The land beside Turtle Island.
In the middle of forging, Shinji suddenly stiffened, then looked puzzled.
"What a strange feeling…"
"Is someone… watching me?"
...
A small coastal town somewhere in the Land of Lightning.
Outskirts.
Killer B held a microphone, standing on a simple wooden stage, waving his hands wildly.
"Yo yo~ Thanks for coming to Killer B's live concert! This is my solo, I'm the only star of the show…"
Naruto stood backstage, staring at B on the stage with a completely speechless expression. (||๐_๐)
"What the heck… You said you'd help the Allied Shinobi Forces fight Akatsuki! But all you're doing is singing! ¯\(ツ)/¯"
A short elderly man walked up to Naruto, speaking righteously.
"Young man, do not underestimate us! While the ninja army fights on the frontlines, maintaining morale in the rear is just as important! We help people relax!"
This old man seemed to be B's music teacher. Naruto still respected him.
"I get what you're saying, but, Sabu-chan… does B-san really help anyone relax like that? Other than Ponta, there isn't a single person listening! ~_~"
As he spoke, Naruto pointed toward the audience—specifically, at a huge raccoon.
This raccoon was Sabu's pet, Ponta.
Sabu nodded.
"You do have a point. Whether it's singing or rapping, if there's no emotion, it's worthless! And he studied under me for so many years…"
The more he spoke, the angrier he got. In the end he jabbed a finger toward B.
"Hey! Bee! Stop singing and get down here!"
Killer B confidently replied:
"No! Sabu-chan, once the curtain rises, the performance must not stop! An enka shinobi who disrespects the audience might as well go home early! Skr~"
Sabu got even angrier.
"There isn't a single audience member here! What exactly are you insisting on?!"
"Stop torturing Ponta and get down here! (ꐦ ಠ 皿 ಠ)"
B: "No can do!"
For a moment, Sabu and the stubborn B were locked in a standoff.
Just then, the giant raccoon Ponta, lying in the stands, let out a loud cry—"Aw~!"
Sabu's face lit up.
"What's that, Ponta? Someone's coming? (•̀⌄•́)"
As soon as he said that, Naruto noticed six or seven cloaked figures approaching from the distance. All of them wore black cloaks—oddly dressed and suspicious.
At the same moment Naruto noticed them, the Nine-Tails inside his seal gave a warning.
"They come with ill intent! This group reeks of malice! (ꐦ ಠ 皿 ಠ)"
Meanwhile, B put down his microphone and walked to Naruto's side, facing the cloaked group together.
"Sabu-chan, you and Ponta leave first. Naruto and I will handle this." B tugged lightly at his sleeve.
"You two be careful." Hearing B's warning, Sabu didn't argue and immediately rode Ponta away.
As the six or seven figures drew closer, B and Naruto unconsciously tensed up.
"Naruto, this is our first battle since leaving Turtle Island. Don't embarrass us!" B whispered.
"Of course! ୧⍢⃝୨" Naruto shouted, activating Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, his body cloaked in golden chakra.
But the moment his chakra surged outward, the Nine-Tails inside the seal suddenly grew agitated.
"Naruto! Something's wrong!! I sense the other half of me… and… Senju Hashirama?! ヽ( ຶ▮ ຶ)ﾉ!!!"
Naruto blinked.
"Senju Hashirama? That name sounds familiar…"
B smacked his forehead.
"Naruto, you really have no brain! Senju Hashirama is the God of Shinobi! Founder of Konoha! The man who brought peace to the ninja world! Yo yo~"
Naruto: "So that means…"
Before Naruto could finish, the cloaked figures made their move.
"Do it!!" Orochimaru ordered as two Flying Thunder God kunai shot out.
In the next instant—
"Swish! Swish!!"
Two figures used the Flying Thunder God marks to teleport directly behind Naruto and B!
Forming an irregular quadrangle—were the four Hokage.
A heartbeat later, all four shouted in unison:
"Four Red Yang Formation!!"
"Vmm—!!"
A red barrier expanded from the four of them, connecting their positions—
And finally formed a four-sided prism, trapping Naruto and B inside.
Once the barrier was established, the cloaked men removed their hoods—
Orochimaru smirked.
"As expected, a good formation requires good users. When performed by four Hokage, the Four Red Yang Formation has no weaknesses! (◍ ´꒳` ◍)"
Naruto: "Orochimaru? And Kabuto?! ⊙▽⊙"
"And… Grandpa Third?!"
"And the other three are… those guys painted on the Hokage Rock?!"
Tobirama's face darkened.
"You should address me as Second Hokage-sama. --003d_--003d"
Minato's face also darkened.
"And you should call me father! 눈_눈"
Naruto: "Oh—right… Dad, Grandpa Third, why are you here? You're here to help us fight Akatsuki, right?! ( ˝ᗢ̈˝ )"
B's expression: (ー ー゛)
"Naruto, it's about time you used your brain!"
"Look closely at the cracks on their faces—those appear only on people revived by Edo Tensei!"
"In other words, the former Hokage of Konoha have been summoned by Orochimaru… to fight us! ꒦ິ^꒦ິ"
Naruto: "Got it! So I'm supposed to fight my dad! ୧⍢⃝୨"
B: "Why do you sound excited?! --003d͟͟͞͞(꒪ᗜ꒪ ‧̣̥̇)"
Orochimaru spoke.
"Eight-Tails' jinchūriki is clever, but if you were even smarter, you would've joined us in fighting Shinji!"
B waved his hand dismissively.
"Orochimaru, give it up already. I fought Shinji. I met him. I studied him. And I know—he's basically invincible in the ninja world."
"Even Edo Tensei Uchiha Madara was beaten by one clone of his. How are you still not giving up? o_O"
Orochimaru smiled.
"I never do things I'm not confident in."
"With the four Hokage and my years of research on Shinji—if not defeating him, suppressing him will be easy."
"And once I suppress his abilities… I will take over his body directly! (⌯︎¤̴̶̷̀ω¤̴̶̷́)✧︎"
As Orochimaru spoke excitedly, a sharp female voice sounded behind him.
"Orochimaru… still alive, are you? (*Ӧ)σ"
He turned around—and behind him stood two people.
They were the Hokage and Raikage sent by Mabui's Heavenly Transfer Technique.
Unlike Tsunade's bold entrance, the Raikage looked a bit shaken.
"The Second Hokage—Senju Tobirama, creator of countless forbidden jutsu!"
"The Third Hokage—Sarutobi Hiruzen, the Professor, master of all five natures!"
"The Fourth Hokage—Minato Namikaze, the Yellow Flash who tormented Kumogakure in the last war!"
"And lastly… the God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama!! ∑(✘Д✘๑)"
"Tsunade… when will our reinforcements get here?! (°Д°≡°Д°)"