"Well done," Uchiha Ran said with satisfaction as he looked at Uchiha Itachi.
Itachi returned a gentle smile. At last, he felt that he had truly been of use to his younger brother.
Orochimaru's pupils shrank. He licked his lips and chuckled darkly.
"Oh my, oh my… no wonder I've always been so fascinated by your eyes, Itachi. To think they can seal Edo Tensei. You really are the most perfect vessel."
Ran's expression turned icy.
"Orochimaru, are you courting death?"
In the next instant, Ran charged forward.
If his earlier respect for Orochimaru had still been intact, that was one thing—but the moment Orochimaru set his sights on his brother's Sharingan, it became unforgivable.
Orochimaru's interest flared instead.
"I've long heard that Uchiha Ran repelled three great villages by himself. Today, let me see what you're truly capable of!"
His hands blurred through seals.
"Triple Rashōmon!"
The ground shook violently. One massive stone gate after another rose from the earth, each carved with the fierce visage of an Asura.
Ran clenched his right fist.
At the same time, the deep-blue Susanoo mirrored his movement, throwing a single punch.
Boom!
The first Rashōmon shattered instantly. Orochimaru's eyelids twitched.
He bit his thumb and slammed his hand onto the ground.
"Come forth—Manda!"
Smoke erupted skyward. A colossal purple serpent emerged, its massive body exuding a chilling pressure. Crimson light flickered within its eyes as it loomed over the battlefield.
"Hehehe… Orochimaru, you've summoned Lord Manda again," the serpent sneered. "This time, I want to eat a hundred people."
Orochimaru smiled calmly.
"No problem. As long as you don't run today, I'll prepare a hundred blood sacrifices for you."
Manda froze.
This was the first time Orochimaru hadn't tried to bargain. That could only mean one thing—he was truly desperate.
Then Manda turned its head.
Its eyes widened in horror.
"Holy—! Orochimaru, damn you!"
Even though it had never seen a Susanoo before, the oppressive aura filling the battlefield made it instinctively understand one thing—
It could die here.
"Manda, mind your manners," Orochimaru said evenly. "We still have enemies to face."
His hands flashed again.
"Ten Thousand Snakes Formation!"
The terrain shifted violently. Countless snakes—yellow, blue, green—burst from the ground, all venomous, all writhing toward Ran.
Ran didn't even spare them a glance.
The Susanoo advanced straight through, crushing the snakes beneath its feet. Blood splattered across the ground as bodies were reduced to pulp.
Manda's eyes burned red.
Those were its kin. Watching them slaughtered so casually filled it with rage.
"Hiss—!"
It lunged forward, coiling its massive body, then opened its fanged maw. Thick purple poison mist erupted from its fangs, surging toward Ran.
Better to test him first.
Caution had kept Manda alive this long.
Ran calmly unsealed a gourd of realgar wine from a scroll and hurled it forward. His hands formed a seal.
"Fire Release: Great Fire Annihilation!"
A vast sea of flames erupted from his mouth.
The gourd shattered within the inferno. The realgar wine vaporized instantly, exploding as it met the raging flames.
Boom!
The purple poison mist was completely purified, turning into white steam that dissipated on the spot.
Manda stared blankly.
Its poison was feared even among the White Snake Sages. Why had it failed so utterly?
Ran had no intention of explaining.
He raised his hand.
The Susanoo manifested Yasaka Magatama.
Several massive blue magatama shot forward, smashing into the second Rashōmon.
This gate was clearly sturdier than the first—but sturdiness was relative.
Against Ran, who wielded the full power of Uchiha Madara during the Founding of Konoha, its defense was nothing more than paper.
One Yasaka Magatama cracked it.
Two pushed it to the brink.
The third obliterated it completely, reducing it to dust.
Jiraiya's expression shifted.
He could break Rashōmon too—but never this easily.
Orochimaru scanned the battlefield, retreat already forming in his mind.
Uchiha Ran was invincible. Even three Orochimarus together wouldn't stand a chance.
His gaze flickered to Senju Hashirama, and a daring thought crossed his mind—could Hashirama suppress Ran?
He dismissed it instantly.
His objective had already been achieved. Hiruzen Sarutobi was critically injured. Continuing the fight would only reduce Konoha to rubble.
With a sharp look, Orochimaru commanded Hashirama and Tobirama to attack Ran together.
At that moment, green light flashed from Tsunade's necklace and vanished.
An invisible surge of energy poured into Hashirama's Edo Tensei body.
Orochimaru's eyes widened in disbelief.
Hashirama had broken free of his control.
"It's over…" Orochimaru thought desperately.
He hurriedly activated another Curse Mark of Heaven, already preparing for death.
Manda, upon seeing Hashirama move, nearly lost its soul. It immediately dispelled the summoning and fled back to Ryūchi Cave.
After all, this was the man who had once grabbed the Nine-Tails with one hand and said calmly, Your power is too strong. I must seal you.
Compared to the Nine-Tails, Manda was nothing.
Hashirama slowly rolled his shoulders. When he opened his eyes again, he sighed deeply.
"So that's how it was… I was the one who let Madara down."
Ran shattered the final Rashōmon. Piloting the Perfect Susanoo, he raised its blade and brought it down in a single, decisive arc.
Slash!
Orochimaru was split in two.
His scream echoed briefly—then stopped.
He fell dead on the spot.
Ran, however, remained calm.
He knew better than anyone that if Orochimaru could die so easily, he wouldn't be Orochimaru. At this very moment, he had likely already revived through some hidden Curse Mark.
But that didn't matter.
Orochimaru had crippled the Third Hokage, and Ran had personally killed him once. That alone was more than enough—to Konoha, and to history.
Jiraiya stood frozen in disbelief.
"Did… Orochimaru really just die?"
A white snake quietly crawled up his sleeve and transmitted through chakra:
"Idiot. I'm not dead. Relax."
It coiled around his arm like an ornament and went still.
Jiraiya exhaled in relief, then shook his head with a bitter smile.
As expected of Orochimaru—an ordinary person could never truly kill him.
At that moment, Senju Hashirama arrived before Ran's Susanoo.
Staring at the towering blue warrior, his brow furrowed.
The chakra… the form… it was far too similar.
Uchiha Ran carried a terrifying secret.