A roaring sound, like a raging storm, echoed through the sealed underground chamber.
Innumerable branches and trees, flourishing and growing, pierced through the solid stone ground like surging waves, climbing and churning from beneath the earth. Branches as thick as a man's waist could, with the force of their upward surge alone, snap hard stones in two, and their number was countless.
The area tens of meters around Orochimaru was covered by these suddenly emerging branches, spreading until they enveloped the entire secret chamber.
Not only that, but as the massive tree trunks erupted from underground, vibrant flowers bloomed on their woody surfaces.
A cloyingly heavy scent continuously diffused through the confined space, making one's head suddenly feel hazy.
Orochimaru, whose entire body had undergone modification with Hashirama cells, possessed a Chakra reserve far beyond what ordinary people could imagine. His effortless Wood Release was incomparable to the incomplete version used by Yamato.
As this vast forest instantly took shape, he said nothing, and like a phantom, he suddenly plunged into the dense center of the forest, merging with the tree trunks, disappearing to an unknown location.
However, with his sudden departure, Minato Namikaze and Anrokuzan, who had just been standing beside him, were completely bewildered, staring blankly as this scene unfolded.
"Lord Orochimaru—?!"
Minato Namikaze and his group were the most confused.
They all stared wide-eyed, at a loss as this scene, beyond their comprehension, unfolded before them.
Coming from Konoha in its 45th year, the Orochimaru they knew was the complete opposite of the man reviled by everyone a decade later.
He had performed great deeds in the Second and Third Great Ninja Wars, leading Konoha Ninja to numerous significant victories, holding an extremely high reputation among countless Ninja, and was even the strongest candidate for the Fourth Hokage.
This was the identity that Orochimaru represented during that period.
Even Minato Namikaze regarded him as an elder worthy of respect, much like his own teacher.
Precisely because of this, upon witnessing this unimaginable Wood Release Ninjutsu, his mind went almost completely blank.
Wood Release.
The Bloodline Limit unique to the First Hokage.
Appearing on Lord Orochimaru.
The implications were far too many.
Unfortunately, given the current reality, it was clear no one had time to give him a chance to reconsider.
"Die—!"
Almost the instant Orochimaru's figure vanished into the depths of the forest, an extremely sharp roar had already erupted from the front.
Surging Chakra flowed from Senju Tobirama's body, and large, spiderweb-like cracks spread beneath the wooden clogs on his feet. His sudden step accelerated him from stillness to near-supersonic speed, blurring his form in the eyes of others.
His red pupils were filled with savage killing intent.
Confirmed!
Just as that Aizen boy said.
This group of people before him were indeed extremely evil Bloodline Limit researchers.
More importantly, they dared to steal his brother's power after his death!
This, Senju Tobirama absolutely could not tolerate!
The moment his speed reached its peak, the long sword at his waist was abruptly drawn, its sharp blade tearing through the air, producing a piercing hum in everyone's ears as the blade transformed into a streak of light.
"Boom!"
A downward strike heavily slammed down, the surging immense force wrapped in thick Chakra, turning this cleaving attack into a crushing blow like a heavy hammer.
Minato Namikaze, directly beneath it, raised his hands holding a three-pronged Kunai, difficultly blocking the blow, but the stone platform beneath his feet suddenly caved in a large section under the excessive heavy force, sending flying debris splashing everywhere, causing his legs to sink into the ground.
Despite this, Minato Namikaze still loudly explained: "Please wait, Second Hokage-sama!"
"There's some misunderstanding here!"
"We—"
"No need for words!"
Just as recorded in history, Senju Tobirama's temperament was indeed as fiery as documented.
After only a brief standoff, his blade twisted, scraping across the surface of the three-pronged Kunai towards Minato Namikaze's fingers.
The blond youth below immediately let go, and the three-pronged Kunai, deflected by the immense force, arced a semicircle in mid-air before being caught by his outstretched left hand, sweeping horizontally to meet Senju Tobirama's descending blade once more.
In this rapid clash, the two brushed past each other.
Kunai and blade scraped, producing a piercing 'clang—' of friction, and a large shower of golden sparks.
The instant after passing by each other, both almost simultaneously twisted their bodies, and blade and Kunai collided again.
"Bang!"
In the brief struggle, Senju Tobirama, possessing the Senju's monstrous strength, clearly had the upper hand. In an instant, the blade was pressed against the blond youth's shoulder.
But before his blade could press further towards the opponent's neck, the opponent suddenly stepped sideways, simultaneously kicking his right foot along the ground, striking his shin, causing him to suddenly lose his balance and instinctively lunge forward.
In this perilous moment, Senju Tobirama's mind was calm. His left hand immediately swept across his waist, and without even needing to look, a rapidly shot Kunai aimed directly at Minato Namikaze's back.
The handle of the shot Kunai was wrapped with a circle of dark patterns.
Minato Namikaze's reaction was extremely fast. Almost the instant he heard the Kunai whistling through the air, his right hand had already grabbed another Kunai and held it horizontally behind him, simultaneously spinning and stepping sideways.
"Clang! Clang!"
Two metallic collision sounds, front and back, were so fast they almost merged into one.
The first sound was the Kunai at his back colliding with the three-pronged Kunai, while the second was the blade swung by Senju Tobirama, who had appeared in front using the Flying Thunder God Technique, being blocked once again.
Using the force of the blade collision, Minato Namikaze retreated further, passing through the golden sparks that had not yet dispersed in mid-air, his blue pupils highly focused.
Their figures separated again, sliding across the cracked stone floor, moving to opposite sides.
Anrokuzan and the others nearby had just reacted, thrown to the ground by the shockwaves from the battle's aftermath.
The preceding round of their exchange, though long in description, actually lasted only one or two seconds, both moving at extreme speed. If it were an ordinary person, they likely wouldn't have had time to react at all.
"He actually blocked it?!"
Senju Tobirama's reaction, however, was the opposite. His red eyes narrowed, staring intently at Minato Namikaze's masked face.
But what immediately surged within him was an even more intense fighting spirit.
This petty scoundrel, he actually has some skill.
At this point, Minato Namikaze no longer spoke.
He had now calmed down, realizing that unless he subdued the Second Hokage-sama with his strength, the other party likely wouldn't give him a chance to explain.
Moreover, he himself hadn't even figured out what was happening, so even an explanation would likely be unclear.
After all, until just now, he had been standing right beside Lord Orochimaru.
"My apologies, Second Hokage-sama."
"Heh."
Hearing his faint words, Senju Tobirama couldn't help but curl his lips, smiling sarcastically.
"Don't act like you can take me down anytime, kid."
Once his words fell, he raised two fingers and coldly shouted: "Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"
In an instant, surging waves of water suddenly erupted from this waterless place, as if gushing from the void, abruptly spreading outwards from Senju Tobirama's center, flowing and expanding into the chamber covered by the Flower Tree World.
In the fierce battle just now, he had already determined that the opponent should be a Taijutsu-type Ninja.
If that was the case, then he would transform the environment to suit himself.
There was also another point.
Senju Tobirama was well aware that his brother's Flower Tree World had hypnotic, hallucinogenic, and paralyzing effects.
Even with his physical prowess, he couldn't stay here for long; he had to quickly make the dispersed pollen settle in the water vapor.
After all, Hiruzen and the others were still here.
The moment he saw this absurd Water Release appear, Minato Namikaze immediately realized something was wrong, and abruptly leaped from his spot, climbing up to the ceiling.
At the same time, a dull roar had already erupted from the water, transforming into a soaring stream of water vapor.
"Enma: Adamantine Staff!"
"Choza!"
A metal staff, suddenly breaking through the waves, abruptly thickened and lengthened, transforming into a rolling black shadow, drawing through the air with a whoosh and striking towards the people still standing on the platform.
The instant he heard Minato's warning, Akimichi Choza didn't hesitate, immediately clapping his hands together.
"Super Expansion Jutsu!"
His giantized palm struck forward, directly colliding with the descending iron staff, erupting in an extremely dull boom within the chamber. Even the rushing waterfall beneath their feet vibrated, forming spreading circular waves.
Soon, the two groups of people from different timelines were locked in battle.
In this momentary chaos, Aizen Sōsuke stood in the center of the forest, which was submerged by waves, looking at the forest quietly secreting dust around him, deep in thought.
Aizen Sōsuke was not swayed by the brief chaos before him.
He knew very well that these two factions were merely caught up in the heat of the moment due to the Wood Release Bloodline Limit displayed by Orochimaru.
Once they realized they couldn't quickly defeat the other side, they would soon discover the problem.
Aizen felt that Orochimaru should also understand this.
So, why did he deliberately use Wood Release in front of Senju Tobirama and the others, creating this brief chaos to buy some time? What exactly did he intend to do?
Just as he was pondering this.
Fine black iron sand, concealed by the forest and the ocean, slowly gathered towards him from beneath his feet, forming loose, dust-like strands.
It was inconspicuous amidst the murky air and flowing water.
It wasn't until the accumulation of quantity turned the water beneath Aizen and the two others' feet a deep black that Uchiha Itachi suddenly realized something was wrong and immediately shouted: "Lord Aizen!!"
Almost the instant he made a sound.
"Rumble—!"
"Magnet Release: Iron Sand Shower!"
The rapidly shooting fine iron sand, like black rain flowing backward from the sea, shot upwards from below towards Aizen and the two others. Each strand was equivalent to a fully launched Kunai, capable of piercing steel.
The surface of the surging water was suddenly torn open by numerous fine white ripples.
However, before the flying iron flowers could pierce their bodies, their figures suddenly vanished and reappeared, shifting like a mirage to one side of the water.
Uchiha Itachi was momentarily stunned.
Aizen Sōsuke, however, raised his head, looking in the direction of the sound.
The stocky, hunched Hiruko stood quietly behind a giant tree, slowly stepping out into view.
However, connected to his body was a tall figure with long black hair, looking no different from a living person.
"Is that... the Third Kazekage?"
Yakushi Kabuto's eyes widened in astonishment, looking at the man who had been blocking their path from the very beginning.
He never expected this guy to be holding the corpse of that Kazekage.
So, the missing Third Kazekage was actually killed by him?
"Didn't get him, huh."
"What a troublesome guy."
Sasori didn't care about the minor detail of the Kazekage being recognized, muttering in a low voice, with a hint of annoyance.
To be dragged into such troublesome matters by that Orochimaru, this wasn't what they had agreed upon before.
However, since he was already here.
Plus, the conditions he had agreed upon with him during their journey, only then did Sasori reluctantly accept this extra task.
The requirement was no longer to kill this bespectacled man, but merely to delay him for a period.
However... Sasori's gaze swept over the tall man in front of him twice, seemingly with a hint of confusion.
What exactly was it about this guy that made someone like Orochimaru value him so much?
Even to the point of being somewhat wary?
"Truly excellent technique."
While Sasori was observing Aizen, Aizen was also observing the puppet beside him, and couldn't help but sigh softly: "To be able to unleash their original Ninjutsu merely by controlling a corpse?"
"Normally, Chakra should be a combination of spiritual and physical energy... How do you achieve this solely through the cells of a corpse?"
"..."
"People destined to die don't need to know that much."
Sasori looked at him coldly, as if contemplating what kind of puppet to make of him, like he was examining a corpse.
Aizen Sōsuke smiled inadvertently, shaking his head slightly.
However, just as he was about to draw the katana at his waist, his movement suddenly paused, as if he had perceived something, and he looked up towards a certain spot beneath the water.
"Ah."
"So that's what it is."
The next moment, only an extremely dull explosion was heard, suddenly rising from the bottom of the water.
"Rumble—!"
Columnar water surged skyward, rushing straight towards the tower's peak.
The moment they heard this commotion, whether it was Senju Tobirama and Minato Namikaze, who were currently clashing, or Sasori and Uchiha Itachi, they all instinctively stopped their movements, looking in unison towards the direction of the sound.
They saw that the area, originally completely covered by water currents and tree roots, had now suddenly been cleared into a vast empty space.
Orochimaru, who had been missing for a while, stood in the center of that circular empty area.
Beneath his feet was the array used to seal the Dragon Vein.
At this very moment, he was half-crouching there, one hand unfurling a sealing scroll, the other pressed against the ground.
Damp strands of hair clung to his pale cheek, and his golden snake eyes looked up at the people above, an expression of triumph on his face.
"Everyone, stop!"