"If I'm right, this should be what you're looking for!"
Naruto took a closer look. The mask in Kakashi's hand had a blue face and vicious fangs, radiating an ominous aura.
If his guess was correct, it was the Shinigami Mask he had been searching for for many days. He had originally thought the mask had been taken away by the Third Hokage or Jiraiya, but he never expected it to end up in Kakashi's hands.
Thinking of this, Naruto put away his playful smile and said seriously, "I really am looking for this mask. What do you want from me? Information about the Akatsuki organization and the masked man? Or perhaps a promise that I won't attack Konoha Ninja Village?"
Naruto really did know about the Akatsuki organization...
After thinking for a while, Kakashi directly tossed the Shinigami Mask to Naruto and shook his head. "I originally wanted to ask you for some benefits, but after thinking it over carefully, forget it. This thing already belongs to you."
"I've already guessed the masked man's identity, and I'll deal with him myself."
"Then you'd better hurry up. If I get the chance, I definitely won't hold back. I'll never let that useless idiot who only knows how to complain and blame others go."
After catching the mask, Naruto stared blankly at Kakashi, a trace of regret in his tone.
Kakashi had taken the initiative to hand over the mask, which meant Naruto lost the perfect excuse to sneak-attack him. On top of that, Kakashi was also proficient in the Flying Thunder God Technique. If they fought seriously, he definitely wouldn't be easy to deal with next time they met.
Spinning the Shinigami Mask between his fingers, Naruto then asked, "Kakashi, you should know what I plan to use after getting the Shinigami Mask."
Kakashi didn't deny it and nodded slightly.
Although he wasn't some ninjutsu professor, he still knew there was a forbidden technique stored inside the Scroll of Seals called the Reanimation Jutsu. That technique could resurrect dead ninjas and was considered one of the most evil forbidden arts.
As if he had guessed Kakashi's thoughts, Naruto's tone became lower. "Since you already know what technique I'm going to use, are you interested in reviving the White Fang of Konoha? As long as you can provide the DNA, I can provide the sacrifice."
The moment those words came out, Kakashi fell silent for a long time before finally shaking his head lightly.
"My father died for his beliefs. If he saw Konoha after being resurrected, he'd probably feel even worse."
The White Fang of Konoha was Kakashi's father, Sakumo Hatake, a jonin who resembled a samurai more than a ninja. His strength was comparable to the older generation of Sannin.
During the Second Great Ninja War, he killed Sasori's parents and made enormous contributions. Yet in the end, because of the failure of an important mission, combined with the accusations of the villagers and the betrayal of his teammates, he eventually chose suicide.
Sakumo Hatake's experience was even more tragic than Naruto's, the son of a hero burdened with disaster.
Because what killed the White Fang wasn't himself, but the Will of Fire he believed in. Somewhere along the line, the Will of Fire had stopped being Hokage protecting his comrades and instead became a tool for the major factions to attack each other.
Thinking of this, Naruto said meaningfully, "Kakashi, it seems you really do know a lot of secrets. You're no longer the uncle who hides from reality by reading porn novels all day. Interested in joining Uzushiogakure?"
Facing Naruto's invitation, Kakashi showed a helpless smile. "I still don't want to leave Konoha. Jiraiya-sama and Tsunade-sama have worked hard on reforms these past few years, and conditions in the village have improved quite a bit."
"Really?" Naruto clearly didn't believe Jiraiya and Tsunade could truly complete the reforms.
There were simply too many problems in Konoha now. It could barely be considered salvageable. Even with reforms, at most they could maintain the status quo and stop things from getting even worse.
Kakashi remained silent, obviously not holding much hope for Jiraiya and Tsunade either.
Although Jiraiya had taken power through a coup, he only targeted Danzo and never truly attacked the Third Hokage's faction. The Third Hokage and the Sarutobi Clan still existed in Konoha and continued exerting enormous influence.
As the head of the Anbu, Kakashi was more of a minister in name only. There weren't many ninjas he could truly command.
Seeing Kakashi hesitate, Naruto waved his hand and said, "I won't force you to join Uzushiogakure, but I'm planning to revive the Fourth Hokage and Kushina immediately. Aren't you curious to witness the scene of death and resurrection?"
After speaking, Naruto rushed out of Konoha Village without waiting for Kakashi's response.
Kakashi hesitated for a moment before following after Naruto.
He would never actively seek to resurrect the dead, but he also wanted to see Minato-sensei and Kushina-sama again.
Otherwise, he never would have secretly kept the Shinigami Mask.
Not long afterward, the two arrived at a forest outside the village.
After casually finding an open area, Naruto formed hand seals and summoned the glass containers storing the DNA of Namikaze Minato and Kushina.
At the same time, his shadow clone brought over the prepared White Zetsu sacrifices, along with the cursed seals needed to control the Edo Tensei bodies.
Once all the preparations were complete, Naruto put on the Shinigami Mask, clasped his hands together, and performed the Dead Demon Consuming Seal.
As the technique activated, a phantom of the Shinigami appeared before Naruto and Kakashi.
Looking at the phantom, Naruto directly pulled out a kunai and sliced open his abdomen.
The moment two white lights appeared, he slammed his palms onto the ground and shouted:
"Edo Tensei!"
As soon as the words fell, the two white lights entered the sacrificed White Zetsu bodies, which gradually transformed into the appearances of Namikaze Minato and Kushina, both staring blankly ahead.
The instant Kakashi saw Namikaze Minato and Kushina, he froze in place.
His eyes were filled with memories of the past as he unconsciously stepped forward.
Because of his age, he barely remembered his own father and mother anymore.
But his memories of Minato and Kushina were still vivid. That period had been the happiest time of his life, and he still occasionally immersed himself in those memories.
Glancing at Kakashi, who was practically wide open with emotional vulnerability, Naruto looked once more at the Shinigami phantom before him.
He had obtained the method to deceive the Shinigami from the old clan leader, Ashina. During the process of using the Dead Demon Consuming Seal, the caster temporarily merged with the Shinigami. As long as he cut open his stomach, he could release the sealed soul.
Besides the cost of disembowelment, the caster's soul would also suffer the Shinigami's revenge.
However, after observing the Shinigami phantom for a moment, Naruto suddenly felt that the Shinigami summoned by the Dead Demon Consuming Seal wasn't nearly as powerful as he had imagined.
Maybe... he could actually try fighting the Shinigami someday?
While thinking about it, the wound on Naruto's abdomen healed at an absurdly fast speed, and the scar soon vanished completely.
A fatal injury was no longer considered a serious wound for Naruto at his current level.
As time passed, Naruto didn't experience the Shinigami's revenge at all. Instead, the Shinigami phantom gradually faded away. After giving Naruto one final deep look, it quickly disappeared into the void.
The strangely human expression in the Shinigami's eyes caused Naruto to fall into deep thought, making him even more convinced that enormous secrets were hidden within the Pure Land.
Withdrawing his drifting thoughts, Naruto tossed aside the kunai and looked toward the Fourth Hokage couple beside him.
As the Shinigami phantom disappeared completely, the two of them finally opened their eyes.
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