Yes.
They had become uneasy.
To many shinobi, the current Fifth Hokage, Uchiha Ren, was already like a nightmare.
Now that a mysterious screen had suddenly appeared in the sky, no one could help feeling nervous.
"Is it really the Fifth Hokage?"
For once, Madara's expression turned solemn.
"What is he trying to do? Is he planning to broadcast a drama?"
Of course, Madara kept one thing to himself.
When he attacked the enormous screen earlier, he had sensed a terrifying pressure from it.
His instincts had warned him—
if he attacked again, the screen might erase him outright.
Obito shook his head helplessly.
Trouble always came at the worst possible time.
The three-village alliance was about to attack Konoha, yet something like this had suddenly appeared.
Just thinking about it was frustrating.
"Another scientific invention?"
Unlike everyone else's unease, Orochimaru licked his lips, his face showing excitement instead of fear.
As a researcher, he knew exactly what he wanted.
A giant screen floating in the sky might have looked ordinary, but anything capable of blocking Madara's attack could not possibly be simple.
"Hmph. I refuse to believe this."
At that moment, the First Raikage took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth.
"We are already about to attack Konoha, yet the Fifth Hokage is still playing tricks?"
"He must be courting death."
"Not convinced?"
Hashirama glanced at him and teased,
"Then why don't you attack the screen too?"
"You think I don't dare?"
The First Raikage glared at Hashirama.
"When we were alive, maybe you were stronger."
"But now we're both Edo Tensei bodies. We've already died once."
"What is there to fear?"
"I'll smash that screen myself."
Crackle!
Lightning erupted across his body.
In an instant, the First Raikage entered Lightning Release Chakra Mode.
A terrifying chakra wave burst outward from him.
Then, under countless gazes, he leapt into the air, his fist wrapped in violent lightning as he charged toward the giant screen.
There was nothing else to say.
He wanted to prove himself.
Besides, he had been revived through Edo Tensei.
Even if he died again, they could just summon him back.
What was there to worry about?
Because of that, the First Raikage instantly became the center of everyone's attention.
Everyone wanted to see whether he could destroy the Fifth Hokage's mysterious scheme.
Of course, shinobi imaginations were quick to run wild.
At this point, they had already linked the giant screen to some terrifying plot by Uchiha Ren.
Then—
a cold mechanical voice suddenly rang out.
Ding…
Offender detected.
Immediate erasure initiated.
No reincarnation.
No afterlife.
The First Raikage's lightning-wrapped body froze midair.
It was as though space itself had locked him in place.
"What…?"
"Why can't I move?"
Feeling his body sealed in place, the First Raikage was stunned.
He had imagined many possibilities.
But he had not expected to be completely immobilized.
Worse—
the screen had said it would erase him.
No reincarnation.
No afterlife.
Did that mean he would truly die?
That he would not return to the Pure Land?
That even Edo Tensei could no longer revive him?
For the first time, fear appeared in the First Raikage's heart.
He tried to twist his body and break free.
But his proud Lightning Release Chakra Mode was utterly powerless before that strange binding force.
It was like a child struggling against an adult.
Despair filled him.
He should never have acted recklessly.
Now, instead of proving himself, he had thrown himself into death.
Unfortunately, the system did not care about his regret.
With a crisp crack, the First Raikage's frozen Edo Tensei body disintegrated into countless ashes before he could even scream.
As for his soul—
it was directly absorbed by the giant screen.
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Everyone stared at the terrifying scene with numb expressions.
Countless shinobi felt chills run down their backs.
The First Raikage had died too miserably.
Worse, this was not an ordinary death.
It was complete erasure.
"How is that possible?"
"The First Raikage was destroyed?"
"No reincarnation… does that mean even Edo Tensei can't bring him back?"
"Attacking the screen actually triggers punishment?"
"This is too terrifying…"
After a long moment, the scene exploded with shocked voices.
Hashirama, Tobirama, Hiruzen, Minato, Sakumo, and the other revived experts all froze.
Even they had been frightened.
Because this was not simple power.
This was a rule.
And once a power reached the level of rewriting rules—
even the dead could no longer feel safe.
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