For Black Zetsu, this was a moment of relief. He could finally relax a little.
Now that Emiya Shirou had openly declared his plan to threaten the entire ninja world, he had made himself an enemy of every village. No ninja would ever accept the creation of such a destructive weapon of war.
Compared to Shirou's insane goal of reviving the ancient Rabbit Goddess Kaguya Otsutsuki to rule over all, the Akatsuki's plan for a war weapon seemed almost gentle by comparison—but it still wouldn't be accepted.
In this world, no one wanted a weapon capable of destroying nations to exist unless it was in their own hands.
And Emiya Shirou could absolutely create such a weapon. This ancient ninja knew too many hidden truths and possessed terrifying power; he definitely had the means to build it.
"As expected…" Jiraiya said in a low voice, looking at Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi beside him. "It's just as the Great Toad Sage prophesied. People like Lord Emiya, who want to change the entire world, are always too extreme to be accepted."
"It doesn't matter," Shirou said, unconcerned with Jiraiya's opinion. "People always foolishly focus on the future right in front of them, unable to see the rise and fall of a thousand years."
He raised his hand, and a green chakra scalpel materialized. His eyes fell on Jiraiya. "But predetermined fate cannot be changed. It will not be rewritten for anyone's will."
It was just like the Great Toad Sage's prophecies.
Hearing Shirou speak of fate, Jiraiya instinctively thought of the Child of Prophecy. He glanced at Nagato and Konan standing behind Shirou.
This man… he knew all along that my student was still alive.
He knew that Nagato would inevitably clash with my other students.
"Alright. Step aside," Shirou said calmly, looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi at the front. "You should know you're no match for me. And until my plan is complete, I have no interest in pointless killing."
Hiruzen silently held his ground. He and Jiraiya both knew just how strong Shirou was. They really weren't his match. His sword skills, ninjutsu, and bloodline powers were all at the absolute peak of the ninja world.
Honestly, the pressure of this fight was tremendous, much greater than facing Nagato's group.
"If we don't stop you here," Hiruzen sighed, his small, elderly frame standing firm before Emiya Shirou, "I fear we will never get another chance once your weapon is complete."
This was their best chance. Konoha was at its strongest, and this was the moment a Hokage was meant to burn brightest for his village.
"Prepare for battle!" Hiruzen shouted, quickly forming hand seals and staring Shirou down. "I never imagined I would one day fight you, Lord Emiya, but as Hokage, I cannot back down!"
"Summoning Jutsu!" Hiruzen formed the seals, and from a cloud of smoke, the mighty Monkey King Enma appeared, instantly transforming into a golden staff that landed in his hand.
Gripping the staff, Hiruzen charged, shouting his orders. "Minato, handle his subordinates! Jiraiya, cover me!"
"Yes!" Minato's figure vanished in a flash.
"Got it!" Jiraiya quickly began forming his own hand seals.
Hiruzen's plan was clear. He had seen Minato defeat the Deva Path and Tobirama push Nagato to his limit. Minato, master of the Flying Thunder God, was their best bet for quickly turning the tide against Nagato. As for Hiruzen himself, the old man was ready.
Clang!
The chakra scalpel and golden staff clashed. Shirou's blade slid along the staff, slashing toward Hiruzen's hand and forcing him to release his grip. In an instant, Hiruzen was disarmed.
As if magnetized to his blade, Shirou spun the staff with a flick of his wrist and flung it straight at Jiraiya, who was still forming hand seals.
What kind of swordsmanship is this?
Jiraiya had never seen such flashy swordplay. He quickly kicked the incoming staff, sending it back toward Hiruzen.
Hiruzen leaped up to catch the staff. It instantly extended, and he thrust it toward Shirou's chest. Shirou's green scalpel extended as well, and he swatted the staff aside with a single swing.
"Fire Style…" Jiraiya completed his seals and blasted a ball of fire from his mouth, aiming to support Hiruzen's attack.
But Shirou simply raised his other palm. A fireball shot from it, hurtling toward Jiraiya and forcing him to leap away from the explosion.
"That move again..." Jiraiya thought, watching the fireball explode. It was another powerful, unsealed ninjutsu, impossible to predict.
While he and his teacher struggled, Minato's side of the fight was going surprisingly well. His figure flickered around Nagato so rapidly that even the Rinnegan couldn't track his movements. Space-time jutsu was just that much of an advantage.
Nagato felt a growing sense of dread, unable to land a counterattack. A marked kunai landed at his feet. Minato appeared, swinging a Rasengan, then vanished the instant Nagato reacted.
Fighting a Rinnegan user was tough. It was difficult to find an opening after dodging its attacks, but Minato was adapting, starting to find gaps in Nagato's timing.
"Now!" Minato dodged an attack and spun forward with a Rasengan, fully prepared for Nagato's counter.
But someone else was even faster.
Shirou forced Hiruzen back with his scalpel and instantly appeared beside Nagato. With calm eyes, he swung his blade, slicing Minato's arm clean off.
Minato leaped back, stunned. He wasn't concerned about the arm—his reanimated body would regenerate. He was shocked by how Shirou had suddenly appeared to protect Nagato, and the familiar feeling of the technique.
"Is that… the Flying Thunder God?"
How can he use the Flying Thunder God?
Minato instantly realized the gravity of the situation. A ninja skilled in space-time jutsu was nearly impossible to stop. Shirou could easily escape with Nagato and Konan.
And sure enough, Shirou reached for Nagato and Konan's shoulders. If no one stopped him, he would escape with his subordinates, completely evading Konoha's trap.
But he didn't get the chance.
The battle-hardened Hiruzen saw his intention. Whirling his staff, the Third Hokage pointed it at Shirou. The staff instantly extended, forcefully knocking Shirou away from Nagato and Konan.
"Lord Emiya!" Nagato cried out.
"I'm fine," Shirou said, his figure vanishing.
Hiruzen retracted the staff with a sigh of regret, knowing he had missed his best chance for a surprise attack. But he hadn't noticed it. His staff now bore a Flying Thunder God mark.
"Look out, Lord Third!" Minato shouted, realizing the trick in a panic as Hiruzen lowered the weapon.
The Monkey King staff had been marked.
In a flash, Shirou reappeared directly in front of him. A green chakra blade swept toward the Third Hokage's neck. One more second, and it would all be over.
But someone saved the elderly Hokage. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, flashed to Hiruzen's side, pulling his former student back just in time to dodge the blade.
At the same time, Shirou pressed his attack, launching forward with the blade. And in that same moment, someone else appeared, catching the chakra scalpel with their bare hand and delivering a kick to Shirou's chest that forced him back.
Shirou calmly crossed his arms, absorbing the force of the kick.
"I have no desire to fight you, Lord Emiya," the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, said, his expression filled with sorrow.
His gaze was heavy, as if he were reliving that fateful day against his old friend, Madara Uchiha. "But for Konoha…"