Naruto: Starting with Snatching the Mangekyō Sharingan

Chapter 123: Chapter 123: Edo Tensei



"Now I can rest assured. The strength of the First Hokage is overwhelming—having someone like that return to the world is bound to unsettle anyone." Fugaku let out a sigh of relief.

Without lingering too long at Fugaku's place, Akira quickly returned to ShinTen Biotech and headed straight for his private laboratory.

Inside, his lab housed the finest sacrifices necessary for the Edo Tensei technique: clones. These clones, theoretically among the best possible sacrifices, were comparable to White Zetsu in quality.

Back during his experiments, Akira had cultivated several clones of Senju Hashirama. They remained sealed and untouched until now.

In an empty, sterile room within the lab, Akira began the ritual.

"Edo Tensei!"

His hands came together in a series of seals before slamming onto the pristine floor. A white swirl of dust and ash erupted, enveloping the lifeless clone lying motionless on the ground.

As the clone's form distorted and stabilized, it revealed a twisted face bearing scarlet Sharingan eyes—it was Uchiha Obito.

The moment Obito's consciousness returned, his rage was immediate. He lunged toward Akira, clearly stuck in the memory of his final moments.

Akira, unfazed, adjusted his hand seals, and Obito froze in place, his body locking up unnaturally.

"Edo Tensei… Such a disgraceful version of myself…" Obito muttered, his crimson eyes narrowing as he grasped his situation.

"I'm glad you understand," Akira said with a faint smile. He pressed a kunai inscribed with a binding talisman into Obito's head, cementing his absolute control.

Staring at the now mindless puppet that was Obito, Akira formed another seal. A coffin rose from the ground, swallowing the resurrected Uchiha. With a resounding clang, the lid shut, and the coffin sank back underground.

From an efficiency standpoint, the Edo Tensei technique was undeniably convenient.

"Edo Tensei!"

Akira repeated the seals, and once again, gray-white dust and ash swirled on the floor. This time, a face Akira could recognize even in his dreams appeared before him—the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama.

Due to the limited precision of Akira's Edo Tensei, the resurrected Hashirama could only utilize a fraction of his original strength. Akira wasn't concerned about him breaking free.

However, he wasn't in the mood for small talk. Before Hashirama could even speak, Akira quickly embedded another binding talisman into his body and resealed him in a coffin.

"Knowing Orochimaru's habits, I'd better resurrect Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki as well," Akira thought. "If Orochimaru gets to them first, it could become a headache."

Minato hadn't been sealed with the Reaper Death Seal, so the Edo Tensei should work perfectly.

Two more swirls of ash emerged, and the clones on the floor twisted and shifted into Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki.

"This is…" Minato opened his eyes, his expression a mix of confusion and shock as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. His consciousness was still stuck in the moment before he entered the Pure Land.

When he spotted Akira, his expression shifted dramatically. However, before he could say anything, he realized his body was no longer under his control—he could only speak.

"It's been a while, Fourth Hokage, Kushina-san," Akira greeted them with an apologetic smile.

"This… This is the Edo Tensei technique?!" Minato's sharp gaze swept over himself and Kushina, instantly understanding the situation. He looked at Akira, his tone heavy. "Akira, what's going on? Why are you doing this?"

Beside him, Kushina's face was ice-cold. As the Hokage's wife, she had some knowledge of this forbidden jutsu—a technique that desecrated the dead, disrupted their peace, and upset the balance of the world.

"This was a last resort. I had no intention of disturbing either of you," Akira said with a bitter smile.

"A last resort? From the looks of you, it hasn't been long since my death. Has Konoha's situation deteriorated to the point that you need us?" Minato asked, his disbelief apparent.

Kushina studied Akira closely, her eyes narrowing. He looked older—more composed and mature—but not much time had passed since their deaths.

Akira sighed and began to explain, "Orochimaru and Danzo… To prepare for contingencies, I had no choice…"

Hashirama was different—Akira had no personal connection to him. But Minato and Kushina had treated Akira and the Uchiha clan well during Minato's time as Hokage. Explaining himself to them felt like a small way to repay that kindness.

"So that's how it is…" Minato murmured, shocked. "Orochimaru would go that far… Unbelievable."

Kushina's attention shifted, her voice urgent. "How's Naruto? Is he safe? Is he growing up healthy?"

"Kushina-san, rest assured. Naruto is well cared for—a lively, healthy boy," Akira said sincerely.

Kushina's tense expression softened into a gentle smile.

Akira continued, "If you're worried, why don't you see for yourselves? You can verify everything I've said and check on Naruto."

Minato and Kushina exchanged glances. The chance to see their son was too tempting to resist.

Minato nodded. "We'll see Naruto and return immediately afterward."

"Agreed," Kushina added. "We're the dead—we shouldn't linger in the world of the living any longer than necessary."

"Fourth Hokage, can you still use the Flying Thunder God technique?" Akira asked.

Minato closed his eyes, focusing. After a moment, he said, "Barely, but not at the speed I once could. It'll suffice for traveling."

Akira nodded. That was within expectations given the Edo Tensei's limitations.

"Just don't let the Third Hokage see you. You're aware of the tension between the Uchiha clan and him," Akira warned.

"Don't worry," Minato assured him. "We're only here to see Naruto. We won't interfere with the village."

Minato knelt, leaving a Flying Thunder God mark on the lab floor. Moments later, he and Kushina vanished.

Disguised with cloaks and simple concealment jutsu, the two wandered Konoha's streets. Conversations about Orochimaru and Danzo buzzed around them, confirming Akira's story.

Standing before a bulletin board bearing the Hokage's seal, Minato stared at the notice for a long time before sighing deeply.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

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