章 175: Your Call
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The still forest was shattered by a gust of wind as Koushin landed next to a nondescript tree. His arrival was so swift that the nearby trees seemed to bow in deference, their leaves trembling in the wake of his passage.
"Yamato-san, come out come out wherever you are," Koushin called, his voice echoing softly through the forest.
A whisper floated back on the breeze. "Go away, I'm on an important mission."
Koushin chuckled, the sound filled with a warmth that contradicted the chilling situation. "You're exposed, Yamato-san. I'm here to take you back. Forget the mission."
For a moment, silence prevailed, before the tree next to him shimmered and Yamato stepped out of its solid trunk. His expression was a mask of disbelief. "I was exposed?" he asked, clearly taken aback.
Koushin shrugged lightly, a smile playing on his lips. "Yup, the enemy has a remarkable sensor."
The words were out of his mouth before Koushin even realized their full implications. His grin fell and the ambient chatter of the forest seemed to mute, every detail taking a sharper focus. The realization hit him like a thunderbolt. "Too great even..." he muttered, the words falling from his lips in an incredulous whisper. His heart pounded against his ribs, his mind racing with the enormity of his realization.
He turned to Yamato, urgency flashing in his eyes. "We need to go, now!" he barked, the command clipped and final. But his warning came too late. He felt the subtle shift in the air, the slight disturbance that signaled the arrival of unwelcome guests.
Without looking, he said "Even resurrected Mito-sama? That's low, even for you, Orochimaru-san," he said, his voice heavy with a mixture of disgust and sadness.
The silence behind him was palpable, the three new arrivals frozen in shock. He could feel Orochimaru's wide eyes boring into his back, his disbelief palpable in the silent forest. Koushin allowed himself a small, bitter chuckle before turning around to face them.
His eyes fell first on Orochimaru, the once prominent Konoha shinobi who had fallen from grace. His pale skin was washed in the soft glow of the twilight, his piercing yellow eyes wide in shock. Beside him stood a woman with a gentle, serene smile on her face. Her hair was a vibrant red, her eyes a calm, peaceful blue. Despite the chaos around them, there was a sense of calm about her, a tranquility that seemed to radiate from her very being. She was Mito Uzumaki, the First Hokage's wife and the first Jinchūriki of the Nine-Tails. To her left stood a stern-looking man, his white hair contrasting with his dark, intense eyes. It was the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
"Seems like your seals are still active, Tobirama-san, since you were able to arrive so soon." His voice was laced with a sardonic humor.
Tobirama's gaze was cold and piercing, his icy eyes betraying no emotions. He seemed detached, almost apathetic. But beneath the mask of indifference, Koushin could see a glimmer of something else. The Second Hokage was a man who valued duty and responsibility above all, and he was here against his will. There was a hint of regret in his eyes, a shadow that marred his stern features.
Meanwhile, Mito looked at him with a kind smile, her eyes twinkling with a touch of curiosity. The gentle glow of her chakra felt warm and comforting, like a mother's love. Despite the grim circumstances, she was the epitome of grace and serenity. It was heartbreaking to see such a benevolent soul used as a puppet in Orochimaru's game.
His gaze then settled back on Orochimaru, the bitterness in his heart growing as he looked at the snake-like man. Orochimaru's face was a mask of shock, his wide eyes unblinking as he stared at Koushin. It was clear that he hadn't expected Koushin to guess his intentions so accurately.
Koushin chuckled, his tone airy despite the tense situation. "No need to look so shocked, Orochimaru-san," he said, fixing the snake-like man with a keen gaze. The air was thick with tension, their every word echoing in the stillness of the forest. "Mito-sama was renowned for her unique sensory abilities, allowing her to sense emotions, intentions. There's no way you could find Yamato without her."
Orochimaru nodded, his wide-eyed shock fading into a cool, calculating expression. His yellow eyes flickered to Yamato briefly before settling back on Koushin. The acknowledgement was almost grudging, a concession made to the truth of Koushin's words.
Beside Orochimaru, Tobirama was quiet. He looked at Koushin and Yamato, his gaze flickering over the Konoha headbands they wore. The icy harshness in his eyes seemed to soften for a moment, almost imperceptibly. His eyes then narrowed, and he tilted his head slightly, as if listening to something only he could hear.
"Why do I feel Ani-chan's chakra in your body?" he asked, his voice as cold as the winter winds of the Northern lands. The question was directed at Yamato, but Orochimaru chose to answer it. His laughter cut through the silence, echoing off the trees, a macabre serenade in the stillness.
"If it isn't my old experiment," Orochimaru said, his voice laced with a cruel kind of satisfaction. His words hung in the air, a heavy cloud of revelation and betrayal.
Tobirama's gaze swung back to Orochimaru, the softness gone, replaced by a fierce glare. Mito, too, turned her calm gaze onto the snake-like man, her tranquil features hardened. "You experimented with my brother's genes?" Tobirama's voice was frosty, the edges of his words sharp enough to cut.
Orochimaru only chuckled in response, the sound rippling through the silence, each note dripping with insidious delight.
"Tobirama-san," Koushin interjected, his voice taking on a mock serious tone, "you really created a foul technique. Look how in the wrong hands it's reanimated you and Mito-sama. Not only that, but Orochimaru will use you to kill your own kin."
Mito's eyes flickered to Koushin, her face reflecting a trace of uncertainty. "You mean Tsuna-chan?" Her voice held a hint of hope, as if she was clinging to a semblance of sanity amidst the madness.
Koushin chuckled again, a lighthearted sound that held no trace of mirth. "Yes, Lady Tsunade," he said, "or should I say the Fifth Hokage, is the Supreme Commander of the Shinobi Alliance in this war."
Mito's laughter was a soft, mirthful sound, full of charm and warmth. "Tsuna-chan is the Hokage? My, what a world we've come to," she mused.
Tobirama's icy gaze, as unyielding as the harshest winter, gave nothing away. His prior clash with Tsunade in Konoha, when Orochimaru had summoned him and Hashirama, provided him enough knowledge of the current era.
Koushin then turned to Orochimaru, a playfully dismissive wave of his hand punctuating his next statement. "I went on a mission with Yamato-san once, so I consider him as a friend. So you cannot take him. You came all this way for nothing, but how about I give you a consolation prize instead?"
Orochimaru's grin widened to an eerie extent, a snake baring its fangs. "Aren't you underestimating me too much, Koushin-kun?" His words slithered through the silence, carrying with them an implied threat.
With a shake of his head, Koushin replied, "Not at all. The only reason we are not at each other's throats this moment is that you are also on the task of unearthing Itachi's grave. So, you can either take your prize, or we can spar here and now. Your call.
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