Asuma rushed over too, clutching Rei Uesugi's cold hand as he sobbed uncontrollably.
"Asuma... don't... be sad... this was... my... choice..."
With the last of her strength, Rei Uesugi gave the man she loved an extremely faint smile, yet one filled with release.
Then her arm fell limply, and the light left her eyes completely.
"Ling!!!"
Asuma let out a heart-wrenching cry.
Elsewhere, although several Root elites had risked their lives to block Might Duy's Daytime Tiger, its terrifying impact still sent their blood churning, along with Danzo's, forcing them to stagger back.
Blue steam swirled around Duy, his presence imposing. He looked at Lin Ze, who held Rei Uesugi's body, the aura around him growing increasingly dangerous, and called out:
"Lin Ze! I don't care whether what Danzo said is true! All I know is that youth should never be coerced!"
"The will to protect our comrades is just like this Eight Gates Released Formation! For those who matter to us, we won't hesitate even if it means burning away everything!"
"Duy is right!"
Holding the equally pale Kurenai Yuhi, Yuhi Shinku stood firmly beside Might Duy. "Konoha's ninja shouldn't die in their own people's schemes!"
For a moment, everyone else from Konoha turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Seeing things take a bad turn, a ruthless glint flashed through Danzo's eyes. He immediately sent a covert signal in the direction where Orochimaru and Kakuzu had disappeared.
The next moment, the ground churned, and Kakuzu's masked figure appeared once more.
Even more shocking, an inhuman hiss came from the distant forest.
Then a gigantic serpent with eight enormous heads and a body covered in white scales abruptly emerged!
It was Orochimaru's ultimate forbidden technique-the Eight Branches Technique!
Because Orochimaru had just completed his reincarnation, his aura was entirely different from before,