Translator: PapaSmurf0700
Author: 浓墨浇书
Original Title: 从火影开始成为忍者
Deep beneath Konoha, hidden from the world, lay a dim, secret chamber.
In the center of the room stood a sealed crystal coffin, an unnerving sight. Exquisite patterns adorned its surface, a stark contrast to the gruesome contents: the bisected corpse of a man. Through the transparent crystal, the internal organs of the half-corpse were clearly visible, making it look more like an anatomical specimen for medical training than a final resting place. The scene cast an exceptionally eerie pall over the chamber.
The macabre air did not faze the silver-haired man within. He was long accustomed to it. His gaze was fixed on the crystal coffin, his red pupils glinting with cold decisiveness.
"Lord Tobirama."
An ANBU operative entered, dragging a bound ninja behind him. "Over the past few days, many enemy ninjas have infiltrated the village to gather intelligence," he reported in a low voice. "We searched the prisons. This Sand ninja, captured last night, possesses the strongest chakra of any captive."
Senju Tobirama's voice was tight. "How is my brother's, the Hokage's, condition?"
"He is still receiving treatment," the ANBU said, his voice laced with concern. "No one has ever seen Lord Hokage so grievously injured. Lady Mito fears it may even shorten his life."
Tobirama's expression turned grim. He remained silent for a moment before asking, "Any unusual movements from the Uchiha clan?"
"None at present," the ANBU replied, shaking his head. "Since the news broke yesterday that Madara Uchiha was slain by Lord Hokage, the Uchiha have been quiet, almost fearful. We have observed no other abnormalities."
"Continue to monitor them closely." After giving the order, Tobirama looked down at the bound Sand ninja. "Have the other ANBU squads increase patrols throughout the village. Assign one squad to guard this location. No one is to approach this forbidden jutsu chamber."
"Yes, Lord Tobirama!" The ANBU bowed and hurried away.
"Mmph… Mmph…" The tightly bound Sand ninja struggled, his muffled sounds a desperate attempt to speak to the silver-haired man before him.
"I know what you want to say," Tobirama said, his voice dripping with disdain. He glanced at the prisoner as if he were already a dead man. "But I have no interest in hearing it. You infiltrated our village to probe for information about my brother, perhaps hoping to learn if he and that monster Madara perished together."
He scoffed. "You can keep such thoughts for your dreams."
Tobirama raised his head, his eyes returning to the crystal coffin. His next words seemed directed not at the prisoner, but at any in the ninja world foolish enough to challenge Konoha. "This crystal coffin is the origin of all medical ninjutsu."
"Emiya Shirou," he stated. "You should have heard the name."
The Sand ninja's eyes widened in recognition. Emiya Shirou. The name was nothing short of legendary. The entire ninja world knew of the sage from a thousand years ago who created the very concept of medical ninjutsu and standardized its practice. Legend claimed he saved anyone regardless of their allegiance, that in his hands, any illness could be cured. It was said he had saved more people than lived in an entire country.
What was most respected, however, was the greatness of his death. To ensure medical ninjutsu would be passed down and to help the world overcome its prejudice against surgical dissection, Emiya Shirou willed that his body be separated and preserved in two crystal coffins, left as a gift to future generations. Even during the thousand years of chaos that was the Warring States period, a time of rampant slaughter, all ninja shared a tacit understanding: Emiya Shirou's coffins were not to be destroyed.
The Sand ninja stared at the half-corpse, a mix of awe and respect warring with a growing sense of dread. A man from the past… what could he have to do with the present? A medical ninja dead for a millennium couldn't possibly be brought back to treat the First Hokage. Could the secrets of his craft be sealed within the coffin itself?
"Our Senju clan has always been known for its superior chakra control, making us uniquely suited to practice medical ninjutsu," Tobirama explained, his fingers tracing the patterns on the coffin. "Legend says that this crystal coffin, this specimen of Emiya Shirou, was personally designated by him to be left to our ancestors. Though most of our clan forgoes medical arts for the sake of battle, we have always held this coffin as our pride."
Tobirama narrowed his eyes, his voice lowering to a murmur. "I never imagined I would be the one to destroy it with my own hands."
The Sand ninja's eyes widened in terror.
"But," Tobirama continued, his voice hardening, "for my brother… anything can be sacrificed."
He stared at the coffin as a glow of chakra enveloped his palm. He struck it with tremendous force.
CRACK!
The crystal coffin shattered, and the half-corpse tumbled out onto the stone floor. The Sand ninja watched in horror as the ancient remains fell, the sight burning itself into his mind.
"Only my brother can guarantee the peace of this village," Tobirama said, his hands flying through a series of seals. His voice was as calm as still water. "Even if the hope is one in ten thousand, even if it means desecrating the soul of the dead, it must be done."
As he finished speaking, he slammed his palm onto the ground. His voice turned chillingly cold. "Ninja Art: Impure World Reincarnation Technique!"
Black curse marks erupted from beneath his palm, spreading across the floor like ink. They formed two separate barriers, one enclosing the Sand ninja and the other encircling the remains of Emiya Shirou.
Before the Sand ninja's terrified eyes, the half-corpse dissolved into a cloud of dust and ash. The particles swirled into the air before descending upon him, a grim shroud that clung to his skin. He felt an unprecedented suffocation, the despair of impending death filling his vision as the swirling dust blotted out the world.
Finally, his body was completely enveloped.
Senju Tobirama stared intently as a figure began to emerge from the settling ash. The immense weight on his shoulders lifted slightly; it appeared the technique had worked. The Impure World Reincarnation was a forbidden summoning jutsu that used a living sacrifice and a sufficient amount of the deceased's physical remains to call their soul from the Pure Land.
Under normal circumstances, reviving someone who died a thousand years ago would be impossible. No corpse could be preserved for so long, especially not during an era where countless bodies were lost to unmarked graves. But Emiya Shirou, the founder of medical ninjutsu, was the exception. Because his body had been preserved as a medical specimen, Tobirama had this one chance.
As the dust settled, the reanimated body began to change. The summoned soul molded the sacrificial vessel into its own living image. For a fleeting moment, a warped smile twisted the forming features, a distortion that vanished as quickly as it appeared.
Finally, the reanimation was complete.
The man who returned from the Pure Land appeared quite young, his face holding a deep compassion that seemed at odds with his age, perfectly matching the world's impression of him. He slowly opened his eyes and looked down at his new body, his expression puzzled, as if he couldn't comprehend why he was alive or where he was.
The technique was a success. The revived man was conscious.
Tobirama breathed a sigh of relief. This was his first time using the Impure World Reincarnation, a desperate gamble for his brother, and it had actually succeeded.
"Are you Lord Emiya Shirou?" Tobirama asked, his expression solemn. "I am Senju Tobirama. It was I who summoned you from the Pure Land back to the world of the living. I apologize for disturbing your rest, but we need you to treat someone of great importance to the ninja world. We had no other choice. I hope you will not hold this transgression against me."
Hearing the name, Emiya Shirou seemed to relax. "Senju, you say? If it is to save a person, then it is not an unforgivable act."
The medical sage, known for his noble character, did not seem displeased by the disturbance. He habitually began to inquire about the patient. "Where is the one who needs aid?"
"In the village. I will lead the way." Tobirama began to relax as well, subtly unclenching the fingers he had prepared to form the seals that would control the reanimated ninja. If Lord Emiya Shirou was truly the benevolent figure of legend, there would be no need for coercion.
Of course, Tobirama failed to notice one crucial detail. Because he was not actively controlling the reanimation, he could not sense his emotions. Shirou's eyes, limited by the dead stillness of a reanimated corpse, held no particular concern when he mentioned the patient.
Perhaps saving people had simply become a habit.
Perhaps the patient's location didn't matter at all.
For him, the only thing that mattered was whether his power remained.
[Ninja System reconnecting…]
[Welcome back, Ninja Emiya Shirou.]
[Unfinished mission requests remain. Unable to leave this world…]
[Unfinished Ninja Requests (2/3)]
[SSSSS-Rank Request: Defeat this world's ultimate villain—the immortal chakra progenitor, Kaguya Otsutsuki.]
[SSSSS-Rank Request: Defeat this world's final protagonists—Naruto Uzumaki (Six Paths Mode) and Sasuke Uchiha (Rinne-Sharingan).]
The system was still there. The power he once obtained still existed.
A flicker of red light flashed in Emiya Shirou's eyes. The long-term plan, spanning a millennium, had finally reached the correct era.