Inside a valley in the heart of the Land of Water, Kabuto, leaning against a cave wall, looked up at Obito and Black Zetsu perched above him. "Hiruko is finished. Konoha countered him too precisely!"
He, Hiruko, and Obito were all originally from Konoha. They knew well how terrifying technical reserves lay hidden in Konoha's decades-long history as a cradle of talent.
Once this kind of research capability was targeted against a specific Ninja's technique, the fate awaiting that Ninja would certainly be the most insane technique cracking and countering.
"But it's already too late to save him now. Let him exit the stage for the time being. He will be given a chance to be reborn in the Infinite Tsukuyomi later!" Obito, arms crossed, shook his head, drawing a line under Hiruko's fate.
"Oh, how are your preparations coming along?"
"Hehehe, all taken care of. Those Iwagakure bastards arrived just in time. Together with Kirigakure's personnel, they barely meet your requirements." Kabuto pulled down his hood and let out a hoarse laugh.
"Then release all the pieces. I'll have White Zetsu cooperate with you. In the final battle, capturing the Nine-Tails will be our victory!"
The last time, Naruto had used Senjutsu to counter his Space-Time Ninjutsu, leaving him with a permanent scar. The memory of that event was still fresh. So this time, Obito planned to prepare some deep surprises for the three members of the Team 7!
"Well, let the climax of the opera begin!"
Kabuto excitedly slapped his hand on the ground. Countless sealing tags outside the cave unfolded into complex summoning technique patterns.
As bursts of smoke rose, coffins covered the mountains, standing up from the runes. The heavy coffin lids slowly fell, revealing faces with cracks.
Countless pairs of lifeless eyes opened, mechanically walking out of the coffins, exhaling the cold breath from the underworld into this mortal world.
The sealing tags on the ground floated up, burrowing into these improved Edo Tensei puppets, granting them activity while also deepening Kabuto's control over them.
Finally, a dense army of the dead began to march from the heart of the Land of Water toward the seaside, joining this war one after another.
On the peripheral battlefield of the Land of Water, after Hiruko had exhausted his last bit of Chakra to fire his giant cannon, Sakura had already leaped down from the Leviathan. Her cloud rope spewed iron clouds, condensing into a storm giant sword.
"Divine Departure—!"
Extreme power, wrapped in two Haki, swung out a several-hundred-meter-long slash, cutting the beam of light that filled the sky and sea in two.
Following behind her were Sasuke and Naruto, one with a golden Chakra Cloak burning on his body, the other wrapped in a purple Chakra phantom.
"Wind Release: Rasenshuriken!" / "Lightning Release: Susanoo Lightning Blade!"
Purple lightning, mixed with the Ocular Power of the Mangekyo Sharingan, fell from the sky. It wrapped around Sasuke's black blade along with Haki. The flying slash he swung out cut the flesh tree raised by Hiruko in two.
Then, a high-pitched shuriken was thrown by Naruto. A pale flame, created by his ability, burned at its center. When it crashed into the collapsing giant tree, it suddenly burst forth with a violent firestorm, burning its material form to ashes.
At the center of the storm, amidst the constantly burning and shattering shell of flesh that turned to charcoal, Hiruko's figure gradually appeared within the gradually annihilating giant mass.
"Damn it, I haven't lost yet! I haven't lost yet!!!"
Hiruko, his body wrapped in bandages, formed hand seals, releasing the dozens of Kekkei Genkai he had plundered!
Storm Release, Scorch Release, Boil Release, Steel Release, Dark Release...
The brilliance of various techniques interwove, causing Hiruko's own body to change into an extremely terrifying posture. He intended to turn himself into a bomb, taking the allied Ninjas with him to experience the art of explosion.
"Hiruko..."
Among the allied forces, both Tsunade on the Leviathan and Jiraiya, who was commanding one of the units in the column, couldn't help but show sorrowful expressions as they watched their former friend display this posture.
Just as Hiruko's Chakra reaction gathered to its extreme, and the various Ninjutsu chaotically merged, nearly causing him to touch a higher level of power,
A hand pierced through his body from behind. The five elements rotated forward to form a seal, sealing the chaotic, rampaging Chakra within his body.
Hiruko abruptly turned his head and saw a pale face with cracks from the Edo Tensei, and golden pupils at the center of its black eye whites.
His eyes immediately widened, and he exclaimed: "You..."
"Orochimaru?" Sakura, frowning, also called out the name of the enemy who had fallen to her in the past.
"What a terrible reunion, Hiruko. It seems the person pulling the strings behind me no longer needs you!"
Orochimaru's hoarse voice pierced Hiruko's heart, once again bloodily digging open the wound of his abandonment.
"You're lying! I've already... urgh!"
Hiruko tried to say something, but Orochimaru's arm, still piercing his body, violently exerted force, crushing the Chakra core he had created through self-modification.
Hiruko spat out a large mouthful of blood. His expression dimmed, and the arrangements he had wanted to reveal were forever buried deep in his heart.
Hiruko, the mad researcher who had nearly destroyed three-fifths of the world, thus died plainly and quietly at the hands of his own ally.
"What a pity. Even in death, you're still a decayed windmill, old friend!" Orochimaru lowered his hand, stained with the blood of his former friend, and sighed softly.
"Orochimaru, how did you escape from the Shinigami? Didn't the old man seal you with the Dead Demon Consuming Seal!" Sakura faced him, her weapon ready, covering the retreat of the allied fleet as it began to storm the beach.
"This is where having an excellent disciple is important. Kabuto found my research records and used the mutants as sacrifices to release me from the Shinigami's stomach."
Orochimaru rotated his Edo Tensei body, unconcerned about the enemy before him, instead feeling a surge of research desire for his own condition.
The Ninja World Allied Forces landed on the western islands of the Land of Water. Tsunade and Jiraiya also jumped from the ship and hurried to Sakura's side.
"Sakura, leave this guy to us. You take Sasuke and Naruto, lead the allied forces deeper, and be sure to uproot the Akatsuki!"
Tsunade, as the Kage, gave Sakura her orders, then stood with Jiraiya to block Orochimaru's path.
"Alright. We'll leave this guy to you then. Be very careful!"
Seeing the determined expressions on their faces, Sakura knew that this was a conflict belonging to the previous generation. So without saying anything more, she pulled Naruto and Sasuke and followed the allied forces as they advanced southward into the island's interior.
"Well, the young ones have left. Now... isn't it time for the three of us to catch up?" Tsunade cracked the knuckles of her fist, rolling her neck to stretch her muscles.
Jiraiya and Orochimaru each also assumed offensive stances. Smiles appeared on their faces.
"Nothing could be better!" x2