Fujimoto Tōma quickly assessed the situation.
In the stands, several ANBU lay motionless. Holding back the remaining Sound ninja were Hatake Kakashi and Might Guy. Even while outnumbered, the two were completely at ease.
At the center of the arena, the proctor, Shiranui Genma, was locked in combat with a Sand jōnin. As a special jōnin, Genma was doing everything he could, but it was obvious his opponent, Baki, was holding back. Something felt off.
Tōma didn't intervene.
Instead, he moved to Jiraiya's side. The two toad sages, Fukasaku and Shima, noticed him immediately, but their current state made conversation difficult.
"Jiraiya-sensei…" Tōma began, already knowing what he wanted to ask.
"I'm sorry, Tōma," Jiraiya said grimly. "He was too close to the old man. I wasn't beside him at the start. I couldn't stop it. But don't worry. I'll break that barrier soon."
Despite his words, the urgency in Jiraiya's eyes betrayed him.
He knew Orochimaru too well. If he'd gone this far, it meant he was confident he could kill the Third Hokage.
That realization shattered whatever lingering hope Jiraiya had left.
Tōma fell silent.
The Four Violet Flames Formation wasn't something you brute-forced easily. The best way to deal with it was from the inside, but clearly Orochimaru had planned for that too. There were defensive measures layered within.
Even so, the four barrier casters inside couldn't possibly be as durable as the complete formation itself.
The problem was time.
The Third Hokage wouldn't have the spare attention to deal with them, and while each was only around chūnin-level, they were all empowered by curse marks. The chakra involved wasn't normal, making the barrier far sturdier than expected.
Jiraiya had likely tested it already.
Breaking it from the outside was inefficient. Which meant Jiraiya was probably preparing to enter Sage Mode and smash through by force.
Tōma considered his options.
The first was to test whether Wind Release: Rasenshuriken could break the barrier. The odds were low. Even without Sage Mode, Jiraiya had access to techniques that rivaled it in raw power. Rasenshuriken wasn't a point-focused attack anyway. In that respect, it was worse than Vacuum Bullets.
The second option was simpler.
Teleport inside.
The Third Hokage still carried one of the Flying Thunder God kunai Tōma had used during his training. If Tōma could lock onto that mark, he could jump straight in.
But he couldn't sense it.
That didn't make sense.
The Four Violet Flames Formation alone shouldn't block his perception. He could clearly sense the chakra signatures inside.
Wait.
Six signatures?
Tōma frowned.
So Orochimaru had already used Edo Tensei.
The First and Second Hokage.
Even in an incomplete state, they would be more than enough to overwhelm the Third Hokage.
Then why hadn't the Third Hokage released the seal on the Flying Thunder God kunai?
Because… maybe he still believed he could resolve this himself.
Or worse.
Tōma's heart skipped.
Knowing the Third Hokage, faced with his former student and his predecessors, there was a very real chance he would choose self-sacrifice.
The Reaper Death Seal.
The possibility wasn't just real. It was likely.
Tōma exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down.
The Third Hokage had many flaws. Politically rigid. Too tolerant of rot. Long past his prime.
But when it came to protecting the village and its people, his resolve was unquestionable.
He'd stripped his own ANBU protection to guard civilians.
He'd forcibly ordered Tōma to leave the arena and protect the village instead.
This was who he was.
Stepping down would have been ideal, but he had stepped down once. The Fourth Hokage's death wasn't something anyone could have predicted. And with no one else willing to return, the alternative would have been letting Danzō take power.
That would've been far worse.
Tōma smiled faintly.
He'd already made his decision, hadn't he?
Just like the day he grasped Flying Thunder God, he closed his eyes and devoted everything to perception.
If his state hadn't advanced, he might have failed.
But it had.
Today, he would force his awareness through a barrier and a seal.
History repeating itself?
Fate being unavoidable?
He'd never believed in that.
He hadn't been able to change the fate of the body's original owner.
But he had changed Fujimoto Sana's fate.
That alone was proof enough.
Tōma opened his eyes, lips curling upward.
"…That wasn't even that hard."
For the first time since mastering Flying Thunder God, he began forming its hand seals. Normally, the mark itself replaced the need. But the resistance this time was immense.
Chakra surged.
"Tōma—" Jiraiya began, eyes widening at the sudden spike.
Then Tōma vanished.
"Ninjutsu: Flying Thunder God."
Fukasaku glanced at Jiraiya. "Should we keep going?"
"Yes," Jiraiya said firmly. "When the barrier drops, Orochimaru doesn't leave alive."
Inside the Four Violet Flames Formation—
The Third Hokage stared at Orochimaru, with the First and Second Hokage standing before him. His resolve had already hardened. No matter what, he would return them to rest.
And Orochimaru…
He looked at his former student and remembered the child he once was.
He started forming seals.
Then a familiar, slightly exasperated voice sounded beside him.
"Third Grandpa, didn't I tell you to release the Flying Thunder God seal when things got dangerous?"
The Third Hokage's eyes widened.
Tōma stood at his side, casually twirling a Flying Thunder God kunai in his fingers.
Impossible.
The seal was still bound. There was a barrier. And yet—
Orochimaru froze, shock flashing across his face.
He knew the Third Hokage carried that kunai. That was expected. Which was why he'd modified the Four Violet Flames Formation to suppress perception even further.
It should have been enough.
Tōma might not rival the Fourth Hokage in technique yet.
But in perception?
He'd already surpassed him.
"So," Tōma said lightly, glancing at the Edo Tensei figures, "those two are…?"
"The First and Second Hokage," the Third replied grimly. "Summoned by forbidden jutsu. They can't die, but their power is incomplete."
Tōma relaxed a little. "Good. If they were at full strength, Orochimaru wouldn't need any of this. He could've flattened Konoha alone."
The Third Hokage nodded. He remembered that power all too well.
Orochimaru clicked his tongue, eyes dark.
"So," Tōma said, smiling faintly as he faced him, "do you really want to keep going?"
The message was clear.
Your plan failed.