Just as Hiruzen Sarutobi was about to place the Hokage hat on Uchiha Ran, three coffins suddenly descended from the sky.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
They slammed heavily onto the ground in front of the platform.
On the surface of the coffins were engraved large characters—
"First."
"Second."
"Root."
Uchiha Ran's pupils shrank.
He had anticipated that Orochimaru would make a move, but he hadn't expected such a brutal entrance.
"This is bad—Impure World Reincarnation," Ran said coldly. "Shikaku, evacuate the crowd immediately. ANBU, seal off the area. These Edo Tensei shinobi cannot be allowed to run wild in Konoha."
The moment he heard "Edo Tensei," Shikaku reacted without hesitation. He clenched his teeth and shouted orders.
"All ANBU—drop everything and evacuate the civilians immediately! Ino–Shika–Chō, assist ANBU!"
Seeing the seriousness of the situation, Hiashi Hyūga stepped forward as well.
"Hyūga clan, follow my command! Evacuate the crowd at once—and prepare for battle!"
Uchiha Itachi and Uchiha Shisui exchanged a glance. Without a word, both activated Susanoo, the massive manifestations positioning themselves around the platform, sealing it off completely.
In that moment, everyone once again realized the true depth of the Uchiha clan.
Only Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned deeply. A sense of unease welled up in his heart—yet strangely, the sight of the two Susanoo made him feel a bit calmer.
Jiraiya entered a battle stance. He glanced at the hunched Hiruzen, hesitation flashing in his eyes, then looked toward Uchiha Ran, silently asking whether Ran intended to spare his former teacher.
Ran remained silent.
Whether Hiruzen lived or died meant little to him personally, but the ninja clans were deeply wary of Hiruzen Sarutobi. They feared that if he survived, he might someday attempt a comeback—and then begin settling accounts.
Ran would not intervene lightly. Everything depended on whether he chose to let Hiruzen live.
"Hehehe~ Teacher, long time no see~"
A woman's voice suddenly echoed across the platform.
No one knew when she had appeared.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression changed instantly.
"You are… Orochimaru!"
"Oh my, oh my~ As expected of you, Hiruzen-sensei," the woman said with a smile. "You recognized your disciple at a glance."
As she spoke, Orochimaru walked toward the coffins, gently stroking them with her pale fingers, intoxication flickering in her eyes.
"Unfortunately, I didn't come here to reminisce today," she continued softly. "It's time to settle some old accounts."
She slapped the coffins.
Crack—! Boom!
The lids burst open.
Three figures slowly stepped out, their bodies covered in cracks, the unmistakable marks of Edo Tensei.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's pupils contracted violently.
These three people—
These three were—
"Hm? Where is this place?"
A man clad in crimson armor from the Warring States era, with long hair flowing down his back, looked around in confusion.
"Wasn't I just talking with Tobirama?"
Beside him stood another man in blue armor, silver hair framing a stern face marked with red lines. He scanned the surroundings, then fixed his gaze on Hiruzen, frowning.
"Monkey?"
Hiruzen Sarutobi dropped to his knees with a dull thud.
"Teacher… First Hokage-sama… I never imagined I would see you both again in this lifetime!"
"Oh!" Senju Hashirama exclaimed in surprise. "You're Monkey? Why are you so old now?"
The third coffin's occupant stepped forward, his expression gloomy and complicated.
"First Hokage… Teacher… Hiruzen…"
It was Danzō Shimura.
"Danzō…"
Seeing his old companion once more, Hiruzen couldn't stop tears from falling.
Danzō glanced at his abnormal skin and immediately understood.
"Hiruzen, what happened? You actually summoned me—and even the First and Second Hokage?"
Senju Tobirama frowned. His gaze fell on the bandaged arm of Danzō.
"Danzō… why do I sense the aura of a naturally evil Uchiha brat from you? What have you done?"
Uchiha Ran suddenly laughed, his eyes filled with cold violence as he looked straight at Tobirama.
"Old man, what exactly did the Uchiha ever do to you?" Ran said sharply. "Why do you keep spouting nonsense like 'naturally evil Uchiha'?"
"Don't forget—your brother died at the hands of the Uchiha clan!"
The words struck like a blade.
Tobirama's expression twisted instantly. He abandoned his scrutiny of Danzō and glared at Ran—but the moment he truly saw Ran's face, his pupils shrank.
"You…!"
"What?" Ran said calmly. "Feeling guilty after seeing my face? What difference is there between what you did back then and a villain's actions? If not for you, Konoha might have already unified the shinobi world."
"Shut your mouth, you brat!" Tobirama roared. "You naturally evil Uchiha—!"
Water surged around his right hand, spinning rapidly into a razor-sharp water blade.
Their confrontation immediately drew Hashirama's attention.
When Hashirama saw Ran's face, his expression darkened. He reached out and grabbed Tobirama's shoulder.
"Little brother—stop."
"Don't you see?" Hashirama said in a deep voice. "He is wearing the Hokage's ceremonial robes… and the Hokage hat."
Tobirama had been completely focused on Ran's face and hadn't noticed. After Hashirama's reminder, he looked again—and his vision went dark.
Indeed.
That man who resembled Uchiha Madara so closely was wearing the Hokage's sacred attire.
Which meant—
He was the Hokage.
"An Uchiha… became Hokage…?" Tobirama staggered, nearly fainting. The pain was worse than death itself.
"What?" Uchiha Ran laughed. "Can an Uchiha not wear this outfit, First Hokage-sama?"
Hashirama shook his head slowly.
"Of course he can. And it suits you well," he said gently. "You remind me of an old friend. If I had been more resolute back then—if I had pushed through the opposition and made him Hokage… perhaps Konoha would be even more prosperous today."
Tobirama snapped back immediately.
"Big brother! Don't think about that anymore. Besides—this man is not Uchiha Madara!"
Hashirama nodded.
"I know."
"You know—and you still stopped me?!" Tobirama fumed.
"It's precisely because I know," Hashirama replied gravely, "that I stopped you."
Tobirama fell silent.
He dispersed his chakra, and the water blade vanished—but his eyes remained locked onto Uchiha Ran. If looks could kill, Ran would have died countless times already.
At that moment, Orochimaru's voice rang out again.
"Hehehe… could you stop ignoring me?"
"You were all summoned by me, after all," she said cheerfully. "The time for reminiscing is over."
"Now—prepare for battle."
Orochimaru produced three kunai wrapped in sealing tags and thrust them straight into the heads of the three Edo Tensei shinobi.