---
At the same time, an Anbu ninja arrived at the Root's base.
The sight before him was catastrophic—a battlefield littered with corpses, the area devastated. For a moment, his pupils contracted in shock.
"What... what happened here?"
In the distance, he caught a glimpse of Itachi's Susanoo disappearing into the horizon, but before he could get closer, both Itachi and Kisame had already vanished.
In the center of the carnage, an old man lay lifeless in a pool of blood, his body wrapped in bandages. His wide, unseeing eyes reflected the tragedy.
"Is this... Danzo of the Root?"
Confirming the identity of the body, the Anbu ninja left hurriedly, his face pale with disbelief.
---
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen stood on the platform, his expression tense. He had felt the massive disturbance from the Root's base moments earlier.
Frowning, he looked into the distance, his mind racing. *What could have happened?*
Orochimaru, noticing Hiruzen's distraction, sneered.
"Sensei, perhaps you should worry about yourself first," he said mockingly.
At that moment, the coffin behind Orochimaru fully opened, and two figures stepped out into the sunlight.
One was a man with long black hair, wearing a black combat uniform layered with red plate armor. A Senju Clan crest was visible on his shoulder. His face was calm but carried a hint of confusion as he scanned his surroundings.
The other had silver hair, red eyes, and an iron forehead protector shaped like a face guard. His face bore three red marks on his cheeks, and he wore the ancient battle attire of Konoha.
"What... is this?" the silver-haired man muttered.
"This is the *Impure World Reincarnation,*" the man beside him explained solemnly.
These two were none other than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju. However, due to the technique used to summon them, their powers were not at full strength.
"Brother," Hashirama said, his tone tinged with regret. "Look at the technique you created. It's being misused."
Sarutobi Hiruzen, overwhelmed at seeing his mentors again, called out to them.
"Lord Hashirama! Lord Tobirama!"
Hearing this, Tobirama turned, startled.
"Old monkey? Is that you?"
"I—"
Before Sarutobi could explain, Orochimaru made a series of hand seals, seizing control of the two Hokage.
"Not good," Tobirama muttered.
"Brother," Hashirama sighed. "Your jutsu is in the hands of an enemy."
Without further warning, the two Hokage rushed toward Sarutobi, attacking with precise and lethal strikes.
"Apologies, old monkey," Tobirama said, his movements relentless. "We cannot control our actions."
The First Hokage added, "We may be weaker than before, but even so..."
Kunai flashed as the two assaulted Sarutobi. He blocked desperately, sweat pouring from his brow. Facing the combined might of the First and Second Hokage, even in their weakened states, was a near-impossible task.
---
On the battlefield outside the barrier, chaos reigned.
A massive sand creature, resembling a colossal tanuki, wreaked havoc, destroying the arena and attacking civilians indiscriminately.
"I'll kill you all! Then I'll finally be free!" the beast roared.
It was the One-Tailed Shukaku, unleashed from Gaara's body after Sasuke's Chidori severely injured the jinchuriki. Overcome by hatred, Gaara could no longer suppress Shukaku, allowing it to rampage uncontrollably.
Konoha's ninja fought valiantly, bombarding the beast with jutsu, but Shukaku's defenses rendered their efforts futile. Its sharp claws and massive body left destruction in its wake.
Among the chaos, Kirito stood out. Dressed in a black windbreaker and sunglasses, he moved effortlessly through the battlefield, dodging Shukaku's attacks with ease.
With a calm demeanor, he struck the beast with a light punch, creating a small dent in its sandy body. However, the damage was negligible, and Shukaku swiped at him with its massive tail.
Kirito dodged gracefully, showing no sign of concern. His movements were deliberate, as though he were toying with Shukaku. Despite the critical situation, he appeared entirely unbothered.
Watching from the barrier, Sarutobi Hiruzen clenched his fists. He couldn't understand why Kirito, one of Konoha's strongest, was holding back.
"Kirito!" Hiruzen shouted over the battlefield. "This is no time for games. Konoha needs you now more than ever!"
Kirito turned, unfazed, and shrugged. "Am I not handling it already?"
"Handling it?!" Hiruzen shouted, his voice tinged with desperation. "You're barely trying! You're standing in its blind spots!"
Knowing he had no other choice, Hiruzen resorted to bargaining.
"Kirito, if you resolve this crisis, I will reinstate you immediately. No more restrictions. I'll even promote you to Elite Jonin—or ANBU captain!"
Kirito glanced over, mildly interested but unimpressed.
Seeing his lack of enthusiasm, Hiruzen added, "Fine! One year's salary bonus! What do you say?"
At this, Kirito froze. He turned to face Hiruzen, his sunglasses glinting in the sunlight.
"How much of a raise are we talking?"
Hiruzen blinked, stunned by the question.
Realizing that Kirito's interest was genuine, he quickly replied, "Whatever you want! Just stop Shukaku!"
Kirito nodded, a small smile playing on his lips. "Alright. Shukaku, huh? One kick should do it."
With that, Kirito's body erupted in golden light. Moving faster than the eye could follow, he appeared before Shukaku.
Shukaku roared, preparing another massive attack, but Kirito's right leg shimmered as it turned into pure energy.
"Flash Kick," Kirito said softly.
The next moment, his kick connected with Shukaku's body, the impact reverberating across the battlefield.
BOOM!
Shukaku collapsed, its massive form shaking the ground as the sand holding it together dispersed.
In Gaara's mind, the jinchuriki awoke with a gasp, Shukaku's control broken.
The battlefield fell silent as everyone stared at Kirito in awe. He dusted himself off, his face calm as ever, and glanced back at Hiruzen.
"So... about that raise?"
---