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Added 2024-10-12 15:43:56 +0000 UTC

*Chapter 96: I’m Done Pretending! (Please Subscribe!)*

Touji’s heart was filled with joy.

He hadn’t expected the cells of Hashirama Senju to not be listed on the panel, yet he managed to draw them in one go.

This is definitely an SSR five-star god-tier skill!

After obtaining Hashirama Senju’s cells, not only could Touji use Wood Release, but his chakra levels also increased significantly. And if he were to acquire the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, he could even upgrade to the Rinnegan!

Currently, Touji's chakra far surpassed that of an average Genin, approaching the amount of a typical Chūnin.

However, he was still far from being able to release jutsus as effortlessly as Hashirama Senju.

He wasn’t even at Yamato’s level of "three rooms and two halls"; at best, he could manage "one room and one hall" of power.

But at least he wouldn’t have to worry about his future home.

He wouldn’t have to share a room with Hinata Hyuga anymore—after all, Hinata grinds her teeth in her sleep.

“This isn’t the little monkey, is it? I never thought we’d meet again like this, but it seems you’ve aged quite a bit,” said Tobirama Senju with a blank expression as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen’s face tensed, and he couldn’t help but force a bitter smile.

Even though they were once master and student, they were now about to become enemies.

He then turned to Touji and said, “Kid, you hold off the First and Second Hokage. I’ll deal with Orochimaru!”

Touji frowned.

Even though Hashirama and Tobirama Senju were only reincarnated through Edo Tensei and their strength wasn’t as formidable as in life, sending Touji to fight both of them at once was practically a death sentence.

Hiruzen’s plan was simple.

He wanted to watch Touji die and eliminate a potential threat!

Even Orochimaru’s smile froze, gaining new insight into his teacher Hiruzen Sarutobi’s shamelessness.

“Little monkey, I think it’s best if we fight you. We can’t use our full strength right now, so you have a chance to win. Besides, I sense something familiar from this kid. He might be related to me somehow,” Hashirama Senju said, frowning.

Though he didn’t know why, Hashirama could clearly feel a connection with Touji, suggesting that he might be a descendant.

Even someone as selfless and peace-loving as Hashirama couldn’t help but want to lend a hand to someone related to him.

“Related to my brother? Could he be a descendant?” Tobirama Senju asked as he eyed Touji from head to toe.

Hashirama then burst out laughing.

“Who knows? The little monkey’s already this old, maybe he’s Tsunade’s child or grandchild?”

“Tsunade’s child or grandchild? Hard to imagine…”

[Ding! Hashirama Senju’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: sixty points! You can now sign in!]

[Ding! Tobirama Senju’s favorability increased by five points! Current favorability: sixty points! You can now sign in!]

Touji was momentarily stunned.

Because of the cells he acquired from Hashirama Senju, these two had mistaken him for a descendant.

Touji let out a bitter laugh.

If these two found out the Senju clan had been almost wiped out, with Tsunade’s lover mysteriously killed and her remaining single all these years, they’d probably kick open their coffins in rage.

Well, it seemed they had already kicked them open…

“Sign in for Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju!”

[Ding! Sign-in for Hashirama Senju successful! You have acquired the Wood Dragon Jutsu! Favorability increased by four points! Current favorability: sixty-four points!]

[Ding! Sign-in for Tobirama Senju successful! You have acquired the Flying Thunder God Technique! Favorability increased by four points! Current favorability: sixty-four points!]

[Ding! Since you already possess the Flying Thunder God Technique, the low-level version has been upgraded to a higher level!]

Touji was ecstatic.

He wasn’t happy because he obtained the Wood Dragon Jutsu but rather because of Tobirama Senju’s Flying Thunder God Technique.

Tobirama’s Flying Thunder God Technique was considered one of the top abilities in the ninja world. Its mastery could potentially surpass all other experiences combined.

Touji’s joy was short-lived, though, as he suddenly felt a buzzing in his mind.

His understanding of the Flying Thunder God Technique began to transform.

At this moment, the technique was no longer just about speed but was touching the boundaries of space itself.

Touji immediately tried out the Flying Thunder God Technique.

With a single step, the space around him warped, and he appeared in a different location.

His heart pounded with excitement.

Once someone touches the rules of space, they stand at the pinnacle of the ninja world in that aspect.

If Touji wanted to, he could now step out of this barrier with just one move.

However, fully utilizing the Flying Thunder God Technique came with a huge chakra cost.

Just from one step, a quarter of his chakra had been drained.

Fortunately, as long as he didn’t manipulate space, the chakra consumption wasn’t as extreme.

“What speed!” Tobirama Senju looked at Touji in disbelief.

That single step had completely surpassed Tobirama’s limits, giving off an impression of the Flying Thunder God Technique.

But Touji’s true brilliance lay in the fact that he didn’t need specially marked kunai to set coordinates.

“If I had met you earlier, I could have perfected the Flying Thunder God Technique,” Tobirama said regretfully.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, however, frowned deeply.

The stronger Touji became, the more he threatened Hiruzen’s position.

Touji was already a hero of Konoha. If his strength grew, he would be qualified to become Hokage.

Hiruzen’s expression darkened as he shouted at Touji, “What are you doing? Hurry up and stop the First and Second Hokage, or do you intend to become a rogue ninja too?”

Orochimaru chuckled coldly and placed two kunai in the heads of Hashirama and Tobirama Senju.

“Save the reunion for later. You’ll have plenty of time to catch up soon.”

Hashirama and Tobirama’s eyes turned blank.

The warmth they had shown earlier disappeared, and Touji felt like he was looking at two lifeless machines.

At that moment, Hashirama clapped his hands, and his chakra surged dramatically.

“Deep Forest Emergence!”

The ground began to tremble, and massive tree trunks sprouted up around them.

Hiruzen’s pupils contracted as he dodged swiftly.

While evading, he shouted at Touji, “You useless brat! If you don’t stop them, you’ll be branded a rogue ninja, and everyone connected to you will be arrested!”

But this time, Touji didn’t get angry. Instead, a smile crept onto his face, and he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with disdain in his eyes.

As the trees rapidly filled the barrier, obscuring the view from outside, Touji shrugged and said with a grin, “I’m done pretending. I’m actually with Orochimaru!”

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 97: A Single Slash (Please Subscribe!!)*

Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart skipped a beat, and a furious expression instantly appeared on his face.

"So, you... you’re a spy!"

Touji shrugged indifferently and said, "If you think so, then sure."

After all, Sarutobi Hiruzen was already a man on the verge of death, and Touji had no interest in arguing further.

"Touji, how has Konoha treated you? Why would you become a rogue ninja? Once you do, the entire shinobi world will have no place for you," Sarutobi Hiruzen, now panicking, quickly forced a smile.

Dealing with Orochimaru and two reanimated enemies was already exhausting. If Touji joined the fray, their chances of winning would plummet.

It was well known that Touji's speed was unmatched, even by the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

"Hurry! You go hold off Orochimaru. I’ll handle the First and Second Hokage!"

"What were you doing earlier?" Touji's lips curved slightly upward, as if watching a monkey perform tricks.

"I misjudged your strength before, but I see my mistake now."

"Does admitting fault help?" Touji smirked dismissively.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's face darkened, his tone growing cold, "Are you really going to become a rogue ninja?"

"Only if people on the outside know. But you have to let them know first."

Sarutobi Hiruzen snorted, quickly forming hand seals and slamming his hands to the ground.

A large puff of smoke rose, revealing a nearly two-meter-tall monkey.

"Sarutobi!"

Touji finally remembered.

Summoned creatures aren't bound by barriers. As long as the summoning is successful, reverse summoning can help them escape.

"Orochimaru! Kill them now!"

At Touji's command, Hashirama and Tobirama Senju rushed toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, while Touji set his sights on Sarutobi.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen told the truth to his summon and immediately used the reverse summoning technique, Touji would have no choice but to defect from Konoha.

After all, the crime of killing the Third Hokage was too severe—even Hyuga Hiashi might not be able to cover for him.

But if Sarutobi fled, then Sarutobi Hiruzen was doomed.

Yet, Sarutobi Hiruzen wasn’t willing to accept defeat so easily and chose to keep fighting.

He still didn't want to die!

"Is my opponent really this little brat? I need to finish quickly and help that old man Sarutobi!"

Sarutobi, looking at Touji, wore a disdainful expression. But when he glanced back at Sarutobi Hiruzen struggling in battle, his face grew serious.

However, when Sarutobi turned back toward Touji, he was shocked to find Touji had already vanished.

"Where is he? How did he disappear?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Sarutobi suddenly felt a gust of malicious wind behind him, followed by a terrifying killing intent.

"When did he get behind me? He was just in front of me!"

Sarutobi regretted underestimating Touji. He knew that underestimating an opponent was the most dangerous mistake in battle, yet he couldn’t help but dismiss Touji because of his youth.

Now, Touji stood behind Sarutobi, his White Fang blade gleaming with a chilling light.

With a powerful slash, a perfect arc of silver light cut through the air.

Blood splattered, spraying several meters away.

"Just an arm?" Touji frowned, displeased.

Sarutobi’s expression darkened further.

In just a single exchange, he'd lost an arm, leaving him at a significant disadvantage.

Even if he no longer underestimated Touji, fighting with only one arm meant there was no way he could win.

"Sarutobi, this kid is too strong! I can’t hold out any longer!"

Sarutobi Hiruzen's heart sank.

Sarutobi was a battle-hardened warrior who had saved Sarutobi Hiruzen from countless perils.

With his powerful physique, Sarutobi excelled in taijutsu, capable of overpowering most ninjas.

Even in one-on-one fights with elite jounin, he rarely found himself at a disadvantage.

But now, in just one encounter, he had been utterly beaten by Touji.

"Hold your ground! You’re not allowed to run!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted angrily.

If Sarutobi fled, Sarutobi Hiruzen was doomed, something he couldn’t bear.

"But I can’t hold out any longer!"

"Hold out even if you can't!" Sarutobi Hiruzen shouted again, then fell silent.

Sarutobi's face darkened.

Sarutobi Hiruzen was clearly sending him to his death!

Touji’s short blade, enhanced by chakra, could easily slice through any armor.

He had already lost one arm. There would be nothing left to block the next attack.

"Damn it, damn it, damn it! If you didn’t have dirt on me, I’d run right now!"

Sarutobi roared, his aura intensifying.

"Boy, come! Let’s fight to the death!"

After speaking, Sarutobi realized Touji had disappeared from his sight again.

Fear consumed Sarutobi.

His eyes couldn’t follow Touji’s speed. How was he supposed to fight?

Panicking, Sarutobi abandoned any sense of honor and dashed toward Sarutobi Hiruzen.

"Sarutobi, the fight’s all yours!"

Sarutobi shouted, transforming into an iron staff and flying into Sarutobi Hiruzen’s hands.

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart sank. He hadn’t expected Sarutobi to lose his fighting spirit so quickly.

Thankfully, Sarutobi had only transformed into an iron staff.

But if Sarutobi fled, his entire clan would be wiped out.

Sarutobi Hiruzen held incriminating evidence that could destroy Sarutobi’s entire family.

Gripping the iron staff, Sarutobi Hiruzen managed to break through Hashirama and Tobirama’s defenses several times.

However, since the two Hokage were reanimated, no matter how many times they were defeated, they regenerated.

While they never tired, Sarutobi Hiruzen was beginning to breathe heavily.

"Sarutobi, I told you not to do so many bad things! Now your enemies are coming after you!"

"Shut up! As if your Sarutobi clan hasn’t taken its share! You’ve taken much more than any other clan."

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes grew cold, and he shouted at Touji, "Touji, if you help me escape, I’ll let the past go and even nominate you as the next Hokage!"

"But if you continue down this path, Sarutobi will take the news outside. Not only you, but even your little girlfriend and the entire Hyuga clan will be buried with you!"

Touji chuckled coldly, suddenly appearing beside Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen was defending against Hashirama’s attacks, he couldn’t dodge in time.

An overwhelming sense of danger engulfed Sarutobi Hiruzen.

Touji’s lips curled slightly.

"My answer is this—Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms!"

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 98: Suppressing the God of Death*

Sarutobi Hiruzen's pupils constricted sharply; it was already too late for him to escape.

Touji's veins bulged around his eyes as his hands struck toward Sarutobi like raindrops.

“Byakugan!” Orochimaru trembled, his mouth gaping, unable to regain his composure for a long while.

In Orochimaru’s memory, there were experimental subjects with the Byakugan, but only one had the possibility of surviving.

However, that person also had the cells of Hashirama Senju.

For a moment, Orochimaru became excited.

If the Byakugan and the cells of Hashirama could fuse together, it would be his most successful experiment.

Orochimaru’s heart stirred. This would be the perfect body.

But that thought only flashed briefly in Orochimaru's mind.

For some reason, Orochimaru felt an inexplicable fondness for Touji, and Jiraiya thought highly of him as well.

If he took Touji’s body, he could gain the perfect vessel, but he would lose his last true friend.

“Since I can’t take his body, I’ll train him to become the strongest ninja I’ve envisioned!”

*Ding! Orochimaru’s favorability increased by 10 points! Current favorability: 74 points! You can sign in now!*

Touji looked at Orochimaru in bewilderment.

He hadn’t done anything, but somehow his favorability with Orochimaru increased by 10 points. Could Orochimaru be lusting after his body?

Thinking of this, Touji shuddered involuntarily and decided to keep his distance from Orochimaru as much as possible.

A boy outside must learn to protect himself!

But signing in was definitely tempting.

“Sign in with Orochimaru!”

*Ding! Signed in with Orochimaru successfully! Gained Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique! Favorability increased by 3 points! Current favorability: 77 points!*

Touji’s eyes lit up.

The Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique was Sarutobi Hiruzen's signature move, instantly multiplying shuriken, making it impossible for enemies to defend.

Now that Touji could control the flight direction of his shuriken, combining it with the Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique was the perfect pairing.

While Touji was momentarily dazed, Sarutobi quickly widened the distance between them, one hand gripping an iron staff while the other pressed against his wound, staring intently at Touji.

Although Touji hadn’t completed the full Eight Trigrams Sixty-Four Palms, Sarutobi’s chakra points were nearly all sealed.

He no longer had enough chakra to continue fighting.

But Sarutobi suddenly calmed down, his eyes fixated on Touji.

“You've forced my hand!”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Sarutobi clapped his hands, summoning four figures that rushed toward Touji and the others.

Touji tried to escape using the Body Flicker Technique, but an overwhelming sense of dread washed over him from Sarutobi's direction.

Behind Sarutobi, a translucent figure slowly appeared.

This figure was larger than an average person, its face resembling that of a Tengu, exuding an eerie aura.

“The God of Death! Reaper Death Seal!”

Touji cried out in shock, attempting to flee, but he was grabbed by one of Sarutobi’s clones.

Turning to look, he saw that Orochimaru and the others were also restrained.

“You forced me into this! If I must die, then we’ll all go down together!”

Cold sweat beaded on Touji’s forehead.

The Reaper Death Seal was a terrifying sealing technique.

It used the caster's own soul as a sacrifice to summon the God of Death.

The summoned God of Death would devour both the enemy’s and the caster's souls, condemning them to eternal torment in an endless hell.

During the Nine-Tails’ attack, the Fourth Hokage had used the Reaper Death Seal to completely seal the Nine-Tails.

Touji never expected Sarutobi to resort to this jutsu so quickly.

All four of them were captured, and the God of Death's face twisted into a wicked smile.

The God of Death then drew a short blade, waving it through the air.

“I’m an old man nearing death, trading my life for a talented young one like you is a good deal! And after you're dead, you'll carry the disgrace of a traitor’s gravestone, cursed for eternity. Enma will tell everyone what happened today, and anyone connected to you—whether it’s the Hyuga clan or Kakashi Hatake—will all join you in death!” Sarutobi grinned triumphantly.

Touji glared at Sarutobi, struggling desperately.

It was clearly just a clone in front of him, a single blow could destroy it, but Touji was completely immobilized.

A transparent hand emerged from Sarutobi’s clone's stomach.

The hand moved slowly toward Touji, radiating a deadly aura.

Touji could only watch helplessly as the transparent hand entered his stomach and began pulling at his soul.

*Ding! Foreign entity detected, system initiating self-defense!*

*Ding! Counterattack initiated!*

The God of Death, who had been smirking, suddenly trembled, its eyes filled with terror as it looked at Touji, and its body started to struggle violently.

But no matter how it struggled, Touji’s soul wasn’t pulled out any further. Instead, the God of Death’s hand was being drawn back into Touji’s body.

At that moment, the God of Death’s struggles intensified.

The surrounding trees were knocked down by the God of Death’s enormous body, but its hand showed no sign of loosening its grip.

“How is this possible? That brat is devouring the God of Death!”

Sarutobi stared at Touji in horror.

The God of Death was a true deity, its power and status far surpassing that of humans.

Yet this very God of Death was being overpowered by Touji.

The transparent hand had already been halfway pulled into Touji’s body, and the God of Death’s face showed increasing panic.

At that moment, the God of Death raised its short blade and, without hesitation, slashed at its own arm.

The God of Death severed its arm, finally regaining its freedom.

Like a creature fleeing for its life, the God of Death vanished, without even claiming Sarutobi’s soul as the price for the summoning.

“How is this possible? The God of Death was scared... it ran away!” Sarutobi looked at Touji in disbelief.

He never could have imagined that Touji was so powerful that even the God of Death was no match for him.

Touji had even consumed half of the God of Death’s arm.

*Ding! Counterattack successful!*

*Ding! Absorbed arm converted into chakra!*

In an instant, Touji felt his chakra rapidly increasing, reaching the level of a Chunin within just a few seconds.

“Enma, run! Spread the news of Touji killing me!” Sarutobi said in despair.

Enma’s face lit up with joy.

If Sarutobi commanded him to flee, he wouldn’t be breaking their contract and could avoid punishment.

“Don’t worry, I’ll go straight to Danzo!”

“You think you can run? Did I give you permission? Dance of the Crescent Moon!”

*End of the chapter. Please subscribe! Full subscription highly appreciated!*

*Chapter 99: An Older Woman is Like Gold (Please Subscribe!)*

The Monkey Demon’s pupils widened, and his body began to tremble uncontrollably.

The "Dance of the Crescent Moon" wasn’t widely known because anyone who had ever seen this ninja technique had died from its three strikes.

Also, it was often used during assassination missions, where the user usually worked alone.

The Monkey Demon had only heard Sarutobi Hiruzen mention it, ranking the "Dance of the Crescent Moon" among the techniques best avoided.

And now, the Monkey Demon finally witnessed it for himself, but unfortunately, it was being used against him.

"So beautiful," he muttered.

“What are you standing there for, Monkey Demon? Run!” someone shouted.

The Dance of the Crescent Moon locks in on its target, leaving no room for evasion.

However, this technique is powerless against space-time ninjutsu.

And the Reverse Summoning Technique is precisely a space-time ninjutsu!

"Go!"

Bang!

A cloud of smoke rose, obscuring everyone’s vision.

But this smoke clearly signaled the success of the Reverse Summoning Technique.

At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen laughed arrogantly, his cold eyes fixed on Touji.

"The Monkey Demon is gone. I’ll give you one more chance—are you letting me go or not?" Sarutobi Hiruzen threatened.

"Gone? Who’s gone?" Touji sneered and pointed to the ground.

Sarutobi Hiruzen followed his finger.

Touji was pointing directly at the Monkey Demon.

At this point, it wasn’t fair to call him the Monkey Demon anymore—he was more like half a corpse.

Sarutobi Hiruzen’s heart sank.

His last glimmer of hope was extinguished, leaving death as his only fate.

"Kid, I should’ve killed you no matter the cost from the start!" Sarutobi Hiruzen’s eyes were filled with malice as he glared at Touji.

But by now, Sarutobi Hiruzen was no more than meat on a chopping board, waiting for Touji to finish him.

"You’ll die a miserable death, Touji!" Sarutobi Hiruzen cursed.

"Too bad you’re going first," Touji sneered as he formed hand signs. Snakes suddenly emerged from his sleeves, sinking their fangs into Sarutobi Hiruzen’s neck.

Sarutobi Hiruzen didn’t even have time to struggle before collapsing to the ground, lifeless.

Ding! "You’ve killed Sarutobi Hiruzen! You can choose one of his ninjutsu, items, or bloodlines!"

Touji smirked.

Hearing the system prompt confirmed that Sarutobi Hiruzen, the old fox, was finally dead.

Now, the only enemy left in Konoha Village was Danzo Shimura.

Touji began to review the items he could claim from Sarutobi Hiruzen.

As the Hokage of Konoha and the renowned "Professor of Ninjutsu," Sarutobi Hiruzen had mastered countless techniques.

But despite the wide range of ninjutsu, nothing really caught Touji’s attention.

After much deliberation, Touji finally made his choice.

What he chose wasn’t a ninjutsu or an item but the most fundamental skill: chakra control.

Since Sarutobi Hiruzen was known as the Ninjutsu Professor, it was only natural that he had a special mastery of chakra control and usage.

Touji had been struggling with his chakra reserves, so he needed to make the most out of what he had.

"I choose chakra control!"

Ding! "Chakra control successfully chosen!"

Ding! "Lower-level chakra control has been upgraded to the highest level!"

In that instant, Touji felt a wave of clarity wash over him.

Problems that had previously stumped him suddenly made perfect sense.

Before, he could only perform six spatial leaps using the Body Flicker Technique. Now, he could do at least ten, maybe more.

Even his Wood Release technique had improved from creating a one-bedroom space to a two-bedroom space.

"Kid, you’re quite calculating. How did you learn the Hidden Shadow Snake Hands?" a voice suddenly interrupted Touji's thoughts.

Touji snapped back to reality.

Although Orochimaru seemed friendly, he gave Touji an inexplicable sense of pressure.

"Anko taught me..." Touji quickly shifted the blame to Mitarashi Anko. There was no way he could tell Orochimaru it came from the system.

If he did, he feared he’d end up on a surgery table the next second.

Orochimaru let out a sigh and shook his head.

"It’s obvious Anko is a good girl. Even though she’s a bit older than you, an older woman is like gold. Don’t let her down!" Orochimaru said.

Touji was stunned.

Why did it feel like Orochimaru was an overprotective father entrusting his daughter to a delinquent?

But seeing Orochimaru’s serious expression, it was clear he viewed Mitarashi Anko as family.

Touji didn’t dare disobey Orochimaru, at least not in front of him.

"Don’t worry. Anko is like my big sister. I’ll take good care of her!" Touji said, thumping his chest in assurance.

Orochimaru frowned slightly and then stepped closer, grabbing Touji by the collar.

"You know what I mean. I see you’ve got plenty of girlfriends. Clearly, you’re a heartbreaker. I don’t expect you to be loyal to Anko, but don’t abandon her!"

As Orochimaru spoke, his face darkened at the word "abandon."

"Uh... I won’t, I promise..."

Orochimaru scoffed and pushed Touji away before opening his arms and giving him a look.

"Do it. Make it convincing, or you won’t have an excuse later! But don’t think fooling Danzo will be easy—good luck!" Orochimaru said, closing his eyes.

Touji looked surprised.

Orochimaru was now completely defenseless. Even if Touji wanted to kill him, he wouldn’t have time to react.

Touji hadn’t expected Orochimaru to trust him this much.

"Alright, I’m going to do it..."

"Yes, hurry up. I saw your swordplay earlier. Go ahead and slash me. Don’t worry about hurting me—at worst, I’ll just get a new body."

Touji suddenly realized what was going on.

Even if Orochimaru got injured, he could switch to a new body.

And even if Touji hit harder and killed Orochimaru, he could still resurrect through the Curse Mark.

In terms of survival skills, Orochimaru was the best.

Now that Touji understood, he no longer hesitated. He pulled out White Fang and slashed at Orochimaru.

Blood spattered, and a long gash opened across Orochimaru’s chest.

Looking closely, Touji could even see his internal organs.

"Wow, you didn’t hold back! A few inches deeper, and I’d be a goner!" Orochimaru said, wiping away the blood with a smile.

"Alright, now it’s your turn."

Touji froze for a second, but quickly understood.

If Sarutobi Hiruzen was dead and he walked out unscathed, people would definitely get suspicious.

It made sense to fake a few injuries.

But Touji couldn’t shake the feeling that Orochimaru was looking at him with a weird, almost sinister, smile.

"You’re not going to get revenge on me, are you...?"

"Do you think I’m that kind of person?"

"Yes..."

(End of Chapter)

*Chapter 100: This is What a True Man Looks Like (Subscribe Now!)*

The Four Ziyang Formation shattered, and Orochimaru's four subordinates quickly rushed over to support him.

At this moment, Orochimaru's face was pale, and there was a deep wound on his chest that cut to the bone, making everyone who saw it shudder.

"Orochimaru-sama, what happened to you?!" Tayuya anxiously shouted.

"Run quickly, the kid inside isn't simple!"

Bingzuli Tong trembled all over, wondering if he'd misheard or if Orochimaru had misspoken.

Orochimaru had referred to the kid, not the Hokage or Sarutobi Hiruzen.

And there was only one other person who had gone in: Touji.

"Go in and check on the Hokage-sama's condition!"

Bingzuli Tong abandoned his pursuit of Orochimaru and instead rushed to the rooftop. There, Touji was kneeling on the ground, covered in injuries.

His body had sword wounds, traces of Wood Release, and remnants of Water Release techniques. But the most shocking of all was the wound on his face, which made the ninjas who had rushed in gasp in horror.

Not far from Touji lay an elderly body, the head completely green, clearly a victim of some potent poison.

"Hokage-sama!" Bingzuli Tong ran over in a panic.

When they saw that Sarutobi Hiruzen had stopped breathing, everyone fell silent.

"Hokage-sama... is dead?" Bingzuli Tong looked in disbelief at the body before him.

Even though Sarutobi was old, he was still one of Konoha's top fighters.

Now, Orochimaru had killed him despite all the protection.

If this got out, they’d be a laughingstock.

More importantly, it would make other villages see Konoha as weak and possibly start a war.

"Enma-sama!"

One of the ninjas cried out, and everyone turned their heads.

Enma's body had only half remained, and if it weren't for his recognizable features, no one would have believed it was him.

What shocked Bingzuli Tong wasn't just the death of Sarutobi and Enma, but the fact that Touji had survived, even managing to force Orochimaru to retreat with serious injuries.

Touji was only twelve years old!

At that age, most ninjas were just starting their Chūnin exams.

Yet Touji had participated in such a high-level battle and even caused the enemy to flee.

"Touji-sama, are you alright?" Bingzuli Tong asked respectfully.

Though calling a twelve-year-old "sama" felt awkward, Touji had earned it through sheer strength.

Bingzuli Tong believed that if Touji continued to grow, he would one day be a figure who would shake the ninja world.

Touji was momentarily stunned.

Being addressed as "sama" felt a bit uncomfortable, but seeing Bingzuli Tong’s serious expression, he realized the title wouldn’t be taken back.

Touji could only smile wryly in his heart.

"I'm fine," Touji said, struggling to get up from the ground.

Despite his terrifying injuries, they were mostly superficial wounds that just looked severe.

Orochimaru had gone all out, and if he hadn’t been injured himself, Touji might’ve taken a few more punches to the face.

"Hurry! Where are the medics? Treat Touji-sama immediately!"

Just as Bingzuli Tong finished speaking, the ground suddenly trembled violently. Everyone looked into the distance, where a massive, sandy-yellow beast appeared out of nowhere. With every step, the earth shook slightly.

"Shukaku, the One-Tail!"

Touji muttered to himself, which gave Bingzuli Tong quite a scare.

The memory of the Nine-Tails’ rampage ten years ago was still fresh.

Countless families were torn apart during that time, and even the mighty Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had died.

Shukaku was also a Tailed Beast, and though weaker than the Nine-Tails, its strength was nothing to scoff at.

The most critical issue was that this time, there was no Fourth Hokage, and now the Third Hokage was dead as well.

This was the weakest Konoha had ever been.

On top of that, there were still many Sand Village ninjas within the village, so they couldn't organize an effective defense.

"A Tailed Beast… Is Konoha doomed?" Bingzuli Tong’s voice quivered as he tossed his ninja tools to the ground.

Several ninjas around him also showed despair on their faces.

"There’s no savior this time. Konoha is really going to fall..."

"Damn it. If only those major clans hadn't fallen, maybe..."

"Konoha was once so powerful, and now it’s on the verge of collapse."

The group fell into despair, their eyes devoid of any hope.

"I’ll stop him!"

Everyone froze, thinking they had misheard. But when they saw Touji’s determined eyes, they knew he wasn’t joking.

"No way! You’re already so badly injured. Going there is a death sentence!" Bingzuli Tong hurriedly tried to stop Touji, his eyes filled with guilt.

Touji was only twelve, yet he was willing to step up and fight.

Meanwhile, they, the adults, were moping and waiting for death.

Bingzuli Tong’s face burned with shame, a wave of humiliation washing over him.

"Cowards! Touji-sama, even in his severely injured state, is willing to keep fighting because our home is behind us, with our loved ones! And all you do is cower and hide! If you're not cowards, then who is?"

Everyone lowered their heads in shame.

"I’ll fight too!"

"Me too! My wife and children are right behind me. I can’t retreat!"

"My girlfriend always wanted me to be a hero. This time, I’ll be a hero for her! After this, I’m proposing to her!"

Touji's eye twitched.

Bingzuli Tong’s ability to rally morale could make him a perfect candidate for sales recruitment.

"You handle the Sand ninjas here. I’ll take on Shukaku!"

Touji declared righteously.

With his space-warping teleportation abilities, dealing with Gaara would be easy.

So why not gain some collective goodwill while he was at it?

"But Touji-sama, your injuries..." Bingzuli Tong looked at him, worried.

"It’s just a scratch. For the villagers behind us, how could I not fight?"