Dust Settles, the Third Hokage Falls!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Thunderous explosions shook the plains as Susanoo and the Ruyi Staff collided again and again...

Even Susanoo's impregnable armor had been battered full of cracks! Yet dark red blood seeped from the Ruyi Staff as well. It seemed that even Enma's Diamond Body could not withstand Susanoo's power!

"Pant... pant..." Hiruzen Sarutobi supported himself with the Ruyi Staff, gasping heavily. Fist-sized beads of sweat and blood slid down his body. This was the moisture and blood within him; one could imagine the side effects this would bring!

Inside Susanoo, Riu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi. "Other than a Tailed Beast, you're the only one who can trade blows with this Crow Tengu Susanoo. Third Hokage, even if you die, you can die proud!"

The ANBU cried out anxiously.

"Third Hokage-sama, stop! There's still time to leave!"

"The village still has the Fourth Hokage and many powerful shinobi. There's no need for you to face this monster alone!"

Enma also urged, "Sarutobi, they're right. If you retreat now, he won't be able to stop you!"

"But then we'll lose our best chance to eliminate him. If we have to deal with him again in the future, who knows how many shinobi will have to be sacrificed! For Konoha, I must give it everything I have!!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised the Ruyi Staff once more and charged forward.

Susanoo met him head-on.

Boom!!

The two massive figures passed through one another...

Clang!! The Ruyi Staff fell to the ground and reverted to Enma's blood-soaked body. He could no longer hold on!

"Sarutobi, I'm sorry. I can only help you this far!!" Enma said painfully.

"Thank you, my old friend..." Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

Poof! Enma vanished.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned around, and Susanoo turned with him...

"Third Hokage, just how many more times are you going to surprise me..." Riu sighed.

Susanoo's shadow had somehow connected with Hiruzen Sarutobi's shadow!

This was the Nara Clan's secret technique—the Shadow Imitation Technique!

After activating the Super Expansion Jutsu, the enormous body created an enormous shadow, powerful enough to restrain even Susanoo. But it could only restrain it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi shouted, "Xinmao, Xinyin, Xinsi, I can't keep this up for long! Break that Susanoo, I'm counting on you!"

"Understood!!" The three ANBU squad captains shouted in unison, landing atop three surrounding boulders.

Xinmao formed hand seals.

Lightning Release: Four Pillar Bind!

Boom! Boom! Four enormous stone pillars rose around Susanoo, releasing powerful lightning!!

Xinyin formed hand seals.

Earth Release: Clay Drop!

Boom! A huge tear opened in midair, and an enormous mass of clay fell, covering Susanoo.

Xinmao formed hand seals again.

Lightning Release: Sixteen Pillar Bind!

Rumble!! Sixteen more pillars rose in the gaps between the four pillars, sealing off all four sides and the top as thunder roared continuously!!

Xinsi formed hand seals.

Fire Release: Raw Burn Technique!

Rumble!!

Within the sealed prison formed by twenty lightning pillars and clay, powerful Fire Release erupted and blazed!!

Under such a ferocious coordinated assault, the Crow Tengu Susanoo's armor—already covered in cracks after being struck dozens of times by the Ruyi Staff—finally shattered. Its muscles and tendons were stripped away as well, leaving only thin bones protecting Riu. Clearly, they would not last long...

"This linked ninjutsu even accounted for the time I could maintain intangibility. I have to admit, Konoha's people are truly capable... Fine, then I'll repay you with my full strength!"

Blood vessels filled Riu's Mangekyo Sharingan as he released his ocular power without restraint.

Rumble!! Azure flames surged up. Susanoo's rapidly disintegrating bones swiftly repaired themselves, muscles and tendons rapidly entwined around them, and finally, a majestic suit of heavy armor covered it once again. The Crow Tengu Susanoo had returned!

But it wasn't over yet!

A gigantic divine shield grew in Susanoo's hand, and an unprecedented Kamui Vortex erupted from its surface!!

"Susanoo Divine Tool: Ninth-Spear Divine Void Mirror!!"

The flames were absorbed. The clay was absorbed. After the lightning pillars were shattered, even their fragments were absorbed. Even the Shadow Imitation Technique beneath Susanoo's feet was absorbed!!

Dust returned to dust, earth returned to earth. Only Susanoo remained standing!

"How can this be..." The three ANBU squad captains' voices trembled.

"Still couldn't stop him..." The Third Hokage sighed. The Super Expansion Jutsu was released, and after exhausting his Body Energy, he had become gaunt and skeletal. Lying on the ground, he no longer had the strength to move even a finger!

Boom! Susanoo dissipated. After closing his eyes and steadying his breathing, Riu walked toward the Third Hokage.

"Don't approach the Third Hokage!" The three ANBU squad captains blocked his path.

"Get lost!" Powerful Lightning Release burst from beneath Riu's feet. "Aah!!!" The three were struck and fell to the ground.

Riu stepped over them and stopped before the Third Hokage.

He had defeated the legend in his prime, the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. This would likely become explosive news that shook the Shinobi World.

"Uchiha Riu, can you spare my disciple, Orochimaru?" Even now, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not stop thinking of his disciple.

"I never intended to do anything to him in the first place. What is there to spare?" Riu said.

"What did you say?" Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned.

"He's right, Sarutobi-sensei. This was my own choice..." At that moment, a hoarse yet magnetic voice sounded from behind.

Riu turned and saw Orochimaru walking over alongside Tobi. Tobi cast Riu a look.

A look that said everything had gone smoothly.

The worry Riu had carried for a month finally eased.

Orochimaru stepped forward and stood slightly behind Riu's left side. This also showed that he regarded Riu as his superior...

"So... that was it." After a brief hesitation, Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke dejectedly.

"Yu-kun, for the sake of him being my teacher, spare his life~" Orochimaru said to Riu.

That pioneer of killing one's own teacher, Orochimaru, was actually pleading for his teacher's life. It seemed he had not wanted to destroy Konoha from the very beginning...

"Considering your great contributions, I'll spare him. But..." Riu's tone shifted.

"As for Kabuto, I dealt with him personally." Orochimaru seemed to know what Riu wanted to say.

Riu looked at Tobi, who nodded.

"Then there are no problems..." Riu said.

The Third Hokage asked, "Orochimaru, tell me this. Were the disappearances of people from villages around the Land of Fire, as well as the disappearances of shinobi within the village, connected to you?"

Orochimaru admitted frankly, "Mm~ I did all of it... Before, I was always nervous that it would be exposed. But I don't need to worry now. You no longer have the strength to punish me, do you, Sensei?"

"Orochimaru, do you truly refuse to return to the village? Even if I forgive your crimes?" Hiruzen Sarutobi tried to win him back.

"I want to approach the truth of this world. Something like a village simply cannot give me what I seek, Sensei..."

"Ah..." Memories of teaching Orochimaru surfaced before Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. He let out a long sigh and closed his eyes.

"Third Hokage-sama!!" The ANBU squad captains cried out.

"Don't worry. He merely fainted. If you hurry and take him back for Tsunade to treat, there may still be hope..." Orochimaru said.

Clang!

The base's gate fell shut.

"Yu-kun, how did it feel to fight the Third Hokage?" Orochimaru asked.

"Using him as a mirror to bid farewell to my past was more fitting than anything else. He made me realize that, at this stage, this is the extent of my strength. It's time to move on to the next stage." Riu gazed into the distance.

"Then, Yu-kun, shall we proceed immediately?" Orochimaru asked.

"That's right! I can hardly wait to obtain the true power of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju!" Riu's gaze blazed.

Orochimaru smiled. "Then, please follow me..."

At last, this moment had arrived!