Chapter 3: Physical Changes
Then, to Orochimaru's horrified gaze, Minato returned to his original position. Orochimaru quickly recovered from his shock. A smile appeared on his pale, sickly face, and his scarlet tongue licked the Kusanagi sword in his hand in an unsettling way.
A hoarse voice rang out: "Heh! You really are something, Minato."
Minato smiled, not answering Orochimaru's question, but instead communicating with the system in his mind. System, you made me revive in this way. Don't you have any other compensation?
To transmigrate to the Pure Land, only to be reborn through the Impure World Reincarnation—such an experience was rather tragic. There should be some compensation.
"Ding! Due to a system error during transport, the host's physical body has been restored, and the control of the Impure World Reincarnation has been lifted."
The mechanical voice of the system slowly echoed in Minato's mind. After hearing the system's explanation, Minato was completely stunned and stood there in place.
Is this all the compensation and reward? I've already received a Shinigami's spiritual pressure, and besides, I would have been able to break free eventually, but restoring my physical body is still a great benefit, Minato thought to himself.
The system remained silent for a moment before chiming again: "Ding! Sign-in available on Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Minato smiled and silently said, "Sign in!"
As soon as Minato finished speaking, the system's mechanical voice sounded again: "Ding! Sign-in successful. Obtained: Five Elements Great Combo Technique!"
"Ding! Sign-in available on Orochimaru!"
Minato silently said, "Sign in!"
"Ding! Sign-in successful! Congratulations, the host has obtained the Orochi-ryu Substitution Technique!"
Minato was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, then smiled helplessly. This ninjutsu was Orochimaru's signature move. After being fatally attacked, the user splits their body into countless small snakes, and the original body crawls out from the mouth of one.
However, the body that crawls out enters a period of weakness because using the Orochi Style Substitution Technique consumes a massive amount of chakra. Still, this ninjutsu was ultimately just a backup for Minato.
Putting aside Minato's current strength, he was arguably the most powerful being in the ninja world. Even the Nine-Tails was just a troublesome pet to Minato now. Even though the Sage of Six Paths was hidden, and the God of Shinobi and the Ghost of the Uchiha were dead, Minato could roam the world with his ninjutsu and Flying Thunder God Technique.
Not to mention that he was an enhanced version of Minato Namikaze, possessing spiritual pressure and the strongest fire-type Zanpakuto, Ryujin Jakka.
"Minato!"
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Minato Namikaze with a strange expression. For some reason, he felt that Minato was acting strangely and something was off. However, he didn't have time to think about it further. He turned his gaze to the two coffins beside him, where the two figures inside were none other than the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, and the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.
When Hashirama Senju emerged, he saw Hiruzen Sarutobi, scratched the back of his head, and greeted him with a smile. "I haven't seen you in ages, Monkey!"
Tobirama Senju, standing nearby, was the first to react. "What's going on? How did Konoha become like this?"
Before Hiruzen Sarutobi could answer, Tobirama looked at Minato Namikaze. "This person?"
"The Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze," Hiruzen Sarutobi answered.
"The Fourth Hokage? He's already like us! He too has been resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation," Hashirama Senju remarked. Looking at the cracks on Minato Namikaze's body, he understood what was going on.
Tobirama Senju spoke first: "Our resurrection this time was used by someone. They used the Impure World Reincarnation to resurrect us, control us, and use our strength to destroy Konoha Village."
Hashirama Senju said, "I would say that such a ninjutsu should not have been developed in the first place."
Tobirama Senju snorted coldly. "And yet, there was a need for its existence."
Minato ignored the three Hokages' reminiscing and instead calmed his mind to observe the changes in his own body. In just a short while, Minato discovered that his reanimated body was transforming into a physical form. Within moments, Minato Namikaze could feel his own heartbeat. Sensing his own resurrection, he exhaled deeply.
"It feels good to feel like this!"
Minato Namikaze's change was noticed by Hashirama Senju. "Hahaha, this is too good to be true!"
After Hashirama noticed the changes in Minato, his eyes grew brighter, and he couldn't help but exclaim excitedly. Tobirama Senju, watching his older brother yell like a madman, felt a headache coming on.
"Big brother, please show some restraint."
"Cough cough..." Only after being reminded did Hashirama suppress his excitement. He looked at Minato Namikaze and said, "That's really incredible! To be able to forcibly restore one's own body like that, that's truly amazing strength."
Tobirama Senju exclaimed in astonishment, "This power has surpassed even the limits of the Impure World Reincarnation technique!"
Currently, the Senju brothers were restricted because Orochimaru feared their power. The sacrifices used were of poor quality, so they could not exert their full potential, holding less than twenty percent of their peak strength.
Tobirama Senju suddenly raised his head, his sharp eyes fixed on Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi. "A genius from Konoha? But why did he die so young, just like us?"
Looking at Hiruzen Sarutobi, he felt even more puzzled. Minato Namikaze had just emerged from the Impure World Reincarnation and regained his physical body. Moreover, the other party was the Fourth Hokage. Tobirama firmly believed that Minato was a genius among geniuses. Why did such a talented person die so soon after becoming the Hokage, and why did the Third Hokage regain power? Was there a conspiracy involved?
"What?" Outside the barrier, some sharp-eyed people spotted them.
"Is this a joke? The First Hokage, Second Hokage, and Fourth Hokage!"
"Holy crap, how can the Third Hokage possibly win? Is Konoha going to be wiped out?!"
"He looks exactly like the statue on the Hokage Rock!"
"The Fourth Hokage is actually quite handsome!"
A group of ANBU and civilian ninjas gathered outside the rooftop barrier, discussing the situation in shock. Just then, a young man with white hair and a man with a watermelon haircut arrived at the barrier.
Upon seeing Minato, Kakashi couldn't help but exclaim, "It really is Minato-sensei!"
Might Guy excitedly added, "Kakashi, look! Inside the barrier are the First, Second, and Fourth Hokage!"