"You're playing with summoning jutsu, huh? I'll give it a try too!"
Li Xing mimicked hand seals, clasped his hands together, and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Summoning, Hurricane!!!"
Li Yun couldn't help but laugh, "Hahahaha, Xing'er is still so chuunibyou!"
"What do you know? This is called presence! You can't lose your presence, understand?"
Of course, Kabuto was no novice. Knowing that Li Xing was about to use a summoning jutsu, he wouldn't just sit idly by. The moment Li Xing shouted his summon, Kabuto had already launched his attack. The giant python beneath him opened its gaping maw and charged towards Li Xing, intending to devour him whole.
However, Li Xing didn't need to form hand seals to use ninjutsu. The summoning was already complete before he even began the seals. Furthermore, he wasn't summoning a living creature, but a fierce hurricane. This was a gentle breeze that Li Xing had previously collected data on, now amplified by his Heavenly Dao of Data, its power sufficient to destroy a city.
Just as the giant python was about to swallow Li Xing, a fierce gale suddenly erupted around him, rapidly forming a hurricane. The immense wind force directly tore apart the python's mouth, and in an instant, it vanished into a puff of smoke.
"Isn't this supposed to be a summoning jutsu? How can there be such a powerful ninjutsu? Fortunately, I canceled my summon in advance, otherwise, this large snake would have died here too." Kabuto was inwardly shocked. He hadn't expected Li Xing to use a super powerful ninjutsu instead of a summoning jutsu. To possess such cunning at such a young age, to first loudly declare his intention to use a summoning jutsu to trick him into controlling the giant snake to attack, and then unleash this move – he was a terrifying opponent.
Seeing that Kabuto had canceled his summon, Li Xing also dispersed the hurricane. It was better to use such environmentally destructive attacks sparingly.
Although this exchange lasted only a brief moment, the hurricane, hundreds of meters tall, was still seen by Jiraiya, Naruto, and the others who had pursued them. Tsunade also noticed the situation on this side. Both parties, worried, immediately rushed towards Li Xing's battlefield.
"Kabuto, you retreat for now!" Orochimaru, seeing Li Xing's strength, felt a pang of admiration for his talent and called off the fight.
"What? Orochimaru, you want to fight me yourself? With those broken hands of yours?" Li Xing, seeing Orochimaru step forward, spoke to him with an arrogant tone.
Orochimaru's lips curved upward, and he looked at Li Xing with what he thought was a gentle gaze. "Li Xing-kun, I believe your strength has already surpassed Tsunade's. However, there's no need for us to be enemies, is there? You don't seem to be from Konoha. Why don't you come to my side? I've established a ninja village. It would be better to be here with me than to wander with Tsunade."
"Don't look at me like that. No matter how gentle a snake's eyes are, they are still eyes for hunting. I don't want to become your prey. Moreover, we have different values. I understand respect for one's teachers. Summon your beast, or you won't have the chance later."
Having said that, Li Xing had already assumed a fighting stance. Fighting bare-handed felt a bit awkward, but it was a good opportunity to practice. Li Xing remembered that Orochimaru's summoning beast was very large, much larger than Kabuto's two giant snakes.
"Is that so? What a pity!" Orochimaru's smile vanished. He glanced at Kabuto, who understood immediately. Kabuto quickly cut his own hand, drawing blood, and formed the hand seals for Orochimaru.
"Summoning Jutsu!"
With a puff of smoke, a giant purple snake appeared before Li Xing. More importantly, this snake already had horns. Although only in its nascent form, it indicated that the snake was about to transform into a dragon.
"Hey! Orochimaru! What business do you have bothering me again this time!" Manda, upon appearing, acted extremely arrogant, as if impatient that Orochimaru had summoned it.
Orochimaru and Kabuto remained silent, their eyes fixed on Li Xing below. Manda also looked down and saw only a young boy.
"Orochimaru! You bother me for a mere brat like this! You'll have to prepare a hundred live sacrifices for me afterward!"
Li Xing almost burst out laughing upon hearing Manda speak, complete with a hiss like a gangster.
Just then, Tsunade and Jiraiya arrived. From afar, they saw Manda. Tsunade was furious that Orochimaru had summoned Manda to deal with a mere child.
"It's Li Xing! Huh? Is that Kabuto-senpai up there? Why is he on the opposite side of Li Xing?" Naruto exclaimed upon arriving at the scene, clearly confused as to why Kabuto-senpai, who had helped him so much during the Chunin Exams, was here.
"Everyone, don't come any closer! I can handle this alone. Jiraiya-sensei has been poisoned and can't gather chakra. Tsunade-shishou is still suffering from hemophobia. Shizune-nee and Naruto, protect them!"
Li Xing didn't want anyone interfering with this fight; clearly, he was enough.
"Li Xing, come back immediately! You can't handle this!" Jiraiya would never retreat. Since he was poisoned, he couldn't let a child stand in front of him.
The others felt the same way. No one listened to Li Xing and they all rushed towards him.
Li Xing sighed, "Sigh! All of you, you don't trust me, do you?"
"Summoning, Flame Net!"
Li Xing waved his hand, and a net made of flames formed in front of Jiraiya and Tsunade's group, preventing them from rushing over and interfering.
Despite all this talk, not much time had actually passed. Orochimaru's side wouldn't just stand there and let Li Xing chat. The moment Li Xing made his move, they attacked.
"Li Xing-kun, you're being too overconfident by not letting Jiraiya and Tsunade come," Orochimaru said with a sinister smile from atop Manda. He was just an inexperienced brat after all.
As Manda was about to swallow Li Xing, Li Xing instantly appeared to the side and simply threw a punch. This punch left Manda somewhat dazed.
"You bastard!! I'll eat you!"
At this point, Kabuto realized Manda had underestimated its opponent earlier, otherwise, it wouldn't have been caught off guard. He quickly warned, "Manda-sama, do not underestimate this brat. His strength is not inferior to the Legendary Sannin, and he also possesses a very powerful wind-style ninjutsu."
Li Xing shook his fist. Manda's skin was rather tough, much harder than the giant python's earlier. He hadn't managed to blow up Manda's head with a single punch. Indeed, one should never underestimate anything!
Manda attacked again, using its body's flexibility to form a Mobius strip shape, encircling Li Xing to prevent him from escaping again. It opened its mouth wide, clearly intending to swallow Li Xing along with the ground beneath him.
"Li Xing!" Naruto couldn't bear to watch this and charged through the fire net. The situation happened too quickly for Jiraiya to stop him.
Seeing Naruto charge over, Li Xing disregarded Manda and immediately controlled the flame net to form a barrier, preventing others from following. However, he was still a step too slow, and Naruto managed to rush through.
Orochimaru knew Naruto was the Jinchuriki of the Nine-Tails and, wary of the Akatsuki organization, decided it was best not to provoke the Tailed Beast for now. He glanced at Kabuto, who understood immediately and leaped out to intercept Naruto.
Meanwhile, due to his earlier maneuvers, Li Xing's clothes were accidentally torn by Manda while dodging.
"Ultimately, you are just a beast, with a single mode of attack. Besides speed and strength, you are useless. However, since you ruined my clothes, prepare to be beaten!"
Li Xing's speed instantly increased, and he unleashed punch after punch. Manda couldn't react at all. Even without any weapons, the powerful gusts of wind from Li Xing's punches carved wounds into Manda's skin.
Seeing this, Orochimaru immediately recalled a young boy during the Chunin Exams who had used taijutsu to beat the Sand Village's Jinchuriki into submission. However, Li Xing's speed and strength far surpassed that of the other boy.
"Damn it!! I will eat you someday, brat!" Manda, unable to withstand Li Xing's assault, spat out threats and nimbly vanished into a puff of smoke.
Just as Li Xing was enjoying the fight, this beast actually ran away. Li Xing's punch missed, and then he remembered that Naruto had also joined the fight. He turned to see Naruto grabbing Kabuto's hand, while the other hand delivered a Rasengan to Kabuto's abdomen, causing him to collapse unconscious.
"Kabuto! Let's go!" Seeing Manda escape, Orochimaru, unable to use ninjutsu and facing Jiraiya and Tsunade on top of it, had no way to deal with Li Xing.
Kabuto, also significantly injured, didn't hesitate. He dragged his battered body and took Orochimaru with him, disappearing in a cloud of smoke.
Seeing them flee, Li Xing didn't bother to pursue. He then dispelled the barrier, and Jiraiya and Tsunade immediately rushed over. However, upon reaching Naruto, Tsunade's hemophobia flared up again. Seeing Naruto's heart rate nearly cease, Tsunade was reminded of Dan's death.
Li Xing made no move. Although his medical ninjutsu was not inferior to Tsunade's, this was an excellent opportunity for Tsunade to overcome her hemophobia, and he couldn't let it pass.
"Shishou, don't tremble. Only you can heal Naruto here. Blood is not frightening; what is frightening is the insurmountable obstacle in your heart." Li Xing patted Tsunade's shoulder and gently took her trembling hands, guiding them toward Naruto's chest.
Tsunade understood this, of course, but her body refused to obey, trembling continuously.
At this moment, Naruto weakly raised a hand and reached for Tsunade's necklace, "Granny Tsunade, I won the bet. I will definitely become Hokage, and I will never give up. My ninja way is to keep my word."
These words deeply stirred Tsunade's soul. This blonde-haired boy, the inheritor of his beloved's dream, was right here. Suddenly, Tsunade's hands stopped trembling. She channeled chakra into her palms and immediately began to heal Naruto.
Jiraiya smiled from the side, "Tsunade, it seems you always lose your bets!"
Meanwhile, Shizune wept tears of joy, hugging Tonton and Li Xing, "Tsunade-sama has finally overcome it!"