The Hope of the Senju Clan

Chapter 33: Hope

-With Tsunade and the others-

After the death of Naruto, the battle inside the barrier took a brief pause, where the only sound that could be heard was the sound of a weeping Tsunade, mourning the loss of her only child.

Jiraiya did his best to console his heart broken team-mate as he held the weeping woman, while the Sandaime kneeled down next to Naruto and had him lay on his back.

"I'm sorry Naruto...it should have been me, not you" said the Sandaime sadly as he mourned the young boy, whose life was tragically cut short.

"Tsk, what a waste" Orochimaru thought with a frown when he looked at the now deceased boy.

After a few minutes a cruel sneer appeared on the man's face. "It seems that your necklace has once again claimed another victim. A shame though, he would have made an excellent vessel one day, but like all foolish children who dream of being Hokage he died needlessly."

Hearing this, both Jiraiya and the Sandaime glared angrily at the man, who couldn't even leave them be to mourn the loss of someone dear to them, without saying something cruel.

Even Tsunade stopped hear crying when she heard Orochimaru's word.

"It really is a shame though, he had so much potential, but like little Nawaki, he was far too reckless and naive...In fact like Nawaki he probably thought he was invincible with the way he would rush off into danger without any regard. Kukukuku...it really is quite amusing"

As Orochimaru continued to laugh, he was suddenly cut short by a powerful punch to the face from Tsunade, who appeared in front of him and shouted "SSHHUUTT UUPP!" The punch was so strong that it broke the former Sannin's nose and sent sprawling across the ground, before hitting a tree.

"Don't...Don't you ever...ever insult my son or my brother like that again!" yelled Tsunade angrily, whose face was still covered in dried tears and her eyes were puffy red from crying so hard.

At the same time Jiraiya and Sarutobi, who looked angrier than Orochimaru had ever seen them, flanked Tsunade as they prepared to back the blonde haired woman up.

"You BBiittcchhh" Orochimaru hissed angrily as he glared at the Senju mother and held his right sleeve up to his now broken nose.

"Kill them!" Orochimaru ordered when he saw the Shodai and Nidaime Hokages appear next to him.

"No!" said the Shodai Hokage suddenly, surprising everyone by his answer.

"What did you say?" Orochimaru said is shock at the Shodai refusing his order.

"He said no, there has been enough fighting and death for today" answered the Nidaime Hokage. After which smoke suddenly began to emanate from their bodies and cracks started to appear on both his and the Shodai's faces, where they turned pale white and their bodies slowly began to crumble to dust

"What's going on? I don't understand this shouldn't be happening" said Orochimaru in dumb confusion.

"Although you have learned how to use the Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation), you still do not understand it fully. Human emotions are not so easily restrained and if a person is affected in an emotional way, such as seeing that boy sacrificing himself to save his mother and protect this village. Then we are able to free our souls from the bindings of the Jutsu and return to the afterlife" answered the Nidaime Hokage.

"Impossible!" said Orochimaru, whose eyes widen in disbelief.

"You have done well as Hokage Sarutobi" said the Nidaime as he turned to his former student and smiled, "The will of fire has clearly been passed on to the next generation, if that boy's actions are any indication. We can now rest easily knowing Konoha is in good hands."