Crisis

"Oh?"

"Looks like I've run into an acquaintance~~~"

As that somewhat crazed voice rang out, a figure gradually appeared before everyone.

The newcomer had long yellow hair, two upright horns growing from the top of his head, and six whisker-like markings on his cheeks.

He wore a purple short-sleeved shirt beneath a white Kumogakure Jonin vest, with a Kumogakure Headband slashed across the middle on his forehead.

He was somewhat tall, but the most eye-catching features were the character "Gold" tattooed on his arm and the massive Basho Fan in his hand.

At that moment, he wore an arrogant, overbearing expression as he slowly approached them at an unhurried pace.

In the end, he stopped more than ten meters away from the group.

He looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and those behind him with a rather teasing gaze.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at the man before him, events from the past surfaced in his mind.

Gritting his teeth, he shouted the name he had cried out countless times in nightmares over the past year:

"Kinkaku!"

As a ninja, the fact that he had survived only because Tobirama had sacrificed himself had always tormented him.

If he had not needed to become Hokage and bear responsibility for the future of the entire village, he would have long since cast everything aside to seek revenge.

Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, whose eyes had turned bloodshot, Kinkaku grinned.

"Isn't this the kid from the Sarutobi family who used to follow behind Tobirama?

It seems you're not very happy to see me!"

Hearing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath. He quickly adjusted his emotions and forced himself to remain calm.

After all, as an Experienced Ninja, he knew very well that anger was more likely to lead to mistakes in battle.

He secretly made a hand signal to the people behind him with the hand at his back as he spoke.

"May I ask what brings Kinkaku-sama here?"

Hearing the question, Kinkaku kept smiling. Tilting his head, he looked at the group and said, "Well, you know that after that incident, I couldn't go back to Kumogakure anymore.

So during This Period, I could only wander from place to place.

I never expected to run into you here. I heard you'll be taking Tobirama's place as the Third Hokage?"

Faced with the question, Hiruzen Sarutobi remained calm but did not answer.

Seeing this, Kinkaku did not mind. He slowly raised the hand holding the Basho Fan and ran his tongue over it.

The smile on his face became increasingly ferocious as he stared fixedly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and continued, "If Konohagakure's Second and Third Hokage both die because of me, that sounds pretty good too!"

The moment his words fell, a nearly tangible Killing Intent erupted from his body.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed as he shouted, "Run!"

In truth, he did not need to say anything. The instant that Killing Intent erupted, Kagura and three others had already retreated to the rear.

It was not that they intended to abandon their teacher. Earlier, the hand signal Hiruzen Sarutobi had secretly given them had meant for them to flee.

Moreover, they knew full well that in a battle between Kage-level fighters—

Let alone them, even if Anbu were here right now, they would be unable to interfere.

Leaving this place quickly would actually be more helpful to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The scenery around him rapidly receded as Kagura fled the battlefield at his greatest speed.

But before he had gone far, a voice that seemed to come straight from a nightmare rang beside his ear.

"Brats, did I give you permission to leave?"

Along with the voice came Kinkaku's face.

The moment he saw that familiar face, Kagura's heart jolted.

Fortunately, he had activated his Sharingan before Kinkaku appeared.

Facing the enemy who had suddenly appeared before him, Kagura did not hesitate to use Kotoamatsukami.

"Hmm?"

A puzzled sound came from Kinkaku's mouth. At that moment, he was actually unable to control his body.

"An opening!"

Seeing that fleeting weakness, Kagura swung both hands forward and hurled several Shuriken at the enemy before him.

Yet in that brief moment, Kinkaku had already regained control of his body.

A blur flashed past, and he directly grabbed all the weapons thrown at him with both hands.

"Heh, you little brat from the Uchiha Clan.

You're too nai—Bang!"

Before Kinkaku could finish speaking, the several shuriken he held exploded at once.

The Explosive Tags Kagura had placed on them beforehand had activated at that moment.

Yet before Kagura could smile, he discovered that Kinkaku Before his eyes had simply vanished.

A moment later, he understood what had happened.

"These are clones!"

Realizing this, he hurriedly looked toward The Other Three.

Sure enough, just like him, a Kinkaku figure had appeared In Front of each of The Other Three.

The difference was that these Kinkakus needed only one blow—a kick or a punch—to send Tsunade and the other two, who had also been fleeing, flying from the air to the ground.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three crashing sounds rang out, and three deep craters instantly appeared in the ground.

As the Dust and Mist dispersed, Jiraiya and Orochimaru slowly Appeared.

They lay on their sides within the craters, knocked unconscious by that single strike.

Tsunade, on the other hand, had managed to barely withstand the blow by using Monster Strength at the last critical moment.

Even so, she could only sway as she barely remained standing. A trace of blood leaked from the corner of her mouth, and her eyes were filled with horror.

The three Kinkaku clones perched in the trees were all stunned by the sight.

Though they were only his clones, they were no different from his Main Body in taijutsu.

Yet among these little brats, there had repeatedly been people capable of escaping his pursuit.

At that thought, bloodthirsty smiles spread across their faces.

With a push of their feet, the three figures simultaneously Rushed towards the trembling Tsunade.

Seeing the three Black Shadows charging at her, a trace of despair flashed through Tsunade's eyes.

Worthy of the man who had defeated her Second Grandfather. Even a casual strike from him was more than she could block.

The only reason she could still stand was because she refused to admit defeat.

But she knew clearly that her body could not move at all right now.

She closed her eyes in despair, but a thought flashed through her mind:

"If I'd known, I wouldn't have lost my temper at that idiot..."

At that critical moment, a blazing sea of fire suddenly appeared In Front of her!

The three Black Shadows, like messengers from Naraka Path, slowly vanished within that sea of flames, burned into ashes.

Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!

It was Hiruzen Sarutobi, arriving just in time.

The moment he said the word "Run," the Kinkaku who had been Emitting Killing Intent In Front of him faded away like an illusion.

Seeing this, Hiruzen Sarutobi froze briefly before instantly understanding.

"His target is my students!"

Although he had rushed over at the first possible moment, he still had not been able to stop him in time.

Fortunately, he had finally made it in time for Tsunade's most critical moment.

But before he could breathe a sigh of relief, another Black Shadow shot out from behind Tsunade.

Another Kinkaku!

As he dived toward Tsunade, he laughed loudly. "If I'm not mistaken, this little brat is from Tobirama's clan, right?

Let me take her to visit Tobirama!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart tightened, and he hurriedly Rushed towards Tsunade.

However, compared to Kumogakure, which excelled more at taijutsu training, Hiruzen Sarutobi was far slower than Kinkaku.

What was more, Kinkaku was closer to Tsunade.

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's despairing gaze, Kinkaku had already reached Tsunade.

With a savage grin, he raised his Right Hand. When that power-filled fist came down, it even carried the sound of rushing wind.

Unable to move, Tsunade could only watch helplessly as that fist grew larger and larger.

However, at that very moment.

A familiar Back View suddenly appeared in front of her.