Orochimaru POV

The cold wind howled atop the barrier.

The purple, swirling wall of chakra hummed around the roof of the stadium, cutting off Hiruzen Sarutobi and Orochimaru from the chaos below.

Steel clashed against steel.

Hiruzen grimaced, feeling the sharp bite of the Kusanagi blade scraping against his adamantine staff, the mighty Enma in weapon form.

"You're slower than I remember, Sensei," Orochimaru hissed with a cruel smile, his golden eyes glittering with madness.

"And you," Hiruzen said, parrying sharply, "have fallen lower than I ever feared."

They broke apart, breathing lightly.

The air between them crackled with tension.

Far below, screams echoed from the streets of Konoha, but neither of the combatants moved to look,

Suddenly, both paused instinctively.

Their sharp senses picked up a massive surge of chakra from the distant forests outside the village.

Orochimaru's tongue flickered out in interest.

Hiruzen narrowed his gaze.

From their vantage, even through the barrier, they could feel it.

Two massive presences clashing against one another, monstrous, heavy.

'The jinchūriki… and…'

In the distance, even the faint outline of a partially-tailed beast could be seen the silhouette of Shukaku rising, only to be slammed back down.

A silver snake and a black snake flashed into view for an instant, coiling against the monstrous sand beast.

Orochimaru tilted his head with fascination.

"Your brats are doing better than I expected," he chuckled darkly. "So… Kakashi even gave them summon contracts. Snakes, no less."

Hiruzen smiled as he saw them from a distance.

"They are stronger than you realize." Although he didn't know how Kakashi got them contracts with Snakes he no longer cared and focused on Orochimaru.

Steel rang out again as they clashed, Orochimaru lunging with blinding speed, Kusanagi slicing the air, Enma parrying with iron force.

Orochimaru danced back lightly, grinning.

"Still, it won't matter. After today, Konoha falls."

In response, Hiruzen slammed Enma into the ground, summoning shadow clones to surround Orochimaru.

"No, it won't."

Orochimaru's eyes flicked again as another surge of chakra pulsed from inside Konoha.

That…? He frowned.

A single presence, swift and devastating, was cutting through the invading Sound and Sand shinobi like a scythe.

Kakashi Hatake.

Even from this distance, Orochimaru could feel the brutal precision in Kakashi's movements.

Kabuto… Orochimaru thought darkly.

But before he could even wonder, he sensed it, Kabuto's chakra signature vanishing under a sudden overwhelming force.

Not dead, but completely disabled.

The snake sannin's lips curled downward slightly.

"Kakashi…you've grown far beyond my expectations," he muttered to himself.

Hiruzen, seeing the flicker in his old student's eyes, allowed himself another sliver of satisfaction.

They will not fall so easily.

Orochimaru snarled and bit his thumb, slamming his hands together.

"Let's see if your hope can stand against the past itself!"

The air suddenly warped, it became dark and heavy.

Two coffins rose from the ground with a grinding noise First Hokage. Second Hokage.

Hashirama and Tobirama's faces were calm, almost blank under the Edo Tensei control.

"Even you," Orochimaru sneered, "cannot fight against your own mentors."

Hiruzen's face was grave as he saw the two previous Hokage.

"I will bear this burden." He said.

The two reanimated Hokage moved smoothly, attacking with devastating speed.

Wood Release and Water Release techniques battered the rooftop as Hiruzen fought back desperately, using Enma and all his mastery.

Even at his age, his strength didn't falter, not once.

But Orochimaru, watching the larger battle unfold below through glimpses between blows, suddenly narrowed his gaze again.

In the ruined streets of Konoha, he saw her.

Anko Mitarashi, once his student.

She moved through the battlefield like a serpent herself, her chakra rolling violently, her chakra-infused taijutsu cutting down Sound-nin who dared approach her.

More importantly…

When Orochimaru's senses brushed against her, he realized it instantly.

No cursed seal.

Nothing from him. His seal was gone.

Replaced.

He inhaled sharply.

"That mark," he whispered aloud, dodging a blast of water that mistakenly came from Tobirama's technique, "is no longer mine…"

He laughed, a raspy, genuine sound of surprise.

"Kakashi… you recreated my technique," he marveled aloud.

"And perfected it. No wonder I couldn't feel it anymore."

Even mid-battle, Orochimaru's mind whirred with calculations.

To recreate a senjutsu-based cursed seal without losing the host… to enhance it beyond mine…

It was a feat of sheer genius…. and an insult to his pride.

He almost applauded for him.

The battle between Naruto, Sasuke, and Shukaku reached its climax.

From their high perch, Hiruzen and Orochimaru both felt the explosion of chakra as Naruto and Sasuke coordinated their snake summoning Hikaribi and Yamihibi to immobilize Shukaku's monstrous body.

Then with a flare of raw, uncontrolled energy, Naruto slammed the final Rasengan into Gaara's face, smashing Shukaku's control into dust.

Even Orochimaru winced a little at the force behind that strike.

"They're monsters," Orochimaru muttered appreciatively.

Hiruzen simply smiled.

'Konoha's future… is strong.' He thought so

The rooftop cracked under the strain of jutsu.

Hiruzen roared as he summoned massive amounts of chakra, forcing Hashirama and Tobirama to hesitate for the first time.

Orochimaru licked his lips hungrily.

"You cannot stop me, Sensei," he hissed.

"I don't need to stop you forever," Hiruzen replied grimly. "Only long enough."

They clashed again.

Fire jutsu roared.

Water jutsu crashed.

Lightning splintered on the nearby stones.

Hiruzen fought with everything he had, Enma his shield and spear.

Orochimaru delighted in the carnage, but deep inside

He knew.

He had underestimated Konoha.

Badly.

The new generation, led by Kakashi, Naruto, Sasuke, Sakura, Anko, Kurenai, and even the common jonin, was resisting with a strength far beyond what he had planned for.

Even now, the Sand forces were crumbling.

The Sound Ninja were dying.

And his teacher still stood strong before him.

Hiruzen formed hand signs faster than Orochimaru could follow.

"Dead Demon Consuming Seal!" he roared.

The specter of the Shinigami appeared behind him, a massive, gaping maw of death.

Orochimaru's eyes widened in shock — for the first time, truly afraid.

"You would sacrifice yourself!?" Orochimaru screamed, struggling.

"To protect them?" Hiruzen smiled peacefully. "Gladly."

Chains of spirit energy shot forth from the Shinigami's hands, piercing the Edo Tensei Hokage first, binding them.

Hashirama and Tobirama gasped as the seal pulled their souls free.

Orochimaru cursed violently, trying to retreat, but it was too late.

The Shinigami's other hand reached for him.

"No!" Orochimaru shrieked.

The Kusanagi blade, still lodged in Hiruzen's body, twisted painfully but the old Hokage didn't flinch. He didn't have the strength to take Orochimaru's soul but he could take his hands.

His final thoughts were of Naruto.

Of Sasuke.

Of Kakashi.

Of the countless young shinobi whose flames were burning brighter than ever.

The Will of Fire… lives on.