Chapter 48 – The Curtain Falls on the Old Era
Outside the village.
Kakashi unleashed a storm of every element he knew.
Guy turned into a green wrecking ball, every punch and kick releasing A-rank-level shockwaves.
The landscape was unrecognizable in minutes.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!
A blinding flash and deafening roar lit up the horizon.
Kakashi and Guy froze mid-attack.
Even Shukaku stopped swinging.
"The village… exploded?!"
Kakashi and Guy stared in horror.
Shukaku threw its head back and cackled.
"YAHAHAHAHA! This is what you humans deserve! BEAUTIFUL!"
Nothing made a tailed beast happier than human suffering.
Guy's face twisted in fury.
Kakashi's mind raced—he wanted to rush back, but Shukaku was still here.
After a second of hesitation, he turned to his students.
"Naruto, Sasuke—go back to the village!"
"Guy and I will handle Shukaku. Find Asuma, tell him to rally ANBU and the clans!"
Naruto and Sasuke exchanged a quick look.
Perfect.
They had been looking for an excuse to ditch the fight.
Kakashi just handed it to them on a silver platter.
"Got it!"
The two vanished toward the burning village without a second thought.
Konoha's catastrophe naturally caught the attention of every foreign spy.
But the village was on full lockdown; ANBU everywhere.
One wrong move and years of cover were blown.
So they stayed low and waited.
While Orochimaru's invasion raged, Sand provided muscle, and Naruto & Sasuke poured gasoline on the fire,
these hidden spies saw their chance.
They slipped toward Konoha's classified archives and vaults.
"Foreign Lightning and Earth jutsu."
"Looks like the other villages had plenty of rats too."
Sasuke crushed a few spies who got in his way, smirking.
He wouldn't have bothered if they weren't blocking the path.
"Loot's almost done. Time to settle the bill."
Naruto pocketed the last scroll and looked at Sasuke.
Sasuke's usually cold face cracked with excitement.
Six years.
Six years since he gained the power of fire.
Six years since Naruto approached him.
Six years of hiding, training, waiting.
Tonight, the wait ended.
"Let's go. Final act."
Meanwhile, back on the arena rooftop.
With some free will restored, Edo Hashirama and Edo Tobirama were far deadlier.
Hiruzen was getting absolutely demolished.
"Sorry, monkey."
"Still causing trouble for the village even after death."
Hashirama sighed between punches, then glared at his brother again.
Tobirama, teleporting around with Flying Raijin and carving Hiruzen up, felt a twinge of regret.
"This isn't your fault, Lords First and Second."
Hiruzen panted, blood dripping.
"It's mine. I failed to teach my student properly. That's why Konoha is burning."
A bitter smile.
If he had killed Orochimaru all those years ago instead of showing mercy…
None of this would be happening.
Hiruzen took a deep breath.
Resolve hardened in his eyes.
The mistakes he made—he would end them himself.
Using a brief opening, he created four shadow clones.
All five Hiruzens flashed through the same seals in perfect sync.
"Five Elements: Great Consecutive Bullet Jutsu!"
Five different elemental barrages erupted at once—fire, lightning, water, earth, wind.
The barrier shook with apocalyptic force.
But the very next second,
an equally monstrous Wood Style answered.
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