Naruto reached out his hand.
The Anbu cried out in alarm: "Careful!"
Almost as soon as he was about to touch it, a surge of purple flames lashed out, snarling and burning his fingertips.
"We've already tried, we can't break it from the outside—only from within," the Anbu shook his head cautiously, watching Naruto's fingers.
The burn marks healed almost instantly.
Was it the power of the Nine-Tails?
Or the power of the Uzumaki clan?
"What about beneath the house?" Naruto looked at the roof tiles.
The Anbu shook his head: "Also covered by the barrier."
As they spoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi had already grabbed Orochimaru's arms. That ethereal spirit reached out, grabbing the soul, and began to forcibly pull it out.
There was not much time left.
Naruto raised his hand: "Step back. Let me try."
The Anbu hesitated, but seeing Karin already stepping back without question, they had no choice but to follow her lead and retreat a few steps.
Chakra surged.
An immense aura pulsed from the blond youth.
Incantation began.
"Bones of beasts scattered like stars!"
"Spires, crimson crystals, wheels of steel."
"Motion becomes wind; stillness, emptiness."
The Anbu glanced sideways. Karin raised her hand to shield her eyes.
Those poetic verses bloomed in Naruto's palm as dazzling golden lightning.
Radiant as the sun.
"What kind of technique is that?" the Anbu was stunned.
He had never seen a jutsu this powerful even before it was fully released.
Just a glance made the heart tremble.
Naruto's final line resounded:
"Spears clash, resounding through the false city!"
"Hadō #63: Raikōhō (Thunder Roar Cannon)!"
Lightning erupted, a golden beam like a shooting star blasted against the purple barrier, disrupting the flames.
It pierced into it, leaving fractured cracks.
The four corner-bound ninja couldn't stop trembling, blood streaming from their mouths.
The jutsu was not entirely broken, but being forcefully damaged caused severe backlash from the chakra flow, putting intense strain on their bodies.
Orochimaru turned to look, despite his soul being torn away, he couldn't help but admire: "Such a beautiful technique."
"Those four were carefully chosen by me."
"The Four Violet Flames Formation could even trap a Kage-level like my teacher."
"But it's being broken… by him."
"This is not something Konoha could've taught."
Hiruzen ignored the sarcastic remarks of his former student.
He too was amazed by Naruto's strength.
But at this point, he had little energy left to think about anything else.
Naruto gripped his sword.
Spell number 63—Raikōhō—was the strongest Kidō he had learned so far.
It failed to destroy the barrier.
But since it caused damage, that meant a strong enough attack could break it entirely.
He was about to draw his blade.
Once released, he had attacks even stronger than Raikōhō.
"Naruto," from within the barrier, Hiruzen looked toward him and forced a smile. "Stop trying to save me."
"This jutsu requires one's own soul to be given to the Death God in order to activate."
"I am already beyond saving."
"Did you know?"
"There was once a great hero who used this jutsu to save the village."
"I can't compare to him."
"But now I'll also use this jutsu to protect the village."
He turned his head back, locking eyes on Orochimaru's hands, breathing heavily.
His body and lifespan had decayed this far.
He could only pull out the soul from Orochimaru's hands.
"Orochimaru…"
"I'm truly old now. Sorry—as your teacher, I failed to correct your mistakes."
"But I will not forgive you."
"I'll give you a small punishment."
"You'll never be able to do evil again, never destroy Konoha's seedlings."
"Let me take away all the techniques you've ever learned."
As Hiruzen spoke—
Behind him, the Death God pulled out the short blade clenched in its teeth.
Raised it high—and slashed down hard.
It severed the soul of Orochimaru's hands that had been pulled out.
The Death God panted heavily, and the souls of Hiruzen, the First and Second Hokage, and Orochimaru's hands were "consumed," devoured into its belly.
Its eyes grew brighter.
Its face more ferocious.
As if this offering—both in quantity and quality—fully satisfied it.
Using the last of his strength, Hiruzen turned to Naruto, smiling faintly.
He could no longer open his eyes or see Naruto's face clearly.
Only that brilliant golden light filled his vision.
He spoke, voice feeble:
"As long as there are leaves flying, the fire will burn."
"The shadow of the fire will shine on the village and cause new leaves to sprout."
"Naruto…"
"I'm sorry…"
He couldn't finish the last word—he no longer had the strength to say it aloud.
But his lips moved. Naruto understood.
He stared forward in silence.
The corpse fell, raising dust that covered the old face—still smiling.
The jutsu ended, chakra dispersed.
The Death God vanished.
Orochimaru roared: "You old fool!"
"How can you still smile!"
"Give me my hands back!"
Naruto tried to chase after the Death God—but couldn't find its presence. It had completely disappeared with the souls.
Neither chakra nor spiritual pressure remained.
He clenched his fists.
That jutsu…
He must obtain it!
The words of the Third Hokage still echoed in his ears.
Besides "I'm sorry,"
There was also: "A hero once used this jutsu to save the village."
If it was directed at him, then that "hero" must have been his father—the Fourth Hokage.
His soul…
Was it also sealed inside that Death God?
And what about his mother?
Then what exactly was the jutsu that Orochimaru used?
That ghastly Death God also devoured the souls of the First and Second Hokage.
Could it be the third soul that Orochimaru failed to summon was never meant to be his father?
Naruto pondered.
Karin approached, looking at Hiruzen's corpse with concern: "Naruto, did you see something behind the Hokage?"
She had noticed Naruto's gaze always behind Hiruzen, not on him.
Naruto turned his head: "Yeah, some being the Third called a Death God."
"You didn't see it?"
Karin shook her head. The Anbu nearby also shook their heads.
They saw nothing.
"Based on your reaction, and the fact that only you could see it… I think the jutsu the Hokage used was one of our Uzumaki clan's forbidden techniques," Karin said anxiously, clutching Naruto's sleeve, "A sealing jutsu called Reaper Death Seal (Shiki Fūjin). Only those who have made a contract with the Death God can see it."
"Naruto, could it be that you also—"
She sounded worried.
It was an extremely dangerous technique.
Naruto shook his head: "I didn't sign any contract with that demon. I just have some special ability that lets me see it."
"So it's an Uzumaki clan jutsu?"
"How do I find that Death God?"
He refused to acknowledge it as a true "god of death."
Karin relaxed a little, then shook her head: "It's too dangerous. My mother didn't even know how to use it—only heard of it in legends."
She looked at the Anbu and stopped talking.
"I understand," Naruto nodded.
He looked forward.
The Four Violet Flames Formation had disappeared. Orochimaru, his hands swollen and bruised from the curse, was now weak, supported by the four Sound Ninja.
The prey…
was out of the cage.
(End of Chapter)