Suddenly—
Countless white feathers drifted down from the sky.
They floated gently, scattering across the entire arena.
"What… is this?"
The spectators looked up in confusion.
The next second—
"So sleepy…"
"My eyes… won't stay open…"
One person after another collapsed.
Falling straight into deep sleep.
Including the vast majority of the ninja present.
"Genjutsu?!"
"It's a large-scale Genjutsu!"
A few jonin reacted instantly.
"Release!"
But it was already too late.
Most of the crowd had already been put to sleep.
On the arena floor—
Temari and Kankurō seized the moment and rushed forward.
"Gaara!"
Kankurō lifted the heavily injured Gaara onto his back.
"Hurry! We're leaving!"
Shiranui Genma reacted immediately.
"Stop right there!"
He drew a kunai and moved to intercept.
But—
Swish!
A figure blocked his path.
It was the Sunagakure jōnin—Baki.
"Your opponent is me," Baki said coldly.
"Go! Take Gaara and retreat!"
"Yes!"
Temari and Kankurō turned at once, fleeing toward the forest.
Genma tried to pursue.
But Baki launched his attack.
"Wind Release: Gale Palm!"
Sharp wind blades tore through the air.
Genma was forced to dodge.
"Damn it…!"
He turned his head sharply.
"Sasuke!"
"Chase them! Don't let Gaara escape!"
Sasuke took off instantly.
"Understood!"
Naruto jumped down as well.
"Leave it to us!"
Sakura followed close behind.
"I'm coming too!"
Shikamaru watched them, sighing deeply.
"What a drag…"
"But whatever."
He stood up and followed at an unhurried pace.
"Can't let them act on their own…"
"It'll be a pain if something goes wrong…"
Shino moved after them in silence.
"I'll join the pursuit mission as well."
Still—
No one acknowledged him.
"…Ignored again."
Shino muttered quietly.
In the spectator stands—
"It's begun… the Konoha Crush Plan."
Kakashi turned his gaze toward the Hokage's viewing platform.
BOOM!!
A violent explosion erupted.
Smoke and dust billowed into the air.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Protect the Hokage!"
ANBU swarmed toward the platform.
Almost the instant the explosion occurred—
Kakashi moved.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Swish!
His figure vanished from the stands.
On the roof of the Hokage's platform—
Four figures had just landed.
Sakon, Jirōbō, Kidōmaru, and Tayuya.
They began forming hand seals.
"Four Violet Flames Formation—!"
But—
Swish!
A figure appeared right among them.
"What?!"
All four froze in shock.
Lightning exploded from Kakashi's right hand.
Crackle—crackle—CRACK!!
"Chidori!"
Target—Sakon!
Sakon didn't even have time to react.
RIP!!
The Chidori pierced straight through his chest.
"Gah—!!"
Blood sprayed as Sakon's eyes went wide.
His body convulsed before collapsing lifelessly to the ground.
"Sakon!!"
The other three were both shocked and enraged.
Jirōbō roared as he formed seals.
"You bastard!"
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
A massive earthen wall surged upward, blocking Kakashi's advance.
Kakashi moved to pursue.
"I can't let them finish the barrier—!"
But at that moment—
Swish!
Another figure appeared.
Landing exactly where Sakon had fallen.
"Leave this to me."
Kabuto Yakushi adjusted his glasses, smiling faintly.
"Kakashi-senpai… long time no see."
Kakashi's expression darkened.
"Kabuto…!"
"Thanks for sparing me last time," Kabuto chuckled.
"But now…"
He formed hand seals swiftly.
"I won't give you another chance."
"Four Violet Flames Formation!"
Kabuto filled Sakon's position.
The four activated the technique simultaneously.
Purple chakra surged upward.
"Damn it…!"
Kakashi's eyes sharpened.
"Too late…!"
The barrier began to close.
At the final instant—
Kakashi made his decision.
"Body Flicker Technique!"
Swish!
His figure vanished.
The next moment—
He appeared inside the barrier.
On the Hokage's platform.
"What?!"
Kabuto's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He… rushed into the barrier?!"
Jirōbō was stunned.
"This guy… is he insane?!"
"He actually entered it voluntarily?!"
Kidōmaru sneered.
"Heh. Good."
"Now he can't escape."
"He'll die in there with the Third Hokage."
Tayuya nodded coldly.
"Idiot."
The Four Violet Flames Formation was completed.
The purple barrier fully sealed the platform.
Inside the barrier—
The Third Hokage looked at Kakashi in shock.
"Kakashi?!"
"How did you get in here?!"
"Hokage-sama," Kakashi said calmly.
"Your subordinate arrived late."
"You—!" the Third Hokage exclaimed anxiously.
"You shouldn't have come in!"
"Now that the barrier is sealed, you can't get out either!"
"I know," Kakashi replied evenly.
"But I can't allow you to face Orochimaru alone."
"As a jōnin of Konoha, protecting the Hokage is my duty."
The Third Hokage fell silent for several seconds.
Then he sighed deeply.
"You… really haven't changed."
"But…"
He looked at Kakashi and smiled with relief.
"Thank you, Kakashi."
Across from them—
Orochimaru watched the scene unfold.
He licked his lips slowly.
"Oh? Kakashi came in as well?"
"Kakashi-kun…"
A trace of disappointment flickered in his eyes.
"Is this the choice you made?"
"I'm very disappointed."
"I thought you would be smarter."
"In the Forest of Death, you clearly showed a different resolve."
"I even believed you might stand on my side…"
"In the end…"
He shook his head.
"You still chose this decaying Konoha."
"This village that is on the verge of destruction."
"What a pity."
Kakashi raised his head, meeting Orochimaru's gaze.
"Orochimaru."
"I do want to change Konoha."
"But not through your methods."
"Not through destruction and slaughter."
"But rather—"
He paused.
"Through nurturing the next generation."
"Through reform."
"Through the right path."
"Your way leads only to ruin."
"I will not follow you."
Orochimaru fell silent for a moment.
Then he laughed—
Cold and hollow.
"Reform? Nurturing the next generation?"
"Kakashi-kun, you're far too naive."
"Konoha has rotted down to its roots."
"If it isn't completely destroyed, how can it be rebuilt?"
"You think you can change all this with just a handful of students?"
"Ridiculous."
Kakashi smiled faintly.
"Do you really think I'm the same person I was a month ago?"
"This past month…"
"I wasn't just training students."