381-385

*Chapter 381: A Death Filled with Regret *

Time rewinds to just before the Fourth Great Ninja War begins.

Konohamaru and his two close friends, Moegi and Udon, had just finished seeing off the Konoha ninja who were about to head to the battlefield.

As the trio roamed aimlessly through the now-empty streets of Konoha, deserted due to the deployment of its shinobi forces, something caught Konohamaru's eye.

Suddenly.

He stopped in his tracks, signaling to his friends with an oddly stern demeanor. With a dangerous glint in his eyes, he left to investigate.

Catching up to his target, Konohamaru stood frozen, staring at the familiar figure before him—Aizen. Rage and disbelief flooded his face.

Without hesitation, Konohamaru unleashed the Rasengan taught to him by Naruto and charged with all his might.

"I've avenged you!" he shouted. As the Rasengan struck Aizen, Konohamaru's expression was filled with triumph and relief.

But before his joy could take hold, Aizen's body dissolved into a cascade of cherry blossoms, leaving behind a haunting smile.

"Not good!" Konohamaru's heart sank. Even he realized he'd been duped.

A wave of drowsiness overtook him, and before he could comprehend what had happened, he lost consciousness.

---

When he awoke, Konohamaru found himself inexplicably on the battlefield, surrounded by familiar faces—Naruto, Jiraiya, Kakashi. To his shock, he was still disguised under a transformation jutsu.

Before he could grasp the situation, countless wooden spikes from Obito’s assault rained down toward Naruto.

Konohamaru's body moved instinctively.

Pain erupted in his chest.

To Obito, Madara, and the allied shinobi, it seemed like an unknown Konoha ninja had sacrificed himself to shield Naruto from Obito’s deadly strike.

---

In a flash, Konohamaru was impaled by the rapidly growing branches of Obito's Wood Release, leaving him like a human pincushion.

Falling to the ground, the transformation jutsu was undone in a puff of smoke, revealing his true identity.

The battlefield fell silent.

Naruto froze for a moment, then rushed forward, catching Konohamaru in his arms. "Medic team! Get over here! He’s gravely injured!" Naruto shouted, his voice trembling.

At that moment, Kitsuchi’s Earth-Style techniques and Karin’s Adamantine Sealing Chains finally restrained the Ten-Tails.

A stillness swept over the battlefield. Even Madara and Obito paused, their attention drawn to Naruto and Konohamaru.

---

"Naruto…brother… I…" Konohamaru whispered, coughing up a mouthful of blood. His voice was weak, his breathing labored.

His eyes were filled with bitterness and despair, not unlike Sasuke’s when he lost everything.

He hadn’t yet grown strong. He hadn’t become Hokage. He hadn’t avenged his family. He hadn’t redeemed his grandfather’s name. How could he die here?

"Konohamaru, you…" Jiraiya, having just shielded Naruto from another attack, walked over, his face wracked with guilt.

Clenching his fists tightly, Jiraiya cursed himself silently. Forgive me, Sarutobi-sensei. I couldn’t even protect the last male heir of the Sarutobi clan.  

Like most of the allied shinobi, Jiraiya assumed that Konohamaru had broken Konoha’s ban on Genin joining the battle to seek revenge against Aizen.

Before the war began, there had been reports of Konohamaru's disappearance, coinciding with the day Konoha ninja departed for the Hidden Cloud Village.

Everyone knew Naruto was the key to winning this war.

No one expected Konohamaru to act so selflessly, sacrificing himself to protect Naruto.

---

Moved by Konohamaru’s bravery, the allied forces were overcome with sorrow.

"Why… Konohamaru, why did you save me?" Naruto’s voice trembled as tears streamed down his face.

Konohamaru’s vision blurred as his consciousness faded. Overwhelming fear consumed him, causing him to lose control of his body. Tears, mucus, and other bodily fluids stained his surroundings.

"I don’t know… my body just moved on its own," he managed to say, echoing Sasuke’s words from the Land of Waves when he had shielded Naruto from Haku’s needles.

And it was true—Konohamaru didn’t know why his body had acted.

He vaguely recalled chasing Aizen, the man who had massacred his clan, only to end up here, as if manipulated like a puppet to shield Naruto from a fatal blow.

He wanted to explain, but he lacked the strength.

---

In his final moments, Konohamaru heard a furious shout: "Didn’t you swear never to let your comrades die, Naruto?"

With the last of his strength, he turned his head slightly toward the voice—it was Obito, still under Naruto’s persistent verbal attacks.

But none of that mattered anymore.

Because there, standing beside Obito, was Aizen.

"You…"

Konohamaru’s dying breath escaped in a burst of hatred. Somehow, he found the strength to point at Aizen before collapsing, his body lifeless, his eyes wide open in unrelenting regret.

He died with his eyes open!

---

The scene shifted to Obito, attempting to sway Naruto’s resolve once more.

"That boy who took the Ten-Tails’ attack for you—did you know him? Even with fatal injuries, he stood up again, fueled by pure hatred."

Madara glanced at Aizen, intrigued. "Interesting. That anger wasn’t directed at you, Obito, but at him."

Aizen, unfazed, responded casually, "Oh, him? That was Konohamaru Sarutobi, the last so-called ‘man’ of the Sarutobi clan. The Third Hokage’s grandson."

"I spared him back when I wiped out the Sarutobi clan, curious to see how far he’d go for revenge. But look at him—ready to sacrifice everything for Naruto instead."

"Such is the famed Will of Fire, I suppose," Aizen added with a smirk, his gaze lingering on Obito.

"Imagine that—forsaking his clan’s vengeance for Naruto. Quite impressive, wouldn’t you agree?"

Madara chuckled, his expression mocking. "True enough. At least with the Uchiha massacre, Konoha’s leaders weren’t directly involved."

As they spoke, Naruto, spurred by Jiraiya and Kurama’s encouragement, reignited his determination, infuriating Obito, who had hoped to crush his spirit.

---

"Enough!" Obito bellowed. With a wave of his hand, he controlled the Ten-Tails’ tails to shield himself as he began charging a Tailed Beast Bomb.

"Wait!" Madara protested. "If you do this, you’ll damage the Ten-Tails—and yourself!"

Madara’s concern wasn’t for Obito’s life but for the Rinnegan and his resurrection plan.

"It doesn’t matter! The Ten-Tails’ body is resilient enough!" Obito roared, directing the massive bomb at the allied forces below.

---

*To be continued…*

*Chapter 382: A Chakra Comparable to Hashirama's *

At the critical moment, the chakra of Kurama (Nine-Tails) inside Naruto and Gyūki (Eight-Tails) was restored. Sai, who had been absent until now, finally appeared, along with his elder brother Shin.

Thanks to Danzo being captured early on and Root coming under Tsunade's control, Shin was healed by Tsunade and survived his illness. Both brothers were alive.

"Go, Sai." Under Shin's watchful gaze, Sai used his Super Beast Scroll to create a giant bird, carrying him and Killer B toward the Ten-Tails.

In midair, Killer B transformed into his full-tailed beast form, using a Tailed Beast Bomb to counter the Ten-Tails' attack.

*Boom.*

The two Tailed Beast Bombs collided and exploded violently inside the Ten-Tails, reducing it to a giant sphere before it rapidly deflated. The Allied Shinobi Forces narrowly avoided disaster.

Meanwhile, Gyūki was blasted away by the aftermath of the explosion emanating from the Ten-Tails' mouth, crashing to the ground in disarray, with even a few teeth knocked loose.

"It seems that both the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails' chakra have recovered," Aizen observed. "Naruto is still distributing Kurama's chakra to the Allied Forces. Is he planning to empower their jutsu to counter the enemy, like how Kakashi transported the Eight-Tails earlier?"

Jiraiya, the first to receive Kurama's chakra, merged it with his Sage Mode energy and unleashed a massive-scale Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld. The technique trapped most of the Ten-Tails' body, severely restricting its movements.

"Impressive. That Jiraiya fellow has become much stronger in Sage Mode with Kurama's chakra," remarked Madara with a faint smile as he steadied himself.

While Aizen and Madara remained composed, providing minimal effort, Obito struggled to control the Ten-Tails. He used its three claw-like tails to strike at the Allied Forces, but Choji, empowered by Kurama's chakra and using Expansion Jutsu and Shadow Clone Jutsu, caught the attack.

The Nara clan, led by Shikamaru, then used Shadow Binding Jutsu, while Ino targeted Obito with Mind Transfer Jutsu. Within moments, the Ten-Tails was immobilized, and Obito lost control of the beast temporarily under the pressure of the jutsu.

"You seem to be struggling, Obito. Let me help," said Madara as he stopped holding back. Forming hand seals, he caused the Ten-Tails to break free from the Ino-Shika-Cho trio's techniques and go berserk again.

At that moment, Karin made her move. With Kurama's chakra, she used Adamantine Sealing Chains to single-handedly suppress the rampaging Ten-Tails.

"Karin's grown a lot," Aizen noted with a smile. "Well, it seems there's no need to hold back anymore."

With a simple hand sign, Aizen unleashed a surge of power. The Ten-Tails erupted, breaking free from the Adamantine Sealing Chains in an instant. Its massive body leapt into the air, lashing out at the Allied Forces with its ten tails like spears.

“Watch out! The Ten-Tails is out of control again!” cried the Allied Forces.

The Eight-Tails launched another full-power Tailed Beast Bomb. Samurai led by Mifune unleashed cutting techniques. Temari and other Wind Release users bombarded with Wind Style, while Kankuro deployed his Fourth Kazekage puppet to attack with Magnet Release. Every long- and mid-range combatant in the Allied Forces joined the fray.

The combined assault clashed evenly with the Ten-Tails, but it was only a temporary stalemate. The Allied Forces' attacks were not sustainable, while the Ten-Tails showed no signs of slowing down.

As the Ten-Tails prepared another strike, Jiraiya stepped up. With Sage Mode and Kurama's chakra, he unleashed an Ultra-Big Ball Rasengan, massive enough to dwarf the Eight-Tails.

*Boom.*

The Ten-Tails was forced back, flying hundreds of meters through the air before crashing to the ground, kneeling on one leg. The earth quaked under its weight, and smoke and dust filled the battlefield.

Amidst the chaos, Aizen's voice rang out. "It seems this current form of the Ten-Tails can only reach this level of power."

“Aizen, you just…” Obito trailed off, staring at Aizen with a mix of disbelief and shock. The chakra Aizen had used to control the Ten-Tails was far beyond Obito’s comprehension, existing on a completely different level.

Even Madara was taken aback. He offered an explanation, “That enormous chakra earlier was no less than Hashirama’s. You’ve been hiding your strength well, Aizen.”

“Likewise,” Aizen replied with a smile. “You’re holding back too, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps.” Madara crossed his arms and looked toward the Allied Forces. "It seems they've grown much stronger with Kurama's chakra."

"Aizen, Obito, what’s the plan now?”

“There’s no point in holding back any longer,” Aizen said decisively.

“Let’s push the Ten-Tails into its next phase,” Obito agreed.

“Though it seems someone else has already made that decision for us,” Madara said, looking to the sky.

A massive red eagle swooped down, composed of the collective chakra of Naruto and the Allied Forces empowered by Kurama. As it passed, it severed even the Ten-Tails’ tails.

Naruto hurled two Rasenshuriken at Aizen and Obito from above. Meanwhile, Lee, in Eight Gates mode, attacked Madara to prevent him from absorbing the jutsu with his Rinnegan.

“So, you’ve decided to come at me, Naruto?” Aizen murmured, a hint of admiration in his voice. Detaching the tube connecting him to the Ten-Tails, he dodged the Rasenshuriken and leapt off its head.

Madara and Obito also had their connections to the Ten-Tails severed—Naruto’s Rasenshuriken passed through Obito, and Lee’s kick cut Madara’s tube.

The three regrouped on the ground as the Ten-Tails fell under the Allied Forces' combined assault, collapsing onto its back. The Allied shinobi landed a hundred meters away, led by Naruto.

“It seems they’ve made the same decision as us,” Aizen observed.

“They shouldn’t have severed our connection to the Ten-Tails,” Madara and Obito remarked simultaneously. Forming hand seals, they unleashed massive Fire Style attacks: Great Fire Annihilation and Storm Dance.

“I’ll add to it with Wind Style to fan the flames,” Aizen said, weaving his own signs. “Wind Style: Suppression!”

A colossal wave of fire engulfed the battlefield, incinerating everything in its path. The Allied Forces were left battered and scattered, but Naruto’s Kurama chakra protected their lives.

This was only the beginning.

Chapter 383: Madara, Be a Little More Careful

"It seems not," Aizen said, glancing back at the Ten-Tails evolving into its third form. Smiling, he continued, "Do you still want to keep watching them play this boring game of camaraderie, Obito?"

"You won't be able to control the Ten-Tails for much longer, will you? I've already given you the opportunity. Now, are you ready to become the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki?"

The air was pierced by a deafening roar.

The Ten-Tails bellowed furiously. Its frail, skeletal form transformed into a hulking, muscular figure as violent chakra erupted from its body.

A whirlwind arose instantly.

The Ten-Tails was preparing to unleash its devastating fixed jutsu, Heaven and Earth Cataclysm.

"Of course," Obito replied coldly. He cast a sidelong glance at the Ten-Tails before shifting his gaze to Kakashi.

"We must stop him from casting that technique. This time, we must destroy the Ten-Tails!" Kakashi, recognizing the attack's destructive potential, focused all of the Nine-Tails' chakra Naruto had shared with him into his left eye. "Kamui!"

But Obito had anticipated this. Just as Kakashi activated Kamui, Obito teleported in front of him, grabbing his shoulder and activating his own Kamui.

The space around them twisted violently, pulling both into the Kamui dimension to continue their deadly battle.

Meanwhile, in the outside world, the catastrophic effects of the Ten-Tails' Heaven and Earth Cataclysm unfolded. Earthquakes, lightning storms, tornadoes, and floods ravaged the battlefield, one calamity after another.

The sky darkened, and the ground trembled as if the world was ending.

The Allied Shinobi Forces, unable to resist such devastation, clung to life under the protection of the Nine-Tails' chakra Naruto had shared with them.

Madara summoned his Susano'o to shield himself from the chaos.

At the same time, Aizen appeared beside him, stepping effortlessly into the Susano'o.

"Mind if I take shelter here? You don't seem to," Aizen said, patting Madara on the shoulder with a playful smile. "After all, if Obito fails, you'll still need me for your resurrection and that other Rinnegan."

Madara was momentarily stunned. He hadn't sensed Aizen's approach, and this realization deepened his wariness.

"You..." Madara clicked his tongue and brushed Aizen's hand off disdainfully. "Don't you know Wood Release? Why not use that instead of freeloading off my Susano'o?"

"There are plenty of ways to block the Ten-Tails' attacks," Aizen replied casually. "But if we're talking about the perfect technique for spectating, nothing beats Susano'o."

He then turned his gaze toward Konoha's direction. "The Hokage are about to arrive. Honestly, I can't wait to see their faces when they witness the Ten-Tails' jinchūriki."

"That should be... quite entertaining."

Madara snorted dismissively, but his excitement was evident as he too glanced toward Konoha. His expression betrayed an almost uncontrollable anticipation, fueled by the sensation of Hashirama's chakra drawing nearer.

The Heaven and Earth Cataclysm eventually subsided.

Thanks to Naruto's Nine-Tails chakra, the Allied Shinobi Forces emerged unharmed.

But Naruto himself was not so lucky.

Exhausted from shielding everyone, his chakra was depleted, and he was gravely injured. His clothes were torn, and blood streamed down his face.

The residual chakras of other tailed beasts within Naruto began to stir—a gift from the tailed beasts when he had freed the jinchūriki during the fight against the Six Paths of Pain.

Sensing the threat, the Ten-Tails wasted no time. It clasped its hands together, forming a massive flower-like cannon from its mouth to unleash an enormous Tailed Beast Bomb, dwarfing its own body.

The Ten-Tails' power had surged dramatically.

Faced with this overwhelming attack, the Allied Shinobi Forces were powerless. Under Shikamaru's orders, they raised a collective Earth-Style: Earth Wall to defend themselves, but the walls crumbled instantly.

In the end, the Eight-Tails stepped forward to shield the Alliance. But even it was on the verge of collapse.

Just as the Eight-Tails was about to give out, the Tailed Beast Bomb suddenly vanished—teleported away by the newly arrived Minato Namikaze.

Aizen watched the spot where the massive Tailed Beast Bomb disappeared and smiled. "It seems the Hokage have arrived after all."

"Indeed," Madara remarked, rising from his seated position. Grasping his fan, he stepped forward but paused. "Earlier, you promised that if Obito failed, you'd give me the other Rinnegan. Is that correct?"

"Of course," Aizen nodded. "I always keep my word. But I never promised to help you resurrect yourself. Are you planning to use Black Zetsu to control Obito and force him to use Rinne Rebirth?"

"Hmph, you really do see through everything," Madara admitted with irritation, his plans laid bare.

As he prepared to move toward Hashirama, Aizen's voice rang out behind him again.

"Madara, since I like you, here's a piece of advice."

"What is it?" Madara turned back.

"If you don’t want someone ripping your heart out like at the Valley of the End, don’t trust anyone with your back," Aizen warned, a knowing smile on his face.

"Are you suggesting Black Zetsu would betray me?" Madara asked, skeptical.

Others might not know Black Zetsu's true nature, but he was certain it was his own will incarnate. How could he betray himself?

"You never know. Even shadow clones can develop thoughts independent of their original after existing for too long," Aizen replied with a chuckle. "Do you really think he’s just your will incarnate?"

With that, Aizen sat cross-legged, resting his Zanpakutō on his lap, saying no more.

"Not my will incarnate?" Madara chuckled lightly, dismissing the idea but quietly resolving to keep an eye on Black Zetsu.

If Black Zetsu wasn’t his will incarnate, then what was it?

Clearly, it was time for a test.

As the colossal Tailed Beast Bomb detonated near the sea, its shockwave engulfed the entire battlefield.

The Allied Shinobi Forces regrouped as the Fourth Hokage arrived on the scene in spectacular fashion, landing gracefully before Naruto. Picking up a Flying Raijin kunai from the ground, he radiated confidence.

Nearby, Karin worked frantically to heal Naruto, while Jiraiya stood protectively at their side.

When Minato appeared, Jiraiya stared in disbelief, his voice trembling. "Minato… Is that really you?"

"It's me, Jiraiya-sensei," Minato replied, turning with a warm, radiant smile.

Overcome by emotion, Jiraiya hugged his former student tightly, tears streaming down his face. "You rascal! Didn’t you use the Reaper Death Seal? How are you even here? When I sensed your chakra earlier, I thought I was imagining things!"

"Well, it’s a long story," Minato said with a smile, beginning to explain.

One by one, the First, Second, and Third Hokage arrived, along with Sasuke.

The war had entered a new, decisive phase.

(Chapter End)

*Chapter 384: The Third Hokage's Downfall*

“Well, I’ll make the first move.” Madara, holding his war fan, spoke as he prepared to rush toward the First Hokage.

“Hold on a second,” Aizen called out to him.

“What is it?” Madara turned his head.

“I suddenly remembered, I have some unfinished personal business with that Third Hokage,” Aizen said with a smile, stood up, and disappeared from Madara’s sight.

The four Hokage arrived on the battlefield alongside Sasuke.

Naturally, some chatter and showboating followed.

Among them, Sasuke, just like in the original storyline, abruptly declared his intention to become Hokage, leaving many Konoha shinobi stunned.

Even Akamaru, Kiba’s ninja dog, looked dumbfounded.

After all, not long ago, this guy had killed one of their comrades, Sakura Haruno.

Yet despite this, the arrival of the four Hokage greatly boosted the morale of the Allied Shinobi Forces, which had been waning.

Under the pressure of a common enemy, even those who had come to despise the Third Hokage after learning the truth about him set aside their grudges.

“They’re a strange bunch,” Karin muttered to herself as she treated Naruto’s injuries, observing the Hokage and Sasuke with mild disdain.

At that moment, Jiraiya walked up to the Third Hokage, standing solemnly with his head slightly lowered. “I’m sorry, old man.”

“No, you’ve already done well,” the Third Hokage replied, assuming Jiraiya was apologizing for failing to keep his “secrets.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.” Jiraiya shook his head, his voice trembling. “Konohamaru is dead. And Asuma… he died at the hands of the Akatsuki six months ago.”

Boom.

These words hit the Third Hokage like a thunderbolt. If not for his Edo Tensei body, he might have collapsed on the spot.

He looked around in despair, and finally, behind Naruto, he saw Konohamaru’s corpse, pierced through and left resembling a porcupine by a Wood Release technique.

He wanted to cry but couldn’t shed tears.

“Are you heartbroken, Third Hokage?” Aizen’s voice rang out from the sky. With his hands in his pockets and a zanpakutō at his waist, he stood in midair, looking down at the Allied Shinobi Forces.

The scene fell silent as everyone looked up at Aizen.

“You bastard,” the Third Hokage growled through clenched fists, his old eyes bloodshot as he glared at Aizen.

Aizen smirked and continued, “When you ruled Konoha as Hokage, to secure your position and strengthen the Sarutobi clan, you shamelessly siphoned the village’s resources under the guise of being the ‘strongest Hokage in history.’ Using Danzo, you eliminated dissent and persecuted other shinobi. You should’ve expected this day would come.”

“And you Konoha shinobi who still call him ‘Lord Third,’ Neji—have you forgotten how your father was killed because of Hiruzen Sarutobi? And Naruto, do you remember how this so-called hero of a Hokage treated the Fourth Hokage’s son during his childhood?”

“And Sasuke, do you know why the Uchiha clan was exterminated? A coup? The flawed policies left by the Second Hokage? No, it was all because of Hiruzen Sarutobi. To make the Sarutobi clan stronger, they needed to absorb resources. And for Hiruzen to maintain his image as Hokage, he needed to remove those who could challenge his power. Naturally, the Uchiha, a prestigious clan in Konoha, became his target.”

“After all, the pie that is Konoha’s resources is only so big. If one less family shares it, the Sarutobi clan can eat more. Moreover, the Uchiha were always seen as unfriendly by Hiruzen.”

“The Senju clan, from which the First and Second Hokage hailed, was a prime example. Isn’t it strange how, after the Second Hokage’s death, the Senju clan gradually disappeared? Even the First Hokage’s grandson, Nawaki, was sent to the frontlines and died to a mere exploding tag trap.”

“You bastard!” With a furious roar, the Third Hokage summoned Enma, his monkey summon, and transformed him into the Adamantine Staff, extending it toward Aizen.

Aizen smirked, and with a flash of his blade, the staff split in two.

Simultaneously, Enma let out a scream. “Ah!”

The staff, known for its unbreakable hardness, was sliced cleanly down the middle.

The blade didn’t stop there; it continued toward the Third Hokage. At the last moment, Tobirama intervened with Flying Raijin, saving him.

Even so, the Second Hokage lost a piece of his armor, which fell off as its bindings loosened.

The Adamantine Staff transformed back into Enma’s corpse with a puff of smoke, blood staining the ground beneath it.

“Lord Second…” Seeing that his savior was his former teacher, the Third Hokage was overwhelmed with shame. Because, as Aizen said, while he didn’t directly destroy the Senju clan, he was far from innocent. As the First and Second Hokage were members of the Senju clan, he had always felt his position as Hokage was insecure.

To solidify his rule and prevent the Senju from causing trouble, he sent them to the most dangerous battlefields in successive wars.

“Pull yourself together, monkey,” Tobirama said, showing remarkable composure. “I won’t dwell on the past. What matters now is that we’re here for Konoha, for the shinobi world.”

He glanced nervously at Aizen’s blade and the corpse of Enma. The fact that even the Adamantine Staff could be cut… This man was far from ordinary.

And according to Orochimaru’s reports, this Fujiwara Aizen wielded a weapon capable of slaying souls. That meant even Edo Tensei bodies, supposedly immortal, were vulnerable to him.

Is it because of that blade? Tobirama’s gaze fell on Aizen’s zanpakutō as he analyzed the situation.

“Lord Second is right,” Hashirama stepped forward and placed a hand on the Third Hokage’s shoulder. “Monkey, let the past go. Right now, the fate of the shinobi world rests on our shoulders. This is no time for infighting.”

Clap. Clap.

Aizen sheathed his blade and applauded mockingly. “Bravo. As expected of the previous Hokage, you’re quick to forgive the one who annihilated your clan. Is it that easy to forget your pain?”

“Do you really think that Hiruzen Sarutobi’s weak, exaggerated reputation as a Hokage is going to help you now?”

“He’s just a rat that crawled out of the gutter. A useless waste of space.”

“The only reason he’s even here with you is because of the meaningless title of ‘Third Hokage,’ just to make up the numbers.”

---

Chapter 385: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

“It seems your plan is to have the four of you use the Four Crimson Ray Formation to restrain the Ten Tails, correct?” Aizen said with a faint smile. “You really are overestimating Hiruzen Sarutobi.”

“I admit, the old monkey made many mistakes, and his strength wasn’t remarkable. But the amount of personal power someone holds doesn’t matter,” Hashirama replied nonchalantly. “What matters is a heart that loves life, loves the village, and loves the world. With such a heart, one becomes invincible.”

“The way you and Madara aim for peace through such extreme methods is something I can never agree with.”

“Invincible, you say?” Aizen chuckled as if hearing the world’s funniest joke. His laughter grew uncontrollable, to the point of being out of character.

Invincible? Perhaps a hypocritical invincible.

If even Hiruzen Sarutobi qualifies as invincible, then this world must be full of saints.

“What’s so funny?” Hashirama frowned deeply.

“Nothing. It’s just that I’ve undergone strict training, so normally I wouldn’t laugh… unless I can’t help it.” Aizen wiped away the tears of laughter from his eyes. “Since that’s the case, First Hokage, let me give you some advice.”

“What is it?” Hashirama’s frown deepened.

Aizen glanced at Karin. “That red-haired ninja over there healing Naruto is a surviving member of the Uzumaki clan. Compared to Hiruzen Sarutobi…”

“She possesses a much greater reserve of chakra. She should join you three Hokage in deploying the Four Crimson Ray Formation.”

“That way, you won’t be embarrassed by Hiruzen Sarutobi, the so-called ‘strongest Hokage,’ holding you back. Otherwise, it’ll be the allied forces who suffer when the Ten Tails attacks.”

“As for Hiruzen, I have a personal grudge with him. As part of the price for reviving you…”

Before Aizen finished speaking, he vanished from sight. In the next moment, he reappeared above Hiruzen Sarutobi, his blade flashing. “Let me collect a little interest first.”

The past Hokage and the allied forces were shocked.

“Monkey! Big Brother! Dodge quickly! Don’t let his blade touch you—you’ll die!” Tobirama, the closest to Hiruzen and Hashirama, shouted urgently while trying to teleport. But it was too late. All he could do was retreat while yelling.

No reminder was necessary. Hashirama’s keen senses had already prompted him to dodge.

Realizing that Aizen was targeting Hiruzen, Hashirama immediately clapped his hands together, activating the Wood Release: Ranking Shield Technique. A massive wooden shield shaped like a fanged demon face materialized, encasing Hiruzen.

Aizen’s blade descended, emitting a green arc of energy.

Boom!

The massive wooden shield trembled violently, shattering with a loud, dull crash.

A blood-curdling scream followed. “Aaaaah!”

Hiruzen, thrown off balance by the shield’s sudden appearance, toppled awkwardly to the ground as though seeking shade beneath a summer tree.

The blade slashed cleanly through his limbs.

“Monkey!” Tobirama broke out in a cold sweat, his suspicion growing stronger.

As the creator of the Impure World Reincarnation technique, Tobirama was well aware of its properties.

If only Hiruzen’s limbs were severed, his reanimated body wouldn’t feel pain. But Aizen’s strike also slashed his soul. The searing agony of a torn soul was unbearable for most.

“Wood Release: Advent of a World of Flowering Trees!” Hashirama formed hand seals, summoning massive green branches from the earth to ensnare Aizen.

Aizen easily dodged with a swift teleport. However, a shadow loomed overhead.

“Sage Art: Massive Rasengan!” Jiraiya roared as he slammed a Rasengan larger than several meters toward Aizen’s head.

Aizen smirked dangerously, his back seemingly sprouting eyes as he evaded without looking at Jiraiya. In the next instant, Jiraiya’s chest, shoulder, and back erupted with pain, his vision dyed red with blood.

The Rasengan, lacking Jiraiya’s chakra support, fizzled out with a soft pop, vanishing into nothingness.

“Do you hate me for cutting off your teacher’s limbs?” Aizen’s voice rang out coldly. “Jiraiya, you should know that your life was a gift from me. You were already a dead man. The dead have no right to draw blades against me—not even with a Rasengan.”

By the time Jiraiya realized what had happened, Aizen stood behind him, sword dripping with blood. The crimson liquid fell in slow drops from the blade, which Aizen wiped clean with a flick of his wrist.

“Ugh…” Jiraiya staggered, a hideous wound stretching from his chest, over his shoulder, to his back. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, vision fading as he fell.

“Pervy Sage!” Naruto, freshly healed by Karin, flashed forward and caught Jiraiya before he hit the ground.

Jiraiya, unconscious in Naruto’s arms, gasped for air instinctively.

Seeing Jiraiya’s worsening condition, Naruto shouted, “Karin, hurry!”

Still dazed, Karin snapped out of it and rushed over, activating her healing jutsu. “I’m on it!”

For the first time, she witnessed this side of Lord Aizen, leaving her both awed and frustrated. If not for Lady Tsunade, Karin was sure Aizen wouldn’t have hesitated to kill this ungrateful man who had ambushed him.

Under Karin’s expert care, Jiraiya’s condition stabilized. Naruto sighed in relief, scanning for Aizen but finding him on a distant hill, conversing with Madara.

“I thought you’d kill that Jiraiya fellow,” Madara teased. “After all, he didn’t hold back against you just now.”

“What can I say? He’s my brother-in-law. A lesson suffices. Once the Eye of the Moon Plan begins, whether he lives or not is irrelevant,” Aizen replied casually.

“Fair enough. Once the plan is underway, everything will end,” Madara said, vanishing toward Hashirama. But before he left, he shot Aizen a dark look, thinking to himself: That includes you, Aizen. I’ve prepared a dream for you in the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Madara’s schemes, unknown to Aizen, would have been dismissed regardless.

He wasn’t without his own countermeasures. Over the course of their encounters, he’d secretly marked Madara with the Flying Thunder God technique. Moreover, while cutting Hiruzen’s limbs, Aizen had activated Kyouka Suigetsu on the entire battlefield, including Madara.

(To be continued…)