Kakashi dodged an attack from Orochimaru's Kusanagi. Then he did it again, repeatedly, he'd found himself on the defense. While Hiruzen had been dealing with the other Hokage, Kakashi had been dealing with Orochimaru.
Dodging under a particularly accurate slash Kakashi flipped backwards and flew through hand seals. He then released a large fireball from his mouth, mid-air.
[Fire Release: Fireball Jutsu]
In the same motion Kakashi made another set of handseals. This time as he landed he activated his Mangekyou Sharingan. Orochimaru halted, reliving memories of a time he'd been intimidated by a Sharingan.
"So, even a non-Uchiha has that ability. What a good surprise Hatake Kakashi. I'll take your eye then. A good prizzze."
Kakashi replied, "I'm not giving this one up. So you'll die trying Orochimaru. Now witness the reason I am the Copy Ninja."
In a flash, Kakashi finished his hand seals.
[Earth Release: Water Under the Bridge Jutsu]
Slamming his hands onto the ground. The roof suddenly shifted as the Kakashi sent his chakra through the building down into the ground below it. Suddenly the building collapsed, with Kakashi being the only able to stay on his feet. Using this opportunity of proneness, Kakashi activated his signature technique.
[Lightning Release: Chidori]
Kakashi blurred and arrived with his hand through Orochimaru's heart. Kakashi smirked and then felt a sword pierce through his back. It missed his heart, but the pain was a shock. Snakes crawled up Orochimaru, venom dripping off their fangs.
Orochimaru grinned, commanding the sword to come closer.
Orochimaru spoke, "Well… I'm going to survive this Kakashi… I've got immortality, you?"
Kakashi grinned and said, "I've got the third Hokage."
Slamming his hands onto the ground again, the entire ground shifted, moving only in part towards Hiruzen.
Hiruzen himself was in the darkness, he couldn't see anything but he knew where the two Hokage were. So he decided it was his time to go. He'd served the village, and he would die for the village.
He ran through hand signs and spoke.
[Art of Sealing: Reaper Death Seal]
The two clones he'd created while fighting the Hokage sealed their respective Hokage and he himself dissipated his genjutsu. He watched as Kakashi moved the ground swiftly towards him.
Kakashi knew what he was about to do and grimaced.
"Hokage-sama, there must be a better way."
Hiruzen smiled, "There is none. The seal is the best way. Hold him down."
Orochimaru's former smile faded as he tried to move. Only to find himself stuck to the ground by ninja hounds. Kakashi was tired but as he felt the Kusanagi blade leave his back, he grabbed it and used his last bit of chakra to stick to the roof.
Hiruzen finished the seals. A white ghostly creature appeared behind the old Hokage and the man grimaced. This was it, this was his last hurrah.
"Enma! I give you formal orders that, Kakashi Hatake will be the fifth Hokage of the hidden leaf."
For the first time, Orochimaru of the Sannin, felt true fear. He saw it too, the ghostly figure in white, his spiky hair flowing in a nonexistent wind. Purple arms already grasping Sarutobi's soul, Orochimaru feared.
"I cannot be stopped! You can't stop me!"
Hiruzen replied, "I will die here, but you are coming with me!"
"Don't you see! The Sand is here, the Sound is here! Konoha will die old man. Give up!"
Hiruzen grunted as he willed the arms out of Orochimaru.
"Operation Destroy Konoha will succeed. All Konoha shinobi will be killed, even the women and the children! Give up!"
Hiruzen's eyes hardened, "I told you once, Orochimaru. You should not underestimate the shinobi of this village. You should know that true power doesn't come from honed ninjutsu, but from will. A will to protect those who Konoha ninja care about! Konoha is bound by love! Not ninjutsu!"
"Spare me the lecture you old fart! Just d-"
Orochimaru's soul was ripped out of his body. Not part of it, all of it was taken.
"That is my love, Orochimaru! My love for all the people in the village is boundless! It's my belief in the people that beat y-"
The third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, was dead. Kakashi collapsed onto the ground with Kusanagi in his hand. Enma knowing he was going to dissipated quickly wrote in blood, one message:
Kakashi Hatake: Fifth Hokage
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Naruto was lying on the ground. Not too far away, Gaara was lying.
Naruto crawled towards the boy. This was the only person who could relate to him, a jinchuruki, just like him. Undoubtedly, Gaara had been hated by everybody in his village. Gaara had told him as much.
"Gaara…"
"Don't come near me! Stop it!"
Naruto was tired but he thought, He is me. If only a few things had gone wrong. If I had nobody ever, that is what I would be. Gaara you aren't a monster, because I'm not. We are the same, I can see it now.
"...That pain of being all alone? It's not trivial… The way you feel… I understand… It hurts… So much to have no one…"
Naruto could feel tears welling up in his eyes.
"But I have people who care about me… People who are very important to me and I can't let you hurt them!"
Gaara groaned and replied, "Why…. Why do you care for others?"
"Because… They believed in me Gaara, even at my lowest… You saw it, I found out I'm just like you. But they picked me up, they brought me back out of that pit of despair."
Naruto paused, thinking about his friends. Sakura was far away, carrying Sasuke back into the village. Raito was somewhere probably fighting someone important. Kakashi, even despite his problems, was still like an older brother. He couldn't let anybody hurt them.
"...I love them… They understand me and I don't think I could live without them…They believed in me when I needed it…"
Gaara thought, So that's why he fought to his last breath. He loves. That feeling that makes you want to protect those around you who are precious to you. Yashamaru had said that.
Naruto said, with conviction, "I believe in you Gaara… I know you aren't a monster…"
As he said this, Temari and Kankuro returned.
Gaara said, "I quit."
The two siblings left with their younger brother. Gaara wondered if one day, Naruto Uzumaki could be his first friend.
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Two days after the battle, all of Konoha's ninja gathered. Including the villagers for the funeral of Hiruzen Sarutobi.
The aftermath of the battle had been great. Datogakure had kept their shinobi in the village to protect their potential ally. So Raito was next to Naruto as people paid their respects to the Hokage.
He never knew the man, but he'd been respected greatly. Every shinobi did not miss a chance to pay their respect and think about the man. Raito himself was there, but not in great condition.
As the rain cleared, the people began to disperse. He kept his right arm in its newly awarded cast. He watched as Naruto walked towards his team. Raito looked into the sky before sitting down on the rooftop they were on. The clouds were nice that day.
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Konoha took a great moment to let the pain be felt. A week of no missions, after the funeral before things had to resume. Construction began anew; fixes had to be made on the giant wall that had been torn down. Sunagakure surrendered, but they were forced to cede land to the newly established Daimyo of the Forest Country. They were also forced into a non-aggression pact for five years.
For the next two months, Raito and along with some of the other Datogakure genin were to stay and help wherever they could. It was on the third week in this period that Raito received word of a Dato victory in the Rice Country. Karasu had once again distinguished himself in a battle. Aoi too seemed to have saved dozens of lives. As he read the letter he nodded and turned to Sakura who was practicing her medical technique on a little kid. The kid ran off to the other kids in the courtyard.
Sakura had continued to ask for his help in developing her Multi-level Deception. She was pretty good at it, and Raito knew she needed it to get any upper hand on her teammates. He watched her finish healing the kid, and he felt a presence behind him. Sakura turned to see Sasuke and seemed to blush.
Sakura said, "Sasuke… It's good to see you."
Sasuke had dramatically changed in the last month. Raito had observed on the occasional dinner, the changes in him. Where he'd been relatively indifferent outwardly, he was coming out of that. He'd begun to show his affection for Naruto and Sakura even if he did not realize it.
Sakura, on the other hand, had apparently taken to showing her affection in a more friendly way than when he first met her. She'd been head over heels for the boy when they'd met. Now, she'd not only mellowed, but it seemed she'd stopped liking him. Sasuke himself was unbothered; he'd never romantically liked the girl, as he'd told him repeatedly.
Sasuke sat down as Naruto walked in behind him. A grin on his face. That did not seem good whatsoever.