Chapter 57 – The Founders' Souls Get Bargained Away, Konoha Becomes a Tourist Spot
The message was crystal clear.
Anyone who moved would be instantly attacked.
Gulp.
Three separate killing intents locked onto him at once. Jiraiya swallowed hard.
Damn it!
How were these women this strong too?!
And those eyes… they weren't just Mangekyou. They felt like something far worse.
Izumi's stare gave him the biggest chills.
One wrong twitch and he'd be joining Minato a lot sooner than planned.
Jiraiya forced himself to calm down and think.
Inside the soul cage, Tobirama was doing the same.
"What do you want?"
His voice stayed cold despite the growing dread.
Aike ignored him completely.
He was busy inspecting the quality of their souls like a jeweler with new diamonds.
"No way… it's actually there."
Through their translucent forms, Aike spotted faint traces of the Pure Land's will clinging to both souls.
Hashirama's trace was noticeably stronger.
So the afterlife really did play favorites.
Aike was now 99% sure this was the Sage of Six Paths' doing.
The old man had been meddling with reincarnation and the afterlife for centuries.
Original story proved he could pop in and hand out Yin-Yang Release like candy.
Aike's smile turned predatory.
He looked straight at Hashirama.
"Want to make a deal, First Hokage?"
"?"
"A deal?"
Hashirama blinked. He was dead. What could he possibly trade?
"Your Wood Style."
Aike answered the unspoken question.
"Trade your Wood Style plus your consciousness for Konoha's safety. Sound fair?"
"You don't exactly need Wood Style with your strength," Hashirama pointed out, confused.
"And what do you mean my consciousness?"
"I've taken an interest in the Pure Land. When you go back, I'll make sure you stay fully aware."
"Konoha's safety is just a free bonus."
"The Pure Land…?"
Neither brother had expected that.
They knew they were dead.
Edo Tensei only borrowed them temporarily.
But they remembered nothing of the afterlife.
Curiosity was inevitable—especially for the resident mad scientist, Tobirama.
"Deal," Hashirama agreed instantly.
Wood Style for the village's survival? No-brainer.
Keeping his mind awake down there was whatever.
"I want in too," Tobirama cut in.
"You want details on the Pure Land. My brother's too much of a meathead to notice anything useful."
Aike considered it for half a second.
"Both of you it is."
Golden scales materialized in the air.
Two streams of power instinctively flowed from the brothers' souls.
Wood Style from Hashirama.
Every forbidden technique, every experiment, every space-time theory from Tobirama's mind.
The knowledge of the man who invented Edo Tensei and Flying Raijin was worth far more than one bloodline limit.
Payment received.
Aike etched preservation seals into both souls, then dissolved the Bakudō cage.
Without the barrier, the Pure Land's pull resumed.
Thanks to the seals, their consciousness would remain intact forever.
And with Tobirama's scheming brain fully active down there?
Even if the Sage had plans, he was about to have a very bad eternity.
Below.
Jiraiya relaxed the moment the souls were freed.
Then his heart nearly stopped again.
"I'll be staying in Konoha for a while."
"Hope you don't mind."
Aike vanished from mid-air and reappeared right in front of Jiraiya, smiling like a friendly neighbor.
It wasn't a request.
It was a statement.
And Jiraiya had exactly one acceptable answer.
"Of course not. Be our guest."
"Appreciate it."
Aike waved cheerfully and walked off with the four girls in tow.
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