You Regret My Shadow

"Too fast!"

Orochimaru hadn't even caught a glimpse of Naruto's figure before a tremendous force shattered half of his body.

Nearby, the thick trees created by Hashirama Senju through Wood Release were reduced to sawdust just by being grazed by the shockwave.

"As expected, I still can't fully control the effects of Seal Technique No. 2."

Naruto's gaze swept across the surroundings: "According to Master's design, my power should be more concentrated, not causing such destruction to the environment."

Orochimaru, unaware of Naruto's thoughts, assumed Naruto had used a technique beyond his control and was temporarily immobilized by the side effects, so he hurriedly spat himself out using the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique.

[Just keep refining it later.]

Kurama reminded Naruto: [Finish off that Orochimaru first; the malice on him is fading, he might be trying to run.]

Naruto had certainly noticed. He adjusted his stance and direction, gathered strength for half a second, and pushed off with his right foot—but instead of lunging forward, the landing point and the entire surrounding circle collapsed.

They were originally on the roof of the spectator stands at the tournament venue, which wasn't as solid as the ground. Although protected and reinforced by the Four Violet Flames Formation, the formation was not unbreakable.

Between the internal strain from the Hokage Brothers, the damage from Naruto's forced entry earlier, and now the force of Naruto's stomp, the accumulated damage finally exceeded the Four Violet Flames Formation's limit.

Losing the support of the formation, the roof's fragile structure couldn't withstand Naruto's full-powered step and collapsed on the spot.

The Konoha Anbu, who had been observing for a long time, swarmed forward and gathered around Hiruzen Sarutobi to ensure his safety.

"The Four Violet Flames Formation was actually broken!"

Orochimaru looked at Naruto in surprise, lingering fear in his heart: "I still underestimated the strength of this Jinchuriki! With him here, I have no chance to finish off the old man. If I drag this out and that idiot Jiraiya shows up, plus the Anbu, it will be troublesome."

Thinking this, Orochimaru acted decisively, shouting to the four subordinates responsible for maintaining the barrier: "Go!"

He then abandoned even the reanimated Hokage Brothers and fled directly.

As Naruto fell, he locked onto Orochimaru with his senses, threw a Kunai, used the Flying Thunder God to grab it, threw another, and used the technique again... After three consecutive maneuvers, he arrived near Orochimaru, two golden Chakra Chains shooting from his back toward him while he threw another Kunai.

Orochimaru decisively opened his mouth to spit himself out, then opened it again to spit himself out once more. He did this five times in total, and upon finally touching the ground, he merged into it instantly, as if a drop of water into the sea.

Sensing Orochimaru moving rapidly underground, Naruto gave up the pursuit and used the Flying Thunder God to return to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The group of Anbu guarding Hiruzen Sarutobi tensed up when Naruto suddenly appeared, but being Anbu, none of them made a mistake.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Naruto's expressionless face and felt a sense of unfamiliarity: "Naru...to, are you injured anywhere?"

"No."

Naruto replied almost coldly, then formed hand seals: "Release."

A smile returned to Naruto's face: "I'm fine. Grandpa Third, you must be exhausted."

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately understood that Naruto's cold demeanor had been the result of some technique: "I am very tired, but there are still many things waiting for me to handle. As for your commendation and the results of the Chunin Selection Exams, I will have to tell you in a few days."

"It doesn't matter, those are small things. The village comes first."

Naruto laughed: "I'm going to find Sasuke and Sakura. Grandpa Third, come find me when you're done!"

With that, Naruto flashed away using the Flying Thunder God.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and asked the surrounding Anbu: "What about those Sunagakure ninja in the village and the people Orochimaru brought?"

Anbu: "With the help of Lord Jiraiya, the people Orochimaru brought have all been dealt with. The Jinchuriki from the Sunagakure side has also been suppressed by Uzumaki Naruto using a sealing technique, and the situation is stable."

"Count the village's losses as soon as possible and send the statistics to the Hokage office once finished."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Take the First and Second there. Also, notify the two advisors and Danzo to come to the Hokage office to see me immediately."

Anbu: "Yes!"

Ten minutes later, in the Hokage office, the top brass of Konoha were gathered (though there were only three of them).

For once, Hiruzen Sarutobi was not smoking. His face was gloomy, his aura fully unleashed, and the atmosphere in the room was stifling.

The office door opened, and an old man with his right arm and right eye wrapped in bandages, appearing severely injured, walked in. His remaining left eye opened slightly as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Root is still hunting down those fleeing Sunagakure ninja. Is there something urgent that you need to call me here so hurriedly?"

"Are you so impatient to hunt them down because you're worried we'll discover the fact that you colluded with them, Danzo?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke, getting straight to the point: "Or are you actually in league with Orochimaru?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Danzo's tone was without a ripple: "If you only want to say these baseless things, I won't keep you company."

"Baseless? Wasn't the evidence just disposed of by you?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a rare surge of anger toward his old friend: "Danzo, I could tolerate the things you did in the shadows in the past. But this time, you almost destroyed the village!"

"..."

After a moment of silence, Danzo remained calm: "Everything I do is for the sake of the village."

"For the sake of the village, you say."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath: "Then tell me, Danzo, what benefit has the village gained from everything you've done?"

"...The Fourth Kazekage."

After a brief thought, Danzo spoke again: "In recent years, because they could obtain Konoha's help cheaply, the Daimyo of the Land of Wind has been cutting the budget for Sunagakure. The Fourth Kazekage was very dissatisfied with this and had been plotting to move against us."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Are you saying that everything you did this time was to deal with the Fourth Kazekage?"

Danzo grew increasingly confident: "That is correct."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "Then have you considered the scenario where I am killed by the First Hokage and our teacher, summoned by Orochimaru using forbidden jutsu, and Konoha is subsequently completely destroyed by the rampaging Jinchuriki sent by Sunagakure?"

Danzo paused, then said: "I have already made preparations; the village will be fine."

"But I would be dead, and then you would be able to become Hokage, wouldn't you, Danzo?!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared: "Everything you have done, in the end, is for the sake of your own ambition!"

"No."

Danzo insisted on the words he had almost convinced himself were true: "I am doing this for the village."

"I know, Danzo. You have always been dissatisfied with our teacher choosing me to inherit the title of Hokage, but that is no reason for you to endanger the village."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly sat back down, calm once more: "I just mentioned that Orochimaru used forbidden jutsu to summon the First Hokage and our teacher. Although the battle has ended and Orochimaru has fled, the effects of the technique have not been dispelled; the two masters are currently in a state of being sealed."

Danzo felt a flicker of unease: "Hiruzen, what are you trying to do?"

"I am going to let our teacher personally evaluate everything we have done over these years."

Hiruzen Sarutobi: "And I will let our teacher tell you himself why he did not choose you back then."

"No! You cannot do this! The teacher is already dead! This is a desecration of the teacher!"

Danzo became agitated, but upon noticing that Hiruzen Sarutobi remained unmoved and that the other high-ranking officials of Konoha in the room were silent, he grew desperate and blurted out a phrase he often used: "Hiruzen, you will regret this!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied calmly: "Danzo, I am the Hokage."