Chapter 185 : Uchiha Hokage??

In the bright shrine, the white walls were adorned with portraits of the Hokages of the Hidden Leaf Village.

Orochimaru, dressed in a white kimono, had a tall, slender figure. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and his handsome face had narrow, purple eyes that appeared somewhat sinister. 

His unusually pale skin gave off a cold aura, reflecting a detached demeanor that seemed to push people away.

Cold Lord Orochimaru. He really is handsome!

It must be said that before his complete fall into darkness, Orochimaru's looks and charisma ranked among the top in the entire Naruto series.

Uchiha Sogetsu praised him silently in his heart, then adjusted his posture while supporting himself on the chair and said, "We can start now."

"Before we begin, I have to ask one last time: are you really sure about this?" 

Orochimaru played with the scroll in his hands, a slight, playful smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "Once we start, there will be no chance for regrets."

"Cough, cough. No need for more talk, let's start." 

Uchiha Sogetsu's pale face showed an unusual flush as he weakly sat in the chair, raising his hand to signal, "Elephant, how is the task I assigned you?"

"Hokage..." Elephant nearly mispronounced the name, causing Orochimaru to glance over. Realizing his mistake, he quickly corrected himself. "Lord Sogetsu, do we really have to do this?"

"Elephant, do you still trust me?" 

Uchiha Sogetsu didn't answer directly, but instead posed another question.

"I trust you."

Elephant didn't hesitate for a moment and followed his inner choice.

"Then go ahead, Elephant."

Uchiha Sogetsu pressed his index finger against his temple, applying gentle pressure. His voice was somewhat weak as he said, "Don't waste any more time. This decision is mine to make, and I will bear all the responsibilities. It has nothing to do with you."

"You're too modest, Lord Sogetsu."

Elephant lowered his head and stopped resisting, obediently exiting the room.

Meanwhile, Orochimaru watched the scene with interest and said lightly, "I didn't expect even the old man's trusted aide would be swayed by you."

Uchiha Sogetsu, sitting in the chair, had already closed his eyes, appearing to be in a light slumber.

After a moment, several Anbu members entered in single file, with Elephant at the front. The others carried two stretchers, their raised white cloth stained with blood. "Lord Sogetsu, these are the two individuals we selected according to your requirements. They are both elite jōnin."

Elephant turned his gaze away, feeling some reluctance.

These two individuals were elite ninjas from the Anbu, his subordinates. However, due to serious injuries, they had voluntarily applied after learning that sacrifices were needed.

Uchiha Sogetsu slowly opened his eyes, turning his gaze to the side. "It can begin now, Orochimaru."

The two people lying on the stretcher were still alive; their bloodstained white cloth gently rose and fell, indicating their weak breaths.

"Edo Tensei is a forbidden technique. I can't guarantee success on the first try."

Orochimaru lowered his hands, stepping closer to them, and slowly closed his eyes.

He recalled the relevant details recorded in the scroll, confirming everything was correct before opening his eyes again. With great care, he formed hand seals at a very slow pace, as if afraid of making a mistake in between. "Tiger, Snake, Dog, Dragon—Edo Tensei!"

With a clap of his hands, Orochimaru pressed down toward the ground.

The basic incantation for the technique appeared, its complexity exceeding that of S-rank ninjutsu. Black, tadpole-like runes, almost alive, spread across the brown wooden floor.

Uchiha Sogetsu, who had kept his eyes closed, suddenly revealed a flash of light in his gaze.

In his Spirit Vision, the entire process of "Edo Tensei" was completely deconstructed and displayed before him.

Bound by the 'contract,' two burning souls were 'summoned' from another space, floating like ghosts in midair.

"Pure Land. Heh, interesting."

Sogetsu narrowed his eyes, showing a contemplative expression.

In fact, he didn't care much about the two souls; rather, the real concern should be the other space, the Pure Land where people from this world go after death.

From the original storyline of Naruto, the Sage of Six Paths can, to some extent, control the souls within the Pure Land.

This brings up questions: Is there a connection between the Pure Land and the Otsutsuki clan? Also, souls swallowed by the Shinigami don't appear in the Pure Land. So, what exactly is the 'Shinigami'? 

It's truly intriguing. 

Sogetsu lightly tapped the chair, feeling that the Pure Land was not so simple. The more familiar a person is with certain events or phenomena, the more important 'facts' may be hidden behind them.

The Edo Tensei technique researched by the Second Hokage resembled a type of high-level summoning ritual, or perhaps a prayer ritual!

This was the fundamental reason he didn't personally perform this technique but instead let Orochimaru use it.

"There's no need to rush; we will figure it out eventually."

Sogetsu pondered, turning his gaze back to the ritual.

The two souls floating like ghosts in midair fell directly onto the two individuals under Orochimaru's control. Then, a large amount of grayish-white dust slowly covered the two on the stretcher. 

The process seemed to be accompanied by pain; after a series of chilling screams, the sounds gradually subsided.

Gray-white dust gathered and formed a shape.

Then, the two people serving as sacrifices were completely covered by the dust, and their facial features and outfits changed.

They wore red and blue clothing, styled in a way reminiscent of the Warring States period, with layered armor.

The man on the left had long black hair and an expressionless face, but just standing there gave an overwhelming sense of pressure.

The man on the right had silver hair and red eyes, with three red marks on his cheeks. His armor had white fur around the shoulders, and he stood with his arms crossed over his chest, exuding a calm and composed aura while his sharp gaze fixed on the two in front of him.

"Is this the First Hokage?!"

Looking at those familiar yet strange faces, Elephant couldn't hide his excitement. "Lord First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and Lord Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju!"

"Welcome back, the two former Hokages," Orochimaru said, exhaling a puff of stale air before slowly rising, his eyes filled with eagerness as he stared at them.

After all, the First and Second Hokages were considered 'legendary' figures in Konoha. Even the mad scientist Orochimaru couldn't help but feel a thrill at the chance to see them in person.

"Is this... the Impure World Reincarnation technique?" 

Tobirama frowned, quickly realizing they had been 'revived.'

Though he felt extremely displeased, the fact that this Impure World Reincarnation seemed unrestricted lifted his icy expression slightly. He turned his gaze to the paintings hanging on the wall and calmly asked, "You must be ninjas from Konoha, but what exactly is going on here?"

Elephant was about to speak when he felt a chilling gaze from Tobirama, causing him to freeze in place.

The terrifying chakra surged like a tsunami, shaking the entire room. The brown wooden floor and walls cracked continuously, and the house structure groaned under the pressure.

"I'm not asking you."

Tobirama's cold gaze fixed on Uchiha Sogetsu, sitting nearby. "I'm asking that Uchiha brat!"

"Tobirama, don't be so impulsive; you've scared the kids," Hashirama said, scratching his head with a silly expression as he quietly advised him from the side.

"Brother, this doesn't concern you."

Tobirama shot back harshly, showing no mercy.

Feeling dejected, Hashirama had a stream of black lines above his head, squatting down and drawing circles on the ground, mumbling, "I'm hated... Tobirama hates me again."

"Well, let me explain," Orochimaru interjected, stepping forward with a look of amusement. "Second Hokage, I'm a disciple of the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi. I'd like to formally introduce you to Uchiha Sogetsu, who will likely become the Fourth Hokage soon."

Hashirama: "!!!"

Tobirama: "???"

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