At the Third Hokage's command, more than eight hundred elite shinobi of Konoha once again surged forward like arrows released from a bowstring.
This eight-hundred-man force could be described as a lineup pushed to the absolute limit. Not only was it personally commanded by the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, but every single member was a battle-hardened veteran, with even the weakest among them being seasoned chūnin-level shinobi rich in combat experience.
Among them were elite members of the Hyūga Clan, Yamanaka Clan, Aburame Clan, and Inuzuka Clan—specialist shinobi clans skilled in reconnaissance across different fields.
Their mission was extremely simple, yet also extraordinarily dangerous:
Infiltrate enemy territory and locate and reinforce Shinichi's surrounded unit.
After realizing that breaking through Kumogakure's defensive lines in the short term would be nearly impossible, and after learning through various intelligence channels that Kumogakure's pursuit forces were steadily increasing while Shinichi's unit's situation was becoming increasingly dire—
Hiruzen had issued an order this very morning that had met near-universal opposition.
He would personally lead an absolutely elite force deep into the Land of Lightning in secret to reinforce Shinichi's unit.
The decision carried immense risk—to the point of bordering on outright irresponsibility. The Hokage was the pillar of an entire village. If news of him personally infiltrating enemy territory were leaked, or if the operation encountered even the slightest mishap, Kumogakure would undoubtedly launch a frenzied encirclement at any cost.
Should the Third Hokage fall into danger—or worse, perish—within a foreign nation, the blow to Konoha's morale and the entire war effort would be catastrophic.
And yet, in the face of nearly unanimous opposition and attempts at persuasion within the command tent, this Hokage—normally known for his gentle and tolerant demeanor—displayed an unprecedented level of firmness and resolve.
He forcefully suppressed all dissent, rapidly assembled the personnel, and departed by noon that very day.
The force sped through the darkness at full speed.
The Third Hokage's brows remained tightly furrowed. Beside him, Orochimaru glanced at him and let out a soft chuckle.
"Hiruzen-sensei, relax. Shinichi-kun will be fine."
Orochimaru had only returned alone to the frontline encampment earlier that morning. He had expected to receive a severe reprimand from his teacher, yet unexpectedly, Hiruzen had remained completely silent regarding the matter and had merely ordered him to join the rescue force.
Hearing his disciple's words, the Third Hokage turned his head and gave Orochimaru a faint glance without replying, though the disappointment in his heart was difficult to conceal.
He realized that he increasingly could no longer understand this disciple of his.
Ever since the end of the Second Shinobi World War, the disciple he had once valued beyond measure had grown increasingly deep and unreadable in both thought and conduct, as though an invisible barrier had formed between master and student.
Objectively speaking, as the supreme commander of the northeastern front, Orochimaru's ability to sharply seize the opportunity and choose the appropriate personnel to execute the mission was not something Hiruzen could criticize.
And during the mission itself, after successfully triggering the Eight-Tails' rampage and creating massive chaos, Orochimaru had not continued operating alongside Shinichi's unit during the subsequent assault phase, instead choosing to withdraw alone.
From a personal and emotional standpoint, that choice was difficult to accept.
But from the standpoint of mission logic, it was entirely justified.
After all, although the two operations were connected, they belonged to different stages with separate objectives. Orochimaru had flawlessly completed the ignition phase that belonged to him, and naturally had the right to choose his own withdrawal route and timing according to his judgment.
It was precisely this excessively clear—even cold—division of mission responsibilities that caused a trace of disappointment to rise within the Third Hokage's heart.
What disappointed Hiruzen even more was that this disciple of his clearly understood just how much importance and expectation he placed upon that child, Shinichi.
And he also fully understood that if Hiruzen had known beforehand the full details and risks of this operation, he very likely would never have approved it.
That was why Orochimaru had deliberately waited until the very last moment before the operation to deliver a vague and evasive report in a manner that resembled notification far more than consultation.
With his keen instincts, the Third Hokage vaguely sensed something else as well.
Inflicting severe damage upon Kumogakure may have merely been a side effect.
His disciple seemed to harbor some deeper objective. It was as though he were using this dangerous operation as an experiment—or perhaps an observation—in an attempt to verify or uncover something.
The Third Hokage could not determine exactly what Orochimaru wished to discover.
But it was precisely that curiosity which transcended conventional boundaries that drove him to push the plan forward no matter what, even knowing he would inevitably face harsh criticism and perhaps completely disappoint his teacher in the process.
That kind of behavior—placing personal curiosity above everything else—sent a deep chill through Hiruzen's heart.
And Orochimaru's increasingly inscrutable and distant way of doing things left the Third Hokage feeling more and more disappointed in this disciple of his.
Seeing that look, Orochimaru's heart suddenly trembled.
Hiruzen's gaze was extremely light and calm, yet it was precisely that utterly tranquil indifference that caused an inexplicable jolt within Orochimaru's heart, stirring a rare trace of panic.
A sentence suddenly surfaced in his mind.
True disappointment is when even reproach feels unnecessary.
Had Hiruzen-sensei already reached that point with him?
The thought made him subconsciously speak again, as though trying to recover something—or prove something.
"Hiruzen-sensei, with Shinichi-kun's abilities and intelligence, if he truly wished to escape, I believe there is no one in all of Kumogakure capable of keeping him behind."
"Perhaps."
The Third Hokage remained silent for a moment before finally giving a slight nod. Then his gaze returned to the road ahead, and he spoke no further.
Of course he knew that with that child Shinichi's abilities and vigilance, if he truly wanted to leave, escaping safely would be easy for him.
But...
What if that child himself did not want to leave?
Just like his own teacher back then.
As the fastest shinobi in the world, if his teacher had wanted to flee, no one could have stopped him. If he had not wished to die, no one could have killed him.
Yet in the end, his teacher still died.
Because he chose to stay behind, leaving the chance to survive to his disciples.
As his thoughts churned, the Third Hokage could not help but recall the child from five years ago standing in the cemetery, telling his companion who had lost his father:
"I'll cover the rear."
And ever since this war had begun, every single thing that child had done had been a fulfillment of that heavy promise from back then.
And this time, faced with Kumogakure's relentless, no-cost-spared encirclement, when the situation reached its most dangerous point, the Third Hokage was absolutely certain of one thing.
That child would definitely make the same choice.
The very same choice his teacher had once made.
The force sped rapidly through dense forests and cliff-lined terrain. The Third Hokage's gaze swept across the surroundings, and suddenly, the landscape before him began to feel increasingly familiar.
After a brief daze, he remembered.
It was here.
That blood-and-fire-soaked night from decades ago—it had been on this very stretch of treacherous land that he, Danzō, Homura, Koharu, Kagami, Torifu, and the others had fled like stray dogs in utter disgrace.
And their teacher had resolutely turned back, remaining behind in that death trap to block the pursuers with his own life.
The regret and helplessness from that time still remained branded deep within his heart to this day.
He hated his own weakness.
Hated his own helplessness.
Hated that all he could do was passively accept the path to survival his teacher had paved with his life.
And now, decades later, he had returned once again to this land that carried his deepest regret.
All these years, he had never forgotten his teacher's entrustment. He had diligently and cautiously protected the village, walking as though upon thin ice. He knew very well that his wisdom was far inferior to his teacher's, and that during his years in office, he had left behind far too many regrets and compromises.
But he had never once slacked off.
He had always done everything in his power.
And yet, in countless sleepless nights, the Third Hokage's heart had never been free of regret.
Why hadn't he insisted harder back then?
Why hadn't he more forcefully demanded to stay behind?
Why...
Hadn't he remained to fight side by side with his teacher, to live and die together?
And so now—
He had come.
Decades ago, this land had buried his teacher.
Today, decades later, he would absolutely not allow that child—who possessed the same will and wisdom as his teacher—to be buried here in the same way.
That was why the Third Hokage had come.
Disregarding his own safety.
Regardless of the cost.
Regardless of the consequences.
He had come!
"You're still young. That moment will come eventually..."
As they continued their rapid advance, the surrounding environment became increasingly familiar. In a daze, his teacher's final words seemed to pierce through time itself and echo once more beside his ears.
That moment...
Yes.
That moment.
Without drawing attention to it, the Third Hokage's gaze swept one by one across the subordinates around him.
Most of them were still very young.
Just like he, Danzō, Koharu, and Homura had once been decades ago.
And what about himself?
The Third Hokage suddenly realized that he was no longer young.
His age had already reached nearly the same age his teacher had been when he sacrificed himself.
At the same time, the strange stirring within his heart grew increasingly intense, as though something were warning him.
If, upon finding Shinichi and the others, the very worst situation truly unfolded, then...
"I'll do it!"
That night decades ago, when someone had needed to serve as bait to lure away Kumogakure's pursuers, the hot-blooded young man he had once been had spoken those ringing words, intending to throw away his own life to buy a sliver of survival for his teacher and comrades.
But back then, his teacher had stopped him.
He had pushed him back toward the road of survival, then turned around alone and walked toward the end of his fate.
Decades had passed.
The land had not changed.
The choice had not changed.
And the heart that swore to protect had not changed either.
The only thing that had changed... was himself.
He was no longer the youth who needed protection.
He was Konoha's Hokage.
The moment that had once belonged to his teacher...
Perhaps now, it was quietly approaching him as well.
That was why his heart felt such an inexplicable stirring at this moment.
And yet, the Third Hokage felt not the slightest fear.
On the contrary, he felt increasingly at peace.
He understood that for the leader of an entire village, his current thoughts might be far too willful—perhaps even irresponsible.
But the village's future already had young people worthy of inheriting it.
Tsunade, Jiraiya, Minato, and that child Shinichi—
No matter who inherited the burden of the Hokage in the future, they would surely do better than he ever had and lead Konoha into an even more prosperous era.
That night decades ago, his resolve had been stopped by his teacher.
And tonight, decades later—
Perhaps this was finally the moment for him to fulfill that promise delayed for so many years.
If this journey truly ended in disaster, then...
He would go meet his teacher openly and without regret.
And personally tell him:
"Your entrusted duty—this disciple has done his utmost to fulfill it."
"The village you protected already has successors to inherit it."
"And that young man whom you once pushed back onto the path of survival... has already grown into a towering tree capable of sheltering the next generation."
"And in the final moment of his life, he made the exact same choice you once did."
At that thought, an awe-inspiring presence suddenly erupted from the Third Hokage.
It was not overbearing or violent.
On the contrary, it felt incomparably calm.
Yet it was pure and condensed to the absolute extreme, as though even the slightest trace of it carried the weight of mountains.
The change was extraordinarily subtle.
Among everyone present, only the exceptionally perceptive Orochimaru, who followed closely behind him, sharply sensed it.
In an instant, his pupils suddenly contracted, and shock rose within his heart.
All this time, Orochimaru had watched as Hiruzen grew older year by year, his peak long behind him, while he himself continued advancing and exploring ever further.
Deep down, he had quietly estimated that his own strength had gradually drawn close to his teacher's—perhaps even reaching the point where, in certain aspects, he could stand shoulder to shoulder with him.
But at this moment, feeling the awe-inspiring presence that had suddenly erupted from his teacher, Orochimaru finally realized just how absurdly mistaken he had been.
If he were to fight his teacher right now...
The thought flashed through Orochimaru's mind, and he immediately realized without the slightest doubt that he likely would not even last ten exchanges.
The Third Hokage did not notice the shock of the disciple behind him. At this moment, the strange stirring within his heart was becoming increasingly intense and increasingly clear.
Then come!
The Third Hokage suddenly accelerated once more, his figure nearly transforming into a streak of light tearing through the night as he sped decisively forward—
Toward the front.
Toward that "moment" which perhaps had always belonged to him.
At this very moment, this "Light" who had ruled Konoha for so many years did not know that just as he made this decision—
Another man, the "Darkness" who had accompanied him for decades as both rival and comrade, had already reached his own moment first upon the battlefield ahead.
Konoha's Light and Darkness.
These two old friends and rivals, who had accompanied, competed against, and entangled with one another for decades, had unexpectedly reached the same resolve on this very same night, upon this land that had once buried their teacher and left behind the regrets of both men.
Only this time—
That "Darkness," who had always lagged half a step behind the "Light," had, for the first time in his life, finally walked ahead of the Light.
If Hiruzen were to learn of this, what would he feel?
Shock?
Understanding?
Or some indescribable emotion?
But no matter what—
This night belonged to the convergence of Light and Darkness walking different paths toward the same end.
This night belonged to the inheritance of will passed from tree to root.
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