Naruto: Passerby and Returnee

Chapter 464 Internal and External Dilemmas

"So it really is Impure World Reincarnation. I didn't expect that sealing technique could be broken. Did you do it, First Hokage?" Although Minato was confused for a moment, he knew that the Reaper Death Seal was supposedly an unbreakable sealing technique, trapping the soul forever within the Shinigami's body. Who knew that in the blink of an eye, he would emerge from the Shinigami's belly!

"It's me~." Orochimaru appeared from the side, sporting his signature smile. Half of his body was still deathly pale, slowly returning to its original form, looking...a little creepy.

"Mr. Orochimaru, how did you do that?"

Minato was genuinely curious, but the method of releasing the seal was beyond the reach of most people, and Orochimaru had no intention of teaching it. He simply wanted to show off, and the object of his boasting was none other than his teacher who had sealed his hands. Just now, his hands had returned, but regaining his jutsu abilities didn't mean he was powerless to resist. In this situation, it was best for him to stay put.

“You underestimate me, Minato. I have been studying the sealing techniques of the Uzumaki clan from the ruins of the clan that no longer exist, and from the documents scattered all over the world.”

Looking at the bewildering group before them, the three reanimated beings didn't exchange a word, but they were all thinking the same thing: why did the First Hokage go to such lengths, even teaming up with Orochimaru, to summon them? Fortunately, Hashirama didn't keep them waiting too long.

“Alright, now it’s time to explain why we summoned you. I apologize for disturbing your slumber, but we have a perfectly legitimate reason. To save time, you wouldn’t mind using some illusion magic, would you?” The First Hokage gestured for Izuna to step forward. “Could you please take a look at his eyes?”

When they met those crimson eyes, Minato and Kushina weren't particularly bothered. During their lifetimes, they had a good relationship with the Uchiha clan head's family and weren't overly resistant to the Sharingan. The First Hokage was practically a legend in the eyes of later generations, and Kushina was from the Uzumaki clan, a distant relative of the Senju clan. The couple didn't even question why the First Hokage was still alive before they both fell into the genjutsu.

The Third Hokage was deeply shaken. The Uchiha clan had been wiped out under his rule, and to see a living Uchiha who wasn't Itachi was incredibly shocking. This man's appearance reminded him of a child who hadn't yet grown up. Could it be Sasuke after he grew up?! Sasuke and the First Hokage were standing together. What did that mean? Did they know the truth of what happened back then? Did they... approve of that... action?

Countless questions became obstacles when encountering the illusion. The eyes that looked at him frowned, and the three-tomoe pattern on his forehead suddenly thickened slightly. Before the Third Hokage could carefully discern it, he was thrown into a more powerful illusion. This illusion was not as gentle as it had been at the beginning. Personal resentment might reflect some of the injuries in the illusion onto the person under the illusion, but that was not his fault; it was the old man's fault for not cooperating.

Using genjutsu to explain things is basically a long-standing tradition of "Hui." The past ten years they've experienced have been far more exciting than the previous decades, so even if they were to explain, they could only pick out the key events. Not everyone knows the relationship between Naruto and Kinrin. In the common version, it was Kinrin who uttered that questioning of the ruler, but the three people in front of them are qualified to know the original history.

Even after waking from the illusion, the three remained speechless for a long time. This was true for everyone, since Naruto was denying the ideals that ninjas had believed in for a thousand years, rejecting the old world at the very root of the ninja system. Of course, Izuna didn't dare to directly show the part about Naruto's death; the feeling of going from heaven to hell was perhaps a little...

“It must be so hard to achieve such a dream.” Mothers always seem to have a natural connection with their children. Kushina sensed something and asked hopefully, “Was he too busy to come?”

However, no one responded to the mother's expectation; they all averted their gaze.

Tears welled up instantly. The moment she guessed the change of Jinchuriki, Naruto's life or death was no longer a concern.

How could someone as clever as Minato not guess the meaning behind that inquiry? He silently embraced his wife, unable to utter a single word of comfort.

He was the one who resolutely sealed the Nine-Tails into Naruto, believing that Naruto could use this power to bring about change in the ninja world. But he never expected that change would turn into revolution, and that the child, lacking love, would grow up amidst malice, leaving behind the most selfless love in the world.

“Uncle Minato, Aunt Kushina, I don’t know if I’m still qualified to call you that.” Sasuke stepped forward at this moment and said, “Naruto left his own chakra in the seal. He never left, he just stayed with us in a different way.”

"Besides, he promised to come back, and I believe him."

Bringing Naruto back to life might be commonplace for "Hikaru," but that's only based on the premise of Impure World Reincarnation. So far, even the most authoritative expert on life and death, Tobirama, can't figure out how Naruto could return. Only young people like Sasuke still have the power to believe.

Reality was undeniably cruel, but Sasuke's words did offer some comfort to the equally young Fourth Hokage and his wife. Sasuke was currently unable to see, giving them some time to process their emotions. Even if it was just the lingering effects of Naruto's chakra, they didn't want their child to see his parents heartbroken and weeping.

Once the Konoha Hokage and their group had barely accepted reality, Hashirama, carrying two cocoons, moved to the ground with the others. Their Edo Tensei mission for the day wasn't finished yet, and Konan was already waiting above them.

However, the same problem as Naruto's time occurred again: their summoning of Nagato failed, and they only managed to recall Yahiko, who had been dead for many years.

“I have a bad feeling about this. Could it be that someone from Akatsuki can also be resurrected through Edo Tensei?” The series of failures was unprecedented for Hui. Izuna suggested a possibility, since only they and Akatsuki possessed Nagato’s genetic material.

"But they couldn't possibly have Naruto's genetic material, could they?" Hashirama reasonably guessed. The discussion between two non-professionals wouldn't solve anything; it would only make the mystery more complicated.

Just as this large group of people were preparing to return to the main city of Beichen, Tobirama, who was left behind in Konoha, sent an expected bombshell message.

The advisory group intends to hold Tsuna accountable, and the Daimyo also intends to replace the Hokage. The two sides will meet tomorrow at noon to discuss this.

Although he had anticipated this possibility, Hashirama was still disheartened by the Daimyo and his advisors' joint act of taking advantage of his misfortune. At a time when unity was most needed, Konoha's internal and external forces were only thinking about dividing up the spoils. How could Konoha possibly develop in a positive direction under such circumstances?

It's time to teach them a lesson.

The plan remains unchanged; the Hokage position must not be relinquished.