The noise outside the barrier drew the attention of Minato Namikaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, and the others. Minato turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the crowd beyond the barrier. He recognized several faces.
"Isn't that masked guy his disciple, Hatake Kakashi?" Minato thought, his eyes shifting to the next figure. "And that green-clad Might Guy with the watermelon head, along with Shiranui Genma, his former bodyguard?"
The changes were subtle—his own temperament had darkened since the last time he'd seen them, likely a result of the political changes under the Third Hokage's rule. But even now, Minato couldn't help but smile at his former comrades, his sunny smile as warm as ever.
"Wow, the first Hokage is so domineering. With just a glance, I feel like I'm being stared down by the Nine-Tails," a civilian ninja whispered.
The Nine-Tails itself couldn't resist commenting, its voice a dry, amused growl: "Are you being polite?"
Another voice piped up: "The first Hokage's presence is almost comedic. Like he's some sort of entertainer."
"The Fourth Hokage is so handsome! He just smiled at me. I think I'd bear his child," one woman said, blushing.
Another woman, just as smitten, replied, "He smiled at me, not you!"
The two women began to argue over who had received the Fourth Hokage's smile. Minato, oblivious to the chaos he'd caused, would likely have found the situation amusing had he been aware. After all, as someone who'd been a fan of online novels in his previous life, he knew all too well the significance of strength—and with strength, how far could mere feelings take you?
"The teacher hasn't changed at all. He's still the same," Kakashi muttered, gazing at Minato from beyond the barrier.
The reactions of the Anbu and Konoha's civilian ninjas ranged from awe to disbelief, but Minato, ever the tactician, kept his eyes on the scene unfolding before him.
"This isn't a one-man show," Minato thought as his attention shifted back to Orochimaru.
At that moment, Orochimaru had already moved behind the First and Second Hokages—Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju—and was planting kunai with sealing tags into their bodies. The two Hokages, still under Orochimaru's control, stepped back to stand by his side.
Orochimaru, with a sinister smile, addressed Sarutobi Hiruzen: "Teacher, it's time to stop dwelling on the past, don't you think?"
He glanced briefly at Minato, then continued, "Please, don't interfere, Minato."
Minato raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Orochimaru's words. He leaned forward slightly, a mischievous grin forming. "Why? I'm the Fourth Hokage of Konoha. Aren't you a little bold to tell me what to do?"
Orochimaru's anger flared at Minato's challenge, but he managed to retain his composure. "The Konoha of today isn't the same as it was when you were alive. You don't even know about your son, do you? He's being controlled by those fools in Konoha."
Sarutobi's eyes widened in alarm, and before Orochimaru could continue, the Third Hokage snapped, "Enough! Don't listen to him, Minato."
Minato didn't look at Sarutobi. Instead, he let his gaze linger on Konoha's once-proud Hokage, his voice cold and full of realization. "I don't need you to tell me what I already know. I've seen the current Konoha. It's no longer the thriving village it once was. It's decayed."
Sarutobi's face paled, his thoughts racing. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, his voice tight.
Orochimaru, too, was caught off guard. Minato, who had been dead for over a decade, had somehow seen through the state of Konoha?
Minato didn't respond directly, his gaze shifting between the Hokage and the approaching threats. "Third Hokage," he began, his voice laden with disappointment, "you should understand this more than anyone. The 'Will of Fire'—it's been corrupted."
Sarutobi's face hardened at the words. "Minato… What are you saying?"
Minato sighed, shaking his head. "Where the leaves fall, the fire must continue to burn. It will light the way for the village, allowing new leaves to grow. But this 'Will of Fire' has been twisted, smothered under the weight of age and weakness."
The words hung in the air as Sarutobi's heart sank.
Minato continued, his voice unyielding: "The young are Konoha's hope, the future. The older generations should protect and guide them, not cling to power. You've become a parasite, draining the village of its vitality, clinging to a past that no longer exists."
"Enough!" Sarutobi shouted, his face contorting in anger as he shot a glare at Minato. "You have no right to speak like that."
Orochimaru laughed darkly from the side, his laughter echoing across the barrier. "Hahaha… What a fitting irony."
He looked at Minato with amusement, then turned his gaze back to Sarutobi. "Did you hear that, Teacher Sarutobi? Even the Fourth Hokage thinks you're a failure."
Sarutobi's hands clenched into fists, but his old body trembled with frustration.
Minato ignored the Third Hokage's response, his attention still focused on Orochimaru, who was trying to provoke him further. "Konoha is a broken shell of its former self, Orochimaru. Why not finish what you started?"
Orochimaru's smile grew wider. "You speak as though you agree. Let's tear this corrupt village down together. You just said Konoha has rotted, right?"
Minato said nothing. The choice was clear: Konoha was at a crossroads, and the old generation had failed it. Whether the village would be torn down or rebuilt depended on who had the strength to lead it.
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