Orochimaru cackled from the side. "What's the matter, Sensei? Losing your edge? You can't even kill your former teachers."

Hiruzen's gaze hardened. "I've had enough of your arrogance, Orochimaru."

With a grim resolve, Hiruzen called upon his full power, gathering the elemental chakra within him.

"Enma, prepare yourself. We're going all out!"

"Got it!" Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff, and Hiruzen took a deep breath, gathering his chakra.

"Five Elements—Grand Elemental Barrage!"

Simultaneously, Earth, Water, Fire, Lightning, and Wind erupted from Hiruzen's position, merging into a colossal, devastating attack that surged forward, obliterating everything in its path. The sheer force of the attack caused the Four Violet Flames Formation to shudder and crack under the pressure before it finally shattered into fragments.

The powerful wave of elemental fury surged outward, striking a nearby building and reducing it to rubble before finally dissipating.

Orochimaru, who barely managed to dodge, stared at Hiruzen with disbelief. "No... How does an old fossil like you still have that much power left?"

Hiruzen did not answer, his eyes fixed on his wayward student. "You've forgotten what it means to be Hokage. Power is not something you use to destroy. It's to protect!"

The ANBU and Mizuki's clone stood in shock as the barrier collapsed, revealing the intense battle within.

"The barrier is down! We have to support Lord Hokage!" one of the ANBU shouted.

Mizuki's clone quickly analyzed the situation. "Target the weak points! Attack the two weakest of the Sound Four to destabilize the formation!"

The ANBU directed their attacks towards Jirobo and Tayuya, exploiting the moment of weakness. Under the relentless barrage, the weakened sound shinobi couldn't maintain the barrier any longer, and it finally crumbled completely.

As Naruto clashed with the monstrous Gaara, Sasuke struggled to rise, but his body refused to respond.

"Damn it... I can't just sit here...!" he muttered, clutching at the ground.

Sakura could only watch helplessly as Naruto fought desperately to contain Gaara, summoning his clones and using every trick in his arsenal to hold the monster back.

Suddenly, a familiar voice shouted from above.

"Don't give up, Naruto!"

It was Shikamaru, along with Shino, who had recovered from his earlier injuries, moving in to support the battle.

Seeing his friends arriving, Naruto felt a surge of determination. "You guys... Thanks! Let's take this monster down together!"

Gaara roared, his transformation nearing completion as sand engulfed his entire body, forming a gigantic Shukaku.

Naruto gritted his teeth, realizing the true threat they were up against.

"A tailed beast... This is going to be bad."

As the tension reached its peak, the forest around them seemed to fall silent, as if the world itself held its breath in anticipation of the clash between the rampaging monster and the will of Konoha's future.

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