Three Firefly shinobi were patrolling the perimeter of the "Sea of Trees" that had suddenly surged into existence.
They appeared to be on a mission, though they couldn't help but cast wary glances at the black flames flickering in mid-air.
Black flames were naturally terrifying, but this "Sea of Trees" far exceeded the imagination of an ordinary ninja. To some extent, calling it a miracle wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Shinobi were human; everyone was more or less the same height and weight. So why was it that some people possessed a physical energy density comparable to a giant superhero? It defied all logic.
The three shinobi stood at the edge of the forest, staring blankly for a long time.
However, the Captain proved his worth. Suppressing his internal shock, he put on a face as somber as a man heading to a funeral and silently walked toward the woods to carry out his heavy responsibility.
"Captain, are we scouting the perimeter of the Sea of Trees to assess its destructive power and gauge that shinobi's threat level?" one of the other two asked.
Hane Genma had only mentioned the mission in passing to the Captain when they returned to camp; the other two remained completely in the dark regarding the specifics.
"This truly is a daunting task," the second one added.
Finally unable to take it anymore, the unlucky Captain turned around. Yes, the task was daunting, but not in the way these two idiots imagined.
"You're overthinking it. During the previous battle, Lord Genma accidentally dropped his Edgeless Sword somewhere in this forest. Our mission is to find it and bring it back... Well? Is that 'important' enough for you?"
"Huh?"
"Finding a needle in a... Sea of Trees?"
As the forest seemed to expand even further, their scalps went numb. The Captain's grim expression instantly infected the other two. As for assessing power or threat levels? Since when was that their job?
Regardless, they had landed a "once-in-a-decade" kind of mission.
On the other side, Hane Genma was momentarily stunned by Senju Hashirama's sudden proposal.
Unlike Tobirama, who was prone to overcalculating, this older brother acted purely on emotion and intuition. At this moment, his understanding of the Firefly Organization was limited, but based solely on the spirit of its shinobi, he felt this place was special. It was entirely different from the atmosphere of a typical ninja clan, leading him to believe he should join.
If asked why, he probably couldn't give a logical reason beyond something like, "I just really like it here."
Genma pondered for a moment, realizing Hashirama's request was unexpected yet perfectly in character. It wasn't just about Hashirama joining as an individual; if he were the head of the Senju clan right now, he would likely bring the entire clan into Firefly without a second thought. There was no doubt about it—Hashirama was just that kind of person. He was absurd, just in a way that was diametrically opposite to his younger brother.
Genma's mind raced, but his voice didn't waver:
"It is an honor for the Firefly Organization that you think so highly of us, Mr. Hashirama. Our organization has always practiced the principles of inclusion and openness. If you like it here, you are welcome to become an 'Honorary Member' for the time being."
"Honorary Member? Haha! That works, that's great!" Hashirama laughed heartily, though it was doubtful if he truly grasped what "Honorary Member" implied.
For now, Genma only wanted to maintain a friendly relationship with the Senju. He had no illusions about annexing them—the reality was that Firefly couldn't swallow the Senju, nor could they truly contain a man like Hashirama.
A snake swallowing an elephant only exists in delusions... and the snakes of Ryuchi Cave don't count.
Accepting Hashirama was the definition of "a snake swallowing an elephant" because Hashirama was naturally not meant to be anyone's subordinate. This had nothing to do with his personal desires; rather, no "leader" possessed the strength to stand above him. Furthermore, even if Hashirama was easy-going, the entire Senju clan stood behind him. How could they ever allow themselves to be subservient to others?
Even the arrogant Uchiha couldn't suppress the Senju. Genma didn't think he or his small organization could achieve that yet... but it didn't matter. Soon enough, the name of the organization would resonate throughout the Shinobi World.
By then, the organization and the Senju could speak as equals.
"Brother, stop causing trouble!"
Senju Tobirama looked as if he wanted to sew his brother's mouth shut. Did this guy have any filter at all? Tobirama felt like he was worrying himself to death over this family.
"Eh? Tobirama, you're the one who should stop talking nonsense."
For once, Hashirama withstood the depression typically caused by his brother's lack of respect. Well, mostly.
Genma glanced at Tobirama, thinking to himself: You truly only understand schemes and small-time cleverness. You lack the grand vision. In critical moments, you can't compare to your brother's flashes of intuition and his 'wise-fool' nature.
The man couldn't see that the situation was reversed. Hashirama said he wanted to join Firefly, but in reality, he was the one "recruiting" Firefly into his orbit. Hashirama didn't realize it, but the power dynamic dictated it. Tobirama, meanwhile, was only worried about his brother embarrassing the Senju name.
Looking at history, it's no wonder you didn't leave a great reputation... Genma complained internally. The crisis had passed, and since the more "trustworthy" Hashirama was present, Tobirama was no longer his "dear friend."
Genma subsequently dismissed the interception squad behind him and personally led Hashirama on a tour of the camp. He pointed out different areas, explaining their future functions and outlining the organizational structure of the new Hidden Village.
Hashirama laughed and cheered throughout the tour. To be honest, his personality was ten thousand times better than Tobirama's and eight thousand times better than Uchiha Madara's.
Tobirama followed silently and seriously, listening intently to Genma's words.
The details Genma shared were even more thorough than what he had told the Furui clan, with one exception: he omitted any mention of the "Anbu."
The primary reason was that the Firefly Organization didn't need such a department right now, nor would it in the future. In fact, if Hashirama were to lead a multi-clan coalition, he wouldn't need one either. He would hate it because his nature instinctively rejected such underhanded tactics.
He was the type to charge forward alone, and everyone would naturally unite at his side—a perfect "Asura" archetype.
Moreover, an organization like the Anbu, which uses high-pressure tactics against both friend and foe, would ruin the reputation of whoever proposed it for a hundred years. Genma didn't necessarily care about his own reputation, but as a leader, a good name was far more useful than a bad one. He'd leave that "opportunity" for someone else.
It was precisely because some "younger brothers" lacked the strength and charisma of their "elder brothers" that they spent their lives crawling through the gutters.
After hearing Genma's "unreserved" explanation, the Senju brothers decided to stay in the camp temporarily as guests to attend the upcoming village formation ceremony.
This indicated they took the novel concept of a multi-clan coalition very seriously. Otherwise, the Senju's top combat assets wouldn't stay away from the front lines for so long.
Tobirama had previously believed Genma lacked the strength to lead such an organization and thought its "lifespan" would be short. One couldn't call him short-sighted; at the time, Genma's strength truly was insufficient.
However, after the Hagoromo raid, the Firefly Organization had firmly established itself, and Tobirama's perspective had done a complete 180-degree turn.
That evening, Genma hosted a banquet for the Senju brothers. It was called a banquet, but it was really just a bonfire in the center of the camp where shinobi who had spent the day on construction projects could laugh, eat, and drink together.
The food was ordinary, but this style of dining suited Hashirama perfectly. He had no ego, loved a lively atmosphere, and was basically a "country bumpkin" at heart. Considering he later taught his toddler granddaughter how to gamble, who could ever expect him to be a formal person?
"Hahaha! Come on, everyone, eat up, eat up!"
Hashirama looked more like the leader of the organization than Genma did. He didn't care if he knew people or not; if he bumped into them, he urged them to eat and drink. He was fond of physical contact, throwing his arms around people's shoulders. At first, most were uncomfortable, but as the meal progressed, he had somehow blended in perfectly with everyone.
"Eh? Where's Tobirama? Where did he go?" Mid-meal, Hashirama realized his brother was missing.
Genma, holding a bowl of porridge, looked at Hashirama with a strange expression. "He might have gone to inspect the organization's 'advanced medical system.'"
He had also just discovered that Tobirama was that kind of person.
"Oh? He can't even rest at night?"
"I think it's precisely because it's night that he's too restless to sit still," Genma replied.
"Restless at night? Are you talking about a man or a beast?"
"Either. Both. Take your pick."
See? Genma knew he got along better with Hashirama.
The next day, the brothers began a more detailed inspection, though Genma didn't accompany them personally this time.
By afternoon, Nara Naoyuki's diplomatic team returned with good news: the friendship agreement between the organization and the Furui clan had been consolidated and implemented.
This meant that as long as nothing went wrong, the Firefly Organization would not face the nightmare of a two-front war for a long time. As for the trade caravans, they only needed to negotiate with Daimyo Shimizu Kisuke. Resources in the desert were relatively scarce, so Genma understood Furui Reto's conditions.
On the eve of the village's founding, Genma held a crucial closed-door meeting in a conference room of the newly completed five-story stone-and-wood office building.
Cutting timber, carving stone, and laying foundations—shinobi worked with incredible efficiency. The camp changed every day, a pace that could be called "Firefly Speed."
The primary participants included Akimichi Shenyu, Nara Naoyuki, Yamanaka Tokuya, Aburame Junwa, Fuma Tomo, and Tachibana Wakamatsu representing the Hane group. Additionally, Lan sat to Genma's right as a mascot, while Nara Hideyuki sat to his left taking notes.
"Everyone is here. This meeting is to briefly discuss how our military forces will be structured after the village is formed."
Genma saw them all sitting obediently like elementary students, backs straight as boards. He wondered if his meeting notice had been a bit too stern...
But now wasn't the time for that. He continued:
"First, I intend to form a mobile force of 30 people. This will be our backbone for external operations. Theoretically, only this unit will be authorized for combat outside our borders. There are exactly six groups represented here, meaning each group gets five slots."
"However, considering the imbalance of strength between different groups, specific adjustments will be made later."
It was simple: only the most elite shinobi were qualified to join this combat unit. Since the organization was in a period of rapid expansion, every leader wanted more slots. Contribution equaled influence; it was healthy competition.
Wakamatsu and Tomo both pursed their lips. In terms of raw combat power, the Hane group was the weakest and the Fuma were next. Their slots were the most likely to be usurped. Wakamatsu's feelings were even more complex; as he was part of Genma's "original circle," he wanted to contribute more, but the issue of strength wasn't easily solved.
"Lord Genma, isn't the number too small?" Nara Naoyuki asked.
"It's not small. Quality over quantity. In fact, I believe most battles can be handled with 20 people; the extra 10 are essentially 'backups.' In the future, this unit will be strictly merit-based—the capable stay, and the mediocre leave to find other work."
The atmosphere turned solemn. If one was selected only to be kicked out later, it wouldn't just be embarrassing; it would be a disgrace.
"Next is a 60-man Guard Force. Their duty will be internal defense, support, and all tasks other than external warfare."
"We can barely scrape 60 people together right now, but there's no rush. If we lack the numbers, we can train more over time."
"Lord Genma, which unit will handle the Daimyo's protection?"
"The Daimyo deserves the best. Naturally, that falls to the Guard Force. In the future, 10 people will be specifically assigned to his safety."
Wait, did Lord Genma's definition of 'the best' have a bug in it? No one present dared to correct him.
"If the organization continues to grow, the 90 slots will be filled quickly," one added. "Lord Genma, what about the other shinobi?"
"There are plenty of places for them. Logistics and support need more people. The Mission Department, Intelligence, Interrogation, Medical, Education... no matter how many shinobi we have, we'll never fill all the holes."
"In an ideal scenario, we should have one combatant for every two guards, with five to ten people providing logistics, intelligence, and medical support."
"When we reach that point, we won't have to fear any enemy."
Genma leaned forward, his gaze sharpening. "Everyone, focus. Prioritize integrating that 30-man combat unit. Once the village is established, we will use a single mission to announce our presence to the world."
"A mission?" Nara Naoyuki asked. "Is it convenient for you to reveal the details, Lord Genma?"
"Hmm... The total annihilation of the Hagoromo clan. How does that sound to you?"
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