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Sasuke stared, frozen, at the face before him—a mirror image of his own from a previous life.
For a single, staggering moment… he thought Kabuto had resurrected himself—the self from this timeline he had replaced, somehow aged to adulthood by one of Orochimaru's new techniques.
That almost ludicrous guess was quickly dismissed.
Because… a real, distant memory from his own experience surfaced alongside that familiar face.
It was near the end of the Fourth Great Ninja War in his past life. A conversation with Hashirama.
"Wait, young Uchiha. I have a technique for you…"
"A technique?"
"Yes. Madara… he stole my Sage chakra. What I'll give you is a technique that resonates with that Sage chakra. A technique to bind him!"
The Sasuke of that time was arrogant and untamed.
"Do it yourself. You're an Edo Tensei body; you'll recover quickly. Want me to pull that stake out of your back instead?"
Hashirama was patient, persuasive.
"The stake in my back has sealed my chakra points. I can't gather more chakra. And you'd best not touch it. I'll give you all my remaining chakra. Go stop Madara."
Sasuke had questioned him. "I'm a member of the Uchiha. Why send me?"
Hashirama's answer: "Because you remind me… of Madara's brother. Izuna Uchiha."
Sasuke stroked the beak of his summoned hawk, lost in thought.
"So what? What does that have to do with stopping Madara?"
Hashirama explained. "Madara was originally a kind man. He adored his younger brother. He had faith, he was devout. That's why he gave you a chance to live."
His thoughts snapped back to the present. Now, looking at this face, Hashirama's vague, urgent words finally made sense.
He looked at the face before him again with a new sense of fateful connection.
"I see. So, it's Izuna Uchiha."
At that moment, the five Edo Tensei subjects opened their eyes and stepped from their coffins.
The Third Raikage examined his cracked, fissured body. "Edo Tensei? The Second Hokage's forbidden jutsu. He should be dead. He died at the hands of our Kumogakure's Kinkaku Force. So who is the caster?!"
"Me."
Kabuto's calm voice came from behind them.
They all turned.
The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Who's the four-eyes? Name yourself!"
The Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, was the only one who recognized Kabuto. His eyes burned with hatred.
"You… Konoha's spy. Orochimaru's subordinate. Kabuto Yakushi!!! Damn it, is Orochimaru behind this again?! Where is he?!"
Kabuto adjusted his glasses, a picture of gentle refinement. "No need for anger, Lord Kazekage. You won't be seeing Lord Orochimaru regardless."
"Then I'll start with you!!"
Shing! Rasa's eye sockets darkened. Magnet Release activated. Gold dust, refined from the soil beneath them, erupted in a shimmering cascade, sweeping toward Kabuto.
Kabuto didn't move. He just smiled faintly.
Crack!
The airborne gold dust… froze solid in mid-air, held by another, interfering force.
"Magnet Release…??"
Rasa jolted, staring along with the others at the unassuming young man who had stood quietly all this while.
From the very beginning… only Izuna had been watching him intently.
Sasuke's eyes met Rasa's, a face that bore a resemblance to Gaara's.
"Kazekage Rasa. You are Gaara's father, correct? Every effect has its cause. You conspired with Orochimaru to destroy Konoha and ultimately died by the hand of the man you tried to use. You have no grounds for complaint."
Rasa roared. "Brat!!! Name yourself!!"
The young man spoke calmly. "Uchiha. Sasuke."
Rasa's pupils constricted violently. "You… are!! The sole survivor of Konoha's Uchiha clan!!!"
Swish!
A flicker of shock passed through Izuna's eyes before his expression settled into grim coldness.
Brother… So you truly made peace with the Senju. Konoha… is the village you built together afterward. But these people… they never truly accepted our clan.
Whoosh!!
Sasuke gave a slight wave of his hand. The suspended stream of gold dust disintegrated.
He took a step back, his voice ringing clear and hard. "Your purpose as Edo Tensei is to be my opponents! Kill me, or be killed by me!! That is all!!"
The Third Raikage: "That Kabuto fellow… is this kid serious?"
Kabuto's voice was helpful. "The strongest Raikage, who once fought ten thousand alone… if you treat Sasuke-kun as a mere child, you would be gravely mistaken. Not long ago, he defeated the combined forces of the Five Kage—including your son, the Fourth Raikage."
"You… what?!"
Stunned silence.
"Your Edo Tensei is perfect. You've returned with your prime strength from life. Your methods in battle… are without restriction. No matter what happens, I, the caster, will not interfere. Please, fight to your heart's content!"
"Then, Sasuke-kun… I wish you glorious victory in battle!"
With that earth-shattering declaration of war, Kabuto sank into a swirling vortex and vanished.
All eyes returned to Sasuke.
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "The kid's got a pretty face. Didn't expect him to be so hardcore. But is that wise? We're immortal Edo Tensei bodies. Strength aside, with this body… sealing is really the only way to deal with us, no?"
Sasuke: "It's fine. I won't use sealing jutsu."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Hahahaha…! Spunky. I like it. But guys like you die fast. Case in point: me! Wanna know how I died, kid?"
Sasuke: "No."
Gengetsu Hōzuki pointed. "See that mummy-looking guy over there? All his injuries? My doing! I could have dodged his Particle Style. I chose not to."
"Heheh!! I died happy! He had to live on for a month, neither man nor ghost. Learned what real suffering is!"
Mū: "You speak as if you saw it yourself, you eyebrow-less corpse."
Gengetsu Hōzuki: "Hey, I'm not the only one here without eyebrows… though we're all corpses anyway!"
"Enough."
Mū dismissed his chatterbox rival with a cold snap. He turned to the silent Izuna, his tone markedly respectful.
"If I recall… you are that Madara's brother, correct?"
Izuna's attitude was frosty. "You know me?"
Mū: "Of course… In your era, I was but an unknown child-ninja. A pity you died so young. You never witnessed the founding of the Five Great Shinobi Villages. Your brother, however, became the only ninja whose name stands alongside the First Hokage's. As the Second Tsuchikage of Iwagakure, I hold him in the highest esteem."
Izuna's voice was ice. "I don't care what 'Kage' you are. You are not qualified to pass judgment on my elder brother."
Waves crashed against the shore. The atmosphere turned deadly serious, sharp as a blade.
Under the gaze of the four Kage, Izuna stepped forward.
Shing!
Three tomoe spun to life within his pupils.
"Sasuke, is it? You bear the Uchiha name, yet your power reeks of the Senju. Where is your Sharingan? Show it to me."
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
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