136-140

Chapter 136: Each With Their Own Plans

There were two ways to remove the poisonous insects from the Scroll of Seals: either have Aburame Torune recall them himself, or kill him.

When the host dies, these poisonous insects also die.

In this situation, it goes without saying which option Kimimaro would choose.

By swiftly killing two Root ninja in quick succession, Kimimaro displayed his terrifying strength.

This move was also meant to intimidate Danzo, making him wary and hopefully step aside.

He didn't want to get into a deadlock with Danzo here, it wouldn't benefit him in any way.

With the Scroll of Seals in hand, the Konoha Crush plan would be considered a success for him.

Kimimaro's swift actions did surprise Danzo.

But expecting him to let Kimimaro go and hand over the Scroll of Seals was obviously impossible.

Danzo wouldn't be afraid of a mere Sound ninja on his own turf.

"Hmph, with this little bit of skill, you want to send me to hell? You're delusional. Fine, today I'll personally take action and turn you into a weapon of Konoha's Root!"

Kimimaro's strength tempted Danzo.

If he could turn him into his own weapon, it would be enough to compensate for the loss of Yamanaka Fu and Aburame Torune.

And he had the means to make someone completely loyal to him, whether they were willing or not.

Seeing this, Kimimaro frowned slightly.

He didn't expect Danzo to be so bold today.

Wasn't he always the type to run away when there was danger?

Seeing Danzo like this, Kimimaro knew there was no way to resolve this peacefully today.

Byakugan activated!

Kimimaro could clearly see Danzo's current physical condition.

The areas wrapped in bandages were almost all Sharingan.

One in his right eye, ten on his right arm, a total of eleven!

He was undeniably a major Sharingan hoarder.

Any member of the Uchiha clan seeing this scene would probably be enraged, wanting nothing more than to kill this guy in front of them.

Not only that, besides the Sharingan, Danzo's right arm was also filled with Wood Style power.

Hashirama's cells!

An existence in the Naruto world comparable to Senzu Beans from Dragon Ball.

Anything lacking could be supplemented with Hashirama's cells.

"This guy is tough. Eleven Sharingan, one of which is Uchiha Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan, capable of casting the powerful genjutsu Kotoamatsukami. The ten on his right arm are all Izanagi, resurrection coins.

If I remember correctly, due to chakra limitations, each time he uses Izanagi, it lasts for sixty seconds. To activate Izanagi again, he needs to form hand seals again. To kill him, I need to target those moments when he's forming seals.

Otherwise, I can only wait until he runs out of resurrection coins. But if Danzo, the old fox, sees that the situation isn't favorable, he'll definitely run away. He won't wait until he's out of resurrection coins.

The grudge has already been formed, if there's a chance to completely finish him off, I shouldn't miss this opportunity."

Within the Byakugan's field of vision, there were no ninja within two kilometers who had noticed this place, meaning it was a one-on-one situation between him and Danzo.

But it couldn't take too long. This was Konoha after all. If the fight dragged on for too long and caused too much commotion, it would definitely attract the attention of other Konoha ninja.

That would be another problem.

Thoughts raced through his mind, and Kimimaro already had a plan.

At this moment, Danzo made the first move.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Bullet!"

Danzo formed hand seals, inhaled deeply, sucking the air into his mouth, and then spat it out!

Pew pew pew!

Wind chakra condensed into bullets, shooting towards Kimimaro.

Kimimaro swung his bone sword!

Clang!

The bone sword struck the Vacuum Bullet, and Kimimaro felt a shock in his right hand, sensing the terrifying power within it.

"This guy has some tricks up his sleeve."

Kimimaro steadied his right hand, instantly increasing his strength!

Clang, clang, clang!

The pitch-black bone sword slashed repeatedly, shattering all the incoming Vacuum Bullets.

Not only that, he didn't retreat but advanced, using the opportunity of shattering the Vacuum Bullets to close the distance with Danzo.

Horizontal Square Cut!

Four consecutive sword strikes!

The sharp sword edge made Danzo feel threatened.

Although old, he was still an experienced ninja, and this attack wouldn't injure him.

Danzo dodged sideways, avoiding the sword edge, while his right hand pulled out a kunai from his ninja tool pouch. He spat, imbuing the kunai with chakra.

"Wind Style: Vacuum Blade!"

A half-meter-long wind chakra blade instantly appeared on the kunai.

Danzo held the Vacuum Blade and slashed directly at Kimimaro, who was within close range!

In terms of sharpness, the wind blade condensed from wind chakra was definitely among the top in the ninja world.

Before the blade even touched Kimimaro, he felt his skin tighten, a sense of danger.

He immediately tapped his foot and quickly retreated.

But it seemed he was still a step too late.

The sleeve on his right arm was sliced off by the Vacuum Blade, making him look slightly disheveled.

"Hehe, it seems this speed is your limit."

Danzo sneered.

This retreat speed was about the same as when he killed Yamanaka Fu earlier, so Danzo naturally assumed this was Kimimaro's limit.

Because when facing a life-or-death crisis, people usually burst out with their fastest speed.

Although this speed was fast, it was still within the range Danzo could handle.

Looking at his torn sleeve, Kimimaro remained silent and launched another attack.

He swung his bone sword repeatedly, unleashing one sword technique after another. His attacks became increasingly fierce, like an enraged beast.

The Vacuum Blade in Danzo's hand was reduced to a defensive tool, completely suppressed at times.

But Danzo wasn't panicked, instead, a hint of disdain appeared in his eyes.

"As expected of a Kaguya clansman, only knowing brute force, without any ninja combat wisdom. But such people are most suitable to become weapons!"

Crack!

The next moment, with a swing of the pitch-black bone sword, the Vacuum Blade was cut in two by Kimimaro.

In terms of sharpness, the Sword of Clow Card was superior.

At this moment, Danzo instantly abandoned the kunai in his right hand and grabbed Kimimaro's neck with his left hand!

This strike was fast, accurate, and ruthless!

Danzo's left hand grabbed Kimimaro's neck, but almost at the same time, he felt a sharp pain in his left hand.

Blood splattered!

White bone spikes emerged from the back of his left hand that was gripping Kimimaro's neck!

These white bone spikes clearly pierced out from Kimimaro's neck.

The incredibly sharp bone spikes pierced straight through Danzo's left hand!

Danzo frowned, thinking to himself, "He really is like a hedgehog."

The next moment, white, sharp bone spikes erupted all over Kimimaro's body, like a dancing hedgehog!

Dance of the Willow!

At such close range, Danzo couldn't dodge at all.

As he turned his body, Danzo was like a torn cloth, countless wounds appearing, blood splattering everywhere!

(End of Chapter) 

Chapter 137: Kotoamatsukami!

A single Tang Song Dance left countless wounds on Danzo's body, some of them even fatal.

The heavily wounded Danzo slammed into a nearby wall, looking extremely disheveled, even on the verge of death.

An ordinary person would never survive such a heavy blow.

"The root of Konoha is truly weak. Danzo, you can't bear the darkness of Konoha," Kimimaro mocked.

But in the next moment, the broken Danzo in front of him disappeared, replaced by a full-blooded Danzo.

The difference was that one of the Sharingan on his right arm was closed.

Izanagi!

"What's going on?" Kimimaro pretended to be surprised, his face full of disbelief.

The Gaia Foundation owner's powerful acting skills continued to explode.

Just act it out.

"You're not qualified to know. Just become the sharp sword that cuts through everything for me. It's your honor," Danzo sneered and walked slowly towards Kimimaro.

Footsteps echoed in the empty room, making the atmosphere even more tense.

The momentum climbed.

"You're kidding!"

Danzo enjoyed seeing Kimimaro's frustrated look.

"Resistance is futile."

Danzo got closer and closer to Kimimaro.

"Whether it's futile or not, only I can say!"

With a tap of his foot, Kimimaro rushed towards Danzo again, slashing with his bone sword!

This time, Danzo didn't even dodge, seemingly not worried at all that the incredibly sharp bone sword would hurt him.

And just as the sword was about to fall, Kimimaro's movement suddenly stopped.

It wasn't that he didn't want to cut down, but his movements were restricted.

"What is this?"

Kimimaro's eyes showed fear, as if he really didn't know what was happening.

The next moment, black runes appeared on his body.

Curse Sealing Jutsu!

A type of sealing technique that places sealing runes on the enemy, allowing complete control of their actions.

The moment Danzo grabbed Kimimaro's neck, he placed these sealing runes.

"It's over, little ghost of the Kaguya clan. From now on, your code name in Root will be Bone!"

Looking at Kimimaro, who was completely unable to move, Danzo pulled away the bandage on his right eye, revealing the crimson Sharingan.

The three tomoe spun, quickly forming a four-cornered pinwheel.

Mangekyo Sharingan!

Pupil power released!

The genjutsu is called Kotoamatsukami!

Kimimaro's expression became dull in an instant.

Terrifying pupil power was released from Danzo's eyes, invading Kimimaro's brain nerves through his eyes.

Once this operation was completed, Kimimaro would completely become Danzo's tool.

Once Kotoamatsukami is cast, it needs time to cool down before it can be used again.

Without Hashirama cells, this cooldown time is more than ten years.

But Danzo had Hashirama cells in his body, and he only needed three years to recover his pupil power.

So he was very happy to use this move to subdue a loyal, powerful, and infinitely potential subordinate.

This wasn't the first time he had used Kotoamatsukami, and he knew the benefits very well.

But Danzo's complacency didn't last long before he felt something was wrong.

After his pupil power entered Kimimaro's eyes, it didn't penetrate.

"What's going on?"

Danzo's heart was full of doubts. The next moment, a smile appeared on Kimimaro's originally dull face.

He slowly uttered four words from his mouth.

"Mirror reflection!"

The next moment, his eyes turned into mirror eyes!

The Mirror Clow Card can condense into a mirror.

And this mirror has two functions, one is to reflect the appearance of things, which can be copied.

And the other is reflection!

When the Mirror Clow Card turned into a Byakugan, these two abilities were also retained in the Byakugan.

At this moment, Kimimaro activated this ability, turning his eyes into mirror eyes that could reflect pupil power.

Illusion Clow Card enhancement!

Byakugan pupil power fully output!

The reflective power of the mirror eyes was stimulated to the extreme.

Pretending to be controlled was for this moment!

When Danzo thought victory was in his grasp, he wouldn't waste his Sharingan and activate Izanagi.

After all, this thing, use one, lose one.

Genjutsu reflection!

Danzo only felt that the pupil power he had originally output was strangely bounced back!

"Not good!"

Danzo exclaimed, but it was too late.

The pupil power shot into his right eye, and blood immediately flowed out.

Backlash!

But this wasn't the end.

A right hand was already pressing on his right eye.

"This eye is mine!"

The next moment, Danzo only felt his right eye go dark, leaving only pain.

Shisui, whose Sharingan was taken by him back then, also felt this way.

He immediately stepped back a few steps, covering his right eye with his hand, his face full of pain.

Looking at Kimimaro again, his right hand was grabbing the bloody right eye.

White bones quickly drilled out from his fingertips, forming a white bone bottle. After completely wrapping the Sharingan, Kimimaro put the bone bottle into his ninja tool bag.

"Thank you, Lord Danzo, for the Sharingan."

"You! You were just pretending! No! Impossible! How could you resist Kotoamatsukami!"

The binding force of the Curse Sealing Jutsu was indeed very strong, but Kimimaro was prepared, so how could he be easily trapped?

As soon as the Power Clow Card was activated, the surging power could easily break free from the restraints.

As for Kotoamatsukami, he had already thought of a way to deal with it.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have easily taken the risk.

There were three reasons why Kimimaro could resist Kotoamatsukami: First, Danzo's strength was insufficient, and he couldn't push Kotoamatsukami to its extreme.

Second, the existence of the Byakugan and the Illusion Clow Card weakened the power of Kotoamatsukami.

Finally, the mirror reflection in the Byakugan reflected the weakened Kotoamatsukami's pupil power back.

These three points combined were the reason for Danzo's failure.

"You're not qualified to know."

Returning Danzo's words to him, Kimimaro felt a sense of clarity in his heart.

"Arrogant kid, don't think you can defeat me like this!"

Danzo felt a surge of anger at being calculated.

"This Kaguya kid obviously knows about Izanagi, otherwise, he wouldn't have set such a battle plan.

And all of this must have been told to this kid by Orochimaru. Damn Orochimaru, actually plotting against me here!

That strange eye that could reflect Kotoamatsukami just now must also be a technique that Orochimaru had prepared long ago. He had already guessed that I would be interested in this Kaguya kid!

Why would he do that? Could it be that he's after Shisui's Mangekyo Sharingan? Yes, that must be it!

Even if he takes over Sasuke's body, he may not be able to awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan with Sasuke's body. He wants to use Shisui's eyes as a backup!

Damn it! I still wasn't cautious enough against Orochimaru! This person is simply full of wolfish ambitions!"

Countless thoughts flashed through Danzo's mind, and in the end, he attributed everything to Orochimaru.

Besides Orochimaru, he couldn't think of a better reason to explain what was happening in front of him.

All his anger finally boiled down to eight words.

"Orochimaru, you bastard!"

(End of chapter)

Chapter 138: Execution! (Seeking Subscription!)

After a brief moment of anger, Danzo quickly regained his composure.

Having traversed the ninja world for so many years, this was his basic skill.

It was not yet time to despair.

Although he had lost his right eye, the nine Sharingan on his right arm were still usable, meaning he still had nine chances to revive.

These nine chances were enough for him to kill his opponent and retrieve the Mangekyo Sharingan.

The power of Hashirama's cells activated, and the blood from his right eye instantly stopped.

Danzo slowly stood up, glaring at Kimimaro.

"Orochimaru's scheme against me ends here. I will make him regret his actions today!"

Seeing that Danzo seemed to be placing the blame on Orochimaru, Kimimaro raised an eyebrow but didn't explain.

Having obtained the Mangekyo Sharingan, the gains from this mission had already exceeded his original plan.

But since things had come to this, he didn't mind taking Danzo's right arm back for research as well.

Both Hashirama's cells and the Sharingan were excellent research materials.

Orochimaru probably had both of these, but with limited resources, he might not be willing to give Kimimaro a share.

One still had to rely on oneself.

Danzo formed hand seals!

"Wind Style! Shuriken!"

He took out two shuriken from his ninja tool pouch, infusing them with Wind Style chakra, instantly forming a Wind Style coating on their surface.

The shuriken, originally only half the size of his palm, grew dozens of times larger under the Wind Style enhancement and shot towards Kimimaro.

As he threw the shuriken, his hands formed seals again.

It was the seal for Izanagi!

Kimimaro charged forward with his sword, passing between the two Wind Style shuriken with ease, his bone sword aimed directly at Danzo!

Demon Sword Assault!

As a surprise attack skill, this move was very effective.

With a flash of sword light, the bone sword pierced Danzo's body without any resistance.

The moment it pierced through, Kimimaro felt a sense of unease.

Because Danzo didn't resist at all, this was a trap!

Boom!

The two Wind Style shuriken slammed into the wall, creating two large holes in the impact.

Kimimaro quickly pulled out his bone sword, but Danzo suddenly grabbed his right hand.

"Trying to leave? It's too late! Wood Style! Wood Root Burial!"

Countless wooden branches sprouted from Danzo's right arm, enveloping both of them.

The terrifying squeezing force of the wood erupted!

"Damn it!"

Kimimaro's face showed alarm.

Danzo looked at him coldly, not caring that his own body was also being consumed by the wood.

"Become nourishment for the trees!"

A towering tree took shape in the room.

The once spacious room became cramped.

Outside the tree, Danzo's figure reappeared.

The second Sharingan on his right arm closed.

Wood Root Burial, a mutually destructive technique.

But Danzo could use Izanagi to avoid the side effects of mutual destruction and revive himself.

"Next is to find this guy's corpse and retrieve Shisui's Sharingan."

Danzo muttered, but the next moment, the scene before him made his pupils dilate in shock.

The giant tree that had closed up was actually being pried open from the inside!

Kimimaro slowly walked out.

But at this moment, he looked somewhat disheveled.

His clothes were torn in many places, and blood was flowing out.

The most bizarre thing was that some of the skin on his body was missing, revealing white bones.

His hands had more bones than flesh.

Kimimaro opened his eyes and looked at Danzo not far away.

There was no emotion in those eyes.

He seemed to be looking at a dead person.

Even Danzo, who had experienced many storms, felt a chill in his heart when he met those eyes.

The white bones receded, and the flesh grew back at an astonishingly fast speed.

Kimimaro quickly returned to his original appearance, except for his damaged clothes which remained the same.

"No, impossible! The pressure Wood Root Burial puts on the body is no less than the Fourth Kazekage's Sand Burial. How can he be completely fine? How hard are those bones?"

Danzo was shocked.

He had seen the Shikotsumyaku before, but he had never seen such hard bones.

What kind of monster had Orochimaru created?

"You're quite the player."

After consecutive battles and being hit by this technique, the chakra that Kimimaro had just recovered from the soldier pills was completely depleted.

Trapped within the giant tree, Kimimaro had no choice but to use his last resort.

Yin Seal Release!

The Yin Seal, which would have taken more than a year to complete, was released prematurely!

A massive amount of chakra surged out, filling Kimimaro's near-depleted body with power once again.

This power helped him forcefully break free from the tree's restraints.

But he was not happy.

The premature release of the Yin Seal meant that all his efforts on it for over a year had been wasted.

At this moment, Kimimaro was like an enraged beast!

At this point, Danzo had the thought of retreating.

"I can't fight this guy head-on, he's a monster!"

Danzo wanted to leave, but Kimimaro naturally wouldn't let him.

Things had come to this, he had to kill this man!

Byakugan activated!

A large amount of chakra poured in, and the Byakugan's power surged.

His perception increased once again.

Danzo's movements seemed to slow down in his eyes.

"Want to leave? Not so easy."

Kimimaro sneered, his speed exploding!

Flash Step!

In the blink of an eye, he appeared before Danzo.

"What!"

Seeing Kimimaro, who seemed to have transformed, Danzo was shocked.

Such speed!

Much faster than before!

His right fist clenched!

He struck!

Strength Clow Card!

Terrifying force erupted, hitting Danzo's chest.

The moment it connected, white bone spikes emerged from his fist.

The bone spikes pierced through Danzo's back!

The white bones were stained with blood.

But soon, Danzo's figure disappeared and reappeared a short distance away.

The third Sharingan on his right arm closed.

"No, I need to get out of here quickly!"

Danzo formed hand seals, wanting to cast Izanagi on himself as he escaped.

But just as he was about to complete the last seal, he suddenly found that he couldn't move.

"This is..."

Danzo's eyes widened in disbelief.

His body was restrained?

No, this feeling wasn't just his body, the whole world seemed to have stopped.

Purple flames emerged from the ground, engulfing Danzo in an instant.

"Inner Eight Gates Hundred and Twenty-Eight Palms: Eight Wine Cups!"

A technique that, when mastered, could freeze time!

Of course, Kimimaro couldn't achieve that level yet, but with the Yin Seal released and his chakra greatly increased, he seemed to have glimpsed a trace of its essence.

And that trace was enough to seal Danzo's hand seals.

"It's over, Danzo!"

Kimimaro swung his right bone sword, and the right arm covered in Sharingan was instantly severed!

His left index finger shot out the lightning-covered finger bone, piercing Danzo's heart!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 139: The Fall of Light and Darkness

A warmth spread through his chest, yet Danzo felt a chilling coldness envelop his entire being.

It was the sensation of death's approach.

Danzo stared in disbelief at the gaping wound in his chest, a fatal blow that had robbed him of his remaining life.

He, who had traversed the ninja world for countless years, never imagined he would meet his end in Konohagakure.

Even less did he expect to die at the hands of an unknown individual.

A lifetime of memories flooded his mind.

Meeting Hiruzen, training under the Second Hokage, gaining recognition, ascending to Konoha's upper echelons, and handling all the darkness that shrouded the village.

The greatest turning point in his life stemmed from that one decision.

If he, instead of Hiruzen, had volunteered to stay behind and fight, would the position of the Third Hokage have been his?

Then, he would have been Konoha's shadow, living in the sunlight.

And Hiruzen would have become Konoha's darkness.

Regrettably, Danzo would never get the answer.

Perhaps only in the Pure Land could he seek that answer from the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

Danzo could only silently await the arrival of death.

In his blurred vision, he saw Kimimaro grasp his severed right arm.

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with Shimura Danzo. You have received the reward: Hadō #90, Kurohitsugi."

Hearing the voice in his mind, Kimimaro's expression turned strange.

So even a handshake like this worked?

"No, even in death, I cannot let this person take the Scroll of Seals! Orochimaru is too dangerous; I must not allow him to continue harming Konoha!"

This thought flashed through Danzo's mind, and he made a decision.

Suddenly, a dangerous aura emanated.

Kimimaro immediately looked at Danzo.

Danzo exposed his chest, revealing black sealing markings.

"Reverse Four Symbols Sealing!"

Kimimaro's pupils constricted, and he instinctively activated Shunpo.

With a massive infusion of chakra, his speed doubled compared to before.

Just as he left his original spot, black blood erupted from Danzo's body, spreading in all directions with Danzo as the epicenter.

A formidable sealing technique, inscribed within the body beforehand, activated only upon death.

Everything within the reach of the black blood would be dragged into hell alongside Danzo!

Kimimaro, however, was prepared and had shifted his position at the first moment.

"So fast... This guy actually evaded the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing. In that case, I must at least protect the Scroll of Seals!"

Just as Danzo thought this, Kimimaro's figure had already reached the Scroll of Seals, grabbed it, and swiftly vanished.

His final plan also failed, and despair filled Danzo's heart.

"Hiruzen, was everything I did worth it?"

Danzo murmured, his body beginning to swell. Finally, with a thunderous boom, he engulfed the entire sealing room.

Kimimaro, who had departed, glanced back but paid no further attention.

Whether Danzo lived or died had little impact on him. He had already obtained everything he desired.

Taking out two space scrolls, Kimimaro sealed both the newly acquired Scroll of Seals and Danzo's right arm within them.

With this done, the Konoha Crush plan had concluded for him.

Kimimaro looked into the distance.

There, Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were locked in a decisive battle.

"This is..."

At this moment, the First and Second Hokage had vanished, and Orochimaru and the Third Hokage were in a stalemate.

The Third Hokage's hands gripped Orochimaru's shoulders, the Kusanagi blade piercing through his back. Enma, however, clutched the sword's hilt, preventing it from fully skewering the Third Hokage.

Orochimaru's expression was filled with agony, his usual composure shattered.

To outsiders, this scene appeared incredibly bizarre.

But Kimimaro knew what was happening.

The Third Hokage had resorted to his final technique – the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, summoning the Shinigami.

And only the caster and the target of the sealing could see the Shinigami.

This explained the eerie nature of the current situation.

Judging from the battle's state, the First and Second Hokage had already been sealed within the Shinigami's belly, leaving only Orochimaru.

This stalemate would likely persist for a while. If Kimimaro remembered correctly, it would last for over ten episodes.

Kimimaro immediately activated his Byakugan to its fullest extent, his vision encompassing everything within a two-kilometer radius.

"Konoha's counterattack has begun."

Non-combatants had been evacuated, and Konoha launched a full-scale counteroffensive.

Though Konoha had seemed to be in decline in recent years, a lean camel was still bigger than a horse. No matter how weakened, Konoha remained stronger than Sunagakure and Otogakure.

Once Konoha reacted and initiated a counterattack, the defeat of the Oto-Suna alliance was only a matter of time.

Moreover, Orochimaru's impersonation of the Fourth Kazekage had raised suspicions among many Suna ninja, creating cracks in the Oto-Suna alliance.

"He's here too."

Within the Byakugan's field of vision, a giant toad appeared, with a person standing atop it.

Jiraiya!

With the aid of Mount Myōboku's toads, Ryūchidō Cave's giant snakes were also swiftly repelled.

"It's about time to retreat. Otherwise, things might get messy."

In this war, Konoha appeared to have suffered significant damage, but in reality, their core strength remained intact.

Their greatest loss was the fall of the Third Hokage and Danzo.

However, whether this was a blessing or a curse for Konoha was uncertain.

Whether Orochimaru's plan aimed to destroy Konoha or rebuild it, perhaps only he himself knew.

But at the very least, from this day forward, Konoha's power would rapidly grow, gradually restoring its position as the foremost of the Five Great Ninja Villages.

Kimimaro accelerated, heading towards the exam venue.

It was time to wrap things up.

"Damn it! Let go of me!"

Orochimaru glared at the Third Hokage with anguish, feeling his arms being stripped away.

"Cough, cough..."

The Third Hokage coughed, blood spraying from his mouth.

"It seems I lack the strength to take your entire soul. But at the very least, I shall take the ninjutsu you've learned! Orochimaru, after losing your arms, reflect upon your past life!"

With those words, the Shinigami specter seemed to receive a signal, and its short sword swung down!

The blade struck the souls of Orochimaru's arms, which the Third Hokage had pulled forth.

"No!"

Pain!

Soul-searing pain!

Cold sweat instantly covered Orochimaru's forehead, and a rare expression of distortion contorted his face.

"You old fool, how dare you take my arms!"

"Hehe, you were much cuter as a child, Orochimaru."

A smile graced the Third Hokage's lips as he slowly closed his eyes.

In his vision, Orochimaru's狰狞 visage gradually transformed into the adorable face of his childhood.

It was the image from their first encounter.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 140: Disrupting the Air!

"Release the Four Violet Flames Formation, the battle is over."

The Sound Four were fully focused on maintaining the formation when this voice suddenly reached their ears.

"Lord Kimimaro?"

Although they couldn't see Kimimaro's figure, there was no mistaking his voice.

Immediately, the four of them, out of trust and fear for Kimimaro, released the Four Violet Flames Formation.

In the next moment, Kimimaro, having shed his disguise, appeared before Orochimaru.

"Mr. Orochimaru, are you alright?"

"I miscalculated. I didn't expect that old man to have such a technique hidden away. However, he still couldn't escape his fate. This plan can be considered a success. Kimimaro, retrieve my Kusanagi sword, we should leave this place."

"Yes."

Kimimaro walked to the Third Hokage's side, pulled out the Kusanagi sword, and at the same time, with lightning speed, grasped the Third Hokage's hand before releasing it.

Under the cover of his body, even Orochimaru didn't notice.

"Congratulations, tourist, for successfully taking a photo with the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. You have received the reward: Bakudō #81, Dankū."

After completing this, Kimimaro quietly returned to Orochimaru's side with the Kusanagi sword.

The Kusanagi sword felt slightly cool to the touch, its blade emitting a blue light, showcasing its extraordinary nature.

The Sound Four rushed over from all sides and directly carried the weakened Orochimaru.

"Let's go."

With Orochimaru's command, everyone leaped up, preparing to leave.

"Don't even think about escaping!"

But at this moment, the Konoha ANBU, who had been waiting for an opportunity outside the Four Violet Flames Formation, immediately pounced.

"Fire Style! Dragon Fire Technique!"

"Earth Style! Earth Dragon Bullet Technique!"

"Lightning Style! Lightning Rod!"

Three ANBU members simultaneously unleashed their ninjutsu. In an instant, a fire dragon, an earth dragon, and a lightning spear attacked!

These were three ANBU members at the Jonin level!

Their attacks at this moment were not to be underestimated.

The fire dragon and earth dragon roared and intertwined, with the lightning spear accompanying them on both sides.

"Oh no!"

The Sound Four's expressions changed. They couldn't block such an offensive.

Orochimaru's gaze turned cold. He hadn't expected these ANBU to act so quickly.

If this continued, it would be difficult for them to leave.

Once they were stopped, the nearby ANBU would all converge.

But at this moment, Kimimaro's clear voice rang out beside everyone.

"Pride of Heaven, Iron Wall, Dragon Path, Lion's Roar, Tiger's Howl, Wolf's Rush, Severing Heaven and Earth before the Collapse! Bakudō #81, Dankū!"

A white, transparent defensive wall rapidly formed in front of Kimimaro.

Boom!

The fire dragon, earth dragon, and lightning spear were all blocked by this Dankū wall.

A loud explosion, and a shockwave erupted!

The three ANBU members fell back even faster than they had come!

Three craters appeared on the rooftop.

"What happened there?"

Kakashi, who was in the midst of battle, was startled by the commotion in the distance.

"It seems the battle is over. Was that technique just now from Kimimaro?"

Kabuto thought to himself, a flicker of shock in his eyes, and then he prepared to retreat.

With a single Dankū, the possibility of pursuit by the Konoha ANBU was completely eliminated. The ANBU could only helplessly watch as Kimimaro and the others left.

The Sound Four looked at Kimimaro in front of them with astonishment.

This person had become even stronger.

Even Orochimaru, who wasn't in the mood at the moment, was also shocked by this technique.

Such powerful defense.

With Kimimaro leading the way, the Sound Four carried Orochimaru, and the group of six quickly left Konoha's sphere of influence.

Not long after, numerous Konoha ninja gathered on the rooftop where the battle had taken place.

There, lay a corpse.

It was an elderly man, the Hokage who had reigned for the longest time in Konoha.

"How could this be... Lord Third has fallen in battle?"

Kurenai Yuhi couldn't accept it for a moment.

Everyone else also showed expressions of sorrow.

"Damn Orochimaru, how much further will you drag Konoha down!"

Anko Mitarashi clenched her fists, her resentment towards Orochimaru deepening.

Kakashi remained silent, lost in thought.

Jiraiya looked at the Third Hokage, who had died with a smile on his face, and sighed softly.

"Old man, I'll take you home."

With that, he carried the Third Hokage's body on his back and turned to leave.

It seemed as if a few more dark clouds had gathered in the sky above Konoha, but behind those clouds, there was brilliant sunlight.

The great war had ended, and Konoha's mess awaited someone to clean it up.

That person wouldn't be Danzo, nor would it be Jiraiya, but the legendary medical ninja who had left the village decades ago.

However, at this moment, thousands of miles away, Tsunade, still at the gambling table, had no idea what had happened in Konoha.

"Squad leader, it's not good, the sealing room exploded!"

Just then, a ninja ran to Shikaku Nara's side and said.

"What? The sealing room exploded?"

Shikaku's face was filled with shock.

Kakashi, who was beside him, also heard the news.

"Yes. We just received the information, it happened ten minutes ago. Judging by the traces of the explosion, it seems to be the result of a sealing technique."

Upon hearing this, Shikaku frowned and looked at Kakashi.

Kakashi understood and said, "Let's go take a look."

Among those present, only he knew sealing techniques.

Moreover, when it came to knowledge and understanding of ninjutsu, besides the deceased Third Hokage, the most proficient in Konoha was Kakashi.

"Alright."

The two of them headed towards the sealing room, one after the other.

Soon, they arrived at their destination.

Kakashi looked at the scene before him in shock.

"Such a large sealing range, only one sealing technique can achieve this."

"What is it?"

"The Reverse Four Symbols Sealing. This technique is considered a forbidden technique among sealing jutsu. It can only be activated at the moment of death. The number of people who know this technique can be counted on one hand. Currently, there's only one person in the village who can use it."

"Shimura Danzo?"

Shikaku quickly guessed the answer.

Kakashi nodded slightly.

"It really was him? Did he activate the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing and perish together with the enemy?"

"Judging by the traces around here, it seems someone came to steal the Scroll of Seals and was discovered by Danzo and his subordinates. The two sides engaged in a fierce battle, and in the end, Danzo, on the verge of death, activated the Reverse Four Symbols Sealing.

To force Danzo to such an extent means that his subordinates and the ANBU guarding the sealing room were all killed, and even Danzo himself couldn't protect himself.

Therefore, what was sealed wasn't just the sealing room and the Scroll of Seals, but also Danzo's subordinates, the ANBU guarding the sealing room, and the intruder."

Kakashi concluded.

The Reverse Four Symbols Sealing activated very quickly. Unless someone recognized the technique immediately or possessed extraordinary speed, they couldn't escape being sealed and killed.

"Who was it? To actually push Danzo to this point?"

The image of the Kaguya clansman who had fought with Gai earlier surfaced in Kakashi's mind.

Shikaku thought the same.

The two exchanged glances, knowing they shared the same thought.

"Was that person really sealed?"

(End of Chapter)