The Death of the Third Hokage
"Gaara's favorability has increased to approval, and he will be rewarded with [Sand Control Art]. Lonely children are always eager for acknowledgment—even if they become part of a monster, it doesn't matter."
As the system prompt echoed in his ears, Naruto's expression turned strange.
He hadn't expected Gaara's favorability toward him to rise so quickly—especially since he hadn't done anything intentional to earn it.
After all, in the ninja world, it was rare to see a brother-in-law ordering the assassination of his own son.
With a sigh, Naruto turned his gaze toward the Konoha forest in the distance. Now that Gaara's issue was settled, and after absorbing some of Shukaku's chakra, he could go watch the battle between master and student.
Many other Konoha ninjas also focused their attention on the battle between the Third Hokage and Orochimaru. Under Naruto's lead, a group of shinobi rushed toward the battlefield.
It didn't take long before they saw Hiruzen Sarutobi struggling within the Four Purple Flame Formation, surrounded by Orochimaru and the reanimated First and Second Hokage.
Naruto, observing the scene, couldn't help but acknowledge the Third Hokage's strength.
Despite facing three Kage-level opponents, he had held his ground for an impressive amount of time—truly deserving of his title as the Professor of Ninjutsu.
However, what surprised Naruto was that the Third Hokage hadn't yet used the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Instead, he continued to rely on Enma's adamantine staff and his own physical prowess. Had he lost his will to sacrifice himself after stepping down as Hokage?
Naruto's assumption was incorrect.
Hiruzen wanted to use the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, but Orochimaru was well aware of his intentions. He maintained a safe distance, leaving the reanimated First and Second Hokage to engage him instead.
For Hiruzen, sealing away his predecessors wasn't worth it. The only way to truly protect Konoha was to incapacitate Orochimaru—the true mastermind. Otherwise, the Sarutobi clan would be weakened, and the village would eventually cast them aside.
"Orochimaru… I will stop you myself and put an end to your schemes!"
Orochimaru smirked. "Sensei, it seems your years of comfort have dulled your judgment. You've lost your ability to distinguish between a ruler and a fool."
Panting heavily, the Third Hokage furrowed his brows. He quickly steeled himself and responded, "I will not be swayed by your words. You betrayed Konoha—you are its enemy."
Hiruzen swung Enma's adamantine staff, fending off Hashirama and Tobirama's attacks as he tried to close the distance to Orochimaru. But before he could reach him, the sharp blade of the Kusanagi sword pierced through his chest.
Orochimaru's voice was cold. "Sensei, have you ever considered that the one holding Konoha back for years… is you?"
Blood trickled from Hiruzen's mouth. His eyes widened in disbelief. "Impossible… Every decision I made was for Konoha. Without me, the village would have fallen apart."
Orochimaru's smirk deepened as a clone stepped forward, whispering, "You overestimate your importance. Konoha will move forward—with or without you. Oh, by the way, the Sand's invasion? The village elders knew about it long before it happened. Why do you think they didn't tell you?"
But Hiruzen could no longer hear him. His body collapsed, lifeless.
Orochimaru then summoned a massive snake, allowing it to devour a piece of Hiruzen's corpse before turning his gaze toward Naruto and the approaching Konoha shinobi.
Under Naruto's silent signal, Shisui swiftly eliminated the Sound ninja maintaining the barrier, causing the Four Purple Flame Formation to shatter.
As they stepped inside, Tsunade and the others saw the Third Hokage lying in a pool of blood, with Orochimaru standing near the reanimated First and Second Hokage.
"That's the First Lord and the Second Lord… Why are they standing beside Orochimaru?!"
Some of the Anbu recognized Hashirama and Tobirama, their faces filled with shock. Being lower-ranked, they were unaware of the Edo Tensei technique.
Tsunade's face darkened with fury. Orochimaru actually defiled my uncle and granduncle just to fight Sarutobi-sensei?
Not only was this a disgrace to the dead, but it also forced Hiruzen to fight against the very predecessors he once revered.
Overcome with rage, Tsunade channeled chakra into her fists and lunged at Orochimaru. He dodged, and her fist slammed into the ground, creating a web of deep cracks.
Orochimaru chuckled, placing Hashirama and Tobirama between them. "Tsunade, I have no desire to fight you. After all, you are the granddaughter of the First and the student of the Third."
Seeing the reanimated Hokage standing before her, Tsunade hesitated. Right now, she needed to prioritize tending to Hiruzen.
Just then, an Anbu operative rushed forward. "Lady Tsunade! The Third Hokage is dead. Cause of death—massive blood loss and chakra exhaustion."
Tsunade clenched her fists, suppressing the lingering trauma of her hemophobia. Biting her finger, she summoned Katsuyu. The giant slug split into thousands of smaller slugs, dispersing to assist the wounded, while Tsunade entered combat mode, charging toward Orochimaru once more.
Even if she was unprepared, she couldn't forgive Orochimaru for what he had done.
Unlike the enraged Tsunade, Naruto remained indifferent. He stepped toward Hiruzen's lifeless body and gently closed his eyes.
Strangely, he didn't feel the hatred he once expected to.
As the leader of the Uzumaki Nation, his ties to Konoha were distant. Whether Hiruzen's actions had been good or bad, it no longer mattered to him. Perhaps if the Third Hokage had cared less about maintaining appearances and more about true justice, Naruto would have remained in Konoha.
But it was too late. He had given Hiruzen plenty of chances—but the old man had wasted them.
Now, his life and death were irrelevant.
Watching Hiruzen's lifeless body, Namikaze Minato and Kushina's expressions grew complicated.
No matter what Hiruzen had done, he was still the one who had watched over them for years. He had overseen the village's growth, and countless shinobi had been raised under his leadership. His name was etched into Konoha's history.
Sensing their internal conflict, Naruto loosened some of their mental restraints and said flatly:
"The master-student conflict is over. Now comes Konoha's so-called hero. But for now, I won't be involved. Do as you please."
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