Hehehehehe… Sensei, originally, I planned to wait for the right moment to personally end your life. And then, right before your eyes, I would destroy your most beloved Konoha… so that you could understand that everything rotten and decayed will eventually be swept away."
Orochimaru began with words aimed to erode the will of his opponent, but Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Third Hokage, did not flare up in anger. Instead, his gaze darkened. With a twisted smile, Orochimaru drew the Kusanagi Sword from his throat and sneered:
"What's wrong, sensei? Have you stopped recognizing me? I remember once, long ago, you actually acknowledged my philosophy. But what I never expected… was that the first to decay wasn't Konoha—it was you, my teacher!"
Snakes were always attracted to things that moved. Something stagnant, unmoving, would bore them.
For Orochimaru, remaining too long in Konoha felt like being trapped in a cage, no different from the Hyūga branch family, stripped of freedom and a future. He saw no hope there.
And then, in his darkness, a hand reached out—the hand of Shimura Danzō. Orochimaru took it. He cooperated with Danzō, delving into the forbidden truths of ninjutsu, the pursuit of immortality, and the mysteries of eternal life.
Knowing the path Orochimaru had chosen, Hiruzen made a decision then: the Hokage's seat should pass to a younger man who could still be guided, still be controlled.
Now, Hiruzen's face twisted in fury.
"Enough of your twisted theories! Orochimaru, the fact that I failed to eliminate you in the past was my greatest mistake. But now, I still have the chance to correct it! Today, you will die by my hands. I will not let you stray any further down this path!"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly.
"Heheheheh… Wrong? And what is wrong, sensei? Whatever you do not agree with is automatically wrong? Truly laughable. Truly pitiful. But… we are shinobi. In the end, the only thing that matters is strength."
His golden eyes narrowed, gleaming like a serpent's.
"So… come then! Strike me! Let me see it with my own eyes. The 'Professor of Ninjutsu,' the man once called the 'God of Shinobi'… just how much of that strength remains in your aged body?"
"And if you cannot measure up, don't blame me for showing no mercy. I've always looked forward to killing you with my own hands. To prove that what you call 'wrong'… may not be wrong at all."
Hiruzen's face turned stone-hard. He swung the Enma – Adamantine Staff, extending it in a single motion, sweeping it with overwhelming force.
"Silence! I failed to guide you properly, but now I shall correct that mistake with my own hands! You will remain here in Konoha forever!"
Clang!
The Kusanagi Sword slashed at an angle, blocking the sweeping Adamantine Staff.
Orochimaru sneered at the fury in his master's eyes. He pressed forward, his blade work swift and precise, every strike landing exactly where it needed to, nullifying each of Hiruzen's attacks.
"Sensei, stop wasting time with toys. Use ninjutsu! That's your specialty. As for weapons… and kenjutsu… I surpassed you long ago. You are no match for me here."
And he wasn't lying.
Orochimaru was a once-in-a-century genius. From a young age, he had shown terrifying talent. Ninjutsu, weapons, kenjutsu, taijutsu—he had mastered them all far beyond his peers. Even the so-called geniuses of shinobi clans paled in comparison.
Every sword strike of Orochimaru's was simple but vicious. Even these warm-up exchanges forced Hiruzen onto the back foot. The Third Hokage could not help but see the terrifying brilliance of the disciple he once cherished.
The two finally broke apart, both creating distance, each planting their weapon in the ground.
Hiruzen's eyes sharpened. His aged body tensed, muscles bulging with strength that would make even the young tremble. A terrifying aura erupted from him as he began forming seals, steady and deliberate.
"Orochimaru… it seems basic attacks will not work on you anymore. In that case, allow me to give you one last lesson in ninjutsu!"
Watching the seals, Orochimaru instantly recognized the technique, yet he only smirked coldly. He, too, began weaving seals, his movements deliberately slow, stretching time so they could continue their verbal duel.
"Oh? I look forward to it. But tell me—do you really think a mere Fire Release can hurt me? You know full well that I have mastered all five elements. Fire Release won't do much against me."
Hiruzen finished the final seal. Chakra surged into his lungs. Tilting his head back, his chest swelled with pressure, then he exhaled in a roaring inferno.
"Katon: Gōryūka no Jutsu! (Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Jutsu!)"
A blazing dragon erupted forth, splitting into three torrents—one straight ahead, and two more fanning left and right. The combined assault roared down on Orochimaru.
A direct hit would incinerate anything into blackened ash.
But Orochimaru only sneered.
"Fūton: Kyōfū no Jutsu! (Wind Release: Gale Force Jutsu!)"
Completing his last seal, he released a furious whirlwind that clashed against the incoming flames. Instead of fanning the fire stronger, his control forced it upward, dispersing it harmlessly into the night sky like dazzling fireworks.
Hiruzen's eyes narrowed. He immediately formed a Shadow Clone Jutsu, splitting into two clones. The clones rushed left and right, while the original charged head-on, staff swinging down.
"It's now!"
At the same time, the two clones formed hand seals with perfect synchronization, launching shuriken forward.
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
A storm of shuriken multiplied in mid-air, raining down in dozens.
Orochimaru bit his finger, drew blood across his palm, and slammed it onto the ground.
"Kuchiyose no Jutsu! (Summoning Jutsu!)"
BOOM!
A massive serpent appeared in a plume of smoke, its coiling body easily shielding Orochimaru from the barrage of shuriken.
Then, with a thunderous roar that shook the battlefield, the giant snake's furious voice echoed:
DAMN YOU, OROCHIMARU! I TOLD YOU NOT TO SUMMON ME WHILE I'M RESTING! DO IT AGAIN—AND I'LL EAT YOU MYSELF!