Chapter 17

There's a saying that half-time celebrations can lead to bad luck.

True to form.

Just as Orochimaru was preparing to settle his final grievance, Hiruzen, entangled by trees, gritted his teeth and slapped the tree.

"Ninja Art: Summoning Jutsu!"

"Come forth! Monkey King!"

Boom! A massive cloud of white smoke rose.

Hiruzen's old battle companion, Enma, a robust figure with an indestructible body, appeared beside him.

Seeing this, Orochimaru's face darkened slightly: "A troublesome guy has shown up."

At the same time, Enma looked over and coldly said:

"Orochimaru!"

"It is as expected."

Enma turned to look at his old comrade, tightly bound and unable to move.

"What a pity, Hiruzen. It's all because you didn't kill him back then."

A long time ago, Enma had warned Hiruzen that his talented disciple Orochimaru had sinister intentions.

Hiruzen didn't listen.

Later, when Orochimaru's human experiments were exposed, Hiruzen personally led a team to capture him. Enma advised him not to show mercy.

In the end, Hiruzen let Orochimaru escape.

The seeds sown yesterday have grown into today's fruits.

Seeing the scene before him after being summoned again, Enma could only sigh.

Hiruzen, now more determined than ever, said:

"This time, I will completely resolve him."

"Is that so? It's already too late."

Despite saying this, Enma transformed into the Adamantine Staff at Hiruzen's request.

"Stop him!"

Orochimaru ordered, his face changing.

But it was too late.

Effortlessly, Enma knocked away the two Senju with a "bang" and transformed into the Adamantine Staff.

With a sweeping motion, the staff quickly severed the trees binding Hiruzen.

"Excellent!"

Freed, Hiruzen skillfully wielded the extendable staff, using the Body Flicker Technique to charge straight at Orochimaru.

"Interesting."

Seeing this, Orochimaru pulled out the Kusanagi Sword from his mouth and met Hiruzen head-on.

Once again, the master and disciple clashed.

One had to admit, experience does come with age.

The combination of Hiruzen and Enma was giving Orochimaru a hard time.

Following orders, the three others joined the fray.

Hiruzen's eyes flashed, and he deliberately got injured to secretly attach explosive tags to the three.

However, the result was not as expected.

Boom! Boom! Boom! The exploding tags sent the three others flying, but their bodies quickly reassembled with the sound of rustling paper.

In an instant, their injuries were completely healed.

"If this continues, I'll be worn out."

Seeing this outcome, Hiruzen's eyes drooped as he made his final decision: "Indeed, I must find a way to deal with the souls bound by the Impure World Reincarnation, or this is meaningless."

"If that's the case, I can only use the Fourth Hokage's technique."

Hiruzen clasped his hands together, his gaze resolute.

Boom! Boom! Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, the battle at the Kage level reached its climax.

Outside the barrier, the battle in the village of Konoha also intensified.

"Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen."

"I'm already at twenty."

"As expected of my eternal rival, Kakashi! I must keep up! Eighteen, nineteen."

At the Chunin Exam venue, after sending Naruto and others on a long-awaited S-rank mission, the elite Jonin, Kakashi and Guy, stayed behind, fighting the invading Sand and Sound ninja to protect the unconscious spectators.

Of course, they had another purpose.

The moment the Four Violet Flames Formation was broken, they would immediately join the fight alongside the Third Hokage.

"Orochimaru."

Kakashi kicked a Sand ninja away and glanced at the barrier.

With his Sharingan's extraordinary insight, he could vaguely see inside. Though his expression remained unchanged, he was extremely anxious.

"The Third Hokage is old; continuing this fight will only become more dangerous for him."

"Especially since his enemies are not just Orochimaru."

"That's... the First Hokage and the Second Hokage!"

"Who is the third person? To be summoned along with the First and Second Hokage, they must not be underestimated."

"Has the barrier not been broken yet?"

Kakashi shook his head, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Inside the barrier, another unexpected event occurred.

Just as Hiruzen was about to act, Orochimaru suddenly transformed into a snake, nearly blinding him.

Realizing his disciple had completed the ghastly and evil Living Corpse Reincarnation technique, Hiruzen's resolve strengthened.

"Orochimaru! I will bury you completely to atone for my past mistakes."

Orochimaru, now wearing his original face, chuckled hoarsely: "It's too late."

Hiruzen took a final deep look at Orochimaru and formed hand seals: "Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Boom! Boom! Boom! Three shadow clones appeared around him.

"Why use shadow clones? This will only disperse your limited chakra." An observing Anbu ninja was puzzled.

Orochimaru laughed: "It seems you've truly aged, sensei, rushing to end your own life."

Only Gensou, silently watching, and Enma, familiar with Hiruzen, knew what was about to happen.

"Hiruzen, you..."

Enma, in his staff form, spoke with shock and sorrow.

Seeing the hand seals his old friend was forming, Enma knew what they meant.

Rat-Ox-Monkey-Rabbit-Boar-Horse-Tiger.

Hiruzen clasped his hands together.

A spectral image of the Death God, visible only to the caster, appeared behind Hiruzen.

Unaware of what technique Hiruzen was about to perform, Orochimaru, confident of his victory, said: "It's too late no matter what you do. I've won, and Konoha will fall!"

"Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness Technique!"

As Orochimaru's words fell, Tobirama acted decisively.

Hiruzen's vision went black.

In the next second.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Attacks from Hashirama and Gensou struck him like a tide.

Hiruzen endured the pain, defending as best he could while responding to Orochimaru's taunts about Konoha and the Hokage.

Finally!

In the last moment of his life, Hiruzen, who had preached the Will of Fire countless times, welcomed the arrival of the Death God.

Everything was ready.

Hiruzen did not hesitate any longer.

"I am the man who inherited the will of the First and Second Hokage. I am the Third Hokage of Konoha! No matter how you covet Konoha, Orochimaru, I and the new Hokage who inherits my will, will continue to protect this village."

"Right, Fourth Hokage?"

With this thought in mind, Hiruzen formed the final seal.

"Orochimaru, next, I will show you Konoha's secret technique you've never seen before."

"Face your end."

"Sealing Technique: Reaper Death Seal!"

(End of Chapter)