Konohagakure—The Village Hidden in the Leaves.
In the dim light of an underground chamber, silence reigned.
At the center of the room rested a sealed crystal coffin.
Exquisite engravings coiled along its surface, a strange juxtaposition to its contents—only half a human corpse lay within.
Seen through the crystal, the body's preserved organs were clearly visible, like an anatomical specimen used for advanced medical study.
The scene was deeply unsettling.
Yet the silver-haired man standing in the chamber showed no signs of unease. His crimson eyes, calm and cold, were fixed intently on the crystal coffin before him.
"Lord Tobirama."
A masked ANBU operative entered, dragging a tightly bound shinobi behind him. His voice was low and measured.
"In recent days, several enemy shinobi have infiltrated the village. We've interrogated the prisoners and found this one—he's a Sand shinobi who snuck in last night. Among all the captives, he has the strongest chakra signature."
Tobirama Senju's expression remained unchanged.
"My brother's condition..."
He stopped midway, catching himself. His tone shifted slightly, correcting his words:
"How is the Hokage?"
"Still undergoing treatment."
The ANBU's voice carried a rare trace of unease.
"We've never seen the Hokage suffer injuries this severe. Lady Mito fears it may shorten his lifespan..."
Tobirama's face darkened. After a brief silence, he asked,
"Any movement from the Uchiha?"
"None, so far."
The ANBU shook his head lightly.
"Ever since news spread that Uchiha Madara was killed by the Hokage, the clan seems... frightened. But aside from that, there's been nothing unusual."
"Keep a close watch."
Tobirama's gaze dropped to the restrained Sand shinobi.
"Double patrols within the village. Station a squad outside—no one is to approach this chamber."
"Understood, Lord Tobirama!"
The ANBU bowed and swiftly retreated.
"Mmph! Mmph..."
The captured Sand shinobi struggled against his bindings, trying desperately to speak.
"I know what you want to say."
Tobirama cast him a dismissive glance, as if he were already dead.
"But I have no interest in your excuses."
"You infiltrated the village to gather intel. What you really wanted was confirmation—whether my brother and Madara truly destroyed each other..."
"Hmph."
"Keep dreaming."
Tobirama lifted his gaze to the crystal coffin before him, as if this relic could serve as a declaration to the entire shinobi world.
"This coffin is the origin of all medical ninjutsu."
"Emiya Shihara."
"You've heard that name before, haven't you?"
The Sand shinobi's expression shifted from fear to awe.
Emiya Shihara.
A name etched into the history of the shinobi world.
He was the Sage of Medicine, the man who—over a thousand years ago—introduced the very concept of healing arts to shinobi. He formalized the role of the medical ninja, laying the foundation of the discipline itself.
It was said he treated everyone equally, no matter their allegiance or background.
That he could cure even the gravest afflictions.
That those he saved could populate a nation.
And most of all—
His death had been nothing short of noble.
To ensure his knowledge would endure, and to shatter the world's bias against surgery and anatomical dissection, he had his body preserved—split into two crystal coffins, offered as eternal gifts to the shinobi world.
Even through a thousand years of ceaseless war, no one had dared to desecrate them.
Few had seen the coffins, but all respected them.
The Sand shinobi stared at the half-corpse inside the crystal, caught between reverence and unease.
He was from the past...
What connection could he have to the present?
A healer long dead—no matter how skilled—could not rise again to save the First Hokage.
Unless... the crystal coffin concealed some secret technique?
"Our Senju clan has long been known for unparalleled chakra control. It's why we are the best suited to practice medical ninjutsu."
Tobirama's voice lowered, almost reverent.
"It is said that this crystal coffin was specifically entrusted to our ancestors by Shihara himself."
"Though few among us took the time to master healing arts, the coffin has always been a symbol of our legacy."
He narrowed his eyes and traced a finger along the ornate carvings.
"I never imagined I would one day destroy it with my own hands..."
The Sand shinobi's eyes widened in horror.
"But for my brother—"
"I would sacrifice everything."
With a surge of chakra in his palm, Tobirama slammed his hand onto the coffin.
CRASH!
The crystal shattered into a thousand shards!
The preserved half of a corpse tumbled to the ground with a lifeless thud.
The Sand shinobi could only stare in raw terror, his breath caught in his throat.
"Only my brother can secure peace for Konoha..."
Tobirama's hands blurred as he formed seals, his voice eerily calm.
"Even if the odds are one in ten thousand—even if I must defile the soul of a saint—I will do it."
With a final seal, he thrust his hand to the ground.
"Forbidden Jutsu: Edo Tensei!"
Dark inscriptions exploded beneath his palm.
The sealing formula expanded across the floor, encircling both the Sand shinobi and the broken remains of Emiya Shihara.
The Sand shinobi struggled violently, eyes wide with dread, as dust and ash from the ancient corpse began to rise… and envelop him.
Suffocating despair consumed him, his vision fading as the gray haze swallowed him whole—
And then... nothing.
The transformation began.
Tobirama watched with bated breath as the ash settled, taking shape.
The soul of the dead, bound to a living host, would return in the form they bore in life.
A flicker—a twisted grin passed across the emerging form, then vanished as though it were never there. The process neared completion.
The reincarnated figure stood in silence.
He looked young, far too young, with a solemn, almost divine expression—perfectly matching the legends that described him.
The man slowly opened his eyes.
His gaze moved to his body, puzzlement growing in his expression.
It was as though he didn't understand why he was alive again—or why he had been summoned to this place.
It worked.
The forbidden jutsu had succeeded.
Tobirama exhaled in relief. His gamble had paid off.
He had never used Edo Tensei before. But for his brother, even the slimmest hope was worth it.
"Lord Emiya Shihara?"
Tobirama stepped forward, his tone respectful.
"I am Tobirama Senju—the one who summoned you back to this world."
"I apologize for disturbing your peace. But we desperately need your help to heal someone whose survival is vital to the shinobi world."
"I hope… you will forgive my offense."
"Senju?"
Shihara's tone softened slightly.
"If it's to save a life… I suppose I can overlook it."
The saintly healer, known for his compassion, did not scold him for the summoning. Instead, he asked in a calm voice:
"Where is the patient?"
"In the village… I'll take you there."
Tobirama allowed himself to relax and quietly dispelled the subtle hand signs he'd prepared to manipulate Shihara's actions.
If the man was truly as kind as the legends said, there was no need for coercion.
But he failed to notice one thing.
Because he had not attempted to control or suppress the man's will, Tobirama missed the lack of true concern in Shihara's eyes.
There was no warmth, no urgency when he asked about the patient.
Perhaps—
He had healed too many to care anymore.
Perhaps—
The patient didn't matter at all.
What mattered...
Was whether his power had returned.
[Reconnecting to Shinobi System…]
[Welcome back, Shinobi Emiya Shihara.]
[Pending Missions: Departure from this world denied until tasks are complete.]
[Incomplete Shinobi Commissions (2/3)]
SSSSS-Class: Defeat this world's ultimate villain – the undying progenitor of chakra, Kaguya Ōtsutsuki.
SSSSS-Class: Defeat this world's destined heroes – Uzumaki Naruto (Six Paths Mode) and Uchiha Sasuke (Rinnegan Sharingan).
So... the system still remained.
The power he once possessed was still his.
A faint crimson glow flickered within Emiya Shihara's eyes.
At long last, the pieces had fallen into place. The centuries-spanning plan had finally arrived… at this moment.