Naruto: Starting as the Third Hokage with Tears in His Eyes

Behind them, in a deathly silence of shadow.

Sasori's face was so gloomy it was almost as if water could drip from it.

The left wing was completely cut off and sealed by the silver-haired man who created the lake out of thin air using a strange water escape technique.

In the center, the seemingly harmless long-haired man used his godlike Wood Release giant technique to capture them all alive, like catching chicks, and then they were used as experimental subjects by a group of people in white coats.

The right wing was used by Konoha's Golden Generation as a hunting ground to showcase teamwork and individual strength.

The three assault teams and countless cultists were wiped out in less than ten minutes.

"The artworks... have all been ruined..."

Scorpion's voice was filled with suppressed rage. In his eyes, these immortal cultists were the most fundamental material in his soon-to-be-completed eternal art, yet they were now being so brutally destroyed.

"not good……"

A hoarse voice sounded beside him, and Black Zetsu, who controlled the Third Kazekage Retsumon, also felt an unprecedented sense of difficulty.

Its plan has deviated most seriously.

Konoha's reaction speed and defensive deployment far exceeded its expectations.

Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Minato Namikaze... these top-tier fighters who shouldn't have been here at the same time appeared precisely at every crucial moment, as if they had rehearsed in advance.

"How come they're all here...? The intelligence was wrong! We must succeed immediately and then retreat!"

Black Zetsu no longer hesitated.

It knew very well that if they continued to entangle themselves, all that awaited them was complete annihilation.

The only way to survive is to seize the Nine-Tails before the enemy's encirclement completely closes in!

"Magnetic Release: Iron Sand Wall!"

Liemen's body jolted violently, and he clapped his hands forward.

In an instant, the earth trembled violently, and countless black iron sands gushed out from the ground, rapidly converging like living things to form a black iron curtain that blotted out the sky, forcefully cutting off the view of those pursuing from behind.

Taking advantage of this brief cover, Black Zetsu controlled the Fierce Gate, leading Scorpion and the remaining dozen or so elite members of the Evil God Cult towards the steep cliff behind the manor.

They quickly flew over the manor's walls and gently landed in the back courtyard.

All around was silent, except for the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Compared to the terrifying scene of gods fighting in the front yard, this place was eerily quiet.

Scorpion's eyes swept warily around him, and his puppeteer's intuition made him feel uneasy.

It's too quiet.

Just then, a figure came into his view.

Under the eaves of the courtyard, a man stood quietly with his back to them, seemingly admiring the courtyard in the night.

He wasn't particularly tall, and he wore a simple Hokage robe, as if he had been waiting there for quite some time.

Scorpion's heart sank suddenly.

Black Zetsu's body tensed up to the extreme.

The man slowly turned around, revealing a rugged and composed face.

It was none other than the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi.

His face showed no surprise, not even a hint of wariness; instead, it held a faint smile.

Looking at Scorpion, and then at Retsumon who was possessed by Black Zetsu, those deep eyes seemed to see through all appearances and reach the depths of the soul.

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke softly, his voice not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"You're here?"