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"Orochimaru, your ambition ends here."
As Hiruzen spoke, the Death God behind him moved, drawing a ninja blade from its mouth.
Sensing something terribly wrong, Orochimaru's face tightened as he retorted:
"No! My ambition will never cease!"
He pulled harder at his soul, but it was too late.
With a calm expression, Hiruzen raised his voice as the Death God's blade swung down: "Orochimaru, you are obsessed with ninjutsu, wasting it. The most fitting punishment for you is for me to take away all the ninjutsu you possess."
"Could it be..." Orochimaru's face twisted, his voice sharp, "Stop!"
"Seal!"
At Hiruzen's command, the Death God's blade slashed down without any obstruction, severing the portion of Orochimaru's soul belonging to his hands, sealing it into Hiruzen's body.
"No!"
Orochimaru could only watch as his hands turned black and purple before falling limp.
With his last breath, Hiruzen looked at him and said softly, "Now your hands can't form seals. Without your hands, you can't perform ninjutsu. Your plan to destroy Konoha has failed."
"You old fool! Give me back my hands!" Orochimaru, unable to perform ninjutsu with his hands sealed, screamed in rage.
"You've grown foolish, Orochimaru." Hiruzen smiled. "Though I regret not taking you with me, my disciple, we will meet again in the next world."
"And Gensou-senpai."
Hiruzen struggled to turn his head, looking at Gensou with memories flooding his eyes, "Since childhood, the elders in my family used you as an inspiration for us. As a man who stands shoulder to shoulder with gods, I don't know your true intentions. But!!!"
Hiruzen's eyes shone with unprecedented brilliance.
He looked directly at Gensou and said finally:
"Where the leaves dance, the fire burns eternally!"
"When we old generation die, there will always be new ones to take over our tasks. No matter your intentions, I believe Konoha's younger generation will face you fearlessly!"
"Gensou-senpai, I'll wait for you in our world."
With these words, Hiruzen finally closed his eyes.
Thus.
In Konoha Year 60, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen, passed away at the age of 69.
Ignoring Orochimaru's hateful, unwilling, and even somewhat bewildered and sorrowful cries, Gensou watched Hiruzen's body slowly fall and remained silent for a moment.
A person who bore his memories from his past life had truly left.
What surprised him was Hiruzen's speech about the Will of Fire before his death.
Was it a message not to underestimate the current Konoha shinobi?
Even without a Hokage, there would always be outstanding people to fulfill their duties.
Such rare spirit.
Despite the problems during Hiruzen's rule, he truly fulfilled his responsibilities as Hokage at this moment.
But...
Why did everyone see him as a great villain?
Is it wrong to seize any chance to survive?
And why do they keep calling him "senpai"?
He never considered himself old.
In fact, Hiruzen had seen more years than he had lived.
Gensou sighed, reflecting on the difficulties of life.
Glancing over Hiruzen's body, Gensou turned his attention to the now-rapidly-recovering Orochimaru.
With his hands unable to form seals, Orochimaru no longer posed any threat to him.
This was why he had patiently waited for Hiruzen to use the Reaper Death Seal.
"What's wrong? Not taking out your anger on your teacher's corpse?" Noticing Orochimaru staring at Hiruzen's body, Gensou smirked.
"There's no point in wasting time on the dead," came the raspy reply.
Orochimaru was a smart man.
Understanding his current state and wary of Gensou, Orochimaru knew that without the control of Edo Tensei, they had no direct conflict.
Gensou had meticulously taken control of himself, clearly not intending to return to the afterlife just to glance at the living world.
Orochimaru had no problem with stirring the calm waters of the ninja world.
In fact, the greater the turmoil, the more he relished it.
"Gensou-senpai, welcome back to the living world. Interested in visiting my place?" Orochimaru quickly adjusted his mindset and proposed a collaboration.
Gensou glanced around: "You should think about how to leave first."
Gensou's primary goal in returning to the living world was to reclaim his body, necessary for his resurrection.
Everything else was secondary.
After the plan to destroy Konoha, Orochimaru had become a thorn in Konoha's side.
Gensou had no interest in joining forces with Orochimaru now, as it would only draw unnecessary attention.
Understanding Gensou's refusal, Orochimaru wasn't offended.
Even in his prime, he wouldn't take this historical figure lightly.
Especially now, without his hands.
"Then, until next time."
With these words, Orochimaru ordered his four subordinates, "The operation ends here. Dispel the barrier. We're leaving."
"Yes!"
The Four Sound Ninjas clapped their hands, dispersing the Four Violet Flames Formation.
Once done, two of them supported Orochimaru, and together with the remaining two, they quickly left Konoha.
"Don't think you can escape!"
The Anbu outside the barrier immediately moved to intercept.
Ignoring Orochimaru's escape, Gensou looked around, choosing a less crowded direction and leaving Konoha.
However, just as he leaped onto another rooftop,
A flash of light from the sky.
Accompanied by the familiar chirping of birds, a figure sped towards him, raising his right hand as violent lightning aimed at Gensou's heart.
In an instant, illuminated by the lightning, Gensou's face showed a surprised smile:
"Did no one tell you not to show off in front of a master?"
With that,
Slap! Gensou extended his hand, precisely catching the wrist carrying the Chidori.
The attacker had to halt, looking up in shock, revealing a face with a black mask and a blood-red left eye emitting an ominous aura.
(End of Chapter)