I don't want to believe that he planned this
so he could return to power…
Kakashi…
Kakashi!
Hashirama's Cells
So he's back to ignoring me again.
Welcome!
Wood Style! Giant Forest Jutsu!
Who is that boy who uses the Wood Style?
Maybe I'll find some information there.
HASHIRAMA CHRONICLES
FIRE STYLE
Found it.
Hashirama Senju… The leader of the Senju Clan of the Forest,
brought peace and stability to this bloody, war-torn world.
He and he alone mastered the Wood Style Ninjutsu…
No, there's one more.
What does this mean?
How is he able to use the Wood Style?
TOP SECRET
Top secret?
Where are the contents?
Is this what you are looking for?
Professor!
It's all right. I give you permission.
Read it.
Yes, sir!
Long ago, the First Hokage, Lord Hashirama…
after a death match with Madara…
used the Wood Style to suppress the Nine Tails.
After that, there was no one to take over the Wood Style Jutsu…
Either the Sharingan or Wood Style are necessary
to suppress the Tailed Beasts.
In the Hidden Leaf Village,
there was a time when they researched
and tried to revive the First's Wood Style Jutsu.
However…
despite the dedicated efforts of many…
the tests to transplant Lord Hashirama's cells failed one after another…
and the lives that were sacrificed continued to grow.
And so… unfortunately, that jutsu…
was deemed a Forbidden Jutsu and sealed away.
But recently, genin and chunin,
and even members of the ANBU have gone missing.
Furthermore, what's more disturbing are incidents
where newborn infants have been kidnapped
from hamlets surrounding the Hidden Leaf Village.
Infants?!
Of those confirmed, there have been 60 kidnappings.
Who could have…?!
What I'm about to tell you is hearsay…
Someone is continuing the experiments
and trying to implant the cells of Lord Hashirama.
Even if they're rumors, why would anyone…?
There are those who want to obtain every jutsu that exists.
Even I have wondered sometimes,
if there were only someone who knows the Wood Style…
Had that been the case,
the Fourth Hokage need not have sacrificed his life.
Isn't that why Lord Fourth lost his life?
Mind you, this is just hearsay.
If…
If Lord Hashirama's cells had really been implanted into infants…
Implanting cells into infants is forbidden…
And even if someone was doing so,
the possibility of it succeeding would be very low.
However…
If…just if…the first infant who was kidnapped survived…
He or she would be ten years old already.
Ten years old…
Are you all here?
Yes, sir!
Tomorrow morning at the hour of the tiger,
the Third Hokage and five ANBU under his direct command
will depart for the Feudal Lord's prefecture.
His purpose is to reassume the Hokage post
left empty by Lord Fourth's demise.
If we allow this,
the Hidden Leaf Village will once again be forced to accept
a weak and indecisive leader.
For the sake of the village, we must prevent this at all cost.
Hence, your mission is…
somewhere along the route…
take the life of the Lord Third quickly and discreetly.
Remember, no one must know of this.
It must appear that it was the work of itinerant shinobi.
Understood?
– Yes, sir! – Yes, sir!
Lord Third, are you ready?
Yes, let's depart!
Enemy attack!
Wood Style Jutsu!
What?!
A Substitution?!
Wood Style! Giant Forest Jutsu!
Chidori!
You…
Where did you learn the Wood Style?
I didn't expect an answer anyway…
Leave.
Go quickly!
That jutsu of yours will be critical for the Hidden Leaf Village one day.
They were only after Lord Third.
It seems their purpose was to separate us from Lord Third.
They scattered off somewhere.
Were you all right here?
Yes…
Did you recognize the enemy?
I don't know who it was.
Well, that's all right.
I'm sure Lord Third will take care of the rest.
I regret to inform you…
that I won't be giving up that seat just yet…
It seems like you want to ask me why I'm still alive…
It's nothing like that!
I understood that you left this morning
for the Feudal Lord's prefecture.
A certain fellow betrayed me…
Rather, he came back to me… and warned us
that we would be targeted on the way to the prefecture.
I can easily investigate and find out who is behind this…
And that person will be executed.
That is as clear as day…
But it's against my principles to cause any more death.
If I could meet that person, I would tell him…
That I will overlook his actions this time…
But in exchange, he must do all that is in his power…
for the sake of Hidden Leaf Village.
You and your ideals of peace…
One day, that naiveté will be the death of you, Hiruzen.
Hmm…perhaps you're right.
We've always been this way.
You are the light and I am the darkness.
Wherever there is light, there is darkness.
But losing either one causes disruptions in the world.
Professor…
I'm unqualified to be in the ANBU.
Why? Thanks to you, I'm still alive.
Still, I nearly betrayed you once.
I couldn't protect the Fourth Hokage…
I can't blame you if you hate me for that.
Actually, when Minato was alive, he came to speak to me about you.
I wanted him to forget the pain in his heart, even just a little…
That's why I assigned him to the ANBU.
But from the rumors I hear lately…
I think I might have made the pain go even deeper.
Right now, I regret it.
No one can heal a wounded heart…
Only time can heal all wounds.
Yes…
Well, there is one solution.
Why don't you assign him to guard Kushina?
If he leaves his duties with ANBU to watch over
a woman who is about to give birth to a new life,
perhaps it will trigger a change in him.
You're right!
When Minato died…
I considered releasing you from the ANBU, for a moment.
But I am in need your strength at this time.
Yes, sir!
Will you continue on as an ANBU who reports directly to me?
Yes!
I hope that Minato will forgive me as well…
Lord Third… There's something I need to tell you.
Hmm?
There's someone in the Foundation who uses the Wood Style…
Just as I thought…
I have an idea who it is. Let me handle this.
Yes, sir.
I see…
So you will be filling the post again, Lord Third!
You have the knowledge and experience already…
I am very relieved.
Is that man not here today?
The fierce-looking one with that scary eye…
Do you mean Danzo?
Oh yes, he's the one.
He had an urgent matter to attend to, so he is absent today.
Oh…I see.
I don't feel very comfortable around him.
We must cease direct contact between us for the time being.
Did something happen?
Kakashi betrayed me,
and there's a possibility that Hiruzen knows about us.
That's not good.
In time, he might even learn about this place and its secrets.
Well, we're dealing with Lord Third. He'll be on to us eventually.
No… He probably has already guessed.
Kakashi…
It won't wash off…
Lord Third is reassuming the title of Hokage…
I thought the changing of the guard would mean a new era…
I know what you mean, Genma…
It's not going to be easy for Lord Third, you know!
Especially at his age!
We just have to do our best for the village, that's all.
Let's celebrate the return of Lord Third with some dumplings!
– Yeah! – Yeah!
I-It's me! It's me, Kakashi!
You were seriously out to get me just now!
I thought I was going to get killed!
I should say the same. What the hell were you thinking?
I was just…
I just wanted to lure you into continuing our rivalry showdowns.
Sorry…
The current emergency summons is in place
in order to promptly recapture Orochimaru,
who has slipped through our grasp.
The knowledge that Orochimaru holds is a valuable asset to the Leaf.
If he leaves the Land of Fire, it will be a fatal blow to the Leaf!
When that time comes…
Next time on Naruto Shippuden: "The Rogue Ninja Orochimaru"
You… I like the look in your eye.
THE ROGUE NINJA OROCHIMARU
Tune in again!