"Hello?"
"Can you hear me?"
"What's going on with this jutsu? Have I been resurrected from the Netherworld?"
"Hmm? Why aren't you speaking? Why use this jutsu? Do you know it disturbs the peace of the dead? What time is it now? Are you a Konoha ninja?"
"..."
Orochimaru felt that the soul of the First Hokage was a bit chatty.
Orochimaru thought for a second, then replied, "This jutsu was invented by the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama. I am a ninja from Konoha..."
Orochimaru thought for a moment, remembering an old friend, and calmly added, "First Hokage, I am a companion of Tsunade. A group of traitorous ninjas has surrounded me, and I had to use this jutsu to summon you, hoping you can help me deal with these enemies..."
"Oh, a friend of little Tsunade..."
Senju Hashirama stroked his chin, pretentiously lifting his head to think, "Judging by your appearance, little Tsunade must be quite grown up by now..."
"Yes..."
While reminiscing with the First Hokage, Orochimaru glanced at the charging Akatsuki members and softly reminded, "First Hokage, can we postpone the catching up? The enemies attacking us are about to arrive!"
"Is that so? Are the enemies strong?"
Senju Hashirama turned his head curiously, looking at the figures in Cloud Black Robe charging towards the high platform, furrowing his brow in thought once more, "Indeed, things have changed with time. They look powerful, but none are familiar to me..."
Senju Hashirama scanned the charging Akatsuki members, skipping over figures like Uchiha Itachi and Hoshigaki Kisame, only recognizing Kakuzu, which suddenly felt familiar!
After so long, seeing someone he knew from his lifetime excited Senju Hashirama!
"Hey, you over there..."
"Aren't you from the Hidden Waterfall Village..."
"!!!"
Kakuzu's face showed horror when he saw Senju Hashirama appear, even noting the friendly greeting from Hashirama!
"T-That's..."
Cold sweat appeared on Kakuzu's forehead as he looked incredulously at the person standing on the high platform, with once-forgotten fear gradually resurfacing.
What's going on?
Have I lived too long, with blurry old eyes?
Otherwise, how could I see the First Hokage Senju Hashirama here!
"Looks somewhat familiar..."
Uchiha Itachi raised his head, looking at the figure in red armor.
"That's Senju Hashirama!"
Kakuzu's figure suddenly halted, as his five hearts beat simultaneously, devoid of any elder's calmness!
"First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!"
Kakuzu's gaze fixed intensely on Senju Hashirama on the high platform, clenching his fists tightly, "I won't mistake him... Black long hair... That naive, silly-looking demeanor... Yet hiding terrifying power... Konoha's First Hokage, Senju Hashirama!"
Kakuzu's heart trembled involuntarily as psychological shadows emerged, "But... how can Senju Hashirama be here?"
"..."
The crowd on the scene collectively halted.
The Akatsuki members immediately sensed a heavy pressure!
Just the mention of that name made them reluctant to act rashly, especially after the recent encounters with Akihara Kagura, who helped make the First Hokage and Wood Release known, making it unlikely anyone thought Senju Hashirama could be easily handled!
Fortunately.
An elder is like a treasure.
Everyone on the ground instinctively looked towards Kakuzu, hoping this elder could provide some insight into the First Hokage Senju Hashirama.
"Don't look at me!"
Kakuzu got irately embarrassed, glaring at his fellow S-Class traitorous ninjas, "I don't know how strong he truly is either!"
"Didn't you claim you were second only to him?"
Unexpectedly, someone brought up Kakuzu's past boasts at this moment.
"Shut up!"
Kakuzu's face froze, interrupting his companions' questions.
While Kakuzu's expression was disgruntled, Senju Hashirama on the high platform seriously defended Kakuzu.
"That guy from Hidden Waterfall is indeed strong, having such a powerful ninja appear from such a small village is rare..."
"..."
Kakuzu's feelings immediately became complicated.
Even though Senju Hashirama praised him, and even smoothed things over for Kakuzu, he felt no happiness.
Because...
Because Kakuzu had personally witnessed the might of a Wood Release Ninja through Akihara Kagura, recalling that Senju Hashirama had once looked down on him!
Senju Hashirama looked at Kakuzu, feeling sentimental, "Didn't expect to return to the living world and meet acquaintances from my lifetime, seems like not much time has passed... That guy from Hidden Waterfall, do any of our era's people still live?"
"No."
Kakuzu replied evasively, unwilling to reminisce, just resentfully glaring at the high platform's Senju Hashirama, "Why does he even appear here?"
"It should be Orochimaru's research on that kinjutsu..."
The Red Sand Sasori spoke cautiously while planning to retreat, "The kinjutsu that resurrects the dead as his puppets, seems he revived Konoha's First Hokage Senju Hashirama, this time it seems hard to manage..."