章 4: The Edo Tensei
The forest was eerily quiet, its dense trees casting long shadows that seemed to stretch endlessly into the darkening horizon. The wind rustled through the leaves, a soft whisper of impending doom. Orochimaru could feel it in the air, the suffocating aura of death.
He had faced countless adversaries, from ruthless shinobi to terrifying monsters, but never had he encountered a killing intent so overwhelming. It wasn't just murderous intent; it was primal, ancient, as if death itself had taken form.
"Even that damned fox wasn't this... terrifying," Orochimaru muttered under his breath, his usually calm voice betraying the slightest tremor.
His heart pounded in his chest, a rare feeling for someone who had long prided himself on controlling fear. And then, without further hesitation, he ran. Orochimaru, the once feared and revered Sannin, known for his cunning and composure, sprinted through the dense forest with all the speed his legs could muster.
The towering trees blurred past him, their branches clawing at the sky like skeletal hands. His breath came in shallow bursts, his mind racing. Despite his strength, Orochimaru knew something the others didn't: true power wasn't in standing your ground, but in knowing when to retreat. The world's greatest shinobi were bound by their pride, their arrogance, but he had long since abandoned those weaknesses. All that mattered to him was survival.
That fear of death, the one thing he could never shake was what drove him now. Orochimaru had sacrificed everything for immortality. He had betrayed his village, his friends, and even his own humanity in the pursuit of living forever. And yet, in this moment, he felt closer to death than he ever had before.
Behind him, the stillness of the forest was shattered by a voice.
"Your soul could use some work."
It was Fang Yuan.
Orochimaru's blood ran cold. The voice was calm, casual, as if Fang Yuan were discussing something trivial. But the hunter's presence loomed large, closing in on him like a predator chasing down wounded prey. His steps were soundless, his speed frightening. Orochimaru felt like a gazelle trying to escape a cheetah, with each passing second tightening the noose around him.
In a desperate move, Orochimaru created a swarm of mud clones, each one splitting off in different directions, hoping to confuse the pursuer. The forest became a chaotic maze of fleeing shadows, the clones darting through the undergrowth like phantoms.
But Fang Yuan wasn't fooled. Orochimaru glanced back, heart sinking as he realized Fang Yuan's eyes had never left him. The clones were mere distractions, insignificant to the predator who had already locked onto his real target.
No. He couldn't panic. There were still options. Orochimaru bit his lip, drawing blood as he considered his next move. With a quick hand seal, he summoned Manda, the colossal serpent that had saved him in countless battles. The ground rumbled as the enormous snake materialized, towering over the trees and glaring menacingly at Fang Yuan.
Manda hissed, a sound that echoed through the forest, ending numerous animals with just it's echos. Manda instantly realized the grim mood, forgetting asking for sacrifices. Orochimaru barely had time to command Manda to stall Fang Yuan while he prepared to escape using an earth-release jutsu.
But just as he began to perform the jutsu, the ground beneath his feet shifted unnaturally. Orochimaru's eyes widened in disbelief.
Wood.
The earth had transformed into wood.
"I'll call this technique 'Qi Path: Ground-to-Wood Conversion'" Fang Yuan mused aloud, his tone almost playful.
Under any other circumstance, Orochimaru would have laughed at the absurd naming sense. What even was Qi? But now, his mind was racing, trying to understand how Fang Yuan could manipulate wood with such ease. This wasn't the Wood Release he knew, the legendary technique wielded by the First Hokage. This was something entirely different.
"What the hell is this?" Orochimaru spat, his heart pounding. "I've never heard of the First Hokage using techniques like this!"
Fang Yuan's voice was cool, unbothered. "Next, Wood Path: Wooden Cage Technique."
The wooden ground erupted, towering pillars spiraling upward with a speed and force that defied nature. They twisted and entwined, forming a complex, living cage that sought to trap Orochimaru within. But Orochimaru was fast, and even more nimble. He darted out of the way just in time. Manda, however, was not so lucky. The wood coiled around the serpent, draining its chakra with a terrifying intensity.
Manda thrashed, its colossal body writhing in pain, attempting to reverse-summon itself out of the danger. But the wood, relentless and unyielding, sapped both its chakra and its strength.
Just as Manda's cries grew desperate, something unexpected happened. The wood, which had been so aggressive moments before, began to slow down, get weaker and then wither, its once-vibrant energy fading as the pillars rotted and crumbled.
"Strange" Fang Yuan remarked, his voice thoughtful. "This shouldn't happen. It's almost as if... as if the wood has found another master."
At the moment of despair, Orochimaru's mind raced, trying to comprehend the bizarre events unfolding around him. His instincts had kicked in, and before he could realize, his hands had already been performing the forbidden jutsu he had saved for his desired revenge.
"Edo Tensei no Jutsu."
The ground split apart as three coffins rose from the earth, their surfaces marked with the numbers 1, 2, and 4.
"Don't you know how to count?" Fang Yuan asked with a smirk. He was hiding his surprise though. Such a powerful soul path technique was commendable. The coffins didn't open though. There was a problem.
The fourth coffin started sinking back.
"Hmm, his soul is inaccessible. He must be sealed somewhere, you have to forcefully summon him" Fang Yuan thought inwardly. He started assisting the jutsu and he actually had to exert himself quite a bit before the jutsu succeded.
Orochimaru frowned, not knowing why his jutsu failed but then the coffin started rising again. Orochimaru continued on with the jutsu despite his confusion. He had more pressing matters on hand.
The sound of creaking wood filled the air as the coffins slowly opened, revealing their contents: shadows of legends long dead.
The Fourth Hokage, the Yellow Flash Namikaze Minato walked out first, true to his reputation as the fastest shinobi in history. Wiping out armies of thousands was a casual monday for him because his nickname "Little Sun" spared no warmth for his enemies.
Next was Senju Tobirama, the Second Hokage, the man whose mind had shaped the very future of the shinobi world. The man feared second most by all Uchiha. His icy glare swept across the scene.
And finally the First Hokage, the God of Shinobi. His presence alone shifted the nature, the grass fluttered in delight, the wood getting more bright. The very forest bowed to him. The Founder of Konoha, the one who ended en era, the Sage Senju Hashirama.
Fang Yuan's smile widened. "Benefits."
---
The three resurrected Hokage stood in silence, surveying the strange battlefield around them. The forest, once a place of tranquility, now felt like a warzone waiting to erupt.
"What's happening, Tobirama?" Hashirama asked, his confusion evident.
Tobirama's eyes narrowed as he looked around. "It's my Edo Tensei, brother. Though I wasn't expecting to be summoned by someone so... young."
"It seems we've been pulled back to the living world," Minato said, his sharp gaze falling on Orochimaru. "Orochimaru, how did you even unseal me and what's the meaning of this?"
Before Orochimaru could speak, Hashirama's attention shifted. "Who the hell are you?" he asked, pointing at Minato.
Minato blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. He turned, displaying the back of his cloak. "I'm the Fourth Hokage, sir."
"Oh, the Fourth Hokage!" Hashirama said with a wide grin, walking up to him. "So the village is st.."
"Will you shut up, big brother?" Tobirama interrupted, exasperation clear in his voice. "We're in the middle of something."
"But I—"
"Shut up."
Hashirama sulked for a moment, then straightened, his expression becoming serious once again as he turned to Orochimaru. But before Orochimaru could explain, Fang Yuan interrupted.
"I am the enemy of the Hidden Leaf."
Fang Yuan didn't want the hokages to doubt who the real enemy was as he wanted them all for himself. The benefits of stealing their prized techniques.
Minato's eyes narrowed. "Who are you?" Such daring words, he can't be so simple. Minato thought.
Fang Yuan smiled. "I am Fang Yuan."
"Yuan?" Hashirama furrowed his brow. "Tobirama, was there a clan called Yuan?"
Tobirama shook his head, eyes narrowing as he sized up the stranger. "No, brother. They must be new."
"They didn't exist in my era either," Minato added cautiously.
"No, Hokage-sama," Orochimaru said quickly, his voice tinged with fear. "He's not from any known clan. He is a mysterious threat we've never faced before. He even wields your wood release."
The hokage had already decided to trust Orochimaru after the remarks of the adversary in front of them. It didn't matter if Orochimaru was evil or not anyways, they would just be eliminating an enemy of the hidden leaf either way.
Fang Yuan waved his hand dismissively. "Who I am doesn't matter. But you should try harder Orochimaru, Aren't these hokage a bit weak."
Tobirama's cold eyes glinted. "Don't underestimate us, brat."
"You don't know who you're speaking to, I have lived tens of times longer than you." Fang Yuan said, his voice dripping with confidence. "Theft Path: Edo Tensei Summoning Contract Burglar Full Power Killer Move Jutsu"
In an instant, Fang Yuan took control over the summoned Hokage. Orochimaru, frozen in place by terror, could only watch. How the tables had turned. He knew he couldn't face four Kage-level opponents alone, especially not here, in this cursed forest against two wood release users.
But then, something even stranger happened.
"Soul Path: True Edo Tensei no Jutsu."
The forest's warmth was absorbed as the Hokage were momentarily absorbed into the ground, only to reappear seconds later. Orochimaru's mind whirled, unable to comprehend what had just transpired.
"Hokage, you should be at full power now," Fang Yuan said with a smirk. "Except for you, Hashirama. Your soul.. it is not so simple."
He then relinquished his control over the technique, leaving the hokage free. "Let's see if this is a challenge worth my time."
Hashirama furrowed his brows. "There is always fighting no matter when you live huh."
Tobirama's face twisted with disdain. "We shall grant your request, Konoha's enemy. Your request of death."
Minato seemed as calm as always, but his resentment was hidden behind his beautiful eyes "Get ready."
With that, the three Hokage exploded forward, their sights set on the mysterious man before them.
週次パワーステータス
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