At this moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen looked at his former disciple, Orochimaru, and the silent observer nearby, Satoru. Quietly, he made a decision in his heart.
He had to correct his mistakes with his own hands.
This was his responsibility.
Sarutobi's eyes sharpened suddenly, no longer dulled by hesitation or regret.
"What you're looking for," he said, addressing Satoru, "is still hidden in the same place where I left it before."
He picked up the Adamantium Staff, a faint smile on his face.
"Go retrieve it when this is over."
He then turned to face Orochimaru.
"The rest of this... is between me and him. You don't need to intervene."
Satoru propped his chin on his hand, visibly unimpressed.
"Is that so?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "And why the sudden decisiveness?"
He had expected a drawn-out stalemate, not this abrupt shift.
Does he really think he can handle this alone? How reckless.
But before Satoru could finish his thought, Sarutobi had already launched himself forward.
"Orochimaru," Sarutobi called, his voice tinged with an inexplicable mix of nostalgia and sorrow.
"What is it, Sensei?" Orochimaru replied, smiling faintly, his expression devoid of emotion.
"I'm going to show you a jutsu you've never seen before," Sarutobi declared.
He clasped his hands together, preparing to unleash the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
This forbidden sealing jutsu, passed down from the Uzumaki clan, summoned the Shinigami at the cost of the user's life. It could extract and seal the soul of the target, but the caster would also lose their life in the process.
Orochimaru's eyes glimmered with curiosity at Sarutobi's words.
"A jutsu I've never seen before?" Orochimaru mused. "Interesting."
Still, he wasn't about to give Sarutobi an easy victory. Orochimaru had the Second Hokage, summoned through the Reanimation Jutsu, cast the Bringer of Darkness Technique, plunging the battlefield into pitch-black darkness.
Sarutobi, however, had anticipated this.
Undeterred, he pressed on, his focus unwavering.
Meanwhile, the Second Hokage charged toward Sarutobi to attack him in the shadows.
"Bang!"
The sound of a fierce clash echoed as Satoru intervened, blocking the attack.
He glanced at Sarutobi with a skeptical expression.
"Seriously? You're going with this?"
Satoru's tone dripped with sarcasm.
"You're so eager to die, huh? Let me guess, the Shinigami here must be a beautiful woman?"
Sarutobi chuckled softly, his expression calm and resolute.
"This is the best choice," he said simply.
His gaze softened slightly as he looked at Satoru.
"I'm relieved to know you're still alive."
Satoru's presence alone will ensure Konoha's future doesn't fall into chaos, Sarutobi thought, his heart finally at ease.
Satoru frowned, clearly annoyed.
"Hey, let's get one thing straight. You know I'm not here because I care about Konoha, right?"
He crossed his arms, exuding dissatisfaction.
"What's with that trusting look? Don't dump your hopes on me."
Sarutobi only smiled, shaking his head.
"You don't know yourself as well as you think," he said cryptically, before shifting his attention back to the battle.
He began searching for the precise location of his targets.
Moments later, the darkness lifted, and light returned to the battlefield.
Sarutobi acted swiftly, using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal to capture and seal the souls of the First and Second Hokage.
With both of his powerful allies neutralized, only Orochimaru remained.
Orochimaru's golden eyes gleamed with fascination as he observed the sealing technique.
"So, this is the jutsu I've never seen before?" he murmured, intrigued.
He couldn't deny that Sarutobi's actions had effectively neutralized his Reanimation Jutsu.
Was it because the sacrifices I used this time weren't strong enough?
Orochimaru pondered.
If I had used proper sacrifices, bringing forth the full strength of the First and Second Hokage, this battle wouldn't have gone this way.
Still, Sarutobi wasn't done.
The Third Hokage gripped the King Kong Ruyi Staff and pressed the attack. Amid their fierce battle, Sarutobi seized an opening and began casting the Dead Demon Consuming Seal on Orochimaru himself.
Orochimaru's expression shifted to one of panic as he felt the terrifying pull of the Shinigami's grip on his soul.
The tearing sensation was unmistakable.
"This... this is the Dead Demon Consuming Seal?" Orochimaru gasped, his voice laced with disbelief.
Desperately, he summoned the Kusanagi Sword with a flick of his fingers. The blade flew toward Sarutobi, aiming for his heart.
"Swish!"
Before the sword could land its mark, Satoru intervened, catching the hilt effortlessly.
"Seriously, don't you know how to ask permission before causing a scene?" Satoru said, sighing dramatically.
Orochimaru's pupils narrowed as frustration and fear contorted his face.
"Why?" Orochimaru asked, his voice laced with confusion.
"I can feel your hatred—your hatred for Konoha and Sarutobi. It's like mine.
"This is your chance to destroy him, to destroy Konoha. Why are you stopping me?"
Orochimaru's tone turned desperate as he tried to sway Satoru.
"Whatever you're looking for in Konoha, I can help you find it. All the ninjutsu, all the truths of the world—you can have them.
"All you have to do is stay out of this."
Satoru burst into laughter, his pale blue eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Tsk, same old trick, same old formula," he said, a playful smirk tugging at his lips.
"You're really bad at this persuasion thing, Orochimaru."
There was no trace of trust in Satoru's expression.