Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils constricted, still shocked by his disciple's disguise as the Kazekage and his own capture.
"..."
Orochimaru, on the other hand, looked as if he had eaten something foul. "I haven't even announced it yet, how do you know everything?"
...Inside the barrier, the atmosphere instantly solidified to an icy point, yet it was also filled with an indescribable absurdity.
Kurenai Yūhi stood by, watching the bizarre 'I'm holding you hostage, he's holding me hostage' nested arrangement, and for a moment, she almost couldn't maintain her composure.
Fortunately, as an elite Jōnin of Konoha, she had undergone rigorous training; no matter how funny it was, she wouldn't laugh, unless... unless she truly couldn't help it.
"Pfft..."
With her stifled laugh, the strange balance seemed to break.
Outside the barrier, the Sound Four, responsible for maintaining the Four Violet Flames Battle Array, also finally reacted, and all four were dumbfounded on the spot.
No... wasn't the plan to segment the battlefield, allowing Lord Orochimaru to elegantly eliminate that old man, the Third Hokage, without disturbance?
What was this scene of him being held hostage in reverse?!
At this moment, although the high-level battle on the viewing platform had reached a stalemate, the Leaf Crushing Plan below had already fully commenced.
Sharp screams, the sound of exploding buildings, the roar of colliding ninjutsu, and the clang of clashing weapons, like boiling water, came from all directions of the venue, merging into a chaotic symphony.
The entire prosperous village was plunged into war and smoke in an instant.
Konoha's ninjas, under the command of their Jōnin captains, quickly took up their positions and engaged in a desperate struggle with the attackers disguised as spectators.
At this time, the importance of high-level combat power was evident.
Hyuga Neji, who had just finished his match and only partially recovered his stamina, single-handedly blocked a wave of attackers pouring in from the western gap.
His figure moved like a white lightning bolt through the crowd, his Gentle Fist style transforming into the most efficient scythe of death in his hands.
A Sand Ninja swung his sword, but Neji didn't even look, simply sidestepping and striking with a palm!
The Sand Ninja's body instantly stiffened, a fist-sized hole appearing horrifyingly in his chest, his tough sternum and internal organs instantly shattered by the terrifying force!
Many Sand Ninjas couldn't even clearly see his movements before being struck by a palm, their entire Chakra system instantly thrown into disarray.
Or they were hit in the chest by a seemingly light palm strike, their entire body feeling as if struck by a giant hammer, and by the time they flew backward, they were already dead!
In a blink of an eye, the ground before him was littered with dead and severely wounded enemies!
The chaos below rapidly festered like a virus, and the captured Orochimaru, silent for a long time, finally recovered from his shock.
He ignored the kunai at his neck and sneered, "Teacher, is this the trump card you prepared?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyelid twitched; for a moment, he didn't know how to explain.
—You ungrateful disciple, I just found out your true identity myself!
Orochimaru then twisted his neck 180 degrees, at an angle that defied human anatomy, staring intently at Hansen behind him with an extremely eerie posture.
"Mr. Han Sen, it won't be that easy to force me to comply!"
Before his words finished, his mouth widened to a grotesque degree, a disgusting squelching sound emanating from his throat, and then he violently spat out a brand new body, covered in mucus!
Where Hansen had been holding him, only a shed skin, like that of a snake, remained, floating lightly to the ground with a soft "whoosh."
"Orochimaru-style Body Replacement Technique!"
"Hansen-san, thank you for your help!"
The liberated Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression darkened. He flung off his heavy Hokage hat and cumbersome ceremonial robe, revealing the black combat uniform he had already put on underneath, formed hand seals, and assumed a standard combat stance.
"Please leave Orochimaru to me to deal with."
His eyes held determination; cleaning up his own house was a teacher's final responsibility.
Hansen, however, shook his head, casually dropping the kunai to the ground with a crisp "clink."
"I can't do that. That snake took something of mine, and I have to get it back myself."
Hearing this, Orochimaru, not far away, looked puzzled.
He was certain that he and Hansen had no interaction whatsoever before today.
Hearing his unspoken thoughts, Hansen immediately understood.
Targets possessed by the cubic fragments were unaware of their own changes, or perhaps it was too soon, and Orochimaru had not yet noticed anything unusual about himself.
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