Blood splattered through the air like a crimson lotus blooming—
its petals swayed for an instant before scattering, droplets falling slowly to the ground.
The faint, metallic scent of blood drifted into the air.
The Tree-Binding Eternal Burial spread wildly, roots and branches wrapping tighter and tighter around Orochimaru, threatening to crush him completely until he could no longer move.
Suddenly, Orochimaru opened his mouth, and from his throat emerged a mucus-covered arm.
In the next second, a figure burst out.
After hitting the ground and rolling once, he sprang to his feet.
"Yah yah yah! That was close… I almost got killed."
Who could believe such nonsense? Orochimaru sneered at Yuichi, malice glinting in his eyes.
Yuichi, pale-faced, now stood with the bloodstained Kusanagi Sword piercing straight through his chest.
Scarlet blood trickled down the gleaming blade.
"Yuichi… are you alright?!"
Being run through like that—such a wound should have been fatal.
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression darkened with complicated emotions.
If Yuichi were to die here, it would mean one less threat to worry about.
But it would also mean Konoha had lost an irreplaceable prodigy.
When Orochimaru had been caught by the Wood Style moments ago, Hiruzen never imagined he could still counterattack.
Yet the Kusanagi Sword had flown from nowhere, piercing Yuichi before anyone could react.
At such close range, who would have thought Orochimaru would send his sword flying to strike?
After a moment's hesitation, Hiruzen rushed forward.
Landing at Yuichi's side, he grabbed the boy by the shoulder.
"Are you okay, Yuichi?!"
Blood continued to gush from the blade embedded in Yuichi's chest.
Pale and sweating, Yuichi nodded stiffly.
"…I'm fine."
He reached for the hilt of the Kusanagi Sword, teeth clenched as he prepared to pull it free.
But his condition was clearly dire.
Hiruzen rose, fixing his gaze on Orochimaru.
Although Yuichi's jutsu hadn't trapped him completely, Orochimaru's escape had consumed a vast amount of chakra.
The Sannin's face was now ashen, drained of blood.
Hashirama and Tobirama moved in, flanking the Third Hokage.
"The brat is no longer in the way," Orochimaru sneered. "Let's continue our battle, Sarutobi-sensei…"
Behind him, Yuichi struggled to his feet, clutching the bloody Kusanagi Sword.
His ragged breathing filled the silence.
Hiruzen glanced back. "Yuichi, can you still stand?"
"Ah! No problem, Lord Third."
The boy gripped the sword, its crimson-stained edge glimmering with an unnatural, icy light.
A sinister chill pulsed along its blade.
Orochimaru's pupils narrowed.
"Just hold on," Hiruzen reassured him. "I'll finish Orochimaru and get you treated."
But the killing intent in the air thickened.
—Pchhk!
The sharp blade tore through flesh.
Hiruzen's eyes widened in shock. He looked down.
Blood gushed from a fresh wound—caused by the Kusanagi Sword in Yuichi's hands.
Why…?
Why would Yuichi strike him?
Was it genjutsu?
No—Orochimaru had no such illusions.
Then why?
Slowly, Hiruzen turned his head.
Yuichi's face had changed—his pallor and weakness gone, his wound steaming as it healed rapidly before Hiruzen's eyes.
The chest injury sealed itself shut in moments.
"…The same vitality as the First Hokage… this boy…" Hiruzen whispered weakly.
Yuichi touched the wound. In an instant, it was gone.
His regeneration—born of the Immortal Body, enhanced by Wood Style and Shikotsumyaku—was monstrous.
If he activated Sage Mode, the recovery would become even more terrifying.
Even without Tsunade's Byakugō Seal, his regeneration already rivaled hers.
Lifting his head, Yuichi gazed coldly at Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"There's no special reason. It's just that your existence… is in my way."
Blood dripped steadily.
Sarutobi's face turned deathly pale. "Just… because of that…"
The Yuichi he had seen before—the humble Genin—was nothing but a mask.
What stood before him now was a ravenous wolf, fangs bared at last.
Memories flashed through Hiruzen's fading mind—
Yuichi's Water Style talent.
His inherited Wood Style bloodline.
How he had dealt with Tobirama, then clashed with Hashirama using Wood Style.
All the while, he had deliberately grown that forest.
Not only to fight, but to block the vision of other Konoha shinobi.
The real goal had always been this—
to kill the Hokage.
As consciousness slipped away, Hiruzen's last thought was confusion.
Why? Why must Yuichi target him?
—Thud.
The Hokage's body collapsed to the ground.
Leaves fluttered down, carried by the breeze, covering his still form.
Orochimaru stared, speechless.
A Genin… had just killed the Hokage.
Then his twisted smile spread.
"Hehehe… The kid is truly ruthless. Hahaha!"
His laughter echoed through the forest.
But Yuichi, standing before him with an expression of cold indifference, paid Orochimaru no mind.
His eyes gleamed with excitement, focused instead on the glowing system panel before him.
System Prompt
[Character: Incumbent Hokage Sarutobi Hiruzen — DECEASED. Character ending reward unlocked.]
[Because Sarutobi Hiruzen died by the Host's hand before unlocking his character path, Jiraiya's full rewards cannot be obtained.]
[Please select character ending reward.]
Choices:
Receive character end rewards — obtain some abilities or jutsu of the character.
Abandon the reward — instead obtain a random Kekkei Genkai.
Due to the character's special identity…