The once-proud Uchiha compound was now packed with people.
Altogether, there were thirty different shinobi clans.
These were the ninja families that, according to Fugaku, had pledged allegiance to them, and had now all been resettled here.
Thirty clans might sound like a lot, but in truth, their total numbers weren't great. Most of them were small-to-mid-sized families like the Kurama or Izuno clans—neither hostile nor friendly toward Naruto in the past. Not a single large-scale family like the Hyūga was among them.
Every person who had wronged Naruto, and every person who hadn't, was written down in his little notebook.
This place was far from the heart of Konoha—safe from Sand shinobi assaults, Sound shinobi raids, and any collateral damage from tailed beasts.
And guarding them here was a figure once renowned in every household of Konoha.
"Clan leaders, keep a close watch on your people. No one is to leave,"
said a tall, handsome man in a white ceremonial robe, bathed in sunlight, as he addressed the assembled leaders. He began assigning duties:
"Clan Leader Izuno—your people have the swiftest speed. I'll need you to arrange for them to patrol the perimeter."
"Yes, Fourth Hokage-sama!"
the named clan leader replied loudly, excitement in his voice.
"It really is the Fourth Hokage!"
"He's alive after all! This time, I'll follow him again!"
"More than ten years, and the Fourth Hokage hasn't changed a bit."
Seeing him in the flesh, the clan leaders could barely contain their excitement. Discussions about their future under his leadership broke out at once.
"Fūjin, Raijin!"
The Fourth arrived at the Uchiha compound's main gate, where two large brothers were eating to their hearts' content.
"Watch the gate well," he told them.
"No one gets through here,"
Fūjin declared, gnawing on a massive pork shank.
"Anyone who tries, we'll pound them into a meat patty,"
Raijin added, chewing on a roasted pig's head.
They wiped their greasy hands, flexing thick, corded arms for the Fourth Hokage to see.
The Fourth nodded in approval, then turned his gaze to the distance.
"They're here."
Before long, a large group of shinobi in white garments came into view—the Hyūga clan.
"You've worked hard, Fugaku,"
the Fourth said when he saw the newcomers.
"All for our shared ideal,"
Fugaku replied, his tone almost that of a religious preacher.
At first, the slogan was just something that sounded grand and was fun to shout. But over time, more and more Uchiha began to take it seriously. By now, nearly all of them treated it as truth.
"Fourth…?"
Hiashi's expression faltered the moment he recognized the man.
And not just him—the Hyūga behind him also stared in disbelief.
The man before them was supposed to have died on the night of the Nine-Tails attack: the Fourth Hokage, Namikaze Minato.
If this wasn't Konoha… if this wasn't the shinobi world… this would be a ghost story.
First Fugaku, now the Fourth. Who's next?
Senju Hashirama? Uchiha Madara?
Hiashi sank into deep thought.
"I didn't realize the First Hokage's power was this strong,"
Mui murmured. Through the barrier, they watched the Third Hokage battling multiple Kage-level opponents alone. Most eye-catching of all was the Wood Release ninjutsu unleashed by the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
The Deep Forest Emergence—a technique that could create an entire forest. In Hashirama's hands, the trees were not only incredibly tough, but also capable of draining chakra.
Even through the barrier, the vast chakra pulsing through those branches could be felt.
Even Sasuke—usually so arrogant, convinced he was nearly invincible—couldn't help but nod in agreement.
The Third's ability to stand against so many powerful enemies at once deserved the title of "Strongest Hokage."
As for the First's true power, the new generation of Konoha had no real concept.
For Sasuke's generation, their education had always taught that the Third was the strongest Hokage.
"Strong?" Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Orochimaru didn't dare fully release the restrictions of the Impure World Reincarnation. What you're seeing from the First and Second right now isn't even a tenth of their real strength."
Not even a tenth?
Sasuke glanced at him.
If anyone else had said that, he would've thought it was a blatant lie. Strength far beyond an ordinary Kage, and you're telling me this isn't even ten percent?
If that was true, then the real Senju Hashirama could swat aside anyone he disliked with a single blow.
"The true power of the God of Shinobi?"
It wasn't just Sasuke who was shaken—Nagato was as well.
Nagato told himself that, as he was now, he could take on the First Hokage inside the barrier. But if this was less than a tenth of Hashirama's strength, then he admitted he would stand no chance.
And he trusted his ancestor wasn't lying to him.
Inside the barrier, the battle was nearing its end.
The Third Hokage split into four with Shadow Clone Technique, forming a square formation around Orochimaru.
The clones, each wielding the transformed Enma as the adamant staff Nyoi-bō, fended off the attacks of the previous Hokage. The staff's unbreakable nature kept the clones from being too fragile.
Orochimaru chuckled darkly, watching as the Third fought against three reincarnated Kage-level opponents—two former Hokage and a Kazekage.
If he had truly ordered them to attack at full force, the Third could never withstand it. But Orochimaru instead idly directed them, occasionally poking at his old master with the Kusanagi Sword—almost like a child showing off a toy.
>"What do you think, Sarutobi-sensei? My technique—impressive, isn't it?"
"Over these years, have you learned any new jutsu? I'm looking forward to seeing them."
"Orochimaru,"
the Third said sternly,
"to disturb the dead like this… you've fallen completely into darkness."
"Since you want to see jutsu…"
"Then I'll show you one you've never witnessed before!"
The Third's hands flashed through a sequence of seals:
Snake → Boar → Ram → Hare → Dog → Rat → Rooster → Horse → Snake!
Finally, he pressed his palms together.
"Sealing Jutsu—Dead Demon Consuming Seal!"
The moment he cast it, the Third felt something being pulled from within him. Then he saw it—a towering, white-robed figure manifesting behind him.
"Sensei, what did you just do? Or are your old eyes failing, and you simply botched the hand seals?"
Orochimaru spoke lazily, unhurried, unaware that this casualness would cost him dearly.
Because of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal's nature, only the caster and the target could see the Shinigami.
So even though the Third had successfully summoned it, Orochimaru saw nothing.
Naruto, however, clearly saw the figure behind the Third—a fearsome, fanged face, more demon than god.
Before the Third stood a pale, human-shaped form—his soul.
The moment it appeared, the Shinigami's arm was covered in countless tadpole-like seals. Without giving the Third a chance to study them, the god drove its arm into his soul.
The Third felt a strange, bursting sensation within, as if something was trying to claw its way out of him.
His three shadow clones rushed toward the First, Second, and Third Kazekage. The Shinigami's clawed, seal-covered arm pierced through their stomachs, seized their pale, soul-like forms, and ripped them from their reincarnated bodies.
The soulless vessels crumbled into dirt and corpses on the ground.
For a moment, Orochimaru froze—his Impure World Reincarnation undone in an instant.
A jutsu I've truly never seen before…
That moment of distraction was all it took for the Third to grab him, letting him feel the seal's power firsthand.
Suddenly, Orochimaru found himself unable to use any jutsu—the seal created a suppression field, a "forbidden magic" zone.
There was no escape once caught, save for the caster's death.
Only then did Orochimaru finally see the Shinigami behind the Third.
"So… this is the same jutsu used to seal the Nine-Tails?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Old man… you'd drag me to hell with you, even if it meant dying?"
"You're too dangerous, Orochimaru,"
the Third said, straining to hold the seal as his life ebbed away.
"Come to hell with me!"
"The only one going to hell is you!"
Orochimaru had no intention of dying here. In the next instant, the Kusanagi Sword pierced the Third's chest.
"Just a little more… just a little more…"
The Third could feel his strength fading. With his last reserves, he roared:
"Even if I can only take your hands—I'll stop you!"
The Shinigami's blade came down, slicing through Orochimaru's soul at the wrists before swallowing them whole.
"My hands!"
Orochimaru's scream was shrill—his arms felt unbearably heavy.
Then came the sound of shattering glass. The Four Purple Flame Formation, which even Konoha's ANBU couldn't break, was torn apart by an external force.
"What a pitiful cry, Orochimaru-sama,"
A voice, rich with mockery, whispered in his ear.
"It's only your hands that are sealed—not your king's power."
The newcomer, a man addressed as Hattori-sensei, twirled a finger in front of Orochimaru's eyes, then gave a graceful bow. His voice turned deathly cold:
"No, Orochimaru—your Konoha Crush Plan has ended."
"Ours… has only just begun."