Chp-147: Orochimaru Will Not Allow the Akatsuki to Harm Konoha

In the forest.

Namikaze Minato glared at Obito.

"Bastard! Who are you, and why are you after the Nine-Tails?"

You don't recognise me?

Heh...

Claiming to care about your subordinates, yet you can't even recognise your own disciple?

Obito sneered internally.

A faint sense of melancholy washed over him.

Minato moved.

Swish!

A specially crafted kunai was suddenly thrown.

It passed right through Obito.

Flying Thunder God activated, and Minato appeared behind Obito.

"This trick won't work."

Obito scoffed.

Swinging his chain, he directly bound Minato, but Minato immediately used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape.

"As expected, his proficiency in space-time ninjutsu surpasses mine."

Minato appeared beside another special kunai, his expression serious.

Does he become intangible the moment he's attacked? But when attacking, he has to be corporeal...

In just a few exchanges, Minato had roughly grasped Obito's technique.

Minato launched another attack.

Almost simultaneously, he threw a kunai that passed through Obito's intangible body.

Just as Obito was about to grab Minato, Minato suddenly disappeared, reappearing beside the kunai, and with a downward thrust, smashed a Rasengan into Obito.

"This is the second stage of the Flying Thunder God!"

Minato roared.

Boom!

The Rasengan tore through Obito's body, crashing heavily into the ground.

The ground cracked, and rocks splintered.

But Minato felt no joy, his face showing shock.

"He evaded it by becoming intangible? How is he so fast!"

Roles reversed, and Obito appeared above Minato.

Chains wrapped around his body, Obito's hand pressed on his shoulder.

Heh! Flying Thunder God Second Stage?

If I only had one eye, maybe I would have fallen for it. But unfortunately...

Kamui activated, aiming to engulf Minato.

In a split second.

Minato activated the Flying Thunder God.

Obito grabbed nothing.

"Did he escape?"

Scanning the surroundings, finding no trace of Minato, Obito sneered.

Turning around, he saw the Nine-Tails' seal had been mostly undone.

"It's time to punish this hypocritical village."

A swirling vortex engulfed him...

...

Elsewhere.

Hyuga Satoru and Tendo Pain were engaged in a fierce battle in the forest.

The forest was being decimated.

Massive summoned beasts rampaged through the forest, crushing trees underfoot.

Tendo Pain unleashed a Shinra Tensei, uprooting trees and clearing a vast area.

Hyuga Satoru clicked his tongue.

"Close call. If we hadn't evacuated the compound, this would cost a fortune to rebuild."

Pain seemed to be venting all his frustration from being ambushed by the veteran unit onto Hyuga Satoru, unleashing relentless attacks.

But it seemed futile.

Hyuga Satoru hovered high in the sky.

Except for a few flying summons, few attacks could reach him.

Occasionally, conjured flying swords would leave Pain scrambling.

"That sneaky bastard!"

Tendo Pain growled.

Flying? He could do that, too.

But not as agile as Hyuga Satoru. Flying only made him a target.

"If only I could use that jutsu, I could take him down!"

One of the Rinnegan's abilities could seal a tailed beast, but he couldn't use it yet.

If he forced it, he'd be drained completely.

Nagato had no choice but to continue controlling Pain in battle.

Just then.

Roar!

From the distance in Konoha, a thunderous roar echoed.

Hyuga Satoru glanced over, seeing the massive form of the Nine-Tails, roaring skyward, looming over Konoha.

"The Nine-Tails has been released?"

Tendo Pain also noticed this, and a trace of joy appeared on its face.

"That guy, Madara, didn't let me down."

He turned back, glaring coldly at Hyuga Satoru.

"Now, I just need to finish you."

Hyuga Satoru shrugged.

"Not sure who gave you the confidence?"

Throughout the battle, he had been dominating, yet Pain's confidence was palpable.

The Nine-Tails over there... perfect opportunity to extract some chakra.

As for the village...

Hyuga Satoru smiled.

Orochimaru was now the Hokage, so this was a great chance for him to shine.

Of course, Zero would secretly assist him.

...

Roar!!!

Under the blood-red moonlight.

The Nine-Tails' roar sent shivers down to the soul.

Everyone who heard it felt an instinctive fear.

All of Konoha awoke in terror.

"The Nine-Tails..."

"Why is the Nine-Tails here?"

"Damn it! What happened?"

Ninjas began attacking the Nine-Tails.

But the Nine-Tails' strength was overwhelming; a mere sweep of its tail sent a group of ninjas flying.

The deafening roar turned into a tangible shockwave, destroying nearby buildings.

Sarutobi Hiruzen's staff grew larger and thicker.

He tried to push the Nine-Tails out of the village, but its strength was too great; he could only push it to the outskirts before running out of energy.

"Third Hokage! Look at the Nine-Tails' eyes."

Sarutobi Hiruzen looked up, seeing three black tomoe in the Nine-Tails' pupils.

"Sharingan? Is it related to the Uchiha?"

"Wait... that Akatsuki member said Madara took the Nine-Tails. Could it be..."

Sarutobi Hiruzen's eyes flickered.

But in that brief moment, the Nine-Tails went on another rampage.

Its tail swept, sending a group of jonin flying.

"Oh no... the Nine-Tails is too strong."

"Can we even fight this?"

"Damn it... what should we do..."

Amidst the despair and chaos.

Boom!

A massive cloud of white smoke erupted, revealing a gigantic purple snake descending from the sky, pinning down the rampaging Nine-Tails.

The snake's head rose slightly, a figure standing atop.

A cloak inscribed with "Fourth Hokage" fluttered behind him.

"That's... Hokage Orochimaru!"

"The Fourth Hokage is here!"

"Great! With the Fourth Hokage, we have a chance!"

...

Manda lazily raised its head.

"Orochimaru, every time you summon me, you owe me a hundred human sacrifices. Don't you dare... huh? The Nine-Tails?? The Nine-Tails!"

"Orochimaru! What are you doing?? Are you trying to have me fight the Nine-Tails? You bastard!"

Orochimaru chuckled, his voice hoarse, "Things have changed. I'm the Hokage now, so I must suppress the Nine-Tails' rampage."

"Hokage?" Manda's eyes gleamed, its tongue flickering, "Never thought someone like you could become Hokage. A thousand human sacrifices, and I'll restrain the Nine-Tails for you."

Hmph! Want me to fight the Nine-Tails? Pay up!

"Deal." Orochimaru's voice was raspy, "But you better do your best. The Nine-Tails isn't easy to handle."

Humans were impossible. I still had some defective clones lying around; I'd deceive Manda to get it to fight.

Orochimaru, clad in the Hokage cloak, stood atop Manda's head.

Looking down at the Nine-Tails below.