The sticky liquid that Orochimaru transformed into was like sewage seeping into a sponge.
It swiftly burrowed into the underground crack and vanished without a trace in an instant.
The air was filled with the pungent smell of medicine, and precious scrolls and heavy ledgers were scattered all over the ground.
Kenya had no intention of pursuing the matter further.
As he chewed on the crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside roasted snake meat, he used his toe to pick up several scrolls marked with forbidden techniques from the ground.
He casually stuffed them all into the pockets of his oversized beach shorts.
With Orochimaru's hasty escape, this long- Konoha Crush Plan has become a complete laughing stock.
The Sound Ninja and Sand Ninja who had infiltrated from the periphery had already lost their morale after learning of the defeat of their main force and leader.
They were quickly wiped out by Kakashi, Might Guy, and the Konoha Ninja had regained their senses.
The outcome is decided.
However.
When everyone looked around and saw the scene before them, not one of them could laugh.
Within a radius of several hundred meters, centered on the original Hokage Building.
It's a draw.
It's completely leveled!
That majestic building, which has stood for decades, symbolizing the highest honor and power of Konoha.
At this moment, not even half a complete load-bearing wall remains.
It was directly flattened and blasted into a bottomless, scorched crater by Kenya's previous incomparably violent " Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands - Turtle Fist Hundred Crack Slam"!
Further away, much of the mountainside where the Hokage Rock have stood has collapsed.
The First stone head was smashed to dust two years ago, and now the Second and Third generation statues are also unrecognizable due to the violent tremors.
The once bustling and majestic core of Konoha.
It felt as if we had just experienced a devastating catastrophe from outer space.
"Clatter."
A piece of gravel rolled off the charred edge and fell into the dark, deep pit.
Amidst the billowing smoke, the Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, emerged shakily from behind the ruins.
His sacred robe, a symbol of the Hokage's authority, was tattered and covered in dust and bloodstains.
He gripped the Adamantine Staff tightly in his hand, his legs trembling violently with every step he took.
Looking at the vast, charred ruins before me, barren and shocking.
The Third Hokage's wrinkled old face was deathly pale, devoid of any color.
In that instant, it was as if all his energy and spirit had been drained away, and he aged a full ten years.
"How could... how could it have turned out like this..."
The Third Hokage muttered to himself, his voice hoarse and dry, like the rubbing of withered tree bark.
Decades of hard work.
He painstakingly managed and strived to maintain the outward prosperity and peace of Konoha.
Today, our own missing-nin used the most unreasonable and violent methods to completely smash our house to pieces!
What shattered his resolve even more was the parting words of his two teachers Hashirama and Tobirama.
That wasn't blame; it was utter disappointment and rejection!
He even personally entrusted the future of Konoha to this treacherous Taijutsu tyrant!
This was a thousand times more despairing for him than Orochimaru killing his master!
Seeing Kenya and wiping his mouth, the Third Hokage's chest heaved violently, and he almost felt a mouthful of blood rise to his throat.
He gritted his teeth, his hand trembling as he pointed his Adamantine Staff at Kenya:
" Senju Kenya... you... you look around!"
The Third Hokage's voice, filled with heart-wrenching grief and indignation, attempted to question with his last vestige of authority:
Why did you hit me so recklessly?!
" Orochimaru deserves to die, but this is Konoha! It's the home where you were born and raised! It's the foundation that Senju ancestor, the Senju, painstakingly built!"
"You not only destroyed the Hokage Building, but you also completely trampled on the village's reputation!"
"Do you deserve the Will of Fire? Do you deserve the Senju blood that flows in your veins?!"
Faced with this tearful, morally superior condemnation...
Kenya didn't even lift his eyelids.
He slowly pulled out the white jade pipe he had stolen earlier from his pocket, put it in his mouth, and held it there.
Then, Kenya Teuchi his fingers, flicked his fingertips to create a small flame, and lit the pipe.
"Plop, plop."
Two thick plumes of blue smoke rose into the air.
Kenya exhaled a perfectly round heart-shaped smoke ring with a contented sigh. The smoke ring swayed gently and drifted right onto the Third Hokage Hokage's ashen face.
"Old man, save your breath."
Kenya sneered, his tone full of disdain and mockery:
" The Will of Fire? Moral blackmail? You think this kidding trick will work on me?"
He took a half step forward, looking down at the hunched, elderly man.
"Open your old eyes and see clearly."
"If I weren't standing here today, you'd be a pincushion by Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword by now!"
"Even if Orochimaru can't kill you, what can your old bones use to withstand the Impure World Reincarnation bodies of your two ancestors? Are you going to use your pathetic Reaper Death Seal together with them?"
Kenya chuckled, his eyes sharp as knives, each word piercing the heart:
Don't put yourself on such a noble facade.
"If it weren't for my Iron Fist leveling the score, you wouldn't even have the chance to stand here and leave your last words for the village!"
"A village can be rebuilt if it's destroyed, but it's time for some parasites who hold positions without doing their jobs and spend their days muddling through to move on."
This was a blunt and merciless rebuttal.
Like a cold, heavy iron hammer, it shattered the Third Hokage's last psychological defenses.
The Third Hokage's body swayed violently, and the hand holding the Adamantine Staff fell limply to his side.
He opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
yes.
Without Senju Kenya, Konoha would be facing a true catastrophe today.
The fragile balance he painstakingly maintained proved as insignificant as a piece of waste paper in the face of an absolute power disparity.
"Thump."
The Third Hokage's knees buckled, and he completely lost his strength.
His face was ashen, like a frail, lonely old man, slumped in despair on the charred ruins.
The tattered Hokage hat on his head rolled into the mud and dust, but he didn't even want to look at it again.
I've become completely withdrawn.
The entire area fell silent. The Anbu Ninja watched this scene, and not one of them dared to step forward and say a word.
However.
In this almost frozen, deathly silence.
"Swish! Swish! Swish!"
Suddenly, a series of dense and chilling whooshing sounds came from the shadows of the collapsed pit all around!
The Third Hokage sat slumped on the ruins, speechless. Just then, a group of Root Ninja, oblivious to the danger, suddenly surrounded the area.