Dust constantly flaked off Hiruzen Sarutobi's reanimated body.
Caught by the surprise attack of the Sword of Totsuka, Hiruzen was completely immobile. He couldn't control the chakra in his body and could only wait passively for the end.
"I'm sorry, Third Hokage."
Itachi Uchiha stood under the protection of his Susanoo, looking up at the old man pierced by the sealing sword. "Soon, I will seal you in the Totsuka gourd. There, you will be in an eternal, blissful genjutsu."
Under the shadow of the red giant, no one could see his expression. Itachi's mood was complicated. If he hadn't met Naruto Uzumaki, this would feel as if he had just personally killed his own superior. The feeling was strange.
"It's alright."
Hiruzen's mind cleared, and a kind smile appeared on his face, as always. "I didn't expect that in the end, it would be you who sends me off... Itachi..."
"Third Hokage, do you have any last words?" Itachi glanced first at the fierce battle between Tobirama Senju and Kisame Hoshigaki, then cast a meaningful look toward Naruto and Kushina Uzumaki in the distance.
Hiruzen naturally understood his meaning. As the Third Hokage, his death was too sudden. He hadn't had time to arrange his affairs, which included many of Konoha's confidential matters—like the fact that the Itachi before him was still a loyal Konoha ninja, and the choice for the next Hokage.
Hiruzen sighed and said in a deep voice, "It's alright. Koharu and Homura will understand. Jiraiya is the most suitable candidate to succeed me as the Fifth Hokage."
In the past, Jiraiya had refused the position more than once. But now, with Konoha in crisis, that eternal wanderer probably wouldn't refuse to take on his responsibility, right?
Besides that, there was an even more important matter.
"And Danzo Shimura." Hiruzen lowered his head and continued in a low voice, "After I die, there will be no one left in the village who can suppress Danzo's darkness. Itachi, the village advisors won't be able to deal with him. I can only entrust this matter to you."
"Don't worry. I will take care of him."
After Itachi nodded, he directed the Sword of Totsuka, pulling Hiruzen's body toward the gourd to seal him inside.
Before he was sealed, the Third Hokage smiled at Itachi with some relief. "It's been hard on you, Itachi... I'm so sorry that I can only say these things just before I go..."
"It's alright." Itachi's expression was as calm as ever. He lowered his head and said, "Because the person I am loyal to is no longer Lord Hokage."
"Itachi?" Hiruzen was shocked. He didn't expect Itachi to drop such a bombshell right before he was sealed. How could that put him at ease? The old man's voice was full of sadness. "Are you really going to... betray the Will of Fire?"
"Because you broke our promise, Lord Hokage," Itachi said softly, slowly raising his head to look at the Third Hokage. "Danzo took ANBU members and attacked Sasuke twice, but why didn't you stop him even once?"
Hiruzen fell silent.
"Don't worry. The person I want to help is still in Konoha." Itachi's words sparked a glimmer of hope in Hiruzen's heart. Just as the old man was about to speak, Itachi continued, word by word, "But he is different from all of you. He will protect Sasuke, clear out the corrupt higher-ups who are parasites in the village, and guide Konoha in the right direction."
"Is that so?" Hiruzen tried to smile and retort, but his crumbling face could no longer hold the expression. The Sword of Totsuka pulled his body into the gourd, sealing him completely.
The old ninja hero had met his end. He didn't even leave a body behind. Even his soul could not go to the Pure Land.
Itachi looked at the remnants of his battle with Hiruzen and muttered to himself, "Of course. At least he will definitely protect Sasuke..."
Just as Itachi was lost in thought, a loud shout from Kisame Hoshigaki interrupted him.
"Water Style: Great Shark Bomb Jutsu!"
A massive shark made of water rose up, its tooth-filled mouth wide open as it rushed toward Tobirama Senju. This was Kisame's strongest ninjutsu, and he intended to use it to end his battle with the man known as the strongest Water Style user.
However, what greeted him was not a Water Style jutsu...
"Flying Thunder God Slash!"
Tobirama's figure vanished from beneath the shark's attack. A flash of a blade passed, and in an instant, a long, deep wound opened up on Kisame's body.
The shark-faced man stared with his small eyes in disbelief.
What was going on? Why didn't he use a Water Style ninjutsu? Why can he use the Flying Thunder God Technique? Isn't that the signature jutsu of the Yellow Flash? This guy is cheating!
Just as Tobirama was about to press his attack, a giant arm grabbed Kisame. The armored form of the Susanoo blocked Tobirama's ninja sword. The Second Hokage's attack missed, and he vanished from the spot.
He had escaped. Or rather, he had been forced to escape by Orochimaru's control.
Kisame fell from the Susanoo's arm. He looked at the wound on his body, his expression strained. "Mr. Itachi, you saved me again! I really didn't expect the Second Hokage to be able to use the Flying Thunder God Technique..."
"The Flying Thunder God Technique was developed by the Second Hokage," Itachi explained. Unlike an outsider like Kisame, who had only a partial understanding, Itachi, as an Uchiha, knew Tobirama's history well. "Besides being the strongest Water Style ninja, he has another title: the fastest ninja in the world."
"That was really careless of me..." The shark-faced man gripped Samehada, using its stored chakra to heal his wound. His small eyes rolled, and he suddenly said, "Mr. Itachi, you managed to deal with the Third Hokage. And he was the legendary 'Strongest Hokage'..."
Hearing this, Itachi paused for a moment, then said softly, "That's just what the Konoha ninja say... We're retreating."
Within his field of vision, Naruto and Kushina were slowly approaching. Neither of them was an enemy he wanted to face. Besides, two other figures were appearing in the distance. Itachi recognized one of them as the burly Sannin, Jiraiya. He didn't want to make contact with Naruto in front of so many people, especially a Naruto with no memories.
"We have no other choice!" Kisame gritted his teeth, a grimace revealing his sharp, shark-like teeth. "Sorry, it seems I'm holding you back again, Mr. Itachi..."
"It's alright," Itachi said, waving his hand to dismiss the Susanoo. "I'm used to it."
The Mangekyo Sharingan in his eyes spun. He looked at the ground in front of Naruto and Kushina and whispered, "Amaterasu!"
A burst of black flames erupted on the ground, blocking Naruto's path. Taking the opportunity, Itachi helped his teammate up, and they leaped into the distance.
Kushina scratched her head, looking after them with a confused expression. "What's going on? I still wanted to ask Itachi some things..."
"The Itachi Uchiha of today is a rogue ninja of Konoha," Naruto sighed. He thought of his teammate, Sasuke. After seeing the Susanoo, he knew that if Sasuke wanted to kill Itachi, his strength was still far from enough.
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Bonus:
Hiruzen: This is so miserable!
Tobirama: How so?
Hiruzen: I was killed by my own student, used as a puppet by my own student, and then sealed by the spy I trusted most...
Tobirama: It's not your fault. It's the Uchiha's fault.
Itachi: ???