Chapter 45: The Third Hokage
A/N: There will be a Double Release tomorrow. If we try harder, we can hit the target for a Triple Release next week. Our target is to reach 500 powerstones by next Sunday for another Double Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones!
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Putting the mask on, Goro took one last glance at Kabuto's lifeless body before dispelling the jutsu, causing the ice to melt and soak him.
'I should've thought this through before releasing the jutsu... It's freezing cold.'
Goro scanned the surrounding area, ensuring there was no one watching. Once he confirmed the coast was clear, he prepared to leave—until Kakashi and Guy arrived at the training ground.
"Genma said that Kabuto went in this direction," Guy said, looking at Kakashi.
Kakashi paused in his tracks, his gaze fixed on Kabuto's limp body. Noticing the gaping hole through Kabuto's stomach, Kakashi replied, "It seems he did..." Kakashi's eyes darted from Kabuto's corpse to the anonymous man standing above him.
Puzzled by Kakashi's response, Guy shifted his gaze in the same direction Kakashi was looking, and his eyes widened. Immediately understanding the situation, Guy took on a fighting stance, his usually bright expression darkened by the sight before him.
"That man... That isn't a mask that's part of the Anbu, so why? Why has he killed Kabuto? There's also no sign of Goro anywhere..." Guy thought.
Kakashi's hand slowly moved toward his headband, ready to lift it, revealing his Sharingan at a moment's notice.
"Kabuto's corpse is a mess... This isn't your ordinary ninja. Who is this guy?!" Kakashi muttered, eyeing the masked Goro.
Kakashi and Guy stayed silent for a few moments, trying to decide how to handle the situation.
"He's attacked Kabuto, so there isn't any evidence to say he would bring harm to the village, but there's also no evidence to suggest he'd leave it be either..." Kakashi pondered.
Squinting his eyes and focusing on the patterns on Goro's mask, Guy whispered, "That mask has to be from the Land of Lightning. Are they infiltrating the village after the attack perhaps?"
Kakashi shrugged, lifting his headband. "We can't say for sure, but that man isn't a low-level ninja that would be used for spying on our village. There's more to him than we know," Kakashi answered.
"Kakashi of the Sharingan, huh?" Goro interrupted with a low chuckle. "You don't need to use that. We won't be fighting."
'My only target is the Third Hokage. I've already completed my mission of ruining Kabuto's plan, but I still haven't attained my personal agenda of copying the Hokage's skills.'
Kakashi's brow furrowed. "I don't know what his intentions are, but we can't just leave him be. He's trespassing," Kakashi mused, reaching for his kunai.
"What is your name?!" Guy yelled.
Goro hesitated for a moment; he hadn't thought that far ahead just yet.
'An alias... I need an alias. Something related to the storm...'
"Well, what is it?!" Guy repeated.
"Arashi," Goro said, the word slipping out. He didn't know how it came to his mind, but it didn't matter. It was the right name.
Guy tensed up slightly, his eyes getting sharper. "That's a pretty cool name; it gave me some chills. Kakashi, maybe you should focus on the others like you said you would. The kids are still out there. This guy is mine," Guy said.
"He's dangerous; I can't just let you fight him alone," Kakashi rebutted.
Guy turned to him with a confident smile, giving him a thumbs-up. "I can handle it. Go check on the kids. The youth always come first."
Kakashi hesitated but nodded. "Fine, but I'll be back as soon as I can," he said before flickering away.
As Guy turned back to put his attention on the masked man, he realized that the man was no longer around. He had gone missing. "Wait— I—! Where did he go?!" Guy yelled, frantically spinning around, trying to locate the mysterious man.
Goro had flickered into a tree that stood just outside the training ground. Sitting down and crossing his legs, he began to think up a new strategy.
'A jounin that doesn't pay attention to his surroundings... It was too easy to escape. Anyway, I don't want Guy chasing me around while I'm trying to cut a piece of the Third Hokage's body off, so I've got to wait until he's gone to make my move. He'll be especially hard to shake off if he opens some of the Eight Gates...'
Cross-legged, Goro allowed a few more minutes to pass, observing the training ground from the safety of the shadows. When he was certain Guy had left the area, he rose slowly, careful not to shake the tree and bring attention to himself.
Successfully getting up, Goro slipped from one tree to the next, making his way toward the Chunin Exam arena. Each leap was smooth, and each step landed without a sound.
Finally, he arrived at the towering trees that converged behind the stands. From the tall trees, he could see the battle of Orochimaru and the Third Hokage. The Anbu that stood around waiting for the barrier to fall watched the match intently, unable to peel their eyes away.
Goro crouched on the branch, eyes narrowed behind his mask as he watched the infamous Reaper Death Seal scene play out.
'They'll be finishing this up soon. I've got to strike as soon as the barrier drops. Jiraiya will be on his way here any moment now, and with the snake summon already apprehended, he'll be here even quicker.'
The Sound Four kept the barrier intact and held their position, trapping the Hokage and Orochimaru in the deadly cube. Goro's eyes flicked between the two figures inside. Hiruzen was already nearing his death, and soon, the barrier would fall.
'The timing has to be perfect. The moment the barrier drops...'
"NO!" Orochimaru shrieked, hatred deeply embedded in his cry.
The Third Hokage smiled weakly, knowing he had tried and done his best for the village. Orochimaru's arms dropped, paralyzed from the Reaper Death Seal jutsu.
"My dear disciple, let us meet in the afterlife..." Hiruzen croaked, losing strength in his legs. With those last words, the Third Hokage fell on his side, his soul gone.
Enma pulled the blade out of the Hokage's back and disappeared in a large plume of smoke.
'It's time!'
Orochimaru yelled some orders to his subordinates, causing the Sound Four to drop the barrier and flee with him in tow.
Goro was a blur, dashing through the falling barrier and past the confused Anbu. Pointing the already prepared kunai at Hiruzen's ear, with swift precision, his kunai sliced through, taking off Hiruzen's ear.
'I did it... Finally, I did it..! This will now take me to new heights. I've finally managed to do it!'
"Stop right there!" one of the Anbu yelled, lunging at Goro with a kunai in hand.
'Ah right, I need to escape first...'
Goro back-kicked the Anbu and ran towards the edge of the roof, jumping off the side of the building. The Anbu, however, didn't run after him.
Swinging into the stands, Goro flickered outside of the village, with Hiruzen's ear in his hand.
Stopping in a forest right outside the village, Goro had a thought that had been bugging him ever since he planned to copy Hiruzen's skills.
'System, I know that the Reaper took the Third Hokage's soul, but I'm still able to copy his skills, correct?'
[Yes. As long as the corpse has died within a week of when you want to copy, you are able to copy the corpse's skills.]
'So then I really did it? I have the Hokage's ear and I can copy from it, correct?'
Goro still couldn't believe it. It felt too good to be true.
[No, for a ninja as skilled as Hiruzen Sarutobi, you'd need the whole corpse.]
'You're kidding, right? That's not funny, you know...'
[Sorry, I am telling a lie. An ear is sufficient for copying.]
Exhaling deeply, Goro fell on his back. "I'm mentally exhausted..." he mumbled.
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Reminder: . Our target is to reach 500 powerstones by next Sunday for another Double Release. This story's continuation depends on your support—so don't forget to give the story powerstones! Goal: 500 Powerstones!
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