On the surface, Konoha was peaceful and harmonious, but beneath that, it was inevitable that a few prickly thorns would be hidden.
Originally, she was too lazy to care, but who told her that she just happened to need some consumables~?
Her Divine Sense was like an invisible giant net, having already covered Konoha.
Several Chakra sources that did not belong to Konoha, yet were sneakily attempting to lurk long-term, were as conspicuous as stains.
The night became their best camouflage; these spies were sophisticated and skilled in disguise, but under Hinata's Divine Sense scan, which transcended the common sense of this world, their disguises were as good as non-existent.
Hinata rose into the sky, silently blending into the night... A spy lurking in the darkness suddenly felt his scalp go numb, as if some danger had descended. He jerked his head back, searching the surroundings, cold sweat pouring down.
But years of experience as a spy told him that everything around him was normal and no one had discovered him.
Just as he thought it was an illusion and turned back around...
A young girl suddenly appeared before his eyes. Her skin was fair, and even her eyes were white. At this moment, she was floating in the night sky, looking incredibly eerie... "Ghost... there's a ghost!!!"
The spy screamed, utterly terrified.
Hinata was somewhat speechless, then she pulled out her brick and knocked him out with a single strike.
Looking at the unconscious spy on the ground, Hinata curled her lip.
"You're the one who looks like a ghost. Not sleeping in the middle of the night and coming here to peep—also, no sleeping allowed here."
Hinata slightly raised her hand, and the Ninja's body floated up. Then, she took him toward a pre-set hidden location outside the village.
It was a natural cave located dozens of meters underground near the border of the Land of Fire. It was a "laboratory" she had already selected after sending a Clone out to scout.
The interior of the cave was quite spacious. In the center, she had used spiritual power to level out a circular area and inscribed a complex and eerie array diagram.
A moment later, Hinata's figure appeared in the cave, tossing the two unconscious spies into a corner.
"You two are really lucky; I've given my brick's first time to you. I was a bit gentle for the first time, so you two should savor the memory."
Hinata was very measured with her strikes, only making them lose consciousness without harming their vital lives—after all, living sacrifices needed to be kept "fresh."
She didn't start immediately.
Instead, she first continued her research on Forbidden Jutsu, especially those involving the realm of the Soul.
Then, she split off another Shadow Clone.
The main body was responsible for leading the ritual and providing a continuous stream of pure spiritual power, while the Clone held the rubbing of the Forbidden Jutsu scroll, acting as an assistant and recorder while keeping watch for any possible accidents.
"Let's begin."
Hinata's main body opened her eyes. She walked to the array diagram and her hands began to form seals.
With her movements, the air in the cave seemed to solidify, and a heavy, cold aura began to spread.
She first chose that Iwagakure spy as the first experimental subject.
Spiritual power turned into invisible hands, lifting the unconscious spy and placing him in the designated "sacrifice" position in the array.
Then, she took out the jar labeled 'First' and opened it.
Hinata used spiritual power to guide some out, placing it on the symbol representing the "summoned deceased" in the array.
"Edo Tensei!"
Hinata shouted low, striking the final hand seal. The pure spiritual power in her body was like an opened floodgate, surging into the array beneath her feet.
Hum—!
The entire cave shook violently! The lines of the array diagram suddenly lit up with a dim light. It wasn't the blue or green of Chakra, but a murky yellow light that seemed to come from the depths of the underworld, mixed with dust and silence.
A large amount of dust, as if summoned by an invisible force, gathered from all directions of the cave, making a tooth-grinding "rustling" sound. They frantically swarmed toward the sacrifice at the center of the array—the Iwagakure spy.
"Argh—!"
The intense pain caused the spy to wake up from his coma, letting out a shrill scream.
His body twisted and deformed violently under the shroud of dust. The dust covered his skin, changed his appearance, and reshaped his form. At the same time, his own Chakra and life energy were being rapidly drained away, serving as the "fuel" and "binder" to maintain this technique.
Hinata watched all this calmly, her Divine Sense fully expanded, meticulously perceiving every trace of energy change and Soul-level fluctuation within the array.
The dust gradually condensed into shape. A figure wearing red layered armor, with a rugged face and long black hair flowing down, appeared in the center of the array. It was exactly the appearance of the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.
However, it was starkly different from the usual Edo Tensei bodies that were lifeless and covered in cracks.
The Senju Hashirama before her, though composed of dust crystals, appeared solid and smooth. Skin texture was faintly visible, and his eyes were no longer hollow but held a trace of the confusion of just waking up, which quickly turned into clarity and sharpness.
He even faintly emitted a gentle yet powerful life force field around him. That was the result of Hinata's spiritual power simulating his Yang Release Physique, making him look more like a living person than an undead.
Senju Hashirama slowly lowered his head, looked at his hands, and clenched his fists. A flash of surprise crossed his eyes. He looked up, his gaze instantly locking onto Hinata outside the array.
Those eyes were full of wisdom and the accumulation of having weathered many storms, not looking at all like a controlled Puppet.
"Is it Edo Tensei again... but this feeling isn't quite like the previous one."
Senju Hashirama spoke, his voice sonorous and steady, carrying his characteristic tone.
His gaze lingered on Hinata.
"Ah... it's you again, little girl. By the way, how did that matter from last time go? Is Konoha okay? I don't seem to have seen Monkey down there."
He frowned slightly, seemingly reminiscing.
"Konoha is fine. The Sandaime was just physically weak and rested for a while." Hinata spoke to answer his question before greeting him.
"First Hokage, we meet again. Please forgive me for presuming to disturb your peaceful sleep."
Senju Hashirama waved his hand, laughing heartily.
"Haha, no matter, no matter. Being able to see the new sprouts of Konoha after death, especially one as special as you, is also an interesting thing."
He looked at Hinata with great interest and felt his own state again.
"Remarkable! Truly remarkable! This technique of yours now is more powerful than Tobirama's original version. I can feel that I've retained more of my strength."
He tentatively moved his fingers, and several emerald green saplings instantly grew from the ground, full of vitality, completely out of place with the dead cave environment around them.
"The power of Wood Release has also recovered quite a bit... although not as much as when I was alive, it far exceeds the last time I was summoned. Little girl, your name is Hyuga Hinata, right? What you're using isn't Chakra, is it?"
Hinata did not deny it.
"Yes, my power is special."
Senju Hashirama stroked his chin, his eyes flashing with a light of curiosity.
"As expected, the world is vast and full of wonders. So, Hinata, you went to all the trouble of improving this technique to bring a dead man like me back for what? It surely isn't just to chat with a dead man like me, is it?"
His tone carried a hint of teasing, but deep in his eyes was a trace of vigilance. No matter how good his state was, he knew he was a summoned undead, and the summoner's purpose was paramount.
Hinata looked directly into Senju Hashirama's eyes, her pure white eyes shining with spiritual light.
"I have a few questions I'd like to ask the First Hokage. About your cells, about Ashura's Chakra, and about the essence of this world."
She paused and continued.
"In addition, this improved Edo Tensei needs more in-depth testing to determine its limits and stability. For example, how much of your strength from when you were alive do you have now?"
Hearing this, Senju Hashirama burst into laughter, his voice echoing through the cave.
"What a straightforward little girl! Good! For the sake of your honesty, I don't mind stretching my limbs with you!"
They walked out of the cave and stood several meters apart. Hashirama didn't waste words; his eyes narrowed, and a massive amount of Chakra began to rise.
"It's hard to say exactly how much, but I feel... at least sixty or seventy percent! Come, let me see to what level the Hyuga Clan girl with the strange power has grown!"
Before his voice had even faded, he clapped his hands together!
"Wood Release: Nativity of a World of Trees!"
Rumble! The entire underground cave shook violently as countless thick trees burst through the ground, growing frantically and instantly submerging the space where Hinata was! The power was so great that it far exceeded the miniature version from previous experiments, truly displaying the terrifying power of the God of Shinobi to change the terrain!
Facing the surging forest, Hinata's expression remained unchanged as spiritual light gathered at her fingertips.
Purple lightning and white flames suddenly erupted from her body! Spiritual power surged, violently colliding with the surging Wood Release!
The first actual combat test of the improved Edo Tensei officially began.
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