Chapter 308: The Three-and-a-Half-Day War (Part 10)
D-3, 48 hours and 1 minute after the attack began.
Orochimaru finally completed all preparations. The two struggling living sacrifices were pushed forward.
Besides Orochimaru and the two elders, the Clan Head of the Nara clan and an elder from the Senju clan were also present.
Summoning the First and Second Hokage to help Konoha weather this crisis couldn't be kept secret, nor was there any need to hide it. This was a ninja village, not a monastery. No one would talk about taboos or ethics at this critical juncture.
Orochimaru licked his lips with his snake-like tongue. "Then, everyone, I shall begin."
Under everyone's gaze, Orochimaru formed seals rapidly and slammed one hand onto the ground.
Chakra flowed along the formula carved on the floor.
A filthy, dust-like substance inexplicably emerged from the flat ground, gradually swallowing the writhing sacrifices from bottom to top.
This was the origin of the name "Edo Tensei" (Impure World Reincarnation - literally "Filthy Soil Reincarnation").
Summoning the dead required this complex method for the first time. After the first time, as long as the sacrifices weren't destroyed, they could be summoned directly, similar to the Summoning Jutsu.
After the "filthy soil" covered their entire bodies, it condensed into a paper-like substance, finally fixing its shape and color.
The two sacrifices completely changed their appearances.
They were the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
The Senju elder was so overwhelmed with emotion he couldn't control himself.
"Hashirama-sama... Tobirama-sama!!"
Almost simultaneously, the two Edo Tensei bodies opened their eyes. Their deep voices resonated, shaking everyone's hearts.
"Who disturbs the slumber of the dead...?"
"Brother... this is likely my 'Edo Tensei' technique."
Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado stepped forward immediately, excitedly saying, "Sensei! First Hokage-sama! It's us! This is Konoha!"
Hashirama looked at the two, completely failing to recognize them. "Who are this old granny and grandpa?"
The two elders almost choked. They hurriedly explained, "First Hokage-sama, we are Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado, disciples of the Second Hokage..."
Hashirama slapped his forehead. "It's you guys! I remember there was another one named Monkey (Sarutobi). Are you all this old now? It seems the village I founded has passed down its legacy well. Is Konoha thriving now?"
Just as he spoke, the entire Hokage Building trembled. It seemed another Heavenly Transfer bombardment hit nearby. Debris fell from the ceiling, landing on Hashirama's head.
The two elders looked at each other, speechless.
Tobirama, who had been observing his surroundings, said, "Brother, clearly Konoha is facing some crisis to summon us back to the living world."
Koharu said bitterly, "My lords, it is our incompetence... The village is in imminent danger. Konoha is surrounded, and the outside is practically destroyed."
Tobirama snapped, "The situation has deteriorated to this extent? Where is Monkey? I had high hopes for him when I passed the Hokage position to him before I left. How did he manage the village to end up like this?!"
"Hiruzen... died several years ago..."
Tobirama: "...How stupid must you be to let Konoha fall into this state?"
The two Konoha elders wished they could find a hole to crawl into.
The Nara Clan Head couldn't watch any longer and interrupted the reminiscence. "My lords, the war situation is urgent. Allow me to brief you. The village is currently besieged by the Cloud using massive fortifications..."
Hashirama recalled, "Kumogakure? That ninja village in the Land of Lightning...?"
The Nara Clan Head concisely explained Konoha's current status and the dilemma they faced.
After listening to the explanation, Hashirama and Tobirama fell silent.
This wasn't just a crisis; this was dirt practically burying them up to their necks.
If the two elders weren't so old and frail, Tobirama would have wanted to beat them up right now.
Listen to this mess:
Lost the Second Great Ninja War.
The promising Hiruzen died at the hands of a junior.
Military and financial power completely crushed by the Cloud.
Now being beaten at their own doorstep.
Koharu and Homura thought to themselves: We haven't even told you that the Senju clan is nearly extinct, the Ninja Academy is full of cannon fodder, and a traitor elder killed hundreds of our own people in experiments every year...
If they said all that, these two might get so angry they'd return to the Pure Land on the spot.
Tobirama asked bitterly, "What about the Jinchuriki... the Nine-Tails?"
"Um... Sensei, maybe we should talk about something else?"
Hashirama, on the other hand, seemed open-minded, listening like it was a story.
"Wow, the Cloud Village is amazing! Growing into the strongest ninja village. Speaking of which, Tobirama, you died at the hands of Cloud ninja too, right?"
Tobirama ignored his ditzy brother. "Even if we want to help you, these bodies are incredibly fragile... probably possessing less than half our strength from when we were alive."
Hashirama was surprised. "Tobirama, you have half? Why do I feel like I only have one-tenth? Are our materials different?"
"...That's just because you were too strong, Brother."
Just then, the Hokage Building trembled again.
Hashirama sighed helplessly. "Originally, as dead men, we shouldn't interfere with the living. But Konoha is the village I built with my own hands. I don't want to see it end like this..."
Tobirama said, "Talking won't solve anything. We should see for ourselves. Brother, let's go."
Tobirama sensed a Flying Thunder God mark he left on the roof of the Hokage Building when he was alive. He thought, Konoha is really regressing. They haven't even renovated the Hokage Building in all these years...
Tobirama placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, and the two vanished instantly.
As for the people in the secret room... unworthy descendants, better not to look at them!
The moment they appeared outside, both were shocked by the massive fortifications completely surrounding Konoha.
"This is... impossible! How did the Cloud do this?!"
Whether it was Tobirama, the master of forbidden jutsu, or Hashirama, the God of Shinobi, both were stunned by the endless, towering fortress clusters.
"Unbelievable! These buildings appeared overnight?! The Cloud must have mastered some incredible ability."
In Tobirama's concept, man-made structures of this scale would take at least ten years to complete, even with the full power of a nation.
Rainbow lights streaked across the sky like meteor rain, some landing outside the village, some inside, triggering violent explosions.
Not far away, a dozen Cloud ninja wielded weapons glowing with chakra—all Chakra Metal weapons.
"Is this the ninja world we know? If I hadn't seen Koharu and the others just now, I would have thought we'd been dead for centuries..."
Turning to look at his brother, Tobirama found Hashirama's face even darker than his own, gloomy enough to drip water.
"Brother..."
"Ah... I see it... My face has been smashed."
"....Brother, at a time like this, there's no need to care about the Hokage Monument."
On a distant fortress, an observer reported, "Raikage-sama! Two people suddenly appeared on the roof of the Hokage Building."
With absolute height advantage, they didn't need sensory ninjutsu; a pair of binoculars was enough to see everything inside Konoha.
The Third Raikage, resting and waiting for the next charge into Konoha, took the binoculars from his subordinate.
One look, and he froze for a long time.
"That is... the Second Hokage? As expected, Konoha resorted to this forbidden power..."
Long ago, when Dana planned the siege of Konoha, he warned the Third Raikage that Konoha might use a jutsu to recall the dead in the final stages, and they had to be prepared.
When Tobirama Senju visited the Cloud for peace talks, the Third Raikage was just a bodyguard, but he could never mistake that iconic white hair and the non-ninja-style fur collar.
As for the one beside him in ancient red armor... his appearance matched the first face on the Hokage Monument before it was blown up.
"The First and Second Hokage..."
Both Hashirama and Tobirama possessed powerful sensory abilities [1]. They quickly locked onto the strongest chakra signature on the battlefield and leaped toward the fortress where the Third Raikage stood.
The Third Raikage stood on the fortress, looking down from above.
Outwardly, he was immovable as a mountain, but internally, he was already mobilizing troops via the Communication Snail. These two could not be underestimated.
The Third Raikage looked at them and said, "Konoha really will do anything. Dragging the dead back... What's next? Will I have to face an army of the living dead?"
Tobirama looked up and said, "I remember you. So you inherited the position of Third Raikage... I recall back then, you were also a pro-peace faction member beside the Second Raikage. Why start a war in the ninja world?"
The Third Raikage roared, "It was your Konoha that started the war first! Where is my brother Blue Bee?! Hand him over!"
Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged a glance. Good lord, so Konoha started it?
Tobirama said, "We can talk."
As a smart man, Tobirama hoped to solve this through negotiation. He knew the Cloud weren't unreasonable brutes. If not for the Gold and Silver Brothers' rebellion, he would have ended the First Great Ninja War through peace talks.
He and his brother were fragile Edo Tensei bodies. As the creator of this jutsu, he knew its conditions best. In the past, he only used it with the "Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags" technique to create undying suicide bombers [2]. They barely inherited any strength from when they were alive.
He had less than half his strength, likely because the sacrifices Koharu provided were of high quality—probably Jonin-level sacrifices.
His brother was even worse, having only one-tenth of his strength.
So Tobirama hoped for peace talks to resolve the crisis.
Unexpectedly, Hashirama raised a hand to stop his brother.
"Brother?"
Hashirama's deep voice seemed to come from the underworld. "At this point, there is no other way..."
"Brother... are you going to..."
The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, suddenly knelt on the ground and shouted, "Third Raikage opposite me! I'll kowtow to you! Please let Konoha go!"
Tobirama: "......."
Third Raikage: "......."
[1] Note: Tobirama is a sensor type. Hashirama's sensory abilities are also top-tier due to Sage Mode.
[2] Note: This refers to the original intended use of Edo Tensei by Tobirama.