Below the stands where Hashirama Senju and the others sat...
Jiraiya, Orochimaru, and Minato Namikaze sat side by side.
"Ahhh..."
Jiraiya let out a long sigh, closing his eyes and refusing to watch the one-sided beatdown happening on the field.
He and Minato had secretly returned to Konoha three days ago.
After some persuasion from Nara Shikaku, they even quietly attended a few of those so-called "gatherings."
Faced with the complaints of various ninja clans and high-ranking jonin, Jiraiya had come to understand more deeply why unrest had taken root in Konoha over the years.
Why so many families, even if it meant living a little more frugally, would rather keep their shinobi off the official roster than register them as formal Konoha ninja.
Just look at the Ino-Shika-Cho trio, who had been allied with the Sarutobi clan for generations.
At first glance, the new generation seemed to hold significant power.
But the older generation?
With the exception of Akimichi Torifu, who had given up on everything and spent his days loafing around in the clan compound... every survivor was either missing limbs, deaf, or blind.
And the Sarutobi clan? Stronger than ever.
Who wouldn't feel bitter about that?
Yamanaka Shinno once said: It's not scarcity that breeds resentment, but inequality.
Take the Shimura clan—under Danzo's leadership, they'd stuffed people into the Root Division generation after generation.
And the Sarutobi clan...
...
"Why sigh? The world is on the cusp of a great upheaval. This stagnant, carriage-like Konoha will soon embark on a brand-new path no one has ever walked before.
Aren't you looking forward to that as well?"
Orochimaru's hoarse yet magnetic voice broke the silence.
"...You're sounding more like your old self again," Jiraiya replied.
He turned and looked at Orochimaru seriously for a moment. Then, a rare smile tugged at his lips as he leaned back against the stairs, arms crossed.
"Heh... I used to want to be the one pushing the cart forward," Orochimaru said with a slight smile of his own. "Now, I just have to follow the caravan."
White Zetsu, the Ten-Tails vessel, the Sage's body, Eternal Mangekyo, Rinnegan, the power of the Ōtsutsuki clan...
The truths and secrets of the world were slowly being unveiled before his eyes.
Immortality was within reach.
He was starting to think beyond just survival... perhaps toward the meaning of life itself.
...
"Orochimaru-sensei... you're hurt?"
Minato's gaze landed on his teacher's old friend—on his scuffed ninja sandals and torn belt.
Fresh signs of battle. His voice was slightly breathless during long sentences...
Every sign pointed to one thing: Orochimaru had just been in a fight.
"...Accidents happen in the pursuit of truth," Orochimaru replied casually, brushing it off.
What was he supposed to say? That he got his ass handed to him by someone he brought back with his own Reanimation Jutsu?
Damn that Second Hokage.
The moment he saw Hashirama and Madara reanimated together, he didn't say a word—just immediately tried to throw hands with Madara!
Orochimaru had merely tried to stop him using his control over the jutsu.
Who could've expected that the Second would break free of the jutsu mid-fight and drag Orochimaru into the brawl too?!
If Hashirama hadn't restrained Madara, and if Yamanaka Shinno hadn't stepped in to drag the Second away for a stern talk...
Orochimaru wouldn't be sitting here in one piece.
Damn you, Tobirama Senju. Just wait.
And as for Reanimation Jutsu? That trash technique needs major improvements.
Tobirama breaking the control was bad enough—but even Hashirama and Madara were able to resist and partially free themselves through sheer power?
What kind of garbage control mechanism was that?
As Orochimaru silently cursed Tobirama with great passion, the battle on the field neared its end.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, using a Shadow Clone, had unleashed a powerful Five-Element Grand Barrage technique.
But Tsunade had broken through it with just a few punches and kicks, shattering both the clone and the technique.
Then she landed a clean hit on his real body.
The man who had stepped up as Hokage all those years ago, after Tobirama's death...
The "ninja hero" of an entire era...
Could no longer even hold onto his partner, Enma.
He collapsed onto the devastated battlefield.
As he gazed up at the clear, cloudless sky...
Blood trickled from the corner of Hiruzen's mouth, trailing down his cheek.
His vision blurred, and a memory rose to the surface—back when they were caught deep in the forests near the Fire Country border.
Tobirama had chosen to stay behind, buying time for the others to escape.
That day, Tobirama had told them:
One day, the time will come when you must sacrifice yourself to protect the future. Until then, cherish your life.
He'd told Hiruzen to protect those who admired and trusted the village.
To raise the next generation.
From that moment on...
He had become the Hokage.
"I think... I messed it up a little, didn't I, Lord Tobirama?"
Hiruzen muttered, his eyes growing dull.
Just as he thought his time had come, Tsunade appeared beside him.
Bathed in sunlight, glowing like a divine figure, she knelt down and began healing his shattered chest with Sage Art: Medical Palm.
In that moment, everything he had clung to all these years... finally collapsed.
Exhaustion and relief washed over him all at once.
Hiruzen closed his eyes and whispered,
"Will Konoha... become a better place?"
...
"It will."
Tsunade's reply was soft—but filled with conviction.
"Why not let me go?"
"There's only one kind of Hokage in Konoha: one who dies in battle.
Being beaten to death by your own student? Don't you think that's disgraceful?"
"A battlefield's not a bad place to die, though..."
"Tch."
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Pls Drop some Power Stones
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