Core Region of the Forest of Death
Ever since the Uzumaki clan had joined the village, the Third Hokage had arranged for a section of the Forest of Death to be converted into a restricted area—used exclusively to conduct tests involving large-scale ninjutsu within the village.
Every inch of the terrain was lined with sealing formulas designed to suppress explosive jutsu impact and muffle noise. The setup was thorough, eliminating any risk of disturbing Konoha's residents.
It was here that Hoshiyomi and the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, would face off.
Tsunade and Orochimaru stood at the edge of the field, watching with barely concealed anticipation. They both knew how powerful Hoshiyomi had become—his performance during the Amegakure campaign had left a lasting impression. He'd felt like a force that couldn't be matched.
They had a sense of Hoshiyomi's strength. But as for Hiruzen... his true capabilities were still a mystery. Despite training under him for years, they had never once seen him go all out.
How far would this clash between master and student go?
Hiruzen glanced at the blade sheathed at Hoshiyomi's waist: Mikazuki Munechika, the Crescent Moon Blade. With a sigh, he slowly removed his ornate Hokage robes, revealing the sleek, all-black combat gear underneath.
Stretching his limbs, the old man cracked his neck and muttered,
"Sitting at that desk day in and day out really does a number on the body. Everything feels stiff."
Hoshiyomi waited until Hiruzen was fully limbered up before placing a hand on the hilt of his sword.
The moment he did, Hiruzen felt a cold prickle at the back of his neck—as if an invisible, razor-sharp edge had locked onto him.
The killing intent was unmistakable.
So he's reached this level already, Hiruzen thought.
"You really can't be treated like a junior anymore, can you?"
As he spoke, Hiruzen released his own chakra pressure. Gone was the affable, grandfatherly man—replaced by the formidable Professor of Ninjutsu, the legendary "God of Shinobi."
Even though he still wore a faint smile, his very presence exuded a heavy, oppressive aura.
Just his killing intent alone was enough to tell: in terms of raw strength, Hiruzen definitely rivaled Hanzō of the Salamander.
This was a true Kage-level pinnacle powerhouse.
He beckoned Hoshiyomi forward.
"Come. Show me what you've got."
Hoshiyomi didn't hold back.
With a flash, he unleashed a draw-cut slash, sending a blade of pure sword slashes streaking through the air.
Hiruzen raised an eyebrow, impressed. He'd seen sword slashes before—but never one moving this fast.
At this speed, no ordinary jōnin would even have time to react…
"Let's see how powerful it really is," Hiruzen thought, maintaining his calm.
In a blur of hands, he finished a hand seal sequence. His seal speed was fast enough to make even Orochimaru feel inferior.
At this stage in his life, Orochimaru had yet to develop his unique bodily modifications, so his speed was still limited. And even now, he knew he couldn't match the Third's seals.
Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!
Even before the sword slashes reached him, a thick, towering earth wall had already risen to defend Hiruzen.
While the jutsu was only a C-rank on paper, Hiruzen's version of Earth-Style Wall was at least as large and sturdy as any B-rank jutsu—twice as thick as any wall other shinobi could summon.
But even so, Hoshiyomi's slash cleaved right through it.
The sword slashes carved a jagged line through the thick wall of earth, bisecting it cleanly.
Though its force and speed waned after the impact, it still retained enough strength that Hiruzen had to dodge to the side to avoid a serious injury.
If that had hit someone without a chakra armor like the Raikage's Lightning Release Chakra Mode... they'd have lost a limb, minimum.
Hiruzen began calculating his options.
But before he could finish formulating a plan, Hoshiyomi had already closed the distance, transforming into a silver blur that shot toward him.
—It was his go-to gap-closer: Cresecent Moon Slash.
Fast! Hiruzen's pupils shrank.
At that speed, there was no time for a defensive ninjutsu.
His body reacted instantly—Body Flicker Technique.
He vanished from view.
Hoshiyomi's lunge struck empty space.
The moment he landed, a violent whoosh of air came from behind—Hiruzen was already counterattacking with a kunai aimed at his back.
But Hoshiyomi was no stranger to close combat. And thanks to Cresecent Moon Slash, his attack speed was still boosted.
Without even turning, he twisted his body unnaturally and parried perfectly, catching the kunai mid-air with the slender edge of Mikazuki Munechika.
Then, with a swift motion, his left hand drew the wakizashi at his waist. He spun and slashed horizontally toward Hiruzen's hand.
The wakizashi, though not as refined as his main blade, was still sharper than any ordinary weapon.
Hiruzen tried to block with the kunai—but it was sliced clean in half.
Before he could react, Mikazuki Munechika was already driving straight for his chest.
—Direct hit.
Or so it seemed.
With a splash, the "Hiruzen" pierced through turned to mud.
A clay clone.
At the same time, the ground beneath Hoshiyomi's feet transformed into a mire of sticky sludge.
Earth Release: Swamp of the Underworld.
Hiruzen's true body emerged from below, having already completed his next hand seal sequence.
Dozens of mud-formed arms reached up from the swamp, aiming to restrain the now-trapped Hoshiyomi.
This wasn't a new jutsu—it was a testament to Hiruzen's mastery over the swamp technique.
Where most shinobi could only create a simple quagmire to slow an opponent's movement, Hiruzen could manipulate the terrain with such precision that he formed functioning appendages.
Meanwhile, he was already preparing his next strike.
He took a deep breath—Fire Release: Great Flame Bullet!
If the mud hands locked down Hoshiyomi, he'd be forced to take the full blast head-on—like a roast duck.
This was the true terror of the Third Hokage.
He had no kekkei genkai. But with his mastery over all five elemental natures, his ability to weave combo techniques was unmatched. There was a reason he was called the "Professor" of ninjutsu—and "God of Shinobi."
But it still wasn't enough to trap Hoshiyomi.
With a flicker of chakra, he shifted his elemental affinity to lightning.
Mikazuki Munechika lit up with crackling electricity. He swung, slicing through the mud hands like they were paper.
Then—Crescent Moon Slash, again.
In a burst of speed, Hoshiyomi escaped the swamp's pull. His feet struck the ground and he immediately used Shunpo, blitzing toward Hiruzen.
Each time he flickered, he launched a sword slashes, forcing Hiruzen to either dodge or defend with hand seals.
Hoshiyomi wasn't giving him any breathing room—not to cast, not to escape.
After four consecutive slashes, he was suddenly right in front of Hiruzen.
With a deadly thrust, Mikazuki Munechika shot straight for the Hokage's throat.
Hiruzen, his movements locked down by the prior attacks, had no way to dodge.
Even Tsunade and Orochimaru, watching from the sidelines, widened their eyes.
Can the old man still dodge something that fast and deadly?
Author's Note:
Things got a bit messy toward the end with how I referred to the Third—apologies if the naming was inconsistent, but it should still be clear who's who.