"Kakashi-sensei, the Second Hokage's rock face has broken free!"
Naruto Uzumaki nervously looked at Kakashi Hatake!
"This is..."
However, Kakashi Hatake had no mood to deal with these things. He was staring intently at the vines and tree roots spreading and growing on the ground, watching the forest gradually emerging on the bridge.
"Wood Release... How could it attack me?"
Kakashi Hatake gazed at the forest growing on the bridge and saw a figure gradually approaching them.
A...
figure clad in red armor.
This person's appearance was also very familiar, seen vaguely somewhere.
After Kakashi Hatake had met the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, he was already prepared mentally; he recognized the incoming person's identity.
"First Hokage..."
Seeing the appearance of the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, Kakashi Hatake felt as if his heart had sunk into an abyss because he knew how strong Senju Hashirama really was!
If once, the Konoha Ninja couldn't conceive of the First Hokage's power, having personally witnessed Akihara Kagura using jutsu left by the First Hokage would make one understand how truly strong the First Hokage was!
Akihara Kagura was just an experimental creation transplanted with the First Hokage's cells and was this strong; the real First Hokage could reach what heights?
Under the guidance of the Second Hokage, Kakashi Hatake and Team 7 barely managed to defeat the Second Hokage. However, they were by no means a match for the First Hokage!
"Big brother, have you been resurrected too?"
Senju Tobirama's body completed its repair and directly regained mobility. Remembering his brother's power and realizing the urgency of the situation, his expression immediately turned grim, shouting sternly, "Little ones, flee quickly. You are by no means a match for my big brother, especially with the two of us teamed up..."
Indeed!
This squad couldn't possibly be a match for his big brother!
Even without his brother wielding pre-mortem power after Reanimation Jutsu revival, slightly channeling a fraction of his strength wasn't something they could handle!
Perhaps...
Wood Release wasn't even necessary!
Senju Tobirama fully understood his brother's strength, merely relying on the Taijutsu honed through numerous battles during the Warring States Era, he could easily eliminate Team 7, these fledgling youngsters.
Though the boy in front of him, known as Kakashi Hatake, displayed strange fluctuations in strength, he was absolutely not a match for his brother...
"Don't think you have a chance to defeat my big brother."
Casting a glance at Team 7, Senju Tobirama spoke in a deep voice, "Even if the Nine-tails within this little one appeared, it wouldn't be a match for my big brother..."
"The First Hokage-sama isn't meant for dealing with them..."
A figure appeared behind the First Hokage, smiling widely as he spoke, "Even the Second Lord isn't meant to deal with them. Although I didn't expect them to actually defeat you under the Second Lord's command..."
"Orochimaru..."
Kakashi Hatake forced himself to stand up.
Orochimaru.
Was this guy the mastermind behind the scenes in the Land of Waves?
Even after the recent battle had almost depleted Kakashi Hatake's Chakra within, and even after being heavily wounded by vines, he must stand up now...
Because he is Team 7's Instructor Jonin.
In the past, Kakashi Hatake used to fear Orochimaru's killing intent; this time, however, Kakashi Hatake intended not to retreat, standing up with difficulty, coughing out a mouthful of blood!
After hearing Orochimaru's words, a rough guess of Orochimaru's intentions formed in Kakashi Hatake's mind: "You want to deal with Kagura? You know he's also here?"
"Indeed..."
Standing by the First Hokage Senju Hashirama's side, Orochimaru licked his lips, saying, "The entire Ninja World knows that to destroy Konoha, one must first deal with Akihara Kagura..."
"As expected of the Sannin of Konoha..."
Looking at Orochimaru, Kakashi Hatake spoke in a low voice, "Others facing Kagura wouldn't have the bold thought to develop such a mindset..."
"His progress is too fast."
A sharp gleam flashed in Orochimaru's eyes; he was indeed the one who knew best Akihara Kagura's rapid progress.
"Who is Akihara Kagura?"
Second Hokage Senju Tobirama queried beside.
"An experimental product of mine."
Orochimaru opened his palm, chuckling lightly, "An experimental product made using the cells of the First Hokage-sama, a product needing reclamation..."
"You actually experimented with my big brother's cells?"
Senju Tobirama's gaze instantly turned icy cold!
"Wasn't that left by the Second Lord?"
Orochimaru's questioning words made Senju Tobirama speechless.
Looking at Senju Tobirama, Orochimaru smilingly continued, "If not for the Second Lord inventing the Reanimation Jutsu, I might not have dared conceive thoughts of recovering the experimental product. Much gratitude to the Second Lord's wisdom..."
"..."
Senju Tobirama didn't want to engage with Orochimaru, turning to look at Senju Hashirama beside Orochimaru, "Big brother, why are you silent?"
"Because I used a talisman to erase the First Hokage-sama's mind."
A Kunai with a talisman in hand, Orochimaru explained with a smile, "Of course, the Second Hokage will soon be the same..."
"For the enemies we're facing next are exceedingly troublesome. If the First Hokage-sama and the Second Hokage don't cooperate with me, our chances of winning are too low..."
Witnessing firsthand how estranged the First Hokage Senju Hashirama was, Orochimaru didn't wish to wipe out their intelligence, yet the previous experience wasn't good. A slight error on Senju Hashirama's part might lead to being directly subdued by Akihara Kagura...
Orochimaru manipulated Senju Tobirama to instantly move beside him, inserting the talisman into Senju Tobirama's back of the head, rendering the Second Hokage devoid of intellect, merely a puppet being controlled.
"Kagura is strong."
Watching Orochimaru's actions, Kakashi Hatake couldn't stop him, merely hoping to stall time temporarily, delaying until Akihara Kagura's arrival, along with aiding Akihara Kagura's battle with some added odds: "If the First Hokage and Second Hokage are merely puppets under your control, they won't easily defeat him..."
"Always worth trying, isn't it?"
Orochimaru extended his tongue, his gaze sweeping across Kakashi Hatake and the members of Team 7, pausing briefly on Uchiha Sasuke before moving away: "In this world, people often think many things are impossible, like the resurrection of the dead, yet hasn't the Reanimation Jutsu achieved just that?"
Watching the two Hokage devoid of minds, Kakashi Hatake spoke softly, "Is desecrating the dead, turning them into puppets controlled by others, considered resurrection?"
"My notions differ from yours,"
Shaking his head, Orochimaru disagreed with Kakashi Hatake's notion, "As long as a goal can be achieved, whatever means used in between are correct, aren't they?"
"You're right."
A voice appeared on the bridge.
A person leading a group walked toward them gradually from within the mist, continuing Orochimaru's words, "As long as the outcome is right, what happens in the process doesn't matter..."
"Finally here..."
Kakashi Hatake's heart relaxed.
Although the words spoken by this voice seemed rather off, Kakashi Hatake already knew the identity of the newcomer, at least Team 7 could survive the crisis safely.
Akihara Kagura led the Root's ninjas over, speaking softly, "Take everyone here away; this place is no longer suitable for them to remain..."
"Be careful."
Kakashi Hatake didn't object, merely reminded Akihara Kagura, "Beside Orochimaru are the First Hokage-sama and the Second Hokage-sama..."
"I know."
Nodding, Akihara Kagura indicated understanding of the opponents' weakness; after all, they were just puppets controlled by Orochimaru.