The battle on the viewing platform shook heaven and earth. The First's Wood Release and the Second's Water Release unleashed devastating power within the confined space. Though Third Hokage Hiruzen Sarutobi fought desperately, he was clearly outmatched by his two teachers, narrowly escaping death time and again.
The chaos below grew even more frenzied and desperate after the former Hokage appeared and that brief, eerie pause passed. The Sound Ninja and Sand Ninja seemed emboldened by something, attacking with greater ferocity.
Ling forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and focused entirely on the battle before him. His Water Blade precisely sliced open a Sound Ninja's throat, and his Water Clone deftly evaded a sneak attack from behind. His movements remained efficient and lethal, but a lingering gravity had crept into his eyes.
"Ling! On your right!" Ino cried out, simultaneously using the Mind Body Switch Technique to briefly disrupt a Sand Ninja trying to attack Ling from the flank.
Without hesitation, Ling struck back with a Water Wave Hand, sending the attacker flying.
"Thanks!" Ling replied tersely, standing back-to-back with Ino as they caught their breath.
[What... just happened?] Ling finally had a chance to ask Tobirama urgently in his mind. [That warning... 'Kara'? Outsiders?]
Tobirama fell silent in his mind for a moment, clearly struggling to process the incredible information himself. His voice had lost its usual absolute composure, taking on an unprecedented seriousness and bewilderment:
[I don't know. But one thing is certain: before his consciousness was fully suppressed, the 'me' summoned through Impure World Reincarnation transmitted that fragmentary message to me through some strange resonance between souls of the same origin. This defies everything I understand about Impure World Reincarnation and souls.]
*['Kara'... Neither my memories nor your knowledge of the 'plot' offers any connection to