Sora dispatched the sed special Jōnin with precision, leaving only Oyuro standing.

  Oyuro watched in horror as his subordinate fell, a bde pierg his neck before colpsing lifelessly to the ground. His entire body trembled with rage.

  Lightning crackled across Sora's body, sparking with iy as he prepared his move.

  "Thunder Breath: Third Form - Gathering Mosquitoes into Thunder!"

  Sora began spinning around Oyuro at high speed, leaving trails of lightning rippling through the air in his wake. The charged energy danced along his trajectory, drawn toward Oyuro's body like moths to a fme, b him relentlessly.

  Yet, to Sora's annoyahe lightning seemed to have little effe Oyuro.

  Fueled by anger, Oyuro's focus sharpened. His eyes tracked Sora's blinding speed, gradually adapting to the movement and dising the faint afterimages left in Sora's wake.

  "I've got you now! Crest Moon Ssh - Yunliu Mikazuki Zan!" Oyuro roared.

  Anticipating Sora's move, Oyuro swung his ninja sword with precision, unleashing a rge, crest-shaped arc of energy.

  The sword struck its target with a satisfying impact. For a moment, Oyuro believed he had hit Sora—until he realized it was Qianyu's bde that had met his own.

  At st, Sora appeared clearly in Oyuro's line of sight, his face betraying a mog smile.

  Before Oyuro could react, his footing faltered. He looked down to see the grouh him transform into a sticky, inescapable s.

  "Earth Style: S of the Underworld!"

  Sora's voice dripped with dession as he spoke. "That was just a feint, and you fell for it. I even slowed down on purpose so you could keep up. Idiot. It's over!"

  "Thunder Breath: Land Form - Electri and Thunder Roar!"

  In an instant, Sora became the epitre of a storm, releasing tless sshes of lightning in all dires. The electrified attacks struck with surgical precision.

  Oyuro, trapped in the s, had no ce to escape. His body was bombarded by the relentless storm of lightning sshes, eae leaving a deep, charred wound across his flesh. His screams echoed through the battlefield, mingling with the siing smell of seared flesh.

  With a crash, Oyuro's body colpsed, twitg untrolbly.

  Despite Oyuro's appare, Sora did not lower his guard. Instead, he gazed at the fallen ninja with cold determination. "Don't worry," Sora said darkly. "More of your rades from Kumogakure will be joining you soon. Your vilge is on my list."

  With one swift motion, Sora swung his sword, severing Oyuro's head from his body. Blood sprayed across Sora's face as Oyuro's head rolled to the ground, ing to a stop after a few turns.

  As Oyuro's sciousness faded, his final thoughts were of despair and sorrow, his lifeless gaze locked on Sora.

  Anenius had emerged from Konoha, and Oyuro had failed to eliminate him.

  In his final moments, Oyuro felt a heavy reluce. He knew no one could prediany Kumogakure shinobi would fall at Sora's hands iure. His vision blurred, and with a final breath, he died pletely.

  The battle was over at st.

  Sora wiped the blood from his fad exhaled deeply.

  Sora, however, staggered, nearly colpsing to the ground. The prolonged rush of bat had draihe Chakra in his body to dangerously low levels—he was now nearly spent.

  If not for his dwindling Chakra reserves, Sora wouldn't have o risk exeg a feint during the fight.

  Gng at his right hand, Sora noticed the damage. The muscles he base of his thumb had torn, and fresh blood seeped from the wound. His strength had been no match for Oyuro's, especially after Oyuro enhanced his physical power using Lightning Release Chakra to fortify his body.

  Oyuro's style, or rather the style of most Kumogakure shinobi, bore an eerie simirity to Sora's. Kumogakure ninja excelled in swordsmanship and Lightning Release, bining these skills with popur and effective ninjutsu.

  Sora's stroeique—his full-throttle Thunder Breath swordsmanship—mirrored these traits. However, while Sora's speed surpassed Oyuro's, it was not overwhelmingly superior, leaving him with little advantage in a direct frontation.

  Speed alone allowed Sora to keep Oyuro at bay, but prolonging the fight would only have worked against him. His dwindling Chakra meant he had to end the battle quickly.

  In the end, Oyuro had fallen.

  Sora retrieved a bnk scroll and sealed Oyuro's severed head ihen, he sealed away Atui's remains and the head of the first special Jōnin he had defeated earlier.

  Satisfied with his work, Sora made his way toward Uzumaki Kushina's position.

  When he arrived, he found Kushina sound asleep, leaning against the coiled body of White Snake.

  Kushina, who had been forcibly abducted by the three Kumogakure shinobi, had endured inteional and physical strain during the ordeal. Exhaustion from the attempted kidnapping and the hopelessness of being takehe border had worn her down pletely.

  The moment Sora arrived, Kushina's trust in him allowed her to rex, and sleep overtook her almost instantly.

  Sora bent dowly scooping Kushina into his arms. "Thank you, White Snake," he said softly.

  The summoned snake gave a sly smile, its eyes gleaming. "Master Sora, ime, could you let me eat something fresh?"

  Sora's eyes narrowed slightly as he replied, "I uand. I'll make sure you have something fresh soon."

  The snake's grin widened into an uling, almost humanlike expression. "Master Sora, you're so generous. I adore you! From now on, if you ask me to eat the living, I'll ouch the dead!"

  Rolling his eyes, Sora muttered, "Enough already. And what about the three ninjas?"

  The sted its swollen belly with its tail. "Don't worry, Master Sora. They're taken care of. Have I ever let you down?"

  Satisfied, Sora nodded. "Good. Return to Ryūchi Cave for now. I'll summon you again ter."

  "Of course, Master Sora. Farewell!"

  With that, the White Snake vanished in a puff of smoke, returning to Ryūchi Cave.

  Sora swallowed a soldier pill, regaining just enough Chakra to steady himself. Holding Kushina securely in his arms, he began the journey back to Konoha.

  As he moved, the geion caused Kushina to stir. Her eyes fluttered open, and she found herself gazing at Sora's face.

  Her inteare did not go unnoticed. Feeling her gaze, Snced down, surprised to see Kushina awake. "Kushina, are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked with .

  Kushina shook her head. "I'm fine," she murmured.

  "The a little longer," Sora said gently. "I'll keep things steady. I'll wake you when we're ba Konoha."

  Instead of answering, Kushina suddenly ed her arms around Sora's neck, pulling herself closer. Leaning in, she pressed a soft kiss to his cheek.

  Sora froze mid-step, his body stiffening as though bound by a paralysis jutsu.

  Before he could say anything, Kushina buried her fa his shoulder and began to sob quietly. "Sora, I was so scared," she fessed. "I thought I might never see you again. I didn't know what I'd do… Thank you, Sora. Thank you for everything."

  Sora raised a hand, brushing away the tears at the er of Kushina's eyes. A gentle smile pyed on his lips as he murmured, "Kushina, I should be the ohanking you. After I lost my parents, I was going through the motions, living without purpose. But now… everything is different. My world has you in it, and only you."

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