At this moment, the Konoha 12 had gathered at Sasuke Uchiha's house.
Ever since their first group meal there, Sasuke's place had become their unofficial base. It was spacious, with plenty of buildings and, best of all, no one else around to bother them.
The events of the evening had everyone buzzing with excitement, their hearts racing. They'd just boldly stormed the Hokage Building and swiped the Scroll of Seals, memorizing all the forbidden techniques it contained! Even if they couldn't master every single one, learning just a few would easily make them Hokage-level powerhouses in the future.
The thought alone sent a thrill through the group.
Ito Hirofumi had naturally become the leader of this crew, and the way they looked at him was practically glowing with admiration.
"Alright, everyone," Ito began, "you all got the training methods for those techniques tonight. But mastering them isn't going to happen overnight."
The Konoha 12 nodded in agreement. These were forbidden techniques from the Scroll of Seals, after all. Even for a group of geniuses like them, learning them quickly was a tall order.
For someone like Rock Lee, who wasn't exactly a ninjutsu prodigy, it was even tougher. But Lee didn't mind too much. His focus was on the Eight Gates technique. If he could perfect that, he'd be able to protect everyone with it.
Because that's what youth is all about!
Ito took a deep breath and continued, "So, I've found you all a teacher… and this teacher is an expert in forbidden techniques! There's something I haven't told you guys before, but I think it's time you knew."
Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha perked up, remembering the "surprise" Ito had mentioned that night he borrowed money. Could this be related?
Ito didn't keep them in suspense. "Remember when I got reverse-summoned during our time at the Ninja Academy? I wasn't taken to one of the three holy lands. I was summoned to the world of the dead. And in that world, I can form contracts with spirits to summon deceased warriors back to the living world!"
His words left the Konoha 12 dumbfounded. A world of the dead? Contracting with spirits to bring back the deceased? It sounded like something out of a fairy tale.
For a moment, the only sound in Sasuke's house was the group collectively swallowing hard.
Sasuke and Naruto, though, were trembling with excitement. They remembered Ito's promise of a surprise. If he could summon the dead, did that mean… their parents could come back?!
The reason Ito decided to reveal this now was because Madara Uchiha and Hashirama Senju had become his teachers. Before, they were just his summons, bound to keep him alive at most. But now, as his mentors, they were the ultimate backup. Anyone who dared mess with him would have to deal with these two titans of the ninja world!
So, Ito figured it was safe to spill the beans. Even if the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi, found out, it wouldn't matter. Worst case, he'd just lay it all out.
He'd originally planned to have Tobirama use a Transformation Technique to disguise himself while teaching the group, but that wasn't necessary anymore.
Ito gave the Konoha 12 a moment to process, but it was clear they weren't focused on the idea of a teacher.
Sasuke's breath was shaky. "Hirofumi… are you saying there's a chance I could see my parents again?"
Naruto gripped Ito's arm tightly, his eyes filled with hope but also a flicker of fear—fear that his parents might not be able to be summoned.
Neji Hyuga stared at Ito with the same intensity.
Ito took a deep breath. "Yes. I can summon the spirits of the dead, and they can be revived perfectly, living in the ninja world like normal people. It requires certain conditions, and while I've successfully summoned some people already, I haven't summoned your loved ones yet. But trust me, that day isn't far off."
He looked pointedly at Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji as he spoke.
In truth, Minato Namikaze and Fugaku Uchiha had already been summoned, but Ito respected their wishes. Both men weren't ready to meet their sons yet. They were out there making money, hoping to reunite with their wives and sons together.
They should be back soon, though. Ito couldn't help but wonder how much cash those two Hokage-level shinobi had raked in. If they'd managed to score a few billion ryo, he might just be able to summon every legendary figure from the Hidden Leaf's history!
"Try not to get too worked up," Ito continued. "Let's get back to the teacher I found for you. The legendary Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, known as the master of forbidden techniques and Water Release. He's mastered nearly every technique in the Scroll of Seals. Starting tomorrow, I'm arranging for him to guide your training.
"We'll be split into teams tomorrow, but I hope everyone can keep gathering here when you're free. With Lord Second Hokage teaching you, I'm sure you'll all get stronger in no time!"
Ito's words sent another wave of excitement through the group. They couldn't believe it—their teacher was going to be the Second Hokage?! It felt like a dream!
Sasuke, Naruto, and Neji felt a brief pang of disappointment, but it quickly faded. At least now they had hope. They knew their parents could be revived.