"Hmm?"
A distant tremor shook the sand.
Kenpachi slowly raised his head, the hollow wind brushing across the desert battlefield. From the distance, a swarm of shinobi surged forward, their numbers countless, their chakra signatures weak.
Despite still being bound by the Impure World Reincarnation, his senses were clear—vision, perception, and above all, instinct.
He narrowed his eyes.
"So that's the famed Ninja Alliance?"
Though their village uniforms varied, the headbands they wore all bore the same single kanji: "Shinobi."
"A united front, huh... Cute."
But to Kenpachi, their combined strength was underwhelming. In the days of the Warring States era, Kage-level titans stood on every battlefield. Wars back then were real wars.
"System," Kenpachi called out inside his mind, "how do I break free of this Reanimation control?"
"Dear Host, you may sever the control at any time. However, I advise hunting powerful souls first—the more you collect, the more strength and rewards you gain. Eventually, you can even reclaim your living body."
Kenpachi clicked his tongue in annoyance but nodded.
"Fine. Let's get started."
Meanwhile, on the battlefield…
"Move quickly!""The Impure World Reincarnation army is approaching!""Combat squads forward! Sealing squads in the rear!"
At the forefront stood a kunoichi wielding a giant iron fan—Temari of the Sand. Commanding the First Division, she led the charge into the Fourth Great Ninja War.
"We can't let Gaara down. We hold the line here!"
She launched her fan forward with a sharp motion.
"Wind Style: Kamaitachi Technique!""Fire Style: Great Fireball Jutsu!"
Wind and flame collided, creating a roaring inferno that tore through the reanimated cannon fodder. Many of the weaker revived shinobi were reduced to ash before they could regenerate.
"Sealing team, move in—seal them before they reform!"
One after another, the weaker enemies were bound in talismans and sealed into scrolls.
But Temari's gut twisted.
"That was just the appetizer…"
From the dunes ahead, several dark figures emerged.
"Wait—those cloaks! That's—!"
"Akatsuki?!"
"That's the Red Sand Scorpion!""And that's Kakuzu… even the dead Akatsuki have been brought back?!"
The shinobi hesitated as the legendary rogue ninjas stepped forward, now bolstered by bloodline-limit users from villages long past.
Temari clenched her fists, sweat forming on her brow.
"Don't panic! We've beaten them once—we'll beat them again!"
The real battle had begun.
In the shadows of a distant cave…
Uchiha Obito watched through his shared vision.
"I have to admit, Kabuto… you've taken Impure World Reincarnation far beyond what Orochimaru ever managed."
Beside him, Kabuto pushed up his glasses and smiled smugly.
"Of course. But my true masterpiece isn't the Akatsuki…"
He formed a seal.
"It's him. The monster once known as the Evil Spirit of Cloud Shinobi."
"Zaraki Kenpachi."
At Allied HQ…
Tsunade's fist slammed into the table.
"Damn it! Kabuto even resurrected those monsters?!"
On-screen, projected through the Yamanaka clan's sensory jutsu, the battle raged. One by one, members of Akatsuki and long-dead shinobi elites engaged the Alliance.
Beside her, Fourth Raikage crossed his arms, visibly irritated.
"Calm down, Hokage. The Kazekage is leading the second army. Our best shinobi are holding the line."
"What we should be worried about… are those two. The Gold and Silver Brothers."
His voice turned grim.
"They survived inside the Nine-Tails by eating its flesh. If they're revived… they'll have its chakra again."
The table went silent.
But suddenly, Raikage froze.
"...No way…"
Tsunade and Mabui turned to him, puzzled.
"Raikage-sama? What's wrong?"
Raikage's eyes were locked on the monitor, trembling.
"That figure… no… it can't be…"
Tsunade followed his gaze.
There, walking calmly through the battlefield, was a tall man with a spiky mane of hair, wrapped in a tattered black shihakushō. At his side, a jagged blade scraped the earth.
"Who is that?" Tsunade asked.
The answer came with fear.
"That's… the Evil Spirit of Cloud Shinobi."
"That's Zaraki Kenpachi."