"Lord Kazekage, what do you mean by this?" Despite the kunai pressed against his throat, the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, remained calm and composed.
"You should know already," the figure behind him, disguised as the Fourth Kazekage, said with a cold smirk as he scanned the chaos unfolding around them.
With that, the so-called Kazekage leaped off the high platform, dragging the Third Hokage with him to a rooftop. From this vantage point, they could not only oversee the chaos in the arena below but also observe the rest of the Hidden Leaf Village.
"Lord Hokage!" The nearby Leaf ANBU immediately sprang into action, but before they could reach the Hokage, four ninja disguised as ANBU intercepted them. However, their real goal wasn't to protect the Hokage; instead, their targets were the six ANBU attempting to rescue him.
"Ninjutsu: Spider Web Opening!" One of the imposters, hidden behind an ANBU mask, rapidly performed hand seals and unleashed a massive spider web, blocking all routes and leaving the ANBU no room to escape.
The leading ANBU swiftly brandished a kunai infused with chakra and, with several flashes of light, slashed the web into pieces. However, the slight delay was enough. At that moment, the four ninja threw off their ANBU disguises, revealing themselves to be the Sound Four.
The Leaf ANBU, unfamiliar with the identities of these imposters due to the secrecy of their own ranks, were quickly outmaneuvered. Along with some of the Sound forces, they had infiltrated the village disguised as ordinary people or even ANBU themselves.
The Sound Four took positions at the four corners of the rooftop and swiftly performed hand seals. In an instant, they erected a rectangular barrier around the rooftop, encasing it in a powerful purple fire—this was the Four Violet Flames Formation.
A daring ANBU, desperate to save the Hokage, touched the barrier. The moment his hand made contact, his entire body was engulfed in purple flames. He struggled only briefly before succumbing to the searing heat.
"Stay away from the barrier!" The leader of the ANBU squad barked, throwing a kunai at the barrier. It too was instantly consumed by flames and melted away.
"Call the Barrier Team immediately!" The ANBU leader realized that it would be nearly impossible to break through the barrier from the outside and ordered one of his subordinates to fetch the Leaf Village's Barrier Corps.
As the elite bodyguards of the Hokage, these ANBU were no ordinary shinobi. Though they weren't quite on the level of Kakashi or Asuma, they were far stronger than the average jonin. The Leaf ANBU had earned their reputation through countless deadly missions.
From the rooftop, Orochimaru—still disguised as the Fourth Kazekage—surveyed the chaos below, the kunai still pressed against Hiruzen's throat. "Impressive, isn't it?"
Kabuto's Temple of Nirvana technique had sent the majority of civilians and lower-ranked shinobi into a deep sleep. However, the dignitaries from various nations remained alert and began fleeing the arena under the protection of their guards. Among them was the Fire Daimyō, escorted by six of the Twelve Guardian Ninja, who were the first to disappear from sight.
These dignitaries had no interest in involving themselves in the conflict; to them, this was clearly an internal matter for the Hidden Leaf, and they were content to watch from a distance, if not quietly pleased at the turmoil.
Even the Fire Daimyō likely shared the same sentiment.
The retreating dignitaries were not obstructed by the Sound Village forces. Orochimaru's true target was the Third Hokage, and dealing with foreign dignitaries would have only complicated his plans.
"Kazekage, are you trying to start a war? It's not too late to stop this. We can still resolve this through negotiation." The Third Hokage, noticing the signal flares rising in the distance, grew more serious. The flares indicated that a large-scale invasion was underway, far beyond what the Leaf Village had anticipated.
The Leaf had received intelligence warning of disruptions during the Chūnin Exams, but after deliberation, the village leaders had concluded that it would likely only involve a small group of elite attackers, aiming to disrupt the event. War was not something they had seriously considered.
But those flares signaled the beginning of a full-scale invasion.
"Even now, you're trying to talk them down... You haven't changed at all, have you, Sensei?" The voice of the Kazekage shifted, becoming both familiar and yet unfamiliar, causing Hiruzen's eyes to widen in shock. The voice had been lost to him for over a decade, but he recognized it instantly.
Without hesitation, the Third Hokage vanished from Orochimaru's grasp, reappearing a few meters away, his eyes locking onto his former student.
"Who are you really?" Despite the familiarity, Hiruzen sought confirmation.
"It's been so long, Sensei, have you forgotten me already?" the Kazekage replied as he tossed aside his hat, revealing the face beneath—Orochimaru.
"It's been too long, Sarutobi-sensei," Orochimaru said, his tone dripping with a twisted nostalgia.
"How could it be him?" one of the ANBU outside the barrier murmured in disbelief. As a member of the Hokage's personal guard, he knew full well who Orochimaru was.
The revelation sent shockwaves not only through the Leaf Village but also among the Sand Village shinobi. Baki, a high-ranking Sand jonin who had been overseeing the Sand's role in the invasion, froze in place. The fact that Orochimaru had been posing as the Fourth Kazekage, combined with the Kazekage's absence, gave Baki a sinking feeling.
Baki, who held a position similar to that of Shikaku Nara in the Leaf, was a key decision-maker in the Sand Village. Realizing that the plan had been derailed, he quickly ordered Gaara, Temari, and Kankurō to retreat to the village. Gaara, despite his reluctance, obeyed Baki's stern command, and the trio withdrew.
The original Konoha Crush Plan had involved the Sound Village attacking from within, with the Sand forces acting from the outside. The idea had been to synchronize their efforts, with Gaara releasing Shukaku, the One-Tail, to wreak havoc on the village. The massive destruction caused by a tailed beast, coupled with Rasa's Magnet Release, would have turned the Leaf Village into a battlefield advantageous to the Sand.
However, with Rasa's death and the plan in shambles, Baki wisely chose to abort.
"Is it really him?" Gai, observing the battle from the arena stands, asked as he kicked away an enemy ninja.
"It's him. The Sand and the Sound Villages must have formed an alliance, but it seems something has gone wrong between them," Kakashi replied, scanning the battlefield. He too noticed the disappearance of Baki and Gaara, further confirming his suspicions.
"It's been a while since we fought side by side, Kakashi," Gai said, already charging toward more Sound ninjas, his excitement palpable despite the situation. "Let's see who can take down the most enemies this time!"
"Take it easy. You're still not fully healed," Kakashi cautioned.
"Don't worry, the flames of youth won't be doused by a mere injury! Now, let's see who wins this round!" Gai laughed as he dashed forward, kicking and punching his way through the enemy ranks with renewed vigor.
As the battle within the arena escalated, the Leaf's outer defenses were also under siege. Giant three-headed serpents, summoned by the Sound Village, began attacking the village walls. Despite the Leaf Village's best efforts to fend them off, the element of surprise, along with the Sand's preparations, left the defenders struggling to hold their ground.
The prolonged peace had left the Leaf's defenses somewhat lax.
"Rooftop Collapse Jutsu!" Just as the situation looked bleak on the eastern front, a thunderous voice echoed from above. A massive figure descended from the sky, crushing one of the three-headed serpents into the ground with brutal force.
The newcomer was none other than Jiraiya, the Toad Sage of the Legendary Sannin, arriving just in time to save the day.
"Let's go, Gama-chū!" Jiraiya called to the massive toad, who responded with a deep croak. Together, they split off in different directions to deal with the remaining serpents.
Jiraiya launched a massive fireball, engulfing another of the serpents in flames, though it was slightly overcooked, burning the serpent to a crisp. Then, leaping high into the air, he formed a massive Rasengan in his hand. The technique slammed into the third serpent's head, driving it deep into the ground. When the dust settled, only a bloodied mess remained in the crater.
Meanwhile, Gama-chū, wielding two massive blades, dispatched the final serpent with ease.
"Jiraiya-sama!" The sight of the Sannin, coupled with the swift defeat of the serpents, bolstered the Leaf's morale and dealt a blow to the invaders' confidence.
"Old man... Orochimaru..." Jiraiya muttered under his breath as he gazed at the purple barrier surrounding the arena. He knew all too well what that barrier meant, but for now, he couldn't leave his post.
"When will true peace finally come?" Though he hated the endless cycle of violence, Jiraiya knew that if the Leaf were
to survive, he had no choice but to fight.
In another part of the village, Daniel and Sasuke watched as chaos unfolded in the streets. Civilians scrambled in terror, desperately fleeing from the invading forces, while massive three-headed serpents rampaged through the village. "This is war, Sasuke. How does it feel?" Daniel asked quietly.
Sasuke, though silent, watched with cold, hardened eyes as the chaos consumed the village. The reality of war was beginning to sink in.
"The destruction you see here is just a fraction of what war brings. When Itachi made his choice, it wasn't entirely wrong. War affects everyone, especially the innocents." Daniel's voice was calm as he spoke, watching the devastation unfold.
Sasuke's voice, however, was filled with bitterness as he responded, "So that justifies him slaughtering our entire clan, killing our parents?"
"No. What I'm saying is that those who have lived through war, those like Itachi and even the village elders, think they know what peace is. But they only see it from the perspective of their village. True peace... they don't even know what it looks like." Daniel sighed, watching as the Leaf began to mount a more organized defense.
Sasuke said nothing, his eyes fixed on the chaos before him. Though he still burned with hatred for Itachi, the reality of war was slowly beginning to temper his thoughts.
"Come on. It's time we went to see the Third Hokage," Daniel said finally. Sasuke didn't resist, following him as they made their way toward the arena.
The fighting in the arena had intensified, and Kakashi and Gai were just finishing off the last of the Sound ninjas when Daniel and Sasuke arrived. Kakashi's eyes widened in surprise when he saw them.
"Sasuke? What are you doing here? Are you involved in this attack?" Kakashi's voice was a mix of shock and disbelief.
"What am I doing here? Isn't it obvious? This attack on the Leaf is just the beginning. The Uchiha blood that was spilled... someone will pay for it. Today is just the start." Sasuke's voice was icy, but beneath it was the seething rage he held toward those responsible for his clan's destruction.
"Don't attack them!" Kakashi warned the nearby ANBU as they prepared to move against Daniel and Sasuke. He had seen Daniel's strength firsthand and knew that even with their combined forces, they might not stand a chance.
Before anyone could make another move, Daniel grabbed Sasuke's shoulder, and the two vanished, replaced by a broken tile on the ground. They had entered the Four Violet Flames Formation.
"That... that was a space-time jutsu!"
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