"What was that blond kid's name again?"
"Minato Namikaze."
The Third had failed to reach the battlefield at the agreed time, so Jiraiya and the other two went to support him. They chatted along the way.
Jiraiya laughed. "I noticed that kid a long time ago. His reflexes are astonishing, and he also has a rare talent for spatial perception."
"I specifically asked the old man to let him try learning that technique. Once the war is over, I'm going to teach him properly."
"I have a feeling Minato will definitely catch up to Kamizuki!"
"Heh."
Orochimaru gave a faintly disdainful smile. "Forget it. Impossible."
"Orochimaru, what do you mean by that?! Minato really is a genius! That technique we couldn't understand at all, he—"
"I never doubted him," Orochimaru said indifferently. "I simply look down on your teaching ability."
"That's even worse! You weren't like this before!"
Selecting disciples was a mandatory task the Third had assigned them. Sarutobi Hiruzen placed great importance on passing down the Will of Fire.
Whenever they returned to the village, they would visit the Ninja Academy and look for promising seedlings.
Tsunade was not particularly interested in that matter and had not taken Sarutobi Hiruzen's instructions too seriously.
Her favorite candidate was Uzumaki Kushina. Kushina had both a good personality and talent, and in terms of family ties, she was also Tsunade's distant cousin.
Unfortunately... as the Nine-Tails' jinchuriki, Kushina was destined to be unable to receive normal instruction or leave the village freely.
There was no one at home. Kushina wouldn't be lonely, would she...
Thinking that, Tsunade turned to Orochimaru. "Don't just focus on that smug Uchiha brat. Put some effort into teaching Nawaki too. He still hasn't even learned the Shadow Clone!"
Orochimaru smiled faintly. "Everyone's talents are different. Nawaki isn't suited to such a rushed pace. Take it slowly."
"When Jiraiya was his age, he was even worse."
"Orochimaru, I'm starting to hate you more and more!!"
"Is that so? That's wonderful."
Whoosh—!!
The blinding white light in the distance made them stop, shock appearing on their faces.
"That is..."
--
--
The dense forest was gone. A huge section of the dim yellow rock bed had caved in, its edges rising into a circular mountain.
Several cylindrical pits over ten meters wide dotted the circular mountain. Their edges were as smooth as if cut by the finest blade, and even the grain of the stone remained clearly visible.
Ōnoki stood atop the circular mountain, supporting himself against a rock with one hand as he panted. His Tsuchikage robes were in tatters.
Blood seeped from the web of his thumb and forefinger, dripping onto the scorching rock surface burned by flames with a sizzling hiss.
On the other side of the circular mountain, Sarutobi Hiruzen slumped against the Adamantine Staff, his chest heaving violently.
His black combat uniform had been damaged during the battle, exposing his sturdy torso and the dense scars covering it. Sweat slid along those crisscrossing marks.
"Urgh—"
Ōnoki gritted his teeth and groaned, pressing a hand to his waist.
That shameless Sarutobi Hiruzen had actually used that black staff to jab him in the kidney, striking right on an old wound and worsening the injury.
It was a wound left behind from his battle with Madara Uchiha, one that had yet to fully heal.
Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled at the sight. "If it hurts too much, you can cry out. Don't hold it in."
"What the hell does that have to do with you?! You make it sound like you did it. This is an old wound from fighting Madara Uchiha all night!"
"It's fine to tell that sort of story to the next generation, but don't we know better?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long breath and stood up, grinning. "Facing someone like that, surviving was already remarkable enough."
Ōnoki's expression eased slightly, and he snorted. "You're nowhere near as good as the First!"
"How could I dare compare myself to the First?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen gripped the Adamantine Staff and spoke slowly. "But... bearing the name of Hokage, there are things I must accomplish as well..."
"Ōnoki, I will never let you set foot in the Land of Fire!"
Ōnoki frowned slightly.
In terms of ninja strength, the two were evenly matched. Perhaps only a fight to the death could determine who was superior.
He possessed a devastating weapon like Dust Release. Though it had been dodged many times, if they continued wearing each other down, he still had a chance of winning.
But the more likely outcome was that he would perish together with Sarutobi Hiruzen, just like Lord Mu and that brain-dead Second Mizukage.
He did not possess the same resolve as Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Ōnoki was the invader, here to plunder. He was different from Sarutobi Hiruzen, who stood as a protector.
In a battle between the strong, the role of willpower was magnified without limit. A moment of hesitation could lead to certain death.
By now, Ōnoki had already begun considering retreat, but his pride kept him from making the decision cleanly.
When he followed the First Tsuchikage to the Five Kage Summit, this little monkey had probably still been playing in the mud somewhere...
Just then—
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!!"
The instant the shout rang out, Ōnoki sharply turned his head and dodged the mass of snakes sweeping toward him.
He hovered in the air, inwardly startled as well.
From the moment he sensed danger to the appearance of those snake hands, how had they moved so quickly?
If he had not heard the shout...
Looking at the three who had appeared, his gaze settled on Orochimaru. He sneered. "Who taught you to shout your ninjutsu out loud before using it? Are you a child?"
Orochimaru did not answer.
Although saying a ninjutsu aloud would alert an opponent, after many experiments, Orochimaru had found that adding a "chant" could indeed slightly increase both casting speed and power.
It was likely an effect of spiritual energy, accelerating the flow of Chakra. There was even an extremely small chance that it could intimidate the enemy. Overall, the benefits outweighed the drawbacks.
He was not foolish enough to tell an enemy such important information.
"Old man, you got beaten this badly? You're really useless."
Tsunade appeared behind Sarutobi Hiruzen. Her words were merciless, but her hands honestly pressed against his back as she used the Mystical Palm Technique.
"Your opponent is the famous Third Tsuchikage, and he isn't doing so well himself." Jiraiya cracked his knuckles. "It's been a while since master and disciples fought together..."
Good, now he had an excuse.
Ōnoki slowly rose into the sky to widen the distance, while the four of them did not dare relax in the slightest.
Signaling Tsunade to stop, Sarutobi Hiruzen said sternly, "The power of Dust Release needs no explanation. You absolutely cannot get hit by it!"
"You have no means of flight. I'll use the Adamantine Staff to get close. Cover me!"
Ninjas never had any obligation to fight one-on-one. The reason neither side's ninjas had approached earlier was because they would only have gotten in the way.
Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Jiraiya were no ordinary jonin. With them joining the battle, Sarutobi Hiruzen had complete confidence that they could defeat Ōnoki!
Just as he was about to ride the staff into the air, Ōnoki's fading voice drifted down from the sky.
"I have no interest in playing with children. We'll settle this next time, Hokage..."
Ōnoki flew away.
"This..." Jiraiya's face was full of indignation. "Even if he's the Tsuchikage, isn't that way too insulting?!"
After being belittled by Orochimaru all the way here and now being belittled by his opponent as well, Jiraiya was furious.
"Idiot."
Orochimaru muttered softly, too lazy to explain.
Wasn't it obvious that he had seen the situation turning against him and retreated? He only left behind a tough remark on the way out, yet this fool had taken it seriously.
Sarutobi Hiruzen let out a long breath and pulled a pipe from his ruined ninja tool pouch, lighting it.
He took a deep drag to recover some strength, then rested for a while before speaking.
"These people really can't stand staying quiet... Danzo is holding Kumogakure back, I have to guard against Ōnoki, and the Land of Rain can only rely on you."
"If necessary, Orochimaru, you may temporarily serve as the battlefield's supreme commander."
"By the way, isn't Kamizuki with you?"
Orochimaru paused for several seconds before smiling bitterly. "Teacher Hiruzen, didn't you promise him that Mikoto would not be sent to the battlefield? He's very angry right now."
"He saw Mikoto in the Land of Rain?!"
Sarutobi Hiruzen frowned deeply. "How could that be? That kid asked me so politely for the first time. I remembered it all along."
"Besides... Kamizuki is the only Uchiha operating alone. Even if Mikoto really went to the battlefield, she should have been sent to the Uchiha forces in the east!"
Orochimaru's pupils suddenly shrank.
"Not good!!"
Before you continue