Chapter 293:
"If possible, I hope you can answer Sasuke's questions as soon as you can." As though nothing had happened just moments ago, Orochimaru looked at the former Hokage before him and said, "After all, with Uchiha Madara's resurrection, the ninja world is currently engulfed in war."
"Uchiha Madara?!"
Senju Hashirama exclaimed in shock.
"Big Brother, it doesn't seem like he's lying. At two o'clock, I can clearly sense Madara's immense chakra."
Senju Tobirama said to Hashirama.
"In that case, we need to hurry to the battlefield and help!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi said urgently.
"Sorry, but for now, all of you are still under my control through the Reanimation Jutsu. You can't move freely. If you want to join the battle, you'll first need to answer Sasuke's questions."
Orochimaru said calmly.
"You child! Do you have any idea what time it is?! Uchiha Madara has been revived! Don't you understand how dire the situation is?! Whatever he wants to ask can wait until after the war!"
Sarutobi exclaimed anxiously.
"I'm acting according to Sasuke's will. If we don't follow his wishes, I might just have you all destroy the Hidden Leaf Village right here and now. In times like these…"
"Orochimaru, I think you're misunderstanding something..." Tobirama looked at Orochimaru and said, "Although your control over the Reanimation Jutsu has improved significantly since last time, you've grown overconfident and left us with our full strength intact. And let's not forget—I'm the one who invented the jutsu. There's no way you can control me..."
"Hiruzen, you raised quite the remarkable student."
Hashirama turned to Orochimaru and offered a rare compliment.
"To be praised by the First Hokage himself—it's an honor."
Despite saying that, Orochimaru didn't relax in the slightest. In fact, he grew even more cautious as he stared at the First Hokage. Unlike with the Second Hokage, Orochimaru had absolutely no confidence in controlling Hashirama.
"Don't worry, Orochimaru. I'll help this child work through the doubts in his heart."
Hashirama looked at Uchiha Sasuke as he spoke.
"…So, a ninja is someone who endures, for the sake of achieving the goal in their heart."
After hearing Hashirama's story of the past, Sasuke said quietly.
"Sasuke, what now? Are you going to destroy the Hidden Leaf Village?"
Orochimaru looked toward Sasuke.
"…I'm going to the battlefield! I won't let the village my brother gave his life to protect disappear just like that!"
…
"It's been a long time… Hidden Leaf Village."
Hashirama gazed at the village.
Standing beside him were the other Hokage, Future Boruto, along with Orochimaru, Sasuke, Jūgo, Suigetsu, and Karin, who had been captured by the village during their previous mission.
"It's time, Big Brother." Tobirama placed his right hand on Hashirama's shoulder, then looked toward Future Boruto. "Eighth… Boruto, how will you get to the battlefield?"
"I'll catch up."
Boruto replied.
"Alright then, I'll take Big Brother and go on ahead."
Tobirama nodded, and as soon as he finished speaking, both he and Hashirama vanished.
"Then I'll take the Third."
"Thanks, Minato."
Minato and Hiruzen also disappeared in an instant.
"Let's go too."
As Orochimaru spoke, Future Boruto entered his Super Saiyan mode. With speed rivaling the Flying Thunder God Technique, he vanished in a gust of wind.
"What kind of jutsu is that?"
Suigetsu asked in astonishment.
"That's not ninjutsu, Suigetsu," Orochimaru replied. "It's taijutsu."
"What?! Taijutsu?!"
Karin was equally stunned.
"Looks like the First Hokage wasn't wrong about Boruto. He really does have the strength to rival both the First Hokage and Uchiha Madara," Orochimaru said slowly. "Alright, let's head out too."
…
This occurred after Sasuke used the Reanimation Jutsu to summon the past Hokage.
After first being talked down by Kakashi's words, and then by Naruto's, Obito ultimately gave up on his plan. He was about to use the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu to sacrifice himself and revive all the ninja who had died in the Fourth Great Ninja War—but at that critical moment, Black Zetsu possessed and took control of him, forcibly using the Rinne Rebirth to resurrect Uchiha Madara instead.
Meanwhile, in the battle against the newly revived Madara, Naruto was gravely injured and was being treated by the just-arrived Sakura.
"It's about time I finished you all off in one go."
Under Madara's control, a massive Tailed Beast Ball gathered in the Ten-Tails' mouth and fired toward the Allied Shinobi Forces.
"Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Even though ten thousand ninjas combined to form a massive earth barrier, it was still fragile against the Ten-Tails' Tailed Beast Ball.
"The Tailed Beast Ball is coming!!"
"Damn it! Everyone, hold your ground!"
Shikamaru shouted.
Just as the last section of the earth wall was about to be destroyed, the Eight-Tails arrived just in time and shielded everyone from the attack.
"Lord Killer Bee!"
"I… can't hold on much longer."
At the very moment Killer Bee was about to give in, the Tailed Beast Ball suddenly vanished.
"Huh? What the...?"
Shikamaru looked baffled.
"Am I late, Naruto?"
A Flying Thunder God kunai appeared in front of Naruto, who was being treated by Sakura, and Minato's figure materialized instantly.
"No, you're right on time, Dad."
Naruto replied.
"W-Who's dad?!"
Sakura looked from Minato to Naruto, puzzled.
"I'm Minato Namikaze. Ready for an explosion?"
Just as Minato finished speaking, the Tailed Beast Ball, which he had teleported away using the Flying Thunder God Technique, exploded over the ocean not far from them.
"What just happened?"
Sakura asked.
"I used the Flying Thunder God Technique to teleport the Tailed Beast Ball away," Minato explained. "By the way, thanks for treating Naruto… uh… are you Naruto's girlfriend?"
"Eh? Uh…" Naruto thought for a moment, and before Sakura could respond, he quickly nodded. "Yep! That's right! She's my girlfriend!"
"Shut up, idiot!" Sakura smacked him on the head. "Don't waste your strength talking while you're being treated!"
"But… I think my injuries just got worse..."
"Stop whining, I'll heal you."
"…This girl really reminds me of Kushina…" Minato muttered, then looked at Sakura. "Please take good care of my son."
Meanwhile, the two who had been left behind by Minato mid-teleport—Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tobirama Senju—arrived next to Minato, along with Hashirama.
"Fourth, your Flying Thunder God really is faster than mine."
Tobirama praised Minato.
The former Hokage had all assembled on the battlefield.