When the coffins marked "First" and "Second" rose from the ground, the Third Hokage jolted in shock. And when a coffin marked "Fourth" appeared, he rushed to block it with Earth Style hand signs, halting the summoning.
In the original story, Orochimaru had attempted to summon the Fourth Hokage—not the Kazekage—because Kabuto would later confirm that the Fourth's summoning had failed.
But in this world, who knew? Orochimaru might have gone for two "Fourths" at once for insurance.
Regardless, the Third Hokage had stopped it.
But as the coffin lids swung open, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, and the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, stood before everyone.
"The First… the Second…"
"Is that really—?!"
The ANBU outside were stunned.
"The First Hokage-sama, the one who ended the Warring States!"
"And the Second Hokage-sama too!"
"Hmph!"
That last sound came from Hikari.
First, Second—who cared? They were all juniors. Juniors, the lot of them!
Every single one of them should be calling her Grandmother!
[Holy crap]
[They're going THIS big?]
[How can you even summon dead people?]
[Naruto's mom is also dead and she got summoned too, so why can't Orochimaru?]
[Remember when Naruto's mom fought Orochimaru? He tried to use this technique but it failed]
[Yeah, it's on the site—you can go watch it]
[Back then Orochimaru was trying to summon Naruto's mom's corpse]
[But since her soul had already been summoned, it failed]
[Kushina is still watching over Naruto… I'm going to cry]
[That hit right in the feels, man]
[Did none of you catch Hikari's little "hmph"? So cute]
[Hikari: I'm the oldest one here!]
The viewers were having a grand old time losing their collective minds.
But some were starting to worry about Hanabi.
[Two Hokage plus Orochimaru and Kabuto—that's four against two. Is this really going to be okay?]
[Hanabi isn't THAT strong, is she?]
[Hikari isn't even worried. Why are you?]
[In the OVA, Hanabi absorbed a Shinigami, but she still hasn't fully shown that power]
[+1, I had Hanabi pegged around Kakashi's level before, but she's probably gotten a boost since then]
Hashirama and Tobirama stepped out of their coffins.
Perhaps because the Edo Tensei's precision was still lacking, both of them moved somewhat stiffly.
But Hanabi's sharp instincts told her something was off.
These two were stronger than they'd been in the original.
"Is it because of the Spirit Descent Technique?"
Kushina had attached herself to Naruto through Spirit Descent. With the Nine-Tails serving as an infinite power source, what was supposed to be a timed buff had become ongoing.
And when that technique was being fused together, Hanabi had also incorporated elements of Edo Tensei into it.
"Long time no see, Monkey." Hashirama spotted the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"So it's you. You've gotten old, Sarutobi." Tobirama stepped forward as well. The Second Hokage also noticed the masked, dual-wielding figure beside them—Hanabi—but said nothing.
Since Sarutobi Hiruzen was standing on the other side, that meant whoever had summoned them was likely an enemy of Konoha.
"I never imagined I'd see you two again under these circumstances." The Third Hokage's heart was heavy.
These were the elders who had taught him from boyhood.
"Edo Tensei, is it? The young man who summoned us—that one back there?" Tobirama's body could barely move. He strained to turn his head toward Orochimaru behind them. "Quite the remarkable youngster."
"Tobirama—I told you, you never should have researched something this dangerous." Hashirama shot an unhappy look at Tobirama.
"Someone's refined it beyond my original design… but the precision still isn't enough…"
Tobirama's first thought was how to break the technique.
Unfortunately, while this version exceeded the "original story's" precision, it still wasn't at the level where Tobirama could counter it.
"Sarutobi, it seems we have no choice but to fight you." Hashirama's body was stiff.
"No. Third Hokage-sama—please sit this one out."
Hanabi removed the Fool's Mask.
"Oh, little girl—looks like you've got some guts." Hashirama seemed rather impressed.
[It's over]
[I'm dying laughing]
[Merit –1]
[Hanabi, you've got some guts!]
[The absolute deadpan delivery of such a deadpan absurd line—this kind of stone-faced comedy has me going stone-faced too]
[This was supposed to be a dead-serious moment and one line broke the whole mood. Can't hold it together]
Hanabi had been planning to make this a cool, dramatic entrance.
And Hashirama ruined the whole thing.
Can you even hold a conversation properly?!
"Hehehe, that's enough reminiscing for you old-timers. Little girl—I'd like to see just how much of a threat you really are. How far can you actually go? Hehehehe."
Orochimaru refused to believe Hanabi could be all that powerful.
The girl was strong, sure, but at most she could barely keep Kabuto pinned. Nothing more.
"Quite impressive, actually." Tobirama, however, had noticed that the roof tiles up here were all inscribed with the Flying Raijin formula.
He chose not to share this with Orochimaru.
"Hanabi, you…" The Third Hokage frowned.
"Third Hokage-sama doesn't want to fight his two teachers, does he?" Hanabi said. "Orochimaru-sama deliberately summoned the First and Second. Because the person Orochimaru-sama truly wants to fight is his own teacher—but that goes against principle. So Orochimaru-sama wants the Third Hokage to do the same thing he's doing. That way—Orochimaru-sama can finally feel at ease."
Orochimaru: ???
What kind of nonsense is she spouting?
Orochimaru planted the control kunai with their talismans into the backs of the First's and Second's heads.
"The act of slaying one's own teacher is Orochimaru-sama's way of steeling his resolve. But in the moment of committing to it, he felt fear. So he needs someone else to do the same thing. For instance—making his teacher fight his teacher's teachers."
Hanabi spoke while removing her blindfold.
"Hmph." Orochimaru found this laughable.
And yet—
When Orochimaru's eyes drifted toward Kabuto, the other man seemed to have understood something.
—Kabuto, hold on. What exactly did you just figure out?!
Hanabi couldn't have cared less what Orochimaru thought.
I, Hyuga Hanabi, am the Director. I say black is white, then black is white. I say white is black, then white is black!
It doesn't matter what YOU think. What matters is what I make the AUDIENCE think!
"So, am I irrelevant then?" Kabuto asked.
"No. The fact that you came here of your own will—that alone deserves praise." Hanabi smiled.
She meant it.
The "script" was still proceeding. Orochimaru had still used Edo Tensei.
But only Kabuto—he alone had intervened in this battle by his own volition.
Kabuto had surpassed the original script.
"You really are amazing."
Hanabi put the blindfold away.
This would lower her attention, but it was a necessary sacrifice for the sake of the flex.
"Boar—Dog—Bird—Monkey—Ram. Summoning Jutsu."
Ice and snow descended.