Spirit Energy Slash!

Orochimaru's words sent a chill down Jimo's spine. He knew full well that, with his current abilities, he probably couldn't take Orochimaru down.

So he immediately put some distance between them.

Meanwhile, the First had already summoned Tree World Advent. Enormous roots burst through the ground, punching through the entire building.

"Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu!"

"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"

Jimo created a Shadow Clone and unleashed a combination jutsu. A towering blaze completely destroyed the Wood Release.

"Water Release: Water Formation Wall!"

A curtain of water appeared out of nowhere and doused the fire Jimo had started.

"What a reckless way to fight..."

Though the Second Hokage's movements were controlled, he couldn't help praising him.

"Is that kid really a Chunin...? The amount of Chakra he can draw for those jutsu is terrifying, isn't it?"

Two Anbu outside watched in admiration.

In the shadows, two figures wearing Anbu masks watched everything happening inside the barrier.

"This man is an unpredictable variable... Go inform Lord Danzo!"

With that, the two disappeared from where they stood.

At the Root Organization's base, a man wrapped in bandages, with a cross-shaped scar on his chin, stood before a fire. His face was twisted in a sinister smile.

"Hiruzen... Let's see how you get out of this one. Once it's over, I'll become Konoha's hero and the Fifth Hokage! Under my leadership, the village will prosper! Hahahahahaha!"

The battle continued inside the barrier.

"Jimo! If you can get out, then get out of there quickly!" The Third Hokage wiped the blood from his mouth as he shouted.

Those brought back through Impure World Reincarnation didn't tire, weren't limited by Chakra, and even had powerful regenerative abilities. Unless they were sealed or the caster released the jutsu, it would continue even if the caster was killed.

"Don't ask the impossible, old man... Haven't you noticed the Four Violet Sun Formation has gotten thicker?" Jimo said awkwardly. The shinobi maintaining it had increased their Chakra output after he entered. Now, even his Kamehameha would have a hard time smashing through the barrier.

Perhaps it was the influence of the Saiyan Bloodline in his Little Goku template, but Jimo was feeling especially eager for battle.

"Fortunately, this jutsu wasn't fully developed while the Second Hokage was alive, so they can't use their full strength..." The Third Hokage wiped the blood from his body with a finger.

"Summoning Technique! Monkey King—Enma!"

A white-haired ape was summoned.

"Sarutobi, you're in a tough spot..." Enma said.

"That's why I told you: you shouldn't have gone soft back then!"

"Jimo... As Hokage, I order you to find a way out at once! Leave this to me!" A hint of unyielding resolve appeared in the Third Hokage's eyes.

"You really have a way?"

"I am the Third Hokage of Konoha!" Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to regain the spirited confidence of the Shinobi Hero.

"Come on! With that look on your face, you're probably thinking of some move that'll take you down with them..."

At those words, the Third Hokage fell silent. He had indeed found a way to deal with the First and Second Hokage: the Fourth Hokage's Dead Demon Consuming Seal, a Sealing Technique that involved making a deal with the Shinigami... at the cost of his own life.

"Brat, it's not like I'm going to die that easily. I'm the Third Hokage! You'll only get in my way if you stay here!"

Jimo gazed at the Third Hokage, saying nothing for a long moment.

That was true. Staying here wouldn't do much good now...

"I'll go get Lord Jiraiya! Please don't use a jutsu with such a terrible price!"

Jimo raised his hand. A ball of light appeared in his palm and began to spin, emitting a piercing whine. It gradually flattened, and within seconds, a giant disc of light rested in his hand.

"Spirit Energy Slash!"

Jimo hurled the Spirit Energy Slash at Orochimaru and the two former Hokage.

"Wind Style?"

Orochimaru frowned slightly and controlled the two Hokage to stand in front of him.

The next second, the Spirit Energy Slash cut all three of them in half at the waist. Even Orochimaru's prized Kusanagi Sword was sliced through.

The slash struck the Four Violet Flame Formation. They were locked in a brief contest for only a few seconds before it cut a hole in the barrier.

Before Jimo could move, the Third Hokage kicked him out of the barrier.

"Don't die, old man!"

Elsewhere, the Konoha shinobi were helpless against the three giant snakes.

The shinobi were packed too tightly together to use powerful area-of-effect jutsu.

"Summoning! House Collapse Technique!"

A giant toad suddenly appeared and pinned one of the snakes firmly to the ground.

"That snake... Is it Orochimaru?!"

Jiraiya's brow furrowed deeply.

"Pervy Sage!"

Jimo jumped down from the Flying Nimbus. After searching among tens of thousands of people for Jiraiya's presence without success, he'd finally spotted the giant toad!

"You're Naruto's teammate..."

"Lord Jiraiya, Orochimaru has trapped the Third Hokage inside a barrier!"

Jiraiya was shocked to hear this, especially when he learned that Orochimaru had used the forbidden jutsu, Impure World Reincarnation, to bring back the two former Hokage.

"Kid, I'll leave this to you! I'm going to help the Third Hokage!" With that, he rushed toward the distant Golden Summit Building.

Jimo sliced the giant snakes into several pieces with his Spirit Energy Slash. After making sure they were dead, he rode the Flying Nimbus to meet up with Naruto and the others.

Along the way, he found Shikamaru and Neji locked in a tough battle. The two of them couldn't handle nine Sound Ninja. Even Neji, formidable as he was, had been wounded by their relentless attacks.

"This is bad... I thought the two of us could hold them off..." Shikamaru gasped as his Shadow Imitation Technique dissipated.

"Brats! Die!" The nine Sound Ninja threw all their Shuriken at once.

Neji didn't have enough Chakra left to use Rotation again.

"If only we'd asked Jimo for more of those beans..." Seeing the Kunai and Shuriken flying toward them, the two seemed to accept their fate and closed their eyes.

"Hey, you two, don't be so down!"

A metallic clang rang out. The Shuriken and Kunai didn't pierce them as they'd expected.

Jimo swung his Nyoi-Bo, deflecting the Sound Ninja's attacks.

Another figure appeared and took out all the Sound Ninja.

"Nice moves! No wonder you're Kakashi's student!"

Asuma praised him.

"You'd better hurry back to Konoha. The Third Hokage is in a very bad spot right now..."

Asuma frowned at that and glanced at Shikamaru and Neji.

"I'll handle things here. I'm a Chunin, at least. I'll take them after the Sand Ninja. You should hurry back."

After seeing Asuma off, Jimo tossed Shikamaru and Neji a few Soldier Pills he'd swiped from other shinobi, so they could regain their strength.

"Don't you have any more of those beans from before?"

Shikamaru and Neji looked at the Soldier Pills in their hands, grimacing at their awful taste.

"You should be grateful you have something to eat! You think those things grow on trees? I can't just pull them out of thin air!"

Jimo bonked each of them on the head.