Naruto: Cthulhu: Ch. 197

In the snake's mouth, a thin, pale figure slowly emerged from the dark snake cavity. Gracefully avoiding the sharp row of fangs in the snake's jaws, the figure leapt lightly and landed on the rooftop.

Seeing that Orochimaru had reached his destination, the three-headed snake did not linger and crawled off elsewhere to wreak havoc.

Danzō and Hiruzen, however, were shocked as they stared at the figure before them. The distinctive drooping eyes, pale complexion, and sinister smile unmistakably belonged to Orochimaru!

As old acquaintances reunited, Orochimaru didn't immediately revel in their astonished expressions. Instead, he raised a hand to shield his eyes from the light and looked up at the sky.

"Ah, after spending so much time in darkness, it's nice to breathe some fresh air once in a while."

For a long time, he had not left the dark, cramped room that served as his safe haven. Only in that sealed, cornerless space could he feel completely secure.

Still, he had successfully orchestrated events through Kimimaro, achieving the outcome he desired.

Standing atop the roof, Orochimaru immediately spotted Sasuke below, gazing up at him.

From Sasuke, he could clearly sense the Curse Mark imprinted on his body.

This mark had been applied by Kimimaro, who used Shoggoth transformation to mimic Orochimaru's abilities.

The mark was identical to one Orochimaru himself would have placed, even though it bore another's sealing technique. That detail, however, didn't matter to him.

Perfect. The conditions were all in place.

"Oto ninjas!" Orochimaru called out loudly.

From the spectator stands, four dark figures leapt into action.

In mid-air, they shed their disguises, landing on the four corners of the roof.

Danzō and Hiruzen immediately noticed the insignia on their headbands—the symbol of Oto. These were Oto ninjas, but they had not been seen at any point during the Chunin Exams.

Where had these four Oto ninjas infiltrated from? Why were they under Orochimaru's command? What was the connection between Suna, Oto, and Orochimaru?

Before the two older men could piece together any answers, the four Oto ninjas formed hand seals in unison and initiated their technique.

"Four Flames Formation!"

All four clapped their hands to the ground, and a transparent, purple barrier began extending from their positions, enclosing the entire rooftop within seconds.

An ANBU member rushing to assist attempted to break into the barrier, but as soon as he touched it, his body ignited and was reduced to ashes in an instant.

The moment the Four Flames Formation was established, the area became a sealed-off space.

Inside the barrier, four figures faced each other:

Danzō, who was now being held hostage; his captor, Rasa; Hiruzen; and Orochimaru.

At that moment, Rasa turned to Orochimaru with an irritated expression, his tone full of displeasure.

"Orochimaru, what is the meaning of this Four Flames Formation? This wasn't part of the plan."

According to Rasa's original Konoha Crush Plan, there had been no mention of Orochimaru setting up such a barrier.

While the barrier could effectively block reinforcements from the outside, it also greatly limited Rasa's ability to fight.

Rasa's Magnet Release allowed him to manipulate gold dust mixed in with sand, making the deserts of the Land of Wind his ideal battlefield.

Though the soil of Konoha contained trace amounts of gold, it was sufficient for Rasa to wield a reasonable degree of combat power. Even if reinforcements arrived, his Magnet Release could effortlessly deal with weaker adversaries.

Now, however, with Orochimaru sealing off the entire space using the Four Flames Formation, Rasa's access to gold dust was limited to whatever was present on the rooftop itself.

Fortunately, the rooftops of Konoha were gilded with gold dust, providing Rasa with a significant amount of gold sand to manipulate.

However, the barrier's existence was undoubtedly a hindrance, reducing his combat effectiveness—an unexpected element not originally part of their plan.

To this, Orochimaru offered no response. Instead, his gaze drifted absently toward one corner of the Four Flames Formation.

Orochimaru's indifferent attitude infuriated Rasa. But just as Rasa was about to question him further, the restrained Danzō seized the opportunity created by Rasa's momentary distraction. With a swift over-the-shoulder throw, Danzō hurled Rasa aside.

Rasa didn't fall but flipped backward several times, landing next to Orochimaru. 

Watching Danzō, now free and standing by Hiruzen Sarutobi, Rasa clicked his tongue in irritation. 

On the rooftop, the four men split into two opposing factions: Orochimaru and Rasa on one side, facing Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzō on the other. 

At this moment, Hiruzen and Danzō pieced together some critical details from the earlier exchanges. 

It became clear that the events unfolding were part of a premeditated plan between Rasa and Orochimaru. Rasa, naturally, represented Suna, while Orochimaru was acting on behalf of the newly established Oto—a village whose leader remained shrouded in mystery.

Danzō's voice was icy as he spoke, his lone eye brimming with killing intent. His expression was far sterner than usual.

"So Suna has betrayed its alliance with Konoha and colluded with Orochimaru."

Rasa sneered. "Contracts are nothing more than smokescreens to lower the enemy's guard. The tedious games of these so-called tournaments end now. The real 'battle' begins here."

Danzō suddenly recalled the earlier conversation in the stands. It dawned on him that when the Kazekage had said the battle wasn't over, he wasn't referring to the fights between the genin.

He meant battles of Kage-level combat!

Hiruzen Sarutobi surveyed the increasingly tense standoff, still clinging to hope for a peaceful resolution. He tried to mediate.

"Do you intend to provoke a full-scale war? I believe we should resolve this conflict through peaceful dialogue rather than resorting to violence."

Before Rasa could respond, Danzō erupted in anger.

"Stop being naive!"

"They've already gone this far—how could they possibly back down now?"

"Get rid of your weakness, Hiruzen, if you still want to protect Konoha."

Danzō's words shook Hiruzen to his core. Turning to look beyond the barrier, he could see the chaos unfolding outside.

In the arena, the audience had been subdued by genjutsu, while invading Oto and Suna ninja were clashing with Konoha's forces in the stands. Smoke filled the streets of Konoha, signaling battles erupting throughout the village.

The fires of war had already ignited. There was no way either side could return to the negotiation table as if nothing had happened.

Hiruzen turned back to the rooftop, looking at Rasa's determined expression and Orochimaru, who remained fixated on a specific corner of the barrier. Hiruzen sighed deeply.

"It seems there's no other choice."

With that, Hiruzen removed his white ceremonial robe, tossing it into the air and revealing the black combat gear underneath.

Danzō and Rasa also flung their respective Kage hats into the air. Rasa's face was revealed, while Danzō unveiled the Sharingan hidden beneath his eye patch.

Orochimaru, however, remained unmoved by their pre-battle preparations, his gaze fixed on a certain point within the Four Flames Formation.

It's coming… soon.

On the battlefield, as an explosion and smoke appeared at the highest point of the stands, the duo from Suna quickly assessed the situation.

"The operation begins!"

Temari and Kankuro leaped from the stands into the arena. Using the small amount of chakra he had just recovered, Kankuro manipulated Kuroari to scoop up a still-dazed Gaara, treating him like garbage, and fled the arena.

Sasuke witnessed this and immediately gave chase without a second thought.

Meanwhile, most of the Konoha Twelve who couldn't counter genjutsu were already knocked unconscious by Oto ninjas' illusions, including Lee, Tenten, and Choji Akimichi. Only Sakura and Shikamaru remained conscious.

The Konoha special jonin and jonin were already engaged in combat with Oto infiltrators, who had disguised themselves within the ANBU ranks. In the chaos, Kakashi instructed Sakura to release Naruto from the genjutsu. Once Naruto was awake, the three hurried to catch up with Sasuke, aiming to find a safe spot to regroup. Kakashi also summoned Pakkun to guide them.

In the arena, Baki was facing off against Genma.

Everything was unfolding as expected, and all of it was observed by Rasa from the rooftop.

Rasa's original plan had been to have Gaara win the Chunin Exam championship and then, during the crowning ceremony with both the Hokage and Kazekage present, launch a surprise attack with Gaara to assassinate Danzō. However, the incident in the second stage of the Chunin Exams nearly derailed the entire plan. After much persuasion, the exams resumed, but there was no chance for Suna to secure a championship victory. As such, Rasa had to resort to a backup plan.

Using a smoke bomb as the signal, all the ninjas acted according to the revised operation. After the Chunin Exams, Gaara's team would retreat to recover and then rejoin the battle in Konoha when ready.

Although four people were chasing Gaara's group, Rasa wasn't particularly worried. 

Despite Kankuro having expended a lot of chakra in the earlier fight, Gaara was still in near-perfect condition. He wouldn't fear a few young genin.

Moreover, as long as the two "old relics" in front of him—Danzō and Hiruzen—were dealt with, Konoha's morale would collapse, and the fighting elsewhere would quickly subside.

Rasa raised his hands slowly, causing the rooftop tiles to tremble violently.

This was Konoha's largest arena, often hosting daimyo and other important figures from various nations. As Konoha's pride, its rooftop was uniquely decorated with gold dust, which Rasa now used for his Magnet Release technique.

The glittering rooftop dimmed as the gold dust coalesced into sand and surged toward Danzō and Hiruzen.

"Here it comes!"

"Got it!"

Danzō and Hiruzen, who had fought side by side as guards for the Second Hokage in their youth, responded seamlessly. They leaped in opposite directions, splitting the already limited gold sand.

Rasa gritted his teeth at the sight but knew there simply wasn't enough sand on the rooftop to handle two Kage-level opponents effectively.

If not for the Four Flames Formation restricting the area, Rasa could have utilized the sandy terrain of the arena floor to enhance his combat effectiveness significantly.

Fixating on Danzō and Hiruzen as they dodged amidst the waves of golden sand, Rasa furrowed his brows. To increase his control speed, he raised both hands higher, hoping to conclude the battle quickly.

Rasa had devoted considerable time and effort to this assault on Konoha. Over the course of a year, 200 Suna ninjas had infiltrated the Land of Fire in small groups. This deployment had significantly reduced Suna's workforce, further worsening their already dire financial situation.

Thus, for Rasa, the Konoha Crush Plan was a one-way gamble. Success would bring glory; failure would bring ruin.

At this moment, those 200 Suna ninjas, in coordination with Orochimaru's forces, were assaulting Konoha's eastern gate. The smoke rising from the east indicated that the battle there was anything but simple.

If Rasa could finish his fight quickly, the death of the Hokage would hasten the resolution of the eastern battle, minimizing Suna ninjas casualties.

Unfortunately, due to the spatial confinement of the Four Flames Formation, Rasa found himself completely unable to harm the Fifth and Third Hokage of Konoha.

With this thought in mind, Rasa cast a resentful glance at Orochimaru, who was still calmly observing the fight nearby.

"Orochimaru, if not now, then when?" he demanded.

In response to Rasa's questioning, Orochimaru gave a slight smile, inwardly thinking, Yes, it's about time.

Finally, Orochimaru began forming hand seals, crafting an extraordinary jutsu with intricate gestures.

"Hiruzen, that technique!"

"Ah, that's the Second Hokage's—"

Both Danzō and Hiruzen, who were deftly evading attacks amidst the surging sands of gold, immediately recognized the hand seals Orochimaru was performing. It was one of the Second Hokage's most forbidden jutsu.

"Summoning Jutsu: Reanimation!"

Under the astonished gaze of everyone present, the first coffin began to rise slowly from a spatial rift in the ground, bearing the character for "First."

It was followed by a second coffin, marked with the character for "Second."

However, as the third coffin began to emerge under the tense watch of Danzō and Hiruzen, it stopped abruptly. Only the top portion, displaying the character "Fourth," surfaced before the coffin sank back into the ground.

Damn it, I couldn't summon the third one. Only two!

Orochimaru was visibly displeased, as two combatants wouldn't suffice for his plans.

Meanwhile, during Orochimaru's ritual, Rasa's expression turned blank, and his control over the golden sand faltered momentarily.

What on earth is this summoning technique? Why didn't Orochimaru mention this before? How many other secrets is he hiding from me?

As an ally, Rasa was deeply dissatisfied with Orochimaru's secrecy. However, the fact that Orochimaru was now taking action and joining him in dealing with the two Hokage was, at least, better than nothing.

As the lids of the coffins fell to the ground, two figures emerged—figures deeply familiar to both Danzō and Hiruzen.

The First Hokage, Hashirama!

The Second Hokage, Tobirama!

The two legendary Hokage stepped out of their coffins, opened their eyes, and gazed at Danzō and Hiruzen standing across from them.

"It's been a while, Sarutobi, Shimura," Hashirama said, addressing them by their family names, as he had known them during the earliest days when the Sarutobi and Shimura clans joined Konoha.

In contrast, Tobirama was slightly more familiar and casual in his tone.

"You've both aged, huh? Monkey, Danzō."

At this point, cold sweat was already forming on the foreheads of both Danzō and Hiruzen, who murmured under their breaths.

"Shodaime-sama…"

"Nidaime-sama…"