Three Hokages

"Fine, I believe you."

Naruto retracted his killing intent, pulled a scroll from his ninja pouch, unfurled it, and slapped it onto Gaara.

Within two seconds, the body of Shukaku dissolved into fine sand and slipped away, leaving Gaara unconscious beneath it.

"Catch."

Naruto lifted Gaara with one hand and tossed him to Temari. "I've reinforced the seal on him. Even if he falls asleep, Shukaku won't be able to slip out as he pleases anymore."

Temari caught Gaara in a panic, but upon hearing Naruto's follow-up, she was momentarily stunned. "What did you say?"

"The seal on Gaara was crude. I suspect he hasn't been able to sleep properly for years, which is why his dark circles are so severe."

Naruto explained, "In the current situation, it would be troublesome if he and Shukaku caused more chaos, so I added a layer of sealing. From now on, as long as no one breaks that seal, Shukaku won't be able to influence him, and Gaara can sleep in peace. The trade-off is that it will be harder for Gaara to tap into the Tailed Beast's power from now on."

Isn't that even better?!

Temari felt a surge of joy, struggling to control her facial expression: No, I can't smile now!

"Th-thank you very much!"

Temari bowed to Naruto while holding Gaara, then joined Kankuro as Naruto's "captives."

Just as he finished sealing the three siblings and binding them with rope, Sasuke and Sakura arrived from the spectator stands.

"You move fast."

Sasuke looked at Gaara. "His situation is very similar to yours, isn't it? Is it really safe to just leave him like this?"

"If a Jinchuriki dies, the Tailed Beast dies with them, only to resurrect somewhere else in the world. That would easily lead to trouble, and Sunagakure might make the worst possible choice if they lose their Tailed Beast. It's safer to keep him controlled with sealing jutsu."

Naruto explained, "I think I saw Kakashi talking to you two earlier. Was there a mission?"

"It's already done."

Sakura pointed at Gaara. "Kakashi-sensei told Sasuke and me to assist you in suppressing him."

"Ha!"

Naruto smiled and handed over two Kunai. "I'll leave the three of them to you; I'm going to check on Grandpa Third. If you encounter a situation you can't handle, channel your chakra into the Kunai, and I'll come to help immediately."

"Be careful yourself."

Sasuke took the Kunai. "Sakura and I will come find you later."

Naruto nodded. "I'll try to finish things before you get there."

With that, he performed the Flying Thunder God and vanished.

Rewinding time slightly, back to when Gaara first began his rampage.

The Fourth Kazekage suddenly said, "Begin."

Hearing this, the two Sunagakure ninja standing behind him lunged toward the Third Hokage, slamming smoke bombs onto the ground. Thick smoke instantly engulfed the main seating area of the spectator stands.

At the same time, near the Konoha gates, several giant snakes were summoned, beginning their destruction from the entrance.

The Konoha guards arrived immediately, but faced with the massive size of the summons, their attacks failed to achieve the desired effect.

Just then, a voice echoed from the sky: "Summoning: Food Cart Destroyer Technique!"

A toad, even larger than the giant snakes, plummeted from the sky and landed squarely on one of the snakes, crushing it to death on the spot.

Jiraiya appeared atop the giant toad, his expression grave. "Leave this place to me. You all prioritize evacuating the civilians."

The guards replied, "Yes, Lord Jiraiya!"

Jiraiya looked at the rising dust in the distance and muttered, "Old man, don't you dare die on me."

At the Chunin Selection Exams arena, the smoke in the spectator stands was beginning to clear. The Fourth Kazekage held the Third Hokage hostage, leaping out of the smoke and landing on the roof above the stands. Four individuals with peculiar appearances scattered to the four corners of the roof, shouting in unison: "Ninja Art: Four Violet Flames Formation!"

A purple cubic barrier enveloped the entire roof. Immediately after, the four performed the technique again, casting a second layer of the Four Violet Flames Formation to protect themselves.

"I thought the Fourth Kazekage had gone mad, but it was you..."

The Third Hokage showed no sign of being a hostage, his tone remarkably calm. "Orochimaru."

"Since you guessed it was me, why didn't you do anything?"

Orochimaru tore off his disguise mask and tossed the Fourth Kazekage's hat aside. "Hiruzen-sensei."

"In the end, you still chose to strike at the village."

The Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, instantly broke free from Orochimaru's grip, removed his own hat, and threw off his robe to reveal a combat suit designed for mobility. "I shouldn't have let you go back then."

"It's too late to say such things now."

Orochimaru wore a sinister smile. "But I am quite happy to cross blades with you one last time."

"I, however, am very sad."

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked sorrowful. "You betrayed the village, and Tsunade and Jiraiya have spent years abroad, rarely returning. Once, all three of you were disciples I was proud of. In the end, none of you turned out the way I hoped. As a teacher, I have failed."

"But as the Hokage, you have succeeded."

Orochimaru no longer restrained his aura. "Hiruzen-sensei—this is the last time I will call you that. Try to stop me, or I will destroy the village you love most!"

Words said, the battle begins.

Hiruzen Sarutobi struck first, throwing a single shuriken while his hands moved in a blur of seals: "Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"

In the blink of an eye, the single shuriken multiplied into dozens, nearly engulfing Orochimaru.

Orochimaru did not dodge or parry, instead pressing his palms together: "Summoning Technique: Impure World Reincarnation!"

Three coffins rose slowly from the roof tiles before Orochimaru, acting like three shields that blocked every single shuriken.

"This jutsu!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes widened in agitation: "Orochimaru, you wretch, how dare you desecrate the dead like this?!"

"I am reuniting you with the past Hokage; you should be happier about this."

Orochimaru chuckled as he opened the coffins, though only two opened: "One failed, it seems... no matter, two are more than enough."

Two figures with bodies covered in cracks stepped stiffly out of the coffins. From Hiruzen Sarutobi's perspective, the man on the left had black hair, while the man on the right had silver-gray hair; both wore Konoha headbands.

"This sensation... Impure World Reincarnation, is it."

The silver-haired man turned his head toward Orochimaru: "To be able to summon both me and my brother at once, you are an extraordinary young man."

"That person opposite... is little Hiruzen."

The black-haired man looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi: "You have aged so much; I almost didn't recognize you."

"Monkey,"

The silver-haired man suddenly said to Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Attack."

Hiruzen Sarutobi trusted the silver-haired man, for he was his mentor and the Second Hokage of Konoha—Tobirama Senju!

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Earth Release: Earth Flow River!"

The roof tiles beneath his feet turned into a torrent of mud, surging toward Orochimaru.

"Tch!"

Orochimaru had just pulled out two kunai attached with paper charms and, before he could even use them, was about to be swept away by the mud. He had no choice but to abandon his plan and weave seals: "Earth Release: Earth Style Wall!"

As the mud surged before him, it suddenly solidified and rose, transforming into a wall over ten meters high and several meters thick, blocking all the incoming mud.

Taking advantage of this moment, Orochimaru embedded the two paper charms along with the kunai into the bodies of the two people he had summoned, completely erasing their autonomous consciousness.

Although this meant they would be unable to fully unleash the strength they possessed in life, compared to the risk of leaving their consciousness intact, this was a price Orochimaru was willing to pay.

"You even prepared the paper charms; it seems you have fully mastered the Impure World Reincarnation."

Tobirama Senju said to Orochimaru, then looked toward where Hiruzen Sarutobi stood, murmuring to himself: "Monkey, don't die by my hand..."

"Orochimaru!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi vaulted over the earth wall, a staff appearing in his hands as he swung it down toward Orochimaru with the momentum of an army-sweeping strike...