When Sarutobi Hiruzen saw Minato Namikaze step out, his face darkened. "You're toying with the souls of the dead!" he snapped.
His eyes shot an accusatory glance at Minato, his expression full of hidden meaning.
Orochimaru, however, ignored Sarutobi's reprimand, his eyes fixed on Minato Namikaze with a look of utter confusion. "Why *you*?" he murmured, clearly puzzled.
The words left Sarutobi Hiruzen even more bewildered. "What does he mean? Didn't Orochimaru's Impure World Reincarnation summon Minato?"
Although Sarutobi had never used the Impure World Reincarnation himself, he was familiar with the technique from the Book of Seals. The caster needed the body or flesh of the deceased to anchor the soul, and a living sacrifice to summon the soul from the Pure Land. The appearance of the dead was then restored to its form before death.
So why, if Orochimaru had Minato's flesh and blood, was there such confusion in their conversation? Everything pointed to Minato being the one summoned, but Orochimaru's words hinted otherwise.
Orochimaru's confusion didn't escape Minato's notice. With a smile as radiant as the sun, he answered, "Of course it's me, Orochimaru. In this world of ninjas, who else could summon both the First and Second Hokage at the same time?"
Minato paused and added, "Besides, with the First and Second Hokage already resurrected, wouldn't it be embarrassing if the Fourth Hokage didn't show up?"
His smile was so contagious that it nearly convinced Orochimaru—except it didn't.
Orochimaru's disbelief didn't waver. "No... This was supposed to be the Fourth Hokage..."
He was cut off mid-sentence as he was suddenly sent flying backward. Minato, who had been standing calmly, was now standing where Orochimaru had been just moments ago.
"Too fast! And the force... I blocked it, but it still blew me away!" Orochimaru's mind raced as he wiped the cold sweat off his brow. "Minato Namikaze is even stronger now, after returning from the dead."
The sheer speed and force behind the attack had left him rattled, nearly catching him off guard. Only years of intense training in isolation had saved him from sustaining serious injury.
A ferocious grin crept across Orochimaru's pale face as he muttered to himself, "No wonder they call him the Yellow Flash. Even without the Flying Thunder God Technique, his speed is terrifying."
Meanwhile, Sarutobi Hiruzen was deep in thought. He suspected that Orochimaru hadn't planned to resurrect Minato in the first place. Still, the fact that Minato had come back instead of the intended individual was, in the grand scheme of things, a good outcome for him.
"Minato, join me in taking down Orochimaru!" Sarutobi shouted, hoping for a quick resolution.
But Minato seemed uninterested. He wasn't looking at his former teacher but was instead inspecting his own body. "This body... It's just not right," he muttered, eyeing his hands.
Despite the force and speed of his recent attack, Minato felt no sensation in his punches—no impact, no recoil, no feedback whatsoever. It was as if his strikes weren't connected to the world at all.
"I've become stronger," Minato thought, "but this body feels strange. It's like I'm floating outside of it."
A wave of discomfort washed over him as he tried to make sense of the situation. "At least I'm still alive, right? And I still have the system to rely on..."
The thought of his unreliable 'golden finger' made him groan inwardly. "This system resurrected me like this? If it hadn't been for my spiritual pressure, I might not have made it out of that coffin."
He shook his head, irritated. "Honestly, if I wasn't strong enough to integrate the captain-level spiritual pressure, I probably wouldn't have even gotten out!"
He glanced at Sarutobi Hiruzen, but the older man no longer held Minato's full attention. His thoughts drifted back to the village, to Naruto—his son.
"I know what kind of life Naruto had in the original timeline," Minato brooded. "Drinking expired milk and eating discarded bread while being insulted by villagers as the 'demon fox.' Sarutobi and Kushina sealed the Nine-Tails to protect Konoha, but why didn't they protect Naruto, too? What happened to the home we left behind? Where are the rewards for all those A-level missions I completed? All taken by this old man!" The bitterness in Minato's chest simmered as he thought of his son's painful existence.
Despite his annoyance, Minato could still see the truth in Orochimaru's words. The Konoha higher-ups had grown corrupt, greedy, and cowardly. They twisted the Will of Fire into something it was never meant to be.
"The true meaning of the Will of Fire is that the younger generation is the hope of the future, and the older generation should protect and trust them. The sacrifices of the past should inspire the youth, not be used as a means to manipulate them into a state of fear and obedience."
He clenched his fists as the anger built up within him.
But, looking back at Orochimaru—who had been staring at him all this time—Minato couldn't resist a grin. He stepped forward with a sudden movement, appearing at Orochimaru's side in an instant. With a gleam of mischief in his eyes, he whispered into Orochimaru's ear, "Don't worry, Orochimaru. I won't stop you."
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