"Roar!"
The five giants bellowed, their thunderous voices echoing through the underground chamber as they charged toward Gamabunta, Gamaken, Gamahiro, and Minato with reckless fury. Their massive forms seemed unstoppable, like forces of nature hurtling forward to crush everything in their path.
"What's with all the yelling?" Gamabunta grumbled, gripping his short sword tightly. "I'll slice you into eight pieces!"
Without further delay, he swung his sword with a mighty sweep, aiming at one of the giants. His movements were precise, displaying the power and skill of a warrior who'd seen countless battles.
Gamahiro, ever loyal and steady, muttered his peculiar motto under his breath, "Even though I'm clumsy, I should be able to help!" While Gamaken focused silently, the three toads engaged the giants in a colossal brawl, their massive bodies clashing in a chaotic melee. Despite their size, the giants formed solely from the dragon vein's energy were no match for the seasoned warriors of Mt. Myoboku.
Meanwhile, two other giants shifted their attention to Minato, swinging their massive fists from both sides. Minato moved swiftly, his speed blurring his form as he evaded the attacks. But he kept his movements tight, restricted by the need to ensure the civilians were fully evacuated.
"Faster!" Minato called out urgently, dodging a heavy blow and glancing toward Sara and the civilians.
Kushina and Naruto had already emerged from the underground, and Naruto quickly scanned the area, seeing that nearly seventy or eighty percent of the civilians had escaped. Without hesitation, he dropped to the ground, crossing his legs as he focused, his expression intense.
At the same time, Naruto's clones underground were gathering chakra, their hands working in unison as they prepared a powerful technique.
"Senjutsu: Super Odama Rasengan Barrage!"
A deafening series of explosions followed as dozens, if not hundreds, of super-large Rasengan detonated, tearing through the ground. The sheer force shattered the earth in a radius of dozens of meters, scattering debris and opening a path upward.
With that, the remaining civilians were lifted from the ground by Naruto and Kushina's clones, propelled to safety. As each person touched down safely on the surface, the shadow clones vanished in a succession of soft puffs of smoke.
"Follow me!" Naruto commanded, urgency in his voice. He glanced at the throngs of civilians gathered around him. He had to lead them to safety immediately—any delay would restrict his allies' movements in the ongoing battle.
Kushina placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder, her gaze steady. "We're counting on you to get them to safety, Naruto. That's your responsibility right now, more important than any fight Minato or I could have."
Naruto's gaze faltered momentarily, then he nodded, determination flashing in his eyes. "I won't let you down."
Kushina gave him a reassuring smile, her voice filled with pride. "Good. Now, go."
Without another word, Naruto turned and led the civilians away, his figure steady and resolute as he guided them to safety.
Meanwhile, Kushina sprinted toward Minato's side, her movements swift and graceful. She arrived just as the two remaining giants launched another attack, their massive fists crashing down only to miss Minato by a hair.
"Leave this to me," Minato urged, glancing at Kushina. "Naruto needs you with him to protect Rōran's civilians."
Kushina shook her head, her gaze fierce. "I've entrusted that responsibility to Naruto. I believe in him, Minato. Besides…" She looked up at the towering giants with a determined glint in her eyes. "I'm not going to let you two steal all the spotlight. I haven't had much action since we arrived in Rōran."
Minato looked momentarily surprised, but before he could respond, Kushina had already moved. She charged forward, her gaze locked on one of the giants.
Swish!
As the giant's massive fist swung toward her, Kushina formed hand seals, and from behind her, a series of golden chains shot forth, gleaming in the dim light.
"Adamantine Sealing Chains!"
The chains met the giant's fist with a powerful clash, then snaked up its colossal form, wrapping tightly around it. Within seconds, the giant was immobilized, its movements halted as Kushina's chains bound it like an unyielding cocoon.
Minato watched in astonishment, murmuring to himself, "Kushina… since when?"
This was a unique ability passed down through the Uzumaki clan, one Minato knew well. But before arriving in Rōran, he hadn't realized that Kushina had unlocked its full potential.
Kushina looked back, winking at Minato with a playful grin. "Two months ago," she replied with pride. "Pretty impressive, huh?"
Minato nodded, marveling at the skill and control she wielded over the chains. He knew these chains had the rare ability to suppress and restrain even the Tailed Beasts, making them one of the most formidable sealing techniques.
As if to punctuate her achievement, Kushina let out a proud laugh, just as the second giant lunged at her. She wasted no time, forming another seal as more chains extended from her back, binding the giant just as tightly as the first.
"Shhh!"
The two giants struggled, their dark purple energy pulsing as the dragon vein's power poured into them, but it was futile. The chains restrained them with ease, and they couldn't break free no matter how hard they tried.
"Remarkable!" Gamabunta and his comrades, busy fighting their own foes, couldn't help but glance at Kushina in awe. Her strength and skill had taken them all by surprise.
Minato, taking advantage of the moment, assessed the situation. "It looks like five giants are the most he can control at once. The dragon vein's power may be immense, but even it has limits."
From his hiding spot, Mukade watched, frustration contorting his face as he realized the extent of Kushina's abilities. "The Uzumaki clan… nothing but trouble," he muttered under his breath. He had already struggled to keep up with Minato's agility and strategic acumen, but with both Kushina and Naruto joining the fray, his advantage was quickly slipping away.
Despite his dilemma, Mukade knew he couldn't abandon Rōran. There was too much at stake, and he was too close to achieving his goals. And besides, those marked by Konoha's Yellow Flash rarely escaped unscathed.
"Buzz!"
Another dark purple light flared at the top of the building, forming massive beams of energy that descended like lightning bolts, striking the ground around them. Mukade's presence was more tangible than ever, and Minato smiled faintly.
"Finally," he muttered. "He's here."
With a flick of his wrist, he channeled lightning chakra into his three-pronged kunai and hurled it with precision toward the focal point of the energy. Swish! In an instant, Minato vanished, reappearing where the kunai had landed.
He placed a hand on one of the energy beams, channeling his Senjutsu chakra directly into it. The atmosphere shifted as natural energy surged outward, spreading rapidly in all directions.
From the shadows, Mukade felt a sudden, unsettling presence as though a pair of invisible eyes had locked onto him. He froze, realization dawning in his mind.
"He's using Sage Mode for reverse perception!" Mukade gasped, dread seeping into his voice.
A spark of triumph flickered in Minato's eyes as he pinpointed Mukade's location. His gaze cut through the buildings, locking onto the structure that concealed his target.
"There you are," he whispered, his focus unshakable.
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