In an underground cavern within the ninja world, Black Zetsu emerged from the earth.
He could wait no longer.
His only hope now was to resurrect the dead who had once stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world and dominated an era.
Especially his final hope, Madara Uchiha.
Taking the resources he had hoarded over the years, Black Zetsu's body transformed into a pitch-black shadow, rapidly slithering toward a specific direction.
Dozens of White Zetsu followed behind him, each carrying a powerful corpse.
These were the remains of formidable experts who had once shaken the world, grave-robbed from all corners of the globe. Among them were even the bodies of past Kage.
Deep within the belly of a mountain lay a hidden laboratory.
Various precise experimental instruments were running, and massive glass containers held twisted, grotesque biological specimens suspended in liquid.
Orochimaru leaned against a lab bench, organizing the data he had just obtained.
Deep within his golden, snake-like pupils burned a thirst for the unknown.
"Hm?"
He paused his movements, his eyes suddenly narrowing as he looked toward a specific spot in the laboratory.
The ground there was rippling like water.
Black Zetsu slowly surfaced from the floor, bringing his "gifts" with him.
"Orochimaru."
"Who are you?"
Orochimaru's body instantly tensed like a venomous snake.
His scarlet tongue flicked out uncontrollably, licking his lips.
"You may call me the will of Madara Uchiha."
Black Zetsu spoke the name that was enough to send tremors throughout the ninja world.
Next, to prove his identity, he revealed a small fraction of the secrets regarding the Mangekyo Sharingan to Orochimaru, adding that he possessed transplantable Sharingan.
Those secrets instantly captivated Orochimaru.
"What do you want?"
Orochimaru suppressed the excitement in his heart; he never believed that good things simply fell from the sky.
"A trade."
Black Zetsu's voice was completely devoid of emotion.
"I can also tell you the secret of how Madara Uchiha awakened the Rinnegan. All I ask is that you use the Edo Tensei to resurrect a few powerful individuals for me."
As his voice faded, the White Zetsu neatly laid out dozens of powerful corpses on the open floor of the laboratory.
Shockingly, they were the bodies of the past Kage.
Orochimaru's eyes flickered as he rapidly assessed the risks and rewards of this transaction.
The secret of the Rinnegan was an irresistible temptation to him.
However, this entity claiming to be "Madara's will" was far too bizarre. He had to be on his guard.
Seeming to see through his hesitation, Black Zetsu let out a soft chuckle full of disdain.
"Orochimaru, don't you want to mend your greatest flaw?"
"That battered and broken soul of yours, ruined by the Living Corpse Reincarnation."
Those words instantly wiped the composure from Orochimaru's face, leaving behind only a dark scowl.
The flaw in his soul was his greatest secret and the deepest pain in his heart.
In his pursuit of so-called immortality, he constantly changed vessels, causing his soul's origin to be torn and worn down with each transfer.
The side effects of his fragmented soul had become increasingly obvious over the past two years, severely hindering the progress of his research.
"You..."
Just as Orochimaru was about to speak, Black Zetsu tossed a scroll directly at him.
Orochimaru slowly unrolled it, discovering an utterly evil forbidden jutsu recorded in ancient text.
It was a forbidden jutsu that allowed one to repair and strengthen their own soul by devouring the souls of others.
Orochimaru's pupils abruptly shrank.
This was exactly the technique he had dreamed of!
The stairway to mending his flaws and reaching immortality and truth was right in front of him!
He could find no reason to refuse.
"Deal," Orochimaru agreed, his voice hoarse with excitement.
"These are the best sacrifices for the Edo Tensei."
Black Zetsu pointed at the White Zetsu clones standing off to the side.
"Using them as living sacrifices will maximize the restoration of the dead's original power."
Orochimaru's gaze was immediately drawn to the White Zetsu.
He could feel the massive life force contained within these peculiar lifeforms, as well as chakra similar to that of the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.
"What... perfect creations."
His face revealed the unique fanaticism of a researcher laying eyes on the perfect experimental material.
He couldn't wait to dissect these White Zetsu.
Meanwhile, the threat of the Uchiha clan continued to loom heavily over Jiraiya's mind.
To counter the Uchiha's unreasonable power, he once again embarked on a journey to find his old friend.
He still believed that no matter how far Orochimaru had fallen, he must still harbor some affection for the Hidden Leaf Village in his heart, and that he wouldn't abandon it in a time of crisis.
After days of investigation, Jiraiya finally followed the clues to this deeply hidden research facility belonging to Orochimaru.
He was just about to push the door open and give his old friend a "surprise" in his signature boisterous manner.
However, the bizarre chakra fluctuations and the thick, ominous stench of death emanating from within made him stop in his tracks.
He slipped inside silently.
The sight before him left him stunned.
Orochimaru was currently standing in the center of a massive summoning formation, a look of madness on his face.
Around him, dozens of coffins engraved with various names were slowly rising from the ground.
"Orochimaru! Stop!"
Jiraiya no longer hid himself, roaring as he revealed his presence.
"What are you doing?! Do not desecrate the bodies of the dead!"
"Oh, it's Jiraiya. You're here," Orochimaru noted smoothly.
"Don't be so hasty, my dear friend."
"I am simply gathering some powerful 'reinforcements' for the upcoming war."
He showed Jiraiya his latest research achievement—an improved version of the Edo Tensei using White Zetsu as sacrifices.
"This is a perfect masterpiece capable of resurrecting the dead with strength nearing their peak while they were alive."
"Come back to the Hidden Leaf, Orochimaru! The village needs you! Stop messing around with these dangerous experiments!"
Jiraiya looked at the continuously rising coffins, a strong sense of unease welling up in his heart as he tried to awaken his friend's last shred of conscience.
Orochimaru merely chuckled softly, his hands rapidly forming hand seals.
"Edo Tensei!"
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
Following a series of muffled thuds, the lids of several coffins were violently blasted open.
The First Kazekage, the Second Tsuchikage, the Second Mizukage, the Third Raikage...
One Kage-level powerhouse after another, figures who only existed in legends, appeared before Jiraiya.
Just as a hint of light returned to their hollow eyes, Orochimaru immediately threw out several talismans, sticking them precisely to the backs of their heads.
These legendary experts instantly lost consciousness, reduced to mere puppets in Orochimaru's hands.
Jiraiya watched this scene in horror, his body trembling violently. Orochimaru had actually stolen the corpses of the past Kage!
However, little did Jiraiya know that these few were merely appetizers.
"Next, please welcome the true main characters."
Orochimaru's smile grew even more fanatical.
Two coffins engraved with the words "First" and "Second" slowly rose in the center of the formation.
Hashirama Senju and Tobirama Senju.
The founders of the Hidden Leaf Village, the legendary God of Shinobi and the Grandmaster of Ninjutsu, reappeared in the mortal realm amidst the glow of the Edo Tensei.
"Who is it that uses the jutsu I developed..."
The moment Tobirama Senju regained consciousness, he immediately noticed the abnormality in his body.
Orochimaru was surprised to find that he actually couldn't fully control these two Hokage with his talismans.
When Tobirama created this jutsu, he had long since left a backdoor for himself.
"Tobirama! It's this evil forbidden jutsu you created again! Disturbing the peace of the dead!"
Hashirama Senju regained his senses and immediately began scolding his younger brother.
"Shut up, brother!" Tobirama retorted coldly.
"If it weren't for your mercy toward those Uchiha lunatics back then, why would I have researched so many forbidden jutsu?!"
The argument between the two brothers left Jiraiya, who was standing to the side, completely unable to get a word in.
Suddenly, the First and Second Hokage simultaneously broke free from the restraints of the Edo Tensei, then turned their gazes toward Orochimaru.
Not only did Orochimaru show no fear, but the smile on his face grew even more arrogant.
"Don't be in such a rush, Lord Hokages. The main characters haven't even made their entrance yet."
He formed hand seals once more, summoning the final two coffins.
As the Edo Tensei activated, the temperature in the entire space seemed to plummet.
An overbearing aura that ruled the world, along with a killing intent as sharp as a blade, simultaneously permeated from the coffins.
The legendary ninja, the pinnacle of the Uchiha clan.
Madara Uchiha.
And his younger brother, Izuna Uchiha, opened their eyes at the same time.