Uchiha Riu vs. the Third Hokage at His Peak!

In the forest, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, sped forward. He wore a black skintight combat suit, with silver armor connected across his shoulders and back. The armor on his back bore the character for "Fire." He wore a shinobi hat with layered green hanging armor on both sides and an extra-long strap trailing behind it. This was the attire he habitually wore in battle.

Unlike the kind old man with a face full of wrinkles from the original story, Hiruzen Sarutobi was in his prime at this time, at the peak of his strength!

Four agile shinobi followed close behind him. They wore ANBU masks and white cloaks denoting their status as ANBU squad captains!

Not long ago, the Third Hokage had received a secret letter from Kabuto Yakushi, claiming that Orochimaru had been defeated and "imprisoned" by a shinobi named Uchiha Riu, and that his life was in grave danger.

"Lord Third, Kabuto once served Root. He is a double agent operating across various countries. Can his words be trusted? Could this be a trap?"

"The ninjutsu and knowledge Orochimaru possesses are tremendous assets to Konoha. Even if this is a trap, we cannot simply stand by!"

After pondering for a moment as he ran, Hiruzen Sarutobi said, thinking, Orochimaru, after all, is my disciple. Though he possesses ambitions and thoughts that even I cannot see through...

When they arrived at the location marked in Kabuto's secret letter, they found a sheer cliff before them.

"Just as expected, it can't be trusted," an ANBU member said.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not immediately respond. He surveyed the area ahead with a thoughtful expression, then raised his hands and formed a complicated series of hand seals.

Ninjutsu: Evil-Dispelling Seal!

Whoosh! The cliff vanished, revealing a hidden barrier wall.

"This is..." The four ANBU members were all stunned.

"A high-level barrier technique capable of disguising terrain, and it is difficult to break," Hiruzen said.

"The Barrier Corps did not accompany us. Should we force our way through?"

"There is no need to break it with brute force. We only need to see through the formula..." After staring intently for a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi stepped forward. Whoosh! Flames of five different Chakra natures ignited at his fingertips as he pressed his hand against the barrier wall.

Whoosh!

A barrier gate appeared on the wall.

The four ANBU squad captains were filled with admiration.

"Let's go. It seems someone is already waiting for us..." the Third Hokage said deeply as he stepped through the barrier gate.

The four ANBU squad captains exchanged glances and nodded. Raising their guard, they followed behind him.

Wind and sand swirled through the air. Riu sat atop the spine of a gigantic beast skeleton, his robes fluttering. The Sharingan beneath his mask gazed at the man emerging from the sandstorm as he said approvingly, "As expected of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. You made it here so easily."

Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped several dozen meters away from Riu. This distance was just beyond the maximum range of the Sharingan's ocular techniques. The elder's combat experience truly could not be compared to that of the younger generation.

Hiruzen looked toward Riu. "You are Uchiha Riu, I presume. I heard that my disciple Orochimaru has fallen into your hands. As his teacher, I have come specifically to apologize, and also to take this disappointing disciple back so I can discipline him properly..."

Riu thought, So this is Kabuto's game. Fine, then.

The reason did not matter anyway. No one would be taking Orochimaru away from him.

Besides, Riu wanted to personally experience the strength of another titan of the Shinobi World besides Hanzō of the Salamander—the Third Hokage at the height of his power!

Riu tilted his head. "Orochimaru is indeed with me, but whether you can take him away depends on whether you, as his teacher, have the ability to do so~"

"How dare an Uchiha speak to the Third Hokage like that! What arrogance!" The ANBU squad captains moved to step forward.

"Stand down!" the Third Hokage barked, stopping them.

"Lord Third..."

"Do not act rashly. I will take the lead!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi rapidly formed hand seals.

Ninjutsu: Wind Release: Dust!

A violent gale suddenly rose, whipping up a powerful sandstorm and obscuring their vision...

"Oh~ Targeting the Sharingan right from the start? More effective than the Hidden Mist Technique. It seems this battle truly will not disappoint me..." Riu jumped down from the beast bones.

Whoosh!

A shuriken sliced through the wind toward him.

"Ninjutsu: Three Thousand Shuriken Shadow Clones!" As Hiruzen Sarutobi completed his hand seals, one became three thousand, blanketing the sky without leaving a single blind spot!

Thud thud thud thud!

Yet without exception, every shuriken passed right through Riu. After striking the ground, they were buried beneath the windblown sand.

Whoosh! Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared in midair, his hands rapidly forming seals.

Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!

Roar! Roar! Roar! Three colossal fire dragons erupted from his mouth, sweeping in from the left, center, and right... After striking the beast bones Riu had been sitting on, they exploded into enormous fireballs!

Riu remained completely unscathed...

Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaze grew somewhat grave. "Just as the rumors said, both physical and ninjutsu attacks can pass through him. Though it has a five-minute limit, he can also use it in reverse to drain the opponent's Chakra and launch defensive counterattacks..."

Riu praised him. "As expected of the Professor of Ninjutsu. Your understanding of combat is truly thorough. You are far superior to those fools who only know how to mindlessly spam ninjutsu... So the question is, how do you intend to break my intangibility?"

In midair, the Third Hokage formed an extremely peculiar hand gesture and aimed it at Riu.

Riu frowned. "Could this be..."

The Third Hokage's lips curled upward. "I possess Chakra of all seven attributes: wind, lightning, water, earth, fire, yin, and yang. Therefore, so long as it does not fall within the scope of a Bloodline Limit, I can use every secret technique currently possessed by Konoha. Naturally, the Mind Body Switch Technique used by the Yamanaka Clan through Yin Release is no exception!"

So the elderly Third Hokage from the original story had only been unable to use certain ninjutsu because age had drastically reduced his Chakra reserves! But now was different. He was at his peak!

Secret Technique: Mind Body Switch Technique!

"Damn it!" Riu's pupils suddenly contracted as he tried to dodge.

Buzz!

Riu's body froze in place. Hiruzen Sarutobi's consciousness temporarily took control: Such powerful Mental Energy. Even I can only occupy this body for less than ten seconds!

"The Mind Body Switch Technique succeeded. Xin Chou, use your technique to attack me!" Using Uchiha's body, he shouted at one of the squad captains.

"Lord Third!" Xin Chou hesitated, because while the Mind Body Switch Technique was active, any damage would be transferred to the Third Hokage as well!

"Do not worry. I will undo the Mind Body Switch Technique just before your attack lands!"

"Understood!" Xin Chou drew his ninja blade and leaped into the air.

Ultrasonic Vibrating Lightning Release Blade!

Using Lightning Release to generate high-frequency vibrations, it gained piercing power surpassing even Wind Release as it slashed swiftly toward Riu's neck...

Within the spiritual world.

"Mind Body Switch Technique, is it... Third Hokage, the Yamanaka Clan will suffer utter destruction because of what you did today!" Riu's cold voice rang out.

Crack!!

A massive hand suddenly clenched around Hiruzen Sarutobi's spiritual body!

Behind him stood an azure giant, radiating astonishing killing intent!

"This incomparably vicious Chakra... Could it be!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was abruptly shocked.

It was the power of Susanoo! Even without manifesting it outside the body, it could be awakened within and transformed into powerful Mental Energy!

The Mind Body Switch Technique was broken!

"Urgh!" Hiruzen Sarutobi opened his eyes, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth... Having lost the spiritual confrontation, it was only natural that he had suffered injuries!

Seeing that Xin Chou was still unaware of the situation and closing in on Riu, he hurriedly shouted, "Xin Chou, retreat!"

"Too late..."

Riu lowered his head to evade Xin Chou's lightning slash. At the same time, Chidori mercilessly pierced through Xin Chou's chest!

Thud!

Looking at Xin Chou's corpse as it fell to the ground, Hiruzen Sarutobi wiped the blood from his mouth and silently rose to his feet.

Meanwhile, Riu faced him with an expressionless face.

The wind and sand grew fiercer. Under the killing intent entwining between these two, the howling wind seemed to be crying out in anguish...

The battle between Uchiha Riu and the Third Hokage at his peak had only just begun...