Naruto: Check out these scenes!

[The following is a famous scene from the battle between the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and Orochimaru. The system will prompt questions at key moments, so pay close attention.]

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As the display flickered to life, Sarutobi Hiruzen's portrait appeared briefly before transitioning to a view of the sky above Konoha.

The village lay under siege. Four shinobi, clad in Oto headbands, maintained the Four Purple Flame Formation, their hands forming a perfect seal to isolate the battlefield. Inside the glowing barrier, two figures stood facing each other—one in the white-and-red robes of the Hokage, the other in the dark cloak of the Fourth Kazekage.

Sarutobi's aged but sharp eyes narrowed. "Orochimaru... I always knew you'd return. But if you think taking my head will be easy, you're mistaken."

Orochimaru chuckled, a sinister gleam in his snake-like eyes. "My dear sensei, the time has come for Konoha to choose a Fifth Hokage. Because you… you're going to die here today."

A slow, eerie grin spread across his face as he ran his tongue along the edge of his kunai. Yet, almost imperceptibly, a single tear slipped from the corner of his eye.

Sarutobi noticed and frowned. "What's this? Are you happy enough to cry, or is there still some part of you that regrets betraying your teacher?"

Orochimaru smiled, his expression hidden from Hiruzen's eyes. Without hesitation, he drove the kunai into his own palm, the sharp sting of pain sharpening his focus. "No...' he muttered as he yawned.

He flexed his fingers, letting the blood drip. "I was feeling... drowsy. This woke me up."

Sarutobi sneered at his former disciple's antics.

"That's what I thought so.

Sarutobi watched as his former student took a step back, distancing himself. His voice was steady. "I know you, Orochimaru. You never act out of hatred. You have no personal grudge against me—no real reason for this. So why?"

Orochimaru let out a low chuckle, pulling the kunai from his palm. "If I had to put it into words... I enjoy watching things move. If they stay still for too long, it's boring."

His golden eyes glowed with manic excitement. "A windmill that never turns isn't worth looking at. But if I destroy Konoha, if I create a storm strong enough... the windmill will spin again."

For a moment, Sarutobi felt the weight of nostalgia, but he steeled himself, flexing his Hokage hat. "You're the same as always."

Orochimaru's smirk widened. "And that's exactly why… I can't wait to fight you."

---

The tension was thick, the very air charged with chakra. Outside the barrier, the shinobi of Konoha could do nothing but watch.

[Fourth Raikage: Hah! Konoha sure does breed rogue ninjas like crazy. Meanwhile, over in Kumogakure, we don't even have a single traitor in Akatsuki!]

[Onoki: Really? And where did the Gold and Silver Brothers come from again?]

[Fourth Raikage: …]

[Tobirama Senju: Hm. Curious. Where is Danzo? Shouldn't he be assisting in a crisis like this?]

[Shimura Danzo, replied, sweat forming on his forehead: ...I was leading the evacuation.]

[Ding! Warning. Lying is forbidden in this space. As punishment, all Sharingan in possession of Shimura Danzo will be confiscated.]

[Danzo: Damn it! Do you know how hard I worked to collect those?!]

[Uchiha Clan: ?]

[Madara Uchiha: Danzo, we should... talk.]

---

Back in the battle, Sarutobi took a deep breath and executed a flawless hand seal.

"Ninjutsu—Tile Shuriken Technique!"

The rooftop tiles beneath him quivered, then shot forward in razor-sharp spirals toward Orochimaru.

Orochimaru merely smirked and leaped into the air, his body moving with serpentine grace. Mid-flight, his tongue flicked out—except it wasn't his tongue at all. A long, venomous snake launched from his mouth, fangs bared as it struck toward Sarutobi's throat.

But before the fangs could sink in—

Poof!

The Hokage's body crumbled into mud.

"Earth Release—Great Mud River!"

From behind Orochimaru, Sarutobi's real form emerged, slamming his hands against the ground. The tiles morphed into a churning river of mud, sucking Orochimaru in before he could react.

"Earth Release—Earth Dragon Bomb!"

A dragon's head formed from the swirling earth, its maw opening to launch chunks of hardened rock at the sinking Orochimaru.

"Fire Release—Fire Dragon Bullet!"

With barely a pause, Sarutobi inhaled sharply before exhaling a torrent of flames. The fire caught the rock projectiles, igniting them into molten missiles that rained down into the mud.

The flames roared, the heat rising in waves.

Outside the barrier, the watching Anbu gasped.

"Incredible! He combined two separate chakra natures perfectly—on his own! Normally, even high-level shinobi require teamwork to pull off a combination like that!"

[Naruto Uzumaki: Whoa! Old man Third was awesome!]

[Tobirama Senju: Hmph. You've improved, Sarutobi.]

[Madara Uchiha: Basic techniques, really.]

[Sasuke Uchiha: Let's be honest. You're not stronger than me and Naruto now.]

[Madara Uchiha: …Are you even a real Uchiha?]

As the flames died down, Orochimaru's charred silhouette emerged from the scorched earth, dusting himself off with eerie calm. Not a single wound marred his skin.

Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.

"Enough games, Orochimaru."

The snake Sannin's grin widened as he tossed aside his disguise, revealing his true form beneath. "Well then... let's start the real fight."

Both tore off their outer robes in unison, the battle truly beginning.

Sarutobi was the first to move, hurling a shuriken into the air.

"Ninja Art—Shuriken Shadow Clone Technique!"

The single shuriken split into dozens, then hundreds, a metal storm descending upon Orochimaru.

But the rogue ninja was already weaving hand seals.

"Summoning Jutsu—Reanimation!"

The ground trembled. With a deep groan, two coffins rose from the earth, each bearing a single number: "One" and "Two."

Sarutobi's breath caught in his throat.

"No… it can't be!"

The doors creaked open, and two figures emerged. Clad in armor from a bygone era, their faces solemn and unyielding.

Senju Hashirama.

Senju Tobirama.

The First and Second Hokage had returned.

[Senju Tobirama: Orochimaru… you actually perfected my jutsu.]

[Orochimaru: Hehe. I always aim for excellence.]

[Madara Uchiha: Ha! Hashirama, look at your dumb face!]

[Senju Hashirama: Tobirama, why does this feel different from how you used it?]

[Orochimaru: My dear First Hokage, let's just say... I've made some improvements.]

The battle had only just begun.