"You are…" Seeing this sudden, devastating attack, Aburame Ryoma was about to cry out in alarm.
Before he could utter another sound, a searing blue beam of energy suddenly shot out from the newcomer, piercing Ryoma directly through the chest, leaving a gaping, smoking hole.
Thump!
The blue energy beam vanished, and Aburame Ryoma's lifeless body crumpled to the ground. Even in death, his eyes were wide with lingering terror and utter disbelief. His opponent's eyes… they were Mangekyo Sharingan!
After dispatching Aburame Ryoma with a single, decisive blow, Jizo's figure flickered through the remaining Root operatives. In a blur of motion, the other dozen or so Root ninja were also swiftly and silently eliminated. All these Root ninja had been implanted with the Cursed Tongue Eradication Seal, making it impossible to extract any information from them through interrogation. However, simply having their bodies present here would serve the intended purpose.
Swoosh~
The sound of air being cut echoed nearby, and Itachi's figure appeared beside Jizo. Itachi's gaze swept over the shocked, lifeless face of Aburame Ryoma and the other Root ninja, who seemed to have been caught in a powerful genjutsu, standing frozen like lambs awaiting slaughter. A look of profound shock flashed in Itachi's eyes. Was this the true strength of that Uchiha from the Divine Court? The gap… it was simply too vast!
"Itachi," Jizo said, perhaps guessing Itachi's thoughts as he turned to him with a faint smile, "when you awaken your own Mangekyo Sharingan, your strength might even surpass mine. For now, put these on." As he spoke, he produced a white and gold-trimmed robe and a mask, tossing them to Itachi.
After speaking, Jizo didn't linger. His figure leaped into the air, heading towards the distant sounds of battle.
Itachi hesitated for a moment, then caught the robe and mask, quickly donning them. With another flicker, he sped off in pursuit of Jizo. He didn't truly believe Jizo's words about his potential. Just now, he had clearly sensed the terrifying, overwhelming ocular power contained within Jizo's Mangekyo Sharingan. That kind of power was beyond his current comprehension.
The two of them, one leading and one following, raced through the night. Four minutes later, they arrived at the edge of the battlefield.
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, the Third Hokage and Orochimaru had disengaged, each retreating to opposite sides of the fiery enclosure, both panting heavily from exertion. The fierce, prolonged battle had taken a tremendous toll on both of them.
Clutching the Adamantine Staff—the transformed state of his personal summon, Monkey King Enma—the Third Hokage's gaze was fixed intently on Orochimaru opposite him. Beside Orochimaru, the reanimated figures of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, stood stiffly, their eyes dull and lifeless. Judging from the current state of the First and Second Hokage, the Edo Tensei technique Orochimaru currently possessed was still in a relatively crude and unrefined stage. The power that the reanimated First and Second Hokage could currently exert was far from their legendary strength in life.
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation, the Third Hokage looked gravely at Orochimaru and the lifeless figures of the First and Second Hokage standing beside him. A look of grim determination flashed in his aged eyes. Planting the Adamantine Staff firmly into the ground beside him, the Third Hokage brought the index and middle fingers of both hands together, crossing them in a specific seal, and instantly created two Shadow Clones. Immediately following this, his hands blurred through a rapid and complex sequence of hand seals.
Upon completing the seals, he clasped his hands together. Behind the Third Hokage, a ghostly, ethereal grey specter, the Shinigami—the Reaper Death God—materialized, its visage terrifying. The grey Reaper held a short, ritualistic tanto in its mouth, and six eerie, spectral ghost flames flickered around its imposing form. This was the S-rank sealing jutsu, the Reaper Death Seal. The Third Hokage had already resolved himself to perish alongside Orochimaru, who had so brazenly and despicably manipulated the souls of his revered predecessors.
Seeing the Third Hokage's desperate, suicidal maneuver, Orochimaru's expression also turned grave. He immediately controlled the reanimated Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, to unleash the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique. In an instant, all light within the Four Violet Flames Formation was extinguished, plunging the battlefield into absolute, impenetrable darkness.
Within this pitch-black void, Orochimaru directed the reanimated First and Second Hokage to continuously attack the Third Hokage.
Thwack! Bang! Crack!
Under the relentless barrage of taijutsu attacks, the Third Hokage, however, stood his ground firmly, maintaining the hand seals for the Reaper Death Seal without faltering. Suddenly, the two Shadow Clones the Third Hokage had created earlier sprang into action. From each of their chests, a spectral, ghostly arm of the Reaper shot out, firmly grasping the souls of the reanimated First and Second Hokage.
As their souls were forcibly extracted and sealed by the Reaper Death Seal, the space within the Four Violet Flames Formation was once again illuminated, light returning to the battlefield. The reanimated First and Second Hokage, their borrowed forms now devoid of animating spirits, slowly crumbled into dust and ash, disappearing into the air.
After dealing with the reanimated Hokage, the Third Hokage, wielding the Adamantine Staff once more, charged towards Orochimaru with renewed, albeit weary, determination.
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
The Adamantine Staff and Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword clashed repeatedly, sparks flying with each impact. The figures of the two combatants blurred and flickered throughout the Four Violet Flames Formation, their movements too fast for the eye to follow.
Outside the formation, the four Kusagakure ninja maintaining the barrier at its four corners saw that Orochimaru was now at a clear disadvantage, and worried expressions appeared on all their faces.
"Dispel the formation!" Just as these four were growing increasingly anxious, the sound of air being cut whistled nearby, and Jizo appeared beside one of the Kusagakure ninja, his voice calm but firm. In the spot where Jizo had previously been observing, Itachi, now clad in the Divine Court uniform, stood silently.
"No! Lord Orochimaru specifically ordered us not to dispel the formation until the battle is over!" Seeing the suddenly appearing Jizo, and recognizing the Divine Court uniform he wore, a look of terror flashed across the Kusagakure ninja's face. This was quickly followed by a flicker of desperate resolve, and he shook his head stubbornly, refusing Jizo's command.
"Hmph." Jizo let out a soft, disdainful snort. Then, without further warning, he lashed out with a powerful kick, sending the Kusagakure ninja flying. Orochimaru is likely going to fall victim to the Third's Reaper Death Seal! And this time, Orochimaru's fate might be even more miserable than in the original timeline.
Compared to the original story, this battle was happening much earlier. Orochimaru's combat strength might not be significantly different, but the Third Hokage was clearly in a much stronger and less depleted state than he had been during the Chunin Exams invasion.
CRASH!
The heavy kick sent the unprepared Kusagakure ninja soaring through the air. With one of its four anchor points forcefully removed, the Four Violet Flames Formation could no longer be maintained. The towering walls of violet flame that had enclosed the battlefield slowly flickered and vanished.
Under the Third Hokage's relentless, furious assault, Orochimaru, who had been at a distinct disadvantage, saw the Four Violet Flames Formation disappear and immediately seized the opportunity. He quickly disengaged, leaping to the side, his hands blurring through a rapid sequence of hand seals.
POOF!
A massive cloud of white smoke erupted, and the colossal, terrifying form of Manda, the giant serpent king, appeared on the battlefield. The moment Manda materialized, it whipped its enormous tail with devastating force towards the attacking Third Hokage. The Adamantine Staff and Manda's massive tail collided with a thunderous impact, and the Third Hokage's body was sent flying backward.
"Damn you, Orochimaru! Why did you summon me to fight him?!" Manda, clearly in pain from the powerful blow, roared furiously at Orochimaru. "I demand more sacrifices for this!"
"Rest assured, Manda! After this battle, I will provide you with even more substantial sacrifices," Orochimaru, perched atop Manda's massive head, placated his powerful summon, his serpentine eyes fixed intently on the ghostly Reaper Death God specter hovering behind the Third Hokage.
Swoosh~
A figure flashed through the air, and Jizo, clad in his white and gold-trimmed Divine Court robe, landed lightly beside Orochimaru on Manda's head. Seeing Jizo suddenly appear, Orochimaru's pupils constricted sharply, but he made no hostile move.
Opposite them, the Third Hokage, seeing Jizo forcibly intervene in the battle, his expression became extremely grave. At this point, the Third Hokage's condition was far from good. The Reaper Death God he had summoned using the Reaper Death Seal was continuously draining his life force. The Third Hokage was already old and his body frail; after the preceding intense battle, he was already on the verge of collapse, barely able to continue.