"If you dare use the Reanimation Jutsu on my grandfather, I won't let you hear the end of it."
Looking at Tsunade's attitude, Kakashi didn't say much. However, Hikari, who was standing to the side, spoke up with a hint of curiosity.
"Reanimation Jutsu?"
"What is that?"
Hearing his wife's confusion, Kakashi explained it to her.
"It is a technique that resurrects the dead back into the living world."
As Hikari listened to Kakashi's words, her pupils trembled slightly.
There is actually a jutsu that can revive the dead...
Then wouldn't that mean...
"But it requires the genetic material of the person to be resurrected as a medium, and it requires the sacrifice of a living life. Both of these are easily found if one looks for them."
"However, the resurrected person is nothing more than a puppet controlled by the caster," Tsunade continued with a cold sneer.
Hikari's heart, which had just begun to heat up, instantly cooled down again.
"Naturally, I won't use the Reanimation Jutsu to meet the First Hokage..." Kakashi said calmly, his gaze lightly sweeping over the necklace on Tsunade's chest.
"Then what do you plan to do?"
Hearing Tsunade's question, Kakashi touched his chin and spoke thoughtfully.
"Tsunade, what do you think chakra is?"
??
Why is this kid asking a question even a child knows?
Although Tsunade was puzzled, she didn't hesitate to answer.
"Chakra is the combination of a ninja's physical energy and spiritual energy."
Kakashi nodded.
"Correct, and that is where the issue lies."
"And what is spiritual energy?"
This time, Kakashi didn't keep them in suspense. He voiced the conjecture that had arisen in his heart earlier in the Shikkotsu Forest.
"Spiritual energy, to be precise, is a person's will."
"Theoretically speaking, any trace of chakra can be understood as an extension of a person's will."
Kakashi extended his palm toward Tsunade, and a visible blue flame of chakra rose from his palm.
This made Tsunade's eyes narrow slightly.
This kid can materialize chakra so easily.
"If I use this chakra to perform combat ninjutsu, I can naturally use various nature transformations according to my thoughts, but..."
"What if it's a clone?"
Accompanying Kakashi's words, the chakra flame in his palm merged into his hand, and he began to form hand seals.
Poof.
Accompanied by rising white smoke, a shadow clone appeared in front of Tsunade and Hikari.
"So, what exactly are you trying to say?" Tsunade looked at Kakashi with furrowed brows.
"What I want to say is..."
"Chakra is a person's life," the newly created clone spoke up at this moment.
"Isn't that just nonsense?" Tsunade felt like Kakashi was messing with her.
"I understand!"
Hikari, who had been pondering Kakashi's actions from the side, suddenly spoke up, her eyes brightening.
Before Tsunade could ask further, Hikari looked at Kakashi with a gaze full of incredulity.
"Chakra is a person's will, and Kakashi's clone proves that a clone possesses all of the original body's memories!"
Tsunade felt like this couple was teasing her.
They were stating the obvious.
"That means, if Kakashi wants to find Hashirama Senju without using the Reanimation Jutsu, he needs to find Hashirama Senju's chakra first!"
"And Hashirama Senju's chakra possesses memories belonging to Hashirama Senju."
"In this way, aside from the difference in strength, there is fundamentally no difference between Hashirama Senju's chakra and Hashirama Senju himself!"
Hikari's words earned an approving look from Kakashi. He then looked at Tsunade and spoke seriously.
"So, Lady Tsunade, do you understand what I mean?"
Looking at Kakashi in front of her, Tsunade felt a bit dazed.
She subconsciously looked down at the necklace on her chest.
This... was the relic left by her grandfather when he was alive. Carved inside it was a sealing jutsu left by Hashirama Senju.
Wood Style: Hokage-Style Sixty-Year-Old Enclosed Hermitage to Harmony.
Back when Hashirama Senju fought Madara Uchiha, he used this very move to easily suppress the Nine-Tails.
But now, decades had passed, and the chakra left inside was constantly dissipating.
But...
There was still some left!
There was still chakra left by her grandfather!
"You mean!"
Tsunade now clearly understood Kakashi's intention.
As long as they extracted the chakra from within and used that chakra to cast the Shadow Clone Jutsu, they could make Hashirama Senju reappear in the ninja world once more!
Even if it was just a clone!
But...
She really, truly wanted to see her family again!
"Then... what should I do?"
There was a tremble in Tsunade's voice. She subconsciously cupped the necklace on her chest, gazing at the emerald crystal. Her usually sharp phoenix eyes revealed a rare gentleness.
"Er, we should first find a technique to extract the chakra from inside," Kakashi said somewhat helplessly.
This was the biggest difficulty.
How to extract chakra that didn't belong to oneself from an object, and then use the Shadow Clone Jutsu to recreate the demeanor of the deceased.
"Go find the Old Man."
Tsunade held the emerald necklace lightly and spoke calmly.
"Even the Third Hokage might not necessarily have that kind of technology, right?" Kakashi said with a frown.
"If he doesn't have it, then we create it. I refuse to believe that with me, the Old Man, and you..."
"If two Hokage plus two Sannin can't figure out this technique, then we might as well not live!" Tsunade said through gritted teeth.
Clearly, she was determined to extract Hashirama Senju's chakra no matter what.
She even included Jiraiya, who was currently trying to find a way to skip town, in her count.
Kakashi looked at Tsunade and smiled helplessly.
He was still quite young and didn't plan on accompanying this group of middle-aged and elderly people over forty to the Pure Land.
But just as Tsunade said.
Two Hokage, two Sannin—if they couldn't even solve a problem like this, then frankly, Kakashi might as well resign.
"I'll go find the Old Man. Kakashi, you go call that guy Jiraiya over!"
"All day long, he just knows how to run to the bathhouse. It's time for him to do some serious work!"
Tsunade was now full of motivation, a completely different person from her usual image.
"Alright, I understand. I'll send someone to find Jiraiya, and we'll meet at the Third's house." Kakashi nodded.
"In that case, I'm leaving first."
As soon as Tsunade finished speaking, she disappeared from the spot with a Body Flicker, clearly unable to wait.
Watching the decisive and swift Tsunade, Hikari sighed with emotion, seeing Tsunade like this for the first time.
"As expected, you need motivation for everything."
Hikari couldn't help but think of the Reanimation Jutsu that Tsunade and Kakashi had just discussed.
If it were possible...
She couldn't help but think of her own parents.
If Mom and Dad knew that I was married, they would definitely be very happy, right...
Kakashi silently watched his wife, who was lost in thought. He sighed in his heart but didn't know what to say.
"Let's go find Jiraiya."
"I made you worry, Kakashi. I'm truly sorry," Hikari said, seemingly sensing Kakashi's gaze, an apologetic expression appearing on her face immediately.
"Don't say that, I..."
Kakashi wanted to say something, but Hikari had already stepped out the door first. She glanced back at Kakashi with a smile. "Let's go~"
"Yeah."
Seeing this, Kakashi swallowed the rest of his words and followed behind Hikari.
Walking through the deserted grounds of the Senju clan, feeling the breeze on her face, Hikari blamed herself slightly in her heart.
Clearly, both Kakashi and I are people who have lost everything. Being able to come together by coincidence is already very lucky. Someone like me, who should be content, actually showed such a sad appearance in front of Kakashi. It was really a bit willful...
"Kakashi."
Hikari walked side by side with Kakashi and spoke in a somewhat disappointed tone.
"What's wrong?"
Kakashi thought Hikari was still immersed in the pain of the past.
"Sorry for making you worry."
Hikari shook her head, seeming to want to shake those sad emotions out of her mind.
Kakashi looked at his wife acting this way. He chuckled lightly and patted her head.
"There's no need for that between us. We are husband and wife."
Hearing Kakashi's words, Hikari's eyes curved into crescents. As if she had truly forgotten everything just now, she said with a beaming smile, "Right, right, we are husband and wife."
"The best fighters in the entire Hidden Leaf!"
Hearing Hikari's words, Kakashi smiled and didn't say much, but Hikari spoke up at this moment.
"Kakashi, you go find Jiraiya by yourself in a bit. I want to go see if the new manga is out."
"I'll also stop by to check on that kid, Naruto. I'll help him pack up his things when he gets out of school at noon. After all, we'll be family from now on."
Kakashi looked at Hikari with some surprise.
He had originally thought Hikari would accompany him for the day.
And this excuse was really clumsy...
Kakashi didn't refuse. Instead, he chuckled lightly and rubbed Hikari's head, accepting her choice.
Watching Hikari's retreating figure, Kakashi sighed softly.
Everyone needs time to be alone quietly.
Hikari, who had originally planned to stay with Kakashi all day, had unexpectedly poked a sore spot.
At a time like this, Hikari didn't need anyone's comfort; she just needed to stay in a corner quietly by herself, licking the wound that had long since scabbed over.
Perhaps even if Kakashi forcibly barged into Hikari's personal world, Hikari wouldn't say anything, and might even feel joy because of it.
Because Kakashi wouldn't let her be alone anymore.
But Kakashi respected Hikari's choice.
Sometimes, Kakashi liked to be alone too.
As Hikari walked further away, she glanced back slightly. Seeing Kakashi watching her from afar out of the corner of her eye, the expression in her eyes couldn't help but soften significantly.
Sure enough, Kakashi is gentle...
Should I control my emotions better in the future? Otherwise, if I'm always sad about the past, I won't be able to be a good wife.
Yep, that's it!
Thinking of this, Hikari cheered herself on.
The women's bath, filled with steam.
A certain white-haired old man was hiding behind the bricks of the surrounding wall. With a weird, infatuated smile on his face, he gazed at the graceful figures faintly visible in the steam. As the women in the hot spring played and frolicked, this wretched old man drooled like a pervert.
"So good... slurp~"
The wretched guy wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth.
"I say..."
"It's better to change this bad habit early."
"After all, no woman likes a peeping tom."
Kakashi's figure appeared behind this wretched guy, and he yanked the other party down from the wall.
Looking at the old lecher in front of him, Kakashi was speechless.
With this kind of deadbeat behavior, he still wants to pursue Tsunade?
It's simply a toad lusting after swan meat.
Only Tsunade has a good temper. If Kakashi were Tsunade, facing an old lecher who thought of ways to peep at her and other women every day, he probably would have shoved Jiraiya's head up his ass long ago.
"Ma, what do you know? This is research, the source of inspiration for novel creation."
Jiraiya wiped the saliva from the corner of his mouth and looked at Kakashi indifferently.
"Since you won't let me leave the village, and you won't let me do my research..."
"You can't just let me sit idly in the village, right?"
Looking at Kakashi, Jiraiya shrugged, acting exactly like a dead pig that isn't afraid of boiling water.
"Having nothing to do, are you?"
"Now you have something to do."
Hearing Kakashi's words, Jiraiya shook his head and refused without even thinking about it.
"No way, no way, no way. Except for asking me to find Nagato, I won't do anything else."
"Don't expect me to work for you, kid."
Looking at Jiraiya, who couldn't even be bothered to listen to what the matter was, Kakashi frowned slightly.
This guy...
"Tsunade will be involved."
"What is it?"
Sarutobi Residence
When Kakashi and Jiraiya arrived at the Sarutobi residence, Tsunade had already explained her purpose to Hiruzen Sarutobi and had already begun working on it.
"You two are just in time. Hurry, the Old Man has a lead."
Seeing Kakashi and Jiraiya arrive, Tsunade quickly beckoned to them.
"What's up, Old Man?"
Jiraiya plopped down on the sofa, looking puzzled at the coffee table covered with various materials regarding chakra.
"You didn't tell this guy what it was about?"
Tsunade looked at Kakashi with some confusion.
"When I found him, he was doing 'research.' I was too lazy to waste words with him."
Kakashi spoke nonchalantly.
Hearing this, veins popped out on Tsunade's forehead, and she was furious.
Research?!
Research my ass! It was peeping, just peeping!
Although angry in her heart, because it concerned her grandfather, Tsunade ultimately forced herself to calm down.
"The situation is like this..."
Tsunade quickly explained the events that had transpired in the Shikkotsu Forest, which left Jiraiya astonished.
Kakashi actually signed a contract with the Slug Sage?
The Sage Modes of the Three Great Holy Lands weren't meant for humans to practice?
Hashirama Senju was actually the first human to pioneer Sage Mode?
And now, Kakashi and the other two intend to get Hashirama Senju out of the necklace?
Looking at the three people in front of him, Jiraiya frowned tightly, his face looking somewhat dazed and melancholy.
Compared to all this, he was more concerned about the Slug Sage's attitude.
After receiving the Great Toad Sage's prophecy, the Slug Sage made a choice completely opposite to the Toad Sage.
This meant that one day in the future, Shikkotsu Forest might very likely come into direct conflict with Mount Myōboku.
Counting Ryūchi Cave, represented by Orochimaru who had already defected...
Thinking back to the Second Great Ninja War, the three of them—the Konoha Sannin—each represented one of the Three Great Holy Lands...
In the future, Jiraiya seemed to see a scene where the Three Great Holy Lands fought their own battles...
This made Jiraiya sigh endlessly.
"Creating a clone of Hashirama Senju?"
"Interesting. Count me in."
Jiraiya stroked his chin, threw those thoughts out of his mind, and fixed his gaze on the coffee table filled with various materials about chakra.
Seeing this scene, Kakashi didn't say much; he just picked up the materials on the table and started reading.
Kakashi didn't dislike Jiraiya as a person; he could only be described as a bit single-minded.
However, as long as it involved Konoha or the Hokage, apart from not wanting to be Hokage himself, he would always stand firmly on Konoha's side.
Jiraiya was a ruthless man who could kill even Tsunade for the sake of Konoha.
"To extract the First's chakra from this necklace, we must know why this thing can store chakra."
Kakashi said while looking at the document in his hand.
"I thought so too, so I found the scroll on storing chakra in objects—or maybe we should give it another name."
"Special Ninja Tool Forging Guide."
Hiruzen Sarutobi smoked his pipe and picked up a document from the corner of the table.
Although special ninja tools weren't common, they weren't exactly rare either.
Tobirama Senju's Sword of the Thunder God, the Seven Ninja Swordsmen's great swords, and even the Cloud Village's Treasured Tools of the Sage of Six Paths all belonged to this category.
With other items as samples, trying to understand the principles behind them couldn't stop them at all.
The four people present were all leaders in the ninja world. With their combined efforts, even the mysteries of a Kekkei Genkai were like a young girl wearing a thin veil to them; to see the mystery within, they only needed to lift that hazy layer of gauze.
Let alone a mere necklace of the First Hokage.
With the four of them fully cooperating, the principle of the First's necklace was figured out that very night.
The remaining matters were even simpler.
It just required one of the four present to use fūinjutsu to seal this chakra into their body, and then use their own hands to extract the power of this chakra to use the Shadow Clone Jutsu.
"I'll do it!"
Tsunade spoke, looking at the necklace on her chest with burning eyes.
For this kind of thing, she couldn't let it pass through another's hands.
Only herself—only she could use the chakra of her closest relative.
Kakashi and the other two naturally wouldn't snatch this kind of thing from Tsunade.
Since Tsunade wanted it, then let her have it.
Once all preparations were complete, the four of them arrived at the rooftop of the Hokage building.
They wanted to create the clone of the First Hokage here.
Looking at the brightly lit night view of Konoha under the curtain of night, Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a myriad of emotions in his heart, and the pipe in his hand trembled slightly.
The world knew he was the student of the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, but they didn't know that he was actually Hashirama Senju's student as well.
It was just that the First's teaching ability was truly worrying, which was why Tobirama Senju became his teacher.
Pale blue smoke puffed from Hiruzen's mouth and nose, blending into the night with the blowing of the evening breeze.
At this moment, the summoning ritual officially began.
Tsunade pressed the First's necklace against the purple seal on her fair forehead. As the previously prepared chakra extraction technique was activated, the First's necklace emitted a green glow like a candle flame in the night breeze...
————
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