The final seal, and eyes hidden in the shadows

Before Hiruzen Sarutobi speaking, Orochimaru interrupted him.

His voice had an indescribable quality to it. "Why did you have to go this far?"

Was it because he, as the teacher, had left Orochimaru hanging for too long?

That's what led him step by step astray onto this path?

That's why things have come to this state today?

Orochimaru across from him let out a few low sneers.

"Why?"

"I simply want to master all the Ninjutsu in the world and understand the principles of everything."

The first person to mix blue and yellow pigments gave the new color a name: green.

"What I'm going to do is exactly the same thing."

Just like Chakra is blue, seals are yellow, and the green that comes out when they're mixed together is Ninjutsu.

Just as there are millions of colors that can be mixed, there are at least tens of thousands of Ninjutsu techniques in the world.

"But to fully understand all the Ninjutsu and its principles would take an enormous amount of time."

"Only those who can dedicate countless years to understanding everything deserve to be called the pinnacle."

"This body has given me far too short a lifespan, so short it's utterly meaningless."

"Even if you held the title of Hokage above your head, once you breathe your last, it's all gone."

"Only by immersing oneself in a long lifespan can these things have any hope."

Today was supposed to be his chance to show off all the wealth he'd accumulated over the years, but instead, he was thwarted and caught off guard by the teacher's hidden trick.

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's hardened expression softened slightly; he hadn't expected his disciple to be so obsessed with this path.

The Third Hokage Hokage's hands, still gripping Orochimaru's soul, were locked in a struggle, but physical exhaustion and the backlash from the technique were making his grip increasingly weak.

Staring at his former disciple, Hiruzen Sarutobi's old face showed a second hint of hesitation.

Can we give Orochimaru another hand, leave him a crack in the road?

His nerve was simply stretched too tight, too rigidly...

Who knows...

Wu Chiwu finally got a chance to catch his breath and completely ignored the argument between the master and disciple.

He was still feeling the malice that had sneered at him from the shadows during their fight.

It seemed to be more than just a dislike in his eyes.

The smell was strange, with an eerie and filthy quality.

Who spilled it on?

His eyes sifted through the crowd, taking in every little movement of each person.

His gaze finally settled on an Anbu Ninja outside the barrier.

Everyone else was watching the Third Hokage's safety with bated breath, but this person remained calm and composed, like a rock. Moreover, that strange aura seemed to emanate from him.

Who is he?

Wu Chiwu vaguely felt that there was something important he had forgotten about. He propped his chin up with his hand and made up his mind to really study this ninja.

On the other hand, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally felt the weight on his heart, and he let out a long breath, speaking slowly and heavily.

"Looks like these old bones of mine still can't pull your whole soul out."

"But your ambitions only go so far."

If it really came down to taking his life, he still couldn't accept it.

However, we need to cripple Orochimaru's hands, which are used for Ninjutsu, to prevent him from causing trouble in the world in the future.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was making these plans in his mind.

Upon hearing this, Wu Chiwu was standing nearby, Hiruzen Sarutobi with a suspicious look.

Is it impossible? Or is it that you don't want to do it?

The Kusanagi Sword didn't pierce his body, so how could he not even be able to drag out a soul properly? It's purely because he himself was unwilling to do it.

He's probably softened again.

That old guy is just so unreliable.

Wu Chiwu tightened the loosened bandages again and stood there lazily, his black robe billowing in the wind.

Since he made up his mind, there's no need for others to interfere. Everyone has to die eventually, and they'll all meet in the underworld sooner or later. It's just a matter of whether Orochimaru's way of life still leads him down that dead end.

"Hehehe..." Orochimaru curled his lips into a sinister smile, his laughter like bubbles rising from the bottom of water.

"You want me to stop? No way."

To expect him to stop here? Absolutely not!

Hiruzen Sarutobi raised his eyes and looked directly at Orochimaru. "You've been immersed in Ninjutsu all these years, but you use it like you're throwing mud without any strategy. I need to pick out the most suitable punishment for you."

He wanted to erase all the Ninjutsu Orochimaru had learned from these hands.

The old man's gaze hardened, revealing a hint of steeliness and seriousness.

He's going to seal Orochimaru's dual-wielding Ninjutsu; that might be the best way to end things.

Orochimaru, who was being restrained, had a rare expression on his face, and a panicked look appeared in his eyes for the first time.

"What did you say?" "You mean...?"

A ridiculous thought flashed into his mind: Could this old man be planning to swallow the Ninjutsu on his hands?

Orochimaru suddenly raised his head, staring intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi opposite him, his golden vertical pupils flashing with a venomous light.

Just then, the Grim Shinigami with a ferocious expression silently slipped between the two, flicked his wrist, raised his longsword above his head, and the cold blade light pierced Orochimaru's pupils with perfect accuracy.

Orochimaru's forehead instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

"No, don't move!"

"Stop!" he screamed hoarsely, his voice distorted.

With that scream, the Shinigami swung his longsword straight down, severing Orochimaru's soul's arms in one strike. The pale blue ethereal body instantly dissolved into Hiruzen Sarutobi's seal.

This scene seemed to be branded into Orochimaru's eyes. He slowly turned his gaze back to his hands, "My hands..." He gurgled in his throat.

His arms, like those of a puppet with its strings cut, lost all their strength and hung limply at his sides.

Across from him, Hiruzen Sarutobi wore that familiar smile once again.

"Now your hands are useless. Since your hands are crippled, you can't form hand seals. You've reached the end of the path of Ninjutsu. Your plan to destroy Konoha is also ruined."

In this way, Orochimaru's shady schemes had to be put on hold, and he could be considered to have done the right thing. Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly exhaled, as if a heavy burden had been lifted.

He felt relieved, but Orochimaru across from him wore a look of utter despair that he couldn't swallow.

"You old fool, how dare you!" Orochimaru growled like a wild beast, "Give me back these hands!"

That old bastard, what right does he have! How could he possibly do that!

He still has a bunch of Ninjutsu inside him that haven't even been developed yet, and he hasn't even touched the skin of Sasuke Uchiha and Wu Chiwu's bodies. How can he let someone flip the table like this?

Orochimaru was unable to conceal the facts before him.

"Your brain's not working properly anymore, Orochimaru." Hiruzen Sarutobi, still reeling from the aftereffects of the technique, was still laughing as he berated him.

Once this forbidden technique is fully formed, there's no going back.

"Hey, old man, is that all you're doing?" Wu Chiwu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had already made his decision, with a complicated expression. His Azure eyes revealed no emotion.

"Yes, it's over." Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to relax completely, smiling with relief. "From now on, I'm leaving everything to you."

As long as this young man is around, the village probably won't get too badly. Although he's messed up quite a few things in his life as Hokage, his eyesight, honed over the years, is still sharp enough to allow him to close his eyes and take a good rest.

A look of confusion flashed across Wu Chiwu's Azure eyes.

What do you mean by leaving everything to him? Don't just assign me tasks to do yourself, okay? He doesn't seem like the kind of person I can rely on.

Why not just let it go while everyone's still staring at Orochimaru, and he pretends he didn't hear anything?

Wu Chiwu rested his chin on his hand, seriously pondering the important matter of feigning ignorance.

Outside the barrier, a ninja watched with a deep gaze everything that was happening inside.

That's the smell... and look at those eyes of his, there's no mistaking him for anyone else. He really is the person Black Zetsu searched high and low for.

White Zetsu concealed himself within the shell of Anbu Ninja, his mind racing with calculations.

The orders from a few years ago were still pending. Black Zetsu suspected that someone had their Sharingan of the Uchiha Clan, so he ordered them to keep an eye on any movement around Sasuke Uchiha.

Chunin Ninja Exams, he happened to be assigned to sift through the information, hoping to run into that mysterious guy. Unexpectedly, this person actually revealed his whereabouts this year.

After searching for so long, we finally caught him.

We need to get the message into Black Zetsu's mouth quickly.

The White Zetsu, disguised as Anbu member, made up his mind. While everyone's attention was still focused on the barrier, he quietly moved to a shady corner and uttered a low murmur.

"Ninja Art: Mayfly Technique."

Before the sound had even faded, the person had vanished into thin air, like water seeping into sand, mingling with the earth beneath their feet and the roots of the grass and trees.

This was his specialty; he could blend his own flesh and blood with the roots of this land, and follow the veins and water of the underground plants to the ends of the earth in the blink of an eye, leaving no trace of human presence when he activated it.