Author's Note: Hey, everyone! How are you guys doing and how was your day today? ^^/ Sorry for the late update, I was busy with moving and other personal stuff along with getting a few chapters ready for you guys. Thank you for keep reading, welcome new readers and thank you for reading as well!
The Will of Fire
Hiruzen's vision was started to become blurry and as he was about to close his eyes, a voice woke him back up. He moved his eyes to the direction of the voice and saw Mugen, looking at him with a combination of both anger and worry. Then, he saw him turned to Orochimaru and heard him yelling something at him before charging at him. Like the slippery snake he was, he managed to avoid Mugen's attacks, fought him back with his sword in mouth. Despite not being able to lift his arms. As Hiruzen watched the two fought, he remembered what he had said to his former student.
Before the barrier was broken and the victor was revealed, Orochimaru and Hiruzen had a stand off. Orochimaru with his usual smirk while Hiruzen with his also usual, serious expression but also mixed with tiredness. "Just give it up, Old Man, for your village sake." The Sannin said, chuckling. Hiruzen's summon, Lord Enma, looked behind him towards the Hokage. "Hiruzen…" He thought, as he got a bad feeling in this dispute. "It's over, old man. You will die like the old dog you are and watch your village burn to ashes." Said Orochimaru, with a smirk on his face. He knew his sensei was at his limit, despite being able to keep up with him as to be expected from the Third Hokage. But now, he was covered in dirt, cuts and bruises while panting and keep his eyes on his student. "I won't give up, Orochimaru…and so does the Village..! You lived here before, have you forgot?" Said Hiruzen before Orochimaru appeared right in front of him with his blade penetrated through his body.
Enma and Hiruzen was caught by surprised, the world around them seemed to be frozen in place. Unfortunately for Enma, because Hiruzen was badly injured and he was also used a lot of his chakra, returned to his own world and left his summoner. Orochimaru snickered before he leaned forward and whispered the old man's ear, "Forgot what, Sensei?" He asked. Hiruzen coughed out blood and did his best to stay awake. "You…should know about the Will of Fire, Orochimaru…Not just the shinobi in this village has that, but even the villagers themselves..Your plan will be ruined…the Leaf won't fall…as long as that flame still burns!" Hiruzen went ahead and did some handsigns. A ghostly and demonic figure appeared behind Hiruzen, its caster. It smiled down on both mortals before it. "Those jutsus that you so proud of and worked so hard…I'm going to take them all away!" Hiruzen said and Orochimaru was about to jump back, to create distance between them but failed when the Third grasped his hands onto his shoulders.
Orochimaru struggled and helplessly watched as the demon's hand came out from Hiruzen's stomach and reached into Orochimaru's. The Sannin's eyes were widened as he watched his own soul getting pulled out from his body. "You foolish old man! You wouldn't dare!" He yelled and received a smirk from him. Orochimaru grabbed his sword and pulled it out from Hiruzen in one swift motion, making him groaned in pain. Blood started to pour out from the wound and Hiruzen knew he couldn't take Orochimaru's whole soul and decided to order the demon to cut a part of it. The demon obeyed and cut using a small blade. Orochimaru stopped from cutting his sensei in half. "W-what's going on?! I can't feel my arms!" He thought and heard a loud clang as his sword was dropped on the roof. The man was surprised to see both of his arms turned purple, they were dead.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO TO MY ARMS, OLD MAN?!" Orochimaru yelled while watching Hiruzen's body fell forward and blood kept coming out, creating a pool of it under the body. Then, Orochimaru remembered what he had said. "Those jutsus that you so proud of and worked so hard…I'm going to take them all away!" His eyes widened from the realization and didn't noticed the barrier around him had shattered. "As long as we have bonds to each other in this village…the Will of Fire will never blew out..!" Hiruzen said with a smile and slowly closed his eyes. As he closed his eyes, he heard someone yelled out his name from afar.
"Hmmm? Who's there..?" Hiruzen opened his eyes slightly and watched Mugen fighting Orochimaru. He could see the rage on his face, bright red eyes and whiskers on his cheeks, making him sigh on the inside. "Damn it…I couldn't even go in peace…" He thought and decided to stay conscious a little longer before calling out the man before him.
"Mugen…" Hiruzen breathed out and Mugen shook his head while about to grab one of his blades to heal him. "Safe your strength, old man! I'm going to seal the wound and get you straight to the hospital!" He said and his eyes widened when the old man in front of him gently put his hand on his arm, stopping him from what he was doing. "Don't bother, Mugen…We both know what is going to happen to me…" He said and Mugen hung his head, slamming his fist into the roof. "There you go again, destroying things even when I'm dying…Hahaha…both you and him are the same…How's the village..?" Hiruzen said and asked softly. Mugen gently held him up while he watched the elder in his hands with his blurry vision. Hiruzen felt a few drops of water on his face and he chuckled, "It's been awhile since I last seen you cry…Miss me already?" He said and chuckled. Mugen sniffed and rubbed his eyes, wiping the tears away. "Shut up.."
"Try to control your anger, Mugen…you have a fraction of the Nine Tails' chakra inside you, coursing through your veins…Try to control it…tame it…and understand it…Tell him the same…so that he doesn't stray into a path of hatred.." Said Hiruzen, earned a nod from Mugen. The man touched his own cheek, feeling the whiskers and looked at his long and sharp nails. "As now that I'm about to go…watch over the village for me…watch over those brats…guide them.." Said Hiruzen, his heart beat has started to slow down. Mugen swallowed his saliva and nodded. He laid Hiruzen back on the roof and put his hands on his stomach. He put his hand on Hiruzen's, "Don't you worry, Old Man Sarutobi…The Will of Fire still burns. I will make sure of it…" He said and his nails went back to normal, his whiskers vanished and his eyes turned back to its original color. Anbu, along with other Jounins and Chuunins gathered around Mugen and the passed Hokage.
The dark clouds covered the skies. Rain poured down, washing away the aftermath of the attack. Everyone was out in the rain, attending the funeral of the Third Hokage. Some sobbed or cry while others just looked at the Hokage's picture on the memorial and people taking turns putting white flowers in front of the frame. It was Mugen's turn and he looked down at the flower in his hand with the sound of the downpour and Konohamaru's cry. The man blamed himself for what happened, he grasped on the flower tightly while tears flowing out from his eyes and mixed with the rain.
"I know you would said that it was not my fault, old man…I should lift my head high and focus to prevent this from happening again…but…" Mugen chocked up and closed his eyes. Then, he opened them and saw a hand on top of his. He turned his head and looked to see it was Anko. Even she wasn't in her high spirits but in her eyes, there was a fire. Mugen remembered what he had said to Hiruzen and thought, "The Will of Fire still burns in this cold rain, Old Man…" Mugen smiled at the kunoichi and she smiled back. They both walked up to the picture and put their flowers with the rest. Then, the rain had stopped and everyone looked up as the rays of light made through the dark clouds. Mugen tightened his grip on Anko's hands, without even realizing that they were still holding hands.