Chapter 374: The Demon's Unique Skill! (Two in One)

The kunai thrown by Namikaze Minato began to descend slowly. Under the influence of gravity, its speed increased, accelerating until it transformed into a streak of light, falling vertically.

"This feeling… is it Sage Art?!"

Although Senju Hashirama, who was guarding Orochimaru, had no control over his body, his perception remained intact. He seemed to sense something, his brows rising slightly as a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

However, Hashirama did not voice a warning to Tobirama and Orochimaru. During the brief clash between Senju Tobirama and Namikaze Minato, he had already caught sight of the red embroidery on the back of Minato's white Hokage robe. The five large characters spelling "Fifth Hokage" allowed Hashirama to immediately identify him.

Knowing that Minato was the Fifth Hokage, how could Hashirama warn Orochimaru at such a moment?

Directly beneath the streaking kunai, Senju Tobirama narrowed his eyes slightly. He casually flicked his kunai into the distance as a precautionary retreat, while his hands rapidly formed seals. Though he did not know what attack Minato was planning, he had no intention of dodging—or rather, Orochimaru had no intention of letting Tobirama dodge.

At that moment, the sky began to flicker with countless glowing specks.

Orochimaru focused his gaze and realized that the lights were not stars but specially crafted kunai of an unusual shape. In the blink of an eye, one streak of light had multiplied, covering the entire sky.

Even the area where Orochimaru and Senju Hashirama stood was now engulfed by the glowing kunai, covering an expanse of hundreds of square meters. Moreover, their descent suddenly accelerated, leaving Orochimaru with no time to weave hand seals for a defense.

"Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique? But with such an enormous range, even the old man couldn't achieve this!"

"How did this guy do it?!"

Orochimaru hadn't realized that a bead of cold sweat had slid down his forehead. Shocked, he quickly manipulated Senju Hashirama. Under Orochimaru's control, Hashirama pressed his hands together, causing thick wooden pillars to rise from the ground, forming a barrier around them.

But one layer of defense was not enough. Orochimaru, recognizing the ferocity of Minato's attack, immediately thickened the wooden fortress.

The wooden defenses had barely taken shape when the kunai rained down. Each falling kunai struck with the force of a meteorite, causing loud, continuous explosions that echoed across the battlefield. The sound was nothing like kunai piercing wood—it was as if a torrential bombardment was underway.

On the other side, Senju Tobirama was caught directly in the kunai downpour. His body began to disintegrate under the relentless barrage.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The explosions continued for nearly two minutes. No one could count how many kunai had fallen in such a short time.

As the sound finally died down, Senju Hashirama deactivated his Wood Release jutsu, and the wooden barrier surrounding him and Orochimaru began to crack apart. Orochimaru scanned the battlefield, and his heart sank.

"This power… is unbelievable."

Orochimaru and Hashirama were now standing on a stone pillar, only three or four square meters in size—the precise area protected by Hashirama's Wood Release. Everywhere else, the ground had been completely altered. The battlefield, spanning hundreds of square meters, had sunk five or six meters deep.

Orochimaru knew this was the aftermath of Namikaze Minato's attack. The entire landscape had been reshaped. The once-thriving vegetation had vanished, leaving only barren, muddy terrain, and the battlefield was now littered with Flying Thunder God kunai.

"Hah!"

As Orochimaru assessed the situation, a sudden presence surged into his perception. A figure in white had silently appeared behind him, kunai poised to strike at his back.

The attack was swift. Orochimaru barely had time to shift, avoiding a fatal wound—but the kunai still stabbed into his body. The pain made him grit his teeth as he twisted to look behind him. At the same time, Senju Hashirama extended a wooden hand, attempting to grab Minato, but only grasped empty air.

Before Orochimaru could react, Minato reappeared in front of him. The kunai in his hand showed no hesitation as it slashed toward Orochimaru's throat.

The two deadly attacks occurred almost simultaneously. Orochimaru, realizing Hashirama's strike had failed, attempted to turn again—but it was too late.

Shlick!

In the stillness of the battlefield, the soft sound seemed deafening. Under the moonlight, Minato's strike landed true. Orochimaru's severed head separated from his body, and fresh blood gushed from the wound. Yet, despite having delivered the fatal blow, not a single drop of blood stained Minato. He remained as composed as he had been at the start of the battle.

"It's over."

Standing beside Orochimaru's body, Namikaze Minato let out a quiet sigh. A single drop of blood dripped from his kunai, and the orange markings around his eyes began to fade.

Yet something was off. The Edo Tensei-revived bodies of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama did not disappear. Even Tobirama, whose body had disintegrated in the kunai storm, was now reforming, his figure solidifying within seconds.

Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama, now free from Orochimaru's control, remained still, their eyes fixed on Minato.

"That was an impressive attack, Fifth Hokage. What do you call that technique?"

Though Tobirama couldn't move, he could still speak. Instead of continuing the fight, he gazed at Minato with curiosity.

"Sage Art: Spiral Flash Super Wheel Dance Roar—Third Form!"

Minato's answer left Hashirama and Tobirama bewildered. That over-the-top name—did this Fifth Hokage really come up with it himself? Hashirama, who had once held high hopes for Konoha's future, suddenly began to question his judgment.

Shaking his head, Hashirama remarked, "I didn't expect a later generation of Konoha to still produce such outstanding talents capable of mastering Sage Mode."

"Fifth Hokage, you have done well. With you, Konoha will only grow stronger."

Hashirama didn't hesitate to praise Minato. Though his naming sense was questionable, his power was undeniable. Defeating Orochimaru while under attack from both Hashirama and Tobirama was no small feat.

"The Edo Tensei hasn't been undone even after Orochimaru's death. Lord Tobirama, how do we break this technique?"

Minato ignored the praise, turning to Tobirama with a grave expression. A vague sense of unease crept over him, though he couldn't pinpoint the reason. He only wanted to resolve this as quickly as possible and return Hashirama and Tobirama to their rightful rest.

"There are two ways to dispel Edo Tensei. The first is for the caster to release the technique."

"But that seems impossible now."

"The second method is sealing. Our bodies can be sealed away with standard techniques, but to truly stop Edo Tensei, our souls must be sealed as well. That is the only way to end it permanently."

Tobirama's voice was calm and matter-of-fact, showing no fear or hesitation regarding his own fate.

"Soul sealing…?"

Minato murmured, his gaze turning complex as he looked at the two legendary Hokage.

Did souls truly exist? If they could be sealed, did that mean reincarnation was real? Would sealing Hashirama and Tobirama's souls affect their next life?

Minato hesitated. His innate kindness made him reluctant to proceed.

"Fifth Hokage, both of us are already dead. When a person dies, there is nothing left. You don't need to carry this burden."

"I'm glad to have met you."

Senju Tobirama sensed Minato's hesitation and, understanding his thoughts, offered him reassurance.

On the other hand, Senju Hashirama, who had remained silent, fixed his burning gaze on the headless corpse lying beside Minato.

"Fi—"

Hashirama had just begun to speak when he suddenly lost control of his body once again. This time, he couldn't even utter a single word.

Minato, sensing that Hashirama had something to say, turned toward him. Seeing the sudden silence, Minato frowned in confusion. But in the next moment, he too seemed to notice something—and in an instant, he vanished from his spot.

The moment Minato moved, the headless corpse of Orochimaru, which had been lying at his feet, violently exploded. Countless small white snakes burst forth from the remains, and as the body detonated, the Sealed Book dropped to the ground.

The white serpents rapidly gathered together, their form swelling and morphing into a humanoid shape. Minato stared at the unexpected spectacle in disbelief.

At the same time, the reanimated forms of Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama moved swiftly, stepping between Minato and the place where the serpents were congregating.

Within a few breaths, the writhing white snakes fully merged—and suddenly, standing there once again was Orochimaru.

"Minato, you are truly strong. That fool Jiraiya was fortunate to have a disciple like you."

"But what surprises me most… is that you've mastered the power of Sage Mode. How did you do it?"

The newly revived Orochimaru flexed his neck with his right hand, his bones cracking as he adjusted to his body. His tone carried genuine curiosity.

What had just happened left Minato stunned. This was the first time he had ever witnessed someone surviving after being decapitated. He had never heard of such a technique—nor seen anything remotely similar.

And judging by how Orochimaru had regenerated, this was clearly neither a body-substitution technique nor a simple clone escape.

After all, the severed head Minato had cut off was still there, fresh blood trickling from the wound.

The Orochimaru before him had unquestionably been reborn using a method Minato did not understand.

And this realization immediately put him on high alert. He had never faced an opponent as troublesome as this.

"Since you don't want to explain, so be it."

"It's getting late. Let's end it here for today—I'll return, Konoha."

"Heh… Hohohoho!"

Orochimaru bent down, picked up the Sealed Book, slung it over his shoulder, and glanced up at the moonlight with a smile. Then, his body began to sink into the ground as he attempted to leave.

"Leave the Sealed Book!"

Minato, realizing that Orochimaru was trying to escape, swiftly hurled a kunai. At the same time, a Rasengan began forming in his right hand as he lunged forward.

However, in mid-air, Minato's kunai was intercepted—deflected by another kunai fired from Tobirama. Without a teleportation marker to use the Flying Thunder God Technique, Minato had no choice but to rely on sheer speed, clashing head-on with Hashirama's advancing Wood Release.

"Hehehehe…"

Orochimaru chuckled as he watched Minato struggle against Senju Tobirama and Senju Hashirama. Stroking the Sealed Book in his grasp, his smile widened.

BOOM!!!

At that moment, a deafening explosion resounded in the sky. The next second, a streak of purple lightning tore through the night, illuminating the battlefield. Despite the clear sky and the moon shining brightly, a sudden bolt of thunder had descended without warning.

The lightning struck the ground near Orochimaru, severing the strap that bound the Sealed Book to him. The book tumbled to the ground.

This abrupt turn of events made Orochimaru frown. As he instinctively reached to retrieve the Sealed Book, an overwhelming chill surged through his spine—an invisible force pressing against his scalp and back.

Orochimaru knew that if he dared to pick up the Sealed Book, he would be struck down instantly.

A killing intent—unlike anything he had ever felt before—had locked onto him.

Though Orochimaru had encountered countless dangerous foes, he knew that only one person in Konoha possessed such a terrifying presence.

"It's been too long… Does he already know?"

"My dear junior… Raiden!"

Orochimaru slowly withdrew his hand, lifting his gaze toward the sky. Then, without hesitation, he sank into the ground and vanished.

With Orochimaru gone, Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama also ceased their attacks. They distanced themselves from Minato and turned their eyes to the sky.

"Is that him?" Tobirama murmured, his tone carrying subtle intrigue.

"Yes. And now… I can feel it more clearly—his power has far surpassed what I once foresaw."

Hashirama nodded, exchanging glances with his brother.

Both brothers smiled.

Then, as if their purpose had been fulfilled, they vanished into the air—dissolving into white mist.

Minato, watching as Orochimaru and the others disappeared, exhaled softly. He walked over to the Sealed Book, picked it up, and carefully inspected it before letting out a breath of relief.

Then, his expression shifted to exasperation.

"You're finally here? If you were watching all along, why didn't you step in sooner?"

The woods were silent. The cool night breeze stirred the dust in the air.

At some point, a figure had appeared beside Minato.

Bathed in the moonlight, his bright red hair stood out vividly.

"I figured you've been sitting in your office for too long. Thought you could use the exercise, so I let you handle it."

Raiden stood there in black pajamas, smiling lazily.

"If the Sealed Book wasn't in danger of being taken, I bet you would've just continued watching, wouldn't you?"

Minato narrowed his eyes at Raiden, his tone carrying a trace of resentment.

"This was Grandma Mito's keepsake. I wasn't about to let it be lost."

Raiden lightly brushed his fingers over the aged leather cover of the Sealed Book, his gaze momentarily distant—filled with nostalgia.

Minato didn't respond.

The moonlight stretched on, silently bridging the distance between past and present.

Minato knew that Uzumaki Raiden had very few people left in this world who could be considered family.

And the one he cherished most… was already gone.

(End of Chapter)