The Will of Fire

"Shizune!"

Tsunade saw Shizune trapped and hurried to save her.

But Yakushi Kabuto blocked her path, chakra scalpels forming in both hands to keep her from getting close.

Now everything depended on Tsunade's choice.

The violent trembling of her hands revealed the struggle within her.

In a weak voice, she said, "If I agree... you have to promise not to attack the village."

Feng Yao stepped forward. Konoha no longer held anything of value to him, and he had no reason to attack it.

"Fine, as long as you agree to my condition."

Watching this, Dan Katō realized Feng Yao was using him to force Tsunade to give in. He stepped forward and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Tsunade, just seeing you again is enough for me. You must have suffered a lot while I was gone. I'm sorry, but I can't let you trade with them for my sake!"

As he spoke, Dan Katō formed Hand Seals and used the technique he excelled at most: the Spirit Transformation Technique.

This technique turned him into a living spirit, allowing him to travel regardless of distance and kill his enemies. It could control an opponent's body and enter another person's mental world.

Dan Katō's Spirit Transformation Technique was extraordinary. He could even use it briefly when Impure World Reincarnation ended.

Feng Yao was just about to use the Summoning Contract to restrain Dan Katō when he realized his method had failed.

In spirit form, Dan Katō charged at his opponent, his resolute voice ringing across the sky.

"I inherited the First Hokage's Will of Fire too! I'm a man who aims to become Hokage, and I won't let you use my life to threaten my lover or endanger the village!"

Orochimaru was just about to stop him when Shizune made her move as well. Though she was restrained, how could a kunoichi with strength comparable to an elite Jonin be subdued so easily?

She formed Poisonous Dissection Scalpels in both hands. They could produce whatever poison she needed from toxins already in her body, then inject it into someone else.

Dan Katō's Spirit Transformation Technique gave her an opening. She seized the chance to inject poison into the black snake restraining her.

"Ahhh!"

Orochimaru withdrew his right hand in pain. It had turned a deep purplish black.

But Orochimaru used snakes himself and knew a great deal about poison. Shizune's toxin couldn't kill him, though it could stop him from maintaining Hidden Shadow Snake Hands.

"Nice work, Shizune!"

With the time Dan Katō had bought, he had already flown in front of Feng Yao. He tried to enter Feng Yao's body, but passed right through him.

Feng Yao had used Intangibility to dodge, of course. He was furious, but quickly calmed down.

Perhaps this was simply an oversight in an otherwise flawless plan. By threatening Tsunade, he had made her Will of Fire flare up, allowing her to break free of Impure World Reincarnation's control and briefly fight him with the Spirit Transformation Technique.

But it didn't matter. Dan Katō couldn't keep up his chakra for long. It would end soon.

When Dan Katō's spirit saw that his attack had failed, it immediately changed course and charged at Kabuto.

"Kabuto, watch out for his spirit! He can enter your mental world and control your body!"

Feng Yao immediately warned Kabuto.

Kabuto naturally tried to get away, but then a second unexpected thing happened.

A tongue shot up from underground and wrapped around Kabuto, pinning him in place. It happened so suddenly that Kabuto had no time to react.

Dan Katō's spirit went straight into Kabuto's body.

"Lord Orochimaru... Lord Feng Yao, I can't control my body..."

Kabuto's voice trembled slightly. The Spirit Transformation Technique resembled the Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques, but it didn't rob its victim of consciousness. Instead, it controlled their body.

Orochimaru and Feng Yao looked at the frog's tongue that had turned the tide of the battle and realized who had arrived.

"Jiraiya! Why are you here?!" Feng Yao gritted out.

In the original story, Jiraiya had gone to find Tsunade because the Third had died, and they needed a new Hokage.

By Feng Yao's reasoning, since the Third was still alive, he should have continued in office after Danzo's death. Jiraiya had no reason to go looking for Tsunade.

But Feng Yao had overlooked something.

The Third was old, and the Feudal Lord of the Land of Fire couldn't appoint the same person to lead the village three times in a row.

Besides, while Feng Yao had been retrieving Dan Katō's body, Jiraiya had already met Tsunade the day before. Feng Yao had arrived later.

Tsunade had refused to take over as Hokage, and she had made the same bet with Naruto.

Jiraiya had been planning to come talk to Tsunade today. Then Feng Yao found her, so Jiraiya had quietly followed them to learn what he was after.

When Dan Katō attacked with the Spirit Transformation Technique, Jiraiya stepped in and successfully restrained Kabuto.

This time, Feng Yao's intelligence had failed him. He hadn't sent anyone to gather information about the Land of Fire, nor had he looked into whom Tsunade had met. His strength had made him somewhat arrogant.

Jiraiya emerged from the ground, with a giant toad summon beneath him.

"Feng Yao, you little brat. We really do keep running into each other. I never expected you to come looking for Tsunade. This time, I won't let you off easily. Hand over the ninjutsu and forbidden books recorded by Konoha's past generations!"

Jiraiya fixed Feng Yao with a piercing stare, as though he'd attack without hesitation if Feng Yao dared refuse.

Feng Yao first went over to Orochimaru. "How are you, Orochimaru? Have you suppressed the poison?"

"Don't worry, Yao-kun. This little bit of poison won't kill me."

Orochimaru replied grimly. His arm had already regained much of its color, showing that the poison wasn't enough to threaten him.

Feng Yao nodded, then spoke calmly.

"This time, I failed to gather information properly. I was careless, but it doesn't matter. I'll correct my mistake."

Orochimaru seemed to understand what Feng Yao intended. "Are you planning to kill them with those things? That'll be difficult."

"It doesn't matter. They're not perfect, after all, and our only goal right now is to take Tsunade with us."

Feng Yao didn't deny it, but Shizune across from him scoffed.

"Stop bluffing! We have Lord Jiraiya and Lady Tsunade, two of the Sannin, plus me and my uncle, two elite Jonin. It's four against two—we have the advantage."

Nawaki was completely ignored. To be honest, his strength was only that of a Genin.

Feng Yao didn't rush to argue. Instead, he formed Hand Seals again.

"Summoning Technique: Impure World Reincarnation!"

He and Orochimaru had tried summoning many times on the battlefield, so they had plenty of corpses belonging to powerful warriors.

Boom!

The ground shook violently as eight coffins were summoned.

Jiraiya and the others looked grim. Dealing with Feng Yao and Orochimaru had already been troublesome enough. Now there were all these Impure World Reincarnations too.