Time rewound a moment, to the rooftop battlefield.
Orochimaru's snake-like eyes locked eerily onto his teacher, the Third Hokage, as he gazed at him with deep affection. "Teacher, don't disappoint me too much with those old bones of yours!"
While every village in the ninja world was sharpening its weapons and frantically expanding its military strength,
Konoha alone still slept in the rotten cradle of peace!
He would be the one to stir this stagnant pool of water.
The Third Hokage, his teacher, standing before him?
He was already old.
His foolishness, his compromises, his policy of peace—those laughable weaknesses had dragged Konoha into its current dead end!
The end of his teacher's "aging heart" would be the cruel operation Orochimaru had meticulously prepared for Konoha!
Only the cruelest pain could force out the bloodlust and reform that had long lain dormant!
Of course, as payment for this grand operation, it was only reasonable that he took a "trivial" surgical fee amid the chaos, wasn't it?
Since that was the case,
"Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!"
Orochimaru formed hand seals and shouted!
Two heavy coffins burst from the earth, forcibly intercepting the Third Hokage's flying shuriken!
The coffin lids were clearly marked: "First"! "Second"!
Just as the third coffin marked "Fourth" began to emerge—
"Don't even think about it!"
The Third Hokage's hair and beard flared as his Chakra surged violently, forcing it back underground!
Cold sweat had already soaked through his back!
He knew all too well about Impure World Reincarnation, this forbidden technique that desecrated the dead.
Yet Orochimaru had summoned these two people!
The First Hokage: the Ninja God! That towering figure who had suppressed the chaotic era and treated Tailed Beasts like toys in his hands!
The Second Hokage: master of forbidden techniques! His cunning and