Learning Space-Time Ninjutsu requires an innate spatial perception—a talent very few possess.
However, Hiruko happened to be a transmigrator. His soul had traversed countless major worlds before arriving in the Naruto world, giving his spirit an incredibly high adaptability to spatial forces. Yet, the Flying Thunder God (Hiraishin) was not something one could master simply with sharp perception. It demanded near-perfect chakra control and a profound understanding of jutsu formulas. More importantly, it required relentless practice to sharpen one's reflexes.
Currently, Hiruko's mastery was akin to a "fixed-point teleportation." To reach the level of the Fourth Hokage—where one could flicker across a battlefield with effortless grace—he still needed to invest a massive amount of time and effort.
But with Nawaki's resurrection at hand, Hiruko had no room for distractions. He quickly prepared the necessary items: Nawaki's DNA samples (blood, bone, and flesh) and the crucial sealing scrolls. After a final check, he began.
"Reanimation Jutsu! (Edo Tensei)"
In an instant, countless pieces of ash and paper swirled like a snowstorm, encasing the living sacrifice. A blood-curdling scream—"AAAAAGH!"—ripped through the silence. Shizune, watching from the side, felt a chill run down her spine, her face paling at the ghastly sight.
Tsunade, however, showed not a shred of sympathy for the death-row inmate. As a veteran of a hundred battles who had seen the worst of humanity, she had no room for misplaced pity.
Soon, Nawaki's features formed over the sacrifice's face. As he regained consciousness, he found himself bound to a tree. He shouted in a mix of terror and confusion, "Who are you people?! Where's my sister? Sis, did you die too?!"
"You brat!" Tsunade stepped forward and immediately beaned him over the head with a fist.
Because Tsunade's appearance hadn't aged much—though her "assets" were far more developed than before—Nawaki recognized her almost instantly. He realized the bindings on him weren't tight; with a bit of effort, he broke free, looking both frantic and lost. "Sis, what's going on? Wasn't I dead?"
Tears pooled in Tsunade's eyes. As she moved to embrace him, Hiruko reached out, grabbing her arm while simultaneously using Wood Style to re-restrain Nawaki.
"Sis, who is this guy?" Nawaki didn't struggle against the wood; his sister was right there, and he remembered clearly that he should be dead.
Hiruko wove a sign, summoning a coffin from the ground. Inside was a clone of Nawaki. Hiruko had spent years "tuning" this vessel; it had a lifespan of roughly forty years—more than enough for the siblings to catch up.
Hiruko then performed another sequence of signs, using the Spirit Transformation Jutsu to pull Nawaki's soul out of the reanimated vessel. Channeled through Hiruko's Sage Chakra, the soul and the Sage Curse Mark were sealed into the clone body.
With a soft whoosh, the aura of a living human emanated from Nawaki.
Hiruko looked at the successfully resurrected boy and frowned slightly, marvelling internally at how thin the veil between life and death was in this world. He hadn't even had to pay a significant price to bring someone back.
Overcome with emotion, Tsunade rushed forward to check on the bewildered Nawaki before pulling him into a crushing hug. Her brother was truly alive.
"Sis, how is this possible? How am I back?" Nawaki asked.
Tsunade calmed her breathing and explained everything: the resurrection, the current date (Konoha Year 51), and the fact that nearly fourteen years had passed since his death. Nawaki's heart was a whirlpool of emotions, but the joy of being alive overrode everything else.
Nawaki walked up to Hiruko and bowed deeply. "Senior Hiruko, thank you so much. I can never repay the debt of bringing me back. Though..." he paused, looking at the intimacy between the two, "should I be calling you 'Brother-in-law'?"
Hiruko smiled. "Call me 'Brother-in-law' from now on. Don't worry about the thanks; thank your sister. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have bothered. We don't really have a deep personal connection, after all."
Nawaki waved his hands frantically. "No, no, I still have to thank you!"
The ice between them broke instantly. Tsunade, hearing Nawaki call him "Brother-in-law" over and over, rapped him on the head again. Nawaki cried out in mock pain, but Tsunade finally let out a genuinely happy laugh.
"I'm heading back for now," Hiruko announced.
"Wait." Tsunade stepped forward and unclasped the most precious heirloom of the Senju clan from her neck—the First Hokage's Necklace. She placed it around Hiruko's neck. She had hesitated for a long time, fearing the necklace was cursed since everyone who wore it seemed to die. Moreover, Hiruko's personality wasn't "sunny" like Nawaki's. But now, those superstitions felt hollow. He was good to her, and that was enough. She didn't want to think about the global consequences; she just wanted to be with her family.
"You're leaving already?" Tsunade bit her lip, her tone tinged with annoyance. She realized with a start that Hiruko had completely won her over—she actually found herself reluctant to see him go.
Hiruko smiled. "I'll come see you when I get back." He then asked, "Tsunade, when do you plan to bring Nawaki back to the village?"
In the past, Tsunade would have avoided the village at all costs. But with Nawaki back, things were different. He needed a proper environment to grow and make friends. Plus, Orochimaru would likely lose his mind with excitement to see his favorite pupil again.
Tsunade tightened her fists. "In a few months. I want to train him myself first. He needs to at least be Jonin-level and pass my test before we go back. I won't let him die again."
"Fourteen years ago, he had just become a Genin when he ran headfirst into a trap because he was too excited. I suspected foul play back then, but the evidence was wiped clean. I won't let him make the same mistake twice. Also, we have to keep his resurrection a secret. If other villages find out we can bring back the dead, they'll unite against us out of pure terror."
If Konoha could bring back its legends—like Hashirama Senju—the rest of the world would never sleep again. They would launch a preemptive strike to annihilate the Leaf.
Hiruko nodded. "As long as you have a plan. Use the Slugs to contact me if you need anything."
"I know, I know. I'm one of the Sannin, remember?" Before she could finish her sentence, Hiruko pulled her into a long kiss. She didn't push him away.
Finally, they parted, both slightly breathless. Tsunade, face flushed, pinched his cheek and looked away. "Be careful on the road," she whispered.
As she walked back toward the town, she saw Shizune and Nawaki crouching in the bushes, Nawaki wearing a mischievous grin. He'd seen the whole thing.
"Have you two finished your training?! Stop playing around!" Tsunade barked, her "fierce" mask returning. She decided then and there to double their training intensity so they wouldn't have the energy to gossip.
Hiruko decided to return to Konoha briefly. Sasori had been waiting a long time, but a few more hours wouldn't hurt. He wanted to visit Nono Yakushi at the orphanage.
The children were playing games when they saw him. They erupted in cheers. "It's Lord Hi— no, Lord Hiruko is here!" For these orphans, Hiruko was the most prestigious figure they had ever met—the man who brought hope for their survival.
In the war years, funding was a zero-sum game. If you didn't fight for your department's budget, your people suffered. People could accept a leader who was weak in combat but brilliant in strategy; they could not accept a leader who couldn't secure funding. The orphanage had always been the weakest link, struggling just to see its children reach adulthood.
While the Fourth Hokage was a warm "sun," even he couldn't fix the uneven distribution of funds overnight. He couldn't manifest money out of thin air. It was only when Hiruko appeared and brought massive capital into the village that the orphanage finally saw its coffers fill up.
Hiruko walked with Nono, their hands linked. The children watched, their eyes bright with a maturity beyond their years; they already understood the bond between the two.
Inside her room, which was as modest as ever, Hiruko asked, "Is there anything else you need help with?"
Nono smiled, waving a hand. "No, we have plenty of supplies now."
"No trouble lately?"
"None," Nono replied. "Lord Danzo has become very... quiet."
As they spoke, Hiruko noticed the floor. Instead of the high-quality tatami mats he had personally authorized funds for, the floor was covered in simple grass pads made from local plants.
He frowned. "What happened to the tatami? Did the Logistics Department skip out on the delivery?"
Nono lowered her head slightly. "It... has nothing to do with Logistics. I was the one who insisted on swapping the tatami for these grass pads."
A single relevant follow-up question: Would you like to see how Nono explains her decision to downgrade the orphanage's flooring, or shall we move on to Hiruko's meeting with Sasori to discuss the "Gundam" project?
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