"Kazekage-sama?! How...how is this possible?!"
Just now, the last madly hissing snake head was severed at its base by a wind blade, crashing heavily to the ground. Facing the giant Eight-Headed Serpent attempting to regenerate its heads, Menma didn't hesitate. He quickly formed hand seals, and a powerful sealing jutsu instantly enveloped the massive headless snake body, completely immobilizing it.
As expected, it was just a pawn used to buy time. Menma sensed the empty remains of the giant snake, confirming that Orochimaru's true body had long since escaped.
Then, controlling it mentally, one of the Nine-Faced Beasts, Suzaku, which was guarding the sealed cocoons of Rasa, Kushina, and Mito, steadily landed beside Menma, clutching a figure tightly bound by sealing runes. It casually tossed the figure to the ground—it was the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa! Or rather, his sealed Edo Tensei body.
Menma raised his hand, temporarily releasing part of the seal. When Rasa's pale, stiff, lifeless face was revealed, the captive Baki and other Sunagakure Ninja who witnessed this scene, their pupils suddenly constricted, and the color drained from their faces, as if the sky had fallen.
Baki instantly understood everything: why the Kazekage's recent decisions had been so abnormal, why he had been so determined to cooperate with Otogakure (The Village Hidden in the Sound) to launch this seemingly reckless war, even under the threat of [Cinder]... It turned out that the "Kazekage" they had been loyal to and obeying all this time had already been assassinated and replaced by Orochimaru!
Their entire Hidden Sand Village had been played like puppets, becoming pawns and cannon fodder for Orochimaru's ambitions!
Menma's gaze swept over the Sunagakure Ninja, who were plunged into immense shock and despair. His voice, altered and devoid of emotion, reached everyone's ears.
"Dragging Sunagakure into war, it seems, was not your intention. Sunagakure's actions and credulity should have cost you dearly."
"But, considering you are also victims... I will give you one chance. Take your Kazekage's remains and return to the desert. If you dare to harbor any further war intentions... Sunagakure will be completely erased from the Ninja World map."
"Thud..."
Baki's legs gave out, and he could no longer stand, collapsing straight to his knees, his face ashen. The immense shame, fear, and the relief of having survived intertwined, making him lose even the courage to look up.
The other Sunagakure Ninja were even more silent, trembling all over, not daring to even breathe loudly.
After completing the superficial work and successfully deterring the remaining Sunagakure forces, Menma's thoughts immediately returned to his true objective—that snake had to be found as soon as possible. In his perception, Orochimaru's final use of the Eight-Headed Serpent Jutsu was not merely a desperate struggle; that guy must have had a backup plan and would not give up easily.
He had to deal with him completely before he caused more trouble... At least imprison or seal him to eliminate future problems.
"Please...please wait!"
That old and urgent voice rang out again. Seeing Menma's Chakra subtly shift, preparing to leave, Hiruzen Sarutobi called out to him again. Even through the mask, the Third Hokage could sense a hint of impatience emanating from the other party... But he had no choice; that question was like a bone stuck in his throat, and he had to ask it.
"Menma-dono! Can we...speak for a moment? I have a question... Please, it won't take up too much of your time!"
A question? A hint of doubt flashed in Menma's mind. At this time, what question would absolutely require asking me alone? From the looks of it, it seemed to be a secret that other Konoha Ninja couldn't hear?
He quickly thought, unable to guess the Third Hokage's purpose for a moment. As for his main body... the battle had basically subsided, and even if Orochimaru tried to run, his main body would pursue him, and he wouldn't be able to escape the Land of Fire's borders for a while.
Menma finally nodded slightly, giving his tacit consent.
Their figures flickered, returning once again to the scarred, battle-worn roof of the Chunin Exams arena. The Anbu below looked up nervously; despite their deep concern, under the Third Hokage's stern eye command, no one dared to take a step forward, only watching helplessly as the Hokage and that mysterious figure were alone again.
On the rooftop, after a brief silence, the Third Hokage seemed to exert all his strength, taking a deep breath. His weathered eyes fixed tightly on the mask's holes, and he finally voiced the question that had long lingered, almost exhausting his mind.
"You...are you...Minato?"
"...???"
What is this guy talking about?
— — — — — —
"Wait, wait, wait!!! Alright, alright, the battle's over! We've only just met for the first time, there's no need to fight to the death like this!"
A very erratic, comical voice echoed across the battlefield. The Masked Man, calling himself "Tobi," was clumsily and frantically dodging attacks from all directions, scrambling and rolling.
The ground around him was already scarred, covered with deep ravines and scorched craters, and there were even a few ominous black flames still stubbornly burning, reducing everything they touched to ashes.
"Honestly, I shouldn't have agreed to help Orochimaru-senpai! But Senpai himself lost so badly!"
Tobi, while frantically dodging, loudly complained in a grumbling tone, "How about we all take a step back and stop here? Peace makes money, you know!"
However, Uchiha Shisui, standing opposite him, did not relax in the slightest due to the other party's exaggerated performance and words. His crimson Mangekyo Sharingan calmly observed everything.
Being able to control a Tailed Beast, and still moving with such ease under the previous offensive... Shisui was certain that this guy's performance, like the mask on his face, was a carefully designed disguise.
And in their previous exchanges, Tobi had indeed been alarmed to realize that Shisui seemed to have vaguely grasped some patterns of his [Kamui] phasing ability. Therefore, even though his ability was still active, he deliberately feigned a look of being cornered and in precarious situations.
Since the plan to destroy Konoha had failed again... Tobi mused, but his main objective was not here. It seemed it was time to withdraw.
"I really envy you for still having so much energy!" Tobi continued in his exaggerated tone, "But I'm tired, and my stomach is rumbling... Do you like dango? But we don't seem to be familiar enough to be 'friends after a fight,' do we? Haha!"
"Don't think of escaping! Fire Release: Great Fire Dragon Jutsu!"
Shisui was completely unmoved, quickly forming hand seals as Chakra surged! Several ferocious, scorching fire dragons instantly materialized, pouncing towards Tobi!
"Waaah! Wait, wait! I haven't thought of a name for this Ninjutsu yet!" Tobi shrieked in panic.
Just before the fire dragons were about to engulf him, his body, as if merging with water, sank rapidly into the ground without warning, disappearing without a trace.
The scorching flames swept through, turning that area into scorched earth once more. When the firelight dissipated, only an empty crater remained, with no sign of Tobi.
"Phew... That was dangerous~" Far away, outside Konoha Village, on the branch of a tall tree, space subtly twisted, and Tobi's figure appeared out of thin air.
He patted his chest, muttering to himself in his characteristic erratic tone, "Why does a mere apprentice like me have to face such a monster-level opponent... Oh! I have an idea!"
He suddenly snapped his fingers, "That jutsu just now, let's call it—Ninja Art: Whack-a-Mole Jutsu! How about it, pretty fitting, right?"
Just then, on the tree trunk beside him, a bizarre, humanoid creature, half pitch-black and half pure white, like a giant flytrap, silently and slowly emerged.
"The leader of [Cinder] has appeared," Zetsu said. "Orochimaru summoned the previous two Nine-Tails Jinchuriki and the Fourth Kazekage with Edo Tensei, but they were all defeated and sealed by that 'Menma' in less than ten minutes."
"Wow! I can't believe it! Just kidding."
Tobi immediately exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Everything is as I expected."
But the next second, his voice abruptly changed, becoming deep and cold, as if he had instantly become a different person.
He slowly turned his head, his only exposed eye through the mask's hole looking at Zetsu. "So, can it be confirmed? The true identity of that organization's leader... who is it?"
"Yes," Zetsu replied affirmatively, "I saw it... Although brief, I clearly saw—the true face beneath that guy's mask."
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