Chapter 109

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Although Naruto wanted to activate the Eight Inner Gates to quickly finish off Orochimaru, he decided to hold back for now.

With a confident smile, he threw his Kubikiribōchō far away from him.

The sword spun through the air until it embedded itself forcefully in the ground, right at the feet of Tsunade and Shizune.

"Take care of my sword while I deal with Orochimaru," he asked both women, throwing his cloak to the ground.

Anyone might think he was finally getting serious, but Orochimaru knew that Naruto was just playing with him.

"Don't think I'll just stand here and wait for you to kill me!" Orochimaru shouted, lunging toward him.

His arms hung limply as he ran, and Naruto could barely contain his laughter.

It was then that Naruto reached into the inner pocket of his shirt and pulled out a small scroll, no more than five centimeters long.

A puff of smoke enveloped the palm of his hand and, when it dissipated, Orochimaru stopped, surprised at the sword Naruto now held.

"I guess you recognize it, right, Orochimaru?" Naruto smiled, placing Samehada on his shoulder.

Orochimaru frowned.

Of course he recognized the legendary sword Samehada, one of the Demon Swords of Kirigakure, from the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.

It was considered the most powerful and terrifying of them all.

But, above all, Orochimaru recognized the sword as Kisame's sword, one of his former comrades in Akatsuki.

Kisame and Samehada were known as an unbeatable pair. They even began to share the same chakra, which was why Kisame came to be called "A Tailed Beast Without a Tail."

Orochimaru realized that the disadvantage he faced was growing larger.

Although he couldn't use his hands, he could still cast some techniques without hand signs, but with Samehada in front of him, any technique except summoning would be useless.

Naruto channeled a bit of chakra into Samehada, enough for the sword to grow, swelling like an animal after a feast.

Samehada's mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth and a winding tongue.

Naruto gently stroked the shark-like scales that made up Samehada.

"Don't kill him quickly, Samehada. Orochimaru didn't choose his fate, so I'll be the one to decide how he dies... and it won't be without pain. I'll reward you when we're done."

Of course, Samehada didn't respond; although semi-alive, it was still a sword.

To Orochimaru's surprise, Naruto's smile turned more menacing, his teeth sharpening just like Samehada's.

Just like Kisame's...

[Kisame Hoshigaki: Tch. That damn brat has completely tamed Samehada...]

[Tobirama Senju: It won't be long before he steals all the Demon Swords now that he's set his mind to it. Kirigakure will want to kill him once they find out he also has Samehada.]

[Mito Uzumaki: They surely already know he has the Kubikiribōchō. Complaints will flood Konoha now that he also possesses Samehada.]

[Itachi Uchiha: Is he... playing with Orochimaru?]

[Madara Uchiha: Silence, traitor! Naruto should've kicked you out when you joined the group.]

[Indra Ōtsutsuki: Should we ask Naruto to let us torture him, Madara-chan, like that cursed old man, whatever his name was...?]

[Madara Uchiha: I have no intention of approaching a traitor like him, even to punish him, Indra-chan.]

[Hashirama Senju: You don't even know Saru's name and you're torturing him, along with the others, Indra...?]

[Indra Ōtsutsuki: Shut up! I'm just trying to vent. Besides, you just finished having fun with him a few minutes ago.]

[Hashirama Senju: ...]

[Tobirama Senju: Silence. Focus on the fight. This is not the time for arguments.]

[Hamura Ōtsutsuki: Why so worried, Tobirama? It's clear Naruto will win. I don't even know if I could defeat him if I tried.]

[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: It would be a tough fight, but not impossible. Although I have no reason to fight him, so we'll never know...]

[Hamura Ōtsutsuki: He still doesn't have all our power, just our chakra... It might not be impossible, just as you say, brother.]

[Indra Ōtsutsuki: I'm sure he could wipe the floor with you old men if he wanted to. His techniques are too powerful, and we've never seen all his potential...]

[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: Now that he has your chakra, daughter, along with Asura's... If Naruto used it, he could defeat us unless Hamura and I joined forces.]

[Hamura Ōtsutsuki: Right, I forgot about that detail. We could only defeat him by working together, like when we beat our mother.]

[Hashirama Senju: The mother of the Sage of Six Paths and his brother? I'm interested in that story.]

[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: That'll be for another time, Asura No. 86.]

[Hashirama Senju: "..." ]

All members of the chat group refocused on the battle.

Naruto removed his hand from Samehada, which he had been affectionately stroking, and fixed his eyes on Orochimaru.

"Are you scared, Orochimaru?" he asked, noticing the man had stopped advancing.

Orochimaru clenched his teeth, furious.

He couldn't find a way out.

He was trapped. Doomed.

That thought gave him chills. Was he really going to die there, like a mere cornered criminal?

He couldn't give up. Not yet.

He still had a dream to fulfill, he still needed to achieve immortality...

That's when he saw Naruto running straight toward him.

"Since you're not coming... I'LL COME TO YOU!" Naruto shouted, swinging Samehada.

He wasn't used to a blunt weapon like that, so he wielded it like a baseball bat.

Samehada wasn't an ordinary sword. The scales covering it, sharp like shark teeth, could tear flesh with ease.

That's how Kisame had used it. And that's how Naruto was going to use it.

[Kisame Hoshigaki has granted the group leader, Naruto Uzumaki, all his experience and knowledge in the proper use of the Demon Sword, Samehada.]

Naruto smiled as he saw the system message. His now-sharp teeth formed a wild, strange grin.

He didn't understand why Kisame had transferred his experience and that knowledge to him, but he wouldn't waste it.

He didn't hesitate to accept it.

Almost immediately, his movements became more precise. More natural. As if Samehada had always been a part of his body.

[Kisame Hoshigaki: Samehada deserves a good user, not an amateur who doesn't know how to harness its potential. Watching you wield it breaks my heart...]

[Itachi Uchiha: He killed you, Kisame...]

[Kisame Hoshigaki: But he also has the power to bring me back to life... It's never too late to switch sides.]

[Itachi Uchiha: ...]

Unaware of the group's comments, Naruto silently thanked Kisame. He didn't understand his motives, but he accepted them.

When he was still several meters away, Naruto pointed Samehada at Orochimaru.

"DEVOUR HIM, SAMEHADA!" he exclaimed with a mix of excitement and fury.

The sword reacted immediately. Its scaly body stretched like a tentacle, lunging at Orochimaru with its mouth open, tongue out, drooling like a hungry beast.

Naruto could feel it, its hunger was ravenous and unstoppable.

Orochimaru managed to dodge it, but Samehada spun around with brutal speed, pursuing him like a beast hunting its prey.

"Is this my end...?" thought Orochimaru, paralyzed with fear.

For the first time in a long while, he truly feared for his life.

And all because of Naruto Uzumaki. The son of the man who once stole the Hokage title from him.

But to his surprise, Samehada wasn't aiming to kill him.

Obedient to its new master's will, it aimed lower...

"GGGRRRAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!"

Samehada's scales turned red as it tore off Orochimaru's arms completely.

Both severed limbs hit the ground with a wet thud, leaving a trail of dark blood.

"AAAGGHHHHHHHHHHHRRRRGGHHH....!!!" screamed Orochimaru, collapsing to his knees, staring in horror at his stumps. The torn flesh hung in shreds, and blood gushed uncontrollably.

"M-my arms... I'VE LOST MY ARMS!" he shrieked, eyes filled with tears.

Tsunade, who stood behind Naruto, brought her hands to her mouth.

As much as Orochimaru was a traitor, he had once been her comrade. One of her closest friends.

Seeing him like that... broke her heart.

"Naruto!!" she suddenly cried out, her voice cracking.

Naruto glanced at her sideways, barely turning his head.

"Make it quick... please. Don't cause him more pain," she begged, her voice trembling.

Not even Tsunade dared ask him not to kill Orochimaru, knowing his crimes, knowing Orochimaru had to die.

She herself had been willing to kill him.

Naruto nodded silently and turned his gaze back to his enemy.

Orochimaru was still screaming, his body writhing on the ground.

Naruto fed Samehada his chakra one last time as a reward, then sealed it inside a scroll.

Orochimaru watched him in terror. He fell onto his back, breathing heavily, and began to crawl away desperately.

"N-no... Don't kill me, please! I-I'll leave! I'll disappear! You'll never see me again! I swear! Spare my life!"

He begged without dignity, crawling away as best he could.

Naruto looked at him, frowning.

"You're making me look like the villain of this story, Orochimaru."

He sighed deeply.

He wasn't the monster here.

"I'm not the one who sacrificed human lives to feed his pet," he said, glancing at Manda's corpse atop the Tanzaku Castle ruins.

How many people lay buried among the castle's rubble?

"I wasn't the one who crossed the line of morality in pursuit of immortality, using people as test subjects. I wasn't the one who kidnapped, murdered, and experimented on children... or who stole bodies and destroyed identities to prolong his lifespan. I wasn't the one who betrayed his village or who founded criminal organizations like Otogakure or joined Akatsuki as one of its members."

"So tell me, Orochimaru... who's the real monster here? How many begged for their lives before dying at your hands?"

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He hadn't realized when or how loud his voice had become until then.

"I'm not going to forgive scum like you..."

And just as he raised his arm to deliver the final blow, a voice stopped him.

It was Jiraiya...