Inside the purple barrier, tension crackled through the air as Orochimaru stood across from the three Kage. Behind him stood a hooded figure, its features obscured but its presence unmistakable. The chakra it emitted was powerful, ancient—a lingering echo of something long since passed from the world.

  Zabuza's patience had worn thin. The Demon of the Hidden Mist never had much taste for political maneuvering or drawn-out conversations, especially when battle loomed.

  "Enough talking," Zabuza growled, hefting Kubikiribōchō from his back. The massive blade gleamed in the light filtering through the purple barrier. "Chōjūrō!"

  The younger swordsman nodded, his nervous demeanor vanishing as he gripped Hiramekarei. "Yes, Zabuza-senpai!"

  Together they lunged forward, their movements perfectly synchronized despite having rarely fought side by side. Zabuza aimed high while Chōjūrō swept low, their blades whistling through the air toward the mysterious figure behind Orochimaru.

  The hooded figure raised one hand casually. Black particles swirled from beneath its robes, coalescing into a solid wall that caught both swords with a metallic clang. The force of the impact sent vibrations up both swordsmen's arms, but the black barrier held firm.

  "Iron Sand," Mei whispered, eyes widening with recognition.

  The mysterious figure pushed forward, and the black particles exploded outward, sending both swordsmen flying backward. They landed in crouches beside Mei, their blades at the ready.

  As the dust settled, the hood fell back, revealing a face that made even Sarutobi inhale sharply. The man's features were youthful yet ageless, his eyes dark but empty, with peculiar black sclera and yellowed irises. His face bore distinctive tribal markings, and his expression remained unnervingly blank.

  "The Third Kazekage," Sarutobi confirmed grimly.

  The legendary shinobi stood motionless, arms hanging limply at his sides. Black particles of Iron Sand orbited around him like a miniature asteroid belt.

  "How disappointing," the Third Kazekage said, his voice hollow and distant. "To be summoned again by you, Orochimaru."

  Orochimaru merely chuckled, his serpentine eyes glinting with amusement. "You should be honored to serve again, even if temporarily."

  Chōjūrō stared in open disbelief. "How is this possible? The Third Kazekage disappeared decades ago. He should be—"

  "Dead?" Orochimaru finished for him, smiling thinly. "Oh, he very much is."

  "This is the Edo Tensei," Sarutobi explained, his weathered face grim. "The Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation. A forbidden technique developed by my teacher, the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju."

  The reanimated Kazekage stood perfectly still, only his eyes moving to assess the threats around him. The black particles of Iron Sand continued their slow orbit around his body.

  "A jutsu that can bring back the dead?" Mei's voice remained controlled, but her eyes narrowed. "What are the limitations of such a technique, Sarutobi?"

  The Third Hokage's expression darkened further. "The technique has few limitations, which is precisely why it was forbidden. Those summoned have unlimited chakra and can regenerate immediately from any damage. They can be forced to obey the summoner's will if implanted with a special control seal, which Orochimaru has clearly done."

  As if to demonstrate, a paper talisman became visible beneath the Third Kazekage's robes, peeking out from his collar. Black markings spread across his face momentarily before fading back into his skin.

  "I've made some improvements to my sensei's technique," Orochimaru added, idly examining his fingernails. "The original version was quite crude, but I've refined it considerably."

  Zabuza lowered Kubikiribōchō slightly, his bandaged face unreadable as he processed this information. "How long does the summoning last?"

  Sarutobi's voice was heavy with the weight of forbidden knowledge. "Indefinitely. Until the summoner releases the technique or is killed, or the soul is freed by someone else."

  Zabuza's eyes widened, the implications dawning on him. "What the hell is the cost of the summoning? Because that seems utterly bullshit to me."

  "A human sacrifice," Sarutobi admitted quietly. "For each soul summoned, a living person must be sacrificed."

  The arena fell silent save for the distant sounds of battle beyond the barrier.

  "Just one?" Chōjūrō asked, his voice betraying his horror.

  Sarutobi nodded once. "Just one."

  Zabuza glanced at Mei, who wore a small, bitter smirk. "Fuck me," he muttered. "Leaf is the strongest village without even trying hard. No wonder Kiri could never catch up."

  Mei's expression hardened. Years of civil war in the Bloody Mist, countless deaths and sacrifices to build their strength—and here was a single jutsu that could summon legendary shinobi with unlimited chakra at the cost of just one life each.

  "You see, Lady Mizukage," Orochimaru interjected smoothly, sensing an opportunity. "This is precisely why Konoha should be mine to lead. Look at the power they possess, yet Sarutobi has kept it locked away. Think of what Konoha and Kiri could accomplish together under proper leadership."

  He gestured expansively. "The Third Hokage has grown soft. He possesses the knowledge of hundreds of forbidden techniques yet refuses to use them to strengthen the village. Under my guidance, Konoha would reach its true potential—and allies who recognize this early would be... generously rewarded."

  Mei's mismatched eyes shifted to a figure standing beside the Third Kazekage—another reanimated shinobi who had remained silent thus far.

  "Like the Fourth Kazekage was rewarded for his alliance with you?" She nodded toward the second corpse. "I see the corpse of Suna's leader stands at your command as well. An odd way to treat your allies, wouldn't you say?"

  Orochimaru paused, his smooth facade cracking momentarily.

  The Fourth Kazekage's reanimated form stood impassively, the gold dust swirling around him much like the Iron Sand circled his predecessor. His face, so similar to Rasa's, wore the same blank expression as the Third Kazekage's, but his eyes seemed to hold a deeper awareness—a silent judgment of his own murderer.

  "Ah, Rasa," Orochimaru recovered quickly, though his smile no longer reached his eyes. "A means to an end, I'm afraid. But you need not worry about suffering the same fate, Lady Mizukage. Unlike Suna, Kiri has something to offer beyond mere distraction."

  Mei's lips curled into a cold smile as she regarded Orochimaru. The temperature around her seemed to drop several degrees despite the afternoon sun beating down on the arena through the purple barrier.

  "I must decline your generous offer," she said, her voice like silk wrapped around steel. "Kiri has only recently emerged from the shadow of a puppet Mizukage. I find myself... disinclined to align with someone who treats his allies as disposable pawns."

  Her gaze flicked deliberately to the reanimated Fourth Kazekage standing motionless beside Orochimaru, his gold dust circling him in lazy orbits.

  Orochimaru's yellow eyes gleamed with amusement rather than disappointment. He spread his hands in a gesture of casual acceptance.

  "As you wish, Lady Mizukage. The offer remains open, should you reconsider. I'm certain we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement... later." His tongue slipped from between his lips, unnaturally long, tasting the air as if sampling her eventual surrender.

  Beside Mei, Chōjūrō visibly shuddered, his eyes fixed not on Orochimaru but on the blank-faced reanimated Kazekages.

  Zabuza noticed his reaction. "What is it?" he muttered, not taking his eyes off their opponents.

  "I was just thinking..." Chōjūrō replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "If he can bring back anyone with this technique... imagine a gate user with unlimited chakra, able to open all eight gates without dying."

  The color drained from Zabuza's face beneath his bandages. The Eight Gates technique was devastating precisely because of its limited use—the toll it took on the body was the price for its power. But if a reanimated shinobi could use it without consequence...

  "Keep your damn mouth shut," Zabuza hissed, loud enough for Orochimaru to hear. "Don't give the snake bastard any ideas."

  Orochimaru's laughter echoed through the enclosed space. "How delightful! Such creativity from Kiri's new generation. I must admit, I hadn't considered that particular application." His gaze grew distant for a moment, as if mentally adding the idea to a list. "Though I suppose I could always reanimate Might Dai... or perhaps wait for his son to perish naturally. Patience has its rewards."

  Sarutobi's face hardened at the casual way his former student discussed such abominations.

  Orochimaru turned his attention back to the Third Hokage, gesturing broadly at Mei and her guards. "How disappointing, Sarutobi-sensei. All your years of diplomacy, all your talk of the Will of Fire spanning nations—yet here you stand with only a single ally." His smile widened. "Whereas I, the 'traitor,' have united Grass, Sand, Sky, and Sound under a common purpose."

  Sarutobi's eyes shifted briefly to Mui, who stood impassively beside Orochimaru. The warden of Hōzuki Castle frowned but offered no contradiction.

  "The bonds forged through coercion and deception are fragile things, Orochimaru," Sarutobi replied. "They will crumble at the first sign of weakness."

  "We shall see," Orochimaru said, stepping back. "I'm curious to observe how you fare against my... guests."

  The two ANBU guards at their leader side—a man with a sword strapped to his back and a woman with flowing purple hair—looked to the Hokage.

  "Your orders, Lord Hokage?" the man, Hayate, asked, his voice raspy but steady.

  "What would you have us do against these reanimations?" Yugao added, her hand already resting on her katana.

  Sarutobi assessed the situation with the practiced eye of a veteran who had survived multiple wars. Despite his advanced age, his mind remained sharp, analyzing potential strategies and counters.

  "The Edo Tensei's regenerative abilities make conventional attacks ineffective," he explained, "Our best option with our current resources is to decapitate the reanimated shinobi, then encase the head in something durable—earth, water, anything that will prevent the body from reconnecting to it."

  Zabuza's bandaged face split into a predatory grin. "Now that's more like it." He hefted his massive blade. "Decapitation happens to be my specialty."

  The Third Kazekage moved first, without warning or preamble. The Iron Sand that had been orbiting him suddenly expanded outward in a wave of black particles, forming countless spears that shot toward them from all directions.

  "Earth Style: Earth Wall!" Sarutobi called out, his hands flashing through seals at a speed that belied his age.

  A thick barrier of stone erupted from the arena floor, encircling them in a protective dome. The Iron Sand spears penetrated several feet into the wall, their tips barely stopping short of breaking through.

  "Impressive," Mei commented, eyeing the earth dome. "The Professor lives up to his reputation."

  "This won't hold for long," Sarutobi warned as the wall began to crack under the continuous assault of Iron Sand. "Prepare yourselves."

  Mei nodded, her hands already forming seals. "Zabuza, Chōjūrō, on my mark."

  Outside their temporary shelter, the Fourth Kazekage had joined the assault. Gold dust began to mix with the Iron Sand, creating a swirling metallic storm that battered against the earth wall with increasing force.

  "The gold dust is heavier than the Iron Sand," Sarutobi explained quickly. "It will weigh down the Iron Sand, potentially limiting its mobility. But together—"

  A section of the wall collapsed inward as the combined metals punched through.

  "Together, they're quite formidable," he finished grimly.

  "Now!" Mei shouted as the wall began to crumble.

  Her chest expanded as she drew in a deep breath, then expelled a cloud of corrosive mist toward the opening. "Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique!"

  The mist solidified into globs of molten lava that shot through the gap, forcing the reanimated Kazekages to leap backward. Simultaneously, Zabuza and Chōjūrō burst through different sections of the collapsing wall, their swords at the ready.

  Chōjūrō engaged the Fourth Kazekage, Hiramekarei's bandages unwrapping as the twin-handled sword transformed into a massive hammer of chakra. He swung it in a wide arc, forcing the Fourth to raise a shield of gold dust to defend himself.

  The impact sent the Fourth Kazekage sliding backward, his feet carving furrows in the arena floor. Though the gold dust shield held, the force behind Chōjūrō's attack was enough to momentarily disrupt the Kazekage's footing.

  Meanwhile, Zabuza launched himself at the Third Kazekage, Kubikiribōchō singing through the air. The "Executioner's Blade" lived up to its name as it cleaved through the air toward the reanimated shinobi's neck.

  The Third Kazekage didn't attempt to dodge. Instead, his Iron Sand formed a dense collar around his neck—so compressed that when Zabuza's blade struck, it sent sparks flying but failed to cut through.

  "Tch!" Zabuza spat in frustration, disengaging to avoid a counterattack of Iron Sand spikes that erupted where he had been standing a moment before. "This might be trickier than expected."

  Sarutobi emerged from the ruined earth dome, his hands already forming seals. "Earth Style: Dragon Bullet!"

  The stone beneath the Third Kazekage's feet erupted upward, forming a dragon-shaped projectile that slammed into him from below. The impact sent the reanimated shinobi airborne, momentarily disrupting his concentration and causing the Iron Sand collar to weaken.

  "Now, Zabuza!" Sarutobi called.

  Zabuza was already moving, his body flashing in a Water Body Flicker technique that left a splash of water in his wake. He appeared above the Third Kazekage, his blade gleaming in the sunlight as it descended.

  The sword connected with the weakened Iron Sand collar, cutting partially through it and into the Kazekage's neck. Not a clean decapitation, but enough to momentarily separate the head from the body.

  "Got him!" Zabuza grunted, landing in a crouch several meters away.

  The Third Kazekage's body crumpled to the ground, but already paper-like fragments were emerging from the wound, reconnecting the partially severed head.

  "Water Style: Water Prison Technique!" Sarutobi called out, his hands forming seals that caused moisture to gather from the air itself, encasing the Kazekage's head in a sphere of water before the regeneration could complete.

  The Third Kazekage's body thrashed, unable to reconnect with its head. The Iron Sand that had been floating around him fell to the ground, temporarily inert.

  "One down, temporarily," Sarutobi said, maintaining the water prison with one hand. "But I can't hold this forever."

  On the other side of the arena, Chōjūrō was having less success against the Fourth Kazekage. The gold dust proved more resilient than expected, forming not just shields but also counterattacking tendrils that forced the young swordsman on the defensive.

  Mei joined the battle against the Fourth Kazekage, her hands rapidly forming seals. "Water Style: Water Bullet Technique!"

  Several large projectiles of compressed water shot toward the Fourth Kazekage. He raised a wall of gold dust to block them, but Mei had anticipated this.

  "Boil Release: Skilled Mist Technique," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

  The water bullets, upon impact with the gold dust wall, exploded into clouds of acidic mist that began to corrode the gold particles. The Fourth Kazekage's expression remained impassive, but his gold dust retreated, reforming closer to his body.

  "The Fourth Kazekage's gold dust is more vulnerable to my Boil Release than the Third's Iron Sand," Mei observed. "Chōjūrō, aim for his joints to limit mobility."

  "Yes, Lady Mizukage!" Chōjūrō responded, Hiramekarei shifting form again, this time becoming a long, slender blade charged with chakra.

  He darted forward, his movements more precise now, aiming not for the Kazekage's center mass but for his knee. The Fourth Kazekage attempted to block with gold dust, but the corrupted particles moved sluggishly, still affected by Mei's Boil Release.

  Chōjūrō's blade connected, slicing through the reanimated shinobi's knee with surgical precision. As the Kazekage began to fall, Chōjūrō reversed his grip and swung upward, aiming for the neck.

  But before his blade could connect, a wave of gold dust erupted between them, forcing Chōjūrō to leap backward or be crushed.

  The Fourth Kazekage's leg was already regenerating, paper-like fragments knitting the wound closed. The pause gave him time to reassert control over his gold dust, dispersing the corroded particles and replacing them with fresh ones.

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  From the sidelines, Orochimaru watched with undisguised amusement, his arms folded across his chest. Beside him, Mui observed the battle with a carefully neutral expression, though his eyes narrowed slightly whenever Sarutobi demonstrated a particularly impressive technique.

  "They're putting up more of a fight than I expected," Orochimaru remarked casually. "What do you think, Mui? Impressed by your former allies?"

  Mui's frown deepened. "The Hokage's skill is legendary for a reason," he admitted reluctantly. "But skill alone won't be enough against unlimited chakra and regeneration."

  "Indeed," Orochimaru agreed. "And I haven't even played my final card yet."

  He made a single hand sign, and both reanimated Kazekages suddenly stiffened, their movements becoming more fluid, more purposeful—as if more of their original consciousness had been granted control.

  Sarutobi noticed the change immediately. The Third Kazekage, still partially trapped by the water prison around his head, began to concentrate his chakra. The Iron Sand that had fallen inert suddenly rose up again, forming not weapons but a complex array of symbols in the air.

  "He's performing a technique without hand signs," Sarutobi warned. "Brace yourselves!"

  The symbols coalesced into a three-dimensional magnetic field, and the Iron Sand within it began to compress. The pressure became so intense that the individual particles fused together, forming a dense black sphere that pulsed with ominous energy.

  "Iron Sand: Razing Desert," the Third Kazekage intoned, his voice hollow yet carrying a hint of regret.

  The sphere exploded outward, sending countless microscopic particles of Iron Sand in all directions like a lethal sandstorm. The storm drove the Hokage back, forcing him to relinquish the water prison to defend himself with a more comprehensive barrier.

  Zabuza attempted to flee the sandstorm, but the particles clung to his sword, their magnetic properties rapidly increasing its weight until he could barely lift it.

  "What the hell?" he growled, struggling against the suddenly massive weight of Kubikiribōchō.

  "The Iron Sand is magnetizing everything metallic," Sarutobi explained, his voice strained as he maintained a barrier of hardened earth around himself. "Your sword will become increasingly heavy until you can no longer wield it."

  Meanwhile, the Fourth Kazekage had entered a new phase of attack as well. His gold dust formed not into crude weapons but into intricate structures—pyramid-shaped projectiles that spun as they flew, drilling through any defenses they encountered.

  "Gold Dust: Imperial Tribute," the Fourth Kazekage announced, his voice as hollow as his predecessor's.

  Chōjūrō barely managed to deflect the first projectile with Hiramekarei, the impact sending shockwaves up his arms. The second caught him in the shoulder, punching through his armor and drawing a grunt of pain.

  Mei moved quickly to his side, her hands already forming seals. "Lava Style: Rubber Wall!"

  A barrier of viscous, rubber-like lava formed between them and the Fourth Kazekage, catching the next wave of gold projectiles. The pyramids stuck in the rubber, unable to penetrate its elasticity, but the wall began to bulge inward as more and more projectiles impacted it.

  "This isn't sustainable," Mei noted, her calm voice belying the strain evident on her face. "We need a more permanent solution for these reanimations."

  Sarutobi nodded grimly, his aged hands forming a sequence of seals that few living shinobi still remembered. "Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet!"

  Despite the arid arena, moisture gathered from the air, forming into a massive dragon of water that coiled protectively around the Hokage and his allies. The Iron Sand storm battered against it, but the constantly moving water prevented the magnetic particles from gaining purchase.

  "Zabuza, Chōjūrō," Sarutobi called out. "I'll create an opening. When I do, strike at both Kazekages simultaneously. Aim to completely separate their heads this time."

  "And then what?" Zabuza demanded, still struggling with his increasingly heavy blade. "Another water prison that you can't maintain?"

  "I have something more permanent in mind," Sarutobi replied, reaching into his sleeve and withdrawing two paper talismans covered in complex sealing formulas. "These containment seals should hold their heads long enough for us to deal with Orochimaru."

  From the sidelines, Orochimaru's eyes narrowed as he spotted the seals. "Always prepared, aren't you, Sarutobi-sensei?" he murmured. "But preparation alone won't save you today."

  He made another hand sign, more complex this time, and both reanimated Kazekages suddenly ceased their attacks, leaping backward to stand on either side of Orochimaru.

  Orochimaru's laughter echoed across the arena as he stepped forward, the reanimated Kazekages flanking him like macabre sentinels. His eyes gleamed with malicious delight as he gazed upon the battle-worn defenders.

  "You've put up an admirable fight against my pawns," he said, his voice silky with false praise. "But what you've faced thus far is merely a taste of the Edo Tensei's potential. Allow me to demonstrate its true power."

  Sarutobi's eyes widened in alarm. "He's planning something more. Be ready!"

  "More reanimations?" Mei questioned, already forming hand seals in preparation.

  Orochimaru bit his thumb, drawing blood that glistened darkly against his pale skin. His hands flashed through a complex sequence of seals with practiced precision.

  "Summoning: Edo Tensei!"

  He slammed his palm against the ground, sending a ripple of chakra outward. The arena floor cracked and shifted as three massive wooden coffins began to rise from the earth, each emblazoned with a kanji symbol.

  The first bore the character for "First."

  The second, "Second."

  The third, "Fourth."

  Sarutobi's face drained of color. "No... he wouldn't dare!"

  "What is he summoning?" Chōjūrō asked, his voice tight with apprehension.

  "The previous Hokages," Zabuza answered, "He's bringing back the dead Hokages to fight against their successor."

  Mei's expression hardened. "We cannot allow this to happen."

  Sarutobi was already moving, his hands flying through seals faster than most eyes could follow. "Fire Style: Dragon Flame Bomb!"

  A massive fireball in the shape of a dragon's head roared toward the emerging coffins, the heat so intense it scorched the earth beneath it.

  Orochimaru didn't even flinch. With a casual gesture, he directed the Third Kazekage forward.

  "Iron Sand: Absolute Defense," the reanimated puppet intoned.

  A wall of densely packed Iron Sand rose between the fire technique and the coffins, absorbing the brunt of the attack. Though the sand glowed red-hot from the heat, it held firm, protecting the summoning ritual behind it.

  Zabuza charged forward, Kubikiribōchō held high despite its magnetized weight. "We need to stop this now!"

  The Fourth Kazekage moved to intercept him, gold dust swirling around his form like a glittering storm. "Gold Dust: Imperial Cage."

  The gold particles shot forward, surrounding Zabuza in a sphere that rapidly contracted. The former Mist nin was forced to abandon his charge, using a substitution technique to escape the crushing prison at the last moment.

  Chōjūrō and Mei launched a coordinated attack next, the young swordsman's Hiramekarei releasing a wave of chakra that parted the Iron Sand wall just enough for Mei's Lava Release to pour through the gap.

  "Lava Style: Melting Apparition Technique!"

  The molten lava surged toward the nearest coffin, threatening to consume it before the summoning could complete.

  Orochimaru's eyes narrowed. "How troublesome."

  He made a single hand sign, and both Kazekages moved in unison, their respective techniques combining into a swirling barrier of gold and iron that intercepted Mei's lava, cooling and solidifying it before it could reach the coffins.

  The first coffin was now fully emerged, its lid slowly creaking open.

  Sarutobi gritted his teeth, desperation evident in his voice. "We must stop this at any cost! If those coffins open completely, we may not survive what follows!"

  He reached deep within himself, calling upon chakra reserves he had not tapped in years. His body briefly glowed with an intense blue aura as he activated a technique rarely seen outside of wartime.

  "Fire Style: Majestic Destroyer Flame!"

  A wall of intense fire, far larger and hotter than his previous technique, erupted from his mouth, sweeping across the arena in a devastating wave that threatened to consume everything in its path.

  The Third Kazekage stepped forward once more, both hands raised. The Iron Sand around him began to spin rapidly, creating a vortex that pulled in the flames, containing and compressing them until they were smothered by the sheer density of the sand.

  Meanwhile, the second coffin had fully emerged, its lid beginning to open alongside the first.

  "It's too late," Orochimaru crooned, his voice thick with triumph. "Nothing can stop the Edo Tensei once it has begun."

  Mei refused to concede. With a determined expression, she formed a unique sequence of hand seals. "Boil Release: Corrosive Mist!"

  A cloud of highly acidic mist billowed from her mouth, moving with unnatural speed toward the emerging coffins. Unlike her previous techniques, this was not aimed at the defenders but at the coffins themselves, seeking to dissolve the wood before they could fully open.

  The Fourth Kazekage countered with a sweeping gesture. "Gold Dust: Reflective Shield."

  His gold dust formed a thin, mirror-like surface in the path of the mist. As the acidic cloud contacted the polished gold, it was reflected back toward its source, forcing Mei to disperse her own technique to avoid being caught in it.

  The third coffin was now rising, joining the others as they stood before Orochimaru like grim monuments to his forbidden power.

  Zabuza growled in frustration, hefting his sword despite its increased weight. "Nothing's working!"

  "We need to target Orochimaru directly," Sarutobi decided, his face set in grim determination. "He's the one controlling the technique. If we can disrupt his concentration—"

  "I think not," Orochimaru interrupted with a smirk. He made another hand sign, and both Kazekages moved to stand protectively before him, their respective techniques swirling around them in a deadly display.

  "You'll have to go through my guardians first," he taunted. "And I'm afraid you've already demonstrated your inability to do so effectively."

  The lids of the first two coffins were now fully open, revealing the shadowy silhouettes within. From the first emerged a tall, imposing figure with long, dark hair and distinctive red armor—Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage and founder of Konoha.

  From the second stepped a stern-faced man with wild, white hair and fur-trimmed armor—Tobirama Senju, the Second Hokage and creator of numerous forbidden techniques, including the very jutsu now being used to reanimate him.

  Sarutobi stared in horror at his former teachers, now reduced to puppets in Orochimaru's cruel game. "Sensei..." he whispered, his voice barely audible.

  The third coffin, bearing the symbol for "Fourth," had fully emerged now, standing ominously alongside the others. Yet as its lid slowly swung open, Orochimaru's triumphant expression faltered.

  The coffin was empty.

  "What?" Orochimaru hissed, his composure momentarily shaken. "Where is he? The Fourth Hokage should be there!"

  Sarutobi's expression shifted from despair to grim satisfaction. "It seems even your vaunted Edo Tensei has its limitations, Orochimaru."

  Mui stepped forward, his brow furrowed in confusion. "What happened? Why is the coffin empty?"

  Orochimaru recovered quickly, his momentary surprise replaced by calculated acceptance. "An interesting development," he admitted, his golden eyes flicking to the empty coffin before dismissing it with a wave of his hand. "But ultimately inconsequential. The First and Second will be more than sufficient for our purposes."

  The reanimated Hokages stood motionless, their eyes blank and unfocused—shells of the legendary shinobi they had once been. Their skin bore the distinctive paper-like quality of the Edo Tensei, with dark cracks running across their otherwise perfect features.

  "Hashirama Senju, whose Wood Release techniques were unrivaled in the shinobi world," Orochimaru introduced with theatrical flair. "And Tobirama Senju, whose mastery of Water Release and space-time ninjutsu made him one of the most formidable shinobi of his era. Together, they shaped the very foundation of the ninja world as we know it."

  He turned to Sarutobi, his smile widening to reveal unnaturally sharp canines. "And now, they will help reshape it once more—the renewal of the village they founded."

  Sarutobi stood straighter, his aged face set in resolute lines. "I fought alongside these men. I learned from them, respected them, and eventually succeeded them. I will not allow you to desecrate their memory by turning them into your puppets."

  "Bold words from an old man who can barely stand," Orochimaru retorted. "You're outmatched, outnumbered, and out of options. Surrender now, and we can avoid more losses."

  "You forget, Orochimaru," Sarutobi replied, a hint of steel entering his voice. "I may be old, but I am still the Hokage. And a Hokage never surrenders while there is still breath in his body."

  Mei stepped forward to stand beside him, her auburn hair swirling around her as she channeled her chakra. "And he does not stand alone."

  Zabuza and Chōjūrō moved to flank them, their weapons at the ready despite the toll the previous fighting had taken.

  "How touching," Orochimaru mocked. "A doomed alliance against overwhelming odds. It's almost poetic."

  He turned to the reanimated Hokages, his expression hardening. "Enough talk. It's time to demonstrate why these men were feared across the shinobi world."

  With a series of hand signs, he inserted kunai with special tags into the backs of both reanimated Hokages' heads. The blank look in their eyes was replaced by a flicker of awareness, though their expressions remained unnaturally placid.

  "I've restored some of their personalities to make this more... interesting," Orochimaru explained. "They'll retain their combat instincts and tactical brilliance, but they remain bound to my will."

  Hashirama's eyes focused on Sarutobi, a flicker of recognition passing across his face. "Hiruzen... you've grown old."

  "And you haven't changed at all, Hashirama-sensei," Sarutobi replied, his voice thick with emotion despite the circumstances. "I wish we could be meeting under different circumstances."

  Tobirama's stern gaze swept over the arena, assessing the situation with the same tactical precision he had been known for in life. "So, this is what has become of our village? Fighting against its own founders? A shameful day indeed."

  "The shame is not yours to bear, Tobirama-sensei," Sarutobi assured him. "But rest assured, I will not allow Konoha to fall, even if it means fighting against those who built it."

  Orochimaru stepped back, positioning himself between the two Kazekages. "As fascinating as this reunion is, I'm afraid we must move on to the main event."

  He made a final hand sign, and both reanimated Hokages settled into combat stances, their chakra surging visibly around them.

  "Capture them all," Orochimaru commanded. "Show them the true meaning of Hokage."

  Hashirama's hands came together in a seal that every Konoha ninja recognized—the harbinger of his legendary Wood Release techniques. Tobirama's hands blurred through seals with a speed that belied his reanimated state, water condensing from the very air around him.

  Sarutobi, Mei, Zabuza, and Chōjūrō prepared themselves for the onslaught, knowing that the real battle was only just beginning.

  "Be ready," Sarutobi warned his allies. "What you're about to face is unlike anything you've encountered before."

  Mei nodded grimly, her hands already forming seals. "We anticipated difficult odds when we came to these exams. Though I admit, fighting two legendary Hokages wasn't on my list of expectations."

  "At least we'll have impressive stories to tell," Zabuza remarked with dark humor, adjusting his grip on Kubikiribōchō. "Assuming we survive to tell them."

  Chōjūrō simply nodded, Hiramekarei humming with chakra as he prepared for the coming storm.

  Across from them, Hashirama and Tobirama stood side by side, their reanimated forms radiating a power that had once shaped the very foundations of the shinobi world. Behind them, Orochimaru watched with the satisfied expression of a puppeteer whose greatest performance was about to begin.