Chapter 399: Chapter 397 : Zetsu!!
Relics of the previous Hokage!
Kabuto’s eyes shone with eagerness. He knew that the Edo Tensei was the top-level ninjutsu he had researched together with Lord Orochimaru.
It was a technique that collected the remains of the dead, connected to the Pure Land, and summoned back the souls of the departed.
As long as a living sacrifice was prepared, the dead would be revived.
This was Edo Tensei.
In recent years, he and Orochimaru had been studying this jutsu. But lately, Orochimaru’s focus was on the artificial humans.
Orochimaru only gave some ideas for Edo Tensei, while Kabuto had done almost all the research on the Reanimation Jutsu himself.
Now, the time had finally come to test their results.
If he could summon the previous Hokage and control them, he would become an invincible force!
Not to mention, controlling the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju alone would make him unbeatable in the ninja world. The First Hokage had been a legend who shook an entire era!
"Once everything is ready, we can keep them for now. They will be useful later!" Orochimaru’s eyes narrowed as he looked at the scenes before him and said, "If there’s a chance, I will have them reborn inside the artificial bodies!"
"Lord Orochimaru, shouldn’t we prepare to capture them now?" Kabuto looked at Orochimaru, puzzled.
"If we can just summon the First Hokage through Edo Tensei, controlling him to destroy Konoha will be simple!"
Kabuto spoke seriously. His tragic past was tied to Konoha, and he wanted revenge!
Revenge on Konoha!
When he was helpless, the orphanage gave him a moment of warmth, but his friends slowly disappeared one by one.
Danzo destroyed his orphanage and the director, forcing him to kill the director himself!
How hateful.
Moreover...
The comrades he wanted to protect were all used as test subjects.
All of this was Konoha’s fault. It was Root’s fault!
He had sacrificed himself for Konoha, but they wanted to kill him and the director. That was unforgivable!
So... when he found the First Hokage’s relic, Kabuto’s only thought was to revive the First Hokage and then seek revenge on Danzo!
"Kabuto, do you really think those you bring back with Edo Tensei must obey your control?" Orochimaru asked, noticing Kabuto’s eager expression.
"Isn’t that so?" Kabuto frowned, asking again.
In his view, the Edo Tensei allowed the user complete control over the resurrected!
"Ridiculous. You’re thinking too naively!" Orochimaru shook his head, then spoke seriously.
"The stronger the resurrected person’s power, the stronger their will is. If they insist on resisting, they can even break free from your control!"
"Huh?" Kabuto frowned, somewhat doubtful of Orochimaru’s words.
"That’s a fact!" Orochimaru smiled slightly. "If you don’t believe me, try summoning someone. Not the First Hokage, but even the Second—you won’t be able to control him!"
"But... then why do we still research Edo Tensei?" Kabuto’s expression grew increasingly gloomy as he listened.
"It’s still useful at critical moments. Heh, there aren’t many who are several times stronger than me!" Orochimaru looked at Kabuto seriously and answered, "If he wants to break free from Edo Tensei’s control, he needs at least five times my strength!"
Besides, with Genya and a few others involved, Edo Tensei isn’t necessary at all.
"I understand..." Kabuto nodded, but his eyes flickered, as if something was running through his mind.
Outside Konoha, in a forest, a campfire was burning, with two people sitting around it.
They were Uchiha Shisui and Senju Hayashi. The two had just finished eating grilled meat and seemed quite relaxed.
"Wait... I think there’s something. Someone is following us!" Shisui squinted his eyes, looking in one direction.
"Who?" Hayashi instantly became alert and looked where Shisui was staring.
"Not sure!" Shisui whispered, but his figure had already disappeared.
When he appeared again, he was under a large tree!
His dagger was pressed against a creature resembling a carnivorous flower. The petals slowly opened, revealing two faces—one black, one white!
"Oh ho~~ We’ve been found!" Half of Zetsu’s body emerged from the ground with a smile.
Uchiha Shisui’s eyes grew colder as he looked at Zetsu’s Akatsuki cloak. He said coldly, "You’re from Akatsuki too? Here to watch us?"
"No, I just wanted to see if you guys, who could push back Tobi and fight Pain evenly, were really that strong!" Zetsu said cheerfully, seemingly without any sense of hostility.
"But it’s really surprising — a Wood Release ninja and a member of the Uchiha clan... interesting, very interesting!"
Zetsu seemed quite interested in Uchiha Shisui and Hayashi!
"There really is someone!" Just as the two were talking, Hayashi walked over and saw Zetsu. He couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.
"Looks like you’ve been observing us for a long time?" Shisui frowned, eyeing the black-and-white figure warily. He found this strange person difficult to handle.
If it weren’t for the subtle movement he sensed earlier, he wouldn’t even have noticed anyone, nor caught this odd individual.
If his spatial teleportation had been even a little slower, this person would have vanished as if never appearing at all.
"You’re a big threat to our Akatsuki. Of course, I want to watch you closely!" Zetsu laughed heartily, especially the black half of his face, which twisted into a more bizarre smile!
Black Zetsu was gathering the tailed beasts to save his mother, but the newly emerged group called ’Atsukara’ was a big obstacle, especially these two who had already clashed twice with Akatsuki members.
He had no choice but to keep a close eye on them to understand their weaknesses.
"No need to worry, it’s only been a few days!" Zetsu said dismissively.
"If that’s the case, then die!" Shisui’s eyes instantly grew cold, as if expecting this outcome all along.
His short blade stabbed fiercely!
But just as his dagger moved, Zetsu’s body instantly turned into mud. The blade passed through the earth, causing no harm!
"I am the earth itself. As long as I am on the ground, you cannot kill me!" A cold, indifferent voice echoed from beneath the ground.
"Wood Release." Hashira pressed his palm on the earth, and trees shot up one by one, trying to trap Zetsu.
But Zetsu, moving underground like a fish, easily dodged them all!
Without sealing his ninjutsu, they could only watch as Zetsu escaped!
"Damn it. We’re being targeted by a troublesome guy!" Uchiha Shisui frowned, his anger mixed with fear.
Just now, they were meeting with Genya in the mental world. Although others were somewhat aware outside, it was limited.
If that strange guy sneaked in and attacked them, the consequences would be unimaginable.
"From now on, if Genya contacts us, one person should enter the mental space alone, and the other must watch the surroundings!" After a long pause, Shisui finally spoke.
Hayashi didn’t care much. "Fine, whatever you say!"
A few days passed again in Konoha.
"Genya-sama, the ninja academy sent a notice. Tomorrow they will arrange team assignments and let you choose your teacher."
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