Chapter 61
"But you won't do anything to the Hyuga branch while I'm away, right...?" Zixu didn't fully trust Orochimaru's promise. To be safe, he sent his silent clone to follow him. The clone still bore a look of despair, but despite his numbness, he knew what was important. His top priority was protecting the Hyuga branch.
Orochimaru, noticing the clone trailing him, curled his tongue and put aside his schemes for now. There would be plenty of opportunities, and he could afford to wait. As Orochimaru and Zixu departed, many of Konoha's high-ranking shinobi arrived on the rooftop. When Sarutobi Hiruzen was alive, he had taken a neutral stance by not interfering. Ignoring his death now would seem intentional.
Several Konoha Jonin, including Kakashi and Guy-sensei, gazed at the Third Hokage's lifeless body. His expression was peaceful, as if merely asleep, ready to wake at any moment. A solemn air hung over the group. They would soon retrieve the Third Hokage's body and begin Konoha's reconstruction. Despite their loss, the village had to endure. Many buildings had been destroyed by the summoning of Manda and the Sand Ninja's attack. The reconstruction efforts needed to start immediately.
Jiraiya had withdrawn Gamabunta and observed from a distance. Watching his former sensei die stirred emotions he kept under control. He sighed, "Uzumaki Naruto..." That boy was anything but ordinary. If he strayed down the wrong path, the entire shinobi world would drown in bloodshed. Jiraiya was growing old; he lacked the energy for many things, but he could still nurture Naruto and protect Konoha.
"The Uzumaki Clan... Why are all my students connected to whirlpools?" Jiraiya smiled bitterly before vanishing into the night.
Zixu sped forward, no longer needing to disguise himself. His conversation with Orochimaru in the Forest of Death and his subsequent actions had earned him a significant amount of system points. After confirming multiple times that he wouldn't self-destruct, he decisively awakened the Uo Uo no Mi (Fish-Fish Fruit). He had become proficient in switching between its three forms. Though he hadn't yet mastered Suzaku's techniques such as Honō Ryūka (Flame Dragon Torch), Nobori Ryū (Rising Dragon), and En Bagua (Flame Eight Trigrams), he had full control over the basics—Honōgumo (Flame Cloud), Jakufū (Gale Force), and Mei Raimei (Roaring Thunder).
With the three fundamentals—Haki, Devil Fruit, and Taijutsu—unlocked, Zixu's overall strength had surged. The fusion of his fruit and physical abilities triggered spiritual growth, which in turn boosted his mastery over Haki. His physical transformation shattered previous limits, increasing his fusion rate to 50% without even spending points. However, Zixu wasn't blinded by his newfound power. At first, he had been overwhelmed, but upon witnessing the Shikifūjin (Reaper Death Seal)—a technique that directly attacks the soul—he sobered up quickly.
While Zixu's physical resilience was impeccable, he lacked an array of defensive jutsu. A typical shinobi might master only a handful of techniques in their lifetime. Without a fortuitous encounter, they would likely rely on the standard Bunshin no Jutsu (Clone Technique), Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique), and Kawarimi no Jutsu (Substitution Technique) until their dying day.
Fortunately, this was no longer an issue for him. With Orochimaru—the research-obsessed maniac—at his side, he had access to an arsenal of forbidden jutsu. Additionally, he had the soul of Sarutobi Hiruzen in his grasp.