Chapter 249: All Immortal—What's the Point of Fighting?
"Who knows what that old woman was thinking?"
Shinyo had zero interest in these ancestors who'd failed their responsibilities. She simply followed Lord Yasushi's orders to deploy them in battle.
"The Uzumaki clan excels at sealing techniques. We've summoned you specifically to use those skills and seal every enemy Edo Tensei body!"
After speaking, Shinyo pointed toward the battlefield.
"Wait, why are the enemies the Hokage?"
"And why are the people controlling them from Konoha Village?"
"This is a forbidden technique!"
"Has the current Konoha Village fallen so low as to manipulate the souls of the dead?"
"Enough chatter!" Shinyo clapped her hands, pulling their attention back. "Simply seal the enemy Edo Tensei bodies, and I'll immediately release the summoning, letting you return to peaceful rest in the Pure Land."
"Well? Any objections?"
"This is..." The group of elderly Uzumaki looked at each other, muttering uncertainly. "These two girls don't seem legitimate. They're probably rogue ninja."
"But they're not wearing headbands. Can't tell where they defected from."
"Obviously Konoha Village—look at their eyes."
"Plus their enemies are also from Konoha."
"No, the people behind them are from Takumi Village. This must be Takumi Village."
"Enough!" Shinyo impatiently placed her hands on her hips, declaring: "I respect your status as ancestors, which is why I'm asking your opinion."
"But if you refuse, does that mean I can't control you?"
"Uh..." The Uzumaki shinobi immediately fell silent.
"It's all Lord Tobirama's fault!"
"Why did he research such forbidden techniques in the first place?"
"Fine, fine. We're fighting either way, and we're just stopping Edo Tensei bodies. Can't really call that wrong."
Seeing them agree, Shinyo provided them with a rationalization.
"This is the neutral Land of Rivers. The Land of Fire currently plans to annex it. Konoha Village forces are invading Takumi Village."
"Your actions constitute resistance against invasion—a righteous cause."
"Invasion?" Hearing that word, every Uzumaki's brow furrowed.
Their Uzushiogakure had been destroyed by foreign invaders, so they harbored particular hatred for such aggression.
"Konoha Village has fallen so far!"
"Understood. Then let's stop them!"
After receiving their response, Shinyo nodded with satisfaction and mobilized them to charge onto the battlefield.
"Wood Release: Advent of a World of Trees!"
Kazuma controlled the First Hokage, immediately deploying Wood Release forests. With infinite chakra, he had nothing to conserve.
The forest just destroyed by the Tailed Beast Ball immediately regrew—even more lush than before.
Under his control, the Wood Release forest could distinguish friend from foe, refraining from attacking their own Edo Tensei bodies.
Mizuki controlled the Second Hokage, leading a group of Edo Tensei bodies as they rapidly advanced by leaping across branches. Soon they collided with the three opposing Edo Tensei legions.
Mizuki's first action was scattering Flying Thunder God kunai everywhere, establishing a rapid movement network for the Second Hokage before engaging in combat.
However, everyone present knew how formidable the Second's Flying Thunder God was. No one dared let him freely scatter kunai. Immediately, a group of Uchiha began rapid hand seals, launching coordinated Fire Release.
"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Bomb!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The group stood in formation, opening their mouths in unison.
Fire borrowed wind's momentum. Wind amplified the fire's power. Overwhelming flames surged forward.
The kunai marked with spatial seals were swallowed by flames mid-flight, heated until red-hot and softened. The spatial markings were destroyed.
The inferno crashed into the Wood Release forest, spreading along trunks and branches.
But Wood Release inherently absorbed chakra. Even combined jutsu couldn't easily burn it down.
A shadow suddenly flickered. The Third Hokage charged through the flames wielding his Adamantine Staff.
As Edo Tensei bodies, fire damage meant absolutely nothing.
"Ah, Lord Third. Never imagined even you would suffer such misfortune!"
Hyuga Hizashi sighed, leaping forward with a strike.
The two exchanged a blow, their forms crossing. The next instant—whoosh—the Second Hokage appeared behind the Third, slashing Hizashi's throat with one strike, piercing his heart with the second, and then... completely pointless.
Hizashi acted as though he'd never been stabbed. His movements didn't falter even slightly.
Everyone was already dead. What, could they die twice?
Mizuki froze momentarily before immediately teleporting the Second Hokage away.
On another front, Wood Release spread wildly. Branches coiled around several Uchiha, suspending them in midair.
But these warriors laughed heartily, severing the connected limbs with single slashes. Before their bodies hit the ground mid-fall, the fragments had already begun regenerating.
As for Wood Release's chakra-absorbing ability, it proved utterly useless against Edo Tensei bodies with infinite chakra.
The mighty Wood Release inflicted far less damage on Edo Tensei than on living humans!
"Ah, died again!" Hizashi sighed, complaining: "What was the village thinking? Using such forbidden techniques and summoning all the Hokage?"
The Third was strictly controlled, completely unable to respond. But the Adamantine Staff in his hands possessed consciousness.
While Enma clashed with Hizashi with continuous ringing impacts, an eye opened on the staff's surface, commenting dryly:
"When Hiruzen was alive, he never imagined that after death, those village bastards wouldn't let him rest. They'd drag him from the grave to work overtime."
"Controlled like this, unable to speak a single word—now he's truly become a monkey for others to toy with."
"Heh..." Hizashi laughed awkwardly, unwilling to follow Enma's lead in mocking the Third. Instead, he redirected complaints toward the villagers. "The village has gone too far. They could have let Lord Third lead everyone in battle!"
"Hmph!" Enma struck down with a crushing blow, sneering coldly: "Those bastards probably lack the face to meet Hiruzen!"
"Haven't you noticed? Everyone's being strictly controlled. That proves they know if these people could speak freely, they'd be cursed to hell and back."
"Once on the battlefield, which side these Edo Tensei would choose to support becomes... uncertain."
"Sigh. They've ruined a perfectly good village. Even killed Lord Jiraiya. If Hiruzen were still alive, they'd anger him to death all over again."
"They killed Lord Jiraiya?" Hizashi deflected the Adamantine Staff with Rotation while shouting furiously: "That's going too far!"
"The current village isn't the Konoha of old. Now, the daimyo's will is what matters most."
As Enma sighed and lamented, several golden chains suddenly flew from the side, instantly binding both him and Sarutobi Hiruzen.
"Secret Technique: Adamantine Sealing Chains!"