"Watch your tone, we're Konoha advisors!"
The two aging elders were clearly growing desperate.
They knew that if Simu kept rising, they'd soon be forgotten relics of the past.
Seeing that Kakashi refused to move, they chose to act.
Though they were old, as disciples of the Second Hokage, they couldn't be underestimated.
Utatane Koharu made the first move, using one of Tobirama's signature jutsu.
"Water Style: Great Waterfall Technique!"
A torrent of water surged toward Kakashi.
Calmly, Kakashi raised his hands and pulled his mask down slightly.
"Fire Style: Flame Destruction!"
A massive sea of fire burst forward, evaporating the rushing water into steam.
In the very next moment, ninjas loyal to the Third Hokage launched their attack.
But the Anbu forces stationed by Simu weren't ordinary guards.
They were elite, handpicked, and fiercely loyal.
The moment they spotted the threat, they engaged without hesitation.
Meanwhile, Koharu and Homura tried to slip away in the chaos, aiming to sneak into the research facility.
Their goal was clear, get their hands on the Nine Tails Jinchūriki, If they had that kind of leverage, even Hanyu Simu would be forced to give in.
But before they could act further
"Did you forget I'm still here?"
Kakashi's cold voice echoed from behind.
He had grown up alone.
Even though Simu usually seemed easygoing and unreliable, he had always shown genuine care for his disciples.
Especially Kakashi, he'd eaten at Simu's home countless times and had come to see Simu and Kushina as family.
And now, these people wanted to harm that family.
No matter how laid-back Kakashi usually was, the righteous fire in his heart surged to the surface.
His body began to change, growing rapidly as dark, fearsome wings burst from his back.
In his human-beast form, one flap of his wings sent all the water roaring around him flying away.
Then lightning surged at his feet, coating the research facility in a storm of brilliant blue light.
"Is this Hanyu Simu's beast-style ninjutsu?"
Utatane Koharu was stunned.
Only Simu was known to possess a ninjutsu powerful enough to turn a person into a beast.
How could Kakashi use it too?
And why was he this strong?
The two advisors stared in disbelief.
Since Simu had become Hokage, Kakashi had spent most of his time working with the Freedom Fighters.
And thanks to Simu's careful planning, Konoha's intelligence department had little record of Kakashi's true strength.
So it made sense that Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura had no idea what kind of power he really had.
The sky echoed with the cries of ancient predators.
Kakashi flapped his wings, launching forward with a terrifying bolt of lightning.
Utatane Koharu quickly formed hand signs
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
A thick wall of stone rose in front of her, but it stood no chance against Kakashi's power.
With one strike, he shattered it.
His claws tore through the debris and ripped apart Koharu, Only for her to vanish into smoke.
"A clone," Kakashi muttered.
But he wasn't caught off guard.
With his Observation Haki, he sensed the real Koharu's move and immediately changed direction.
From behind, a sharp ninja blade came stabbing toward him
But before it could land, Kakashi transformed into a Pteranodon and soared into the sky.
Utatane Koharu emerged from underground, staring up at the monster Kakashi had become.
This wasn't how their plan was supposed to go.
They were supposed to secure the Nine Tails Jinchūriki quickly, use its power to defeat Hanyu Simu, and return Konoha to what they saw as its rightful path.
But Kakashi's strength had thrown everything off.
And she could feel, it wasn't even his full power yet.
She was right.
Above, Kakashi's Pteranodon form circled the sky.
His chakra surged wildly, and his massive body glowed with thunderous light.
His sharp beak glowed with lightning, like a spear thrown by the gods.
With thunder swirling around him, Kakashi dove from the sky.
A bolt of lightning tore through the air, aiming straight for Utatane Koharu.
She tried everything, Clone Technique, Body Replacement, but nothing worked.
She could feel it. She was completely locked in. There was no escape.
Kakashi plummeted like a meteor.
"Lightning Style: Dragon Cry!"
A deafening roar shook the battlefield as the lightning strike hit.
The ground exploded, lightning paralyzing even nearby ninja.
Utatane Koharu tried to escape underground, but Kakashi's lightning-charged beak pierced through the earth and struck her directly.
A deep crater remained where she once stood.
Unlike Simu, whose attacks cause massive shockwaves and widespread destruction,
Kakashi's strikes are precise and deadly.
He aims to finish it in one clean hit.
From above, it looked like someone had punched a hole straight through the battlefield.
Kakashi landed and returned to human form.
He wiped the blood off his mask with a look of disgust.
Even with the power of the Devil Fruit, his body still struggled to handle the force of that technique.
"Koharu…"
Mitokado Homura suppressed his grief, flew above the cave, and launched an attack on Kakashi.
But Kakashi wasn't alone in protecting Kushina.
"Don't underestimate me, old man!"
Obito roared and used Uchiha Madara's Wood Style.
"Wood Style: Spear Thrust!"
His arm transformed into a thick wooden spear, thrusting directly at Mitokado Homura and interrupting his attack.
Mitokado Homura quickly turned around.
"Water Style: Water Severing wave!"
A powerful jet of water sliced through the incoming wooden spear.
Obito didn't back down.
With a quick motion, the severed arm split into two wooden hands, one grabbing Mitokado Homura's left side and the other his right, holding him firmly.
Taking the chance, Obito called out to Kakashi,
"Kakashi, don't forget to thank me, I saved you!"
Kakashi jumped out of the cave,
"If you hadn't interfered, Mitokado Homura would have been dead."
Obito just shrugged,
"Oh, you're just talking big."
The giant wooden hands were sliced apart by the water flow.
Mitokado Homura wasn't interested in fighting further and rushed directly toward the research institute
"You really don't know what good thing is for yourself," Obito said coldly, clapping his hands together.
"Wood Style: Cutting Technique!"
Countless wooden spikes shot out, aiming to pierce Mitokado Homura, who was heading toward the research institute.
"It's a clone," Kakashi remarked casually.
Suddenly, an arm shot up from the ground, grabbing Obito's ankle tightly.
Obito froze, surprised.
Kakashi had sensed his move in advance using Observation Haki.
With a burst of lightning, Kakashi's palm turned into a thunder blade, severing Mitokado Homura's arm.
"Ah!"
Blood spilled, and Mitokado Homura screamed in pain.
He quickly jumped back, clutching the wound.
"I didn't expect you inherited that terrifying perception ability from Hanyu Simu," Mitokado Homura muttered, struggling.
Kakashi didn't bother to respond.
Physically, these old guys were no match for him anymore, they had grown weak with age and soft.
Kakashi was about to finish the fight when an old voice interrupted.
"Kakashi, stop."
Kakashi turned slowly, his eyes narrowing slightly beneath his mask.
It was the Third Hokage.
The Third Hokage stood before them, wearing his Hokage robe and the iconic hat that symbolized his position.
"Have you forgotten Konoha's Will of Fire? Hanyu Simu is defying the law. Why don't you stop him and return to the right path?"
The Third Hokage's expression was serious.
Beside him, his strongest ally, the ape demon, was summoned and standing by, with a fierce light in its eyes.
Kakashi and Obito turned to face him, both with complex expressions.
The Third Hokage carried the weight of the Hokage legacy, with a hint of bloodline power, likely from the Uchiha clan, given their role in monitoring him.
"If the Will of Fire really worked, my father wouldn't have died back then," Kakashi said flatly, his face unchanged.
The Third Hokage sighed deeply.
"You've still not let go of your hatred. If that's the case, there's nothing more I can say."
"Move aside, you're not my opponent."
"I don't want to harm Konoha's future."
At these words, Obito seemed slightly moved.
Kakashi sneered.
"You're still so hypocritical at a time like this."
The Third Hokage snorted coldly.
"What Hanyu Simu is doing will destroy the entire ninja world. Even if it costs my life, I will stop him."
"Are you sure it's not because you're afraid of losing the power of the Sarutobi clan, Lord Hokage?"
Simu's teasing voice came from the lab, and he appeared wearing a Hokage robe, though it said "Fourth Hokage."
"I didn't expect you'd really go this far. It's truly sad."
Simu stood with his hands in his pockets, his expression blank despite the words.
The Third Hokage's face shifted slightly. He was surprised to see Simu here.
"Why are you here...?"
Simu casually answered,
"If you're wondering if the First and Second Hokage's Impure World Reincarnation could hold me back… I regret to inform you that one of my avatars is more than enough to handle two Hokages who aren't at their full strength."
The Third Hokage smiled slightly.
"You're still the same, full of pride now that you're a ninja."
Simu stood nonchalantly in front of him.
"Unless the First and Second Hokage give everything they have, no one will get near Kushina today."
People often drag others into their problems, and Simu just wanted to test his judgment.
Sure enough, this old man still couldn't bear being alone.
At this point, there was no need for both sides to hold back; it was a matter of either him or Simu surviving.
"Come on, Ape Demon."
"Understood, Hiruzen!"
Though it had been a while since the Third Hokage fought alongside the Ape Demon, they shared no real bond. The Ape Demon instantly transformed into a diamond staff and struck Simu hard.
As it descended, it rapidly grew in size. If the blow was real, it could destroy the entire research institute.
Simu's expression remained calm. His body swelled up into his human-animal form. He stretched out his powerful arms and caught the falling diamond staff with ease.
This was the same staff that could pierce the Nine Tails in Konoha, yet Simu stopped it effortlessly.
Simu's power surged, and with a swift motion, he lifted the staff and threw it into the air.
The surrounding ground trembled as a fierce flame cloud rose, pulling the Third Hokage up with it.
Meanwhile, outside the village, the First and Second Hokage were also engaged in a fierce battle.
Although they fought intensely, they also casually observed and conversed.
"Tobirama, looks like we've been underestimated," Hashirama remarked as he waited for his resurrection cooldown.
There was a large hole in the Second Hokage's body, a result of being kicked out by Simu.
He had just pulled out the light bar that had been inserted into him for the sixth time. Staring at Simu's clone with a displeased expression, he muttered,
"It's really annoying. If you could unleash your full strength, I'd definitely teach this kid a lesson."
Simu simply laughed.
"Apologies, seniors. To restrict your movements, I had no choice but to act this way. Please forgive me."
Hashirama sighed regretfully.
"It's a shame I'm not the real body here. If I were, I'd love to compete with someone like you."
"Still, it's amazing that a mere clone can fight both of us this easily."
Tobirama turned his head, sensing something.
"Where's Hiruzen? I can feel his presence."
Simu smiled knowingly.
"As for the Third Hokage, he must've already become a traitor by now."
"Not just the Third Hokage, your other disciple, too, has betrayed you."
"What?!" Tobirama was shocked.
"What's going on?"
After recovering from his injuries, Tobirama charged at Simu again. But a minute later, he was pinned to the ground once more.
Simu slowly began to explain what had happened over the years.
"Danzo, that guy..."
Tobirama didn't seem too surprised by Danzo's fate.
But Sarutobi Hiruzen…
He never expected my proud disciple would be lost in the pursuit of power.
The First Hokage spoke thoughtfully,
"Are you planning to abolish my one village and one country system?"
Simu punched Hashirama's body in half again and nodded.
"Yes, that's right."
"Then what's your plan?" Hashirama asked, clearly curious about his junior's intentions.
Simu shared his next steps with Hashirama.
This wasn't something he needed to keep a secret.
.
.
TO BE CONTINUED
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