Chapter 293: Revive, Heroes of Konoha!
Mizuki absolutely understood Kazuma best. The moment he saw hesitation on his face, he immediately knew what he was thinking and stepped forward to stop him:
"Lord Kazuma, don't let Itachi deceive you!"
"In this world, nothing comes without cost. Any pie falling from the sky definitely contains poison."
"Don't listen to Itachi's flowery words. How could resurrecting the dead be so easy?"
"I don't deny resurrection ninjutsu exists in this world, but its price proves extremely severe."
"Let's discuss the simplest, most easily understood point—resurrecting the dead definitely requires providing life force."
"The more mutilated the body, the longer they've been dead, the more life force needed."
"The more people resurrected, naturally the more life force required."
"Who will provide this life force?"
"The Box of Ultimate Bliss?"
"Or the box opener?"
"Even if the Box of Ultimate Bliss—this strongest ninja tool left by the Sage of Six Paths—proves miraculous enough to reduce most life force requirements, the box opener will definitely pay a tremendous price."
"Even if Itachi disregards life and death, willing to sacrifice his life resurrecting comrades—how many people could his meager life force resurrect?"
"If unable to mass resurrect the dead, only reviving a few while losing a powerful shinobi like Itachi—this transaction proves disastrous no matter how you calculate!"
After listening, Kazuma immediately nodded approvingly:
"Mizuki-kun's words make sense. This matter requires careful consideration."
Seeing Mizuki dismiss Kazuma's wavering thoughts with just a few sentences, Itachi immediately grew desperate. Unable to maintain respect for Mizuki, he roared loudly:
"Silence, Mizuki!"
"What do you know about ninjutsu or ninja tools?"
"You're merely an ordinary-born shinobi. Where would you have witnessed any impressive ninjutsu or tools?"
"Powerful ninja tools' miraculousness far exceeds human imagination!"
"They're conceptual things defying common sense!"
"They're miraculous objects creating possibility within impossibility!"
"In the shinobi world, chakra is everything's core. Everything else merely serves as catalyst."
"If the Box of Ultimate Bliss truly functions as wish-granting, it absolutely can mass resurrect people without requiring excessive life force."
"As for the price required by wishes, naturally I, Uchiha Itachi, will bear it alone!"
"Even if it means my death and clan extinction, I won't hesitate!"
Itachi resembled a gambler who'd lost everything. Eyes bloodshot, veins bulging on his forehead, he shouted hysterically.
But his resolute attitude also influenced nearby listeners.
Those clan members' expressions began wavering. After all, if possible, who wouldn't want their clan members resurrected?
Especially when the price needn't be paid by themselves.
Finally, someone couldn't resist, beginning to probe with an ingratiating smile:
"Um, Lord Kazuma, perhaps... we could let Itachi try?"
That voice carried careful flattery yet couldn't conceal deep-hidden longing beneath—like a stone tossed into stagnant water.
Seeing someone speak up, the previously frozen silence instantly shattered. Everyone immediately began echoing chaotically, persuasive whispers merging into a restless whirlpool.
"Right, no harm trying."
"If ineffective, at least Itachi will abandon this notion."
"So many of us watching—if any problems arise, we can stop it immediately. Nothing major will happen."
Seeing this, Kazuma could only compromise.
"Fine, fine—try it first!" Kazuma waved irritably. "Mizuki, you're responsible for this matter. I still have much political business—returning first."
Mizuki hastily agreed, respectfully seeing Kazuma off.
After walking several steps, Kazuma waved Mizuki over, instructing quietly:
"Everyone else can be resurrected, but absolutely not Third, Fourth, or other Hokages. You understand my meaning?"
"I understand!" Mizuki nodded like a pecking chicken. "Lord Kazuma, rest completely assured."
"We're conducting experiments first. Important figures like Hokage absolutely cannot serve as test subjects. Only after proving everything safe and sound will we consider them."
"Whether to actually resurrect them, how to resurrect them—definitely requires your approval, Lord Kazuma."
"Excellent. Mizuki-kun truly proves loyal!" Kazuma patted Mizuki's shoulder with satisfaction before turning away.
Only after Kazuma departed did a smile appear on Mizuki's face. Turning back before everyone, he said:
"Though Itachi willingly disregards life and death, we should still carefully consider for Itachi, minimizing his resurrection pressure as much as possible."
"My thinking is this—the longer someone's been dead, the greater the resurrection price. Why not start resurrecting from recently deceased people?"
"What do you all think?"
"Recently deceased?" After listening, everyone immediately thought of clan members who'd unfortunately died failing "Hero Trials." They immediately nodded agreement.
"Excellent idea!"
"Everything follows Lord Mizuki's instructions."
Seeing everyone agree, Mizuki continued:
"If bodies remain intact, resurrection consumption should prove smaller. So please everyone make a trip to the memorial stone, bring your clan members' bodies here, arrange them before the Box of Ultimate Bliss, awaiting Itachi opening the box."
Everyone felt Mizuki's words made sense. They immediately rushed toward the memorial stone to open coffins and retrieve bodies.
After everyone left, Mizuki quietly approached Itachi's side, suggesting softly:
"Itachi, Lord Third also died recently. Why not retrieve his body as well, taking this opportunity to resurrect him?"
"With Lord Third as spiritual anchor, the village should quickly return to proper track."
Itachi had always missed Third's era and intended doing this anyway. Now confirming the village truly agreed to let him open the box resurrecting comrades, he gratefully nodded toward Mizuki before vanishing with Body Flicker.
Soon Itachi returned carrying Third's body, placing it before the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
Mizuki covered Third with prepared white cloth, concealing his identity.
Before long, the Box of Ultimate Bliss's surroundings filled with various bodies—a rough count revealed dozens.
After everyone arranged bodies, gazes concentrated on the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
The box surface appeared covered in blood, littered with flesh and bone fragments—obviously having experienced a brutal battle before Itachi seized it.
Seeing those brutal traces, everyone's impression of Itachi improved somewhat. All stared at him with burning gazes, awaiting his box-opening wish.
Mizuki nodded at Itachi before quietly retreating far away, waiting to watch the spectacle.
Itachi walked before the Box of Ultimate Bliss with surging emotions. With a thought, he activated Susanoo before pouring all the tremendous chakra amplified by Susanoo into the Box of Ultimate Bliss.
"Revive, heroes of Konoha!"