A giant wooden Arhat rose from the ground, Naoki Senju stood on the Arhat's head, looking down at the chaotic battlefield below, and at Hiruzen Sarutobi eyes were wide with surprise.
Mei Terumi had already melted through the roof with Boil Release and disappeared into the chaos of the crowd. But it didn't matter; they would meet again on the battlefield sooner or later anyway.
The wooden puppet gripped the barrier burning with purple flames. The scorching purple flames, which were unbearable for the Anbu Ninja, caused negligible damage to the wooden puppet. As the wooden puppet exerted more and more force, the Sound Four supporting the barrier began to look ferocious, staggering and falling, completely unlike their previous ease.
They lasted less than twenty seconds Tayuya, one of the Sound Four, let out a shrill scream and fainted.
The cracking sounds of breaking were incessant. The Four Violet Flames Formation, which was enough to leave even Kage Level expert helpless, was like paper in front of the Wood Human Technique, torn in two by unstoppable brute force.
After breaking through the obstructive barrier, Naoki Senju controlled the wooden dummy to pinch the insect-like Hiruzen Sarutobi, and said without any hesitation:
" Hiruzen Sarutobi, it's time for you to atone for the Senju Clan's sins!"
Orochimaru stopped his actions with great interest, and also ordered the Impure World Reincarnation First and Second to cease all attacks.
" The Wood Human Technique... Is this the Wood Release secret technique recorded only in the Senju Clan's territory? With such immense power, no wonder the First was able to end the turbulent Warring States period..."
Orochimaru's excitement continued to rise. If it weren't for the fact that Naoki Senju's strength had already exceeded his limits, he would have added another name to the list of those to Living Corpse Reincarnation.
However, Orochimaru also received an unexpected surprise this time: Uchiha Itachi's younger brother seems to be Uchiha genius who has also Sharingan...
Compared to Orochimaru's excitement, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a sense of despair, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. It wasn't because of the difference in strength; otherwise, he would have admitted defeat when the First and Second were Impure World Reincarnation using the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's despair stemmed from Naoki Senju's forbearance. Danzo repeatedly sent Root ninjas to assassinate him, but Naoki Senju never used Wood Release, only Water Release from beginning to end.
Possessing such terrifying endurance, yet choosing to reveal his Wood Release at this moment—isn't that a sign of absolute certainty?
And besides life and death, there was something else that Hiruzen Sarutobi found even more unacceptable—
That is reputation.
Naoki Senju's reputation was built on the promise of paying for the Senju Clan's death. One can only imagine how utterly disgraced his name would become after his demise; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it would be utterly reviled.
Decades of hard work, destroyed in an instant...
Hiruzen Sarutobi's body trembled; he couldn't accept this ending!
" Sarutobi, calm down!"
The Enma, now transformed into the Adamantine Staff, roared in a stern voice. Even Hiruzen Sarutobi had never seen such Hiruzen Sarutobi side of him before.
Hiruzen Sarutobi, who had been yelled at, regained some of his senses and, dragging his weary body, barely managed to dodge the wooden golem's grab.
"I'm sorry, Enma, this might be our last battle..."
Hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's pessimistic words, Enma panicked and rebuked him sternly:
"What are you dreaming about? Did your disciple knock your brains out? What you should be doing now is fighting like before!"
But both Enma and Hiruzen Sarutobi understood that they could no longer fight fearlessly as before; they had grown old, not just physically, but also mentally.
"That's settled then, Enma. You may go back."
" Sarutobi, you old bastard..."
Before the refined and easygoing Enma could even greet Hiruzen Sarutobi, he was sent back to the Summoning World; he couldn't take Enma with him in death.
" Teacher Sarutobi, without Enma's help, you probably won't last even a quarter of an hour."
Orochimaru laughed arrogantly. Half of Hiruzen Sarutobi's power was in the Adamantine Staff after his Enma transformation. Without Enma, Enma Hiruzen Sarutobi was no threat at all.
"Hmph, Shadow Clone Technique."
Hiruzen Sarutobi was completely disappointed in this disciple. He divided his meager Chakra into three parts and created two Shadow Clone. Although he was missing one, he would not have enough Chakra if he divided it into four parts.
But the next second, one of the Shadow Clone was crushed by the wooden puppet. Although a small portion of the Chakra returned to the main body, Hiruzen Sarutobi was still quite distressed by the loss of this portion of Chakra.
"It's a pity it's Shadow Clone, but your real body will be next!"
The wooden puppet used both hands to grab at the agile and Hiruzen Sarutobi, but Hiruzen Sarutobi seemed to have given up on counterattacking and was focused on dodging the attacks, causing the wooden puppet's attacks to miss frequently.
However, Naoki Senju was not in a hurry at all, and even deliberately slowed down his attacks, giving Hiruzen Sarutobi his breath.
The first wave of attacks from the Anbu also landed on the wooden puppet. Although Naoki Senju used the Wood Release secret technique, the current Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi, is the 'orthodox' they serve.
However, compared to the wooden doll's enormous size, the Anbu's attacks were no different from tickling an itch, truly the ultimate form of gua sha (scratching).
Some even dared to climb the wooden dummy, attempting to kill the caster, but those who had such thoughts all met a terrible end. Who says a wooden dummy's body can't grow branches?
Any ANBU Anbu Ninja will be captured by its branches and become nourishment for the Wood Release technique.
Thanks to the selfless delaying efforts of the Anbu Ninja, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally completed this ultimate Ninjutsu that required him to pay with his life.
" Reaper Death Seal!"
A hideous white Shinigami appeared behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, a sharp blade for reaping souls dangling from its mouth. Even a fleeting glance from the corner of his eye caused Hiruzen Sarutobi's eyes to ache.
"So this is what the Shinigami Reaper Death Seal, is like... Minato, I finally used this Ninjutsu..."
Once the white phantom of the Shinigami fully appeared, his first target was Hiruzen Sarutobi!
As the Shinigami Reaper's enigmatic chanting ended, the Hiruzen Sarutobi Shinigami's hand, covered in Cursed Seal seals, reached into Hiruzen Sarutobi's deputy, seizing his soul. The contract was complete.
A chilling aura Hiruzen Sarutobi, spreading outwards. Even Orochimaru, who had transformed himself into a half-human, half-snake, felt terrified under this power.
But Orochimaru's expression wasn't one of panic, but rather excitement! Extreme excitement!
This is the completely new Ninjutsu that Naoki Senju was talking about, a completely new power that he had never known before!
It belongs to the Shinigami; only the dead can briefly touch its power!
But what if you could completely master it with a living person's body? The cunning snake of the Shinobi World has officially arrived!