The Fourth Kazekage vs. Orochimaru.
As the blade pierced his side, one could argue if he had some grand epiphany about his life and how cruel a man he had been, this was far from the truth, when the Fourth Kazekage got the Kusanagi blade in his gut, his only thoughts were about how slimy a snake Orochimaru really was and how foolish it had been to believe that Suna would survive in the wake of the Mad Sannin.
"So, Lord Kazekage, how does it feel to know that you'll aid in Konoha's downfall and yet still have your precious village burn?" Orochimaru said condescendingly as the Kazekage's subordinates battled with Kimimaro and Kabuto.
"It, it feels kinda funny. No, in fact it tickles really. To think that the great Orochimaru was so stupid to think that he could kill me with this puny sword." The Kazekage howled as he wrenched the blade from his stomach and delivered a bone shattering punch to the Sannin's face. Orochimaru flew back before landing on his feet.
"What? You think you can fight me with that hole in your side?" Orochimaru laughed as he regained his balance.
"Idiot. My daughter learned wind techniques from her sensei. Gaara is the container for Shukaku and my son learned his skills from his mother's side of the family. If you thought my abilities were that of any of them, you're wrong. All record of my ability from the wars have been sealed, there isn't a man alive that would know what I'm capable of, I killed everyone who knew, even tried to kill my son, the only one to survive it. Prepare Orochimaru, I'm gonna kill everyone here as you bare final witness to my technique." The Kazekage threw off his robe, revealing him as he had been in Gaara's childhood, if not a little more stressed looking.
"A technique I don't know about, you've piqued my interest, I'll let you live at least a little bit longer. Kabuto, Kimimaro, don't get in the way." Orochimaru said with a grin and his subordinates nodded in return.
"Big mistake." The Kazekage smirked as he drew a scroll from his back. Unfurling it, he revealed that the scroll was covered with small summoning seals. Running a bloodied hand across it, he called out.
"Art of the Forge, Infinity Sword." Slamming the open scroll across the sand in front of him, small wisps of smoke issued from the scroll, before Orochimaru could react, two sword blades impaled his feet from below. As several more blades shot up in order to stab him, the snake of a shinobi jumped, avoiding the multiple attacks with apparent ease despite the damage.
"That's your grand technique; I'm disappointed, I was expecting so much more." Orochimaru goaded as he raised the Kusanagi threateningly at the injured Kage.
"Fool, that's only the start of this technique. Now, rise up, Great Desert Dragon Sword." More and more sword blades rose from the sand, creating a field of pointed steel before the entire thing, sand and all began to rise with it, creating a giant dragon made of sand, but sporting spines, claws and teeth all made of sword blades. "Dye the sand crimson. Attack!" The dragon responded, coming down full force at Orochimaru, The Sannin dodged the maw of the beast, only to be sliced by the spines along its back. Blocking with the Kusanagi, many of the inferior blades shattered against its gleaming edge, but as the dragon neared its end, a second head shot from its body and ploughed into Orochimaru, churning him through a new gauntlet of blades that ran through its interior. As the sand dropped, apparently marking the end of Orochimaru, the Kazekage breathed a sigh of relief that was all too short. Picking up his scroll, he was about to roll it up when a bloodied arm grasping the Kusanagi shot up from the sand and cut into it on its way to his throat. Jumping back, the Kazekage watched in horror as the shredded body of Orochimaru rose from the sand. Blinded, beaten and barely with an unscathed patch of skin anywhere, it seemed that final stab was exactly that, until the bloodied heap of a creature opened its mouth and two grey coloured hands reached up around its face. Pulling himself free from the cast off body, Orochimaru grinned as he retrieved the Kusanagi and advanced toward the Kazekage. Blinking to make sure it wasn't a mirage; the Kazekage pulled his scroll open more, revealing one last big seal at its end.
"Art of the Forge, final blade Suzaku!" From the scroll burst forth a long two handed katana blade, but what seemed very strange was that it had no handle and slightly up from the uncovered hilt of the sword was a blade covered in black soot and ash as the edge glowed with a fierce red colour. Gripping the sword, the Kazekage prepared to fight off the Sannin as he approached. Rushing at one another, the blades clashed in a flurry of cuts as the two tried to put a final move on this battle. The two blades clashed, the mythical blade of Kusanagi holding against the burning edge of the Suzaku.
"Hmm, this is an interesting one, the blade remains heated, but never falters or melts and the chakra is constant without your involvement. Some kind of living fire sword?" Orochimaru laughed at the prospect as his sword held firm against the Kazekage's.
"Wouldn't you like to know? If I die, you can take the Suzaku, but I can't guarantee it'll want you." The man grinned as his hand began to slip on the sword. With one final push, the Kazekage threw off Orochimaru's sword and drove his own into the Serpent's chest, twisting it as he went. "I don't care how immortal you think you are, or how many bodies you steal, Suzaku will burn you to your very soul you snake! Let this be a reminder to you for all eternity, don't f*ck with me!" the Kazekage screamed as he went to drag the blade down through his enemy some more, but as he grinned wildly, he knew that a reminder was all he was leaving, in stabbing his blade into the Sannin's chest, the Kusanagi now pierced his own and he was most certainly not an immortal. His energy spent, the Kazekage ripped Suzaku from his opponent and staggered back, Orochimaru content to smile at the little man as he realized his own end. Dropping Suzaku in the sand, the Kazekage stumbled back and fell into the dirt.
"Goodbye, Lord Kazekage." Orochimaru laughed as he approached with the Kusanagi held high.
"Ya know what you slimy Konoha reject? Go to hell." The Kazekage gave a final cocky grin, holding up his two middle fingers as Orochimaru drove the blade one final time through his body.
"Kabuto, Kimimaro, gather the things, we're leaving." Orochimaru said with a smile as he went to grab the Suzaku sword, but as soon as his hand touched the exposed hilt, it roasted him, exploding in a billowing wave of flame. Orochimaru watched with anger as within the fire the blade burned away, a sound prevailing over the roar of the flames.
"May the wind carry my last breath, Konoha, defeat Orochimaru!" the laughing voice of the Kazekage rang out as the last remnants of the blade's ashes blew away in the wind. The Snake Sannin balled his fists in fury at the final act of the Kazekage.
Some time after, Orochimaru had transferred into a new body, regenerating his arms after Sarutobi's last curse had cost him the use of them. He knew that a new body, with a new soul and life force to absorb would repair this damage, but much to the old snake's displeasure, despite returning his hands to normal, the burning red scar that the Kazekage had left on his old body began to return as his true face came through on this new body. It seemed what the Kazekage had said was true, so long as Orochimaru's soul ruled his new bodies; the mark left on his soul would rise in his flesh.
The End
