Chapter 205: Lord Third and Shisui Are Done For!
"Orochimaru…"
The Third Hokage's voice was now as faint as a whisper. The tyrannical backlash of the Reaper Death Seal was madly eroding his aging life functions. Crimson blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his vision was blurring.
But he still stared fixedly at the familiar yet strange figure.
"You have… gone too far…"
"Far?"
A cold curve appeared on Orochimaru's lips, his golden snake eyes flashing with near-fanatical light.
"Sensei, you still don't understand. I haven't gone far; I'm on the only correct path. However, I must thank you for letting me witness such an existence with my own eyes. This will be my next… no, yet another fascinating direction of research."
Before his words faded, the ferocious spectral Reaper, having lost Orochimaru's main body as a target, let out a silent roar. Its massive purple arm violently tore out the soul of the caster—Hiruzen Sarutobi!
The power of the contract could not be defied. Within the scarlet barrier of the Six Red Yang Formation, the air seemed to freeze.
Just as the Reaper was about to fully harvest the Third's soul.
A sudden change occurred!
"Now! Transform into Magical Girls! Attempt capture!"
The Sound Four—Tayuya, Kidomaru, Sakon/Ukon, Jirobo—received the order. Instantly, their bodies erupted with dazzling light completely out of place in this ninja world.
Pink frilly skirts, starlight-shining magical wands, ethereal wings extending from their backs… The four of them transformed in an instant, becoming four "Magical Girls" in varied attire. Even the males like Kidomaru were now clad in slightly comical yet eerily magical female clothing.
"Secret Art: Magic Bullet Flurry!"
The flute in Tayuya's hand turned into an exquisite magical longbow. Countless musical note arrows, flashing with multicolored light, whistled out, densely shooting towards the Reaper's spectral image.
"Spider Bind: Net of Stardust!"
Kidomaru spat out tough golden threads, which, enhanced by mana, turned into a giant net of light, attempting to entangle the Reaper's spectral limbs.
Sakon and Ukon stood back-to-back, waving their magical short staffs simultaneously: "Twin Impact: Concerto of Grief!" Two opposing yet strangely fused torrents of mana bit towards the Reaper like two playful venomous snakes.
Jirobo combined Earth Style chakra with mana, pressing both hands to the ground: "Earth Spirit Blessing: Seal Barrier!" A heavy wall of light inscribed with strange runes rose from the ground, attempting to block the Reaper's departure.
These weak magical attacks could not substantially "capture" or "destroy" the unknown Reaper. However, filled with alien energy, they successfully interfered with it. Every explosion of a magic bullet, every entanglement of the light net made the Reaper's spectral image more unstable.
In this brief interval, the gaze of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, gradually lost focus.
He seemed to see Konoha Village flourishing when the First Hokage was still alive, and his own younger self fighting alongside his comrades. He saw Tsunade, Jiraiya, and the once-talented young Orochimaru… Scenes from the past flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.
"Konoha… my village…"
He murmured to himself, a relieved yet bitter smile on his lips.
Having guarded the village all his life, staying in the Hokage seat for so long, he ultimately failed to lead it to the future he hoped for. He had done too many things he had to do, leaving too many regrets, too much unwillingness.
Finally.
Amidst the angry and unwilling roars of the Reaper and under the magical attacks of the Sound Four, the flame of the Third's life was completely extinguished. His soul, amidst the chaos the Reaper couldn't fully control, dissipated.
Orochimaru watched all this quietly, a hint of emotional fluctuation in his snake eyes. His teacher's death was but the inevitable curtain call of the old era. The appearance and escape of the Reaper, however, added a colorful stroke to his research topics.
Outside the Barrier.
The battle between Shisui Uchiha and Kimimaro had long entered a fever pitch.
The moment Shisui sensed the Third Hokage's life aura vanish completely, grief and fury surged in his heart. His Mangekyo Sharingan, due to massive overuse of ocular power, bled tears of blood once again.
"Lord Third—!"
Shisui let out a sorrowful roar. The Susanoo's chakra arm swung violently, its emerald energy lance stabbing straight at the Bloodline Mecha "Unit 01" piloted by Kimimaro.
However, in that split second his mind wavered, Kimimaro seized the fleeting opportunity. Unit 01 nimbly dodged the lance's edge. A bone whip formed from Shikotsumyaku struck like a viper from its hole, precisely wrapping around one of the Susanoo's arms. At the same time, the bone spur missiles on the mecha's shoulders fired densely, aiming straight for the Susanoo's relatively weak joints.
RIP!
The Susanoo's right arm was torn off by force.
Shisui spat a mouthful of blood, his vision blurring further from overuse of his eyes.
"Shisui! I'll be taking your eyes too!!"
Orochimaru's voice rang out at the perfect moment. The Six Red Yang Formation dropped. He formed hand seals: "Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!"
Countless thick trees burst from the ground, growing madly, instantly forming a dense forest that began draining Shisui's already meager chakra.
"Begin retrieval."
Orochimaru issued a concise order to the Sound Four.
Tayuya's magical longbow was drawn full again.
Kidomaru's golden spider threads attacked from all directions, constantly compressing Shisui's space, each touch draining massive amounts of his chakra.
Sakon and Ukon became two swift phantoms.
Jirobo poured mana into the earth, making the hard rock swell and burst like a living thing.
They coordinated with the bone spear thrusts from Kimimaro's Unit 01, cutting off all of Shisui's retreat paths.
SQUELCH—!
A bone spear glowing with eerie blue light pierced through the Susanoo arm Shisui tried to block with. Immediately after, several magical beams of different attributes hit his torso simultaneously.
Severe pain struck. Shisui's body crashed heavily to the ground, blood instantly staining the earth beneath him. He could feel his life force draining rapidly, his vision dimming.
Konoha… Lord Third… the village…
Fugaku…
Why… why did you leave the village? Where does that leave Itachi's sacrifice? How is he supposed to live with himself? Putting facts aside, is the Uchiha clan entirely blameless?
And… those clansmen who chose to stay… I'm sorry… I couldn't protect you.
But at least… at least you could die fighting for the village as Konoha ninjas… perhaps… this is the final glory…
He thought bitterly. At least these Uchiha loyal to Konoha can leave behind a clean reputation.
"…Lord Third… I'm sorry… I… did my best…"
Finally, this genius ninja of the Uchiha clan, one of its brightest stars, carrying endless concern for Konoha and deep apology to his best friend, closed his eyes forever.
His Mangekyo Sharingan, which once terrified countless enemies, were removed by Tayuya and placed in a special container.
Orochimaru walked slowly to Shisui's corpse. Looking at the empty eye sockets, a trace of pity appeared on his face.
"Is this… the Will of Fire?"