On the rooftop near the high platform, the battle was incredibly intense.
The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was fighting alone against the Impure World Reincarnation bodies of the two former Hokage.
Orochimaru harassed him from the side.
The elderly Hiruzen Sarutobi clearly felt his strength failing, frequently falling into a disadvantage. He looked around at the war-torn Konoha, knowing he could not delay. If this continued, Orochimaru could simply use his youth and vitality to wear him down until he died.
"Sensei, you are already old. The world belongs to the young."
Orochimaru's voice was cold, and his golden slit pupils were no different from a snake's.
Hiruzen Sarutobi formed hand seals, staring at his former favorite disciple with a flash of regret in his eyes. He suppressed all emotion and spoke in a heavy voice, "In today's Shinobi World, when it comes to mastery of Ninjutsu, I'm afraid even I am no longer your equal."
Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the two former Hokage.
He could not even cast a forbidden technique like Impure World Reincarnation, yet Orochimaru could simultaneously reincarnate both the First Hokage and the Second Hokage. This disciple's mastery of Ninjutsu had likely already surpassed his own.
"Even so, there is one Ninjutsu that even you have not mastered."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes grew determined as he finished the hand seals. Behind him, a phantom-like image of the Reaper appeared, ethereal as a soul. The Reaper wore white robes, had blue skin and fangs, and two glimmers of eerie light burned in its hollow, pitch-black eyes.
"Reaper Death Seal!" Hiruzen Sarutobi growled in a low voice.
The moment he heard the name of the technique, Orochimaru was shaken, staring warily at the phantom of the Reaper. The Reaper Death Seal was a forbidden technique of the Uzumaki clan. The caster had to pay the price of death by having their soul devoured by the Reaper to take the enemy down with them.
Twelve years ago, the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, had died after using this technique to seal the Nine-Tails. Now, his teacher, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was also prepared for a mutual destruction.
Orochimaru gathered chakra under his feet, preparing to retreat. At the very least, he had to avoid this forbidden technique first. However, he also knew he likely couldn't escape. Hiruzen Sarutobi was a Hokage, after all; how could he make the mistake of performing a suicidal technique only to let the enemy escape?
*Crack—!*
The roof tiles on both sides shattered.
A Shadow Clone of Hiruzen Sarutobi lunged out from the left and right. Caught off guard, Orochimaru's limbs were pinned by the two Shadow Clones.
"You are too dangerous. Even if I must die, I will take you with me."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's original body rushed in close, his hands plunging into Orochimaru's abdomen like phantoms. He dragged a pale blue energy mass out of Orochimaru's torso—both chakra and a portion of Orochimaru's soul.
"Stop!"
Orochimaru panicked, shouting sharply while struggling with all his might against the pull on his soul. He hadn't attacked Konoha just to die with an old man. The master and disciple fell into a brief tug-of-war over the soul.
...
In the spectator stands, Luo Chen watched this scene with a slightly strange look in his eyes. When he watched this plot in the past, Orochimaru and the Third Hokage had dragged out this struggle for four or five episodes.
"In reality, it should end very quickly."
"By saving Hiruzen Sarutobi's life, I hope he remembers the favor and peacefully accepts my rule."
This was the moment Luo Chen had been waiting for. By bestowing a favor upon Hiruzen Sarutobi and then revealing his immense power and influence, he would push Konoha and the other four Great Nations to surrender peacefully.
His figure flashed and disappeared from the spot.
Nearby, Hinata was walking over while supporting Kiba Inuzuka. She was stunned by the sight. She bit her lip, feeling a bit aggrieved.
Why did he leave again?
He had just brought Kiba over for medical treatment, then the two of them had suddenly teleported to where Sakura and the others were. Just as she brought Kiba here, the mysterious big brother disappeared again.
Kakashi's eyes moved rapidly across the area and quickly found Luo Chen. A look of surprise appeared in his eyes.
"Another space-time Ninjutsu... What is he doing?"
On a distant rooftop, Luo Chen appeared outside the barrier. The nearby ANBU immediately surrounded him, taking a wary stance. In the spectator stands, some of Konoha's Jonin, Elite Jonin, and Special Jonin were all paying attention to the Hokage's situation. Luo Chen's sudden appearance caused doubt in many people's eyes.
"Who is he?"
Asuma Sarutobi had just finished off a Hidden Sand Chunin and couldn't help but ask.
Not far away, Kurenai Yuhi shook her head, using a kunai to slit the throat of a Hidden Sand ninja in front of her. She looked into the barrier with concern. "The Hokage's situation doesn't look good."
The Reaper Death Seal was a forbidden technique recorded in the Scroll of Seals. Even Konoha Jonin like Asuma Sarutobi and Kurenai Yuhi could not recognize it. After all, every shinobi who had used this forbidden technique was dead. Even someone as powerful as the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, could not escape the fate of having his soul harvested by the Reaper. Relatively young ninjas like Asuma Sarutobi simply had no chance to witness this forbidden technique.
However, it was not hard to see that the Third Hokage was at a disadvantage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was still dragging the soul out of Orochimaru's torso. Controlled by Orochimaru, the Impure World Reincarnated First Hokage and Second Hokage attacked the Third Hokage with physical blows. Having accepted his death, Hiruzen Sarutobi erupted with an incredible endurance for pain. Even though he was beaten black and blue and his face was covered in blood, he refused to let go.
"You old lunatic!" Orochimaru cursed, his gaze falling on a long sword several meters away.
That was his Kusanagi sword. With a thought, the Kusanagi sword flew up, piercing rapidly toward Hiruzen Sarutobi's back. Sensing the danger, Hiruzen Sarutobi was unable to dodge. If he let go to allow Orochimaru to escape, all his efforts would be in vain. His life would still be harvested by the Reaper.
On the ground, the iron staff transformed into a humanoid ape amidst white smoke—it was Hiruzen Sarutobi's summoning beast, Enma. Enma reached out to grab the Kusanagi sword. But the sword was too fast, and his grasp missed.
A look of despair appeared on Enma's aged face. "Hiruzen!"
Hearing Enma's shrill cry, Hiruzen Sarutobi knew he could not escape this blade. He only prayed that his body could hold on for a few more moments, taking Orochimaru with him before his life faded away.
*Whoosh—!*
The wind of the sword whistled.
Outside the barrier, Naruto, who had just woken up from the Genjutsu, happened to see the Third Hokage about to be pierced through. His face was stunned and lost. Sakura and Ino were also looking inside the barrier, their faces turning pale. Kakashi, Kurenai Yuhi, Asuma Sarutobi, and the others looked grim. At this moment, they desperately wanted to stop that sword, but they were beyond reach.
On the rooftop, the ANBU outside the barrier were also watching this strike. Their faces behind their masks were equally dark and grim. As long as the barrier remained, they could not carry out a rescue mission. They could only let the Third Hokage face the danger alone.
Luo Chen's dark eyes focused on a speck of dust near the Third Hokage, and he activated Amenotejikara.
In the next instant, his figure flashed inside the barrier, right next to Hiruzen Sarutobi. Luo Chen raised a hand and easily caught the flying Kusanagi sword. The tip of the sword had already pierced through the back of Hiruzen Sarutobi's combat uniform, and a speck of blood was visible on his skin.
Half a second later, Hiruzen Sarutobi's abdomen would have been skewered.
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