Smoke and dust exploded outward, obscuring the arena.
"Cough... cough..." An Anbu ninja waved away the settling debris, his eyes fixed on the epicenter of the destruction. "So this is... Lord Shinichi's Wood Release," he muttered.
Another Anbu nodded. "Seeing it with my own eyes... it's a completely different story. 'Monster Genius' isn't an exaggeration at all. We just lacked the experience to comprehend it."
The Konoha Anbu stood paralyzed by the sheer power of the strike. The Hokage's viewing platform had been constructed from the highest-grade defensive materials, designed to withstand terrain-altering ninjutsu. Yet, with a casual technique from Tejima Shinichi, it had been shredded like paper.
Rumble...
A final piece of debris fell from the haze, crashing onto the open ground with a dull thud. As the dust gradually dissipated, it revealed that only half of the viewing platform remained structurally sound. Down in the center of the arena, Hiruzen Sarutobi touched down, his stance steady. He glanced up at the commotion above.
"So soon..." A hint of a smile flashed in his eyes. "You truly can't wait even a moment, Shinichi."
The amusement vanished in an instant. When Hiruzen turned to face the Sunagakure ninjas in the center of the arena, his gentle demeanor evaporated, replaced by the hardened gaze of the God of Shinobi.
Baki stood at the vanguard of the Sunagakure formation. His right hand remained locked in a half-formed seal, a kunai held defensively across his chest with his left. His posture was rigid. A bead of cold sweat slid down his nose and dripped onto the dry earth. He stared grimly at the old man slowly straightening up, the Adamantine Staff gripped firmly in his hands.
Hiruzen's gaze swept across the battlefield. He noted the uncertain Suna shinobi and the dazed Gaara protected in the center of their formation, before his eyes finally locked onto Baki.
"Sunagakure..." The Hokage's voice was low, yet the single word made the enemy ninjas tremble. "Tearing up our alliance agreement to attack Konoha." He leveled the Adamantine Staff at them. "Prepare to pay the price."
An oppressive wave of chakra rolled off Hiruzen. Feeling a killing intent that far surpassed even the Fourth Kazekage's, Baki's throat went dry.
"Lord Third!" Baki cried out, swallowing the metallic taste of fear and raising his left hand in a desperate gesture to halt. "Please, listen to our explanation! There are hidden circumstances we were entirely unaware of!"
Hiruzen's eyebrows twitched, but he remained silent. Knowing that Orochimaru had disguised himself as the Fourth Kazekage, he was already well aware of the underlying betrayal.
Seeing that the Hokage didn't immediately attack, Baki's heart hammered in his chest. 'There's a chance!' he thought frantically. 'The Third... he must have noticed the inconsistencies!'
The invasion had failed completely. Shukaku was incapacitated, and the real Kazekage was missing. Trapped deep inside enemy territory, Sunagakure was entirely at Konoha's mercy. Baki had to find a way out, even if it meant twisting the truth and shifting all the blame onto a scapegoat.
Baki drew a sharp breath. "Lord Third! ... we were deceived! We were used!" He pointed a trembling finger toward the smoking ruins of the viewing platform. "It's Orochimaru! This entire invasion was his conspiracy! Lord Kazekage is missing. Orochimaru disguised himself as our Kage and issued the order to attack. This is all his doing! Sunagakure is a victim in this!"
Hiruzen listened passively, his expression unreadable. He knew Orochimaru had manipulated the situation, but that hardly absolved Sunagakure of their willing participation.
"Take them down," Hiruzen ordered decisively.
The surrounding Konoha shinobi blurred into motion.
"Wait!!" Baki screamed hoarsely, his face paling. "Lord Third, do you really want to do this?! This will trigger a full-scale war between our villages!"
"War?" Hiruzen repeated, his lips curling into a cold sneer. "Baki... do you honestly think I fear war?"
...
High above the arena, Orochimaru stood perched on a broken beam. He stared ahead, mesmerized.
A colossal Wood Dragon coiled before him, its bark etched with intricate purple patterns that gleamed with a cold, metallic luster under the sun. Iron sand particles drifted aimlessly through the air, drawn uncontrollably toward the Wood Dragon and sticking to its surface with a faint rustling sound.
Orochimaru's slitted eyes darted between the purple markings and the adhering iron sand. "Magnet Release..." he whispered. "A mutation caused by the Wood Release absorbing Shukaku's chakra. To think it can actually inherit and wield a Tailed Beast's kekkei genkai..."
His grin stretched impossibly wide, twisting into a fanatical sneer. "Truly... wonderful, Shinichi."
He gestured eagerly toward the massive construct. "Is this your special Wood Release? A mutated Wood Dragon Technique that can wield the One-Tail's Magnet Release after devouring its chakra!" Orochimaru's golden eyes sparkled with manic excitement. "This power... even the First Hokage never possessed such an ability. Fantastic! Simply fantastic!"
He had initially assumed Tejima Shinichi's Wood Dragon could only use Magnet Release temporarily immediately after draining the beast. Seeing the youth manifest the ability again independently thrilled Orochimaru to his core.
His muttering devolved into a low, raspy chuckle as a wild theory took root in his mind. 'If merely absorbing the One-Tail's chakra allows his Wood Release to gain a kekkei genkai like Magnet Release... then what about the Two-Tails? The Three-Tails? The Four-Tails? ...Or even the Nine-Tails!?'
A physical tremor wracked Orochimaru's body at the sheer possibility. 'If this vessel could devour the chakra of all nine Tailed Beasts... what kind of ultimate power would be born? It would be perfection!'
In that instant, his burning obsession for the Sharingan was entirely eclipsed by the unfathomable potential of Tejima Shinichi's Wood Release.
"I must have it," Orochimaru hissed, the words squeezing tightly from his throat. "I must have it immediately..."
To hell with the Konoha Crush Plan! To hell with Sasuke's Sharingan! None of it mattered anymore.
All that remained in Orochimaru's vision was the figure of the black-haired youth standing amidst the ruins. He didn't want to wait. He didn't want to scheme.
He was going to seize that body right now.
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