Chapter 110: I, Orochimaru, Impeach the Third Hokage
Elsewhere,
the most aggrieved man was currently being chased by Might Guy.
With tears and snot all over his face, Might Guy burned with emerald chakra flames, having opened the Seventh Gate of the Eight Gates Formation. He shouted in anguish, "Kakashi! Don't you have anything to say for yourself?!"
Soaked in sweat, Kakashi kept trying to calm him down.
And to be fair,
just the oppressive chakra from the Seventh Gate alone was almost too much for Kakashi to withstand. He said, "We haven't seen the analysis video yet. Maybe, just like Lord Jiraiya and Minato-sensei, there were other disciples we didn't know about."
Guy's chakra flared, then slightly receded. That explanation did make sense.
Maybe Kakashi was right. The Fourth Hokage might really have had other students.
Deep down, he didn't want to believe that Kakashi would betray the village.
"I don't have enough reward points—can someone please play the analysis video?!"
Kakashi looked panicked as he turned toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, who was trapped inside the Four Violet Flames Formation.
Truth be told,
although he never intended to betray Konoha, the death of his father had left him bitter toward the village leadership, including the Hokage. So he wasn't exactly upset about Hiruzen being cornered by the Three Kage.
All he wanted now was for someone to analyze the video—under the clear light of truth, he could be vindicated.
He didn't care who did it, as long as someone did.
But as Kakashi scanned the crowd, not a single player had enough reward points to pay the 10,000-point cost.
The countdown ended.
[No player initiated the video analysis. Skipping analysis by default.]
"We're screwed!"
Kakashi's knees buckled, and he nearly collapsed.
There was no way he could stay in Konoha now.
…
"Naruto, you must not leave the game!"
Hiruzen's voice reached Naruto through the Four Violet Flames Formation and echoed across the dueling arena.
After the outbreak of war,
some players from the great nations withdrew from the event, but they all agreed to leave their most promising players behind in the arena.
Omoi from Kumogakure, Kurotsuchi from Iwagakure, Kankuro and Gaara from Sunagakure.
And then countless players from smaller villages who didn't care about the bloodbath outside—inside the dueling arena, they were safe and had a shot at massive rewards.
Why would anyone give that up?
Meanwhile in Konoha,
Uchiha Sasuke had been deemed to be passively participating when he attempted to assassinate Danzo amid the chaos. He was penalized with the loss of a purple-tier accessory.
Hyuga Neji had bad luck and was eliminated quickly.
The remaining Konoha players barely qualified as Chūnin-level—none of them had the ability to compete for the title of Ninja God.
Only one remained: Uzumaki Naruto.
As long as he wasn't eliminated, he posed a threat—he could still be used as a bargaining chip.
After all, if he managed to hang on by sheer luck until the end and picked the reward [Resurrection Coin ×2]...
Reviving Hashirama Senju at full power—no one in the ninja world could stop that.
Ōnoki and Raikage A exchanged glances and looked beyond the barrier.
From the high platform of the dueling arena,
they could see the ruins of Konoha, littered with the corpses of its ninja, and the waves of Iwa and Kumo shinobi closing in.
It felt so bitter.
But they didn't dare take the risk—if the blond brat got those Resurrection Coins and brought Hashirama back, they would never leave Konoha alive.
"Choza Akimichi, Genma Shiranui, Shibi Aburame… fallen in battle!"
An ANBU collapsed onto the cold viewing platform as he delivered the report.
Shikaku's head went blank. Even Choza was dead?
These were Jōnin.
Elite shinobi cultivated with care by the major clans—wiped out in a single battle. Was Konoha truly on the verge of collapse?
"Asuma is engaged in battle with Samui and Yugito from Kumo. The clash has reduced the western defense line to rubble!"
Boom.
A white-scaled giant serpent slithered onto the battlefield, intercepting the massive, flame-patterned beast fighting Asuma.
"Orochimaru! What are you trying to do?!"
Asuma shouted in disbelief. His blazing chakra-forged fists smashed down toward Samui, but she evaded with grace and ease.
Orochimaru, the traitor behind the Konoha Crush plan, was helping him?
Orochimaru, in his eight-headed snake form, clashed viciously with the fully transformed Yugito.
The force of their beastly collisions created shockwaves that sent nearby ninja flying.
A grotesque ghoul, its body decayed and rotten, opened its maw and spat a mist of green poison that quickly spread across the battlefield.
When the toxic mist touched Yugito's armored beast form, it corroded it like acid.
Asuma instinctively tried to cover his mouth and nose—only to find that the mist formed a protective green film over his skin, strong enough to block thrown shuriken.
Orochimaru flicked his tongue and shouted, "I am not a rogue ninja! Everything was Danzo's scheme. The Konoha Crush was a lie—I'm here to protect Konoha!"
Every Konoha shinobi in the area froze.
The infamous traitor, labeled a rogue for years, was claiming Danzo set him up and now he wanted to protect the village?
Though skeptical, the poisonous mist shielded them and kept them alive.
Some couldn't help but feel grateful as they looked toward Orochimaru, who had just saved their lives.
At the southern front,
golden light burst forth in radiant beams, forming crosses. Scorching brilliance bathed the battlefield.
Iwagakure's destructive ninjutsu rivaled any other village—collapsing earth and toppling forests in moments.
Tsunade extended her arm. Five fingers spread wide, and a hammer of holy light formed in her grip.
Opposite her, Yellow Earth looked slightly battered but determined.
Holy fire versus the rumble of stone.
His fists could tear through rock, lifting mountain-sized slabs and hurling them.
The dazzling light dimmed even the sun. A sea of power spread across the southern front, dyeing everything in gold.
A clash between top-tier players was no place for ordinary ninja.
Anyone caught in the shockwaves would be smashed to pieces, skulls cracked, bones shattered—dying pointless deaths.
…
Inside the dueling arena,
[Congratulations, player [I Will Be Hokage], for being the first to reach the finish line. Title obtained: [God of Chūnin]!]
The remaining players glared bitterly at Uzumaki Naruto.
They were all equally strong, all players—yet somehow the blond kid kept rolling the best dice.
Sometimes he cleared challenges without taking damage. Other times he got damage buffs, energy boosts, healing effects…
If it were anyone else, they'd be lucky to get a slight bonus. Bad luck? You'd get a piece of gear temporarily disabled before facing a monster.
Ridiculous luck?
Why doesn't this brat just go buy a couple lottery tickets—see if he really wins again?
The moment the announcement appeared,
Ōnoki formed the seal for his signature jutsu. A brilliant beam of transparent energy fired at the barrier.
The blast collided with the Four Violet Flames, creating violent energy turbulence.
Shards of purple light began to fall like snow.
At that moment,
Enma, in staff form, suddenly opened an eye and spoke. "Hiruzen, I didn't want to disturb your fight, but I just received word from Enra—Rock, Cloud, and Mist have launched a surprise attack on the Land of Fire's border outposts."
"If this battle isn't ended soon, and reinforcements aren't dispatched, large swaths of the Land of Fire will fall…"
Hiruzen's eyes nearly burst from his skull.
This wasn't how it was supposed to be!
The outposts were led by Jōnin, reinforced by hundreds of Chūnin.
That was Konoha's hidden strength. Even facing three major villages at once, they shouldn't fall this fast!
"Fire Shadow, did Konoha seriously never train any life-skill players? I thought you were hiding your strength. Guess I was worried for nothing!"
Ōnoki smirked as he tore open the barrier.
A low-grade piece of equipment might not mean much to elite shinobi, but for Chūnin, the boost it provided was enormous.
Take chakra armor, for example—while a Konoha Chūnin could only cast five Water Dragon Bullets, an Iwa ninja wearing boosted armor could fire eight.
That three-cast gap could mean the difference between life and death.
The upper ranks of Konoha had once made the wrong decision to ignore the Samsara Game. Now, that mistake had come back to bite every Konoha ninja.
"You destroy the village I cherish and expect to walk away?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi, pale and dying, blood gushing from the hole in his chest left by Dust Release, raised his Adamantine Staff to break Ōnoki's technique.
Earlier, he had negotiated because he didn't know whether Naruto would win the Resurrection Coin.
His injuries had been too severe, and he'd feared that pressing them too hard would result in disaster.
But now?
He was ready to stake his life.
"I'm afraid I can't let you interrupt the old man's jutsu, Lord Hokage. If I stick around, I won't be able to fight a resurrected God of Shinobi."
Terumi Mei's jade-green eyes swept over Tobirama and Hashirama. In her hand, she held a crimson flame staff.
With a casual wave,
a wave of explosive flame surged forward, blocking Hiruzen's path. The heat was so intense it evaporated every drop of moisture from the air.
Back then, Terumi Mei wasn't even the strongest among the Five Kage.
But now?
She was a Level 19 Flame Mage with 30 points in true stats, a full set of Level 15 purple-tier armor, and Level 19 explosive fire skills. Her temperature control had reached an extreme.
In both the Samsara Game and the real shinobi world,
she was the strongest Kage alive. Even a Kekkei Tōta user like Ōnoki couldn't defeat her now.
Still,
she had no intention of fighting the likes of Hashirama unnecessarily. Her goal had already been achieved.
Flying Thunder God Slash!
Tobirama disappeared from where he stood and reappeared behind Mei, his kunai aimed for her throat.
Explosive Flame Vortex.
A swirling storm of searing fire enveloped Mei, instantly melting the kunai. Even the half-restored body Tobirama had just reformed was swept up in the flames.
Crack!
The Four Violet Flames Formation shattered.
Raikage A and Ōnoki pulled out scrolls. Upon unsealing them, brilliant flares shot into the sky.
The signal to retreat.
The twilight sun dipped below the horizon, casting crimson light across Konoha.
It illuminated the devastated ground, cracked streets, crumbled buildings, shattered Hokage Rock, and the countless bodies of Konoha's fallen shinobi.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart ached. His clouded eyes welled with tears.
He had loved Konoha. He had borne the responsibility of Hokage. But he had failed to protect it.
It wasn't just rage at the enemy assault—it was pain at the clans who stood by and did nothing as Konoha was destroyed. Even the Will of Fire couldn't reach the village's darkest corners.
Gritting his teeth through the pain, Hiruzen said, "Shikaku, come with me to the Hyuga Compound."
Shikaku hesitated. "Let's find Lady Tsunade first—healing you is the priority!"
Though many of Hiruzen's political decisions had been failures, in times of crisis, Konoha still needed its Hokage.
"I know my condition. Even my organs were shattered by Dust Release. I won't survive. I just want to finish what I can… before I die."
Every word Hiruzen spoke came with blood and pieces of his broken insides. His life force dwindled rapidly.
The noble Hyuga Clan?
A clan with centuries of history, now indifferent to the village's fate? Then he, in his final moments, would break their fangs if they threatened Konoha.
"Monkey, don't you still have the Resurrection Coin?"
Tobirama pointed at Naruto, who was sprinting over with two gleaming coins clutched in hand.
He looked up at the fading golden figure in the sky.
If he were just an average shinobi, he'd never believe in such absurdities as the Samsara Game or its merchant.
But he was Tobirama Senju—someone who had seen the peak of the shinobi world, stood atop it himself, and created countless forbidden techniques through deep understanding of chakra.
So he had no doubt the Resurrection Coin would work.
"That's right! With the Resurrection Coin, you won't die!"
Hashirama beamed with joy.
He wasn't politically savvy like his brother, but he genuinely admired a Hokage willing to sacrifice everything for Konoha.
Gasping, Hiruzen said, "If the coins are used to revive you two, you could lead the village…"
His words were sincere. He had no ambition of revival.
He was an old, decaying tree—ready to burn one last time to light the village's path.
Tobirama scowled. He did want to live again after seeing Konoha's devastation.
But his big brother had stopped him.
Hashirama gently patted Hiruzen on the shoulder—too hard, almost knocking the dying man down.
"Sorry, sorry…"
Scratching his head, Hashirama laughed, then said seriously, "We're just ashes of the past. This new age needs young people to carve the path forward. If we dead meddle too much, it'll only bring future disaster."
Konoha had been the dream he lived and died for.
Even against his best friend, even giving his life, he had protected it.
So now, as he said goodbye, his face held grief and longing—but his gaze was unwavering.
Edo Tensei: Release.
At Hashirama's urging, Tobirama reluctantly dispelled the technique, placing a hand on his brother's shoulder.
Their bodies began to fade into ash.
"Monkey, you damn bastard…"
"Resurrection Coins are powerful tools. Get your hands on them if you can. If something like this happens again, don't expect me to come back willingly…"
"Tobirama, don't be so grumpy…"
"Big brother, shut up!"
The ashes vanished.
Only two cold corpses remained, each wearing a forehead protector with the symbol of the Sound Village.
Sound?
Hiruzen's vision dimmed. Something about those forehead protectors didn't sit right.
Before he could figure it out, a jet of blood burst from his mouth. His life ended.
Two seconds later, Naruto arrived, eyes brimming with tears.
His irises glowed crimson as Nine-Tails chakra surged, throwing back the Konoha shinobi who tried to stop him.
Thankfully, he remembered the Resurrection Coin's power.
Devastated but not broken, Naruto revived Hiruzen.
"Thank you… Little Naruto…"
Regaining consciousness, Hiruzen looked at Naruto with guilt and sorrow.
He had once allowed Danzo to stir public opinion against the boy.
Watched silently as villagers isolated him.
Then, quietly tried to care for him.
Even assigned kind-hearted Iruka to guide him, all in an effort to mold the jinchūriki into a tool for Konoha.
Now, the more sincere Naruto became, the deeper Hiruzen's shame grew.
Then he remembered—the Sound Village headbands.
His face darkened.
A familiar voice rang out.
"Sarutobi-sensei, don't be in such a rush to leave."
Battered and bruised Konoha ninja surrounded the dueling arena's platform as Orochimaru walked up.
Before the eyes of all, Orochimaru raised his voice:
"I, a humble shinobi of Konoha, who fought to the death against Hanzō of Amegakure during the Second Great Ninja War…
Once a candidate for the title of Hokage…
Was falsely accused of treason by Danzo Shimura and the Third Hokage…
Now, I return to Konoha in its hour of need, to set things right…"
"Here and now, I impeach the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
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