[NTU] [ARC-26] Chapter : 351

"Hehe… I wonder if you’ll enjoy this little surprise..."

In the shadows of a damp, echoing cave, Kabuto let out a sinister chuckle, his expression twisted with pride.
The only shame? No one was around to appreciate his genius but himself.

"We may have lost Salamander Hanzō... but the rest of my pieces are still very much in play."

As he mentioned the name, Kabuto's eyes drifted toward two unconscious figures lying nearby.
One was Uchiha Sasuke, captured after great effort.
The other—Anko Mitarashi, her slender frame limp and breath shallow.

Kabuto’s gaze lingered, flickering with uncertainty.

"Now, the question is... whose body should I use to bring back Lord Orochimaru?"

He stared between them—between necks marked by Orochimaru's cursed seal—unable to decide which vessel would be more appropriate. Which version of Orochimaru did he want to resurrect?

Then, a new doubt crept in.

"Wait… should I even bring him back now?"
He had already absorbed Orochimaru’s remaining chakra. Would reviving him now jeopardize his own evolution?

"No... better to wait until this war is over."

Eventually, his eyes settled on Sasuke.

Yes. With the Heaven Curse Mark, Sasuke would serve as the perfect medium. Orochimaru could even re-inhabit the Uchiha’s powerful body, resolving multiple problems at once.

But Kabuto didn’t realize that while he was musing, a silent storm approached.

A man with a glacial expression—fierce, unrelenting—was tracking him from the shadows, tailing the path of Hanzō’s retreat. Trouble was coming fast.

Elsewhere, lurking in the darkness, Black Zetsu watched Kabuto with growing frustration.

"This fool... he didn’t even summon Madara!"

His face contorted.

"Is he hiding him as a trump card? Or does he have his own twisted plans?"

Through White Zetsu’s network, he had confirmed it: Uchiha Madara was not among the reanimated shinobi. That realization made his gut twist.

Obito had been meticulous about Madara’s resurrection, going to great lengths to keep it hidden from even Kabuto. If Kabuto failed to play his part, all that effort could be undone.

"If he just summons Madara, we can force Nagato to use the Rinne Rebirth and bring him back properly."

"With Madara active, the Eye of the Moon Plan can proceed exactly as I scripted it."

He had subtly manipulated Kabuto’s obsession with "shinobi archaeology," planting clues so the snake-like rogue wouldn’t grow suspicious when he uncovered Madara’s corpse.

Why hadn’t he just summoned Madara himself?

Because Black Zetsu, true to his nature, refused to operate directly. His entire existence had been spent pulling strings from the shadows. Stepping into the light… felt wrong.

—

Back at the Allied Shinobi Forces Command Center, chaos erupted.

"Hokage-sama! Raikage-sama! We’ve got a situation!"

The shout came from Ao, who raised both hands toward a glowing sphere of water chakra, floating midair like a crystal ball.

"An enormous surge of high-level chakra has just appeared—right in front of the coalition’s position!"

His voice cracked with alarm, sharp and hoarse—like a civilian girl startled in a dark alley by a looming figure.

Even the usually composed Inoichi Yamanaka paled.

"We’ve received word from the front lines: numerous reanimated elite shinobi have appeared. They’re requesting immediate support from the Sealing Team."

"So it begins..."

At those words, Shikaku closed his eyes briefly and looked toward the Hokage, expression grim.

"The worst-case scenario is playing out... just as we feared."

"Tch… Figures. What I said actually came true. I must really be cursed..."

Toshiro grimaced inwardly. Of course, that kind of thing couldn’t be said out loud—not when he still had to report to the Hokage. Complaining too openly would only make things harder.

"Hmph! This is all Konoha’s fault!"

Unlike Toshiro, Raikage A had no such reservations. He might not be able to take on everyone here in a straight fight—not that it stopped him from voicing his frustrations.

"Hey now, don’t look at me. Blame the Second Hokage!"
Toshiro rolled his eyes, casually shifting the blame without a hint of guilt.
"If he hadn’t created the Edo-tensei jutsu, we wouldn’t be in this mess to begin with."

His tone was sharp with mockery, but the Raikage wasn’t buying it. Second, Fifth, whatever—they were all Konoha’s people. Uchiha or Senju, they were still under the same village banner.

"Tch..."

Just as the Raikage was about to snap back, Inoichi hesitated, raising his hand slightly and interjecting in a more cautious tone.

"Um… the Second Hokage is currently under enemy control."
He glanced at Toshiro, unsure whether to speak further, but feeling obligated to correct the record. Even if this Fifth Hokage had a tendency to deflect blame.

"Tch. Jiraiya really dropped the ball."
Toshiro clicked his tongue, using the moment to pivot away.
"He actually let Kabuto resurrect both the Second and Third Hokage."

Without missing a beat, Toshiro turned his attention to the battlefield logistics.

"Mabui, Shikaku—are the sealing tags ready?"
"Also, are Jiraiya and Kushina at the scene?"
"And Karin—that brat—should be able to use the Diamond Seal now. Send her in as reinforcement."

The preparations had been in place for some time. Now was the moment to deploy them. Jiraiya and Kushina, both combat-proven veterans, were ideal for frontline leadership.

Kushina, in particular, as a Nine-Tails Jinchūriki and a true-born Uzumaki, had sealing jutsu prowess unline any other against Edo-tensei. And Karin—thanks to Kushina’s tutelage—had recently awakened both Kagura’s Mind Eye and the Adamantine Sealing Chains.

This was the perfect opportunity for her to gain real combat experience... and maybe stop clinging to Haku all day like a lost puppy.

"Konoha really is overflowing with talent…"
Raikage’s voice was low, but laced with envy as he listened to Toshiro’s calm strategic distribution.

Jiraiya, Tsunade, Kushina, Naruto, Itachi, Fugaku, Shisui, and Toshiro himself—eight confirmed Kage-level shinobi.

And that wasn’t even counting Hatake Kakashi, the Ino-Shika-Chō trio, Yamato with his Wood Release, or the other elite jōnin who were all in their prime.

Even Naruto—while still lacking a solid track record—was widely acknowledged for his power.
And Itachi, despite his rare public appearances, was feared and respected by every hidden village. His silence made him even more dangerous—a ghost with a Sharingan.

Add in Fugaku, low-profile but powerful, and Might Guy, whose combat style defied logic, and Raikage couldn’t help but grind his teeth.

And now, Konoha had another Uzumaki—Karin—who could already use the legendary Adamantine sealing chains?

It was getting hard not to feel outclassed.