"Edo Tensei again? Damn you, Tobirama… oh, wait, it's not."
Senju Hashirama angrily muttered to Tobirama, then suddenly realized that he wasn't in an Edo Tensei body—he was in the spirit form he had been summoned into last time.
Then he saw Tsunade, the Byakugan girl who had summoned him before.
"Big brother, why did you just scold me?"
A familiar voice sounded beside Hashirama, startling him. When he turned, he found himself surrounded by familiar faces.
"Tobirama, Mito, and two Konoha ninjas… how are you all summoned here?"
Uzumaki Mito, standing nearby, sighed upon seeing Hashirama's reaction and said beside Shigure, "Hashirama, this is your grandson, Shigure."
"Shigure? Ah, haha… my mistake, I didn't even recognize my own grandson!" Hashirama scratched his head, apologetically smiling. Tobirama, Tsunade, and Mito were all accustomed to Hashirama's quirks, but Shigure hesitated.
How could his grandfather, the god of shinobi, be such an unpredictable man?
"Looks like a new forbidden jutsu… it summons the spirits of the dead from the Pure Land while preserving their Chakra and part of their former abilities."
Tobirama sensed the current state of their spirits, then noticed Hyuga Hinata slightly ahead and guessed that it was this Hyuga girl's forbidden jutsu. Seeing her eyes, Tobirama recalled unpleasant memories, and realized that as spirits, they were still under her subtle control.
"Trying to control us again, aren't you? Damn Hyuga clan!" Tobirama's expression darkened.
.
Hinata tilted her head. She was likely the only Hyuga present and didn't understand why the Second Hokage held such hostility toward her clan.
"Grandfather, Second Grandfather, and Grandmother… we summoned you to experiment with the Pure Land Gate's jutsu," Tsunade stepped forward to explain their current state to Hashirama and Tobirama. She then looked at the still-confused Shigure and smiled faintly, but seeing Kato Dan brought mixed emotions.
"Sister, you're my sister, right?!" Shigure paused, then realized he had died and was now pulled back from the Pure Land by his sister.
Tsunade smiled faintly with a complex expression and patted Shigure's head. Even in spirit form, Shigure's hair felt almost the same as when alive, filling Tsunade with guilt. Shigure was her only younger brother, and she had failed to protect him; he died shortly after becoming a ninja.
"Incredible… as expected of my sister!" Shigure praised with a big heart, quickly forgetting his own death.
Tobirama crossed his arms and asked, "Little Tsunade, tell me about the ninja world. How is Konoha now?"
"Konoha has become history, Second Grandfather."
Tsunade spoke while displaying the Federation map on her ring terminal, explaining to Tobirama and the others.
Now, the ninja world had only one country: the Federation.
The last war had ended two weeks ago, ushering in a true era of peace. Ninja numbers would be drastically reduced and gradually reassigned to other positions. Only the most talented elite could become Federation ninjas.
Without war, civilians had sufficient food, children no longer faced the battlefield, and Federation schools would expand, implementing a branch school ranking system to reward and honor top students.
The Federation Ministry of Education also planned to establish higher-level schools, but due to limited teachers, only fifty students would be admitted across the Federation.
Infrastructure development was in full swing. The Federation Engineering Department had a fifteen-year plan for roads and utilities, making this period the fastest development in Federation history.
While explaining, Tsunade displayed projections of vast farmland and classrooms filled with students.
Seeing this, Tobirama's resentment over Konoha's disappearance vanished. He noticed Hashirama nodding approvingly—this was the peace he had wanted.
No wars, children growing up safely, eventually pursuing livelihoods, marrying, and raising families.
A new era!
Only Shigure seemed glum, saying, "So there's no Hokage anymore… my dream is over."
Tsunade ruffled his hair firmly and said with a smile, "Though there's no Hokage, the Federation's Supreme Leader role exists now. If you work hard, Shigure, you might achieve it. It's even more prestigious than the Hokage."
Shigure smiled and nodded, taking it as comfort, while Tobirama and Mito understood Tsunade's true intentions.
Tobirama asked, "Little Tsunade, why are you doing this?"
He had observed the jutsu on the platform—neither a sealing nor curse mark, but a new technique. Without live sacrifices, it allowed them to retain Chakra and even use jutsu from their lives, making it stronger than Edo Tensei in some ways.
As a forbidden jutsu master, Tobirama quickly analyzed its merits. The platform and the spatial channel they just emerged from indicated that Tsunade wasn't merely experimenting with a forbidden technique.
"To control the Pure Land… and to defeat the Sage of Six Paths."
After stating her purpose, Tsunade glanced at Kato Dan, who silently smiled. "Grandfather, Second Grandfather, you can stay in the ninja world for a long time and have many opportunities to understand current events."
Immediately, Hashirama, Tobirama, Mito, and Shigure floated uncontrollably toward the platform, guided by Hinata. Tsunade silently thanked her and then approached Kato Dan.
"Long time no see, Tsunade."
Kato Dan greeted with a smile, surprised by the developments but aware that the ninja world was now peaceful, with no more wars. Like Shigure, he regretted that the Hokage position no longer existed.
"How's Shizune?"
"She's fine. Now the Deputy Minister of Medical Affairs, busy reforming the medical system… though she hasn't found a partner yet."
Tsunade's gaze met Kato Dan's warm smile, and she instinctively avoided it, but knew avoidance was useless. Since Hinata summoned him, she had to face him.
Kato Dan smiled, "Please remind Shizune for me. It's my wish to see her settle down soon."
"Don't worry, I'll do it, Dan."
Tsunade felt a bit embarrassed. Shizune's busyness was partly due to laziness, and she had accompanied Tsunade across the ninja world; otherwise, admirers would have pursued her.
"Dan, actually I…"
"I understand, Tsunade."
Seeing Tsunade's expression wanting to explain, and her subtle avoidance, Kato Dan guessed her thoughts. Decades had passed, and it was time to let go.
"We can't always dwell on the past, Tsunade. Seeing you and learning how much the ninja world has changed satisfies me enough."
"Sorry, Dan." Tsunade could only apologize, as he had already voiced her thoughts.
"No need, Tsunade. I should thank you for fulfilling a lifelong dream."
After this, silence fell. The past need not be spoken of, and the future had nothing more. Kato Dan waved to Hinata, signaling, "Your turn."
Understanding, Hinata released the spirit-sealing jutsu. Without Onmyo magic, Kato Dan immediately felt the Pure Land's summons, and seconds later, his spirit vanished.
After sending him off, Tsunade felt much lighter, having expressed her inner apologies.
Returning below the platform, Hashirama anxiously asked, "Little Tsunade, what's your relationship with that Konoha ninja? Weren't you—"
"Grandfather, don't assume you can speak freely just because we're spirits!"
Tsunade grabbed his collar, shaking him. Their spirits now had physical characteristics.
"Little Tsunade, it seems the Pure Land Gate has no issues. I'll rest elsewhere for now."
Hinata interjected, bowing slightly before leaving.
Once Tsunade left, Tobirama's expression grew serious. "Little Tsunade, you didn't summon us just to test the Pure Land Gate, right?"
"No, Grandfather, Second Grandfather, Shigure… I want to ask, do you want to be revived?"
Revival.
Hearing this, only Shigure reacted excitedly; the others remained calm. They had lived long lives and could face death peacefully—even Tobirama, who had died in war, showed no emotion.
"Sister, I want to be revived."
"Don't speak yet, Shigure."
Tobirama stopped him and continued, "Why revive us? Little Tsunade, this isn't a decision you'd make lightly. Reviving the dead comes with great cost. Even you couldn't handle reviving four people at once."
"The last part is wrong. For me, the cost isn't high—perhaps a bit of Chakra. And both Second Grandfather and Shigure died unexpectedly, so there's much resentment to resolve."
Tsunade displayed her Sharingan and Rinnegan, signaling her abilities.
"Most importantly, we'll act on the Pure Land next. It may affect you, so reviving you is also for my personal reasons."
The Sage of Six Paths might resist using spirits, as Hyuga Mirai and she had speculated. Unless the Sage surrendered willingly, resistance was inevitable. The past powerful ninja would form the Pure Land's main resistance force.
Tobirama's fingers twitched with unease. He asked Hashirama, "Big brother, what do you think?"
"What do I think, Tobirama? Even if you ask, I don't know," Hashirama scratched his head. "I have no attachment to revival. But from Little Tsunade's words, if we stay in the Pure Land, we'd trouble her greatly."
Both noticed Shigure's longing for revival. He had died as a young ninja in a trap. Such regrets are hard to let go, even for adults—let alone family.
When Tobirama had first created Edo Tensei, he had considered reviving family but found the jutsu flawed. The revived were controlled like puppets. Realizing the failure, Tobirama only used it for war.
Tsunade's reasoning was sound. They had no reason to refuse; refusing might even cause a conflict among relatives in the Pure Land.
"In this matter, just follow me, Grandfather."
Seeing no reaction from Hashirama or Tobirama, she assumed consent and informed Hyuga Mirai to send some bodies over.
Revival should not be publicized. Even after revival, they couldn't reveal their true identities. Otherwise, reviving the dead could stir resentment among those who mourned lost loved ones.
"Tsunade, why suddenly four bodies… First and Second Hokage?"
Hyuga Mirai emerged from the spatial channel, immediately seeing the spirits. These two were particularly familiar; especially the Second Hokage, who had once been shattered by him in Edo Tensei form.
"You evil Byakugan brat! Today I will—!"
Tobirama was silenced by Hashirama, who covered his mouth. Hashirama scratched his head and laughed, explaining, "Tobirama's mistaken. He was referring to someone from the Warring States period."
"Warring States? Grandfather, did the Senju fight the Hyuga back then?"
Tsunade looked between Hashirama and Hyuga Mirai, suspicious. Though sensing a ruse, she decided to privately ask the Second Hokage; the excuse seemed too flimsy.
"The bodies?"
"Cultivated from the Divine Tree; just modify them with Onmyo Release."
Hyuga Mirai produced four embryonic bodies. By using Onmyo Release to construct organs and tissue, they could become the perfect revival vessels. Once revived, limitless potential awaited, including developing various kekkei genkai.
Tsunade, as a medical master, perfected the organs while transforming the four Divine Tree bodies to match Shigure, Tobirama, Hashirama, and Mito as they were in life.
She then formed hand seals, activating the Rinnegan forbidden jutsu.
"Outer Path: Rinne Rebirth!"
(End of Chapter)
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