Konoha.
Shihōin Naraku and Orochimaru stood facing each other!
Though they wore smiles and seemed to be chatting idly, invisible killing intent continued to spread between them.
The atmosphere grew colder and colder, as though they had suddenly entered a world of ice and snow, making people shiver uncontrollably.
Kabuto Yakushi and another Sound Ninja stood behind Orochimaru. They had no right to speak and could only silently watch the two figures confronting each other ahead.
They knew perfectly well that whether they could leave Konoha alive today depended on Orochimaru and Shihōin Naraku.
The surroundings were so quiet that a pin dropping could have been heard. Orochimaru suddenly said with a smile, "Konoha's Third Hokage is dead! He died by my hand!"
Shihōin Naraku's expression tightened. This news was hardly unbelievable.
When he saw that Orochimaru was completely unharmed, showing none of the effects of the Reaper Death Seal from the original story, he had known that something unexpected had happened during Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru's battle as master and student. That unexpected factor was very likely Kimimaro Kaguya, who had also been inside the barrier.
Really, for an old man about to retire, putting up this much of a fight against Orochimaru was already good enough.
Not to mention that in the original plot, Hiruzen Sarutobi had nearly sealed Orochimaru.
But in this battle, Hiruzen Sarutobi had needed to face Orochimaru, the two Senju brothers, and Kimimaro Kaguya all by himself.
Even if Kimimaro's strength was not outstanding among them, he could still put his abilities to use at a critical moment, such as taking a blade for Orochimaru.
So this outcome was perfectly normal.
Shihōin Naraku had yet to say anything upon hearing the news when Kakashi Hatake, Might Guy, and the other Konoha ninja who happened