Chapter 74: Demonic Fate, The Power of Demons and Gods? Impure World Reincarnation: First!New
March 27
"Naruto, when do we start the action?"
After killing a Sound Ninja, Minato suddenly realized he had forgotten something important.
"It's already begun," Naruto replied calmly. "You still have time to head over and take down a few more."
Minato glanced at kushina, whose face was filled with regret.
Meanwhile, Sasuke leaped onto the rooftop, sprinting toward the Root Organization's base.
I've been pretending too much... My body hasn't fully recovered yet, so I won't be able to kill many people.
Just then, Ino-Shika-Chō and the previous generation's Nara Shikaku arrived.
"Naruto, when are we starting?" Shikaku asked.
"We wait for Orochimaru to use Impure World Reincarnation."
"Impure World Reincarnation?" Shikaku's expression changed. "That's... the forbidden jutsu created by Nidaime-sama?"
"The technique that sacrifices a living body to summon the souls of the dead from the Pure Land back into the real world?"
Naruto nodded. "That's right. But more importantly, Orochimaru has the bodies of the Shodaime and Nidaime."
"What?!"
Shikaku, along with Inoichi and Chōza, were all stunned.
He actually found the bodies of the First and Second Hokage?
"Then... can they be fully resurrected?" Shikaku asked in disbelief.
Shikamaru sighed, watching his father's reaction. "That's really troublesome, Dad. It's not true resurrection. It's different from Uncle Minato and the others."
Naruto closed his eyes. "Kurama, how's the situation over there?"
"Don't worry, these little guys can wipe out a large number of them with a single swipe. That old rat Danzo is hiding deep, though—it'll take some time."
Hearing the update, Naruto's back shifted into an elemental state.
Click, click, click—
Two White Zetsu wood clones emerged.
After a short wait, one entered Forest Sage Mode while the other activated Natural Sage Mode.
"Still too slow. You two, go help out."
"Yes."
Whoosh!
The clones vanished, leaving Naruto staring at the rooftop where Orochimaru was taunting the Hokage.
"Sarutobi-sensei, you are as naive as ever."
"Orochimaru," Hiruzen said sternly, "you've brought the Jinchūriki of Sunagakure into the village... are you truly planning to destroy Konoha?!"
"Don't forget, this is the village where you grew up!"
Hiruzen wore an expression of pained resolve.
Orochimaru sneered. "It is precisely because I still have feelings for Konoha that I orchestrated this invasion."
"Konoha has rotted, Sarutobi-sensei. It needs fresh blood. Watching it decay, losing its vitality—I decided to cut away the rot myself."
Hiruzen narrowed his eyes. "Konoha has been at peace for years. How can you call it corrupt?"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Still in denial, sensei? When you die, Konoha will enter a new era."
Hiruzen closed his eyes briefly before opening them with renewed resolve. "So, the time has finally come."
His gaze swept downward, landing on the unconscious Asuma. A flicker of anger crossed his face.
Who did this?!
Then he saw Naruto—smiling.
The same gentle smile from when he was a child...
Yet what stunned Hiruzen even more was the group standing beside him—Konoha's new generation. Arms crossed, watching with mocking expressions.
The Ino-Shika-Chō trio from his generation stood near Asuma, gazing at him with unreadable expressions.
Everything was reversed.
Why?
Questions filled Hiruzen's mind, but no one would answer him now.
Above the Sarutobi clan's territory.
"Feigning Sleep Jutsu!"
Gaara collapsed into a deep slumber—releasing Shukaku.
Destruction began.
The Sage Mode clone infused with the Mori-Mori no Mi ability plunged its hands into the ground like roots.
In an instant, countless tiny but dense roots spread throughout the Sarutobi compound.
Screams echoed.
One by one, the Sarutobi clan members collapsed, drained of chakra, left unable to resist.
"Sage Art: Wood Release—True Thousand Hands."
As the clone finished speaking, the thousand-armed Buddha rose from the ground.
Countless wooden arms captured the surviving Sarutobi ninja.
Hiruzen's eyes widened.
Wood Release?! No—
But there was no time to think.
On the other side, above Shimura Danzo's compound.
A clone in Natural Sage Mode appeared.
His Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan spun.
Ashura Nine-Tails Mode!
In an instant, a chakra avatar of Kurama appeared—three heads, six arms.
At the same time, Susanoo formed around it.
The Mori-Mori no Mi Sage Mode clone followed suit, layering Susanoo over the giant Buddha.
Kurama groaned from within the seal.
This brat is draining me dry! I'll turn into a freaking housecat at this rate!
Yet seeing the Buddha's size, even Kurama teared up.
This isn't chakra… this is money!
Wait—this brat didn't even use Fire Release yet...
"Ahem, I'll leave this to you guys. Feeling a bit weak... Gonna recharge my chakra real quick."
In a flash, the great fox vanished.
"Seriously… he's probably off making money again!" Kushina pouted.
Minato placed a hand on her shoulder. "Kurama's been locked up for years. Let him enjoy himself."
Kushina sighed, shifting her gaze—then froze.
"That girl... she looks familiar. Uchiha?"
But she quickly shook her head.
The Uchiha always wore their clan crest.
"Sharingan… and that girl beside her has it too. She looks familiar... Could she be one of Naruto's backup plans?"
Meanwhile, Orochimaru stood facing Hiruzen, completely ignoring the battlefield.
He admired his handiwork.
He reveled in Hiruzen's pain.
"Sarutobi-sensei, if you had made the hard decisions as the Fifth Hokage, you wouldn't be regretting now."
"Heh... But that's not quite right. As long as you're still alive, what difference is there between the Fifth Hokage and the Fourth?"
"So, Sarutobi-sensei, it would be better if you died."
With those words, Orochimaru raised a hand and wiped away the tears at the corner of his eyes.
His final act as Sarutobi's disciple was to grant him the chance to die protecting Konoha—a hero, the Third Hokage.
He died as a hero, defending the village.
The Hokage gazed upon war-torn Konoha, tears welling in his eyes.
Did he grieve for the village?
No. It was because he recognized where the battle was taking place.
So useless!
Some could slaughter their entire clan without shedding a tear.
"Orochimaru, do you take such pleasure in killing me?"
"I was so happy I cried."
The Hokage's hesitation faded, his killing intent toward Orochimaru growing stronger.
He regretted letting him go.
Orochimaru knew exactly what he was thinking just by looking into his eyes.
He sneered.
"Sarutobi-sensei, do you regret it?"
"Yes... I regret it deeply. I regret that I was soft-hearted and didn't keep you in Konoha forever."
But the next moment, the Hokage's gaze turned cold.
He shrugged off the ceremonial Hokage robe, revealing the battle armor beneath.
"It seems you'd still feel sorrow if you had to kill your own teacher."
Orochimaru chuckled, wiping his tears again. "Yes, I finally feel relieved."
"These aren't tears of sadness. They're tears of joy—for Konoha."
The Four Purple Flame Formation surrounded them, sealing them in. No one could escape, and no one could interfere.
But more than anything, in this closed space, Orochimaru could finally put on a show for his former teacher.
A show for the man once hailed as the 'God of Shinobi.'
What could be more satisfying?
God of Shinobi?
Heh… You'll meet the true God of Shinobi soon, Sarutobi. I wonder what expression you'll make then.
The thought made Orochimaru laugh.
On a nearby rooftop, Might Guy and Kakashi fought off a squad of Otogakure ninja.
"Kakashi, let me rest for a moment… Even youth needs time to recover!"
Kakashi rolled his eyes before glancing at Jiraiya, whose face was stricken with grief, silent tears streaming down.
"See? I told you that you'd cry from happiness."
Kakashi sat down, casually pulling out a bag of sunflower seeds from who-knows-where.
"I didn't expect you to become so honest after all these years."
Ajisai wiped her tears away, watching Orochimaru distance himself from her.
"You never do anything without a reason."
"Sarutobi-sensei, you're mistaken. Isn't everything happening now full of meaning?"
"What could be more meaningful than watching a motionless windmill finally start turning… after your death?"
The Hokage narrowed his eyes. "This time, I won't let you go, Orochimaru!"
The Four Sound Ninja grinned at one another.
"Looks like Lord Orochimaru is ready to act."
"Then let's begin as well."
Simultaneously, the four formed hand seals.
"Hah—!"
A small barrier formed in front of each of them, linking with the Four Purple Flame Formation.
The surrounding ANBU hesitated, unwilling to act recklessly.
"Damn it! A barrier inside the barrier?!"
The ANBU commander hadn't noticed that more than half of his forces had already vanished.
Boom—!
Inside the barrier, chakra exploded as Orochimaru and the Hokage clashed, sending dust and debris flying.
"Orochimaru wants to prolong this fight."
"Then I'll clean up elsewhere."
Naruto glanced at the others. "You guys handle things here."
"I'll be back soon."
With that, he vanished.
Reappearing near Nagato and Kushina, Naruto took in the battlefield with a glance.
"Why are you here, Naruto?"
Naruto eyed the still-attacking Hyuga and grinned.
"Orochimaru is still playing around with the old man. I came to settle things between you and your father."
"What do you mean?" Kushina tilted her head.
"Didn't you come back sulking yesterday?"
Naruto turned to Minato. "Dad, take out the Mask of Death. We have a ready-made sacrifice."
At that moment, several Root ninja, entangled in countless vines, were tossed before them.
"Kyuubi, stop playing around. Don't you want your Yin half back?"
Naruto called into the sealed space.
Then, he took the Mask of the Shinigami from Minato.
To be safe, he placed the mask on the face of a Root ninja.
"Alright, let's start with Dad first."
"If my guess is right, Mom can be truly resurrected later."
"Be careful, Naruto!"
Kushina and Minato warned, eyes filled with concern.
Naruto chuckled and nodded before quickly forming hand seals.
Shiki Fūjin—
Buzz—
Death had arrived.
Seeing the ghastly form of the Shinigami, Naruto nodded. "As expected."
"Now… Release the seal!"
Clang—
The Shinigami unsheathed its dagger, slowly slicing open its own stomach.
A dark, formless mass emerged.
Its grotesque face turned toward the masked Root ninja.
A clawed hand stretched out, seizing the ninja's head. His eyes rolled back, consciousness fading as his soul was torn from his body.
From the abyss of the Shinigami's stomach, another soul floated free—a chakra-infused specter with a red mark on its abdomen.
Naruto's arm transformed, becoming one with nature.
Countless vines wrapped around Minato's soul.
Absorb.
Whoosh—
Minato's soul, resembling a dense chakra orb, was drawn into Naruto's grasp.
Yet, he suppressed the Mori-Mori's instinctive absorption, gathering the energy at his Baihui point.
Closing his eyes, he carefully separated a strand of red chakra.
A strange sound escaped the Shinigami's throat.
Naruto's eyes snapped open.
The Shinigami had devoured the Root ninja's soul.
Its hollow eyes stared at him.
Then, it raised its dagger—pointed directly at Naruto.
Naruto reacted immediately.
In an instant, countless vines surged forth, striking at the Shinigami.
The entity hesitated.
This mortal dares to attack me?!
Naruto smirked as he caught the doubt flickering across the Shinigami's grotesque visage.
It held the Death Dagger high, only to realize that Naruto's vines could do more than just touch it.
The power within its body was draining away!
Ah?
This human...
Before it could react, Naruto's Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan flared open.
A strange force surged forth.
Not good!
The Shinigami's thoughts raced in panic.
Its body was dissipating, its strength diminishing by at least a third.
In this exchange... was it the Shinigami's turn to lose its life and soul?
Before the eerie power could reach it, the Shinigami cast one last glance at Naruto, then closed its eyes and muttered an incantation. In the next moment, its massive form vanished without a trace.
Naruto frowned. As he absorbed the remaining energy, he felt an unfamiliar chill.
He didn't rush to assimilate it but instead stored it between his brows.
"An unknown power system... Is this the so-called energy of ghosts and gods?"
He shook his head. With so many masks left, he had no shortage of spiritual power sources.
Snap—
A crisp sound echoed.
Looking down, he saw the Death Mask on the fallen Root ninja shatter into pieces.
Naruto: "..."
It ran off fast. I wonder if I can still summon the Shinigami again if I cast the Reaper Death Seal now?
"Dad, it's almost time. Orochimaru is about to use the Impure World Reincarnation. You, Mom, and Master should be making your entrance soon."
As he spoke, Naruto reached out and placed a hand on Minato's forehead.
A surge of spiritual nourishment flowed into him.
Minato opened his mouth to speak, but his pupils suddenly contracted sharply.
At the same time, the stiffness in his expression faded, replaced by a more natural, fluid look.
"Minato, what's wrong?" Kushina stepped forward, supporting him as he nearly collapsed.
"Don't worry. His soul is merging properly. He'll be fine soon." Naruto reassured her as he shifted his focus inward.
Inside the sealed space—
"If you don't come now, I'm draining your chakra!"
"Wait!"
Kurama finally arrived in his human form, panting slightly. "Hurry up... That's a lot of chakra!"
He guided Naruto's hand to his chest. "Just place the Yin half into my physical body. Keep the Yang half in yours."
"Got it."
Naruto nodded. This way, the Nine-Tails would essentially have two lives.
He closed his eyes and carefully transferred the Yin chakra into Kurama's human form.
Kushina's eyes widened, her gaze toward the Nine-Tails turning sharp.
"All done!"
Kurama opened his eyes, his body shifting once again.
His human ears elongated into fox ears. Behind him, nine large, furry tails swayed. His brows and facial features took on a more foxlike charm.
A ninja-style fox charmer!
"Hah~"
"Thanks, Naruto! I'm off to collect my chakra~"
Kurama's voice had also changed, becoming softer, more delicate. No longer the gruff, battle-hardened tone from before.
As he left, his nine tails swaying, Kushina's fists clenched tightly.
Vixen!
Naruto, you better behave...! You already have enough strange influences—don't develop a fox-woman complex!
"Kushina..."
At that moment, Minato opened his eyes.
A glimmer of life returned to them.
Minato Namikaze had truly been resurrected.
—
Elsewhere—
"Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
Hiruzen flung several shuriken before rapidly forming hand seals.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
In an instant, each shuriken multiplied into dozens of clones, filling the air with spinning blades.
Orochimaru sneered. "Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!"
Boom!
Coffins burst from the ground before him, intercepting the oncoming shuriken.
As the dust settled, Orochimaru stepped out from behind the coffin, smirking at the shock in Hiruzen's eyes.
Hiruzen's gaze locked onto the coffin before him.
On its wooden surface, a single kanji was inscribed—
[First]