"Uncle, stop hiding!"
"Come out!"
"This is the cemetery I've chosen for you!"
Yahiko stood alongside Orochimaru and the others, his voice ringing through the forest. Beside him, White Zetsu eyed the three coffins Orochimaru had summoned with curiosity, his expression filled with intrigue.
The masked man, who possessed the three-tomoe Sharingan, took a deep look at Orochimaru before shifting his gaze toward the trees.
"You've already found me?"
"Yahiko, are you really planning to fight me?"
Realizing that Yahiko had detected his presence, Uzumaki Raiden no longer bothered to conceal himself. He stepped out from behind a tree, his gaze fixed on Yahiko, completely disregarding Orochimaru and the others.
He had faced countless enemies before, but Yahiko was different. This enemy was unlike any other.
"Uncle Raiden, you interfere too much!"
"You could have lived a little longer, but since you've caught onto our movements, it's better to eliminate you now!"
As Yahiko spoke, the masked man silently shifted his position, moving behind Raiden. Orochimaru and Yahiko flanked him as well, completing a four-sided encirclement.
"What does this mean? Were you planning to kill me on a whim?"
"But Yahiko, at least let me understand something before I die. Why do you want to kill me?"
"If it's just because we met, that's hardly a valid reason."
Raiden's gaze lingered on the coffins Orochimaru had summoned before turning back to Yahiko. Yahiko had once been a bright, idealistic boy who longed for peace. Why had he changed so drastically?
Shimura Danzo, the man who had played a major role in shaping Yahiko's fate, had been killed long ago. Even Hanzo of the Salamander had failed to crush Akatsuki, partly due to Raiden's interference. Everything should have been moving toward a better future.
"Do you really want to know?"
"Then I'll tell you!"
Yahiko didn't seem in a hurry to act. In his mind, Raiden was already a dead man, and it wouldn't hurt to let his former uncle understand why.
"I used to be naïve. I once believed that if we ruled the Land of Rain with sincerity and effort, we could free it from the shadow of war."
"But I was wrong. During the Third Great Ninja War, Konoha, Iwa, and Cloud never cared about the lives of our people in the Land of Rain."
"We, the smaller nations, the minor villages, have no voice in front of the Five Great Nations!"
"No, even our right to exist depends on their mercy!"
"That's when I finally saw the truth of this world. As long as the Five Great Nations exist, war will never end. As long as the Five Great Ninja Villages remain, conflict between people will never cease!"
"My goal is simple!"
"I will destroy all nations and ninja villages and create a new system for the shinobi world!"
"Akatsuki will bring true peace to this world!"
"To achieve this goal, Uncle, I need you to sacrifice your life!"
Yahiko's voice grew louder, his emotions more fervent. His eyes gleamed with fanaticism and conviction.
Seeing his expression, Raiden's face darkened. Yahiko wasn't just saying these words—he truly believed them. And worse, he was acting upon them.
But Raiden could tell right away—this "idealist" had already become someone's pawn. Yahiko, a man with a grand vision but little awareness of manipulation, was likely being used. White Zetsu, the masked man, even Orochimaru—none of them shared Yahiko's dream. They had their own agendas. Orochimaru sought eternal life, not world peace.
And in an organization where every member had their own hidden motives, the one with the purest ideals would be the first to die. Among the four Akatsuki members present, Yahiko was the most naïve—and the weakest.
"I see. So for the sake of peace, you want me to sacrifice my life?"
"But I'm sorry, I'm neither noble nor selfless enough for that."
"And your dream… I'm afraid you won't achieve it just by taking my life."
"Uncle, I, too, want to see a peaceful ninja world!"
Raiden's right hand pressed against the hilt of the Sakegari no Tachi and slowly unsheathed the blade. As he drew his weapon, the tension in the air escalated.
"Perfect. Let's test my new technique on you!"
"Heh heh heh…"
Orochimaru licked his lips, his eyes glinting with excitement. He clasped his hands together, and the lids of the three coffins flew toward Raiden.
"Zzzt—!"
Before the wooden lids could reach him, lightning arrows suddenly materialized in midair and blasted them into splinters.
"Hey, hey! At least let us know before you make a move!"
"Orochimaru, since you've started the fight, why don't you take the lead?"
"Don't worry, we'll help if you start losing!"
"Of course, we're counting on you!"
White Zetsu's voice was full of mockery as he slowly sank into the ground, disappearing entirely. The masked man, meanwhile, fixed his gaze on the three figures inside the coffins. After a brief moment of surprise, he chuckled and vanished into thin air.
"So that's how it is… Orochimaru, this one's all yours!"
With those parting words, the masked man disappeared.
Seeing this, Yahiko frowned slightly, leaped back, and distanced himself—choosing to stay on the sidelines instead.
His "allies" had conveniently withdrawn one by one, but Orochimaru remained unfazed. He clapped his hands lightly, and the three figures stepped forward, emerging from the coffins. The coffins themselves disintegrated as their occupants took form.
"Orochimaru… you've already mastered this technique?"
Raiden's grip on his blade tightened as he saw the three figures clearly.
A soft sigh echoed from the battlefield.
"What's going on?" murmured a white-haired young man in blue armor, glancing down at his hands.
Beside him stood a black-haired man clad in red armor—both wearing the armor of an era long past.
Konoha's Warring States Era battle attire.
Orochimaru had reanimated two figures: Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, and Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage.
"Tobirama?"
"Why… am I here?"
Hashirama turned to his younger brother, confusion evident in his eyes.
"Big Brother?!"
"This is my Edo Tensei technique!"
Tobirama's expression darkened as he turned his sharp gaze toward Orochimaru. His displeasure was evident.
At the same time, the third figure from the final coffin began to destabilize, its form dissolving before it could fully materialize.
"Hmph. A failure, but the two most important ones succeeded."
Orochimaru clicked his tongue in disappointment but quickly consoled himself. He then turned his fervent gaze to the two Hokage.
At this point, Orochimaru had not yet perfected the Edo Tensei technique. He had only just begun mastering it. Though he had successfully revived Hashirama and Tobirama, they were nowhere near their full strength.
Raiden had already noticed it the moment they stepped out of the coffins.
(End of Chapter)