Chapter 40: Memories of the Past Brought Tears That Would Not Dry

Unfortunately, at this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no time to address Orochimaru’s question; all his focus was on confronting the enemy before him.

His master, the innately evil Hashirama Senju, charged forward.

Memories of the past brought tears that would not dry~

Tobirama Senju moved.

Water Release: Water Dashing Wave.

A high-pressure straight column of water, like a blade, shot from his mouth and roared toward Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face turned pale; he hastily sidestepped.

The water column was devastating, easily slicing through the roof, sending bricks and stones flying.

He was drenched in sweat!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was beginning to break.

He remembered now—the title of “strongest Hokage of all time” had been nothing but flattery from his subordinates.

This was malicious flattery!

Flattery literature kills people!

After dodging that strike, Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn’t even caught his breath when Suna’s sand gold surged toward him like a tidal wave, controlled by Roshi.

At the same time, Hashirama Senju acted—he clapped his hands and unleashed Wood Release, beginning to impale.

Plant people are just too OP.

Even though their Edo Tensei bodies couldn’t fully manifest their former power,

Hiruzen Sarutobi, an old relic like him, still couldn’t withstand such a mob attack.

Watching his beloved master reduced to this state, Orochimaru showed no trace of pity; instead, he thought Hiruzen Sarutobi was dying too slowly.

In his eyes, Hiruzen Sarutobi should have died heroically and swiftly—how could he sink to such a pitiful, disgraceful state?

Still, Orochimaru decided to speed things up.

He narrowed his eyes, a cruel glint flashing within, and glanced at Luo Jie beyond the barrier.

Orochimaru feared Luo Jie might intervene.

Luo Jie’s displayed power was not to be underestimated; if he interfered, it would ruin Orochimaru’s plan.

Orochimaru also knew full well that Jiraiya was currently inside Konoha.

But he wasn’t worried Jiraiya would come to disrupt his reunion with his master.

Orochimaru was certain that, based on his understanding of Jiraiya, his former comrade would never believe he would truly kill his master.

This was the filter of comradeship.

Right now, Jiraiya was probably avoiding this cruel battle between master and disciple.

After all, avoidance may be shameful, but it works.

But with Luo Jie, Orochimaru had no grip.

This gave Orochimaru a flicker of unease.

Therefore, he must accelerate.

……

Below the platform, the atmosphere was tense.

Luo Jie stood there, glancing coolly at Ma Ji.

Though Ma Ji was filled with fear, as a Chunin of the Hidden Sand Village, he unhesitatingly stepped in front of Temari and Kankuro.

“Your Kazekage is already dead. Are Itachi still going to continue?”

“Order your Sand Ninja to stand down, or I will slaughter everyone here until the ground runs red.”

Upon hearing this, Ma Ji’s face turned instantly ashen.

Pain—so much pain.

He never imagined the Sand Ninja had sunk to this level.

He clenched his teeth, his mind locked in fierce struggle.

In truth, the moment Orochimaru shed his disguise, Ma Ji had felt a dark premonition—he suspected their Kazekage was likely doomed.

After all, even if the Kazekage and Orochimaru had some scheme, with Orochimaru impersonating the Kazekage,

such a critical matter could never have escaped the notice of the Kazekage’s trusted aide.

And after Orochimaru used Edo Tensei to summon their Kazekage,

Ma Ji gave up completely.

The fool was me all along.

Before this, Ma Ji had continued aiding Orochimaru’s chaos in Konoha mainly because he was already too deep to retreat.

Of course, he’d also harbored a bit of opportunistic greed.

After all, things had already escalated this far.

If Konoha suffered a crippling blow, perhaps the Sand Village—now without its Kazekage—might gain some breathing room.

But he never imagined.

Konoha’s genin were just too brutal.

They crushed the situation with the Tailed Beast.

Who could possibly withstand that?

Now, hearing Luo Jie’s words, Ma Ji seized them like a lifeline and quickly took the easy way out.

His face was earnest, his eyes tinged with guilt.

“Fine, I’ll tell them the truth right away.”

“It’s all Orochimaru’s fault—he manipulated our Kazekage and brutally murdered him.”

“Itachi know, we, like Konoha, are victims too.”

Ma Ji’s lament sounded vivid and convincing, as if it were true.

At this moment, the strange adventure of the Third Old Man was about to end.

The old man’s Rexuefan was finally concluding.

Hiruzen Sarutobi swayed, then knelt halfway to the ground, his breath faint.

“Cough… cough…”

Blood continuously spilled from his lips, staining his chest armor red, dripping onto the charred ground.

Orochimaru stepped slowly toward his once-revered master.

In his hand, a gleaming, icy Kusanagi sword had appeared out of nowhere.

“Master, this must end.”

Orochimaru raised the Kusanagi high, a complex expression flashing in his eyes, ready to end his master’s life himself.

Just as the blade was about to fall, the weakened Hiruzen Sarutobi, kneeling on the ground, suddenly ignited a fierce will in his eyes—as if it were his final flicker of life!

Take this—my final wave… chakra!

“I’m sorry, Orochimaru!”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s gaze locked onto Orochimaru, filled with complex emotion.

“Itachi are still my most proud student…”

He paused, drew a deep breath, as if expending every last ounce of strength.

“But for Konoha, I must take Itachi with me.”

By then, Hiruzen Sarutobi had completed the hand seals.

“Shiki Fūjin!”

With a roar, a massive spectral figure of the Death God slowly emerged behind him.

The Death God’s face was grotesque, radiating a strange and sinister aura.

Unlike the original timeline, perhaps due to Roshi’s involvement, the situation had grown more urgent.

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not choose to first use Shadow Clones to perform this technique and seal Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.

Instead, seizing the moment, he locked his target directly onto Orochimaru.

When Orochimaru sensed something was wrong, it was already too late.

He felt his soul being slowly pulled outward.

Shocked and terrified, his eyes bulged wide.

“Old man, Itachi…”

Anger and resentment filled his heart; instinctively, Orochimaru thrust the Kusanagi downward with all his might, piercing straight through Hiruzen Sarutobi’s chest.

But this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi had not, as in the original, expended vast chakra sealing Hashirama and Tobirama beforehand, nor had he given Orochimaru time to prepare.

Now, though he was on the brink of death, blood gushing like a fountain,

he relied on unyielding will and desperate resolve to fully extract Orochimaru’s soul.

The Death God opened its monstrous maw and swallowed Orochimaru’s soul whole.

Gulp!

Orochimaru’s body collapsed instantly to the ground, the light fading from his eyes.

“It’s finally over.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi murmured, falling to the ground.

He gazed at the still-blue sky above.

Leaves of the Hidden Leaf fluttered.

Then, Hiruzen Sarutobi gently closed his eyes, a faint smile on his face, and fell into eternal slumber.

(End of Chapter)