"Thanks a ton, Kazama!"
With Orochimaru driven back, Konoha finally regained its peace.
The Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, gave Kazama a relieved nod before suddenly collapsing to the ground.
In his clash with Orochimaru, the Third had been gravely injured.
"Quick, call the medical team!"
The Third's personal guard rushed to his side, ready to bandage him up.
"Let me handle it," Kazama said, stepping forward to use his Yang Fire power to heal the Hokage.
"Kid, don't make things worse!" one of the guards snapped.
They didn't trust Kazama. "You might be strong, but medical ninjutsu and combat ninjutsu are completely different beasts."
"Yeah, quit showing off! You think Konoha can't function without you? Like you're some big shot!" another chimed in.
These guards had long resented Kazama. Before he came along, they were the Third Hokage's elite, basking in his favor. But ever since Sanada Kazama rose to prominence, the Third seemed to prioritize him—recruiting him into the Anbu and entrusting him with critical missions like defeating Ichibi Shukaku to protect the village. Jealousy and bitterness festered in their hearts, and now they saw a chance to knock Kazama down a peg.
"Enough!" the Third roared, glaring at his guards. "Kazama protected this village single-handedly. He's a true hero of Konoha! How dare you speak to him like that?"
"But, Lord Third," one guard protested, "Kazama's stopping us from treating you. Isn't he just delaying your recovery?"
"Yeah, what's his real motive?" another sneered.
They seized every chance to badmouth him, desperate to soothe their bruised egos.
"I'm stopping you because…" Kazama began, channeling his Yang Fire into the Third's body.
In just a few breaths, the Hokage's wounds completely healed.
"…because bandaging him up only to remove it later is a hassle, don't you think?"
The Third, already familiar with Kazama's unique ability, just smiled and nodded. But the guards? They'd never seen flames that could heal wounds like that. Their jaws dropped, and they stared at Kazama in shock.
"We were wrong! We underestimated you!" the guards stammered, scrambling to apologize.
Kazama's combat skills outclassed theirs, and now his medical prowess did too. No matter how proud they were, they had to admit defeat.
"I'm not that petty," Kazama said with a wave. "Just go. I need to talk to Hokage-sama alone."
Once the guards left, before Kazama could speak, the Third clapped a hand on his shoulder with a warm smile.
"No need to say anything. You protected Konoha—you're this village's hero. As long as you don't harm the village, I won't meddle in your affairs."
"Hokage-sama…" Kazama started. He'd meant to confess that he'd killed Danzo, but the Third's words stopped him short.
He realized the Hokage already knew—and that's why he'd said what he did.
"Kazama!" the Third continued, his tone full of praise. "Not only did you defeat Orochimaru, but you even snatched his Kusanagi Sword! I bet he's back at his hideout, spitting blood from sheer rage!"
Kazama scratched his head, embarrassed by the praise. "I'd heard Orochimaru's Kusanagi Sword was super tough and could extend endlessly, so I wanted to check it out. If you like it, Hokage-sama, it's yours!"
He offered the sword, but the Third shook his head. "No way, that's your trophy! Besides, if you're going to protect Konoha, you need a proper weapon."
The Third sighed, his expression growing heavy. "Orochimaru's power is terrifying now. I saw two Ichibi Shukaku in Konoha earlier, and not long after, a Nibi Matatabi showed up too. I don't know where he's getting all these Tailed Beasts!"
"About that…" Kazama said, chuckling awkwardly. "To be honest, Orochimaru only brought one Shukaku. The other Shukaku and the Nibi Matatabi? Those were me, using a transformation!"
"What?!" The Third's eyes widened, nearly collapsing again from the shock.
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