Chapter 383: Edo Tensei Pot Hokage
"Nagato, we…"
Konan looked at her friend, wanting to say something, yet not knowing how to begin.
"Don't worry. I have no intention of killing our teacher. At least, not yet."
Nagato naturally understood what Konan wanted to say. He shook his head, then controlled the Six Paths of Pain to slaughter the enemies before him on the battlefield.
It was a Konoha ninja squad, one responsible for rotating shifts and guarding the border of the Land of Fire. The client had offered a high bounty for them, and Nagato had accepted the mission.
After all, the Akatsuki Organization's development still required a great deal of money.
As for who had issued the mission, Nagato had no interest in knowing.
A ninja fought for certain reasons. That was the fate of ninja. Before the founding of the hidden villages, battles between ninja had been even bloodier and more brutal.
Konan fell silent.
Whenever she closed her eyes now, she could still remember that day in Amegakure, the day she attacked her teacher and saw the bewilderment in his eyes.
Thinking of that, Konan could not help but sigh.
Whenever she saw Jiraiya, Konan could not help remembering those happy days of training long ago. Back then, she, Yahiko, and Nagato spent every day together. Sometimes they did not even have enough to eat, yet they were still happy.
Konan did not want to attack her former benefactor.
But she had no choice.
Jiraiya had infiltrated Amegakure to gather intelligence. In essence, he had come to uncover information about them.
For the Akatsuki Organization, and for Yahiko, that had been the only possible choice.
Fortunately, Jiraiya had not died.
At that moment, Konan noticed Nagato's expression stiffen for an instant. Then his attacks became even more ruthless.
The Konoha squad immediately suffered heavy casualties, which made Konan somewhat curious.
What had happened to her friend?
—-
"Are you planning to begin your plan?"
In the Land of Snow, Minato was drinking tea with Amamiya Kenichi. He looked at the young man in front of him with some surprise.
He had not expected Amamiya Kenichi to put that insane plan into action so quickly.
And Amamiya Kenichi was serious.
He truly intended to unify the entire Ninja World.
This was something even the First Hokage had never accomplished. Yet Amamiya Kenichi actually planned to realize such an enormous dream?
"More or less." Amamiya Kenichi nodded.
The food reserves in the Land of Snow were nearly exhausted, but the cold-resistant wheat had yet to fully mature. If Amamiya Kenichi did not act quickly and occupy the Land of Water, which had much better weather and agricultural conditions, the ninja army of the Land of Snow would soon face the troublesome issue of lacking logistical supplies.
Of course, living off the enemy was an option.
But that was not a long-term solution.
Furthermore, with the initial completion of Little Fatty, Amamiya Kenichi also needed somewhere to verify whether the nuclear bomb he had designed could truly detonate.
However, Little Fatty was far too special for Amamiya Kenichi to casually use it in a simple test.
He needed an actual battlefield.
Because of that, attacking Kirigakure was also a good choice.
Otherwise, if he wasted it on some empty plain or valley, even Amamiya Kenichi would feel heartache.
Besides, the uranium ore stored in the Land of Snow was no longer enough to produce a second Little Fatty. He needed to find new sources of uranium ore.
Minato calmly took a sip of tea.
As an Edo Tensei body, he did not need tea or food, but drinking tea like this seemed to steady his thoughts, so he did it anyway.
His gaze fell on the courtyard next door.
There, Kushina, whose Edo Tensei form still carried a soft and lifelike warmth, was telling Naruto a bedtime story. Little Naruto blinked happily as he listened. It was clear that Naruto was in a good mood, and Kushina was in a good mood as well.
"Are you sure you want to fight temporarily with your Edo Tensei body?" Amamiya Kenichi glanced at Minato.
He had previously revived Kushina, of course, by using Living Corpse Reincarnation. As for his personal research into resurrection Ninjutsu, it was still ongoing.
For now, there had not been any particular progress.
If anything, his research had given Amamiya Kenichi a deeper understanding of the Pure Land.
The Pure Land was special in certain ways. Souls would naturally enter the Pure Land after death, but for a soul to leave it, something had to be paid.
Living Corpse Reincarnation used one person's soul to exchange for another person's soul.
The exact nature of that exchange still required further verification.
"Yes. Although this body is different from my original one, it actually gives me an advantage in battle." Minato lowered his gaze and looked at his body, his expression turning slightly strange.
Was this body easy to use?
Naturally, it was.
There was no need to fear death. He could attack without restraint.
But after all, it was not his original body. It was an Edo Tensei body, so certain functions were naturally absent.
On the day Kushina had been revived, Minato had looked at his wife's watery eyes that night and felt heat surge in his heart.
After all, a brief separation made reunion sweeter, did it not?
But he truly lacked that ability now, so he could only make Kushina temporarily endure it.
Otherwise, that night, Minato felt he might very well have given Naruto a younger sibling.
Fortunately, Kushina quickly shifted her attention back to little Naruto.
That allowed Minato to breathe a sigh of relief.
"However, if we really do take down Kirigakure, I still hope to be properly revived as soon as possible," Minato said, making a small request.
Amamiya Kenichi was noncommittal about it.
He had originally planned to revive Minato, but Minato himself had refused. Minato believed that a body unafraid of death would be useful in the upcoming battle, making it easier for him to perform the Thirteenth Style of the Flashing Whirlwind Dance Roar.
Although Amamiya Kenichi felt that Minato's naming sense was quite poor, he still had great confidence in Minato's strength.
With Minato and Nagato's Six Paths of Pain, Amamiya Kenichi could not imagine what ability Kirigakure had to resist his attack.
"But before that, I still need to make other preparations."
Amamiya Kenichi stretched, tapping his fingers lightly against the table as he fell into thought.
A peaceful Ninja World was clearly not suitable for his next plan.
After all, attacking Kirigakure was no small matter in the Ninja World.
"But the scale of an event also depends on the political environment at the time. When the entire world is as still as stagnant water, even the smallest ripple becomes the focus of attention. But if heavy rain is falling everywhere, no one will notice a few more ripples."
Amamiya Kenichi narrowed his eyes.
He understood this very well.
If the Ninja World was at peace, then the moment he attacked Kirigakure, he would instantly become the focus of the entire world. The other Four Great Ninja Villages would definitely send people over. They might even unite to attack him, then "rescue" Kirigakure from his oppression.
Of course, saving the village would certainly not be free.
But if the Ninja World was already in chaos, then an attack on Kirigakure would no longer seem so unusual.
The other Four Great Ninja Villages would not have much energy left to deal with it.
That was what it meant to fish in troubled waters.
"Shiori, come here for a moment."
Amamiya Kenichi called out, and Uchiha Shiori quickly walked over, standing respectfully at his side.
"Disguise yourself, then take an airship to the Land of Lightning. After that…"
Amamiya Kenichi lowered his voice and gave Shiori instructions.
Shiori nodded after hearing them.
She did not need to think about Amamiya Kenichi's purpose. She only needed to carry out his orders.
Minato listened from the side.
Amamiya Kenichi did not avoid him, so Minato heard everything. As someone who had once served as Hokage of Konoha, he quickly understood what Amamiya Kenichi wanted to do.
"Are you planning to frame Kumogakure and make Konoha go to war with them?" Minato frowned.
He quickly grasped the surface of Amamiya Kenichi's plan.
Kumogakure and Konoha had always had a poor relationship. Conflicts between the two villages had never stopped entirely.
Even after the Third Great Ninja War ended, Kumogakure and Konoha still had some friction.
"Yes and no." Amamiya Kenichi shook his head.
Although Minato had understood the superficial meaning, he clearly had not guessed Amamiya Kenichi's true intention.
Then again, Minato had been dead for a long time, so he did not know that the relationship between Konoha and Kumogakure was not as tense now as it had once been.
"However, I still have other things to do now…"
Amamiya Kenichi sighed.
Since he had decided to attack Kirigakure, he needed to prepare thoroughly.
For example, the Uchiha in the Land of Rice Fields had rested long enough. It was time for them to repay his kindness.
Aside from that, all he needed to do was wait for Shiori to complete her mission.
The moment the Ninja World fell into chaos would be the moment he attacked Kirigakure.
"The Uchiha? I still remember Fugaku. He was a very thoughtful clan head." Minato held his teacup and took another sip.
"They've already defected from Konoha and are now living in the Land of Rice Fields."
Amamiya Kenichi was packing his things, while Uchiha Hikari stood beside him doing the same.
Hikari planned to follow Amamiya Kenichi, which surprised him slightly, though it also made sense.
After all, Hikari was that kind of child. She seemed very dependent on him.
"…The world really changes quickly." Minato sighed.
He had not expected that, in the few years since his death, the Uchiha clan, once one of Konoha's two great clans, had actually left Konoha.
He could imagine what a tremendous blow that must have been to Konoha.
"There have been many other changes too. For example, Shimura… huh?"
Amamiya Kenichi paused.
He had thought of something interesting.
Who was Danzo Shimura?
Konoha's Root. Konoha's Pot Hokage.
Although that old man, Danzo, had done every kind of dirty deed imaginable, he did possess a certain level of strength. He had also held many of Konoha's secrets.
"This is interesting…"
Amamiya Kenichi stroked his chin.
He had a bold idea.
That old man Danzo was already dead, which meant he could be brought back through Edo Tensei.
Danzo himself had decent strength. Since he had once coveted the position of Hokage, his strength must have at least reached Jonin level.
More importantly, he knew many, many secrets.
Some of those secrets might produce excellent results if revealed.
The only problem was whether Danzo would be willing to cooperate with him. Whether Nagato could accept it was also an issue.
As for Danzo's remains, Amamiya Kenichi still had some here.
"Let's revive him first and see. A Genin's body should be enough."
Amamiya Kenichi rubbed his hands, then found a Genin to use as the vessel for Edo Tensei.
Before that, however, he sent Hikari out to eat first.
Minato could stay.
Although Hikari was curious, she obediently went out.
"Who are you planning to bring back with Edo Tensei?" Minato asked, somewhat curious.
"Danzo Shimura, of course. That old man is dead, and he knows many of Konoha's secrets. Perhaps they can be put to use."
Amamiya Kenichi spoke casually, then immediately performed Edo Tensei.
"Danzo… is dead too?" Minato looked a little dazed.
He had not expected the leader of Root to have died as well.
However, Minato did not know Danzo particularly well. He only felt that Danzo had always seemed to hold some opinion of him.
As Edo Tensei activated, the face of the body before them gradually changed into Danzo's appearance.
However, it was Danzo's original appearance, not the version with transplanted Sharingan.
"This old man… What is this?"
Danzo opened his eyes in confusion.
He remembered being in the Root base earlier, planning to find a place to retreat and avoid the attacker, but in the next instant…
Thinking of that, Danzo reached up and touched his neck.
It was perfectly intact.
"Yo, Danzo Shimura. You're awake?" Amamiya Kenichi greeted him with a smile.
Only then did Danzo belatedly look at Amamiya Kenichi.
His eyes instantly sharpened.
Then he saw Minato standing beside him.
"Minato? Amamiya Kenichi?" Danzo was briefly bewildered.
But soon, he thought of a certain Ninjutsu, one he had seen before.
He lowered his head and looked at his hands.
"…Edo Tensei?"
Danzo narrowed his eyes and looked at Amamiya Kenichi.
"Amamiya Kenichi, what do you intend to do by bringing me back with Edo Tensei?"
As Konoha's Root, Danzo naturally understood that Amamiya Kenichi would not revive him without a reason.
"Elder Danzo Shimura, I'd like to ask you something."
Amamiya Kenichi looked at him curiously.
"How much do you know about Konoha?"
.....
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