The dead… brought back to life.
Just thinking about those words made Uchiha Sasuke tremble from head to toe.
More than anything, he wanted his parents to live again.
Even a revival as imperfect and unnatural as the First and Second Hokage's was still priceless to someone like him, an orphan who had lost everything.
The very existence of Impure World Reincarnation shattered the firm resolve Sasuke once had to never turn to Orochimaru.
Could ninjutsu really reach this level if taken far enough?
To Sasuke, it was like seeing a brand-new light.
His lost parents. His lost clan.
They could all have a chance to live again.
Who didn't have regrets buried deep in their heart?
Even if it meant being condemned as someone who toyed with the dead and disturbed the balance of life and death, he would accept it.
"Father… Mother…"
Sasuke clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot.
His expression was strange. Nostalgia and pain mixed together, yet beneath it all was a flicker of hopeful joy.
[I'll bet the fourth coffin won't be Eternal Younger Brother. But honestly, it looked like the fourth one almost came out. If Eternal Younger Brother really showed up, that would've been hilarious.
First Hokage: The village already has a Fourth Hokage? How did you die?
Eternal Younger Brother: I died sealing the Nine-Tails.
First Hokage: What? You can die sealing that thing? Isn't that just a side job?]
A line of commentary from Kaede Kitahara popped up above the video.
Everyone frowned as they read it.
Eternal Younger Brother?
Thinking it over, they quickly understood. It was probably Kaede's nickname for the Fourth Hokage. No one knew why he called him that, but considering Kaede's habit of handing out bizarre nicknames, they were used to it by now.
Out of everyone present, only Uchiha Sasuke was learning for the first time that the Fourth Hokage had died sealing the Nine-Tails.
Given his age, he had never witnessed the Nine-Tails firsthand. His understanding of the Fourth Hokage was limited to the heroic figure who protected the village during the Demon Fox disaster.
He did not know that Minato had died sealing the Nine-Tails. He did not even know the Nine-Tails' true name, only calling it the Demon Fox.
So among everyone there, Sasuke was the only one unaware of the truth behind the Fourth Hokage's death.
The others, however, frowned deeply.
They all knew how terrifying the Nine-Tails was. Back then, almost no one in Konoha could stand against it. In the end, it had taken the Fourth Hokage's life and a forbidden jutsu to seal it away.
Under those circumstances, no one could honestly say the Nine-Tails was "nothing special."
And yet, in Kaede Kitahara's joking words, the First Hokage could seal the Nine-Tails as if it were effortless.
Even though it was framed as humor, the information hidden within was staggering.
"Super Class… is it really that strong?" Jiraiya muttered.
Earlier, Kaede had grouped Senju Hashirama, Uchiha Madara, and Nagato into this so-called Super Class. At the time, Jiraiya had not thought much of it.
Just like Strong Kage Level. It meant being stronger than most Kage Level shinobi, but still something that could be stalled by other Kage Level fighters. It did not sound invincible.
But now it seemed that the gap between Kage Level and Super Kage Level was far greater than the gap between Kage Level and Strong Kage Level.
So great that Senju Hashirama could casually deal with the Nine-Tails without even considering it a problem.
It made Jiraiya rethink those titles he had only ever spoken aloud before. God of Shinobi. Ninja World Asura.
Just how strong were they, really?
Jiraiya had no concrete sense of it.
To him, Namikaze Minato had once seemed like the perfect shinobi. Looks, temperament, character, talent, strength. He had no weaknesses. A true all-rounder.
Yet even Minato had paid with his life to seal the Nine-Tails.
And Senju Hashirama could do it casually?
Was the gap between the perfect shinobi and the God of Shinobi really that vast?
"The God of Shinobi… we're about to see him now," Uchiha Itachi said quietly, staring at the First and Second Hokage on screen.
Impure World Reincarnation.
Dragging a soul back from the Pure Land.
From his understanding of ninjutsu, the price for such a technique had to be horrific. And was the person summoned really themselves?
"Impure World Reincarnation… so this young man is the one who summoned us with forbidden jutsu?"
The Second Hokage glanced back at Orochimaru. "An impressive individual."
Orochimaru was already around fifty years old, but to the First and Second Hokage, he still counted as young.
"In that case, Sarutobi, we have no choice but to fight you," the First Hokage said.
"All right, enough reminiscing for old men," Orochimaru said, stepping behind the two Hokage. "It's about time to begin, isn't it?"
"No matter the era, there's always fighting," the First Hokage sighed.
"Heh. You seem to enjoy it," Orochimaru replied with a faint smile.
Fury surged through Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"You dare to toy with the souls of the dead. Those who play with time never meet a good end."
Standing opposite him were his own teachers. That made his anger and shame burn even hotter.
He had taught a student like this.
In response, Orochimaru took out two shuriken with talismans attached and drove them into the backs of the First and Second Hokage's heads.
The aura of living people around the two Hokage grew denser. Steam began to rise from their bodies.
"They're getting more lifelike. What kind of jutsu is this?" an Anbu asked in shock.
"Impure World Reincarnation," the Anbu squad leader explained. "A forbidden summoning jutsu that revives the dead. Summoning techniques usually require the caster's blood, but this one pulls the soul of the dead back into the living world. To serve as a vessel, a living person's body must be used as a sacrifice."
"So those two bodies were living sacrifices…"
"Yes. Dust is used to reshape the body to resemble the person as they were in life. Then the talisman embedded in the head erases their personality, turning them into nothing more than killing puppets."
The squad leader clearly knew a great deal about the technique.
"Complete," Orochimaru said with a wide grin.
The others watching all showed expressions of grim understanding.
Of course it was like this.
With their experience, they knew that pulling someone back from the afterlife could never come without a price.
And this was likely not the only cost. Not just a human vessel, but one that probably could not last very long.
"This jutsu shouldn't be able to maintain the summoned dead for long," Itachi assessed. "If it could, Orochimaru would have summoned them earlier, and not just these three. The First, Second, and Fourth Hokage."
"The summoning time is probably limited, similar to ordinary summoning techniques. That's why it can only be used in battle."
Itachi was already calculating what he would do if he faced Orochimaru and saw him summon Hokage Level opponents.
One on one, he was not afraid of Orochimaru. Orochimaru's weaknesses were obvious.
But if Orochimaru abandoned all restraint and summoned multiple Kage Level fighters, how was anyone supposed to deal with that?
Jiraiya and Hatake Kakashi were thinking about the same problem.
Especially Jiraiya. He had always wanted to capture Orochimaru, but now Orochimaru had quietly prepared such a lethal trump card.
It was terrifying.
"They're starting to look more and more like they did in life."
Seeing this, Sarutobi Hiruzen nearly felt tears welling up.
"Can you understand it?" Orochimaru said softly. "The satisfaction and joy of harming someone you once called your teacher. I prepared this scene so you could understand that feeling. Enjoy it."
With a smile, he directly controlled the First and Second Hokage.
They moved at the same time, attacking Sarutobi Hiruzen from opposite directions.
Seeing Hiruzen momentarily freeze, the Anbu panicked and shouted a warning.
"Hokage-sama, even if their appearance and build are the same, those two are absolutely not the First and Second Hokage!"
As he dodged their attacks, Sarutobi Hiruzen replied, "I know that."
Even with just basic taijutsu, the two Hokage forced the Third Hokage into a flurry of movement. Only after pushing them back did he finally shout,
"I'm coming. Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"
A massive fire dragon burst from his mouth, surging toward the two former Hokage as if it would devour everything.
Faced with a jutsu that was easily A-rank or higher in power, Orochimaru only sneered.
The Second Hokage did not hesitate.
"Water Release: Water Encampment Wall."
A wall of water erupted, extinguishing the flames.
The sheer volume of water left the Anbu stunned.
"Impossible. To use water release of this level without any nearby water… it's unbelievable."
"As expected of a previous Hokage," Orochimaru said with a smile.
"Water Release: Water Shockwave!"
The Second Hokage followed up with an even more terrifying surge of water, crashing toward the Third Hokage like a tidal wave.
"Earth Release: Earth-Style Wall!"
Facing the incoming flood, Sarutobi Hiruzen hurriedly formed seals and raised an earthen barrier to block it.