Lifting the Ban

A moment later, Jiraiya opened his eyes, activated Spirit Energy Body Infusion, and lifted the heavy hammer in his hands, channeling his spirit energy into the weapon.

As the spirit energy poured in, the hammer turned a brilliant crimson, and he began to circulate the energy within his body, following the specific pathways required for the Great Sumeru Hammer.

He began to swing the heavy hammer, and with every strike, the aura radiating from it grew more intense. By the twentieth swing, Naruto noticed faint ripples appearing in the void around Jiraiya.

Then, to Naruto's horror, Jiraiya slammed the hammer down into the ground.

A sound like a thunderclap erupted in Naruto's ears. As the hammerhead struck, the ground within a fifty-meter radius of Jiraiya sank simultaneously.

Jiraiya used the momentum to leap into the air with his hammer. Once the weapon left the ground, the shockwave that had been crushing the earth rapidly expanded outward.

Wherever the shockwave traveled, the ground churned like boiling water, kicking up a massive wave of earth.

Naruto realized he was within the range of the shockwave and hurriedly used the Flying Thunder God to escape.

The shockwave continued to spread outward, though its power gradually diminished as it traveled further.

Once the tremors ceased completely, Jiraiya landed, Naruto flashed back to the scene, and Hinata arrived from her training area.

Seeing the destruction Jiraiya had caused, both Naruto and Hinata gulped.

Naruto ran up to Jiraiya and asked, "Pervy Sage, have you fully mastered the Great Sumeru Hammer?"

"Not yet, only the first twenty forms," Jiraiya said with a smile.

Naruto then asked, "Does that mean your cultivation technique is about to break through to the fourth level?"

Jiraiya shook his head. "It's not that simple. It's still at the third level. This level of destruction is likely because my spirit body provides such a powerful boost to my attack power."

Naruto couldn't help but sigh upon hearing this.

Seeing this, Jiraiya ruffled his hair and said, "You brat, you don't know how lucky you are. I'd kill for your Spirit-Absorbing Battle Body. Once you go to Mount Myoboku in a while, your cultivation speed will accelerate even further, and your technique will break through to the third level soon enough."

Jiraiya wasn't lying to Naruto; the reason he had reached the threshold of the fourth level so quickly was inextricably linked to the years he had spent at Mount Myoboku.

He could sense that once his technique reached the fourth level, the progress of his cultivation would slow down significantly.

Naruto's Spirit-Absorbing Battle Body was inherently designed to accelerate cultivation, and once he reached Mount Myoboku, his progress would skyrocket.

Naruto knew all of this, but he felt that way because the destruction Jiraiya had caused was simply too exaggerated. A mere two-fold increase was already this terrifying; Naruto didn't dare imagine the damage if all thirty-six forms were mastered.

Hinata had remained in a daze since arriving. She had heard her father say that Jiraiya was incredibly powerful, but she hadn't understood the extent of it from his description—only that Master Jiraiya was a being known as a sage.

Hinata whispered, "Is this what a sage is?" She couldn't imagine what would happen if such an attack landed on a person.

Naruto and Jiraiya heard her murmur. Jiraiya walked over, placed a hand on her head, and said, "Hinata, train hard, and you will be able to do this too one day."

Hinata snapped out of her daze and immediately replied, "Yes, Master Jiraiya, I will definitely train hard!"

They didn't continue testing their martial arts, as Naruto's Desolation Halberd required the summoning of the golem before it could be imbued with elemental effects.

Jiraiya felt his Great Sumeru Hammer wouldn't break through again for a while; mastering the first twenty forms so quickly was due to his recent practice of the Soul Gathering Art and decades of experience.

The three returned to the Land of Whirlpools. Once back, Hinata went to prepare dinner, while Naruto and Jiraiya went outside.

Stepping out of the exit, they saw that Orochimaru had already finished the frame of the building; it should be completed in a day or two.

The two returned to the altar and sat there, watching Hinata work.

Once seated, Naruto said to Jiraiya, "Pervy Sage, let's name our weapons."

"Hmm, let me think," Jiraiya nodded.

It was indeed time for names; calling them "halberd" and "hammer" all the time wasn't very convenient.

After some thought, Jiraiya said to Naruto, "How about we call your halberd Bone Crusher? As for my hammer, let's call it Blood Moon."

Naruto nodded, accepting the names, and they both began their cultivation.

Three days later.

Kidomaru and Jirobo had finished their training, and Orochimaru's building was ready. He had constructed a large hall and hung a plaque above it: Council Hall.

Early that morning, Kimimaro and Jugo returned, bringing with them what Orochimaru called a vessel.

Jugo carried a man on his shoulder. According to Orochimaru, this was a ninja from the Kirigakure Hunter-nin squad who had been defeated while hunting Kisame Hoshigaki. Orochimaru had intercepted him just before he was killed because the man was suitable to be his vessel.

With the vessel arrived, it was time to begin undoing the Dead Demon Consuming Seal. Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered at the altar.

Orochimaru stood on the altar wearing the Death God Mask. He performed the seals for the Dead Demon Consuming Seal in reverse. As he completed the final seal, a pale, ghostly figure appeared behind him.

This was the Death God—it looked like a malevolent spirit with white hair, wearing a white robe that exposed its chest, and holding a dagger in its mouth.

Orochimaru raised his arms, and the Death God behind him mimicked the movement.

Seeing this, Orochimaru smiled, brought his hand near his right cheek, and made a motion as if gripping a blade. The Death God behind him took the dagger from its mouth.

Orochimaru slowly placed his hand near his stomach and made a slicing motion from left to right.

A long gash appeared on the Death God's stomach. Orochimaru closed his eyes, sensing something, and a moment later, a golden speck of light flew out from the Death God's belly.

Seeing this, Naruto immediately used the Soul Gathering Art to draw the light toward him. Just as the light was about to reach him, Naruto stopped the technique.

He gathered a large mass of spirit energy in his hand, wrapping it around the speck of light.

At this moment, Orochimaru became incredibly weak. He had Jugo pry open the vessel's mouth, and his soul flew out of his body and into the vessel.

The Death God behind him let out a sinister, cackling laugh, cast a meaningful look at Orochimaru, and then vanished.

The Kirigakure Hunter-nin possessed by Orochimaru's soul collapsed to the ground, his body contorting into a strange posture as his bones and muscles slowly shifted, eventually transforming into the likeness of Orochimaru.

A moment later, Orochimaru, having completed the Living Corpse Reincarnation, stood up, coughed, and clutched his abdomen.

Seeing this, Naruto Uzumaki asked, "Orochimaru, are there any side effects?"

"Cough, cough. When I sliced open the stomach of the Death God, the injury was transferred to my soul as well. Even after using Living Corpse Reincarnation, I can still feel the pain emanating from my soul," Orochimaru replied.

Naruto Uzumaki listened, then said gravely, "Will there be any lasting impact?"

Orochimaru still had many uses; he was a research talent, and if something were to happen to him, it would be a massive loss for Naruto Uzumaki and the organization.

After some thought, Orochimaru answered, "I don't know for now, but since this involves toying with the Death God, it's hard to say what the future consequences might be."

Naruto Uzumaki nodded, feeling relieved as long as there were no immediate issues. He then produced a green orb of light in his other hand, tossed it to Orochimaru, and said, "This is the Soul Origin I condensed after absorbing it. It can heal the wounds on your soul. Use it now; just press it directly into your head."

Orochimaru took the orb solemnly, nodded at Naruto Uzumaki, and pressed it against the top of his head.

The orb quickly burrowed into Orochimaru's body, and he closed his eyes.

With his eyes shut, Orochimaru felt a warmth radiating from his soul—an experience he had never known since he first created the Living Corpse Reincarnation.

Because he frequently used forbidden techniques, his soul had long been severely damaged, leaving him to endure a perpetual chill from the depths of his soul that no amount of clothing or fire could ever dispel.

As the orb entered his body, Orochimaru gradually felt his frame warming up, which meant the injuries to his soul were slowly being mended.

A moment later, Orochimaru opened his eyes, looked at Naruto Uzumaki with gratitude, and said, "Thank you, my lord. I can feel that the injuries to my soul have completely recovered."

Naruto Uzumaki nodded and asked, "Then there will be no issues with using Impure World Reincarnation now?"

"No issues at all. In fact, compared to before, performing Impure World Reincarnation will be more stable now, and the strength of the resurrected individuals will not be diminished," Orochimaru said.

Naruto Uzumaki nodded, then closed his eyes and entered the Sealing Space.

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki had been waiting for a long time. Seeing them, Naruto Uzumaki said, "Father, Mother, it is time."

Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki nodded, signaling that they were ready.

Naruto Uzumaki's consciousness returned to his body, and he said to Orochimaru, "You may begin."

Orochimaru nodded and quickly formed hand seals. With a bang, two coffins appeared standing behind him, and he walked over to lift their lids.

The bodies inside the coffins were revealed to everyone present: they were none other than Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

Both remained in the state they were in at the time of their deaths, showing no signs of decay.

Seeing this, Jiraiya sighed softly and murmured, "Minato... Kushina..."

... Ti Ta, the author of Naruto: Starting with Asura Chakra, provided this.