Chapter 117: The Millennium Blade

Naruto slammed hard into the ground after his attack, squinting as he looked at the fallen giant snake. Slowly rising to his feet, he said,

"Gotcha, you monster... How did that attack taste?"

His left arm jerked violently.

But the fight wasn't over yet. Suddenly, one of the snake heads shot up, letting out a deafening roar with its mouth wide open, something emerging from inside.

Itachi shut his eyes tightly as he forced himself back to his feet. He had known it wouldn't end so easily. He had expected this all along.

"Finally... I am finally free. It's time."

Naruto's eyes went wide as the figure began to emerge from the serpent's maw.

"I knew it... I knew he wouldn't die so easily! Orochimaru!"

Orochimaru perched atop the final head of the Eight-Faced Serpent, his upper body extending from its mouth, clutching the Kusanagi Sword that had been expelled from its throat—proving he was still very much alive.

"That's right! I've been waiting for this moment! This battle has drained every last drop of Sasuke-kun's chakra, leaving him powerless to suppress me any longer! Now, this body is mine, and you will both die here!" he laughed wildly.

Naruto glanced at Itachi and Susanoo—they both gave him a firm nod.

Drawing the Millennium Blade from behind his back, Naruto muttered softly,

"A common enemy..."

Then shouted loudly, "[Millennium Blade – Materialize!]"

The physical form of the Millennium Blade shifted, transforming into gleaming gauntlets and greaves that wrapped around his arms and legs.

"Only a few seconds... Don't overextend… Don't waste chakra…"

With those words, he vanished in a blur of speed, reappearing before Orochimaru and driving the blades on his gauntlets straight into Orochimaru's chest.

Shock flashed across Orochimaru's face as their eyes locked.

"Your little knives can't hurt me, Naruto-kun!" he sneered.

As he spoke, he slashed at Naruto's blades, attempting to shatter them and break his morale.

But he simply batted Naruto aside.

Seeing his swords hadn't shattered, the shock faded from Orochimaru's face. Then, manipulating the massive snake head, he launched Naruto high into the air.

"It's useless, Naruto-kun! You can't kill me—I have an immortal body—!"

Before he could finish speaking, both he and the snake head were impaled by a massive sword of flames.

It was the Sword of Totsuka wielded by Susanoo. Drained Itachi, serving as the medium providing Susanoo with mobility and chakra, managed a weak grin, blood streaming from his eyes and dripping from the corner of his mouth.

"Naruto-kun may not be able to kill you," he rasped, "but I've already prepared a surprise for you…"

Orochimaru began laughing again.

"Do you really think your little tricks can harm me?"

Then suddenly, he felt dizzy, pulled by an irresistible force.

"No! This can't be happening! The Kusanagi Sword! You had it the entire time!"

His voice became distorted as he and Sasuke's Eight-Faced Serpent were both sucked into the gourd hanging at Susano'o's waist.

Sasuke no longer had the Eight-Faced Serpent, no trace of Orochimaru, nor even the Cursed Seal on his body.

Everything had been sucked into the gourd and sealed away, its mouth now tightly shut.

Sasuke dropped to his knees, completely exhausted, with no chakra remaining.

Whether he wanted to admit it or not, Orochimaru's unexpected appearance had been Sasuke's final hope in this battle. Itachi understood that well.

"It's over, Sasuke. It's all over." His eyes were no longer glowing with Mangekyo Sharingan, but instead displayed the normal crimson irises of his Kekkei Genkai.

Sasuke knelt there helplessly, unable to stand—his chakra reserves too drained even to reactivate his Sharingan.

Naruto had utterly crushed him.

All the pain, every jutsu cast during his frantic pursuit against Naruto and Itachi, had worn him out completely.

"Your eyes… they're mine now," Itachi whispered weakly, staggering forward with heavy breathing. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"I want to taste them—cough, cough!" A violent fit of coughing caused Itachi to collapse to his knees, his Susano'o beginning to fade away as blood dripped from his lips, staining the ruins—once a symbol of their clan's pride.

A scream interrupted them. Naruto limped toward them, another Rasenshuriken clutched in his hand, struggling through the battlefield debris.

Other than his wounds, his jacket was torn open, revealing the summoning tattoo seal on his chest.

"You idiot, Sasuke…" Naruto muttered under his breath. "You nearly let Orochimaru win… With those eyes, that psychopath would kill all of us. I'm ending this right here, stopping you before you can do anything else to endanger the world, you idiot. You actually had a chance to surrender."

"How are you even still alive? You were tossed around like a ragdoll!" Sasuke asked weakly.

Naruto didn't respond. He just kept moving forward, gripping the Rasenshuriken tightly in his hand. He found a relatively flat patch of ground amid the rubble.

"I can run on air, idiot. Thanks for reminding me—I guess I haven't had enough punishment today yet. Might as well go fight Orochimaru again." He began staggering toward Sasuke, much slower than before.

"Die!" Sasuke shouted at Naruto, trying desperately to stand and flee.

But he failed—he had no strength left. He couldn't run at all.

"Run, Sasuke! Hurry!" Itachi shouted, stepping in front of Sasuke and blocking Naruto's Rasenshuriken with Susano'o's shield, preventing him from getting closer.

Gritting his teeth, Naruto pressed forward.

How was Itachi still standing like this? Wasn't having nine tailed beasts in the world enough already? To Naruto, Itachi seemed to be trying to become the tenth. Why was he protecting Sasuke? How was he even capable of this? What kept him going?

"You're both going to die, Itachi! No matter what defense you have, my Rasenshuriken will tear through it!"

Itachi simply focused on defense, blood streaming from his eyes like tears as he faced Naruto's relentless assault.

"No matter how strong your new technique is, or which element it uses, Naruto-kun... the Yata Mirror of Susanoo can neutralize it all," he mused, watching the Rasenshuriken gradually carve a path along Orochimaru's blade.

The spiraling white blades of the Rasenshuriken started to pierce through Susanoo's shield. The opening widened steadily until it finally breached Susanoo's defense entirely.

"There's nothing the Rasenshuriken can't cut through," Naruto mused, shutting his right eye. He was either concentrating fiercely or struggling to hold onto the last remnants of his chakra.

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