You Regret Me, Shadow

"So fast!"

Orochimaru hadn't even seen Naruto move before a tremendous force smashed half his body to pieces.

Nearby, the thick trees Hashirama Senju had created with Wood Release were reduced to splinters by the mere brush of the shock wave.

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

Naruto swept his gaze around. "According to my master's design, my power should be more concentrated, so it shouldn't damage the surrounding area."

Orochimaru had no idea what Naruto was thinking. He assumed Naruto had used a technique he couldn't control and was now immobilized by its side effects. He hurriedly spat himself out with the Orochimaru-Style Substitution Technique.

[You can keep refining it later.]

Kurama reminded Naruto: [Take care of Orochimaru first. The malice coming from him has weakened. He might be trying to escape.]

Naruto had noticed, of course. He adjusted his stance and direction, gathered strength for half a second, and pushed off with his right foot—but he couldn't lunge forward. The spot where he landed, along with the area around it, collapsed completely.

They had been standing atop the spectator stands at the arena, which weren't as solid as the ground. The Four Violet Flames Formation had protected and reinforced them, but it wasn't unbreakable.

The damage caused by the Hokage Brothers' efforts from within, the harm Naruto had inflicted when he forced his way in earlier, and now Naruto's stomp—all of it had accumulated until it finally exceeded the Four Violet Flames Formation's limit.

Without the formation's support, the fragile structure of the roof couldn't withstand a full-force step from Naruto. It collapsed on the spot.

The Konoha Anbu, who had been watching from nearby for some time, immediately swarmed over and gathered around Hiruzen Sarutobi to ensure his safety.

"The Four Violet Flames Formation was broken!"

Orochimaru stared at Naruto in shock, still shaken. "I underestimated the strength of this Jinchuriki! With him here, I have no chance of taking out the old man. If I drag this out and that idiot Jiraiya shows up too, along with the Anbu, things will get troublesome."

With that thought, Orochimaru acted decisively and shouted to his four subordinates maintaining the barrier, "Go!"

He didn't even retrieve the Hokage Brothers he'd summoned through Impure World Reincarnation. He simply fled.

As Naruto fell, he sensed Orochimaru's location, threw a kunai, used Flying Thunder God to reach it, threw it again, and followed with another Flying Thunder God. After repeating the maneuver three times, he reached Orochimaru's vicinity. Two golden Chakra Chains shot from his back toward Orochimaru as he threw another kunai.

Orochimaru promptly opened his mouth and spat himself out. Then he opened his mouth again and spat himself out once more. He did this five times in a row, until he reached the ground and, like a drop of water falling into the ocean, instantly merged with it.

Sensing Orochimaru speeding away underground, Naruto gave up the chase and used Flying Thunder God to return to Hiruzen Sarutobi's side.

A group of Anbu guarded Hiruzen Sarutobi. When Naruto suddenly appeared, they tensed, but they were Anbu, after all; none of them let their hands slip.

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Naruto's expression, devoid of joy or sorrow, and found it somewhat unfamiliar. "Naruto... are you hurt anywhere?"

"No."

Naruto answered almost coldly, then formed Hand Seals with both hands. "Dismantle."

A smile returned to Naruto's face. "I'm fine. You're the one who must be exhausted, Grandpa Third."

Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately understood that Naruto's cold demeanor had been caused by some kind of technique. "I am tired, but there are still plenty of things I need to take care of. As for your reward and the results of the Chunin Selection Exams, I'll have to tell you in a few days."

"That's all right. Those things are minor. The village comes first."

Naruto smiled. "I'm going to find Sasuke and Sakura. Come see me when you're done, Grandpa Third!"

With that, Naruto vanished with Flying Thunder God.

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath and asked the Anbu around him, "What happened to the Sunagakure shinobi in the village, and to the people Orochimaru brought with him?"

Anbu: "With Lord Jiraiya's help, everyone Orochimaru brought has been dealt with. The Jinchuriki on Sunagakure's side was also suppressed with a Sealing Jutsu by Uzumaki Naruto. The situation is stable."

"Assess the damage to the village as soon as possible. Once you've finished compiling the report, send it to the Hokage's office."

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "Take the First and Second Hokage over there with you. Then notify the two advisors and Danzo. Tell them to come to the Hokage's office and see me immediately."

Anbu: "Yes, sir!"

More than ten minutes later, Konoha's High Command gathered in the Hokage's office, though there were only three of them.

Hiruzen Sarutobi rarely went without a cigarette, but now his face was dark and his presence filled the room. The atmosphere was oppressive.

The office door opened, and an old man whose right arm and right eye were wrapped in bandages, apparently gravely injured, walked in. His one good eye was half open as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Root still has to hunt down those Sunagakure shinobi who escaped. You summoned me in such a hurry—what's so important?"

"You're so eager to hunt them down. Are you afraid we'll discover that you colluded with them, Danzo?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi got straight to the point. "Or did you actually collude with Orochimaru?"

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

Danzo's voice was utterly calm. "If all you want to discuss is this baseless accusation, I won't stay."

"Evidence? Didn't you just get rid of it?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a rare surge of anger toward his old comrade. "Danzo, I could tolerate the things you've done in secret all these years. But this time, you nearly destroyed the village!"

"..."

After a moment of silence, Danzo remained composed. "Everything I've done has been for the village."

"For the village?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a deep breath. "Then tell me, Danzo. What good has everything you've done brought the village?"

"...The Fourth Kazekage."

After a brief pause, Danzo continued, "In recent years, because the Daimyo of the Land of Wind could get help from Konoha cheaply, he's been cutting Sunagakure's funding. The Fourth Kazekage is deeply dissatisfied and has been plotting to attack us."

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

Danzo grew increasingly confident. "That's right."

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked, "Did you ever consider what would happen if I were killed by the First and my teacher, summoned by Orochimaru's forbidden jutsu, and then the rampaging Jinchuriki sent by Sunagakure completely destroyed Konoha?"

Danzo paused before answering, "I'd already made preparations. The village would be fine."

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

Hiruzen Sarutobi roared, "Everything you did was ultimately for your own ambition!"

"No."

Danzo clung to a claim he was nearly starting to believe himself. "I did it for the village."

"I know, Danzo. You've always resented the fact that my teacher chose me to succeed him as Hokage. But that doesn't give you the right to endanger the village."

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly sat down again, calm. "I said earlier that Orochimaru used a forbidden jutsu to summon the First and my teacher. The battle is over now, and Orochimaru has fled, but the jutsu's effects haven't been undone. The two of them are currently sealed."

Danzo felt a flicker of unease. "Hiruzen, what are you planning to do?"

"Let my teacher judge for himself what we've done all these years."

Hiruzen Sarutobi continued, "And let him tell you himself why he didn't choose you back then."

"No! You can't do that! My teacher is dead! You're desecrating him!"

Danzo grew agitated, but when he saw that Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn't moved and the other members of Konoha's High Command had taken a stand as well, he panicked. A line he often used slipped out. "Hiruzen, you'll regret this!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied calmly, "Danzo, I'm the Hokage."