Haseo gathered the bodies of several fallen Uzumaki elders. Their physical forms bore no injuries, yet their souls were gone.
"Haseo, don't rush that just yet. I'll be joining them soon enough."
Seeing what Haseo was doing, the old clan leader gestured for him to hold off.
"..."
Haseo could only stop his actions, his expression turning gloomy—there was nothing he could do. Those about to face death were always more carefree than those still alive.
Mito Uzumaki sat aside to rest. Aside from the massive chakra consumption from using the Adamantine Sealing Chains to bind the Nine-Tails earlier, simply unsealing and then resealing it again was something few ninjas could endure.
Although Mito Uzumaki was a remarkably powerful ninja, she had grown old.
"Are you alright, Lady Mito?" asked the Third Hokage standing beside her with concern.
Mito Uzumaki simply waved her hand lightly. "Nothing serious, but... at my age, I think this might be about all I can take. If we tried again, my old bones definitely wouldn't survive it.
The upside, though, is... despite being a bit drained now, I should once again be able to suppress the Nine-Tails without any increasing difficulty. In a way, this problem is solved permanently."
Her advancing age had gradually weakened her chakra, which used to worry her—what if one day she could no longer control the Nine-Tails? But now that concern was gone because the Nine-Tails itself had taken a massive power nerf. She would likely be able to suppress it effortlessly until the very end of her life.
After resting for a while, Mito stood up. "Alright, the plan has so far succeeded in about half its objectives. What remains is retrieving the Nine-Tails back from Shinigami.
Haseo..."
"I understand, Lady Mito."
Haseo nodded, then began instructing Katsuyu to notify Uzumaki Shikou in Konoha. Once Shikou was ready, they would bring everyone over.
About twenty minutes later, Shikou appeared alongside seven other tightly bound prisoner ninjas.
Upon arriving at the Shikkotsu Forest, Shikou immediately noticed the seven Uzumaki ninjas lying on the ground nearby.
There had originally been eleven people; now seven were lying on the ground while only four remained standing—it was impossible not to notice, but she said nothing. After all, this sacrifice had already been predetermined.
The devastated surroundings alone made it clear—the first phase of their plan had succeeded. Now, it was time to proceed with the next steps.
"Lord Haseo, the people are here."
Shikou walked over to stand beside Haseo, handing him seven bottles filled with blood.
Haseo nodded, then made his way toward the Third Hokage.
At this moment, the Hokage had already unfastened the giant scroll on his back and unfolded it completely, revealing the intricate markings of the Impure World Reincarnation formation for all to see.
Then Haseo handed the blood vials containing the blood of seven Uzumaki shinobi over to the Third Hokage.
Next, following the designated positions specified by the Third Hokage, Haseo tossed the seven prisoners—bound tightly like mummies—into specific circles of the Impure World Reincarnation formation.
Then, just like some eerie cult ritual in progress, the Third Hokage sprinkled their blood one by one onto the technique formation.
"Alright, now it's my turn."
After the Third Hokage completed these preparations, the old Uzumaki clan leader spoke up… For the Impure World Reincarnation to succeed, the souls of those being reincarnated must exist.
But right now, those souls were sealed away by the Shinigami.
The Nine-Tails' chakra wasn't sealed inside the bodies of those seven Uzumaki shinobi. Otherwise, there would be no need for this step—the Impure World Reincarnation.
Due to the special nature of the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, the Nine-Tails' chakra was intertwined with the souls of all seven Uzumaki shinobi. Therefore, only retrieving their souls could restore the remaining Seven-Tails.
"Haseo, come here."
Following the previous instructions, Haseo stepped beside the Uzumaki clan leader. As requested, he placed his hand firmly on the elder's shoulder, linking his own chakra with the other's.
The clan leader gave a slight nod toward the Third Hokage and Mito Uzumaki, then put on the Shinigami Mask he had always carried, placing it over his face. Then he began forming hand seals.
"Haseo, if you really want to know the truth about the Shinigami, check the Uzumaki clan's secret archives." Just as the final seal was about to form, he suddenly said this.
Haseo: "..."
This statement contradicted what the clan leader had previously said about the Shinigami. Did he really know or not know the origin of the "Shinigami"?
But at this point, Haseo had no time to ask further, as the clan leader had already completed the seals.
As the elder completed the technique in his hands, Haseo suddenly felt an unusually cold chill behind him.
He turned around and saw it—a towering humanoid figure dressed in a wide white robe... It floated midair, over twenty feet tall, its entire body appearing semi-transparent, almost ethereal.
That was the Shinigami—the death god himself.
The Shinigami appeared lifeless and expressionless, its presence feeling less like a living being and more like an impersonal force—not truly terrifying, just alien.
After summoning the Shinigami, the old clan leader began manipulating it through the "Shinigami Mask" worn on his face. Haseo watched as the "Shinigami" removed the tanto from its mouth, slowly lifting its arm and slicing open its own stomach.
Meanwhile, the old clan leader gave a slight wave towards the Third Hokage. Understanding the signal, the Third Hokage also started forming rapid hand seals, activating the Impure World Reincarnation technique.
In Haseo's eyes, seven glowing lights flew out from within the Shinigami's belly and poured into the bodies of the seven imprisoned shinobi lying within the reincarnation formation.
Soul fragments began to scatter around the Prisoners' bodies. Accompanied by their wails, their appearances transformed… until they resembled the seven Uzumaki shinobi.
The corpses of these seven individuals lay beside them, yet their forms had already appeared within the Impure World Reincarnation Technique—as exact replicas.
Haseo reached out and caught the collapsing old clan leader.
He was still warm, but his life was gone.
After stabilizing the elder's form, Haseo carried him over to the remains of the seven Uzumaki ninja and then removed the Shinigami Mask covering his face.
After completing the Impure World Reincarnation, the Third Hokage stepped forward once more, applying specific sealing techniques onto each of the revived individuals.
"Though they've returned, I haven't brought back their minds. If possible, I intend to keep them in eternal slumber.
And should we locate a suitable jinchuriki, after the Nine-Tails is released through the Four Symbols Seal, I will also dissolve this Impure World Reincarnation, allowing the souls of these Uzumaki shinobi to rest in peace...
Would that meet your approval, Lady Mito?"
As the Third Hokage explained, indeed, none of the seven resurrected ninja had regained awareness; instead, they stood motionless like puppets. Clearly, the Hokage had no intention of desecrating the dead—especially those who had sacrificed their lives for Konoha's long-term interests.
Uzumaki Mito gave a slight nod and said, "You may proceed as you wish, Sarutobi."
...
Although some minor setbacks occurred during the process, with a ninja like Uzumaki Mito present, the entire operation proceeded smoothly from beginning to end without encountering any major obstacles or deviations from the plan.
At this point, the Nine-Tails Divided into Eight Strategy could be considered a success…
Paid for with the sacrifice of eight elite Uzumaki shinobi.
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