"First Hokage, Second Hokage."
"I am the one who summoned you both."
"This is our first time meeting. My name is Orochimaru!"
Orochimaru slowly walked behind the First Hokage and the Second Hokage, introducing himself. When Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju heard this, they both stiffly turned their heads to look at Orochimaru standing behind them.
Their bodies were not under their control. At this moment, their consciousness was struggling against Orochimaru for dominance. Although they had not yet figured out the situation, they clearly did not want to be manipulated by him!
"Oh~"
"It seems this technique still has some obvious flaws."
"I'll have to improve it in the future!"
Orochimaru formed seals with one hand, focusing his efforts on controlling the chakra. The power of the First and Second Hokage, resurrected through summoning, was somewhat different from when they were alive, making it impossible for them to resist his control. As Orochimaru concentrated, they completely lost command over their bodies, though their consciousness remained intact.
"Boy, who are you? How did you manage to learn the Reanimation Jutsu?"
"This technique was long ago classified as forbidden by me. How did you gain access to it?"
Tobirama, realizing he had lost control of his body, acknowledged the situation and ceased resisting. However, he was still curious about how Orochimaru had learned the technique and questioned him. For the moment, that was his only concern, while Hashirama, on the other hand, was focused on the red-haired young man standing not far away with a sword in hand.
He sensed a familiar chakra emanating from Uzumaki Raiden!
"I forgot to mention—I was once a ninja of Konoha."
"But now, I am not."
"Though the Reanimation Jutsu is forbidden, it was never completely erased. As long as it still exists, I can obtain it."
"Fortunately, the technique you created isn't too difficult, so I learned it rather quickly!"
Orochimaru half-truthfully explained. Tobirama wanted to ask more, but his body suddenly moved, dashing toward Raiden.
"Lord Second, I didn't summon you for a conversation!"
"Please assist me in eliminating the enemy before us!"
Orochimaru laughed menacingly.
"Hmph!"
"Red-haired brat, I have no personal grudge against you, but my body is no longer under my control."
"If you can escape, do so now—I have no desire to kill someone I had no intention of fighting!"
Tobirama, acknowledging his lack of control, warned Raiden as he charged forward. He had no particular fondness for Orochimaru, nor did he hold any goodwill toward Raiden, but he disliked being used as a tool by Orochimaru even more.
"Tobirama, you're being slow."
"This boy is no ordinary person."
Hashirama made no move, simply watching as Tobirama rushed forward. He spoke calmly.
However, the moment his words fell, Tobirama suddenly found himself standing before Uzumaki Raiden, feeling his perspective shift downward. As a tall man, he was used to looking at people at eye level, but now he was forced to look up at Raiden—and that angle was steadily increasing.
"Impossible?!" Tobirama looked down in shock, only to realize that his body had been severed by the red-haired youth before him! His upper body, detached from his lower half, fell beside Raiden.
Although Tobirama had not intended to engage Raiden in battle, he had full confidence in his own strength. Even in his reanimated state, even with the imperfection of the technique, he was still Tobirama Senju—the Second Hokage of Konoha!
To be cut in half upon first contact—he had never imagined such a thing.
"Lord Tobirama, don't dwell on it."
"Rest assured, I will send both you and Lord Hashirama back to the Pure Land soon."
Raiden's words reached Tobirama's ears as his severed upper body began to dissipate. A gray, paper-like substance emerged from his lower half, beginning the reformation process of his body.
Before long, Tobirama, who had just been cleaved in two, stood completely restored.
"Boy, you are strong, but that is not enough."
"Physical attacks alone cannot break the Reanimation Jutsu. Even if you kill the caster, the technique will not be undone."
"If you still have the strength, flee while you can!"
Tobirama spoke his warning while rapidly forming hand seals.
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
Puff! ! ! ! !
In the dry forest, as Tobirama completed his jutsu, a massive torrent of water burst from his mouth. In an instant, the entire forest was submerged in a river-like swamp, the raging currents surging toward Raiden.
The sheer coverage of Tobirama's Water Release was overwhelming. Even though Raiden leaped to avoid it, he was still caught in the torrent. The violent waters carried him away, slamming him into the trunk of a massive tree, where he finally came to a stop.
"ε=(ο｀*))) Sigh..." Tobirama gazed at the red-haired youth slumped against the tree trunk and couldn't help but sigh.
"If you don't listen to your elders, you'll suffer for it. See? One technique, and you're already down."
"As expected of the Second Hokage—his mastery of Water Release is truly exceptional. To think he could strike Uzumaki Raiden so effectively!"
"But Lord Tobirama, don't be so quick to sigh!"
"Konoha's Fourth Hokage is not so easily defeated!"
Orochimaru, controlling Tobirama, praised his Water Release technique but couldn't help chuckling when he heard Tobirama's sigh.
He was enjoying watching the Second Hokage take down Raiden.
"What did you say? This kid is Konoha's Fourth Hokage?"
"Konoha's Hokage has reached the Fourth generation already?"
Hashirama, who had yet to act, was taken aback by Orochimaru's words.
"What?"
"A boy of this level is the Fourth Hokage? What about the Monkey? What happened to him?"
Tobirama was equally shocked—he hadn't expected the opponent he had just defeated with a single Water Release jutsu to be Konoha's Fourth Hokage.
"Sarutobi-sensei has already retired, and Konoha now has a Fifth Hokage."
"As the Fourth, I have already stepped down."
"Apologies—I lost my composure when I first saw you and the First Hokage. That must have been disappointing."
"But from this point forward, your attacks will no longer land on me."
While Hashirama and Tobirama conversed, Raiden slowly stood up in the distance. Lightning chakra surged over his entire body, instantly evaporating the water clinging to him. His tone was calm as he spoke.
However, the information Raiden revealed left Tobirama stunned.
Retired?
A young man in his twenties was telling him he had already retired?
(End of this chapter)