Naruto: Sasuke Uchiha Returns from Soul Society

Because the body resurrected through the Impure World Reincarnation technique is indestructible, in everyone's eyes, Sasuke's strike just now was simply a way of forcibly severing the connection between the caster and the resurrected through some extraordinary means, thus breaking the technique.

But in reality, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already dead beyond any doubt.

His soul was completely torn apart the instant the "Takemikazuchi" struck his body, and his spirit was scattered to the winds.

Having lost its most fundamental "soul" to rely on, the impure vessel of Impure World Reincarnation naturally vanished into nothingness.

From this perspective, Sasuke did indeed break the Impure World Reincarnation, but the result was much more thorough.

"Sasuke!"

Kakashi's heart clenched as he watched the swirling dust and Sasuke's resolute figure standing with his sword in hand.

Almost instinctively, he took a step forward, seemingly trying to stop the unpredictable situation from deteriorating further.

However, Kabuto Yakushi's figure slid silently in front of him like a ghost, his eyes behind his glasses slightly narrowed, blocking his way.

"Fifth Hokage, please wait."

Kabuto wore his usual gentle smile, his glasses reflecting the dim light. "Sasuke-kun's 'conversation' with the previous Hokage has only just begun."

The words sounded polite, but the tone was cold.

"Hmph, as expected of a brat from the Uchiha clan."

Tobirama Senju snapped out of his daze, snorted coldly, crossed his arms, and scrutinized Sasuke with undisguised disdain and disgust in his eyes.

“A group driven by hatred is always so capricious in its emotions, and will act without reason.”

"Come on, Tobirama, don't say that."

Hashirama Senju scratched his head, a wry smile on his face, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. "This child must be suffering a lot inside, and..."

He glanced at Sasuke's retreating figure and exclaimed in admiration, "That last strike was truly impressive, haha."

Sasuke ignored the surrounding chatter.

He turned around, the Takemikazuchi sword in his hand, still bearing faint arcs of electricity, pointing diagonally at the ground. On the tip of the sword, a wisp of Hiruzen Sarutobi's soul particle was quietly annihilating.

His crimson Sharingan calmly swept over the remaining three Hokage, his voice icy.

"I haven't finished asking about my matter yet."

This pronouncement, so full of judgment, was something Tobirama could no longer tolerate.

"Orochimaru!" He whirled around, glaring at the culprit. "Release this technique immediately! Stop this blasphemous act!"

As he spoke, his fingers twitched slightly uncontrollably, and his chakra began to surge violently as he tried to forcefully form hand seals and break free from this restraint with his own power.

However, Orochimaru only let out a hoarse chuckle.

He quickly formed hand seals, and an even stronger binding force instantly tightened like an invisible shackle, firmly restraining Tobirama's movements, causing his raised arm to hang limply at his sides.

"Damn it..." Tobirama let out a low growl of resentment in his heart.

The precision of this technique is far worse than when I was resurrected by Orochimaru in Konoha last time...

I'm probably not even able to unleash 30% of my peak strength right now, so I can't break free from his control at all!

"I'm sorry, Second Generation Lord."

Orochimaru slowly walked up to Tobirama, a fake smile on his pale face. "I was asked to do this by that child. Unless Sasuke agrees, I might ask you guys to completely destroy Konoha."

These threatening and provocative words intensified the murderous intent in Tobirama's eyes.

However, just as he was about to have another attack...

"Hahahaha! Sarutobi has really trained a remarkable disciple!" Hashirama Senju looked at Orochimaru and burst into hearty laughter.

This sudden praise startled Orochimaru, who then humbly bowed slightly.

"To be praised so highly by the 'God of Ninjas' is truly an unparalleled honor."

But he dared not relax for a moment and remained extremely vigilant.

Even in this low-precision Edo Tensei state, Hashirama Senju's power is still unfathomable. If he seizes the opportunity to break free, I would probably be instantly killed. I must not be careless.

"Haha, don't be nervous, Orochimaru." Hashirama seemed to see through his thoughts, waved his hand at him, and smiled gently. "Let's untangle this child's knot first."

His voice became steady, his smile gradually faded, and his eyes slowly became serious.

"Although I don't know what choice this Uchiha child will make after hearing my words, if we ignore his questions now, he will surely become the next Madara."

"When Madara and I were his age, we were far less powerful than him..." Hashirama thought to himself, "What a terrifying junior, haha."

Faced with Hashirama's decision, Tobirama was still displeased, but he didn't argue anymore. He just turned his head and let out a cold snort.

"...Then it's up to you, brother."

He knew that although his older brother seemed easy to talk to, once he made a decision, no one could change it.

Inside the noodle shop, the tense atmosphere finally eased for a moment.

"Second Hokage, I have a question for you." Sasuke's voice drew everyone's attention back, "Why did you create the Uchiha Police Force?"

"What did you say?" Tobirama frowned, clearly not expecting him to ask that.

"It was you, Second Hokage, who drove the Uchiha clan to the brink of destruction."

Before Tobirama could answer, Orochimaru spoke up quietly, "You could say that the Uchiha Police Force you founded is the fuse that ignited all of this."

He watched as Tobirama's face darkened in an instant, and his smile deepened.

“The side that eradicates criminals is always more likely to be disliked, and the fact that such organizations have real power makes them more likely to become arrogant.”

"You used 'surveillance' as an excuse to build the police force and prison together, thus blatantly driving the Uchiha clan to a corner of the village."

Orochimaru's voice was full of amusement, "Wouldn't this approach only encourage the growth of rebels like Madara?"

"Tobirama!" Hashirama's voice carried a hint of reproach. "I repeatedly warned you not to target the Uchiha clan too much!"

"I'm just making the best use of everyone's talents!" Tobirama retorted loudly to his brother, "This is a stopgap measure devised to deal with the next Madara in time!"

"Big brother, you know that the Uchiha clan is a vessel of evil, right?"

"You talk as if Madara is some kind of psychological trauma to you, Second Hokage." Orochimaru laughed hoarsely. "Is the Uchiha clan really that terrifying?"

"Kid, you have no idea how powerful Madara is!" Tobirama growled at Orochimaru.

"Speaking of which..."

Upon hearing the name "Madara," Minato Namikaze's expression shifted abruptly, as if recalling something. He couldn't help but interject, "In my time, there was also a man who called himself Uchiha Madara..."

"Shut up."

Sasuke's cold voice interrupted Minato's words.

Minato was taken aback and instinctively shut his mouth.

Hashirama's ears perked up, his face filled with curiosity. Hadn't Madara already died at his hands? How could Minato, the Fourth Hokage, be...?

"Second Hokage." Sasuke's voice pulled everyone back to reality. "I ask you, what is the Uchiha clan in your eyes? What exactly do you mean by 'vessel of evil'?"

Looking at the boy before him, Tobirama was reminded of distant memories by the boy's eyes, which bore a striking resemblance to Madara's.

He sighed, his voice turning somber: "The Uchiha clan and our Senju clan have a long history of conflict; our two clans were originally enemies."

“I know that.” Sasuke interrupted him again, his voice full of impatience. “Say something useful. I want to know what a ‘vessel of evil’ is.”

"...No clan values ​​love as much as the Uchiha." After a moment of silence, Tobirama gave an answer that stunned everyone.

He looked at Sasuke and slowly explained, "I used to think that the Senju clan was based on 'emotion,' while the Uchiha clan valued the power of 'technique' more."

"But that's not the case. The Uchiha clan chose to seal their emotions precisely because they valued them too much."

"What do you mean?!" Sasuke asked instinctively.

"Once the Uchiha clan members understand 'love,' the emotional shackles that have bound them for so long will be released, and the powerful force of love that even surpasses that of the Senju clan will awaken."

"Isn't that a good thing?" Kakashi, who had been silent all along, couldn't help but ask. "With that intense love, you can get along well with the Senju, right?"

"But that's precisely why it's even more challenging."

Tobirama shook his head, his expression grave. "This love, which is too intense, could easily spiral out of control at any moment."

"The Uchiha clan members who have come to know love will develop an even stronger hatred once they lose that love, and their temperament will change drastically. I have seen that situation countless times."

“And it will also be accompanied by some kind of special ‘symptoms’.” Tobirama’s gaze fell on Sasuke’s eyes.

"symptom?"

"When a member of the Uchiha clan loses a loved one or is plunged into the pain of despair, a special chakra is secreted in their brain, which directly affects the optic nerve and causes it to undergo a qualitative change."

"This is the eye that reflects the soul, known as the Sharingan."

"The Sharingan will synchronize with the hatred in one's heart, rapidly enhancing the power of the user."

"The deeper the hatred, the stronger the eye power. Uchiha with overly strong emotions almost inevitably fall into darkness, just like Madara."

"Madara..." Hashirama, who had been silent all along, finally spoke, his voice filled with longing, "He was someone who loved his younger brother very, very much, even more than your older brother."

This seemingly casual remark sent a jolt through Sasuke's heart.

Seeing the subtle changes in Sasuke's expression, Tobirama finally asked the question that concerned him most.

"And what about you, you Uchiha brat?"

"You, the one whom Itachi loved with his life and entrusted with everything, what do you plan to do now that you know all this?"

Upon hearing this, Sasuke raised his head and simply announced the path he had outlined in that "future".

A unified, peaceful, and harmonious order.

“If your so-called 'village' is going to stand against me,” Sasuke turned his head, his eyes devoid of any hint of jest, “I will destroy it without hesitation.”

"Sasuke!" Hashirama cried out, "Don't you intend to inherit your brother's will and protect this village?!"

"Looks like he's just an immature brat, blinded by hatred." Tobirama sneered, his contempt growing even stronger.

As Sasuke listened to their questions, a mocking smile appeared on his face.

"Why didn't Itachi kill me? Because for him, my life was more important than the village. That's why the upper echelons of Konoha who drove him to the brink of defeat are all targets of my revenge."

"But if you think that my reason for wanting to change the world is just this, then you are very wrong."

"What has repeatedly led to this situation is the corrupt system, the village, and the ninjas, but what I truly loathe is this world itself."

"If you think of me as a brat who only acts on emotions and does whatever he wants, that's fine too. I'm just a bunch of guys who don't know how to hate, and all they can say is jokes."