"Third Hokage!"
"Lord Hokage!"
"That monster, Orochimaru!"
For the ANBU guards of Konoha, there was nothing more painful than witnessing their Hokage die in battle. The pillar that held up their world had instantly collapsed.
Many of Konoha's ninja had no time to mourn. They could only fight back through tears of grief, wielding their kunai to resist the enemy's assault. War has no room for sorrow.
On the battlefield, a few shinobi could still clearly see the gravity of the situation.
When Kakashi Hatake saw Hiruzen Sarutobi fall, he could not help but frown. Beyond the blow to their morale, the Third Hokage's death was devastating for the current battle.
Before Kakashi stood Kushina Uzumaki, still locked in combat with him.
Before Might Guy stood the rampaging Fourth Kazekage, Rasa.
Before Naruto Uzumaki stood the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
There were not many heavy hitters on this battlefield. Konoha itself was being invaded by Sand and Sound ninja, and the shinobi outside the stadium were fighting desperately.
Until the enemies within the village were cleared out, the stadium was unlikely to get any powerful reinforcements. Now that the Third Hokage was gone, Orochimaru and Tobirama Senju were free. Who could possibly stop their attack?
Kakashi hadn't even considered the full extent of Orochimaru's madness, so he did not know that an even more difficult moment was about to arrive.
On the highest platform, Orochimaru walked forward step by step, looking down at his teacher, whose eyes were still open. His own eyes were slightly moist. He squatted down, wanting to gently close Hiruzen's eyes.
"I'm so sorry, Teacher," Orochimaru murmured in a low voice. But he saw that Hiruzen's eyes would not close, still staring at his disciple.
"So stubborn, even in death..."
A sharp, crazed look flashed in Orochimaru's eyes, but the emotion was quickly hidden. A smile spread across his lips. "Teacher, for you, the truly despair-inducing darkness is still a long way off!"
After speaking, Orochimaru sat down cross-legged and lowered his head. "Kimimaro, if you have no regrets, we can begin now..."
"Yes, Lord Orochimaru."
Kimimaro Kaguya flipped backward, landing by Orochimaru's side. His previous task of holding back the ANBU and Hokage guards had now been taken over by Tobirama Senju.
"I will begin, Lord Orochimaru."
Kimimaro clasped his hands together. His chakra began to surge, and the black runes of his curse mark started to spread across his skin. This was the Curse Mark of Earth that Orochimaru had given him. As the curse mark activated, Kimimaro's aura grew stronger and stronger, and bone spikes involuntarily protruded from his body.
That was the Shikotsumyaku, the unique kekkei genkai of the Kaguya clan—a clan infamous for their love of slaughter—and he was its last member. The Kaguya clan was wiped out not only because they were annihilated for a frenzied rebellion, but also because they could not live long. The Shikotsumyaku itself brought a fatal disease.
Kimimaro was no exception.
Under the boost of his curse mark, his aura grew immensely powerful, so much so that even Orochimaru felt a bit of admiration. Kimimaro was his most perfect curse mark creation to date. But because of his hereditary disease, Kimimaro could no longer move forward. His life was reaching its end.
"Kimimaro, do you have any regrets?" Orochimaru did not look at the white-haired young man behind him, but chuckled to himself. "Heh heh heh… I actually regret it a little. You shouldn't be a sacrifice. You should be revived by me with Edo Tensei, to serve as my sharpest tool."
Orochimaru had taken in many children, but Kimimaro was the most special. He held the utmost respect for Orochimaru, completing every mission with all his heart.
"If Lord Orochimaru needs it..." Kimimaro nodded calmly. A bone blade suddenly shot out from his palm, and with a single motion, he sliced off his other arm.
The act shocked even Orochimaru.
However, Kimimaro endured the pain, carefully placed the severed arm next to Orochimaru, and explained, "I know some secrets about the Edo Tensei. I believe this will be enough for Lord Orochimaru to revive me."
This young man had taken loyalty to the absolute extreme. Even if his soul would not find peace after death, to be controlled in battle by Orochimaru, Kimimaro seemed not to care at all.
After doing all this, he sat cross-legged next to the Third Hokage's corpse, clutching the wound on his severed arm. He looked at the man's snake-like eyes and said, "Lord Orochimaru, I am… ready."
To face death so calmly… to not even care that his body was just a vessel. Such a loyal and powerful ninja was one of a kind. It would be difficult to find a subordinate who offered such wholehearted loyalty even among the Root ninjas under Danzo's control.
"I know."
Orochimaru sighed almost imperceptibly. He raised his hand and began to slowly form hand seals. Looking at Hiruzen lying before him, he said softly, "The vessel I once prepared for myself will now be used on you, Teacher… Ninja Art: Impure World Reincarnation!"
Orochimaru's palm slammed onto the ground. A black sealing formula instantly spread out, surrounding the heavily injured Kimimaro and Hiruzen Sarutobi's corpse. Dust rose from the ground without a wind, quickly covering Kimimaro's body.
The Impure World Reincarnation jutsu was a success.
However, the user felt no sense of accomplishment. He watched Kimimaro's still-calm face before it was covered by dust, and slowly closed his own eyes. Because of Kimimaro's final act of loyalty, Orochimaru could not quite bear to, nor did he dare to, watch him die.
For him, this was a rare luxury.
People will always move towards death.
Orochimaru lowered his eyelids, tuning out the battle outside. He just contemplated quietly, waiting for the Edo Tensei to complete. For the success of the Konoha Crush plan, he had personally turned all of the Sound Five into sacrifices for this jutsu.
Today, he had lost too much. But these prices were all worth it.
Just at that moment, a figure shot over like a cannonball.
A golden chakra cloak shone brightly, but the eyes under the Sage Fox Mode were exceptionally cold. It was the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki. Under Sage Fox Mode, he had finally broken through Hashirama Senju's blockade.
"Even though I also think the Third Hokage wasn't really qualified, it shouldn't be a rogue ninja who gets to kill him. Konoha's business can only be resolved by Konoha ninjas."
Naruto's gaze grew colder as he extended his hand towards Orochimaru. "Just a guy who ran away from me, and he dares to start this huge war!"
Back in the Forest of Death, who would have thought that Orochimaru would stage such a grand drama of the living versus the dead, rogue ninjas versus their hometown, and allies turning into traitors.
Instead of getting angry, Orochimaru laughed. He looked at Hashirama Senju, who had jumped onto the high platform in pursuit of Naruto, then at Tobirama Senju, who was still fighting. He glanced down at the resurrected Hiruzen Sarutobi on the ground, and the smile on his face grew wider.
"As expected. I knew the First Hokage couldn't stop you."
Orochimaru brought his fingers together, his expression suddenly becoming solemn. He controlled the three reanimated bodies to quickly surround Naruto. "If three Hokage come at you at once, can you stop their attack, Naruto?"
-----
Bonus:
Orochimaru: Buying figurines, figurines that can fight!
Uzumaki Mito: How about a First Hokage one?
Orochimaru: I'll take it, 100 milion ryo!
Uchiha Madara: How about a Second Hokage one?
Orochimaru: I'll take it, 1 million ryo!
Sarutobi Biwako: How about a Third Hokage one?
Orochimaru: I'll take it, 50 ryo!
Uzumaki Kushina: A Fourth Hokage one...
Orochimaru: I'm out of cash. I've pretty much bought all I can today. If you're not in a hurry to sell, wait two days for me. I'll go sell the Fourth Kazekage figurine I have and trade it for a Fourth Hokage.
Kushina: No returns, you know! The Kazekage figurines aren't worth much to begin with...
Orochimaru: I also have a Third Kazekage one here. I'll return it to you too!
Kushina: ...Fine.