Chapter 1: Chapter 1: I Am Senju Tobirama!
Darkness. Boundless, suffocating darkness.
Not a glimmer of light, no sense of time passing.
A second? A year? Or perhaps an eternity?
He couldn't open his eyes, but his consciousness remained active. Trapped in this state of thought without action, he was plunged into torment.
"Am I… dead? Or alive?" The question echoed in his mind, yet no one could answer.
He could only recall being hit by a dump truck. A flash of blackness overtook him, and after that… nothingness.
But now, memories that didn't belong to him were surging into his mind like a tidal wave, threatening to overwhelm him.
Fire Style?
The Senju Clan?
The Gold and Silver Brothers?
Passing the title of Hokage?
The flood of foreign thoughts intensified, nearly shattering his consciousness. Amid the chaos, he vaguely heard voices.
...
Konohagakure
At the Chūnin Exams venue, the spectators were ensnared in Kabuto Yakushi's Temple of Nirvana Jutsu, with white feathers descending gently from the sky.
On a nearby rooftop, a purple barrier sealed the area. At its four corners stood Tayuya, Kidōmaru, Jirōbō, and Sakon, each maintaining the barrier's stability.
Inside the barrier, Hiruzen Sarutobi gazed solemnly at Orochimaru, who had shed his disguise.
"Hiruzen-sensei, Konoha has already rotted to its core. Allow me to be the wind that turns this rusty windmill once more," Orochimaru sneered, licking his long tongue sinisterly. His gaze betrayed no carelessness—this old man, despite his age, was no opponent to be underestimated.
If Hiruzen had been ten years younger, Orochimaru wouldn't have dared to launch the Konoha Crush plan.
"Is that so, Orochimaru? My dear student, let's see if your ninjutsu meets the standards of my graduation requirements," Hiruzen replied calmly.
The atmosphere grew eerily still.
In the next instant, Hiruzen charged at Orochimaru, weaving hand signs swiftly.
"Ninja Art: Tile Shuriken!"
The roof tiles sprang to life, flying towards Orochimaru like sharp blades.
"Too naive!" Orochimaru dodged effortlessly with a sidestep.
"Hidden Shadow Snake Hands!" Orochimaru's attack didn't come from his hands, but from his unnaturally long tongue, which transformed into a snake and coiled around Hiruzen's neck.
However, Orochimaru's grin froze when Hiruzen's body turned to mud.
"Earth Clone?" Sensing danger, Orochimaru used a Body Flicker Technique, evading a volley of shuriken from behind.
"Earth Style: Earth Flow River!"
A surge of mud and stone transformed into a rushing torrent aimed directly at Orochimaru.
"Fire Release Flame Dragon!"
Hiruzen's attack fused fire and earth, producing a blazing torrent with flames so intense they turned white—a testament to his mastery of the five chakra natures and his unparalleled control over chakra.
The searing fire and stone engulfed Orochimaru, eliciting a pained scream. But as the flames died down, Orochimaru emerged unscathed.
"Impressive, as expected…"
Hiruzen, unshaken, smirked. Removing his Hokage robes and hat, he revealed the armor beneath. He was prepared for this battle.
The two locked eyes, the tension palpable.
"Hiruzen-sensei, playtime is over," Orochimaru taunted, his hands forming seals at lightning speed.
"Summoning Jutsu: Impure World Reincarnation."
A deep rumble shook the rooftop. From the ground beneath Orochimaru's feet, three coffins began to emerge, each glowing with an eerie black light.
The first coffin, etched with the kanji for "First," rose slowly.
Hiruzen's heart sank.
"Using a summoning technique for defense? No… this is…"
As Hiruzen processed the situation, the second coffin marked "Second" rose as well.
Before he could react, a third coffin, bearing the kanji for "Fourth," began to emerge.
"I must stop the third one!"
Hiruzen clasped his hands together and forcefully suppressed the rising coffin.
The third coffin sank back into the ground, leaving Orochimaru momentarily surprised.
"Oh? The Fourth Hokage failed to manifest?" he murmured, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.
"But Hiruzen-sensei… no, Lord Third Hokage… how will you handle these two?" Orochimaru sneered as the lids of the two remaining coffins crashed to the ground.
From within the coffins emerged two figures clad in the armor of the Warring States Period. The sight left the two ANBU operatives watching from outside the barrier pale with shock.
"First Hokage-sama! And… Second Hokage-sama?!"
The atmosphere turned heavy with tension.
But none noticed the subtle flicker in the Second Hokage's eyes.
Trasmigrator—no, Senju Tobirama—had awoken.
Taking stock of the situation, Tobirama's expression shifted.
"I've been reincarnated… as the reanimated Senju Tobirama?!"
The realization filled him with both shock and exhilaration.