After all, the overall physical qualities of his current body were already powerful enough to rival Monkey King Enma. Ordinary attacks could now be essentially ignored by him.
And while Shinichi (the clone Isshin) rampaged through the enemy formation as the Konoha group fought while retreating, deep within the dense forest, another Shinichi stood quietly atop a thick tree branch, silently observing the entire battlefield through gaps in the leaves.
Naturally, the one charging through enemy lines was his clone, Isshin.
As for his true body, he only needed to release so large-scale attacks from the shadows at the appropriate monts to cover everyone's retreat.
After learning Orochimaru's unique disguise and transformation technique, Shinichi's accomplishnts in concealnt and disguise had already reached first-rate levels.
Just how powerful were Orochimaru's infiltration and disguise abilities?
During the Chunin exams in the original tiline, he had managed to avoid exposing even the slightest flaw while under the scrutiny of the Hyuga, Inuzuka, Abura, and other major reconnaissance clans, especially the Byakugan.
Moreover, Shinichi had also discovered that the white talent, Actor, seed not only to enhance performance ability but also subtly strengthen Ninjutsu, such as transformation and disguise techniques.
Thus, his disguise ability had now reached first-rate standards. After the clone, Isshin, transford into his original body's appearance, it had already reached a flawless realm.
Even the Byakugan could no longer detect any abnormalities, unlike before, when people could vaguely feel that Shinichi's body and chakra seed sowhat off.
"Heh..."
Shinichi, quietly observing the distant battlefield, suddenly chuckled softly as his figure silently shifted like a light breeze to another treetop.
The next mont…
Crimson Heaven Purge!
A blazing torrent of radiant flas surged once more from the forest, like a crimson tide sweeping toward the Village Hidden in the Cloud's flank!
Crimson Heaven Purge was currently his widest-range ultimate-level Nintaijutsu.
In a chaotic battlefield like this, it was the perfect way to clear the field and intercept enemies.
"The third Hokage should be arriving soon."
After releasing this Ninjutsu, Shinichi turned to look toward the depths of the forest behind him and thought silently.
And almost simultaneously, several miles behind them, a black afterimage was racing toward this battlefield at full speed like lightning tearing through the night.
Roughly three hundred ters behind that black afterimage, another figure followed closely, though the distance between them was steadily growing larger.
It was the third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and his student Orochimaru.
At present, there were only the two of them. The eight hundred Konoha elites who had originally accompanied them had not arrived.
Rather than saying they did not arrive, it was more accurate to say they simply could not keep up.
After contacting Shinichi Battalion unit through Shibi Abura's kikaichu insects, and especially after learning that they had actually turned back midway and returned to the desperate battlefield, the third Hokage had almost instantly made a decision that none of the accompanying personnel could accept.
He would advance alone at full speed toward the battlefield.
The mont the order was issued, before anyone could even object, the third Hokage had already transford into a streak of light and shot forward first.
Only Orochimaru, after remaining silent for a brief mont, flashed forward to follow behind him.
But even Orochimaru now felt trendous pressure. The third Hokage's speed was continuing to increase, as though he were burning sothing Orochimaru could not see. It was not rely the full eruption of chakra, but a kind of sprint driven almost by burning willpower itself.
Orochimaru had never seen his teacher like this before, as though sothing incomparably important to him was waiting ahead.
Not only Shinichi Higashino, but also Danzo Shimura, who no one could have expected to appear there.
But sothing deeper, sothing far older!
Probably regret.
Looking at his teacher's figure at the edge of his vision, growing faster and farther away until he almost transford into a streak of light tearing through the night, Orochimaru thought silently.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
The wind roared past his ears as the third Hokage's gaze swept over the increasingly familiar forest and mountain terrain before him. Countless complicated and indescribable emotions flashed through his eyes.
First, just as he had expected, that child, Shinichi, had indeed made the exact sa choice as his teacher once had upon this land, perhaps even within this very forest.
At that mont, the third Hokage's heart shook like a tsunami, yet he had already vaguely anticipated it. That child had ultimately still walked down that path.
Second, sothing beyond his expectations, Danzo had also co.
He had sought out that child, Shinichi, and chosen at the very first mont to stay behind and cover his retreat.
Third, after successfully reuniting with Shinichi, the Shinichi Battalion had actually turned back once again and returned to that dead land.
All for the sake of bringing Danzo out as well.
The intertwining of those three pieces of information was like three thunderbolts exploding within the third Hokage's heart, yet they rapidly transford into a nearly burning determination!
"Danzo..."
"You absolutely cannot die here!"
When he learned that Danzo had appeared here, the third Hokage was initially surprised. But soon afterward, he understood. All of his old friend's strange actions toward that child, Shinichi Higashino, in the past now had an answer.
It turned out that, like him, Danzo had already regarded Shinichi as the inheritor of their teacher's will.
That was why Danzo had appeared here, why he had made a choice no one could understand, to stay behind alone and cover the retreat!
Others could not understand it, but the third Hokage could.
Because among the six people who had escaped this forest in disgrace that night long ago, the one who had never forgotten it, the one who could never let it go, had always been Danzo.
That was why, after hearing that Shinichi was trapped within the Land of Lightning, he had not hesitated to lead people deep into enemy territory.
That was why, after finding Shinichi, he had chosen to stay behind personally to cover the child's retreat. That was why he had made the choice least like Danzo Shimura in his entire life, yet also the most like Danzo Shimura.
"If Homura, Koharu, and Torifu were here too..."
A thought suddenly flashed through the third Hokage's mind as he continued rushing forward.
They would probably... Make the sa choice as him and Danzo, wouldn't they?
The mont that thought arose, a feeling both understanding and absurd erged within the anxious third Hokage's heart.
All of Konoha's highest leadership might actually, at the sa mont, charge recklessly into the most dangerous depths of enemy territory as though they had collectively gone insane.
If sothing truly went wrong… then this brilliant surprise attack, which had nearly crippled Village Hidden in the Cloud's logistics and dical systems, would instantly beco a colossal joke.
A brief and foolish victory that was bought with the lives of Konoha's entire highest decision-making leadership.
Utterly absurd!
Yet also… perfectly natural.
The third Hokage shook his head, suppressing the chaotic thoughts surging through his mind.
Danzo could not die here, nor could Shinichi.
No one could!
The third Hokage suddenly accelerated once more, his figure in the forest nearly transforming into a single streaking afterimage.
He needs to go even faster.
It's as if, only when he went even a little faster, could he catch up with that resolute figure who turned away decades ago!
That way, he can salvage that regret that can never be undone!
Night, dense forest, the sound of wind, and the distant, faint roar of battle!
Everything was just like that night decades ago.
Only this ti, he was no longer the young man forced onto the path of survival by his teacher, able only to flee in disgrace!
But rather the Hokage… who was going to bring everyone back!
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