Naruto: The Tale of an Otsutsuki

"Sigh~"

Kabuto, unable to move as the vines tightened around his limbs, summoned a white snake from his abdomen to bite through the restraints.

However, the vines were extraordinarily tough. No matter how much the white snake bit, it only left shallow scratches without causing any real damage.

"Damn it, these vines are absorbing my chakra to keep growing. The longer this goes on, the harder it will be to escape."

Kabuto's expression darkened as he saw the vines continuing to grow, relentlessly binding him.

"Hiss!" The vines seemed to sense the presence of the white snake, stretching out tendrils to wrap around it. The snake twisted and struggled in vain.

"I was planning to save some chakra for my escape, but I have no choice now."

Under normal circumstances, Kabuto would have already used a technique to escape, but the vines' constant draining of chakra made any ninjutsu far more costly.

"Sage Art: Liquefaction Technique!"

Drawing upon the powers he had obtained from Suigetsu, Kabuto's body liquefied into a fluid, enabling him to momentarily escape the vines' grasp.

The vines, sensing the change, tightened further, trying to suppress the escaping liquid.

Shua! Kabuto's body scattered into dozens of small, venomous snakes that slithered out through the gaps in the vines. Although the vines managed to entangle some of the snakes, most of them escaped.

The serpents regrouped a short distance away, reforming into Kabuto's original body.

Krrkkk— The vines, having lost their chakra supply, began to wither and decay, crumbling into dry fragments.

"I didn't expect this to drain so much chakra. I need to get to Ryuchi Cave—it's the safest place for now."

Already weakened from the vines' chakra absorption, the additional cost of the Liquefaction Technique had pushed Kabuto's reserves to the brink, even in Sage Mode.

He formed another seal. "Summoning—"

Before he could complete the technique, a black shadow flashed in front of him. Kabuto's superior perception allowed him to liquefy his body at the last second, but it was too late.

Bam! Kirito's kick shattered Kabuto's upper body like a water balloon. Without hesitation, Kirito spun around and obliterated Kabuto's lower body with a follow-up strike.

"Hiss~" The liquid remnants splattered across the ground and transformed into tiny white snakes that fled in all directions.

Zzzzzt! Understanding Kabuto's plan, Kirito formed a golden lightning spear in his hand and hurled it toward the escaping snakes.

Boom! A massive explosion engulfed the area, reducing the snakes to ash. The Liquefaction Technique, which protected against physical damage, proved useless against the high-energy blast.

"Wait!" Kabuto emerged from a small puddle of surviving liquid, reforming his body.

"Your goal is to cancel the Edo Tensei, right? You can't kill me. Without my release, the Edo Tensei will continue forever—even if I die."

Kabuto quickly repaired his damaged body as he spoke, using the regenerative abilities he had stolen from Orochimaru. Unless his vital core was destroyed, Kabuto could recover endlessly.

He smirked smugly. "You can't kill me, and I can keep recovering. It's only a matter of time before I figure out your weaknesses."

Kirito paused momentarily, making Kabuto's confidence swell.

"But I must say, I never expected you to defeat Uchiha Madara." Kabuto adjusted his glasses, his smug expression returning.

"You know, he was my perfect masterpiece. He truly possessed the Rinnegan and the power of the legendary Sage of the Six Paths. Even weakened by the Edo Tensei, he's far beyond what any ninja should be capable of defeating."

Kabuto's eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Does this mean the power of the Sage has limits? Or is there something special about you? Perhaps I should study you—discover the secret behind how you defeated Madara. After all, it seems Orochimaru's greatest mistake was ignoring your existence."

By now, Kabuto had fully restored his body. Feeling emboldened by Kirito's silence, he pushed further.

"Can I ask how you gained such power? There's no precedent for someone like you in the Hyuga clan. Is it the Byakugan? Or perhaps your physique? What is it that makes you so strong?"

Kirito remained silent, his expression unreadable.

"Are you finished?" Kirito finally asked, his voice calm.

Kabuto's smile faltered, but he quickly recovered. **"You've already thought of a countermeasure, haven't you? Well, I won't just sit here and wait. Sage Art: Inorganic Reincarnation!"

Kabuto knew that Kirito wouldn't let him leave but also couldn't kill him outright. Deciding to stand his ground, Kabuto prepared to fight back.

The ground rumbled violently as countless stone spears erupted from the earth, transforming the once-flat terrain into a jagged forest of stone. Several sharp spikes shot upward, impaling Kirito's figure.

Crack! Crack!

Kabuto's triumphant smirk vanished as Kirito's impaled form began to shimmer and crack, turning translucent.

Like melting ice, Kirito's body disintegrated into shards of crystal, which dissolved into frost before vanishing entirely into the air.

Kabuto's face went pale.

"What…?"

(End of Chapter)