"This is... the nature transformation of Yin Release and Yang Release?" Tobirama stared at the black rods piercing his body, analyzing rapidly.
"No, not quite. It's not entirely the nature transformation of Yin Release and Yang Release... Who exactly are these two?"
The youthful Orochimaru's cold, handsome face finally changed at this moment.
"A technique that counters Edo Tensei?!" His golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted, and his hands maintaining the hand seals slowly lowered.
He could clearly feel that the Edo Tensei summoning connection between himself and Hashirama and Tobirama was being brutally severed and interfered with by some powerful force!
Not only that, the black rods piercing the two bodies were continuously and madly eroding their Edo Tensei bodies.
The dust and debris constituting Hashirama and Tobirama's bodies were beginning to dissipate at the points pierced by the black rods!
Not the slow repair seen after being injured by Hiruzen earlier, but rather, bit by bit, they were turning into the most primitive dust particles, drifting away with the wind, unable to reconstitute!
The 'immortal body' and 'infinite Chakra' that Edo Tensei prided itself on were rapidly melting before these strange black rods, like ice under the scorching sun.
'Even Edo Tensei is countered... Could these two be Shura's enemies?' Orochimaru suddenly recalled the 'enemies from beyond the sky' Shura had once mentioned.
Hashirama, nailed to the tree, watched Orochimaru in this contemplative state, assuming Orochimaru hadn't given up on controlling them.
"It's useless, Orochimaru." Hashirama looked down at the 'dusting' area around his chest, which was constantly expanding, and revealed a resigned, bitter smile.
"This kind of power... has already touched the rules of 'creating life and death'."
"Your Edo Tensei, after all, merely toys with the souls of the dead in the crack between 'life and death'. And these things..." He glanced at the black rods piercing his body.
"They are likely based on Yin-Yang Release, possessing even stronger destructive capabilities."
"Your technique has been completely countered."
"Brother is right." Tobirama's voice came, carrying calm analysis: "The Yin Release and Yang Release contained in these black rods... this body of ours... won't last much longer."
As if to confirm Tobirama's words, the area of dusting at the point where the black rod pierced Hashirama's chest suddenly expanded!
The grayish-white area, initially only the size of a bowl, spread across his entire chest within a few seconds, rapidly extending towards his neck and limbs!
The dust and debris constituting his body peeled and drifted away in large patches, like a sandcastle scattered by a strong wind, revealing a deeper void within.
"Ah... it seems it's time to sleep again." Hashirama looked at his continuously dissipating body. Instead of fear, a relieved smile appeared on his face.
"Huh? Why did I say 'again'?" Hashirama tilted his head in momentary confusion, then looked at the youthful Orochimaru and sighed.
'With this guy around, it seemed I would have difficulty sleeping peacefully for long.'
He raised his head, his gaze casting towards Jiraiya outside the barrier, whose face was full of anxiety and tears, towards Konoha in the distance, shrouded in gunpowder smoke and the flames of war, and finally, fixed on Hiruzen, who was propped up on the Adamantine Staff, barely breathing.
"Saru..." Hashirama called out softly, his voice carrying a complex, indescribable sigh, with regret, with disappointment.
"Konoha..."
Before his voice faded, the part of his body above his chest completely turned into a sky full of dust, scattering with the wind.
"Hmph... what an ugly way to exit." Tobirama snorted coldly. The next second, his own left shoulder also began to rapidly turn to dust.
The Edo Tensei bodies crumbled.
The Edo Tensei technique also completely turned to dust, scattering with the wind, revealing the corpses of two long-dead Otogakure's Ninja inside.
These were the sacrifices Orochimaru had used for the Edo Tensei.
"It seems this technique is still not completely mature... There's still much to improve..." After the initial shock and confusion, the youthful Orochimaru stared at the corpse of Otogakure's Ninja nailed to the tree, at the black rods, his golden vertical pupils flashing madly.
"It seems the strength of the sacrifice wasn't enough. Next time, I'll try using White Zetsu..." The youthful Orochimaru chuckled softly, summarizing the experience from this encounter.
Although he hadn't even been able to fully utilize the strength of Hashirama and Tobirama, the two Hokages exiting the stage so early, the two intruding enemies had indeed brought him new surprises.
Their power...
If he could obtain it... if he could analyze it... if he could master it...
The youthful Orochimaru was not disappointed at all... rather, the desire in his golden snake eyes grew even more manic.
"Pfft ah—!"
"Ugh ah—!"
"What the—!"
"He-Help—!"
Just then, from the four corners of the barrier, almost simultaneously, four extremely piteous screams rang out!
Everyone looked over and saw that the Sound Four maintaining the Four Violet Flames Formation each had several of the same sharp black rods piercing their chests, limbs, and other vital points!
"Im... impossible..." Sakon grabbed the black rod piercing his chest with both hands, trying to pull it out, but the rod didn't budge.
He could clearly feel his Chakra being madly interfered with by the black rods, his body growing weak, his consciousness rapidly sinking into darkness.
"Orochimaru... sama... save..."
Before his final plea could finish, his head drooped powerlessly.
Ukon, Kidomaru, and Tayuya also lost their strength within two short seconds, pinned in place by the black rods, their faces filled with terror but unable to move.
With the four casters under attack, the burning purple flames of the Four Violet Flames Formation enveloping the roof of the VIP viewing stand rapidly dimmed, flickered, and finally, like a blown-out candle, with a 'poof', completely dissipated.
The top-level barrier, which had left Jiraiya and Yamato helpless, was thus dismantled by Jigen's casually waved black rods in the most brutal manner.
"Old man!!!"
The moment the barrier dissipated, Jiraiya was the first to react, rushing forward.
Yamato and several elite Anbu followed closely, instantly surrounding Hiruzen, their kunai and shuriken drawn, warily pointing at the two figures in the air, like demon gods.
Jiraiya instantly rushed to the side of Hiruzen, who lay in a pool of blood, barely breathing.
His knees went weak, and he knelt on the ground, trembling as he reached out, but not daring to casually touch his teacher's bloodied, trauma-covered body.
He could only carefully lift Hiruzen's upper body from behind, letting him lean against his chest.
What he touched was cold and sticky.
Blood had soaked through Hiruzen's tattered combat uniform, also staining Jiraiya's hands and the front of his clothes.
His teacher's already thin body was now frighteningly light, as if only an empty, cracked skeleton remained.
His face was ashen, his breathing weak, the rise and fall of his chest almost imperceptible.
"Medical-Nin! Call a Medical-Nin!!!" Jiraiya roared hoarsely, frantically pulling hemostatic bandages and military ration pills from his ninja tool pouch, trying to stuff them into Hiruzen's mouth, but the old man gently shook his head to stop him.
"Jiraiya... enough..." Hiruzen's voice was as weak as a mosquito's buzz. With each word, more bloody foam welled up from his mouth.
His gaze had already become somewhat distracted, yet he still stubbornly looked at Jiraiya, at this disciple he trusted most.
"Listen... to my... last... few words..." A hand stained with blood and grime, its skin loose and covered with age spots, rested on Jiraiya's slightly trembling wrist.
"Konoha... the Fifth... must... be you..." Hiruzen stared into Jiraiya's eyes.
"Danzo... cannot be trusted... only you..."
"No! Old man! Don't talk! Hold on! I'll take you to Tsunade right now! She'll surely have a way!" Jiraiya, his face covered in tears, tried to lift Hiruzen, only to find the old man's body frighteningly light, his life's breath like a candle flickering in the wind, likely to go out at any moment.
"Li-Listen to me!" Hiruzen suddenly raised his voice, like the last flicker of a dying flame, bursting forth with one final spark of vitality.
"About... Shura... about Minato..." He coughed violently, blood gushing from his mouth and nose, staining Jiraiya's collar.
"Orochimaru... just now... his words... cannot be fully believed... but also... cannot be... disbelieved..." Hiruzen's voice grew lower and lower, but his speech grew faster and faster, as if racing against the ShiniGami, fighting for those last moments.
"If... if Minato... truly... is in the Land of Stars... if... Shura... truly... is connected to him..."
He grasped Jiraiya's hand tightly.
"Find... the truth... and then..." Hiruzen's gaze began to distract, his pupils gradually dilating, yet he still stubbornly stared at Jiraiya.
"Ask him... why..."
As the final 'why' was uttered, Hiruzen's hand suddenly went limp, dropping powerlessly.
Those eyes, which had witnessed Konoha's rise and fall over decades, weathered countless storms, now reflected only the tear-streaked face of his disciple, before slowly, eternally, closing.
"Old man...? Old man?! Old man!!!"
Jiraiya's roar echoed across the entire rooftop. The grief in his voice made the hearts of all who heard it clench painfully.
The Adamantine Staff transformed into white smoke with a 'poof', and Enma's figure appeared beside Hiruzen.
This old monkey, who had contracted with the Sarutobi Clan and accompanied Hiruzen for decades, now silently looked at his old friend's peaceful yet infinitely regretful features. Slowly, slowly, he knelt, lowering his head.
Tears fell from Enma's aged eyes, splashing on the broken tiles, kicking up dust.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen…
In his disciple's arms, surrounded by powerful enemies, at the moment Konoha was experiencing an unprecedented invasion, breathed his last.
This old man, who had held the reins of Konoha for decades, known as the 'Strongest Hokage' and the [Professor], ultimately ended his tumultuous, meritorious yet flawed life in such a way.
And in the sky, Urashiki lightly tapped Jigen's shoulder with his fishing rod, his Byakugan flashing with excitement.
"See, it looks like someone important died~ But this isn't enough." He licked his lips, looking down at the Konoha's Ninja below, sunk in deep grief, and then at the chaotic arena in the distance, his voice full of pleased malice.
"We need to make the scene... a bit more lively."
"Otherwise, the 'vessel' we're looking for probably won't obediently come out~"
Jigen glanced expressionlessly at Urashiki.
He slowly raised his right hand, his palm aimed at the arena below.
...
Clang—!
The explosive sound of metal clashing echoed among the towering trees. Sparks exploded between two equally young faces, both etched with battle-readiness, separated by less than half a meter.
Asuma's feet were firmly planted on the thick branch beneath him, his arm muscles bulging.
The Chakra blades in his hands were pressing tightly against a giant blade as wide as a door panel… the Kubikiribocho.
The edge of the Kubikiribocho glinted faintly in the sunlight, sending a chill down the spine just by looking at it.
At this moment, this notoriously fierce Ninja Sword was being held by a boy who looked no more than seventeen or eighteen, with one hand. The force coming from the blade was as heavy as a mountain, pushing Asuma's feet continuously backward, plowing two deep grooves in the giant tree.
After sliding a full five meters, Asuma finally managed to resist this brute force.
He took a deep breath, engaged his core, and forcefully pushed the Kubikiribocho upward, while using the momentum to leap back three meters, landing steadily on a thick branch growing horizontally.
Steadying himself, Asuma finally had a chance to carefully appraise his opponent.
It was an extremely young boy, at most eighteen, with short black hair, a delicate face, and still a hint of unfaded childishness in his brows.
But those eyes, like a hawk's, were sharper and tougher than many young Jonin he had seen.
The boy wore the Land of Stars' characteristic dark blue combat uniform, holding the Kubikiribocho with one hand as easily as if it were a wooden stick.
One had to know, the Kubikiribocho, as the heaviest and fiercest of Kirigakure's Seven Ninja Swords, far exceeded the weight of a standard Ninja Sword. Ordinary Jonin needed both hands to wield it effectively.
Yet this boy used only one hand, and the strike he had exchanged with him just now hadn't even been his full strength.
'Such strong force...' Asuma thought with secret alarm, though his expression remained that slightly roguish smile.
Seeing that the opponent also showed no intention of pursuing and pressing the attack, Asuma pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his chest with his left hand, put one in his mouth, lit it, and took a deep drag. Grayish-white smoke slowly exhaled from his nostrils.
"Hey, kid, not bad swordsmanship." Asuma narrowed his eyes, sizing up the boy across from him through the smoke.
He paused, flicked his ash: "And if I'm not mistaken, this is Kirigakure's Kubikiribocho, right? A few years ago, I heard that Kirigakure had lost several of its Ninja Swords, all falling into the hands of that Shura in the Land of Stars. Now it seems, the rumors were true—"
"That Shura of yours is really generous, actually willing to bestow a sword like this to a young man like you."
Asuma's tone was casual as he said this, but his heart was far from calm.
As a former wanderer who had left Konoha and traveled the Ninja World for years, later serving as one of the Land of Fire Daimyo's Twelve Guardian Ninja, Asuma's experience far exceeded that of most Ninja.
He had not only seen the remaining Seven Ninja Swordsmen of Kirigakure guarding the Land of Water's Daimyo at diplomatic events alongside the Land of Fire's Daimyo, but he also understood the significance each Ninja Sword represented.
They were not merely weapons, but a legacy of Kirigakure, a symbol of identity, an acknowledgment of strength.
To bestow a weapon like the Kubikiribocho to a minor, it either meant this youth possessed the strength and potential to match the blade, or it meant...
The Land of Stars' depth of resources was already so deep that it could casually bestow such a high-level Ninja Sword as a 'reward' to subordinates.
Neither possibility was good news for Konoha.
Yusuke slowly withdrew the Kubikiribocho, the tip pointing downward, lightly resting on the branch beneath his feet.
He didn't attack immediately, instead carefully examining Asuma, as if evaluating something.
"Konoha's Elite Jonin, Sarutobi Asuma." Yusuke spoke, reciting Asuma's intelligence.
"In his youth, he left home due to disagreements with the Third Hokage's ideals. He traveled the Ninja World for many years, during which time he served as one of the Land of Fire Daimyo's Twelve Guardian Ninja. He is proficient in both Wind and Fire nature Chakra transformations, created his own Chakra blade technique, and his strength is among the top of Konoha's Jonin."
Asuma's smoking movement paused slightly, a flicker of surprise in his eyes… the opponent had gathered quite a lot of intelligence on him.
But then he resumed his lazy demeanor: "Oh? You've done your homework. It seems the Land of Stars has put considerable effort into intelligence gathering."
"Just necessary preparation." Yusuke said calmly: "After all, you are the Third Hokage's son, and a former Guardian Ninja. You certainly wouldn't be weak."
The moment his voice fell, Yusuke moved.
He kicked off the tree with his left leg, creating a small crater, his body rapidly advancing forward while simultaneously raising his right leg, delivering a fierce, straight kick aimed straight at Asuma's chest!
The leg wind howled, its speed so fast it left an afterimage in the air!
'Fast!' Asuma, who had been on guard, his pupils suddenly contracted. His body instinctively leaned backward, dodging the kick.
But Yusuke's attack wasn't over.
The moment Asuma leaned back, he used the momentum of his kick to spin his body like a top for half a rotation, the Kubikiribocho in his hand carving an arc, carrying the momentum to split mountains and stones, slashing towards Asuma!
The angle, timing, and force of this slash were all impeccable.
If it had been an ordinary Jonin, caught off-balance while leaning backward, they would likely not even have time to react, and would be either dead or severely injured.
But Asuma was, after all, a Konoha Elite Jonin.
"Whirlwind Punch!"
While leaning backward, Asuma let out a low shout, swinging his left-hand Chakra Blade to meet the incoming Kubikiribocho!
Clang—!!!
The clash of metal resounded.
The Kubikiribocho and the Chakra Blade collided fiercely. Two completely different forces clashed violently, unleashing a visible shockwave.
The shockwave spread outward from the two, shattering leaves and branches within a dozen meters, wood chips falling like a torrential rain.
This time, neither stepped back.
Asuma's feet were as if rooted to the branch, his body slightly lowered, steadily receiving the blow.
And Yusuke's hand holding the Kubikiribocho was as steady as a rock, the blade without a single tremor.
The two faced each other across the crossed blades, their eyes meeting.
Asuma could see that in Yusuke's sharp eyes, a certain pure battle spirit was burning.
Not hatred, not anger, but the scorching heat of a warrior's desire to fight when facing a strong opponent, naturally rising.
"Good reaction." Yusuke spoke, the light in his eyes growing brighter: "Then next, I'll get serious."
"Seven Heavens Breathing Method: Open!" The moment his voice fell, a staggering change suddenly erupted from Yusuke!
Whoosh—!
As if some valve had been opened, a visible wave of pale blue Chakra erupted from Yusuke's body like a volcanic eruption!
The wave was so strong that the thick giant tree beneath his feet emitted a groaning 'creak', fine cracks spreading outward from his feet.
Pale blue Chakra burned and rose like flames on his skin, blowing his hair and the front of his clothes upward in a wild dance.
"Th-This is...?!" The lazy smile on Asuma's face instantly vanished.
He stared in shock at the layer of pale blue Chakra cloak on Yusuke's body, blurting out: "No way! The Eight Gates?!"