"The Fourth Hokage... was summoned by someone else?"
Hearing Obito's words, everyone was utterly dumbfounded.
Previously, when they discussed why Minato couldn't be summoned, they had considered many reasons.
That Minato's soul had already reincarnated.
That something had happened to Minato in the Pure Land.
That Minato's death was suspicious, and perhaps his soul had even vanished.
The one possibility they hadn't considered was that one radish, one hole… Minato's 'hole' had already been taken by someone else!
After all, the fact that Tobirama could create the Edo Tensei was already incredibly impressive.
But now, the Konoha's higher-ups found that there are other forces in the Ninja World who have also created such a technique? How could anyone believe that?
"Evidence?" Hiruzen questioned instinctively.
"Evidence, huh..." Obito thought for a moment and tossed out a kunai: "How about this?"
Clang!
The specially made kunai clattered on the ground.
Looking at that familiar three-pronged kunai, no one in the Konoha group was willing to pick it up.
After all, for Ninjas, any unfamiliar object carried significant risk.
So, everyone looked at each other and finally turned their gaze to Orochimaru.
Orochimaru didn't react to their looks. Without a word, he formed a single hand seal with one hand.
Then, a small snake crawled out from Orochimaru's sleeve and quickly reached the three-pronged kunai.
The small snake opened its mouth and swallowed the entire kunai whole!
Only then did Orochimaru pick up the small snake, its body now stretched into the shape of a three-pronged kunai.
Placing the snake in front of him, Orochimaru began sensing it carefully.
And this sensing lasted over ten minutes!
After a good while with no feedback, Hiruzen couldn't help but speak: "Orochimaru, how is it?"
"It's confirmed!" Hearing Hiruzen's words, Orochimaru opened his eyes.
His eyes held shock.
Orochimaru looked definitively at everyone: "Everyone, this is indeed Minato's kunai. I can confirm it!"
"Furthermore, what I can also confirm is that this kunai was created very recently. The scent on it is quite fresh, and it's a bit strange!"
"..."
Hearing Orochimaru's words, everyone fell silent.
Because Orochimaru's word was trustworthy.
After all, he is the Hokage now, so if not him, who else would they believe?
But this also meant one thing!
That within this vast Ninja World, there indeed existed a force besides them that also mastered the method of summoning the dead!
Everyone knew what that meant!
In other words, the advantage of the army of the dead, which Konoha had worked so hard to obtain, would soon disappear!
No one wanted that outcome.
Therefore, even though logic had already given her the answer, Koharu couldn't help but ask: "Orochimaru, are you absolutely sure? What's the principle?"
Hearing Koharu's words, and knowing he was being questioned, Orochimaru didn't get angry.
Since becoming Hokage, Orochimaru's temper had improved considerably.
He explained seriously: "It's space."
"I've also researched and studied the Flying Thunder God Technique, I just never mastered it."
"Because the Flying Thunder God Technique requires maintaining one's posture while instantly moving through space."
"This involves a specific requirement for spatial coordinates!"
"And that is the function of this three-pronged kunai!"
"In a way, these spatial coordinates are a stricter form of personal identification than DNA."
"Because each spatial coordinate, the understanding of how to use it is different for each person. It's somewhat similar to a cipher only the user knows."
"And I arrived at the answer by comparing this cipher!"
Orochimaru nodded to everyone: "That's right. Although I don't want to admit it, the Fourth Hokage has truly been resurrected. And, he is likely already under the enemy's control!"
"Everyone, we must prepare to face an unknown force within the Ninja World!"
"Enslaving the soul of our Fourth Hokage... such behavior is unacceptable!"
Orochimaru's words were shocking!
Hearing this, everyone also became serious.
At this point, no one held onto any more wishful thinking.
Because of this, they finally had the chance to look at Obito again.
"Are you telling the truth?" Hiruzen asked somewhat hesitantly.
Hearing this, Obito rolled his eye again: "You can choose not to believe me."
"..." Obito's unyielding attitude made Hiruzen uncomfortable.
But, thinking about the earlier issue, he endured it!
"I only have one question!" Hiruzen asked seriously: "That Rotting Wood Plague that appeared in Konoha before..."
"Wasn't done by us!" Obito interrupted before Hiruzen could finish: "Back then, regarding Konoha's Rotting Wood Plague, we also investigated."
"Oh? And the result?" Hiruzen's eyes shone brightly.
Unfortunately, looking at Hiruzen's hopeful gaze, Obito shook his head, his tone filled with awe.
"Nothing. We couldn't understand it at all!"