NOVEL NEXT Chapter 76: Reanimation justu
Orochimaru's response was sharp and unyielding, his tone laced with bitterness. He scoffed at Hiruzen's attempt at reasoning, his voice carrying an eerie calmness mixed with disdain. "Teacher," he began with a mocking smile, "I know you better than most in this village. Even better than Jiraiya or Tsunade. Jiraiya's loyalty is pathetic—he's nothing more than a fool, wagging his tail in your shadow, believing every word you say without question. And Tsunade... she only ever stayed because of her promise to Mito. Her love for the village might run deep, but her loyalty to you? That's long gone."
He paused, letting his words linger, his gaze cold and unfeeling. "So spare me your speech," Orochimaru continued, brushing off Hiruzen's appeal with a dismissive wave. "I know the methods you've used, how you've twisted minds and forced shinobi to bend to your will. But that doesn't concern me now. I'm here for one purpose alone: the secrets of the village. The forbidden jutsu, the knowledge hidden away in those scrolls, the power you've kept locked from me."
He smirked, his voice thick with dark amusement. "And I should thank you for the foundation you gave me. Without it, I wouldn't have come this far. But your time is over, Hiruzen. Konoha's secrets will be mine, one way or another."
Hiruzen's expression hardened, his resolve unshaken as he responded to Orochimaru's mocking dismissal. "If there's no reasoning left between us, then so be it," he replied, his tone steady yet laced with finality. "But I will ensure that you, Orochimaru, cannot harm Konoha again." With a determined glint in his eyes, Hiruzen prepared to give his all.
Leaving one clone to keep Rasa occupied, Hiruzen shifted his focus entirely to Orochimaru. Together with his remaining three clones, he launched a coordinated attack, their movements synchronized and swift, each clone wielding Enma's transformed staff to strike with relentless precision. The air crackled with tension as Hiruzen's strikes bore down on Orochimaru, each one aiming to break through the defenses of his former student.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with a mixture of excitement and disdain as he met the attacks head-on, parrying and countering with the Kusanagi sword, its blade cutting through the air with deadly accuracy. The battle intensified, Hiruzen and his clones surrounding Orochimaru in a fierce barrage, each determined to push the other to their limits.
Orochimaru's mocking smile only grew as he stepped back, maintaining a calculated distance from Hiruzen. "No need to wear yourself out, sensei," he taunted. "In fact, I have a little gift for you." With a sinister gleam in his eyes, Orochimaru began weaving hand signs, his chakra dark and foreboding.
Hiruzen's heart sank as he recognized the technique being performed. "Reanimation Jutsu," he muttered, dread filling him. He could sense the danger looming, knowing exactly how disastrous this forbidden technique could be. Desperately, he moved to interrupt, charging forward, but his path was abruptly blocked by Rasa's sand. The Kazekage, though previously preoccupied with one of Hiruzen's clones, seized the opportunity to aid Orochimaru, binding Hiruzen's advance with a wall of densely packed gold sand.
As Orochimaru's grin widened, he continued his jutsu, clearly relishing the anticipation. "I hope you're ready, sensei," he sneered, knowing the sight of what was to come would shake Hiruzen to his core.
Three ominous coffins began to rise from the ground, their wooden surfaces covered in ancient symbols that pulsed with an eerie light. Hiruzen felt a chill grip his heart as he watched, realizing he was powerless to stop the ritual now. Each coffin slowly pushed its way up from the earth, moving with a deliberate, dreadful inevitability.
He clenched his fists, feeling a deep sense of foreboding. He's actually doing it, he thought, recognizing Orochimaru's intent. As the first two coffins emerged fully, Hiruzen could see the kanji for "First" and "Second" engraved on them, confirming his worst fears. These were the first and second Hokages, powerful shinobi he had once known and revered. Now, they were being forcibly returned to life as Orochimaru's pawns.
And then, a third coffin began to rise. Hiruzen's heart raced; the implications of a third reanimated legend joining the battlefield were dire. But he could do nothing but watch, trapped by Rasa's sand and the cold realization that Orochimaru's plan was far darker than he had anticipated.
The coffins creaked open, revealing three figures that seemed suspended between life and death. Their skin was an unnatural gray, cracked and weathered, as though they'd been forcibly resurrected from a long slumber. The first, dressed in a crimson and black armor, wore an expression of calm authority; this was unmistakably the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, a legend in both power and legacy. The second, clad in blue and gray armor, stood with a cold, analytical air—Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage, known for his genius and mastery of techniques now forbidden.
The final figure wore a jonin's attire draped with a cloak that signified leadership—a reminder of Hiruzen's own younger years. His expression was empty, devoid of the warmth and wisdom that once defined him. This reanimated form of the Third Hokage was a dark reflection of his life and achievements.
As each of them opened their eyes, a glint of unnatural light reflected within, devoid of any humanity or memory of who they once were. Hiruzen felt an intense chill run down his spine, knowing he was about to face the very legends who had built the foundations of Konoha. Even Rasa, who had hardened himself to fight against Hiruzen, now found himself in silent awe, realizing the gravity of what Orochimaru had unleashed.