Before Minato opened his eyes, The Flying Thunder God's Marks around him had already appeared in his mind.
The air around him moved in a peculiar rhythm. Minato was very familiar with this feeling. He knew that as long as he activated the Flying Thunder God technique, he could teleport to any of his markings.
'This was not the Pure Land but... the Shinobi World of the present.' A complex emotion flashed in his deep blue eyes. He subconsciously touched his chest. The searing pain from being torn apart had long faded, but the cold and resolute gaze of Yuto remained etched in his heart like a scar.
He let out a soft sigh as the dust of the Impure World Reincarnation fell from his body, swirling in the air.
"Fourth, now isn't the time for nostalgic memories.
Cough..."
Orochimaru's voice broke the silence. It was raspier than usual, and his appearance was far from pleasant. A gaping hole in his right chest was pouring blood, while small white snakes wriggled madly, trying to heal his body, but to no avail.
"What an impressive technique." A black-haired man standing in the center of the room spoke, stroking his chin as he observed closely. His voice was deep, but his actions carried a childlike curiosity.
"The wound won't heal... There's a hint of ocular power there. Uchiha, perhaps? But it's not quite the same..."
"It's Yuto Hyuga," Minato said softly. "Although much stronger than before, I'm certain it's Yuto's ocular power."
The reanimated Hashirama Senju paused for a moment before bursting into hearty laughter, so much so that tears welled up in his eyes.
"Hahaha... A Hyuga, huh! Ryosuke's descendant is indeed a resolute one."
The white-haired reanimated Tobirama Senju frowned in displeasure.
"Brother, don't speak in such a manner. It's embarrassing."
"Come on, Tobirama, give me a little leeway..."
"Be quiet."
Tobirama shot a glance at Minato's Hokage cloak.
"The Fourth Hokage?"
"Yes, First Hokage, Second Hokage. I've long heard of your legendary stories."
"Ah! So many generations have passed already. Konoha sure has thrived, hahaha." Hashirama began laughing foolishly again.
"Everyone, let's save the reunions for later." Orochimaru's face was pale, and his tone weak. "I am Orochimaru, the Fifth Hokage. Minato, don't look so surprised. After you died, I..." He coughed up a mouthful of blood, staining his chest crimson.
Tobirama frowned.
"Speak less, Fifth. Where is Hiruzen?"
"Our teacher is still on the front lines..." As they spoke, Orochimaru, Hashirama, Tobirama, and Minato simultaneously sensed something and turned their heads to the northwest.
A deafening roar followed.
The earth quaked, the sea surged, and meteors rained down.
A cataclysmic force swept through the land. Even the solid and heavy structures of Konoha couldn't withstand it for even a fraction of a second. The Hokage Building was uprooted, and the streets were shattered by flying boulders.
The Hokage Rock, engraved with five heads, was cracked and crumbled into ruins.
A fierce wind billowed through the cloaks of the four Hokages like a war banner, screaming in the wind.
"What terrifying chakra... Both combatants are incredibly powerful," Hashirama said with a serious expression, his eyes burning with the fire of battle.
"Let's go, everyone. The battle is fierce, and the scales of victory are tipping towards Yuto." Orochimaru paused before continuing, "Though it may be shameless to say, you are all former Hokage who died for Konoha. For the sake of the village, please lend your strength one last time, even in this reanimated state."
In the earth-shattering tremors, the four Hokages exchanged nods.
They moved at high speed, with Minato being the fastest. Even after being resurrected through Impure World Reincarnation, the speed of the Yellow Flash had not diminished in the slightest.
As they traveled toward the core battlefield, what lay before them was a scarred landscape. Monster-like marks were etched into the mountains and valleys, with peaks cleaved in two. The silver light of the moon wasn't as bright as usual, and the world was plunged into darkness.
Even ordinary people could vaguely sense that the being responsible for this apocalyptic scene could no longer be described as a mere "shinobi."
Crossing the shattered earth, severed rivers, and mountains of corpses, the Hokages finally arrived at the heart of the battlefield.
In an instant, they realized that their earlier judgment—that the moon was dimmer—was wrong.
The moon was the same as ever. It was simply blocked by a massive black sphere. It hung in the sky, making the world darker than usual.
—It was a gigantic Truth-Seeking Orb!
At the front of the massive orb stood Yuto , no longer bound by the Caged Bird Seal. He turned his head.
"Yo... Minato-senpai, how ironic. The Yellow Flash, always a step behind."
He was clad in the armor of a great shinobi from the Warring States period, his armor blood-red, with a long sword at his waist. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and one of his eyes was tightly shut. Even as the current Sage of Six Paths, conquering the Shinobi World had taken a toll.
Yuto stood, pointing a finger at the night sky, while his other hand hung loosely. The giant Truth-Seeking Orb began to fall, unleashing an unmatched, supreme technique.
The black moon descended.
"Sorry, but this world is mine now."
(End of Chapter)