Orochimaru, one of his own disciples, appeared in the village of Konohagakure, much to the astonishment of Sarutobi Hiruzen.
However, upon closer reflection, it seemed somewhat reasonable.
After all, back in the day, Orochimaru must have harbored some resentment toward his teacher, Sarutobi-sensei, and Konohagakure.
During the crucial Chunin exams, Orochimaru returned to Konohagakure to cause trouble, seeking revenge against his old teacher and the village. It was, in a way, "justified."
But here's the question...
Why are Jiraiya and Tsunade also in Konohagakure?
In Sarutobi Hiruzen's memory, Jiraiya went after Orochimaru, right? And they never managed to track down his whereabouts.
Orochimaru always stayed one step ahead, evading Jiraiya.
So how is it that today... Jiraiya caught up with Orochimaru and openly confronted him?
And summoned his Gamabunta, no less?
On the other side, why did Tsunade appear in Konohagakure?
Wasn't she always reluctant to involve herself in ninja affairs?
In fact, Tsunade hadn't returned to Konohagakure for many years, and even Sarutobi Hiruzen couldn't recall exactly when she last visited.
Since the end of the Second Great Ninja War...
He rarely saw any trace of Tsunade.
Sarutobi Hiruzen knew Tsunade frequented various gambling dens in the Land of Fire, occasionally venturing to casinos in other countries.
About a year ago, he dispatched several Anbu ninja to find Tsunade, hoping she'd secretly do something with Whitebeard's body.
But the outcome...
Those Anbu were all injured by Tsunade. From the situation at the time, it was clear that she had rejected that order and even helped heal Whitebeard's body.
Whitebeard's health was now beyond robust.
He looked nothing like an old man.
"However..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen breathed a slight sigh of relief. The tense expression on his face finally eased: "With Tsunade and Jiraiya in the village, it seems Orochimaru won't be able to stir up too much trouble. Looks like I don't need to worry too much."
Suddenly...
An audacious idea flashed through Sarutobi's mind. What if he, as the Third Hokage, joined forces with Danzo, Koharu, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Ino-Shika-Cho, Hiashi, Asuma, Guy, Kakashi...
All these powerful individuals, woven together like a sturdy rope.
Could they drive the Whitebeard Pirates out of Konohagakure in one fell swoop?
"No, it's not feasible..."
But this bold notion lasted only a second in Sarutobi Hiruzen's mind before he dismissed it.
Because he realized that if both sides truly clashed...
Even with Konohagakure's perfect lineup, they might still be evenly matched with the Whitebeard Pirates.
Would Konohagakure even survive?
What about the civilians and the weaker ninja?
"...Damn it."
Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his teeth and said, "Is there truly no way to deal with the Whitebeard Pirates?"
...
"Jiraiya, Tsunade, Orochimaru... Tsk! Sarutobi, your three disciples really know how to cause a commotion!"
Meanwhile...
Danzo also gazed into the distance at the three enormous psychic beasts.
His expression shifted between cloudy and clear. "How did these three end up returning to Konohagakure together?"
"Especially Orochimaru. We sent several Root shinobi to find him before, but they couldn't locate him. Who would have thought he'd come on his own."
No one is more desperate to find Orochimaru than Danzo. Even Jiraiya isn't as eager as Danzo.
It's been quite some time, yet Danzo's lower body remains unresolved.
He's not accustomed to living without legs.
These days, Danzo can only rely on his "Wood Release" to get by. He aims to use the "Wood Clone" Ninjutsu to create two functional prosthetic limbs he can control freely.
However, the resulting prosthetics, while allowing him to stand and walk, are stiff and lack agility.
They're nowhere near as good as his real legs.
"...Whitebeard!!!" The thought of losing his legs for so many days nearly ignites a fire in Danzo's eyes.
He believes that Whitebeard is to blame for his current plight. True, at first Danzo provoked Whitebeard, But how could Danzo admit that now.
"Let chaos reign! Stir things up even more!" Danzo narrows his eyes. "Regardless of why they summoned these physic beasts, the fact remains that Sarutobi's three disciples wreaked havoc in Konohagakure... Hmph."
"Perfect. I'll use this opportunity to create some intrigue, let the villagers suspect a conspiracy involving you and these three individuals, Sarutobi."
Danzo is determined to shake the foundation of Sarutobi Hiruzen's Hokage position.
He'll be the first to do so!
...
On the other side.
"Captain! There are three psychic beasts!" An Anbu member exclaims, shocked, addressing Kakashi. "And these three psychic beasts are massive! Are they almost as powerful as the legendary tailed beasts?"
"...My eyes aren't blind." Kakashi adjusts his Konohagakure headband.
His Three Tomoe Sharingan fixates on the three colossal spirit beasts.
Kakashi explains to the younger generation: "The purple snake is Orochimaru's psychic beast."
"The sword-wielding toad belongs to Jiraiya-sama."
"And the somewhat cute slug is Tsunade-sama's spirit beast."
Kakashi leaps onto a nearby ruined building, halting with the Anbu.
If he runs a few dozen meters forward, he'll end up behind "Gamabunta."
"Konohagakure's legendary sannin have gathered!"
Kakashi says solemnly.
"Captain! The giant snake spirit beast seems injured!" Another Anbu ninja points out.
"Hmm?" Kakashi's gaze shifts to Manda's head.
He's taken aback.
Manda's head is indeed wounded, blood flowing freely.
Who did this?
Could it be Jiraiya-sama?
Kakashi knows Tsunade has hemophobia, so it's unlikely she caused the injury. That leaves only Jiraiya-sama.
.....
Meanwhile, in the vicinity of the three colossal psychic beasts, silence enveloped the entire area. Not a word was spoken, only the rhythmic breaths of the psychic beasts filled the air.
The atmosphere grew oppressively tense as the three Konohagakure shinobi faced off within the village.
Then, Orochimaru broke the silence.
"Heh, Jiraiya, Tsunade... You're no match for me," Orochimaru's confident smirk curved upward. "This is Konohagakure, and you wouldn't dare go all out against me here. Otherwise, more than just these buildings would collapse."
"....." Jiraiya remained silent, not disputing Orochimaru's words. Indeed, Orochimaru was right; he couldn't unleash his full power within Konohagakure. If anyone were to cause destruction here, it wouldn't be Orochimaru but Jiraiya himself.
Still, Jiraiya gritted his teeth. "Don't underestimate my resolve, Orochimaru! I'll do whatever it takes to stop you, to protect Konohagakure."
"Resolve? Heh..." Orochimaru's smile widened. "Since you want to protect Konohagakure, then go ahead! Manda, unleash your full strength. I'll bear the consequences."
"Hmph!" Manda snorted, its massive tail sweeping behind it.
As Manda's tail threatened to demolish nearby structures, Kakashi and two other Anbu ninja sprang into action. Simultaneously, they employed
"Earth Release: Earth Flow Wall" x3
Three tall earthen walls shot up from the ground. Two of them were smooth and polished, while the third had several canine heads protruding from its surface.
Boom!
The walls shattered instantly but managed to block Manda's attack.
"Annoying humans!" Manda's tail thrashed, and then it swung downward with force.
Whoosh...
Suddenly, a gigantic ninja blade hurtled through the air. Its sharp whistle startled Manda, causing its tail to halt mid-swing. The blade grazed the scales on Manda's tail, tearing through its defensive armor and drawing blood.
"Damn you, wretched toad!" Manda winced, bloodshot eyes fixed on Gamabunta. "You're dead today!"
"Tsk!" Gamabunta sighed. "I missed cutting your tail in half, huh?"
"Gamabunta! Stop them!" Jiraiya urgently shouted.
"Understood!" Gamabunta replied.
Jiraiya and Gamabunta simultaneously formed hand seals. "Earth Release: Yellow Swamp!"
Gamabunta slammed his palm onto the ground, causing the earth to tremble for hundreds of meters. Beneath Manda, the terrain transformed into a vast marsh.
In less than a breath's time, one-third of Manda's colossal body sank into the swamp, rendering it almost immobile.
"Katsuyu!" Tsunade called out.
"Tongue Adhesive Acid!" The slug opened its mouth, spewing highly corrosive slime toward Manda. Bound by Ninjutsu, Manda couldn't dodge. The slime landed on its body, visibly desiccating it. The rapid dehydration made Manda appear bloodless, as if it lacked flesh and blood.
"No, it's shedding its skin!" Tsunade exclaimed.
"Big sisterTsunade, above!" Naruto's sudden warning made Tsunade look up. A massive shadow loomed overhead—Manda's colossal form hovered above the slug.
Manda's enormous snake jaws snapped shut, aiming to devour the slug.
Tsunade grabbed Naruto by the collar, flinging him toward Jiraiya, and leaped away to avoid Manda's attack.
Katsuyu was bitten by Manda.
But in the next moment, Manda's expression turned extremely strange. It hastily spat out the slug's body from its mouth.
One after another, the split forms of the slug fell to the ground.
Manda's oral cavity had been corroded.
"Ptui, ptui, ptui!" Manda quickly expelled the corrosive slime it had ingested. "Slug Sage, wouldn't it be better for you to stay in Shikkotsu Forest? Stop meddling in the conflicts of the younger generation."
"But I've always been in Shikkotsu Forest!" The voice of the Slug Sage echoed from each of its split forms.
Manda was left speechless.
Indeed, only the split forms of the Slug Sage had been summoned.
The true Slug Sage remained motionless in Shikkotsu Forest.
...
Meanwhile, below them, Kakashi and the other Anbu ninja watched the scene unfold like a clash of gods. They were unsure how to intervene.
Blocking Manda's attack with Ninjutsu just now had been a stroke of luck.
"This is too chaotic." Kakashi glanced at a ninja sword embedded in the ground nearby. It was the one Gamabunta had thrown.
Kakashi, hidden behind his mask, managed a wry smile. "How can we get involved in the battle of the Sannin when a single attack is larger than any of us?"
Beside him, an Anbu ninja marveled, "Each of them has power at the level of the Kage, it seems."
Kakashi corrected him, "The psychic beasts they've summoned also possess Kage-level strength. In other words..."
Kakashi took a deep breath.
"This is a Kage-level battle right here in Konohagakure!"
Everyone was taken aback.
"Hmm? What's wrong with you?" At that moment, Kakashi noticed something off about one of his subordinates standing nearby.
"Captain... over there!" The Anbu ninja swallowed nervously, pointing in a certain direction.
Kakashi turned around to look.
And he froze on the spot.
"Whitebeard!"
...
"Gurarararara! These are three massive creatures! A giant snake, a toad, and a worm." Whitebeard, wielding Murakumogiri, stood atop a pile of rubble.
Whitebeard raised his head, a hearty smile on his face. "So the ninja world has creatures this large, apart from the so-called tailed beasts!"
Whitebeard recalled the sea kings from the open seas. These three giants were comparable to the medium-sized sea kings out there.
Of course, they couldn't match the largest sea kings, some of which were as big as the entire Konohagakure.
"Too bad they're not my preferred meal."
Whitebeard looked slightly disappointed. "Isn't there a more decent-looking, slightly tastier giant creature?"
Indeed.
In Whitebeard's eyes, whether it was Manda, Gamabunta, Katsuyu, or the sea kings treated as food, they were all the same.
Next, Whitebeard's gaze fell on Gamabunta because he could sense that his foolish son was up there.
Whitebeard also sensed that something was off with Naruto.
Naruto seemed to be in an injured state.
"Pops! Let me handle this!" Kisame stepped forward excitedly behind Whitebeard. "Orochimaru, one of Konohagakure's Sannin, I'd love to clash with him! As expected of the Sannin—summoning such powerful psychic beasts!"
Kisame had already unsheathed Samehada, his massive sword.
Swoosh... His figure moved like a phantom, rapidly approached Manda.
Compared to Manda's colossal size, Kisame's sudden entry into the battlefield didn't catch Manda's attention.
Then it caught Orochimaru's attention.
"Hmm?"
Orochimaru sensed something amiss and swiftly turned around.
There, a figure was sprinting along Manda's serpentine body, hurtling toward Orochimaru.
"Who is this?"
As Orochimaru pondered this question, Kisame sprang into action!
Kisame stomped heavily on a scale of Manda's body. His monstrous strength shattered even that scale.
With the force of his movement, Kisame closed the gap in an instant, appearing right in front of Orochimaru.
They were mere inches apart!
"Orochimaru! So, you're the one who attacked Naruto, huh? Remember my name... is Hoshigaki Kisame from Whitebeard Pirates' !"
Kisame's arms bulged with veins, his eyes bloodshot, and an aura of bloodlust surrounded him.
His blade, Samehada, slashed toward Orochimaru!
Orochimaru's pupils contracted.
He swiftly dodged Kisame's strike, but in that split second, Kisame unexpectedly retracted Samehada. The blade grazed Orochimaru's arm.
Puff...
Flesh and skin tore!
Blood sprayed!
"Argh!" Orochimaru couldn't help but gasp.
In the next moment, he felt his body weaken slightly, furrowing his brow. "Wait... my chakra?"
"Tsk! Impressive, Konohagakure's Legendary Sannin," Kisame stood with Samehada, visibly consuming a sizable chunk of visible chakra.
Kisame grinned, revealing sharp teeth. "Samehada just took a bite, and that's a massive amount of chakra!"
Orochimaru: "....."
"Hey! Orochimaru, who's this guy? Can you handle him?" Manda, in the midst of battling Gamabunta and the slug sage, couldn't help but question Orochimaru.
"This guy is one of Kirigakure Village's Seven Ninja Swordsmen,"
Orochimaru replied casually to Manda. Then he locked eyes with Kisame. "I never expected someone like you to join the Whitebeard Pirates."
"Hah!" Kisame chuckled. "In the ninja world, a pirate crew that brings warmth like family is more precious than gold."
"And in such a crew," Kisame's smile turned sinister, "the most important rule is... never harm my family!"
Kisame's face contorted with bloodlust.
"Water Release..." Kisame's chakra surged, forming a torrent of water around him. The sheer volume of water astounded even Orochimaru.
Kisame bellowed, "Great Shark Bullet Technique!"
Instantly, the surging water transformed into a colossal shark, lunging to tear into Orochimaru.
Orochimaru leaped into the air just in time.
Crash!
The "Great Shark Bullet Technique" missed Orochimaru but instead bit into Manda's massive head, shattering several scales on impact.
Manda blinked in confusion.
Gamabunta seized the opportunity, plopping down heavily on Manda's tail, nearly fracturing it.
Katsuyu spat out its corrosive slime, dissolving more of Manda's scales.
"Orochimaru!" Manda, in pain, shouted furiously at Orochimaru. "Are you completely useless?"
This time, Orochimaru didn't respond to Manda.
Orochimaru opened his mouth and spat toward Kisame. A long snake emerged from his mouth, swiftly lunging downward at Kisame.
Just as Kisame was about to block with his sword...
Suddenly, the eerie snake opened its mouth again, and Orochimaru, holding the Kusanagi sword, emerged from within.
Orochimaru's blade aimed straight for Kisame's throat.
Kisame: "!!!"
What kind of strange Ninjutsu is this?
In that critical moment, Samehada, seemingly with a mind of its own, twisted its body to block the attack for Kisame.
Clang...
The edges of Samehada were shaved off by Orochimaru's Kusanagi sword.
Orochimaru opened his mouth once more, like a set of nested dolls. Another eerie snake emerged, its gaping mouth ready to swallow Kisame whole.
Swish!
But just then, a flash of blade sliced through the snake Orochimaru had expelled, cleaving it in half.
"Kisame, don't let your guard down."
Suddenly, Shisui appeared beside Kisame, offering a reminder. "Orochimaru is the most weird and dangerous of the Three Ninja. His techniques are nearly impossible to understand."
Though Shisui's vision was shrouded in darkness, he could vaguely sense a malicious "light source" before him.
His Observation Haki...
Had awakened!
.....
.....
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