Chapter One: Shirou Emiya
Konoha Village.
In a dimly lit underground chamber.
At the center of this secret room stood a sealed crystal coffin.
This crystal coffin was peculiar; intricate patterns adorned its surface, yet inside lay only half a corpse.
When observed through the crystal, one could clearly see the internal organs of the half-corpse, making it resemble a medical specimen used for studying anatomy.
This scene rendered the chamber extraordinarily eerie.
The silver-haired man standing within was long accustomed to such an unsettling environment. His gaze fixed on the crystal coffin before him, his red pupils radiated a cold decisiveness.
“Lord Tobirama.”
A masked Anbu ninja entered, dragging behind him a bound shinobi. In a low voice, he reported, “Several enemy ninjas from other nations have infiltrated the village these past few days to gather intelligence. We searched through the prison cells and found this Sand Village ninja who sneaked in last night. Among all prisoners, he possesses the strongest chakra…”
“How is my older brother’s condition…”
Tobirama Senju began to speak but realized he was addressing a subordinate, then changed his words: “How is the Hokage’s current condition?”
“He is still under treatment.”
The Anbu ninja spoke with concern, “None of us have ever seen the Hokage suffer such a grievous injury. Lord Mito said it might even threaten his lifespan…”
“…”
Tobirama’s expression darkened instantly. After a moment of silence, he asked again, “Any unusual activity from the Uchiha clan?”
“None so far.”
The Anbu gently shook his head and continued, “Since the news broke yesterday that Uchiha Madara was killed by the Hokage, the Uchiha have been fearful but show no other abnormalities…”
“Maintain strict surveillance.”
After issuing this order, Tobirama lowered his gaze to the bound Sand ninja and spoke gravely, “Have other Anbu squads intensify patrols within the village, and assign a squad to guard outside this forbidden jutsu chamber. No one is allowed near.”
“Yes, Lord Tobirama!”
The Anbu swiftly withdrew.
“Ugh ugh ugh…”
The tightly bound Sand ninja whimpered, looking up at the silver-haired man with an urgent expression, desperate to speak.
“I know what you want to say.”
“But I have no interest in your explanations.”
Tobirama cast a disdainful glance at him, as if looking upon a corpse. “You infiltrated only to spy on my brother’s condition or to learn if he perished alongside that Madara fellow…”
“Hmph…”
“Such fantasies belong in your dreams.”
Tobirama lifted his head, gazing at the crystal coffin before him, as if to prove to those insolent enough to challenge Konoha in the ninja world:
“This crystal coffin holds the origin of medical ninjutsu in the entire ninja world.”
“Emiya Shigen.”
“You should have heard of this name.”
“…”
The Sand ninja looked at the crystal coffin with surprise and respect.
Emiya Shigen.
That name was truly legendary.
The whole ninja world knew this sage of a thousand years ago—the pioneer who created the concept of medical ninjutsu and standardized the system of medical ninjas.
Legend said he never cared about a patient’s identity when healing, that no serious illness was beyond his cure, and that he saved more lives than the population of an entire country...
Most revered of all was the manner of Emiya Shigen’s death.
To ensure the inheritance of medical ninjutsu, to facilitate the study of medicine, and to break the stigma against surgical dissection in the ninja world, Emiya Shigen, on his deathbed, had his body divided and sealed into two crystal coffins left for the ninja world.
Even amidst the thousand years of Warring States chaos, where ninjas killed and destroyed, there was an unspoken accord never to damage Emiya Shigen’s two crystal coffins.
Though most in the ninja world had never seen them.
The Sand ninja stared at the half-corpse inside the crystal coffin, a mixture of surprise and reverence welling up, yet also a gnawing unease.
The people of the past…
What could they possibly have to do with the present?
A medical ninja who died a millennium ago, no matter how skilled, could not be resurrected to help treat the First Hokage, right? Could the crystal coffin contain secrets of medical ninjutsu?
“Our Senju clan has always been famed for chakra control, making us the most suitable clan in the ninja world to practice medical ninjutsu.”
“Legend says this crystal coffin of Emiya Shigen’s specimen was personally entrusted to our Senju ancestors before his death…”
“Even though most clan members focus on combat rather than medical ninjutsu, this crystal coffin has always been regarded as a clan treasure…”
Tobirama narrowed his eyes, fingers tracing the exquisite patterns on the coffin, his voice lowering: “I never imagined I would one day be the one to break it…”
“…”
The Sand ninja’s eyes widened in horror.
“But…”
“For my older brother…”
“Everything is worth sacrificing!”
Tobirama’s gaze fixed on the crystal coffin, chakra glowing in his palm as he struck it heavily!
Crash!
The crystal coffin shattered abruptly!
The half-corpse inside tumbled out!
The Sand ninja, sitting on the ground, stared in horror at the fallen half-corpse. The scene was so terrifying his eyes filled with panic instantly!
“Only my older brother can guarantee Konoha’s peace…”
Tobirama quickly formed hand seals, his voice calm as a still well: “Even if hope is but one ten-thousandth, even if it profanes the dead, I must do this…”
At the final word, he slammed his palm onto the ground, his voice turning chilling!
“Ninjutsu: Impure World Reincarnation!”
Dark runes appeared beneath Tobirama’s palm!
The runes swiftly moved across the ground, forming two separate barriers around the Sand ninja and Emiya Shigen’s half-corpse.
Under the Sand ninja’s terrified gaze, Emiya Shigen’s half-corpse turned to dust and ash, drifting upward and gradually attaching to the living body!
The Sand ninja felt an unprecedented suffocation, a despair bordering on death filled his eyes with terror as the dust and ashes obscured his vision…
Until finally…
His body was completely enveloped.
Tobirama’s gaze locked onto the figure slowly emerging from the ashes, a weight lifted from his heart—it seemed his jutsu had succeeded.
Impure World Reincarnation.
A forbidden summoning technique.
This jutsu calls forth the souls of the dead from the underworld by using a living person’s life force and enough of the deceased’s flesh as materials.
Normally…
Tobirama could never have revived someone who died a thousand years ago.
No corpse could be preserved that long, especially with the chaos of the Warring States era; many bodies became lost souls in mass graves.
Yet Emiya Shigen was an exception.
Because his corpse was preserved as a medical specimen, it was kept in excellent condition, granting Tobirama the chance to summon him back.
Dust swirled in the chamber.
The impure body slowly took shape.
The summoned dead’s soul restored the body to its appearance in life.
The impure body’s lips curled into a strange smile before quickly vanishing, as if the twisted form before completion.
At last…
The impure body was fully formed.
The returned soul appeared young, bearing a compassionate expression incongruous with his age, perfectly matching the world’s impression of him.
The revenant slowly opened his eyes, looking at his body with growing confusion, as if he did not understand why he was alive or why he was here.
The jutsu had succeeded!
The revived soul retained awareness!
Tobirama breathed a sigh of relief.
After all, this was his first time using the forbidden Impure World Reincarnation, gambling on a one-in-ten-thousand chance for his brother’s sake—and it had truly worked!
“Lord Emiya Shigen?”
Tobirama’s expression turned solemn as he introduced himself in a deep voice: “I am Tobirama Senju, the one who summoned you back from the underworld…”
“I apologize for disturbing your peace.”
“But we need your help to treat someone crucial to the ninja world. I had no choice but to profane your soul. I hope you will not resent my offense…”
“Is your surname Senju?”
Emiya Shigen seemed to relax upon hearing this.
“If it is to save lives, it is forgivable.”
The medical ninja, renowned for his noble character, showed no displeasure at having his soul disturbed, habitually turning his attention to the patient’s condition.
“Where is the patient?”
“In the village… I will guide you.”
Tobirama’s mood eased as well, retracting his fingers that sought to control the revived’s actions.
If Lord Emiya Shigen truly was the virtuous man of legend, there was no need to laboriously negotiate.
Naturally.
Tobirama did not notice another detail.
Because he did not control the summoned’s actions nor sense his emotions, Emiya Shigen’s eyes—limited by the deathly aura of the impure body—showed no particular concern when mentioning the patient.
Perhaps…
Saving lives had simply become a habit.
Perhaps…
Where the patient was mattered little.
What mattered more was whether his own power remained.
[Ninja System Reconnecting…]
[Welcome back, Ninja Emiya Shigen.]
[Unfinished mission pending; cannot leave this world…]
[Unfinished Ninja Missions (2/3)]
[SSSSS-Rank Mission: Defeat the ultimate villain of this world—The immortal chakra progenitor Ōtsutsuki Kaguya]
[SSSSS-Rank Mission: Defeat the final protagonists of this world—Uzumaki Naruto (Six Paths Mode) and Uchiha Sasuke (Rinnegan Sharingan)]
The system was indeed still active.
The power once gained remained.
A red gleam flashed in Emiya Shigen’s eyes; this plan spanning time had, by fortune, reached this era at last.