Chapter 174: God of Ninja
Inside the Sound Village.
Orochimaru stood atop the highest building in the Sound Village, watching over the village he had just established, which was about to face a calamitous disaster.
Shimura Danzo and Kimimaro, along with all the villagers, had left, leaving only Orochimaru behind. He planned to confront the Akatsuki organization once more.
Orochimaru glanced at the materials beside him. In front of him were two bottles of Hashirama's cells and a bound rogue ninja.
As soon as the Akatsuki members arrived, Orochimaru intended to inject one bottle of Hashirama's cells into the rogue ninja, instantly maximizing the rogue ninja's vitality. Then, he would use this dying rogue ninja, injected with Hashirama's cells, as a powerful sacrifice to perform the Edo Tensei, bringing back to life the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!
Despite...
Due to the immature state of the Edo Tensei, this First Hokage would inevitably be uncontrollable, and even his power could not be determined.
However, Orochimaru had no other option. He did not consider himself a match for the S-ranked rogue ninjas of the Akatsuki, and it was too late to seek help from the indifferent Akihara Kagura. He could only gamble and try. If he failed, it would not hinder his escape.
The sky was dark and oppressive.
A group of people wearing black robes with cloud patterns appeared in Orochimaru's sight.
On the ground stood Pain, along with members of the Akatsuki organization, while in the sky, Deidara rode a giant clay bird, circling above.
The moment these S-ranked rogue ninjas of the Akatsuki appeared, they exerted a strong psychological pressure, each possessing the power to destroy this small ninja village.
"Hey, let's feel the essence of art first!"
Deidara, in the sky, chuckled and shouted, flicking his wrist to release white clay birds. These clay birds flapped their wings and flew towards Orochimaru!
"The brat from the Rock Village..."
Orochimaru swiftly threw out a series of snakes that continuously bit the clay birds, followed by a series of explosions!
Bodies of snakes fell to the ground.
"Deidara, don't be impulsive."
Sasori looked up at his teammate, seeing Deidara's disobedience, and could only turn to Pain: "Pain, let's take action then..."
"Alright."
Pain nodded slightly and commanded, "Go, kill Orochimaru, find Shimura Danzo."
The next moment!
Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki, among others, rushed out!
"Not even interested in a conversation, huh?"
Orochimaru watched the approaching crowd with a venomous gaze, not holding back any longer. He took out a syringe of Hashirama's cells and forcefully injected it into the rogue ninja sacrifice in front of him!
The overwhelming assimilative power of Hashirama's cells was far beyond what the rogue ninja could endure. In an instant, the rogue ninja's body began to be massively devoured by Hashirama's cells, even half of his face sprouted a swollen mass of white substance!
Without a doubt...
At this moment, the rogue ninja's life energy was at its most powerful.
Yet at this moment, the rogue ninja's life was also coming to an end!
"Ninjutsu: Edo Tensei!"
Orochimaru swiftly raised his palm and slammed it down on the ground, another bottle of Hashirama's cells quickly acting as a catalyst, turning into a mass of ashes absorbed by the dying rogue ninja, whose breathing also ceased in that instant!
A black curse mark appeared on the sacrifice's body!
His appearance...
Quickly began to change!
A man with black, long hair, wearing red armor, appeared on the high platform of the Sound Village. His body suddenly erupted in a burst of chakra so tangible it seemed material, causing his body to show cracks of disintegration in an instant!
Any ninja who had seen his portrait or even his true face could not help but murmur his name, Hashirama, the First Hokage!
"Is the sacrifice unable to inherit the power of the First Hokage?"
Orochimaru, watching the man standing before him, frowned in thought: "It seems that the reason for the imperfect revival is due to the sacrifice. But this time, it appears we've successfully summoned the soul..."
"Just a bit more power causes the body of the Edo Tensei to disintegrate. Perhaps this Reanimated body won't last long, or maybe the jutsu is not yet perfect. But it should hold up for this situation, right?"
This was Orochimaru's first attempt at reviving the First Hokage, Hashirama.
Orochimaru had guessed how powerful Hashirama truly was from the performance of Akihara Kagura, his fingers slightly raised, wanting to try controlling Hashirama.
It was evident.
Orochimaru broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead but still couldn't control Hashirama's actions, gaining a bit of experimental experience.
"If the resurrected souls are too powerful, controlling their minds is difficult, and finding the right sacrifice is not easy..."
"Next time I perform the Edo Tensei, I need to reduce the quality of the sacrifice, cut down the power the resurrected souls can carry, and lower the chakra concentration limit of the Reanimated..."
"Although the power is likely much reduced, Reanimated beings are immortal, and their chakra is infinite. That alone is enough to be invincible..."
While Orochimaru was rapidly thinking through the lessons from this Edo Tensei, a shadow appeared before him. Hashirama, the First Hokage, looking at Orochimaru kneeling on the ground in the casting pose, tilted his head curiously.
"Hello?"
"Can you hear me?"
"What is this jutsu? Did it resurrect me from the underworld?"
"Hm? Why not speak? Why use this jutsu? Do you know this jutsu disturbs the peace of the deceased? What year is it now? Are you a ninja of Konoha?"
Orochimaru felt the First Hokage's soul was a bit talkative.
Thinking for a second, Orochimaru replied, "This jutsu was invented by the Second Hokage, Tobirama. I am a ninja born in the Konoha..."
After a moment of thought, remembering his old friend, Orochimaru calmly added, "Lord First Hokage, I am a comrade of Tsunade, surrounded by a group of rogue ninjas. I had no choice but to summon you, hoping you could help me deal with these enemies..."
"A friend of Tsunade's..."
Hashirama stroked his chin, raising his head pretentiously in thought, "From your appearance, Tsunade must have grown up..."
"Yes..."
As Orochimaru reminisced with the First Hokage, he glanced at the approaching Akatsuki organization and quietly reminded, "Lord First Hokage, could we discuss reminiscences later? The enemies attacking us are approaching!"
"Is that so? Are the enemies strong?"
Hashirama turned curiously, looking towards the group of figures in dark clouds and black robes charging towards the high platform, frowning in thought again, "Indeed, the times have changed. They seem powerful, but I do not recognize them..."
Hashirama scanned the approaching members of the Akatsuki, passing over individuals like Uchiha Itachi and Kisame Hoshigaki, until he saw Kakuzu, and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity!
After so much time had passed, to still encounter someone he had met during his lifetime excited Hashirama suddenly!
"Hey, you..."
"Aren't you from the Waterfall Village..."
"!!!"
When Kakuzu looked up and saw Hashirama, his face immediately showed shock, even seeing Hashirama greeting him friendly!
"That... That is…"
Kakuzu's forehead also began to show a trace of cold sweat, looking incredulously at the person standing on the platform greeting them. The long-forgotten fear gradually revived.
What on earth is going on?
Have I lived too long, becoming senile?
Otherwise, why would I see the First Hokage, Hashirama!
"It looks somewhat familiar..."
Uchiha Itachi raised his head, looking at the figure in red armor.
"That's Hashirama!"
Kakuzu's figure suddenly stopped. After confirming he had not mistaken the person, all five of his hearts started beating simultaneously, devoid of the old man's calmness.
"The First Hokage, Hashirama!"
Kakuzu stared fixedly at Hashirama on the platform, gripping his fists tightly: "I won't mistake him... The black hair... That naïve and foolish look... Yet, a terrifying power hides within... The First Hokage of Konoha, Hashirama!"
Kakuzu's heart trembled involuntarily, as a psychological shadow emerged bit by bit: "But... how could Hashirama possibly be here?"
...
The people present all stopped in their tracks.
The members of the Akatsuki immediately felt a heavy pressure!
Merely the mention of that name was enough to deter them from making a move easily, especially since, during this time, there was also frequent mention of Akihara Kagura helping the First Hokage and boasting about Wood Release, making everyone believe Hashirama could not be easily dealt with!
Fortunately.
Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure.
Everyone on the ground involuntarily looked towards Kakuzu, hoping to get some insights or information about the First Hokage Hashirama from this elder.
"Don't look at me!"
Kakuzu, somewhat embarrassed and angry, looked displeased at his companions, who were also S-class rogue ninja: "I don't know how strong he really is!"
"Weren't you only a bit inferior to him?"
At this moment, someone even brought up Kakuzu's past boasts.
"Shut up!"
Kakuzu coldly interrupted his companions' inquiries.
Just as Kakuzu maintained his stoic expression, Hashirama on the platform seriously defended Kakuzu for a moment.
"That guy from the Waterfall Village is indeed very strong. It's not easy for such a small village to produce such a powerful ninja..."
...
Kakuzu's feelings immediately became complicated.
Although Hashirama was praising him, even making excuses for Kakuzu, Kakuzu could not feel happy at all.
Because...
Because Kakuzu had personally witnessed how strong a Wood Release ninja like Akihara Kagura was, Hashirama had clearly looked down on him!
Hashirama looked at Kakuzu, somewhat sentimental: "I didn't expect to return to the world of the living and still see familiar faces from my lifetime. It seems not much time has passed... Are there any people from our era still alive in the Waterfall Village?"
"No."
Kakuzu responded curtly, not wanting to reminisce at all, just glaring at Hashirama in the sky: "Why on earth is this guy here?"
"It must be that forbidden jutsu researched by Orochimaru…"
While the Sasori of the Red Sand was talking, he carefully planned to retreat: "The ability to resurrect the dead as his puppets, this forbidden technique, seems to have been used to revive Hashirama, the First Hokage of Konoha. This time, it seems we might have a hard time dealing with it…"
"Don't be afraid, Sasori!"
Deidara, a man who feared nothing on heaven or earth, took the lead, riding the clay bird under his feet and charging forward: "Just an old guy who's long been dead!"
"Deidara, don't take it lightly!"
Pain looked at Deidara and solemnly warned: "The First Hokage, Hashirama, was hailed as the God of Ninja, stronger than any other we have encountered, including Akihara Kagura..."
Just from Akihara Kagura alone, one could see how powerful the First Hokage really was. Pain suddenly felt a bit uneasy!
"Then I'm even more excited!"
A string of small clay birds appeared in Deidara's palm, which turned into clay doves the size of real pigeons the moment they fell from his hand, flying towards the high platform where the First Hokage was!
"A jutsu that can turn into birds?"
Hashirama looked on with some curiosity, not feeling any imminent danger, appearing somewhat naive.
However, this naivety seemed foolish in Deidara's eyes, who laughed out angrily: "To dare underestimate my art! Then taste my art!"
"This idiot…"
Orochimaru watched the incoming clay birds, feeling that this summon might have been a mistake.
How could this First Hokage be so foolish, not possessing the aura of Konoha's founder, appearing as a complete novice to the ways of the world!
Orochimaru did not care about Hashirama's safety at all; his body quickly transformed into a swarm of snakes and disappeared from the spot!
Orochimaru didn't want to stay here facing the group from the Akatsuki organization, nor did he want to accompany Hashirama in his fearless stance towards death, as he did not possess the undying body of those resurrected by the Edo Tensei!
Moreover...
This Edo Tensei was a failure...
It seems that reviving the First Hokage might not resolve the Akatsuki organization, just enough to delay the Akatsuki members here.
Orochimaru only hoped that before he left far away, this First Hokage could delay them a bit longer before his resurrected body collapsed.
"Art is an explosion! Ha!"
Deidara's shout echoed through the Sound Village!
Following Deidara's shout, the group of clay birds exploded instantly, turning the entire high platform into ruins, Hashirama's arms were blown off, and his body fell from the collapsing high platform, rolling on the ground in a disheveled manner.
Such a disgrace...
Inevitably damaging the image of this First Hokage.
Deidara, looking at Hashirama's severed arm, couldn't help but laugh contemptuously: "What God of Ninja, looks completely unsightly…"
"..."
The members of the Akatsuki gradually relaxed.
As they approached Hashirama, the First Hokage, the figure of the Sasori of the Red Sand stood still, ready to leave the place at any moment.
Not far from the Sound Village.
Akihara Kagura and Yakushi Kabuto were standing there, watching the battle.
"The First Hokage... Just like this?"
Kabuto still watched the First Hokage, who showed no signs of fighting, with some confusion.
"After all, he is resurrected by the Edo Tensei..."
As a ninja of Konoha, Akihara Kagura definitely wanted to speak up for this First Hokage, softly saying: "The body limited by the Edo Tensei restricts his combat power too much, but Orochimaru's choice of sacrifice this time is not bad, at least allowing him to warm up a bit..."
While Akihara Kagura was speaking, he felt the power surging inside him because the moment the First Hokage was resurrected, the system popped up with a series of prompts, many characteristics and skills related to Wood Release were merging into one characteristic!
[System Prompt]: [You have a new superior (First Hokage), rewarded with a newcomer welcome pack, unlocking new characteristics!]
[God of Ninja (The total amount of chakra synthesized in the host body has greatly increased, the host's life energy has greatly increased, the host's recovery ability has greatly improved, Markless self-healing and Wood Release Kekkei Genkai and characteristics merged...)]
~~~
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