The underground base of Gensokyo Ninja Village was quiet and heavy with tension.
Three days ago, Namikaze Kirito had already returned here.
Present in the chamber were Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, Uchiha Itachi, and a pale, gray-haired youth standing silently at the side—
Kaguya Kimimaro.
The Kaguya Clan possessed the kekkei genkai Dead Bone Pulse. In the original history, they became Orochimaru's subordinates and experimental vessels.
Kimimaro himself was meant to be a spare reincarnation body, but his body had been ravaged by a severe bloodline disease.
In the end, he could only serve as a subordinate, falling ill after his battle with Gaara and dying not long after.
But that fate did not apply here.
For Namikaze Kirito, who wielded the Dark-Dark Fruit and possessed high-level medical ninjutsu, a bloodline disease was not an insurmountable problem.
Two years ago, Kirito had completely eradicated Kimimaro's illness.
From that moment on, Kimimaro's loyalty was absolute.
With his terrifying combat ability and unwavering devotion, he soon rose to become one of the organization's core figures.
Together with Orochimaru, Yakushi Kabuto, and Uchiha Itachi, he became known as one of the Four Pillars.
Today was the day Kirito chose to execute the plan.
All core members had abandoned their ongoing work and returned to the base.
"Boss," Kabuto said calmly, pushing his glasses up. "Everything is ready."
He gestured behind him.
Two ninjas with dull, lifeless eyes were brought forward.
They were the prepared casters.
Orochimaru's eyes gleamed with barely restrained excitement.
Years of waiting… years of preparation…
The wind had finally begun to blow.
The first step of the plan officially began.
Kirito raised his hand.
The power of the Dark-Dark Fruit surged.
From the darkness, two familiar figures were released—
Namikaze Minato and Uzumaki Kushina.
More than ten years had passed, yet they looked exactly as they had the day they died.
Orochimaru stepped forward and slowly took out a grotesque mask from within his robes.
He placed it over his face.
His hands began to form seals.
"Reaper Death Seal."
Though the underground chamber was completely sealed, a violent wind suddenly swept through it.
Behind Orochimaru, an enormous, terrifying Shinigami manifested.
Its presence alone made the air freeze.
Everyone present—except Kirito—felt a chill run down their spines.
This was the first time they had ever seen the Shinigami.
Normally, only the caster and the sealed target could perceive it. But this version of the technique had been modified by Orochimaru and cast without a fixed target, allowing others to see the Shinigami's form.
Orochimaru drew a short blade from his sleeve.
Without hesitation, he drove it into his own abdomen.
The Shinigami mirrored the motion, slicing open its stomach in the same manner.
Orochimaru's hands moved again.
Within the Shinigami's opened torso, countless souls could be seen writhing and struggling.
One soul was instantly guided by Orochimaru's ninjutsu—forced into Namikaze Minato's body.
At the same time, one of the dull-eyed ninjas screamed silently as his soul was dragged away by the Shinigami.
A sacrifice.
Every summoning of the Shinigami demanded a soul.
Orochimaru, naturally, had no intention of offering his own.
The price was paid with another's life.
As the technique ended, Yakushi Kabuto immediately stepped forward and placed his hands over Orochimaru's wound, flooding it with medical chakra.
The gash healed rapidly.
"Ahem…" Orochimaru coughed lightly, blood staining his lips. "Painful. So this is what seppuku feels like… but it's finally done."
Kabuto gave a small nod and turned to the second ninja.
Under his command, the Reincarnation Technique was activated, channeling life force into Uzumaki Kushina's body.
Moments later, the caster collapsed lifelessly.
Kabuto disposed of both bodies without hesitation.
Kirito deliberately shielded his parents from witnessing the process.
Even if they survived, he didn't want such images burned into their hearts.
Orochimaru placed a hand on Minato and Kushina's heads, sending chakra gently into them.
Slowly…
Their eyes opened.
"…Naruto… Kirito…"
Kushina's consciousness was still frozen at the moment she had said goodbye to her sons.
Minato was different.
His soul had resided within the Shinigami for years. During the transfer, he had briefly perceived those present—yet his thoughts were still hazy.
Kushina immediately supported Minato, helping him sit up.
The two looked around.
Then...
A familiar face came into view.
"Kirito…? Is that you, Kirito?!"
Kushina's voice trembled.
She rushed forward and cupped the young man's face with both hands, disbelief written across her features.
"It's me, Mom…"
Kirito nodded, his eyes red.
"I'm here."
"My son…"
Kushina touched his face again and again, afraid he would vanish if she stopped. She didn't question why he had grown so tall—only warmth and love filled her eyes.
"Kirito."
Minato stepped forward and wrapped his arms around both his wife and son.
His mind raced, already piecing together the truth but he said nothing.
The three embraced in silence.
No one was willing to break the moment.
After a long while, they finally separated.
Minato and Kushina looked around again and noticed two familiar figures.
"…Orochimaru-san?" Minato said slowly. "And… Itachi-kun?"
"Hehehe… Long time no see, Fourth Hokage."
"Lord Fourth, Aunt Kushina," Itachi greeted respectfully.
Shock flickered across the couple's faces.
They couldn't comprehend how Orochimaru, the Uchiha prodigy, and their own son had come to stand on the same side.
Kabuto stepped forward.
"Allow me to explain."
He calmly recounted everything that had happened over the past decade.
Learning that they had been gone for more than ten years left Minato and Kushina reeling.
The last thing they remembered was standing before the Nine-Tails.
And while Minato's soul had been trapped within the Shinigami, time had held no meaning there.
When Kabuto mentioned Shimura Danzō's attempt to eliminate Kirito, Kushina's chakra flared violently.
Her fist smashed into the wall.
Only seeing Kirito standing safely before her prevented her from immediately storming back to the village.
As Kabuto continued, Minato and Kushina's gazes toward Kirito grew increasingly tender.
Though he spoke plainly, they understood the truth.
When they died, Kirito had been only three years old.
A three-year-old child forced to hide himself, to scheme, to survive among Konoha's highest authorities…
How much suffering had he endured to bring them back?
Minato clenched his fists.
He silently thanked the message he had left for Jiraiya all those years ago.
Otherwise… his son might not have survived at all.
Kabuto then produced a crystal ball.
Under Minato and Kushina's stunned gazes, images appeared—
Uzumaki Naruto's lonely and tragic childhood.
The scene ended.
Boom—boom—boom!
The ground suddenly began to shake violently.
Throughout Gensokyo Ninja Village, alarms rang out.
Civilians were evacuated at once.
Something enormous… had arrived.
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