Chapter 39: Death and Death!

Naruto reached out his hand.

Anbu exclaimed in alarm, "Be careful!"

Just as he was about to touch it, a wave of purple flames surged forward, clawing and snapping, scorching his fingers.

"We've already tried; it can't be broken through. It can only be destroyed from the inside," Anbu shook his head, speaking cautiously while staring at Naruto's fingers.

The burn marks healed almost instantly.

Is this... the power of the Nine-Tails?

Or the power of the Uzumaki clan?

"What about underneath the building?" Naruto looked towards the roof tiles.

Anbu shook his head, "It's also covered by the barrier."

As they spoke, Sarutobi Hiruzen had already seized Orochimaru's arms, with a spectral hand reaching out, grabbing his soul, and forcibly dragging it out.

Time was running out.

Naruto raised his hand, "Step back, let me try."

Anbu hesitated upon hearing this, but seeing Karin already retreating without hesitation, they also stepped back a few paces.

Chakra was mobilized.

A massive aura surged from the blonde youth.

Words of power were chanted.

"Sprinkled on the bones of the beast!!"

"Sharp tower, red crystal, steel ring."

"Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm."

Anbu glanced sideways as Karin raised her hand to shield her eyes.

That poetic incantation blossomed into dazzling golden lightning in Naruto's palm.

As brilliant as the sun.

"What kind of technique is this..." Anbu was astonished.

He had never seen such a large-scale ninjutsu before it was even fully unleashed.

Just a glance made his heart pound.

The final phrase came from Naruto's mouth.

"The sound of warring spears fills the empty castle!"

"Hadō # 63. Raikōhō (雷吼炮, Thunder Roar Sear)."

Lightning burst forth, a streak of meteoric light struck the purple barrier, causing flames to scatter wildly.

It almost pierced through, creating mottled cracks.

The four ninja at the corners couldn't stop trembling, blood constantly oozing from their mouths.

The technique wasn't fully broken, but the forced disruption caused a significant backlash, severely impacting their bodies.

Orochimaru couldn't help but glance over, the pain from his soul being torn out couldn't stop his praise, "Such a beautiful technique."

"Those four were carefully selected by me as the casters."

"The Four Violet Flames Formation, capable of trapping even a Kage like my teacher..."

"But it was broken by him."

"This isn't something Konoha could have taught."

Sarutobi Hiruzen ignored his disciple's sarcastic remarks.

He too marveled at Naruto's power.

But now... he didn't have much strength left to pay attention to other matters.

Naruto gripped his sword.

The Raikōhō, ranked sixty-three, was currently the strongest Kido he had learned.

It couldn't destroy the barrier.

However, since it had a damaging effect, it indicated that a sufficiently strong attack could completely shatter it.

He was about to draw his sword.

Once released, he had an even stronger attack than the Raikōhō.

"Naruto." Inside the barrier, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned his head towards him, struggling to force a smile as he called his name, "Don't think about saving me anymore."

"This technique requires giving one's soul to the Shinigami to take effect..."

"I'm already destined to die."

"Do you know?"

"Once, a great hero used this technique to save the village."

"I can't compare to him."

"But now, I will also use this technique to protect the village."

He turned his head back, glaring at Orochimaru's hands, breathing heavily.

His lifespan and body... had deteriorated to this extent.

He could only extract the soul from these hands.

"Orochimaru..."

"I've truly grown old. I'm sorry, as your teacher, I failed to correct your mistakes."

"But now I will not forgive you."

"I will... give you a small punishment."

"To ensure you can no longer commit evil, no longer destroy Konoha's seedlings."

"Let me confiscate all the techniques you've learned."

As Sarutobi Hiruzen spoke.

The "Shinigami" behind him removed the short blade from its mouth.

Lifting it high, it slashed down forcefully.

Severing the soul of Orochimaru's extracted arms.

The Shinigami panted heavily, and the souls of Sarutobi Hiruzen, the First and Second Hokages, as well as Orochimaru's arms, were "devoured" by him, as if consumed.

His eyes grew brighter.

His expression became even more ferocious.

It seemed that this time's offerings, both in quantity and quality, had satisfied him.

Using his last ounce of strength, Sarutobi Hiruzen turned to look at Naruto, a faint smile curling at the corner of his mouth.

His eyes could no longer open, and he couldn't see Naruto clearly.

All he saw was a brilliant flash of gold filling his vision.

He spoke, his voice extremely weak: "When the tree leaves dance, one shall find flames."

"The fire's shadow will illuminate the village, and once again, tree leaves shall bud anew."

"Naruto..."

"I'm sorry."

He couldn't utter the final four syllables, lacking the strength to voice them.

But his lips moved, and Naruto understood.

He stared silently ahead.

The body swayed and fell, raising dust that obscured the old, still-smiling face.

The technique ended, and the chakra dissipated.

The Shinigami behind him vanished.

Orochimaru roared, "You old fool!"

"How can you still smile!"

"Give me back my hands!"

Naruto tried hard to capture it, but he couldn't find any trace of the "Shinigami"; it had completely disappeared with the souls.

Neither "chakra" nor "spiritual pressure" was left.

He clenched his fists.

That technique...

I must obtain it!

The words of the Third Hokage still echoed in his ears.

Besides the "I'm sorry," there was also "Once, a hero used this technique to save the village."

Since it was said to him, that "hero" must be his father, the Fourth Hokage.

His soul...

Was it also sealed inside that thing's body, just like the Third Hokage?

What about his mother?

And what was the technique that Orochimaru used?

The Shinigami, like a fierce demon, finally harvested the souls of the First and Second Hokages.

Was the third soul to be summoned not his father?

As Naruto pondered, Karin approached, looking at Sarutobi Hiruzen's body, and asked worriedly, "Naruto, did you see something behind the Hokage just now?"

She noticed that Naruto's gaze had been fixed behind Sarutobi Hiruzen, rather than on him.

Naruto turned his head: "Yes, a guy the Third Hokage called the Shinigami."

"You didn't see it?"

Karin nodded, and the approaching Anbu also nodded.

None of them saw anything.

"The earlier events and the Shinigami that only you could see, the technique the Hokage used just now is probably the Forbidden Jutsu of the Uzumaki clan," Karin said nervously, clutching Naruto's sleeve and continuing in a low voice, "A sealing technique called the Reaper Death Seal, visible only to those who have signed a contract with the Shinigami."

"Naruto, if you can see it, could it be..."

Her tone was filled with worry.

It was an extremely dangerous technique.

Naruto shook his head: "I haven't signed any contract with that demon; I can just see it due to some special reasons."

"So it was originally a technique of the Uzumaki clan?"

"How do I find that thing?"

He didn't want to acknowledge or call that thing the "Shinigami."

Karin slightly relaxed and shook her head: "This technique is too dangerous. My mother didn't know it either, only heard some rumors."

She paused and looked at the Anbu, saying no more.

"I understand," Naruto noted, nodding his head.

He looked ahead.

The Four Violet Flames Formation dissipated, and the severely weakened Orochimaru, with his hands devoured by purple bruises, was being supported by the four Sound Ninjas.

The prey was out of the cage.

~~~

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