'Hmm?'
'What is this...?'
'Falling... white feathers?'
Many Konoha's Shinobi, looking at the sudden strange sight before them, couldn't help but be momentarily stunned.
Under the moonlight, feathers fell like white snow, landing around everyone.
However, just at this moment,
Many of them suddenly felt an irresistible drowsiness fiercely attacking their minds!
"...?!"
In an instant, countless Shinobi could no longer hold on and quickly fell unconscious one after another!
In that brief moment,
More than half of the people had fallen into deep sleep!
"!"
At this moment, seeing this scene,
Hiruzen and the other stronger Shinobi naturally were all shaken, their hearts filled with shock!
'It is... Genjutsu?!'
'Someone is attacking us amidst the chaos?!?'
At this moment,
A chill suddenly rose in everyone's hearts!
And in their minds, they naturally immediately felt drowsiness rapidly approaching as well!
No time to think further!
Almost at the same moment, they gritted their teeth, raised their hands, and began to rapidly gather Chakra!
Trying to dispel the Genjutsu before falling unconscious!
But just at this moment,
Another unexpected change occurred!
The Otogakure and Sunagakure's Shinobi standing around,
Who had previously done nothing, at this moment, they suddenly all turned towards the Konoha's group!
Then, facing Hiruzen at the center,
They simultaneously formed hand seals and launched attacks!
"Wind Release: Myriad Face Wind!"
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
"Ninja Art: Air Gun!"
"Wind Release: Flower Dance!"
Boom!!!
In an instant, countless wind pressures and sonic boom impacts burst forth! In a flash, they entangled countless dust and sand!
Like a destructive storm, they fiercely rushed towards Hiruzen's side in an instant!!
"...?!"
Seeing this scene, whether it was Hiruzen or the other Konoha's Shinobi who hadn't yet fallen unconscious, their expressions all changed drastically!!
In an instant, many Konoha's Shinobi couldn't help but cry out in dismay-
"Hokage-sama!!"
No one expected that these Otogakure and Sunagakure's Shinobi would choose to strike at Hiruzen first at this moment!
A group of foreign Shinobi, actually joining forces to ambush a sixty-nine-year-old man...?!
Where is their Shinobi honor?!
What about the promised Konoha-Sunagakure alliance?!
So...
They were not here to assist at all, but to ambush?!?
Realizing this,
Everyone gritted their teeth, their hearts already filled with regret!
If they had been on guard against these people earlier, how could they have ended up in such a passive situation!
However, even if they wanted to help now, it was too late!
The powerful storm and sonic boom impacts launched jointly by the Otogakure and Sunagakure's Shinobi had already reached Hiruzen in an instant!!
But,
Hiruzen was the 'Strongest Hokage'!
Despite only having a split second to react, he had already quickly assessed the situation!
Then, with a slight grit of his teeth, he leaped backward!
Boom!!!
The terrifying storm attack blasted directly into the ground, instantly blowing a terrifyingly deep crater!!
Rocks and sand flew, a gale filled the sky!
Hiruzen successfully dodged!
And all the surrounding Konoha's Shinobi were instantly forced apart by this powerful impact, scattered in all directions.
But just at this moment,
As they steadied themselves, they suddenly realized...
At some point,
The Fourth Kazekage had appeared behind Hiruzen!!
Hiruzen, who had just leaped up, couldn't react quickly enough and was immediately seized by the Fourth Kazekage!
His kunai was pressed against Hiruzen's throat, seemingly ready to cut at any moment!
Hiruzen was now greatly shaken, his pupils slightly contracting.
And seeing this scene,
The surrounding Konoha's Shinobi were naturally all startled. Immediately, many gritted their teeth and wanted to go help.
However,
Before they could even move,
Suddenly, one by one, Otogakure and Sunagakure's Shinobi instantly leaped forward, standing opposite them, blocking everyone!
Among them, there were even many who were examinees for the Chunin Exams!
At the same time,
Four unknown Otogakure's Shinobi, hidden in the shadows, instantly leaped out and positioned themselves around the Kazekage and Hiruzen!
Then, before anyone could react, they completed their hand seals in an instant!
"Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"
Thud!!
The moment the four completed their seals, four enormous purple translucent walls suddenly and rapidly solidified!
Finally, forming a sealed huge barrier, trapping the Kazekage and Hiruzen inside!!
All of this happened like flowing water, completed in an instant!
It was over before anyone could even react!
"!!"
Seeing this scene,
At this moment, all the Konoha's Shinobi's expressions froze.
By now,
They couldn't possibly misunderstand the situation!
Clearly...
This Chunin Exams had been wrong from the very beginning!
The strength of the Shinobi from Otogakure and Sunagakure's who came to take the exam had long exceeded the Genin-level!
And they were never here to become Chunin in the first place!
But to... attack Konoha!
That is to say, this was a war conspiracy by Sunagakure in alliance with Otogakure!!
And that monster in the distance,
Was possibly... also part of their pre-planned scheme...!
Thinking this,
Many Konoha's Shinobi gritted their teeth and glared at the attacking Shinobi before them.
Even Elite Jonin like Kakashi had slightly darkened expressions at this moment.
Without a doubt!
This was a life-or-death battle between Shinobi Villages!
At this moment, Konoha Village was suddenly plunged into deathly silence.
Instantly entering a deadlock.
But,
Just the next moment,
When the first cold wind sounded,
No one knew which side struck first,
The Konoha's Shinobi and the Otogakure and Sunagakure's Shinobi instantly began to fight simultaneously...
Flames rose, storms raged.
Lightning flashed, sand flew!
Throughout Konoha Village,
In an instant, absolute chaos erupted!
Konoha's Shinobi fought against those from Sunagakure and Otogakure.
At this moment,
There was no difference between examiner and examinee.
Everyone became soldiers in this war!
And their respective leaders,
Were now sealed within that same space.
Needless to say,
Everyone knew.
They would probably fight a decisive life-or-death battle within that barrier.
In the end,
Only one person could come out alive...
At this moment,
Even though some Konoha's Anbu wanted to assist Hiruzen,
The moment they touched the Four Violet Flames Formation, they were repelled by the powerful flame barrier, completely powerless...
So, helplessly,
They could only turn to deal with other enemies.
And at this moment,
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation,
Konoha's highest leader, the Third Hokage, was still being held by the Sunagakure's 'Fourth Kazekage'.
His expression was extremely grim, his gaze cold.
After a long silence, he slightly turned his head, looked at the Fourth Kazekage behind him, and spoke in a deep voice:
"Hmph..."
"So this is Sunagakure's conspiracy..."
"Attempting to ally with Otogakure to launch a surprise attack on our Konoha...?!"
"Rasa!"
Hiruzen growled in a low voice, his expression dark.
He really couldn't understand,
Why would Rasa choose to attack Konoha at this time... and how did he summon such a terrifying monster...
However,
Just as he was thinking, suddenly,
From behind him, beneath the Kazekage's hat, a sinister voice emerged.
"Hehe..."
"It seems even this close, you can't recognize me."
"You really have gotten old... Sarutobi-sensei."
"!!"
As soon as this voice sounded, Hiruzen's old face shook violently, completely frozen!!
His blood pressure spiked instantly, his pupils contracted, and his breath almost stopped!
His already livid face,
At this moment, had turned incredibly grim!
Because,
This voice, he knew all too well!
Hiruzen gritted his teeth tightly, his expression extremely grim as he looked at the Fourth Kazekage, speaking with disbelief.
"It's you... Orochimaru...!"
...
The moon was cold, the stars were sparse.
As Konoha descended into chaos.
At this moment,
In a distant part of Konoha, unnoticed by anyone,
On the side of the Konoha Hospital,
Under the moonlight, a black figure stood on the hospital rooftop, leaving a special formation on the wall.
After completing this,
He slightly raised his head, looked towards the distant location of the battle,
Then, he chuckled lightly.
'Tsk, I wonder if Orochimaru's showboating is done...'
'It should be about time for me to take over.'
A gentle breeze swept past.
His brown hair was all blown back, and beneath his black-rimmed glasses, his blazing golden eyes flickered slightly.
And a moment later, he smiled and raised his right hand,
Extended one index finger, and flicked it.
Crack!
A sound like an explosion instantly rang out in the air, and like a shattered mirror, countless cracks appeared!
And the next moment, these cracks seemed torn apart by an invisible force, revealing the endless darkness within the fissure.
He smiled calmly,
Without hesitation, stepped into the fissure.
The next moment,
All the cracks in the air began to rapidly close.
Finally,
They all converged into a single point.
And vanished.
And,
Just a moment later,
On this side of Konoha, within the sealed Four Violet Flames Formation.
In the previously undisturbed air,
A cracking sound suddenly appeared, and the next moment, a spreading black spatial rift instantly opened!
"-?!"
Seeing this sudden scene,
The master and disciple, Orochimaru and Hiruzen, who had been talking,
Were both momentarily stunned.
Frozen in place.