All the more so when it involved the legendary immortal body—what a tempting vessel that would be!
Still, doubt lingered in Orochimaru's eyes. He had seen so-called immortality before.
In Akatsuki, there were two who claimed to be undying, yet to Orochimaru, both their "immortal bodies" had flaws.
He licked his lips, glancing at Mei and Ao.
Yuto had been sealed for nearly sixty years, trapped in an empty dimension without even the faintest energy. Whether that supposed immortality was real or flawed—no one alive in this era could say.
That was why Orochimaru chose to cooperate with Kirigakure. He wanted insurance.
If Yuto truly lived, having the Mist ninja present might spare him trouble.
After all, someone from the Warring States era, ruthless and decisive, would strike at outsiders first without hesitation. Whether or not they were "saviors" was irrelevant.
For shinobi of that age, erasing threats before they grew was the only correct path.
And if Yuto truly had died—
Greed flared in Orochimaru's eyes. With the Sound Four holding off Mei and Ao for a time, he could claim Yuto's corpse for himself.
"Orochimaru, stop daydreaming, or I'll kill you where you stand."
Without warning, Mei appeared behind him, a shuriken pressing against his back, right at his heart. Her voice was ice.
"Orochimaru-sama!"
The Sound Four finally reacted, surrounding Mei, sweat beading on their foreheads. None of them had even seen when she moved.
Yet Orochimaru's smile didn't waver. He spread his arms in mock surrender:
"It seems Mizukage-sama is getting impatient. Shall we—"
He didn't finish. Mei had already twisted his neck with a snap.
Casting the Sound Four a cold glance, she turned toward a spot behind them.
"Orochimaru, don't bother with your little tricks."
From the earth, a mound bulged and Orochimaru slithered up, chuckling. "Tsk, tsk. You noticed."
The Sound Four immediately broke formation and regrouped behind him.
Ao shifted, appearing at Mei's side with a flicker of shunshin.
"Orochimaru, I hope your words are true. Otherwise, we won't hesitate to deliver information about the Sound Village to Konoha. By the way, I hear you've been close with Suna lately…"
His grin was sharp, his tone openly threatening.
Murder flickered briefly in Orochimaru's eyes, but his smile stayed in place.
"And would anyone want it known that the Mizukage herself meets in secret with a traitor like me?"
At that, Mei and Ao's expressions soured.
Both sides needed each other. Neither could afford to push too far.
Then Ao chuckled, suspicion lacing his words: "That dimension… only Hashirama could summon someone back from it, isn't that right?"
The heavy atmosphere eased. Though phrased as doubt in Orochimaru's power, Ao had offered a step down for both parties.
Expressionless, Orochimaru turned to Jirobo.
At once, Jirobo swung down the massive scroll from his back and unfurled it before them.
Boom!
With his hands weaving seals, a bound and gagged captive appeared in the scroll's center.
None of them reacted with shock. All were shinobi. They knew what came next.
Jirobo respectfully retreated behind Orochimaru.
The sannin wasted no time. His hands blurred through seals, voice dropping into a low growl:
"Kinjutsu—Edo Tensei!"
Dust rose, swallowing the sacrifice whole. A shape began to form.
In moments, a new figure stood before them.
Mei and Ao's pupils shrank, disbelief flashing across their faces.
Senju Hashirama.
They had never seen the man himself, but they had seen his portraits.
And the faces of Konoha's Hokage were carved into the mountain stone.
This jutsu could control the dead!
Their gazes met, one thought echoing in both minds.
Orochimaru was far too dangerous.
"…Where is this? Wasn't I dead?"
Hashirama's eyes opened slowly, confusion clouding them.
He sensed his body, his brow furrowing.
"Tobirama… so you really perfected this technique?"
"Welcome, Hashirama-dono. Forgive me for dragging you from the Pure Land so abruptly."
Orochimaru's words carried no hint of remorse. His excitement was written plainly on his face.
Hashirama's eyes flicked to the symbol on Orochimaru's forehead protector. A village he didn't know?
But then he noticed the mist insignias on Mei and Ao's foreheads. His expression hardened.
The moment he saw the Mist's emblem and understood his state, he grasped what had happened.
"Hashirama-dono, I'll be counting on you."
Orochimaru stepped behind him and drove a kunai inscribed with a sealing talisman into the back of Hashirama's skull.
Hashirama froze, his will swallowed whole.
"Let's begin."
Orochimaru's grin widened as he directed the reanimated Hashirama forward.
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