The version of Dark Souls III that Uchiha Kei crafted for Tobirama Senju was far from the original—it was a brutally enhanced edition.

Forget the usual gameplay. Intelligent AI-controlled NPCs and monstrous foes roamed the world, while Tobirama's shinobi powers were completely sealed. Here, he had to exist as a game character, such as a lowly Ashen Undead with nothing to his name. Otherwise, how else could Uchiha FromSoftware express his love for this inherently sinister old Senju?

Currently, Tobirama was in absolute shock—his chakra was gone. Though his formidable physique remained intact, he could no longer wield any jutsu or chakra-based abilities.

Now, Tobirama Senju was a mere mortal—albeit one with years of battle-hardened experience. Even so, calling him a "normal person" was a stretch. He could still take on ten men with ease, maybe not a hundred, but ten? That was nothing.

Honestly, if he fought the version of Ip Man from the movies, Tobirama could probably kill him instantly—Ip Man rarely used weapons. But if it were the overpowered version of Ip Man from pilipili videos, then Tobirama would absolutely be pummeled to death.

In this situation, Tobirama believed he had fallen into a genjutsu. He tried every method he knew to dispel it—even attempted suicide.

But it was useless. The only result was more pain.

As all Dark Souls players know, dying is just part of the journey. You die, and you respawn at the last bonfire. Simple. No mercy.

Tobirama found himself reborn at the side of a key NPC—the Fire Keeper.

With her soft and serene voice, she comforted him and encouraged him to continue fighting.

Tobirama was silent. When he realized the illusion couldn't be broken—or that it might not be an illusion at all—he began interrogating the Fire Keeper.

In the original game, the Fire Keeper didn't have much to say. Her dialogue options were limited, and she certainly didn't have intelligent back-and-forth conversation.

But here, enhanced with AI algorithms, the Fire Keeper could converse intelligently. Her tone remained calm and dignified, fitting her character, but she could answer all of Tobirama's questions—if she knew the answer.

Honestly, gamers back on Earth would be weeping in envy. To them, the Fire Keeper was waifu material, the perfect emotional support NPC.

Tobirama didn't know the difference. He only found her overly obedient, mysterious, and eerily compliant. No matter what question he asked, she answered without hesitation.

Even when Tobirama tried touching her—or considered more aggressive tests—she didn't resist. Her words were simple: she existed to serve the Ashen One. Her life, her body, everything she had could be used by him if it pleased him.

Utter submission and loyalty. That was the essence of the Fire Keeper.

Of course, Tobirama was ruthless, but not a wanton killer—he wasn't like Danzo, his radical disciple who would've wiped out the entire Uchiha clan without hesitation. Tobirama feared the reappearance of another Madara Uchiha, sure—but he chose containment, not extermination.

So, for someone like the Fire Keeper, gentle and harmless, he had no desire to harm her. After confirming her sincerity, he abandoned any thoughts of testing her further.

He learned that this place was called "Lothric"—a world swallowed by despair and darkness, on the brink of collapse. Its survival depended on the rekindling of the First Flame.

Here, he wasn't a shinobi—or at least not just a shinobi—but a being known as an Ashen Undead. Technically not even alive anymore, yet carrying the potential to become a Lord of Cinder.

His mission? Seek out the Lords of Cinder who had forsaken their duty, defeat them, and reclaim their souls to kindle the flame anew—using his own body as fuel if necessary.

While the Fire Keeper didn't spell this out directly, her words made it clear, and Tobirama's intellect quickly pieced everything together.

Frankly, he found it absurd.

Why should he, a shinobi from another world, sacrifice himself for this broken one?

So no—Tobirama had zero interest in this so-called "mission of the Ashen One."

After learning all this, he resolved to explore and find a way back to the shinobi world.

Still, part of him clung to the theory that this was all a hyper-elaborate genjutsu. After all, Mangekyō Sharingan illusions could be bizarre. Maybe some unknown Uchiha brat with a terrifying eye technique had caught him off guard.

Staring at the calm Fire Keeper, he spoke coldly:

"This business with embers and Lords of Cinder—I'm not accepting it. I'm not from this world. I'm going to find a way back to where I belong."

The Fire Keeper bowed gracefully.

"Yes, Lord Ashen. You have your path and desires. As I've said, I serve you. I won't interfere with your choices."

"But in this chaotic world, no one can escape their fate. I believe, my lord, you will return one day. And I shall wait here, at the Firelink Shrine, for your return."

Hearing this, Tobirama gazed at her deeply, then turned and left the shrine.

Outside, he was greeted by a grey sky. Not stormy, but eternally overcast—light without a sun.

The landscape was alien. Roads twisted toward a distant, crumbling city. The flora looked wilted, drained of life.

There were no insects. No birdsong. Just the wind.

Oppressive. Dark.

This was what Tobirama felt.

Still, such gloom couldn't break him. As the Second Hokage, he strode forward with purpose.

And then—he encountered enemies.

Not anything from the shinobi world.

Corpses.

Rotten, grey-skinned corpses in rags began to rise from the ground. Their bones were visible, eyes empty, snarls filled with hatred for the living.

This wasn't like Edo Tensei, his own Reanimation Jutsu. Those reanimated shinobi, while obviously dead, still retained a human form.

These things didn't.

Normally, players first encounter a single risen corpse. But in this enhanced modded game, Tobirama faced thirteen.

Thirteen undead charged him in a coordinated assault—some with swords and shields, others wielding axes, spears, bows, or staves.

They worked in unison, like a trained unit.

Worse yet, they weren't slow or clumsy. They could leap six meters with ease, and fought with frightening aggression and unpredictable tactics.

It was downright hellish—difficulty ramped to the max. Any seasoned Earth gamer would have screamed, "This is insane!"

And remember: this wasn't just a controller experience. Pain, fatigue—Tobirama felt it all.

Despite his skills, Tobirama found himself in a bitter struggle against these "starter mobs."

With no chakra, he was forced to adapt to Dark Souls combat mechanics.

It wasn't just hard—it was humiliating.

The undead fought in formations he'd never seen before. Ever since shinobi had replaced the old samurai system, such military tactics had vanished from the shinobi world.

Here, they were back.

He barely held his own, retreating while instinctively learning to dodge with rolls.

Of course, Uchiha Kei had disabled invincibility frames for rolls—this was a custom hell build.

By the end of the fight, Tobirama had cuts everywhere. He won—but it took thirteen minutes.

Wounded, breathless, and bleeding, he frowned.

He felt… stronger?

Slightly, but definitely stronger. When each enemy died, a faint red glow left their bodies and entered his.

Soul fragments.

These scraps of spirit power were being absorbed by his Ashen body.

In other words, the more he fought, the more powerful he'd become.

This unsettled him. In the shinobi world, strength came from experience and training—not just from slaughter.

But this world rewarded bloodshed.

The term "enemy" became blurry—he could technically kill anyone to grow stronger.

"Is this just how this world works? Or… is it because I'm Ashen?"

Tobirama furrowed his brow, deep in thought. With limited intel, he needed to investigate more.

He took out a bottle given to him earlier by the Fire Keeper. It contained a golden liquid, said to heal wounds.

His injuries were severe. He didn't trust it—but without it, he might not survive the next fight.

After a brief hesitation, he drank it.

A golden, flame-like aura spread across his body, and his wounds rapidly healed.

Tobirama was astonished. Even his brother's legendary Senju regeneration couldn't match this.

He had never played a game. He didn't understand what "digital lifeforms" were. But he was deeply intrigued by this world now. He wanted to explore it.

And then—Tobirama died.

Because next up… was Gundyr, the Ashen Judge.

The first boss of Dark Souls III.

Tobirama, the great Second Hokage, was cut down instantly.

Not a drawn-out duel.

He was obliterated.

Naturally. If the trash mobs were this overpowered, the boss was practically a god.

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