Konoha Crush Plan 17

Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, Orochimaru's face twisted. "Teacher Sarutobi! Give me the talisman!"

"Never, Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi stood his ground, hair and beard bristling.

As they struggled, Orochimaru's mouth flew open. A slick, cold white snake shot out, coiled around Hiruzen Sarutobi's neck, and squeezed!

"Hiruzen!" The Adamantine Staff transformed back into Enma. His massive ape claws seized the snake and strained to tear it away.

"Urgh..." As he began to suffocate, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his strength draining away. The hand holding the talisman trembled. Orochimaru was moments from taking it.

No! For Konoha's future, I can't let him have the talisman.

At the last moment, resolve flashed in Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes. He steeled himself and made the final decision of his life.

He wrenched the Reaper's power toward a new target. Its enormous hand stopped pulling at Orochimaru's soul and plunged instead into the Dog Talisman, which Orochimaru held tight and which still shone with the light of immortality.

"No!" Orochimaru's eyes widened in terror. He felt the Reaper's hand pass through his body and seize the talisman linked to his power.

Then the Reaper's arm snapped back.

A warm, glowing energy form shaped like a puppy was ripped from the talisman. As Orochimaru howled in anguish and rage, the Reaper swallowed it whole.

The power that governed immortality had been forcibly sealed by the power of death.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had cast the technique and deliberately redirected the Reaper. It claimed his soul as well—the final price of using the technique and sealing the talisman by force.

Orochimaru collapsed as though all strength had been wrung from him. He was alive, but the talisman was gone, along with his hope of eternal life.

His soul had suffered a grievous wound, and his presence had dwindled to almost