Chapter 491
Hyuga Kumokawa, what are you doing?!
Chapter 491 Hyuga Kumokawa, what are you doing?!
call……
At that moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Onoki, Mei Terumi, and the surrounding Allied Shinobi, including Nagato who was not far away, all felt their feet lighten.
"what happened?"
Their bodies, uncontrollably, slowly lifted off the ground and rose into the sky.
An invisible force was repelling them, a feeling that was incredibly clear, as if the entire world, this realm, was trying to expel these out-of-place beings.
It is the chakra of the dragon vein.
It is this power from the dragon vein that sustains them in this future.
At this moment, the small amount of dragon vein chakra they had absorbed unconsciously was exhausted, and the rules of spacetime began to reject them, these wrong intruders.
Just as they were in a panic, Orochimaru also slowly rose into the air.
Unlike the astonishment and doubt of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, Orochimaru's face showed only near-manic excitement. He opened his arms as if to embrace the whole world, and his body was even trembling slightly.
"bring it on."
He faced the direction of the Ten-Tails in the distance, towards the red sun. His golden vertical pupils reflected everything in the distance, filled with an almost devout fervor.
"To become a god..."
He paused slightly, as if the word still couldn't adequately describe the surging desire within him. He licked his dry lips, and his voice suddenly rose: "No, that's not right!"
"It's not about becoming 'god' or some other vague and unattainable thing."
"It has been sublimated into a dragon, a unique dragon, a perfect being!"
呲! !
As if in response to his arrogant declaration, the moment his words fell, a terrifying suction force suddenly erupted, centered on the figure in the distance.
Below, the Ten-Tails, severely injured by the "Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion," began to twist, collapse, and rotate at a visible speed under the suction force.
Those ten enormous tails that stretched to the sky, that body as majestic as a mountain, that single scarlet eye…
Everything rushed toward the figure in the sky, and was devoured and absorbed by it.
"Hahahaha!"
Amidst Orochimaru's unrestrained and maniacal laughter, the allied ninja, including Hiruzen Sarutobi, experienced a distorted view before their eyes, as if they had fallen into a bizarre vortex, and sounds became distant and distorted...
Hiruzen Sarutobi felt his physical senses rapidly detaching, but in the last instant, he saw a figure.
A figure appeared from the distant battlefield in an instant, moving so fast that it left a long afterimage behind it, kicking up a trail of dust.
A roar, so loud it almost cracked, reached Hiruzen Sarutobi's ears from afar.
"Stop Orochimaru! We must stop Orochimaru! No matter the cost!!"
A strange sense of familiarity mixed with a strong sense of unease welled up in Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart.
But he had already disappeared into the air.
Just as they disappeared, the figure that appeared in an instant broke through the pervasive dust and mist, tearing a gash in the smoke and dust.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi were still here, he would see familiar faces.
What emerged was another Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Gray hair, wrinkles, thinning nails...
All his outward characteristics were exactly the same as his.
However, unlike the others, this Hiruzen Sarutobi had bloodshot eyes and a more intense weariness on his face. He stared intently at the spot where they had just disappeared, then suddenly turned his head to look into the distance.
There, the massive body of the Ten-Tails had vanished, leaving only a slowly shrinking vortex in the sky and the figure enveloping it at its center.
"Damn it! Damn it!!"
A low growl escaped from deep within Hiruzen Sarutobi's throat, his voice trembling slightly with powerless rage: "We were one step too late, just one step too late!"
"Why didn't I realize it sooner? I clearly... I'm such an idiot! An idiot!"
Behind him, more figures emerged from the smoke and dust, gathering around him in the thousands.
It is the Fifth Division of the Allied Shinobi Forces, led by Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Many of them had faces exactly like those of the Allied Ninjas who had just disappeared, only they were more exhausted and bore more battle wounds.
They also witnessed firsthand the collision between the Ten-Tails' release of a colossal Tailed Beast Ball and the Golden Wheel Reincarnation Explosion.
It was only when they witnessed that scene being repeated exactly in reality that they finally realized the truth.
What they saw earlier was neither the prophecy they had guessed nor an illusion.
The power on the third level of the underground palace truly carried them to the "future".
That's why they rushed here at all costs, trying to stop the final link in the "loop of fate" before everything became irreversible!
However, it was too late.
Frustration, anger, fear, despair, helplessness...
A torrent of emotions overwhelmed Hiruzen Sarutobi, as well as all the Allied Shinobi who had just arrived and understood everything.
As they gazed at the figure in the distance, whose aura had become even more terrifying and powerful after devouring the Ten-Tails, despair nearly drove them to collapse on the spot.
But then...
"Don't be so desperate."
A cheerful voice suddenly came from behind them.
"I feel sorry for you all," he said with a smile.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others, who were feeling lost and desperate, suddenly felt a chill and turned their heads sharply in the direction from which the sound came.
Not far away, a figure stood there, seemingly untouched, observing the scene with detachment and indifference.
His entire body was shrouded in a wide black robe, his hood hung low, and his face and figure were hidden in deep shadows.
"film……"
Among the Allied Ninjas, someone uttered this title in a slightly trembling voice.
The 'Shadow' has completely disappeared since using that technique to bring everyone into the virtual world not long ago...
How did he suddenly appear here?
"you……"
Seemingly realizing something, Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was hoarse: "You came with those people who just disappeared. You've been hiding among them."
"You come from the 'past'..."
Upon hearing this, the other allied ninjas immediately felt a chill run down their spines.
From the past?
Did they simply skip over the period when 'Shadow' disappeared?
But why were they all forcibly rejected and sent away from the "past," while 'Shadow' is still able to stand here unharmed, remaining in this point in time that does not belong to him?
"The Third Hokage, do you know him?"
The 'Shadow' did not respond to Hiruzen Sarutobi's question. His voice, though tinged with laughter, held a hint of wistfulness, as if he were merely reminiscing about a distant past. "If you remain gentle, kind, and selfless, perhaps you can become the second Hashirama Senju."
"If you remain cold and ruthless, and utilize everything, perhaps you can become the second Tobirama Senju."
"Your appreciation for Konoha is no less than that of the two of them."
"But, unfortunately, you don't."
He tilted his head slightly, causing his hood to sway, and a pair of red eyes pierced through the shadows, landing on Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Your gentleness is not thorough enough, nor is your harshness."
"Throughout your life, you have made many mistakes because you are too soft-hearted and too concerned about your own personal feelings."
"And because of his overconfidence and arrogance, he made many wrong choices due to his overconfidence in his own judgment and abilities."
Hiruzen Sarutobi trembled almost imperceptibly, and the veins on the back of his hand, which was gripping the Vajra Staff, stood out.
The surrounding Allied ninjas were completely silent, except for the echo of 'Kage's' calm yet incredibly cruel words.
"You let Orochimaru go because of your master-disciple relationship. You thought that as long as you were still in Konoha, Orochimaru would not be able to cause any trouble, that he could be restrained, or even that he could be redeemed."
"You tolerated Danzo because of your friendship with him. You still believe that as long as you are still in the position of Hokage, Danzo will always be able to hide in your shadow and under your protection."
"For many similar reasons, you made many wrong choices at many crucial moments."
"You always want to maintain a balance, always want to take care of everything, and always want to protect everything you cherish without crossing your bottom line."
“But…” 'Shadow' chuckled softly, a cold laugh, “Why should I?”
Hiruzen Sarutobi's face gradually paled as he listened to the 'Shadow's' words.
These were the pains and self-blames he had buried deep in his heart, which he had repeatedly grappled with during countless sleepless nights, and now they were being so casually revealed by the other party.
"However, in my opinion, there is only one wrong thing you have ever done and one right thing you have ever done in your life."
'Shadow' changed the subject again, the smile in her tone seeming to deepen, "You're wary that I'm using you."
"After realizing my abnormality and value, you remained vigilant and scrutinizing, wanting to use my power to achieve your goals. This was the right thing for you to do."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils slowly dilated, and his body began to tremble slightly.
"However, you also sympathize with me and feel guilty towards me."
'Shadow' sighed and said regretfully, "So, your vigilance and exploitation were not thorough enough, and your sympathy and guilt were not absolute enough."
"You neither eliminated me after realizing I was a threat, like Tobirama Senju did, nor did you truly give me your complete trust, like Hashirama Senju did."
“Your oscillation between the two gave me the space and time to make a plan.”
After saying that, 'Shadow' shrugged and smiled, "But that's precisely why I initially chose you and Konoha as my stage, isn't it?"
Even before 'Shadow' uttered those last few words, Hiruzen Sarutobi was struck dumb, frozen in place, speechless for a long time.
A conjecture he absolutely did not want to believe, yet which was gradually becoming clearer.
"Do not……"
He stared intently at the figure, his throat bobbing involuntarily, his cracked lips trembling: "Impossible..."
"You, you can't be..."
"Shhh."
Before he could utter the name that was about to be uttered, 'Shadow' had already gently raised a hand, its fingers, also covered in shadow, held up in front of him.
“Although you can no longer stop me, but…” he chuckled softly, “the script isn’t over yet, the show is just beginning, isn’t it?”
"He's just a minor character; he should just leave the stage quietly. Let's not spoil the plot in advance."
As soon as he finished speaking, the shadow beneath his feet seemed to come alive, centered on the 'shadow'.
The thick, inky darkness, like a quietly flowing black tide, originated from the shadow beneath 'Shadow's' feet and silently spread in all directions.
Ground, broken walls, wreckage...
Wherever it passed, light was swallowed up, sound was absorbed, the air became thick and heavy, and a chilling coldness gradually seeped into the bones.
The deepest darkness behind the 'shadow' rippled like layers of water.
Amidst those ripples, dark figures slowly emerged from the shadows, kneeling on one knee from head to toe.
[Approximately as shown in the image above]
One, two, ten, a hundred...
Their numbers increased rapidly, densely packed, spreading out like a tide behind the 'Shadow' and extending to the horizon, turning the vast ruins into their backdrop.
At the forefront was a humanoid ninja, followed by a slender figure with sharp bone spikes extending from its arms, then a tall samurai clad in armor, and further back were various shadowy figures...
Some resemble mollusks, some have arms that transform into pincers and hammers, some are like mantises, some are enormous, and some are the smallest yet can devour souls by consuming shadows...
Ninja Group - Ghost Shadow, Blade Group - Claw Shadow, Samurai Group - Helmet Shadow, Night Bat Group - Flying Shadow, Alien Group - Soft Shadow, Hunter Group - Claw Shadow, Mantis Group - Scythe Shadow, Troll Group - Giant Shadow, Shadow Eater Group - Shadow Eater.
The Shadow Legion, all nine warbands, are here.
Thousands of dark figures knelt silently on the ground, making no sound, but the chilling aura emanating from them made the air almost freeze.
"Go."
The 'Shadow' raised his chin, gesturing in the direction of Hiruzen Sarutobi, and laughed, "Let's give our Third Hokage a glorious exit."
Swish!
As soon as the words were spoken, the dark figures who had been keeping their heads down raised their heads in unison.
Countless pairs of blood-red eyes lit up at the same moment, all looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi and the thousands of allied ninja behind him.
The moment they were stared at by those countless scarlet eyes, the allied ninjas felt their breath catch in their throats, as if countless cold blades were pressed against their throats, or as if they were being watched by countless hungry venomous snakes.
"What exactly do you want?!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi jolted awake from his shock and fear, and looking at the figure, let out a near-piercing roar: "Hyuga Kumo..."
The next moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi's roar, along with the shouts of the Allied Shinobi, were drowned out by the sweeping torrent of black shadows.
Screams, roars, the sound of weapons piercing flesh, and the cracking of bones filled the air. Blood and shattered shadows splattered everywhere, quickly turning the area into a brutal inferno.
'Shadow' stopped looking at them, slowly turned around and looked into the distance, towards the direction of the Ten-Tails.
Looking into the distance, the blue figure was shot down, turning into a blue streak of light, and fell straight towards the direction of the Land of Hot Water, towards the direction of the underground palace.
"hehe."
'Shadow' chuckled softly, took a step, and walked step by step towards the Land of Hot Springs, towards the location of the underground palace.
The shadow beneath his feet stretched and extended forward with each step he took, as if paving a path for him to reach the end.
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(End of this chapter)