"This transformation... it must be some kind of secret technique or even a Kekkei Genkai.
At its core, it's still based on chakra..." Gamabunta narrowed his eyes at the incoming flurry of paper, then opened his foul-smelling maw.
"Toad Oil Bullet!"
Thick, yellow-green oil gushed from Gamabunta's mouth, surging forward with immense force.
The dense liquid trapped Konan's paper in place, while the natural energy within it disrupted the chakra imbuing the sheets, rendering them useless.
"Die!"
As Gamabunta unleashed another torrent of oil, Konan's paper storm was quickly overwhelmed. The high-density liquid was proving to be a natural counter to her abilities.
Gamabunta inhaled deeply, ready to expel the last of his stored oil in a relentless assault.
"Your technique is impressive, but unfortunately, my toad oil completely suppresses it! Once I've immobilized your form, a single slash will end this battle!"
He narrowed his mouth, concentrating the oil into a more precise, high-pressure stream, turning it into a deadly liquid blade aimed straight at Konan.
"This is bad..." Minato muttered, his expression tense. Konan has the advantage of flight, but her speed isn't fast enough to dodge this.
Suddenly, Obito leaped back, and his Explosive Blade flared with chakra, retracting the papers connecting him to Konan at lightning speed.
The instant shift yanked Konan out of harm's way, narrowly avoiding Gamabunta's attack.
Seeing this, Fūma couldn't help but clap.
Konan's current power was nowhere near the level she would one day achieve with her "Dance of the Shikigami", which could generate an ocean of explosive tags.
However, by using Obito's Explosive Blade, she could still unleash a formidable display.
More importantly, Konan's current form was directly linked to Obito's chakra. Since she was being powered through his sword, Obito could control its movements to assist her.
This allowed him to intervene and reposition Konan if necessary—essentially making him the true core of their battle strategy.
In the original timeline, Konan's paper techniques were immediately countered by Jiraiya's "Toad Oil Bullet". But now, with Obito's support, she was already far surpassing her past self.
"Tch... sneaky little human brat. This technique is troublesome."
Gamabunta stomped the ground in frustration, his eyes narrowing as he studied the reformed paper angel floating above. He forced himself to remain calm.
"My chakra reserves are still sufficient—I can keep using my oil. But if this drags on, I'll be in trouble. Those paper bombs hit like real explosive tags…"
Ignoring the pain from his scorched and battered body, Gamabunta shifted his focus to Obito.
At this point, he realized—despite Konan being the main attacker, Obito was the key to breaking through this deadlock. Obito, outwardly composed, was actually drenched in sweat beneath his cloak.
For a boy just over ten years old, sustaining the Explosive Blade while fueling Konan's techniques was an immense burden.
The battlefield fell silent, with both sides locked in an intense stare-down. Each waited for the other to make the first move.
Gamabunta held back, unwilling to act recklessly. If he let Konan gather more explosive tags, he might lose his ability to fight entirely.
Meanwhile, Konan and Obito hesitated as well. Gamabunta's oil was a direct counter to her paper techniques, and their chakra reserves weren't limitless—they couldn't afford wasteful attacks.
The standstill continued.
Jiraiya watched the confrontation unfold, muttering in awe, "So this… this is what true genius looks like."
Yet deep inside, a terrifying thought crept into his mind. Could it be that the Child of Prophecy… is an Uchiha genius?!
"No! Impossible!"
Jiraiya violently shook his head, rejecting the idea. The Great Toad Sage prophesied that my disciple, or someone I influenced, would be the Child of Prophecy!
Nearby, Kakashi, Asuma, and the other young ninjas could only stand in stunned silence.
As students of the Ninja Academy, they were already considered elites—capable of taking on weaker Chūnin squads with proper preparation. That alone made them prodigies.
But what they were witnessing now was on an entirely different level.
This wasn't just a fight against a high-ranking opponent—this was a battle against one of the Three Great Summons.
Gamabunta was no ordinary summon. He was a colossus, nearly a hundred meters tall!
Kakashi clenched his grip on the White Fang, his muscles trembling slightly. His mind raced.
'Can swordsmanship alone stand against such an enemy? Father… how did you fight against Tailed Beasts on the battlefield?'
Determined, he resolved to seek out Sakumo today and find clarity on his path forward.
Meanwhile, Rin looked between Kakashi and Asuma, noticing their tense expressions. These two had strong strategic instincts, and it was clear they were shaken.
Then, she turned back to Obito.
A flicker of admiration gleamed in her eyes, "He's so strong… Obito-kun..."
.....
Obito locked onto Gamabunta's sword, his Sharingan spinning as he focused every ounce of his attention.
"Konan, I have enough chakra for one more combined attack. If we use it right, we can finish this!"
He pointed the Explosive Blade directly at Gamabunta's forehead, feigning an aggressive stance while secretly signaling to Konan.
"If this doesn't work… I'll detonate this sword. That should be enough to kill this monster."
Konan, hovering behind him, frowned slightly at his words, "That's too dangerous! The explosion could consume you as well!"
Obito smirked. "Chief Fūma didn't give me this blade just to admire it—he gave it to me so I could cut down Uchiha's enemies!"
"Eh?! What are you talking about—?"
Before Konan could react, she suddenly felt something strange against Obito's back.
A crawling sensation.
Bugs!!
Obito stiffened.
But before he could panic, he realized—these insects weren't attacking him. They were moving in an orderly fashion… spelling out words on his back.
"If you need help, press your palms together."
Obito blinked, then let out a small chuckle. Without hesitation, he clasped his hands together in an exaggerated stance, shouting dramatically:
"Secret Technique—!"
Before he could finish, Gamabunta suddenly collapsed, coughing up fountains of thick, purple-black blood. His massive body trembled, and his breaths became ragged.
"Y-You… damn… cowardly…!"
The mighty toad clutched his chest as if a thousand unseen fangs were ripping into his heart.
Jiraiya rushed forward in a panic. "Gamabunta! What happened?!"
Obito took a cautious step back, scanning the surroundings. His gaze swept the battlefield… searching for one person.
High above, perched on the fortress walls, Shikuro Aburame—clad in dark robes—quietly severed his connection with his nano-poison insects. Without a word, he turned and walked away.
Pouring himself a fresh cup of tea, he settled into his work.