Natsuhiko remembered very clearly that the One's Own Life Reincarnation technique relied on the caster's own chakra to replenish the target's life force.
Once the caster's chakra could no longer sustain the technique, it would naturally begin consuming the caster's own vitality instead.
The most classic example of this was Chiyo in the original story.
Yet what Orochimaru was doing now left Natsuhiko genuinely astonished.
Because this bastard had completely transferred the cost elsewhere, using another person's chakra and life force to fully complete the One's Own Life Reincarnation Technique!
"What exactly is going on here?" Natsuhiko silently wondered to himself.
Everything Orochimaru was doing right now had far exceeded his expectations.
Wasn't this guy supposed to still be continuously refining and repairing the technique because Chiyo had failed to perfect it completely?
So how the hell had he suddenly developed something as outrageous as damage transfer?
Even Natsuhiko felt his scalp tingling after witnessing this move from Orochimaru.
He truly had not expected Orochimaru to pull off something like this.
Slowly closing his eyes, Natsuhiko reopened them a moment later, revealing a brilliant blue glow within his pupils.
At this moment, he had activated the Jogan.
He needed to observe every detail of Orochimaru's technique as clearly and carefully as possible.
Within his vision, the Uchiha shinobi—whose vitality had long since vanished and whose flame of life had already been extinguished—began undergoing visible changes.
Supported by the unlucky bandit's life force, the corpse's bodily functions actually began recovering continuously.
Most importantly…
That extinguished flame of life had actually begun burning once more!
Within the shinobi world, the simplest method of determining whether someone was alive or dead was by using Yang Release to observe the state of their life flame.
Unfortunately, in the original story, the only known person capable of doing this seemed to have been Naruto after inheriting the power of the Sage of Six Paths.
No one else appeared capable of such a feat.
But now, Natsuhiko could not only see it—he could do it himself.
As early as the Nine-Tails Incident, he had already used his control over the flame of life to preserve Minato Namikaze's life signs.
Then, by undoing the Reaper Death Seal, he had successfully brought Minato back to life.
And now, with the assistance of the Jogan, he could observe the condition of the life flame even more clearly.
As that green life force continuously poured into the corpse, the previously shriveled body gradually regained vitality.
The sight was genuinely horrifying.
Even more terrifying was that alongside this transformation, Natsuhiko seemed to clearly see a beam of light descending through space itself!
The beam fell from the heavens, silently illuminating the Uchiha corpse.
And beneath that light, Natsuhiko could see a figure slowly descending from the sky.
"A soul?" Natsuhiko silently pondered inwardly.
At this moment, he was absolutely certain that what he was seeing was indeed a soul.
Unlike the glowing orb he had seen when observing Minato Namikaze before, this time he was witnessing a complete human soul.
Most importantly, he could clearly tell that this soul still appeared to be asleep!
"What a miraculous technique…" Natsuhiko muttered softly.
He silently watched as the soul finally entered the revitalized body.
At that very moment, he could clearly see the soul beginning to fuse completely with the body itself.
Accompanied by a strange yet distinct chakra fluctuation, the body was finally revived in the truest sense of the word. Even if the man had not awakened yet.
Turning his head, Natsuhiko shifted his gaze toward the bandit being controlled by Orochimaru.
The next instant, he could not help but frown slightly.
In the original story, after Chiyo used the One's Own Life Reincarnation Technique, she indeed died.
However, her death had at least been relatively peaceful.
But the bandit in Orochimaru's hands now could no longer simply be described as miserable.
It was as though endless years had carved themselves across his body all at once.
His body visibly aged before their eyes.
Not only had his hair turned completely white, but his body had also become horrifyingly shriveled and emaciated.
His teeth had completely fallen out, his expression was twisted in agony, and most importantly, his flame of life had already vanished entirely.
It was truly difficult to imagine that less than a minute ago, this had still been a healthy young man.
Yet now, it looked as though he had lived through a hundred years in an instant.
"Is Hokage-sama satisfied with my technique?"
Although Orochimaru could not see all the things Natsuhiko saw, he could clearly sense that the Uchiha shinobi had already come back to life.
Casually tossing aside the dried corpse in his hand, Orochimaru looked at Natsuhiko with a smile and asked the question calmly.
"I already know he's alive," Natsuhiko replied as he lifted his gaze toward Orochimaru. His tone remained calm and indifferent. "But shouldn't Orochimaru-sama explain things a little first?
"How exactly did you improve this technique? Or rather… how did you manage to use another person's chakra to complete all of this?"
"I invested an enormous amount of time and effort into this technique," Orochimaru explained while licking his lips.
Although being stared at by Natsuhiko's blue eyes made him feel a chill deep inside, he still maintained his composure.
"And from the very beginning, I noticed the flaw within this technique.
"It is essentially a life-for-life healing ninjutsu. Frankly, I can't agree with that concept at all. If you use your own life to save someone else, then wouldn't you simply die yourself?"
Well, the technique is literally called One's Own Life Reincarnation…
Isn't exchanging one life for another the whole point?
Natsuhiko silently complained inwardly.
However, he did not interrupt Orochimaru and merely gestured for him to continue speaking.
"So I began reconstructing the technique from its very foundation.
"Besides perfecting the incomplete aspects Chiyo left behind, I also altered the casting method itself.
"The last time I met Hokage-sama, I was already close to completing my research on life-force transfer. However, while modifying the technique, problems emerged within its original core.
"That core issue was summoning the soul back from the Pure Land.
"That part was difficult. Extremely difficult.
"Without solving it, the value of this technique would only apply to living people.
"Fortunately, I happened to achieve decent progress in another area of research, and because of that…"
At this point, Orochimaru smiled and stopped speaking.
Meanwhile, Natsuhiko instantly understood everything.
So this bastard had completely rebuilt the One's Own Life Reincarnation Technique from the ground up.
No wonder the effects of the technique differed so drastically from what I remembered.
Although the fundamental blueprint and core concepts still originated from Chiyo's original design, Orochimaru's genius-level creativity and imagination had already completely surpassed Chiyo's line of thinking.
And Natsuhiko had to admit…
The version Orochimaru created after heavily modifying it was far more practical.
Who in their right mind would willingly sacrifice their own life just to save someone else?
That was something Natsuhiko absolutely could not accept.
Otherwise, he would never have kept Hidan alive inside Konoha.
"It seems you've truly given me a massive surprise." Natsuhiko let out a faint sigh.
Orochimaru really deserved his reputation as one of the greatest scientists in the Naruto world.
In Natsuhiko's opinion, even if Orochimaru possessed absolutely zero combat ability, his existence alone would still be considered strategic-level.
Not to mention the fact that in the original story, Orochimaru's improved Edo Tensei had already been a strategic-class forbidden technique.
And now, he had effectively created yet another strategic-level jutsu.
Someone like this was genuinely terrifying.
"You completed this technique through your research into the Edo Tensei, didn't you?"
"As expected, nothing can escape Hokage-sama's eyes."
Faced with Natsuhiko's question, Orochimaru showed no intention of denying it whatsoever.
Because he knew perfectly well that something like this was impossible to hide.
"Indeed, it was through research into the Edo Tensei," Orochimaru replied with a smile. "Speaking of which, Hokage-sama, would you like to meet the First Hokage and the Second Hokage?
"After all… those two are also predecessors of the Senju Clan."
Orochimaru's words immediately caused Natsuhiko to raise an eyebrow.
A faintly amused smile appeared on his face as he looked at Orochimaru, the playful expression in his eyes impossible to hide.
The meaning behind Orochimaru's words was actually very obvious.
To put it bluntly, he was testing Natsuhiko.
On one hand, he wanted to see exactly what kind of attitude Natsuhiko held toward the Edo Tensei.
After all, it was a technique that disturbed the rest of the dead.
More importantly, once the technique was activated, the summoned individuals could be controlled by the caster.
Although Natsuhiko had never opposed Orochimaru's research before, the First and Second Hokage were still his predecessors.
Summoning them like this could very easily provoke Natsuhiko's disgust.
Orochimaru needed confirmation on this matter first.
He had no intention of taking unnecessary risks.
Of course, besides testing Natsuhiko's attitude toward the technique itself, he also wanted to gauge how much Natsuhiko understood about the Edo Tensei, as well as how much reverence he held toward those two Hokage.
Ever since Natsuhiko displayed overwhelming power during the war against Kumogakure—demonstrating strength capable of destroying an entire village alone—Orochimaru had felt both secure and deeply threatened.
He truly did not want to spend the rest of his life living under Natsuhiko's shadow.
He wanted greater leverage for himself.
However, what made Orochimaru frown slightly was that Natsuhiko did not seem to care much about his words at all.
Or rather…
Natsuhiko's reaction was completely beyond his expectations.
"The First and Second Hokage, huh?"
After a long pause, Natsuhiko suddenly smiled as he spoke, the amusement on his face growing even more pronounced.
"Then let's give it a try.
"After all, I'm also curious about the strength of the First and Second Hokage.
"I'm even more curious about the gap between myself and them.
"But Orochimaru-sama… are you certain the toys you summon can actually harm me?"
The moment he heard those words, Orochimaru instantly realized that Natsuhiko had definitely researched the Edo Tensei himself!
Even if he had not studied it deeply, he clearly understood the technique's mechanics.
Otherwise, how could he immediately point out its flaws so accurately?
Orochimaru had merely been testing him.
He had absolutely no intention of fighting Natsuhiko directly.
After all, he lacked suitable sacrifices.
Because of that, the First and Second Hokage he summoned would never be capable of displaying their true strength.
Although they could still easily crush ordinary shinobi—or even average Kage-level opponents—the person standing before them now was Senju Natsuhiko.
There was a very real possibility that before the resurrected Hokage could accomplish anything, Orochimaru himself would already be dead.
In fact, if Natsuhiko truly wanted to kill him, Orochimaru might not even get the chance to complete the summoning.
After all, Natsuhiko was exceptionally proficient in the Flying Thunder God Technique.
"Orochimaru-sama, the Edo Tensei was invented by the Second Hokage himself," Natsuhiko said while looking at the silent Orochimaru. His smile grew even brighter as he slowly walked over and patted Orochimaru on the shoulder.
"So why would you think I know nothing about it?
"Let me give you a piece of advice, Orochimaru-sama.
"Don't bother with meaningless little tests like this.
"Perhaps it would be more worthwhile to try again after obtaining better materials.
"And besides…"
Natsuhiko's smile became increasingly meaningful.
"If I want to revive the dead, how exactly am I supposed to revive someone whose body has already become nothing but bones?
"Has Orochimaru-sama never considered that problem?"
Orochimaru remained silent.
However, his mind instantly began racing at incredible speed.
In merely a moment, he seemed to realize something.
"You mean…"
Orochimaru stared directly at Natsuhiko.
"You intend to use the Edo Tensei as the final step in achieving true resurrection?"
After thinking it through carefully, Orochimaru realized that this truly seemed to be the only method that was both logical and effective enough to completely resurrect a person.
The One's Own Life Reincarnation itself relied on massive amounts of life force to revive someone.
Meanwhile, the Edo Tensei could create a body perfectly suited for the summoned soul.
If those two techniques were combined together, then perhaps it truly would be possible to directly undo the state of the Edo Tensei, reconstruct the damaged body, reignite a true flame of life, and ultimately achieve genuine resurrection!
No wonder this man was so familiar with the Edo Tensei.
Besides being a member of the Senju Clan, he had probably been planning this from the very beginning.
"That's right," Natsuhiko replied with a smile as he nodded lightly. "Although I haven't personally tested it yet, that doesn't stop me from theorizing."
His gaze shifted slightly toward one of the walls.
More accurately, toward the direction where Kabuto was hiding.
"Especially after learning that Orochimaru-sama had been researching the Edo Tensei all this time, I started thinking about how exactly I could turn bones back into living humans.
"And after thinking it over repeatedly, this was the only method that seemed possible.
"So naturally, I conducted quite a bit of research myself."
Naturally, that statement was complete nonsense.
Natsuhiko had not researched a damn thing.
He had simply based his assumptions and theories on how Uchiha Madara revived himself in the original story.
After all, both techniques dealt with resurrection.
Samsara of Heavenly Life summoned souls and restored vitality.
The One's Own Life Reincarnation functioned similarly.
Since the compatibility between those abilities was already so high, then when combined with the Edo Tensei, the final effects likely would not differ too greatly either.
Natsuhiko absolutely needed to test this theory.
If it truly worked, then in the future, if something unexpected happened and some idiot used the Edo Tensei to summon him back…
Wouldn't he be able to save himself as well?
"Alright, enough pointless talk."
Natsuhiko looked at the still-silent Orochimaru and chuckled softly before speaking slowly.
"I can provide you with some materials.
"Very interesting materials.
"If you can replicate and clone more of them, then perhaps one day you may even be able to summon a Hashirama Senju possessing his complete power.
"But before I hand those materials over…"
Natsuhiko's smile deepened slightly.
"I want the original version of the One's Own Life Reincarnation Technique.
"And I also want your modified version.
"So, Orochimaru-sama…
"Do we have a deal?"
Casually throwing out a kunai, Natsuhiko instantly killed the revived Uchiha shinobi, who had only just opened his eyes and was still instinctively greedily breathing in fresh air.
Afterward, carrying a large amount of research materials, Natsuhiko quietly departed from Orochimaru's laboratory.
Meanwhile, Orochimaru stood there with a solemn expression while staring at the large white chunk of flesh-like tissue in his hand.
What Natsuhiko had given him were naturally the White Zetsu remains that had already been drained of their value.
Although for someone like Orochimaru, these things were practically priceless treasures.
However, Natsuhiko himself no longer had any need to cut open his own body and stuff those things inside himself.
As for Hashirama Senju's power—and the other powers hidden within the White Zetsu remains—he could obtain them through other methods.
Naturally, he no longer needed these things.
After all, these materials could not be cultivated a second time.
Keeping them served little purpose for him.
Of course, he had not given Orochimaru too many samples either.
If he gave away too much, there was no telling what kind of bizarre nonsense Orochimaru might end up creating.
Providing enough for research purposes was sufficient.
Naturally, if Orochimaru truly managed to mass-produce them, then Natsuhiko would absolutely reward him generously.
At the end of the day, Natsuhiko himself also needed White Zetsu remains very badly.
The more Orochimaru produced, the more of them Natsuhiko could hang upon the Divine Tree.
Then, by extracting and integrating the powers he required from them, he could obtain tremendous improvements to his own strength!
...
Using the Flying Thunder God Technique, Natsuhiko returned to Konoha.
Afterward, he devoted himself entirely to carefully studying the research materials Orochimaru had provided.
The reason he specifically requested two separate versions of the technique was very straightforward.
One version was something he intended to keep hidden and never use casually.
Using another person's life force to resurrect someone else was undeniably a horrifying method.
Although Natsuhiko himself did not particularly care, he still needed to carefully consider the consequences and influence such a technique could bring.
Because of that, he would never reveal this version lightly.
Orochimaru was a smart man.
The moment Natsuhiko requested two versions of the technique, he immediately understood the deeper meaning behind it.
As long as he remained unable to escape Natsuhiko's protection and control, he would absolutely never expose this matter.
Moreover, if news of it ever leaked out, the trouble Orochimaru himself would face would likely be enormous.
This world might not have the saying "a common man is innocent, but possessing a treasure invites disaster," but the principle itself still existed.
First, Orochimaru had been brutally educated by one of Natsuhiko's alternate identities.
Then he witnessed the Rinnegan.
Finally, he discovered that Natsuhiko had seemingly "returned to fifty years in the past" and become a monster comparable to Hashirama Senju himself.
At this point, Orochimaru understood very clearly that the shinobi world was far more terrifying than it appeared.
His strength posed no issue against ordinary people.
But against monsters like these?
He would probably be killed in moments.
Therefore, acting too high-profile was nothing more than courting death.
And Orochimaru had no intention of bringing such trouble upon himself.
"As expected of Orochimaru," Natsuhiko thought to himself while reading through the research materials. "Smart people are easy to work with. Sometimes you don't even need to explain much. Just a single action is enough for them to understand your intentions."
Naturally, Natsuhiko was very pleased to have someone as intelligent as Orochimaru cooperating with him.
Of course, his own subordinates were no slouches either.
After all, he also had the support of the Nara Clan.
At this point, Nara Shikaku had already begun coordinating with the Foreign Affairs Department regarding negotiations with Kumogakure.
For this matter, Natsuhiko only needed to specify what he wanted to obtain.
As for everything else, he did not need to concern himself with it anymore.
The head of the Foreign Affairs Department was still inexperienced.
After all, the position itself was newly established and had been assembled from personnel transferred from other departments.
Thus, it was only natural for Shikaku to assist them.
Fortunately, the results so far appeared fairly good.
Although Natsuhiko had not placed much focus on the negotiations, this was ultimately a major event for Konoha.
And apparently, the newly formed Foreign Affairs Department was cooperating quite smoothly with Shikaku.
The reports Natsuhiko received were basically all positive news.
Kumogakure showed almost no intention of resisting.
Perhaps for them, the best possible outcome now was simply ending this damned war as quickly as possible.
If things dragged on any longer and Konoha suddenly changed its mind, physically reducing the Five Great Shinobi Villages into the Four Great Shinobi Villages…
Then everything would truly be over.
Naturally, Shikaku and the others had also noticed that Kumogakure's attitude was somewhat unusual.
Moreover, because the negotiations were taking place inside Konoha itself, they immediately requested instructions from Natsuhiko.
Natsuhiko's response was extremely simple.
As long as Konoha obtained everything it needed, they could appropriately squeeze Kumogakure a bit harder.
However, they could not push too far.
After all, a Kumogakure completely stripped of combat capability would only benefit the other villages, and that was not something Konoha wanted to see.
Shikaku naturally understood this as well.
Konoha's own situation was not exactly ideal right now either.
The village needed a stable period of development to recover from the losses caused by that bloody night.
After some careful consideration, Shikaku quickly figured out the ideal degree to pressure Kumogakure.
And these were matters Natsuhiko did not need to waste time thinking about personally.
...
After spending quite a long period of time, Natsuhiko finally fully comprehended Orochimaru's modified technique.
Only afterward did he begin conducting a rough study of the Edo Tensei itself.
He never asked Orochimaru for the technique.
Because he knew very well that Orochimaru probably would not hand it over anyway.
Natsuhiko still needed Orochimaru for now, so naturally he had no intention of doing something as foolish as killing the chicken to get the eggs.
However, while researching the Edo Tensei, he also summoned Hidan over.
"For the time being, you'll stay here with me," Natsuhiko said directly without wasting any words.
"And familiarize yourself with this technique properly.
"Also, prepare yourself mentally.
"I plan to have the newspaper agency promote your story a little.
"After all, both your abilities and everything you sacrificed truly deserve public recognition."
Ever since the ANBU established its Research Division, Hidan had already begun cooperating with those researchers in improving and developing various drugs.
No one knew just how many experiments those research fanatics had conducted on him.
But strangely enough, Hidan seemed to genuinely enjoy the process.
When Natsuhiko learned about this, he could not help but shake his head.
He truly had not expected Hidan to have such tendencies.
No wonder this guy had enjoyed stabbing himself so much in the future.
Turns out he had actually been enjoying the entire experience.
"So this is the resurrection technique the Hokage-sama has been researching?" Hidan asked honestly while standing before Natsuhiko.
No one knew whether it was because the psychological shadow Natsuhiko left on him back then had simply been too overwhelming.
Of course, Hidan's life had undergone earth-shattering changes now.
To a certain extent, he had already integrated himself into Konoha.
He was genuinely enjoying life in the village now.
Especially since he had even made a few friends.
Natsuhiko naturally knew all of this, though he did not interfere too much.
After all, having bonds was a good thing.
"Yes, this is that resurrection technique," Natsuhiko nodded calmly. "Study it carefully and learn it properly. I'm looking forward to the day you show truly outstanding results."
"Yes, Hokage-sama!" Hidan nodded heavily before speaking with complete seriousness, "I won't disappoint you!"
...
Time quietly passed as Konoha Year 51 transitioned into Konoha Year 52.
The heavy snow blanketing the village gradually melted beneath the sunlight from above, and the breath of spring swept across all of Konoha.
Standing atop the Hokage Rock before his own carved face, Natsuhiko gazed down at the village below with a faint smile on his face.
Throughout all of Konoha Year 51, he had successfully consolidated power.
After crushing Kumogakure, he had finally ascended to the absolute peak of Konoha's authority.
Then, during the latter half of the year, he initiated large-scale reforms while simultaneously negotiating with Kumogakure.
The outcome of those negotiations did not surprise Natsuhiko in the slightest.
Kumogakure simply had no intention of resisting.
After all, the person they were facing was someone comparable to Hashirama Senju.
Anyone facing such an existence would feel fear deep within their bones.
Because of that, during the negotiations, aside from firmly defending the absolute bottom line of Kumogakure's interests, Kumo practically handed over whatever Konoha demanded.
However, their attitude toward Iwagakure was noticeably tougher.
Although Iwagakure was also one of the victors, in Kumogakure's eyes, they were merely opportunists who followed behind Konoha to pick up scraps.
Still, even their toughness had limits.
They had already suffered tremendous losses on Konoha's battlefield and naturally did not wish to drag things out any further because of Iwagakure.
Meanwhile, under Ōnoki's control, Iwagakure also behaved relatively reasonably.
It was fine for Konoha to take the largest share.
After all, they had earned it through sheer strength.
As for Iwagakure, they truly had benefited enormously from the situation already.
Sometimes, knowing when to stop was enough.
More importantly, Konoha had not excessively weakened Kumogakure's overall strength.
Kumo still retained significant development potential.
If they were pushed too far, there was no telling what unpleasant consequences might emerge in the future.
Because of that, after fiercely seizing a large portion of the surrounding nations' mission market, Ōnoki did not continue making things difficult for Kumogakure.
For Iwagakure, this outcome was already an enormous profit.
"That old man Ōnoki really is both restrained and intelligent," Natsuhiko remarked privately during one of the smaller internal meetings with Kakashi, Nara Shikaku, and Hiruzen Sarutobi.
In Natsuhiko's view, Ōnoki was truly clever.
Honestly, Natsuhiko had hoped Ōnoki would completely offend Kumogakure beyond reconciliation.
That way, the future would become far more entertaining.
In Natsuhiko's previous life, there had been countless examples of powerful nations pushing a country with potential too far—suppressing and exploiting them to the absolute extreme.
The most classic example was how the Allied Powers treated Germany after World War I, practically butchering them like livestock.
Calling it bloodsucking would have been putting it lightly.
That was outright slaughtering the goose that laid the golden eggs.
And what happened in the end?
Germany could not repay its debts, so fury rose in their hearts and evil thoughts followed. Eventually, a little mustached man appeared.
"If I can't repay my debts, then I'll just kill all the creditors. Wouldn't that solve everything?"
Of course, this was not an isolated example.
Someone in the Middle East had done something similar as well, though the motivations were entirely different.
Meanwhile, Kumogakure had completely surrendered.
Their war reparations were continuously being transported to Konoha.
Furthermore, within the Land of Hot Water, Kumogakure's shinobi had fully withdrawn, while Konoha's forces had already begun stationing themselves there.
It could be said that under Natsuhiko's leadership, Konoha's sphere of influence had expanded dramatically.
Naturally, this news threw the entire village into celebration.
With the newspapers constantly promoting these achievements, Natsuhiko's prestige had now reached an entirely new peak.
"Still, now isn't the time to think about all this," Natsuhiko muttered softly while stretching lazily. "I still have more important things to deal with."
He glanced at the massive stone face beneath his feet before shaking his head with a faint smile.
Construction on his Hokage Rock monument had already begun during Konoha Year 51.
However, because the engineers responsible were not shinobi, the project had taken considerably longer than expected.
It was only after March of Konoha Year 52—shortly after Natsuhiko celebrated yet another birthday in this world—that the monument was finally completed.
Still, the statue itself gave Natsuhiko plenty to complain about.
The sculptors had very clearly altered his appearance to make him look older.
According to them, a more mature appearance would give people a stronger sense of security.
At first, Natsuhiko had actually supported that idea.
After all, he had still been underage at the time, so he did not mind them making him look slightly more mature.
But when he finally inspected the finished product, he realized this was far beyond "slightly mature."
They had practically sculpted him into a man well over thirty.
"At least the overall features are still accurate," Natsuhiko muttered helplessly. "They just adjusted the eyes and expression to make me seem older… but did they really need to go that far?"
By now, Natsuhiko technically counted as an adult.
Truthfully, he had never seriously kept track of his age before.
As a transmigrator, his mental age far exceeded his physical age.
Constantly calculating his biological age had always felt rather meaningless.
Besides, he had been far too busy.
He could not even be bothered celebrating birthdays and had always subconsciously assumed he was still relatively young.
Yet during his birthday celebration in Konoha Year 52, a large group of old classmates suddenly came to visit him.
Only after Senju Shoma and Kakashi reminded him did he finally realize something important.
He had already become an adult.
"So much time has passed without me even noticing… how interesting."
Natsuhiko sighed softly before stretching once more.
As chakra surged through his body, his figure instantly vanished from the spot.
When he reappeared, he had already arrived silently within the ANBU headquarters.
Looking at the familiar surroundings before him, Natsuhiko could not help feeling somewhat proud.
After all, he had risen through the ranks from the ANBU itself, so naturally he held certain feelings toward this place.
Even if he had originally entered the ANBU against his will, the current ANBU had long since been branded with his mark.
And in the same way…
He himself had also been branded by the ANBU.
...
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