Ye Zi was unstoppable.
One man, one blade, reviving countless moments of blood-soaked glory, like the legendary night when his name was forged in blood.
No one could block him. Whoever stood in his path became another soul beneath his sword.
With not a drop of blood staining his body, Ye Zi cut his way past nearly ten thousand enemies, leaving them all behind.
Of course, the clone army played its part, but Ye Zi hadn't even used Lightning Release armor or Sage Mode. Relying solely on taijutsu and kenjutsu, he slaughtered hundreds, cutting through wave after wave of foes in under three minutes.
The Allied Forces wanted to pursue him, but they were entangled with the clone army, and more than that, something far more shocking appeared: the Edo Tensei.
Eighteen coffins opened. Not every reanimated shinobi was terrifying, but just a handful were enough to leave every ninja present in awe.
A black-haired man clad in red armor stepped from his coffin. His sharp gaze swept across the chaos of clones and Allied Forces locked in battle, quickly grasping the situation.
"Different uniforms… but the same forehead protectors?" His eyes narrowed in thought. Then he turned to the others emerging from the coffins.
First came… the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist.
A white-haired young man: Hōzuki Mangetsu, who had mastered all seven blades.
The burly, brown-haired behemoth: Fuguki Suikazan, wielder of Samehada.
A spindly man like a bamboo pole: Kushimaru, wielder of the sewing-needle blade.
A big-nosed, bearded man in his forties: Jinpachi Munashi, wielder of the explosive blade.
A bandage-wrapped man with twin beards on his chin and a black eyepatch: Jinin Akebino, wielder of the blast sword Shibuki.
A beautiful red-haired woman, the only female swordsman: Ameyuri Ringo, wielder of the Thunder Swords, Kiba.
Of the Seven Swordsmen, White Zetsu had only managed to find six. One was missing.
Then came… the Kage of past generations.
Hanzō of the Salamander, once hailed as the Demigod of the Shinobi World.
The troublesome sensory master, the Second Tsuchikage, Mū.
The Third Kazekage, regarded as the strongest Kazekage in history.
The Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hōzuki, master of Yin Release genjutsu and Water Style.
Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, the so-called God of Shinobi.
Madara Uchiha, the most powerful of the Uchiha clan.
Finally, a handful of other once-famous masters from the Five Great Villages, each with names that had shaken history.
Just eighteen Edo Tensei bodies, and already despair crept into every heart on the battlefield.
Yet the Allied shinobi, with their indomitable wills, buried that despair deep inside and fought on stubbornly.
This elite vanguard force was no group of weaklings; they were battle-hardened veterans. So even recognizing the identities of the reanimations, their hands didn't falter. The clone army's sneak attack had given it an early advantage, but in less than ten minutes, the Allied Forces' First Division had already turned the tide and suppressed them.
After Madara's earlier rebellion, Orochimaru dared not be careless. He had loosened the control on the Edo Tensei, allowing them some awareness for easier manipulation, but he kept a close watch, especially on the First Hokage. Hashirama's presence felt restless, as though he might break free at any moment.
Those sent to the front were the strongest portion of the Edo Tensei army, past Kage-level monsters, overshadowing even the Seven Swordsmen and the other once-renowned masters.
These legends of history stepped out of their coffins, momentarily disoriented, but each fully aware of one truth: they were already dead.
From different villages, they looked at the chaos before them. Among the Allied shinobi, they could faintly recognize the styles and uniforms of their own homelands.
"Hmm…" Hashirama rubbed his chin. A mere flicker of thought was enough to trigger a crushing restraint on his body. Whoever was controlling him had taken Tobirama's Edo Tensei to new heights.
Watching shinobi fall one after another, he sighed:"No matter how much time passes, conflict never ends? Can't people just sit down peacefully and talk it out, instead of always fighting?"
"You're still as naïve as ever, Hashirama."
The cold voice startled him. Looking over, he suddenly realized Madara was standing there. After a moment of stunned silence, he broke into a grin, pointed, and laughed warmly: "Madara, you're here too!"
Madara's face immediately darkened. He couldn't fathom why Hashirama would be so pleased. His voice dropped to a cold rumble:"You're nothing more than a puppet now, bound by someone else's strings. Instead of lamenting the scene before us, you should be thinking about how to break free of Edo Tensei."
Hashirama only smiled: "And aren't you the same?"
Madara's glare sharpened, voice icy: "Such a trifling jutsu as Edo Tensei cannot bind me."
At that, Hashirama's smile faded slightly. His brow furrowed, and he said calmly: "So… you've already broken the summoner's control."
Madara answered with nothing but a dangerous, silent smile.
"I don't know why, but you seem much weaker than before. What intrigues me more is why we've been summoned back, and by whom."
Then Hashirama suddenly paused, gave a bitter chuckle, raised his palm and looked at it. With a sigh, he said: "It seems our reunion will have to wait. Breaking free isn't so simple. Whoever is behind this Edo Tensei… they're skilled indeed."
His tone was tinged with helplessness, not only because he had never studied Edo Tensei himself, but also because now, even if he wished to resist, it wasn't so easy. He could feel his controller actively suppressing him.
"Tch."
Madara snorted dismissively. A Hashirama who couldn't act of his own will held no interest for him.
Of the eighteen Edo Tensei, only Madara had freed himself. The rest bent to Orochimaru's command, surging toward the Allied First Division that had been crushing the clones.
At first, the reanimated shinobi hadn't fully understood what was happening. But as Orochimaru's orders seeped into their will, each of them began to grasp the truth.
"Not even in death can we rest? What a vile jutsu."
"Being used like this… it's infuriating."
"The great ninja villages, united for once, yet we're the villains now? Not exactly friendly to me."
"Tch. As long as there are Konoha shinobi among them, I don't care."
"A shinobi's purpose is to kill. That's all."
Each voiced their own bitter thoughts as they marched toward the Allied First Division.
Hashirama, the strongest among them, looked on with grave eyes. He could see the truth clearly: he, who rejoiced at the sight of a united shinobi world, had no desire to strike at the Allied Forces.
"I'll need to find an opening… only then can I break free."
If you want to read more...
Check out the patreon and get 55 chapters in advance -> SaintXI
Currently on Chapter 622 - Power Returned to Its Peak