Souta Kazuki watched Uchiha Fugaku tremble as he wiped his tears, his emotions fluctuating between hope and despair. The clan leader's desperation was growing with each failed summoning, his faith teetering on the edge.
"Uncle Fugaku... you don't have to worry too much!" Souta stepped forward, his voice firm yet comforting. "We've only used the summoning technique seven times now. Maybe Sister Mikoto will come out soon?! Aren't there still eight more chances? There aren't many Hokage-level powerhouses in Konoha. I believe Sister Mikoto will come out soon!"
Fugaku clung to those words like a drowning man reaching for driftwood. He inhaled sharply and clenched his fists. "Yes… Yes! Mikoto will definitely come out! Haowen! Hurry up and perform the summoning technique!!!"
Souta nodded, ignoring the commotion behind him as he focused on the system screen before him. His wealth points had been depleted at an alarming rate, but there was no turning back now. He exchanged another golden summoning opportunity, sacrificing another 100 million ryo.
With a deep breath, Souta clasped his hands together, forming the necessary seals. Chakra surged, flowing through his fingertips and into the summoning array that ignited beneath him. A golden magic circle materialized, pulsating with an eerie glow. Flames of soul energy erupted, swirling chaotically as the summoning activated.
"Summoning Technique!!!"
The atmosphere grew thick with tension. Uchiha Fugaku's bloodshot eyes stared at the forming silhouette within the summoning array. His body trembled as he roared with unfiltered emotion.
"WIFE!!!"
"WIFE!!!"
"IT MUST BE MY WIFE!!!"
But...
As the golden light dispersed, revealing the summoned figure, the hope in Fugaku's eyes shattered like fragile glass.
A confused Uchiha Shisui blinked as he took in his surroundings, only to find his clan leader standing before him, shouting "wife" repeatedly like a lunatic. A chill ran down Shisui's spine. He instinctively took a step back, feeling an overwhelming sense of danger.
"Clan leader… um, I am not your wife!"
Fugaku collapsed to his knees, his fists pounding the ground. Seven times! Half of the summoning attempts were already gone, and still, there was no sign of his beloved Mikoto!
Meanwhile, Shisui's mind was in chaos. He had been dead. He clearly remembered his eye being taken by Danzo. And yet, here he was, completely intact, his Sharingan restored. How?! His gaze flickered to the crowd gathered around him, his confusion deepening.
"Why is the clan leader here?" He muttered, scanning the faces around him. "And… Who the hell are all these people?"
Senju Butsuma? Never heard of him.
Uchiha Tajima? Wait… why does that name sound so familiar?! Isn't that the name of an ancient Uchiha ancestor?!
And that green-clad shinobi with the ridiculous haircut… He looked oddly similar to a certain Konoha ninja.
"That guy… He looks just like Might Guy… Are they related?!"
Before Shisui could demand answers, a sudden gust of wind erupted beside him. Swish!
The Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, appeared in a blur, standing before Shisui with an unreadable expression. His sharp gaze softened slightly as he stepped closer.
"You are... Uchiha Shisui?"
Shisui tensed. "Huh? Senior… do you know me?"
Tobirama's gaze lingered, his lips pressing into a thin line. Then, to everyone's shock, he raised a hand and gently placed it on Shisui's head. His fingers trembled slightly.
"You… You look so much like him," Tobirama muttered, his voice laced with an emotion none had ever heard before.
Shisui's heart pounded. "Like… who?"
Realization hit him like a lightning bolt. Hokage Rock.
"YOU'RE… THE SECOND HOKAGE?!"
Tobirama nodded. "That's right. And you… you are the descendant of Uchiha Kagami, correct?"
"Yes!" Shisui answered without hesitation. "Uchiha Kagami is my grandfather!"
A rare smile—faint, yet undeniably real—formed on Tobirama's lips. "Not bad… Very good. He was truly an exceptional Uchiha."
Off in the distance, Uchiha Izuna nearly choked on his own spit.
Did Tobirama just praise an Uchiha?!
What kind of unholy possession is this?!
Tobirama ignored the stunned expressions around him and patted Shisui's shoulder. "Come. I'll explain everything to you."
Shisui nodded respectfully. "Thank you, Second Hokage!"
"You don't need to be so formal. Your grandfather was my disciple, which makes you…" Tobirama hesitated for a moment. "...You are someone I will look after."
With that, he led Shisui away.
Meanwhile, Souta Kazuki exhaled as he glanced at the distraught Fugaku. He could only shrug. The golden summoning was entirely random; he had no control over who was summoned.
Still… Why was it taking so long for Uchiha Mikoto to appear? Could it be that she didn't want to meet her husband?!
Souta sighed and turned his attention to the system prompt flashing before him. His eyes widened slightly.
[Congratulations! You have obtained Kotoamatsukami from Uchiha Shisui!]
Souta's breath hitched. He hadn't received any special eye techniques from summoning Uchiha Tajima or Uchiha Izuna, yet now, he had gained the most powerful genjutsu known to the Uchiha.
"Kotoamatsukami… This will save me a lot of trouble," Souta muttered, a smirk forming on his lips.
But there was no time to dwell on that. He had more summons to perform.
Once again, he exchanged 100 million ryo and activated the summoning technique.
"Summoning Technique!!!"
—
At the same time, far from the Land of Fire…
Beneath an unassuming mountain lay a massive underground laboratory. Inside, Orochimaru stood before a row of lifeless bodies, each one inscribed with intricate curse seals.
"Lord Orochimaru!" A subordinate stepped forward anxiously. "Are you certain about this? The curse seal development has only just been completed. If something goes wrong—"
Orochimaru silenced him with a flick of his tongue, a wicked grin stretching across his face.
"The curse seal has reached its final stage. The only step left… is to test its effectiveness on myself."
His golden snake-like eyes gleamed with a feverish obsession. "If this works… I will achieve true immortality!"
With a twisted chuckle, Orochimaru summoned a small serpent from his throat. The snake opened its jaws, revealing the gleaming edge of the Kusanagi Sword.
Without hesitation, Orochimaru grasped the blade and plunged it into his own heart.
Blood splattered across the laboratory floor as his body convulsed violently.
His vision darkened. His breath faltered.
But his lips curled into a chilling smile.
This was merely the beginning.
—