Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a wave of nausea wash over him, his vision swimming momentarily as he tried to regain his bearings. When his sight finally cleared, he found himself surrounded by the dense, oppressive foliage of the Forest of Death. The twisted trees and eerie silence of the forest sent a chill down his spine, reminding him of the countless training sessions and battles he had witnessed in this very place. But this time, something was different. Something was wrong.
In the dim light filtering through the canopy, Hiruzen saw a figure emerge from the shadows. It was Toji, his presence menacing and foreboding. The sinister smirk on Toji's face sent alarm bells ringing in Hiruzen's mind.
"Naruto" Hiruzen began, his voice steady despite the turmoil inside him. "I should have known."
Toji's smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of amusement and malice. "So, the old man finally puts the pieces together," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes, his thoughts racing. Anko had mentioned an unknown assailant, someone who had met with Kabuto. It all made sense now. "You're the unknown assailant," he said slowly, piecing together the puzzle. "You've been working with Orochimaru."
Toji chuckled, the sound low and mocking. "Me? Working with Orochimaru?" He shook his head. "I don't work with anyone. I have my own goals, my own path.""
"But you knew about the invasion," Hiruzen pressed. "You knew about Orochimaru's plan."
Toji's expression hardened, the amusement fading. "I was aware," he admitted. "But my interests do not align with Orochimaru's. They never have."
"Then why?" Hiruzen demanded. "Why involve yourself in this madness?"
Toji's eyes glinted with something dark and unreadable. "I have my reasons, old man,"
"It's not to late to stop Naruto" Hiruzen
"Save your speeches, old man," Toji spat "Your words mean nothing to me." Said before taking a step back from Hiruzen
Without a word, the two rush at each other, their fists and feet becoming a blur of motion. Hiruzen, despite his age, shows his mastery in taijutsu, deftly blocking and countering Toji's attacks. Toji's immense strength and speed, granted by his Heavenly Restriction, make him a force to be reckoned with.
Hiruzen ducks under a powerful punch and counters with a swift uppercut, followed by a spinning kick aimed at Toji's head. Toji catches the kick, using Hiruzen's momentum to throw him across the battlefield. Hiruzen lands gracefully, barely missing a beat, and charges back in, his strikes precise and relentless.
Toji, unfazed, matches Hiruzen blow for blow. They exchange a rapid series of punches and kicks, each testing the other's limits.
Hiruzen, recognizing the stalemate in taijutsu, leaps back and forms a series of hand signs. "Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique!" A massive fireball roars towards Toji.
Toji smirks, drawing both his Souruteika and Hitei Suru. With a swift slash of Hitei Suru, he cuts through the fireball, negating it. He then charges forward, both swords ready.
Hiruzen's eyes narrow. He forms another series of hand signs. "Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!" A solid wall of earth erupts from the ground, blocking Toji's path. But Toji's enhanced strength allows him to shatter the wall with a powerful strike from his Souruteika.
As the debris settles, Hiruzen summons shadow clones to surround Toji. Each clone launches a barrage of shuriken.
Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
The shuriken multiplied mid-air, filling the sky with a deadly rain. Toji deflected them with his blades, turning the battlefield into a whirlwind of steel and sparks. Toji took the down the clones one by one.
