Starting with rogue ninjas, building the insect kingdom.

Chapter 309 The Final Battle Between Master and Disciple

In the Hokage's office, Hiruzen Sarutobi was reviewing documents when the door was suddenly pushed open.

"Lord Hokage, Orochimaru has defected! He broke out of the Konoha Hospital through a window and headed towards the Forest of Death."

"Orochimaru!" Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned for a moment, speechless with astonishment, because Orochimaru's defection was so unexpected.

"Orochimaru never imagined you'd end up this way. No, everything must be salvaged. I can't let you continue down the wrong path!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi pushed open the door beside him, quickly put on his armor, and his gaze drew closer, just as it had been decades ago.

"Set off!"

A member of the Anbu knelt on one knee at the doorway: "Hokage-sama, should we mobilize more men?"

"No need."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fastened the last lock, picked up the Enma Kongo Ruyi Jingu Bang (Great Staff of the Monkey King) beside him: "I am enough!"

After saying that, he flashed away and headed straight for the Death Forest.

As an Anbu ninja, how could he watch his Hokage risk his life? Besides, he had just been promoted to squad leader and might be able to advance further. So he secretly made a decision and called half of the ninjas to go and provide support.

In the Forest of Death, Orochimaru stood on the branch of a giant tree, his hands tucked into his sleeves, as if waiting for someone.

He didn't have to wait long before Hiruzen Sarutobi appeared at the forest entrance, holding the Ruyi Jingu Bang (Monkey King's Staff), and walked in step by step.

"Teacher, you've arrived."

"Orochimaru." Hiruzen Sarutobi stopped and looked up at his former disciple. "Why did you do this?"

"Why? Teacher, the fact that you're asking this question means you already know the answer."

"I do not understand."

"You understand," Orochimaru said softly, "you just don't want to admit it."

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent for a moment. In truth, he didn't understand. Could it be that Orochimaru had already realized that he didn't want to pass the throne to him?

"Come back with me," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

Upon seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi like this, Orochimaru suddenly laughed, covering his face and bursting into laughter.

"Hahaha, teacher, I thought you understood me well, but it turns out you only saw that superficial side. You think I'm really after the Hokage position? No, actually, I stopped hoping for it after the last war. The reason I defected is because there's no longer any place for me to live here."

"I have been exposed to all of Konoha's forbidden ninjutsu, but he doesn't have the resources I want, nor the unlimited human experimentation."

Upon hearing such unorthodox words, Hiruzen Sarutobi gripped his Adamantine Staff tightly, and his chakra began to circulate within his body.

"Orochimaru!" His voice suddenly rose.

"I don't know when you went down this wrong path, making your pursuits so extreme! But as your teacher, I must wake you up this time!"

"Ape Demon, Ruyi Jingu Bang, grow!"

Orochimaru also drew a glowing longsword from his sleeve.

"Then let's go."

Orochimaru's face showed excitement; in fact, he had long wanted to have a match with his master.

Hiruzen Sarutobi vanished in an instant, his Vajra Staff slamming down on Orochimaru's head with a whooshing sound.

Orochimaru dodged to the side, his Kusanagi sword slashing horizontally towards Hiruzen Sarutobi's neck. Though the difference was minuscule, it was worlds apart.

That attack missed!

Hiruzen Sarutobi leaned back, his sword flashing past the tip of his nose, severing only a few whiskers.

He turned around and swept his Ruyi Jingu Bang horizontally. Orochimaru leaped up, flipped in the air, and landed with the tip of his sword already piercing Hiruzen Sarutobi's back.

"clang--"

The Ruyi Staff deflected the sword, the tip of which struck the staff, sparks flew, and both men were forced back.

The exchange was brief, completed in an instant. In the Death Forest, a gentle breeze stirred, and leaves fell in abundance.

At this moment, Orochimaru, who had stopped, slowly spoke: "Sensei, you're too slow."

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not answer, but simply planted his Ruyi Jingu Bang in the ground and formed hand seals.

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

The speed of the One-Second Great Seal was no less than before; a huge fire dragon spewed from its mouth, carrying intense heat as it rushed towards Orochimaru.

Orochimaru neither dodged nor evaded, but formed a hand seal with one hand.

"Earth Release·Earth Flow Wall."

A thick earthen wall rose from the ground, and the fire dragon crashed into it, sending debris flying and heat waves radiating. The earthen wall glowed red-hot, but it did not collapse.

Then he emerged from behind the earthen wall, his Kusanagi sword wreathed in purple chakra, and lunged forward, his swordsmanship fierce, each strike aimed straight for vital points.

Hiruzen Sarutobi used his Ruyi Jingu Bang to block, and the clash of the staff and sword produced a dense metallic clang.

Inside the Death Forest, amidst the shadows of the trees, the two men's camera flashed, obscuring the view of reality. Ten moves, twenty moves, thirty moves.

Orochimaru's sword grew faster and stronger. Hiruzen Sarutobi's breathing became heavy.

He's old; that's an undeniable fact.

However, at that moment, ANBU ninjas arrived from all directions, attempting to surround Orochimaru.

"Lord Hokage, we're here to support you!" the Anbu ninja shouted, leading several team members to flank from all sides.

Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression suddenly changed drastically, and he shouted, "Retreat!"

The current Anbu, though composed of elites, is not what it used to be. These squad leaders are only Jonin at the very beginning, and the other members are at most Special Jonin level.

With such strength, rushing into the battle is not to help him, but to cause trouble!

However, it was too late for him to say it.

Orochimaru turned around and unleashed a sword strike, a bright white light sweeping out horizontally.

The three secret agents didn't even have time to react before their bodies were severed.

Half of his body lay on the ground, while the other half hung from a tree branch, blood splattering on the trunk and flowing down the bark.

Fortunately, Hiruzen Sarutobi was extremely fast and managed to stop the person closest to him and pull him aside.

"Hokage-sama—"

"I said, step back!" Hiruzen Sarutobi's voice was filled with anger. He hadn't given the order to pursue them at all, and he was shocked that these people had acted on their own initiative.

This clearly shows that he had long lost his prestige among the other ninjas, which is what angered him the most.

"Haha, teacher, you've really gotten old!" Orochimaru laughed, but then saw even more Anbu members surge forward.

He showed no sign of stopping, weaving through the crowd. Each swing of the Kusanagi sword took a life, his movements elegant yet deadly, like a dance.

As Hiruzen Sarutobi watched his subordinates fall one after another, his eyes turned red. He rushed forward and smashed Orochimaru's back with his Ruyi Jingu Bang.

Orochimaru didn't even turn his head. He parried with his sword and used the momentum to leap forward, landing ten steps away.

At this moment, there were seven more corpses on the ground.

The other ANBU ninjas then realized that Orochimaru was not someone they could contend with; going there would only cause trouble, not help.

So the ANBU ninjas began to retreat, making room, but they did not retreat completely.