Outside the Konoha Village, there was a spacious clearing.
A group of Root Ninja dispersed, vigilantly watching for any approaching figures.
Akihara Kagura and the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen, stood on the clearing, quietly watching Orochimaru forming hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu, preparing to summon Manda.
"What do you plan to do?"
Sarutobi Hiruzen tilted his head to glance at Orochimaru, then at Akihara Kagura: "You should have already mastered Sage Mode, right? Why do you need to use the Manda?"
"I need to give Kagura-kun a heads-up."
Orochimaru also turned to look at Akihara Kagura, offering a proactive warning: "Whatever you ask Manda to do, it will demand a hundred people as a sacrifice..."
"I understand."
Akihara Kagura nodded.
"That's good then."
Seeing Akihara Kagura's agreement, Orochimaru bit his own finger and formed a seal on the ground: "Ninjutsu: Summoning Jutsu!"
Immediately, a huge black summoning sigil appeared on the ground!
Amidst a cloud of smoke, a massive purple serpent appeared before them, lowering its head to look down at Orochimaru who summoned it, and spoke in a grim voice: "Orochimaru, what do you need my help with? First, prepare a hundred people as a sacrifice..."
"It's not me this time."
Orochimaru smiled and shook his head, pointing to Akihara Kagura behind him: "Someone needs your help, specifically asked me to summon you... If you want a sacrifice, you can ask him directly, even if you need more."
"Huh?"
The Manda couldn't help but tilt its head slightly, looking towards Akihara Kagura: "A brat, what do you want me to do? Brat, whatever it is, make sure to prepare a hundred people as a sacrifice."
"..."
Akihara Kagura slowly approached Manda, a tube of Hashirama cells appearing in his hand, and he softly spoke: "I only have one favor to ask of you..."
"What favor?"
Manda asked with a deep voice.
"To help... become a sacrifice."
Akihara Kagura spoke slowly, and his expression suddenly became serious as he quickly formed the hand seals!
"Ninjutsu: Edo Tensei!"
Suddenly, a massive black sigil appeared on the ground!
This was an experiment that Akihara Kagura had long considered. Even if Manda escaped, it didn't matter, he could also find a way to go to the Ryuchi Cave and capture it!
"What?"
Manda was still confused, not quite understanding.
However, Orochimaru instantly understood Akihara Kagura's intention, looking incredulously at him: "Kagura-kun, you want to use Manda as a sacrifice..."
Akihara Kagura quietly watched the Hashirama cells turn to ash in the sigil, sticking to the body of the Manda, and calmly continued: "This is just an experiment. The stronger the life force, the stronger the reanimated Ninja will be. I want to see to what extent power can be restored if we sacrifice a summoning beast like Manda, and see how much of the First Hokage's original strength can be restored..."
"Interesting..."
Orochimaru's lips curled up into a slight smile.
For Orochimaru, Manda was very useful, but it also had significant drawbacks; it would flee upon encountering danger, using it for a useful experiment was also an option...
In the future, when using the Edo Tensei, he could summon other serpentine creatures with equally strong life forces from the Ryuchi Cave, and even find ways to enhance the powers of those serpentine creatures, then use them as summoning sacrifices.
Wait!
Orochimaru suddenly realized something!
Akihara Kagura, that bastard, actually wanted to reanimate the First Hokage Hashirama using the Edo Tensei. If this god-like First Hokage became a puppet controlled by Akihara Kagura, how could he compete with him!
"Brat! What is this!"
Manda looked at the approaching ashes in horror, its scales quickly being enveloped by the ashes, and it rapidly felt its life force draining!
Its purple body was continuously turning to ash!
"You brat..."
The Manda, unable to contain its fury, looked towards Akihara Kagura and bit down: "You actually want to use me as a sacrifice for your wicked jutsu?"
"Isn't that nice?"
Akihara Kagura raised his finger, and a thick vine instantly tied around the head of Manda, calmly explaining: "Manda, you are inherently an evil summoning beast, just right for my wicked jutsu experiment..."
"Brat... wait for it!"
Manda stared deathly at Akihara Kagura, its snake eyes filled with a chilling murderous intent, clearly eager to kill this audacious individual!
The next moment!
A cloud of smoke rose!
The body of Manda suddenly disappeared from the spot!
As a summoning beast, Manda could leave at any time, returning to the Ryuchi Cave to recuperate, but this time it was clearly miscalculated...
Inside the Ryuchi Cave.
Manda looked in horror as the gray continued to spread on its body, completely submerging its form, and its pupils also turned gray in an instant!
"No..."
Manda still tried to struggle!
As a creature with tremendous life force and vast Sage Chakra, becoming a sacrifice brought especially significant feedback. Its body slowly gathered together and turned into a human form, and from it stepped a figure in red armor.
The First Hokage Hashirama stood inside the Ryuchi Cave, immediately sensing the immense natural energy hidden within the cavern, as well as feeling the power inside him nearly unchanged from before his death, which made him vaguely feel something was amiss.
However.
Hashirama didn't have time to ponder.
A summoning command instantly called him away from the Ryuchi Cave.
Outside the Konoha Village.
Orochimaru, somewhat regretful yet somewhat relieved, chuckled softly: "It seems the experiment failed, if Manda returned to the Ryuchi Cave, then the jutsu..."
"No, it succeeded."
Akihara Kagura interrupted Orochimaru.
After speaking, Akihara Kagura immediately completed the hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu, and slapped his hand on the ground: "Ninjutsu: Summoning Jutsu!"
The next moment!
A figure in red armor appeared before them, the First Hokage, Hashirama, successfully reanimated, with terrifyingly potent chakra within him!
"This... what exactly is going on!"
Hashirama saw the reanimated Sarutobi Hiruzen, and also saw Akihara Kagura and Orochimaru who summoned him, and the chakra within him suddenly surged!
A tangible chakra emerged around his body!
"Calm down a bit."
Akihara Kagura raised his finger, instantly calming down the First Hokage: " Lord First Hokage, it was I who reanimated you..."
"Huh? It was you?"
Hashirama looked curiously at Akihara Kagura.
"Let's explain everything later."
Akihara Kagura, controlling Hashirama, turned back to look at Orochimaru: "Lord Orochimaru, you should have the materials for the Second and Fourth Hokages, right? Could you lend them to me for a moment?"
"..."
Orochimaru's hands suddenly clenched!
This bastard knew he had a collection of treasures, but did he think he would just hand them over like that? That would just enhance Akihara Kagura's power!
"You won't use them for much, will you?"
Akihara Kagura gently soothed Orochimaru, continuing: "Lord Orochimaru, if their power is too strong, you won't be able to control them, and in any case, they won't pose any threat to me..."
"We can make a deal."
Akihara Kagura looked at Orochimaru, actively saying: "Besides the four Hokages, I won't touch the Kage of the other villages, you can reanimate them as you wish..."
"You should understand..."
"As the Advisor to the Hokage of the Konoha, I can't just let you reanimate the Konoha's Hokages, it would destabilize the village..."
"..."
Orochimaru immediately gritted his teeth, squeezing out a sentence: "With such an Advisor, the Konoha is truly fortunate..."
"That's only natural."
Akihara Kagura's revival of the four previous Hokages was clearly not just for the sake of holding more power, he continued: "The village's two senior advisors have always been reluctant to let me succeed as the Hokage, but with the four previous Hokages in my hand, even if the current Hokage isn't me, I can still influence the village's political situation using the other four previous Hokages..."
"Kagura-kun, that's a bit too far-fetched..."
Orochimaru shook his head, not believing Akihara Kagura's rhetoric: "The Konoha's higher-ups won't accept you playing with the dead, will they?"
"But..."
Akihara Kagura stared into Orochimaru's eyes, continuing: "If I claim that we won't reanimate the four previous Hokages, Lord Orochimaru will continue to use the four previous Hokages to harm the Konoha, just when the Third Hokage's funeral incident of the Hokage's body being stolen occurred..."
"Taking ten thousand steps back..."
"I could even not tell them, secretly reanimate the four previous Hokages, even if they find out, what could they do about it? The previous head of the Root, Lord Danzo, also did quite a few things hidden from the higher-ups, didn't he?"
"I'm the same..."
"Everything I do... is for the Konoha!"
"..."
You really dare to say it!
Orochimaru couldn't believe his ears.
This guy, he's actually serious!
This guy had really managed to find a reason!
If Akihara Kagura really used this reason to request Konoha's higher-ups to allow the reanimation of the historical Hokages, maybe it could actually be approved...
Reanimating the four Hokages by a rogue ninja and reanimating them by a Hokage's Advisor have very different impacts, if the four Hokages reanimated by a rogue ninja were used to attack the Konoha, the Konoha's ninjas fighting them would definitely affect morale...
In that case...
To prevent risks, being used by Akihara Kagura's Edo Tensei might not be unacceptable.
But there's still a risk...
Orochimaru's gaze shifted slightly, looking at Hashirama and Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Kagura-kun, I don't think they will obey your commands, if they reveal your true intentions to Konoha, how will you face that then?"
That's the biggest risk.
If the four Hokages turn against him at the last moment...
"Then I can only control the four Hokage to destroy Konoha."
Akihara Kagura's gaze was calm and peaceful, as if the words he spoke were merely commonplace: "For the Konoha, I believe the four Hokage will make a rational choice."
"..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen ominously fell silent.
As Akihara Kagura said, it was indeed very risky, but it posed a greater danger to the Konoha, for the sake of the Konoha, they might have to side with Akihara Kagura.
This is the best way.
As the Hokage of the Konoha, sacrifice is also essential.
If everything benefits the Konoha, the future interaction pattern with Akihara Kagura might become a kind of gamble, they could be used by Akihara Kagura, but Akihara Kagura is using them to benefit the Konoha...
"..."
Hashirama's brows furrowed tightly, still pondering Akihara Kagura and Orochimaru's exchange, he suddenly realized the truth: "Wait, this young man called Akihara Kagura, you actually want to destroy the Konoha? Are you and this Orochimaru guy in cahoots?"
"No..."
Akihara Kagura took a deep breath.
"What I mean is..."
Akihara Kagura slowly raised his finger again, controlling Hashirama to stand in place, solemnly saying: "If the previous Hokages do not obey my commands, I will control you to destroy the Konoha, destroying the Konoha that the previous Hokages worked hard to build..."
"You!"
Hashirama struggled to twist his arm!
This brat...
He had such dangerous idea!
The most terrifying part is, this brat's power might have already surpassed his!
However, no matter what, he couldn't resist Akihara Kagura's will, he somewhat couldn't believe his power was nearly the same as in his prime, how could he still not break free!
"Lord First Hokage."
Sarutobi Hiruzen glanced at Hashirama, softly persuading him: "If it's for the Konoha, a little sacrifice, at least temporarily endure it a bit..."
Sarutobi Hiruzen also had a little trick.
If Akihara Kagura really dared to let them, the historical Hokages, stay by his side, maybe they could gradually influence Akihara Kagura, letting Akihara Kagura slowly understand the historical Hokages, letting Akihara Kagura's heart develop the will of fire...
From the current situation...
Akihara Kagura didn't seem to want to become a rogue ninja.
"Lord Orochimaru, your teacher agrees."
Akihara Kagura reached out his hand towards Orochimaru: "First, hand over the revival materials for the Second and Fourth Hokage?"
"What about our agreement..."
Orochimaru squinted his eyes looking at Akihara Kagura.
Besides the Kages of the other villages, Orochimaru also thought of a person, Uchiha Madara, who once fought against the First Hokage, maybe he had to bother finding Uchiha Madara's corpse...
"Of course it counts."
Akihara Kagura nodded, planning to have Kabuto dig up the grave later.
Currently, there are three Ninja in the ninja world who have mastered the Edo Tensei, it seems there are few grave robbers, but the competition for grave robbing is actually quite fierce, even Orochimaru is already starting his scheming at this moment.
"Then..."
Orochimaru extended his hand, a cloud of smoke appeared in his hand, a sealing scroll was tossed to Akihara Kagura by him.
"May our cooperation be pleasant."
~~~
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