Konoha's Second Training Ground.
Hiruzen sat cross-legged amid a sea of flames, bare-chested, with faint curse marks protecting the lower half of his body.
His eyes were closed in concentration. His physique was robust and upright, his muscles firm and tightly defined.
The blazing fire swept across his skin without leaving even the slightest burn, gliding over him as gently as flowing water.
Kakuzu and Yashiro slowly approached the entrance of the training ground. After speaking briefly with the ANBU guards at the gate, they entered.
The moment they saw the scene before them, both froze.
What exactly was Hokage-sama doing?
The bodies of shinobi were fragile.
Even jōnin and many famous elite shinobi did not differ much physically from ordinary chūnin or tokubetsu jōnin...
Only someone like Kakuzu, with his Earth Grudge Fear body, possessed such abnormal physical durability.
But without using ninjutsu to reinforce the body, even he could not reach the point of tanking Fire Release techniques without injury...
'If you covered his face, with that level of physical toughness and musculature, I'd think I was looking at the Raikage...' Kakuzu muttered inwardly.
He recalled the day he had clashed head-on with Hiruzen...
Earth Grudge Fear: Final Shot against Five Release Great Combo Technique.
Now that he thought about it, Kakuzu felt Hiruzen might not even need ninjutsu. With taijutsu alone, he could probably beat Kakuzu all over the battlefield...
Wasn't he supposed to be the Professor of Ninjutsu? Why had he suddenly become a body-type fighter?!
What Kakuzu did not know was this—
Hiruzen was an extremely cautious man.
The body was the foundation of everything. The combination of a shinobi's fragile flesh and the destructive power of ninjutsu made him feel deeply uneasy...
"Kakuzu, Yashiro..."
"Come. Use Fire Release on me," Hiruzen raised his head and said with smiling eyes.
Yashiro and Kakuzu both froze.
Under Hiruzen's encouraging gaze, the two hesitantly formed hand seals.
Fire Release: Head Hard Work!"
Fire Release: Phoenix Sage Fire Crimson Claws!
A sea of flames engulfed Hiruzen's body. Kakuzu and Yashiro stared intently at the Hokage.
Yashiro even activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, gazing reverently at Hiruzen's powerfully built body as concern appeared on his face.
Through the Sharingan, Yashiro could not see Hiruzen using chakra to protect the surface of his body.
"Please be careful, Hokage-sama!" Yashiro could not help but warn him.
Hiruzen nodded, feeling the burning heat and scorching sensation spreading across the surface of his body as he slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.
'So I've developed a certain level of resistance to Fire Release chakra...'
'When others attack me, the uncertainty and unpredictability are actually beneficial for training...'
'At Yashiro's level of Fire Release chakra transformation, I can already endure it. Kakuzu's attacks can still injure me though. If I were hit head-on several times without using the Lightning Armor, I'd suffer obvious damage...'
Hiruzen slowly rose to his feet, and his skin gradually turned a reddish bronze color.
Then a bizarre scene unfolded.
A faint glow appeared in the center of his chest, and the raging flames suddenly became docile.
Streams of fire slowly seeped along the lines of his muscles, directly flowing into his heart like seawater spiraling into a vortex.
Yashiro stared blankly at the scene.
Huh?
Was Hokage-sama absorbing flames with his body?
Even Kakuzu, who prided himself on being widely experienced in the shinobi world, wore a shocked expression.
"A chakra absorption technique? No... If it were Dark Release, there should still be a conversion process for the Fire Release. It shouldn't lose all offensive power instantly like this..."
"It's more like the flames were sealed away. Only sealing techniques can produce such an overbearing effect..."
Kakuzu analyzed in a low voice.
"This sounds like the Fire Sealing Method Fugaku-san talked about..." Yashiro blinked.
After being told to read more books, Fugaku had gone through some old texts.
Though he had only learned a little, he already loved showing off his knowledge to others to prove how well-read he was...
The Fire Sealing Method had been one of those topics.
'Yashiro, let me tell you something. Our Uchiha Clan's Fire Release isn't invincible!'
'You've got to stay humble... The Fire Sealing Method completely counters Fire Release. As long as there's a specially prepared scroll acting as the medium, even Amaterasu—the ultimate Fire Release dōjutsu—is extremely difficult to break through once it's sealed...' Fugaku had proudly lectured Yashiro before.
"Oh? Not bad, Yashiro. Sharp eyes!"
Hiruzen exhaled a breath of scorching air. "What I'm doing now is basically an internalized version of the Fire Sealing Method. Though I'm still not very proficient with it. Absorbing both of your Fire Release techniques at the same time is already my limit. I'll need some time to digest it..."
Both Yashiro and Kakuzu looked utterly confused.
What did he mean by internalizing a sealing technique?
A walking sealing technique, basically?!
"You've practically become immune to both water and fire now..."
"If you keep training like this, then even the legendary strongest Fire Release of the Uchiha Clan, Amaterasu—the so-called inextinguishable flames and ultimate physical attack—would be useless even if it burned you..."
Yashiro said excitedly.
Whenever Hiruzen became stronger, Yashiro felt a sense of pride, as though he himself had grown stronger too.
Kakuzu could not help frowning.
What kind of thing was that to say...
It somehow sounded like the Uchiha had long been planning to burn the Hokage with Amaterasu...
'Though if it's the Uchiha, I guess that's normal...' Kakuzu muttered inwardly.
Even though Uchiha shinobi had not been especially active across the shinobi world for many years, jokes about the emotional intelligence of the "red-eyed clan" were still widely circulated throughout the world.
Yashiro also seemed to realize how questionable his words sounded and hurriedly tried to patch things up.
But Hiruzen smilingly interrupted him: "If I continue improving in the future, and someone from the Uchiha Clan awakens that dōjutsu, then perhaps we can give it a try..."
"There's no need to be nervous, Yashiro. We're family here. There's no need to be so formal with each other. Relax a little."
"Your loyalty speaks for itself."
Yashiro grinned foolishly. He knew his worries had been unnecessary after all...
Hokage-sama was not the type to nitpick words or throw accusations around!
Kakuzu fell into thought. Perhaps this was why the Uchiha Clan had hung up all those slogans throughout the Police Force headquarters...
A man this powerful, yet still capable of treating shinobi who once had conflicts with him with such tolerance, was truly rare in the shinobi world...
Suddenly, Kakuzu thought of someone familiar.
Senju Hashirama—the man who had spared his life long ago.
'That kind of bearing? Not quite there yet... but he does possess a trace of that spirit...'
"Yashiro, go take care of your duties for now. I'd like to speak with Kakuzu-san privately," Hiruzen said.
Kakuzu slowly walked forward and, at Hiruzen's gesture, sat beside him on the bench.
"So..."
"The Konoha under my leadership has changed somewhat compared to the past, hasn't it?" Hiruzen said with a smile. "Though there are still many shortcomings..."
"Do you have any suggestions for me?"
Kakuzu's expression stiffened. The Hokage was actually asking for his opinion?
"I'm just a bounty hunter and a missing-nin from Takigakure. What useful opinions could I possibly have for Konoha?"
Kakuzu laughed self-mockingly. "All these years wandering through the shinobi world, the only things I've dealt with were corpses and money."
"You've seen much of the world. We also look at problems from different perspectives."
Hiruzen shook his head. "Who could ever achieve perfection alone? In the end, everyone has to work together—finding problems together and building solutions together..."
Kakuzu fell silent.
The more he listened, the more convinced he became that Hiruzen did not resemble a shinobi at all...
"As for problems... before that, I'd like to ask Hokage-sama a few questions first. Would that be alright?"
Kakuzu asked softly.
After receiving Hiruzen's approval, Kakuzu frowned and said: "Hokage-sama, why are you scattering all that silver among the poor?"
"Even if it's to win the people's support, your favoritism toward the lower classes is excessive. You should concentrate superior resources on the jōnin instead. They're the true foundation of your rule over the village."
"I don't understand. This isn't the most economically efficient approach."
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
Kakuzu's way of thinking resembled that of a merchant carrying out the most extreme form of self-interested cost calculations...
"The poor are still people. Many of them simply lacked the resources to get started."
"My disciples Jiraiya and Orochimaru, Sakumo, Hiruko, and many other Konoha jōnin didn't come from wealthy backgrounds either, yet they still managed to grow into outstanding shinobi..."
"Some people are poor but fortunate, like my disciples who ended up being taken in by me."
"But perhaps there are shinobi just as talented as they are who never received that kind of luck. They may end up trapped struggling to survive, missing the golden years of their development..."
"One million ryō may not mean much to you or me, but for a genin who has lost the support of their family, it can give them enough peace of mind to fully realize their talent."
Kakuzu subconsciously asked, "But what if the return isn't worth it? Most shinobi simply don't have the talent to become strong..."
"That's where your perspective differs from mine. Warfare between hidden villages is not the same as lone wolves acting independently."
"In any large-scale battlefield, you need massive numbers of relatively ordinary shinobi to fill the front lines, hold critical positions in the defenses, and prevent enemy infiltration and flanking maneuvers..." Hiruzen said slowly.
"They'll be the ones stopping the enemy's sharpest initial assault. They'll also obtain valuable intelligence from the battlefield and lay the groundwork for the elite forces to secure victory."
"So the casualties are enormous."
"Helping them become even a little stronger is extremely beneficial to Konoha's military power..." Hiruzen sighed.
"Besides, it also gives those shinobi a better chance against their enemies and increases their odds of surviving the brutal battlefield..."
Kakuzu stared directly at Hiruzen and solemnly asked: "But... that doesn't benefit you very much personally, does it? I'm curious why you care so much about these shinobi..."
"I want to hear your most honest thoughts!"
"Perhaps it's because I'm Hashirama-sama's disciple..." Hiruzen answered without changing expression. He believed the First Hokage's name was especially effective against Kakuzu.
Hashirama truly was the shinobi world's original irresistible charmer.
"Hashirama-sama was so powerful that, aside from a handful of people like Uchiha Madara, every other shinobi before him was no different than ordinary genin standing before you or me..."
"And yet, he still restrained his own power. For the peace and happiness of the majority, he chose to create Konoha, thereby ending the Warring States Era."
"If not for Hashirama-sama, perhaps I wouldn't have survived until today, nor had the opportunity to grow..." Hiruzen said seriously.
"No way... But you were a genius, weren't you?" Kakuzu asked hesitantly.
"When the chaotic era ended, I was still just a child. And in those cruel times, how many young geniuses died before they could mature?" Hiruzen said slowly.
"Hashirama-sama never obsessed over maximizing profit or efficiency. He simply wanted as many people as possible to survive. Otherwise, with his strength, he could have dominated anyone and started massacre after massacre..."
"I'm someone with very limited ability. Compared to Hashirama-sama, I fall far short. But his spirit and bearing are forever engraved in my heart."
"So all I want is to do my best to fulfill what Hashirama-sama envisioned. After all, I belong to the generation that grew up under the protection of his kindness. A man should know how to repay his debts..."
Hiruzen advanced by retreating, subtly binding his own name together with Hashirama's.
And that talk of repaying kindness was outwardly about himself, while covertly striking directly at Kakuzu's heart.
"Hokage-sama is right..."
Kakuzu let out a soft sigh. The image of Hashirama sparing him long ago surfaced once more in his mind:
'Kid, you've got pretty good skills! Your luck's just bad. Be careful not to get screwed over by others in the future!'
Hashirama's hearty laughter seemed to transcend time itself and echo once more beside Kakuzu's ears.
If Hashirama had possessed the same mentality as him, would he still be alive today?
Obviously not...
"Hokage-sama, how do you view the relationship between the public image and the people working behind the scenes?" Kakuzu suddenly asked an odd question, his tone turning slightly sharp.
"Is it about keeping the good side for yourself while letting others bear the ugly side?"
The moment Kakuzu said it, even he felt the question was too presumptuous.
And yet, he desperately wanted to know...
As someone who had once been harmed by a hidden village, he was exceptionally sensitive toward any kind of scapegoating behavior, and he wanted to hear Hiruzen's thoughts on it more than anything.
If even this question could be answered...
Then Kakuzu felt Konoha truly was the ideal organization of his dreams, with its only flaw being that he himself had never joined it...
Hiruzen pondered for a while.
Within the shinobi world, this question was honestly a little beyond the norm.
He needed to organize his thoughts.
"Uniting people's hearts comes from narratives of justice and shared moral consensus... And as the person explaining and representing that system, I naturally need to avoid becoming too deeply stained by darkness myself."
"But for a village to survive—especially within the shinobi world—it must deal with hidden threats and gray-area missions that cannot be brought into the open. Sometimes harsh or even dark methods are necessary to protect the organization's bottom line."
"I need to establish the image of a powerful leader who absolutely follows the rules. Once even the slightest imbalance appears in that image, because my influence within the village is rather significant, a large number of shinobi would begin losing faith in the rules themselves..."
"So I need others to help me carry out those tasks and serve as what you called the 'substance behind the appearance.'"
Hiruzen spoke with complete sincerity.
His words were so straightforward that Kakuzu was stunned.
This did not sound like an excuse at all. It sounded more like Hiruzen was teaching him how to become a Hokage...
"I see every shinobi who handles the dirty work, the exhausting work, the ones who immerse themselves in darkness."
Hiruzen spoke softly.
"For example, Danzō, the former Uchiha, Root... They've all sacrificed a great deal, yet sometimes they've only earned misunderstanding from their comrades..."
"So I also need to protect them from behind the scenes. I use my influence to make their contributions public, ensuring they receive the recognition, honor, and material rewards they deserve..."
"At the same time, I can also use my influence to restrain them and prevent them from excessively damaging the rules."
"They handle the things I cannot conveniently do, while I, as the public symbol, help pull them back out of the darkness so that one day they can stand proudly beneath the light."
"They are not disposable blades to be discarded once used. They are heroes carrying heavy burdens for me and for the village."
"I admit this system is not perfect, but it's the best solution I've been able to find so far."
Hiruzen spoke each word carefully and deliberately.
Kakuzu slowly let out a long breath, his expression filled with emotion.
As a shinobi...
What did they fear the most? It wasn't sacrifice, nor devotion—it was carrying out missions without receiving anything in return.
And when it came to those who handled the "substance behind the appearance," it meant being discarded like a chamber pot after the work was done, or slaughtering the donkey once it had finished turning the millstone.
That was exactly what had happened to Kakuzu back in Takigakure...
But in Konoha—
Whether it was the Uchiha, Danzō, or the publicly commended ANBU...
Every example was telling Kakuzu the same thing: Hiruzen never shortchanged those who worked for him.
Even if they carried stains on their reputation, turning against them and disposing of them would have been easy...
Take Root and Danzō for example. As long as Hiruzen slightly stirred public sentiment, Konoha's shinobi would feel nothing but anger toward them.
But Hiruzen had not done that. Instead, he personally stepped forward and granted them exceptional treatment.
"You really are generous, Hokage-sama..."
Kakuzu sighed from the bottom of his heart. "I like your explanation very much."
Hiruzen had not tried to beautify himself. Instead, he had honestly explained the village's operating system to Kakuzu.
And it was precisely that honesty that struck the softest part of Kakuzu's five hearts...
Complete sincerity!
"Konoha truly is a good village..."
"What a pity. I'm still a missing-nin from Takigakure, and I've already wasted so many years wandering through the shinobi world..." Kakuzu sighed.
"Nothing unfortunate about it. You're a talented young man whom Hashirama-sama himself once regretted losing," Hiruzen joked. "With your Earth Grudge Fear, you're still young. The road ahead of you is still very long..."
The road ahead was still very long?
Kakuzu looked toward Hiruzen, his heart trembling slightly.
Hiruzen also looked directly at Kakuzu, his gaze calm and resolute.
"Hokage-sama, I heard that..."
"Konoha allows other shinobi to join the village? The Tsuchigumo Clan and the Iburi Clan both joined Konoha's reserve forces..." Kakuzu said almost subconsciously.
"Of course. We welcome all shinobi who recognize the Will of Fire and share the same ideals."
"Background is actually the least important thing."
Kakuzu nodded as though casually.
A moment later, he quietly asked: "Then... do you think I qualify?"
Kakuzu was slightly nervous.
His reputation throughout the shinobi world was truly terrible...
One could not say he was as infamous as Tobirama, but he was definitely the type to be placed under heavy surveillance whenever he passed through a major hidden village.
After all, no organization liked a powerful lone wolf.
Unexpectedly, Hiruzen burst into hearty laughter, grabbed Kakuzu's hand, and shook it firmly.
"To be honest, I already wanted to ask you earlier. I was just worried you might find it too abrupt..."
"I've long heard from the ANBU that you're one of the shinobi world's most famous financial experts. Konoha's industries currently generate roughly five billion ryō in annual profits—and that's not even counting mission revenue!"
"If you're willing to join us, I'd like to appoint you as my financial advisor. You'd oversee the summary, secondary approval, and supervision of all future expenditures and fund allocations..."
Hiruzen let out a long breath as though finally relieved.
"There are far too few shinobi in the village who understand these things. At last, I'll finally have someone I can properly discuss them with!"
Kakuzu's eyes widened.
Wait...
I only asked whether I qualified, so why are you opening with an ultimate move?!
Under normal circumstances, shouldn't you first think it over before either agreeing or rejecting me?
But Konoha apparently had its own local customs. There should have been some sort of evaluation process—like making him join a reserve force similar to the Iburi Clan and letting him earn merits before officially accepting him!
Yet Hiruzen had immediately entrusted him with managing five billion ryō. Even if it wasn't full control, this was still outrageously generous!
Five billion ryō...
Kakuzu could not help calculating it in his head. That amount of bounty money would require killing three to five hundred elite jōnin!
Even if all Five Great Hidden Villages combined their bounty lists together, it would only amount to about this much!
Even someone as wealthy as Kakuzu was stunned by Konoha's mountain of gold coins.
"You trust me that much?" Kakuzu could not help asking.
"I've always believed in employing people without doubting them and never using people I don't trust..." Hiruzen said cheerfully. "Normally, joining Konoha would require going through a formal process..."
"But you possess exceptional talent and combat ability. You also have old ties with Hashirama-sama and Mito-sama. You've always been an old friend of Konoha."
"To be honest, from the moment I learned that you remained extremely strict about following rules despite being a bounty hunter, I began thinking that perhaps one day we could become comrades who rely on one another."
Patting Kakuzu's shoulder, Hiruzen laughed with the same hearty openness as Hashirama himself.
"Looks like my instincts were right!"
"The other day, I was even discussing this matter with Mito-sama..." Hiruzen blinked. "By the way, you haven't visited her yet, have you?"
Kakuzu was dumbfounded.
"I... I still haven't visited Mito-sama, but I was planning to. I even brought gifts..."
So he and the Hokage had long been kindred spirits without ever meeting?
Was this what people called a bond?
"Good, then go visit Mito-sama..."
Hiruzen smiled warmly.
"I'll send your forehead protector to her right now. Hopefully, you'll earn her approval and have Mito-sama personally become the sponsor for your entry into Konoha."
"That way, nobody will have anything to say about it... You'll be able to establish yourself firmly in Konoha, and your future work will proceed more smoothly without people making trouble for you."
It was only natural for an outsider entrusted with such heavy authority to attract suspicion. Even Konoha was no exception.
But Uzumaki Mito occupied a transcendent position within Konoha.
Moreover, this was a beautiful story tied directly to the Will of Fire and Hashirama himself!
Kakuzu, who had once been spared by Hashirama, was now moved by the Will of Fire fifty years later and, with the approval of Hashirama's widow Mito, joined Konoha...
This was practically perfect propaganda material!
The Will of Fire was practically blazing out of control within this story...
Kakuzu took a deep breath.
He genuinely did not know what to say anymore...
He had not even officially become a Konoha shinobi yet! Yet Hiruzen was already considering his future work, proactively removing obstacles in advance so he would not be mistreated later...
What kind of person did this?!
Kakuzu felt warmth spread through his entire body. It was almost like he had fallen under a genjutsu, a feverish heat rising within him. Even the black threads inside his body seemed to flow faster...
"Hokage-sama..."
"I'll go visit Mito-sama immediately!"
"As for my specific duties, let's discuss them in detail later. I have an even better idea—something that would greatly benefit the village."
Kakuzu stood up and spoke solemnly.
Standing straight-backed, it was obvious that Kakuzu had already begun mentally placing himself within Konoha's ranks.
"Good! I'll wait for you to come discuss it with me, but there's no rush..."
"You should also take your own work habits into account. Let's settle every issue thoroughly in one go..." Hiruzen patted Kakuzu on the shoulder. "Go on then, and give Mito-sama my regards!"
Kakuzu nodded heavily.
Hiruzen watched Kakuzu's departing figure and smiled.
The inherent stubbornness of shinobi meant that as long as you struck the softest part of their hearts, scenarios like "his entire body trembling before bowing his head in submission" were actually quite achievable...
Of course, Hiruzen did not trust Kakuzu that completely either.
There was another extremely important reason why he was sending him to Uzumaki Mito.
That was because Hiruzen trusted Mito's Mind's Eye of the Kagura and her ability to sense malice.
Even Tobirama-sensei had been unable to escape her perception back then. In Hiruzen's view, Kakuzu simply did not possess that kind of ability...
Though it was technically a calculation on his part, it was beneficial to everyone involved.
Hiruzen could confirm whether Kakuzu was truly usable, Kakuzu could obtain trust and backing, and Mito could reminisce about Hashirama's past deeds and bearing...
A win-win situation!
"Fire Release..."
Hiruzen sensed the Fire Release chakra he had absorbed as well as his current resistance to Fire Release.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Progress was accelerating.
"I wonder whether that brat will manage to surprise me once he comes back..." Hiruzen chuckled. He was referring to Jiraiya.
Jiraiya, who was currently undergoing secluded training at Mount Myōboku, had written in his letters that through advance preparation, he could now barely use Sage Mode in actual combat.
He had sent letters to Hiruzen, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Hiruko.
In them, he proudly proclaimed that he had already become a sage, that his strength was no longer what it used to be, and that upon returning to Konoha he would definitely put on a grand display!
Hiruzen had never observed Sage Mode up close before and was extremely curious about it.
And as for this old disciple of his, Hiruzen's hands had honestly been itching for a while now...
He really wanted to hit him. It felt like the experience would be satisfying!
As Hokage, Hiruzen could not train the way Sakumo usually did—feeling rusty and simply heading to the border to cut down a few enemy scouts...
The moment Hiruzen left the village, the entire shinobi world would start moving.
So the only thing he could do was engage in sparring matches with the village's shinobi under the guise of exchanging combat experience...
Originally, Hiruzen had already set his sights on Tobirama...
He had planned on exchanging blows with his youthful teacher...
But now Jiraiya had swaggered around demanding that Hiruzen witness his greatness...
In that case, there was no reason not to beat him up!
...
ANBU Headquarters.
Danzō, who had sobered up—or rather, had never actually been drunk in the first place—looked extremely satisfied as he stared at Seisui standing before him.
His reconciliation performance with Isshin and Fugaku had mainly been for the sake of appearances, so the shinobi would spread the story around and let the entire village know they had reconciled, wrapping things up like a perfectly reunited family gathering...
Otherwise, who would know about it behind closed doors?
But in Danzō's eyes, the more he looked at "Seisui," the more satisfied he became.
The more he looked, the more he felt the boy did not resemble Izuna at all. Instead, he looked like he had been carved from the exact same mold as his teacher!
Of course, only Danzō would think that. Because of his habit of staring at Tobirama's photograph every single day, he unconsciously exaggerated the similarities between Seisui's facial features and Tobirama's...
But interestingly enough—
After finishing reading through the materials and ninjutsu Danzō had handed him, Tobirama coldly said something completely unexpected: "How could you possibly improve this Wind Release Chakra Mode from this angle? You fundamentally don't understand the basic principles behind improving ninjutsu!"
"Obviously..."
"You should start from the angle of nature transformation, using the foundational structure of the Hōzuki Clan's Hydrification Secret Technique as a reference, then extending it through airflow dynamics. If you keep doing it your way, you'll never finish this technique in your entire life..."
Danzō froze.
Facing the blueprint of ideas that "Seisui" handed over, Danzō subconsciously asked: "How do you know so much about this?"
Tobirama answered confidently, having prepared his explanation long ago: "My younger brother is Shisui. His family possesses the research materials and development notes left behind by Senju Tobirama. Aren't these things obvious after reading them once?"
"The Second Hokage already organized everything in such a simple and easy-to-understand way..."
"I'm honestly curious. As his disciple, how is it that you can't even understand any of this?"
For the first time in a long while, Danzō revealed a bewildered expression.
Naturally, he knew exactly what those so-called Tobirama research notes and development materials referred to...
Back then, every member of Tobirama's personal guard unit had possessed a copy. Tobirama-sensei had hoped they would inherit his legacy and at least learn some degree of research and development.
But unfortunately, none of them had ever been able to understand it.
Even Hiruzen had been the same.
Because Tobirama's thought process jumped far too quickly. Many logical steps and flashes of inspiration that seemed perfectly self-evident to him were always summarized with one "obviously" after another.
Even Danzō, who revered Tobirama this deeply, had once complained together with Hiruzen during their youth:
"Where exactly is the obvious part?!"
Danzō suddenly shot to his feet, his hands trembling slightly as he carefully continued reading.
A long while later, he took a deep breath.
This feeling...
It was almost as though Tobirama-sensei himself had come back to life!
As though he were personally helping him complete this technique!
"Seisui..."
Danzō stared at Tobirama, the fanaticism in his eyes burning like blazing fire. "I will definitely help you become Hokage!"
Tobirama curled his lip.
As if he wanted to become Hokage again!
Once was enough to understand what that position was really like. It was exhausting to the point of feeling skinned alive. How could it possibly compare to how comfortable things were now?
He had already spent his entire life exhausting himself. It was about time he enjoyed at least a little personal freedom!
Especially since Hiruzen was already doing an excellent job...
"Your top priority right now is twofold. First, improve the Wind Release Chakra Mode according to my ideas. Second, restructure the organizational framework of the ANBU Intelligence Department and properly complete the work currently in your hands..."
Tobirama pulled over another sheet of paper.
"According to the research materials left behind by the Second Hokage, external intelligence operations for the ANBU should emphasize isolated silent points, single-line communication, and non-intersecting nodes..."
"These agents are currently in an extremely dangerous position. You need to make adjustments immediately!"
Danzō frowned. He felt there was nothing wrong with his work...
But after reading Tobirama's annotations, his back unconsciously became damp with sweat...
Had he truly failed to fully grasp Tobirama-sensei's teachings all these years?
How could this be?!
"There's no need to blame yourself too much. You're the head of the ANBU. With so many responsibilities, some mistakes are inevitable."
"Now you've got me helping you patch up the gaps..."
Tobirama patted Danzō on the shoulder. "I'm heading out now. You and the Uchiha shinobi performed quite well today, though it still came across a little deliberate..."
"Next time, try smiling while inspecting things. Use your established persona to create contrast."
Danzō nodded and replied almost out of muscle memory: "Alright, understood!"
A moment later, after hearing the door slam shut heavily, Danzō finally reacted.
Wait a second...
He was supposed to be the teacher!
"Seisui" had clearly become his disciple, yet the boy had not even called him "sensei" once!
So how had things turned into Seisui reorganizing all of his work and assigning him homework before Danzō could even speak?!
"As expected of Tobirama-sensei's grandson..."
"This is the true talent who inherited Tobirama-sensei's legacy. He absolutely must become Hokage!" Danzō sighed sincerely after rereading Tobirama's annotations once again.
"However, I won't admit defeat. One day, I'll definitely make Seisui sincerely call me 'sensei'!"
While Danzō was still indulging in his fantasies—
The next day.
After returning to the Uchiha Clan compound, Tobirama encountered an enormous challenge.
Through the combined arrangements of Danzō and Isshin, Tobirama ended up meeting Uchiha Tomie.
Tobirama had some interest, but he was not in any hurry.
Unfortunately, both Isshin and Danzō desperately wanted the bloodlines of Izuna and Tobirama to flow through Konoha once more...
One could only say that while their intentions originally pointed in completely opposite directions, they somehow ended up strangely aligned.
Seated opposite Tobirama, Uchiha Tomie chatted with him on and off.
The girl, around eighteen years old, possessed delicate beauty. She had long black hair, pale skin, and a crimson teardrop-shaped beauty mark beneath the corner of her eye.
Yet her expression remained cold and hollow, as though she simply did not care about anything at all...
Inside Tobirama's body, Izuna stared nervously at Tomie. The warning alarms in his heart were practically exploding!
Warning! Warning!
This girl was way too perfectly built for disaster.
"Seisui, run! Something's wrong with this one, trust me! Don't start talking to her about family or emotional trauma! If she actually becomes interested in you, you're finished..." Izuna kept rambling frantically.
But Tobirama did not care much.
It was only conversation. What was there to fear?
"You're an orphan too? Me too..."
Tomie spoke softly. "Looks like we have a common topic after all..."
"The village and the clan are my family. Is it the same for you?" Tobirama asked tentatively.
His own warning radar had activated as well.
Though it had nothing to do with "dangerous Uchiha women." Rather, Tobirama sensed the scent of an extremely radical Uchiha from Tomie.
"Hokage-sama has done very well, but I..."
Tomie gently shook her head. "I don't know how I'm supposed to face the village. Though honestly, it doesn't really matter anymore. These things have nothing to do with me now. Actually, you shouldn't have come to see me today."
Tobirama's heart tightened.
What did she mean by "nothing to do with me anymore"?
That was extremely dangerous!
Tobirama cautiously continued chatting with her, and somehow the two of them ended up enjoying the conversation more and more.
Eventually, Tomie revealed a little about her situation: "I don't feel any sense of belonging toward either the clan or Konoha..."
"My father kept muttering Senju Tobirama's name right up until his death. He believed Tobirama's Police Force policies would destroy the clan, and he ultimately died from the depression caused by it."
Tobirama ground his teeth.
This was bad. How was there actually a case like this?!
Izuna immediately began cursing furiously: "That bastard! He harmed my clansmen!"
"My grandmother raised me, but later she became ill and forgot many things. She would constantly mutter to herself that my grandfather had been killed by Uchiha Izuna, that he didn't even spare his own clansmen..."
Tobirama forcibly maintained his composure, putting on an expression of deep sorrow.
Of course, this did not mean Izuna hated his own clan.
Back when Madara and Izuna first stepped onto the clan's political stage, bloodshed had been unavoidable. Internal conflict within the Uchiha Clan during the Warring States Era had been incredibly fierce.
But this time, it was finally Izuna who completely lost composure.
Wait...
Stuff like this could actually happen?!
Back then he had only purged a few stubborn hardliners, and somehow he still ended up meeting one of their descendants during a matchmaking meeting?!
Especially when he and Tobirama had each killed one of the other's important family members...
This situation was absolute hell!
"Thank you for listening to all this..." Uchiha Tomie brushed back her long hair and softly said: "But after today, we shouldn't meet again... It's not because I'm dissatisfied with you. It's because I have a bloodline disease. I'll probably die soon..."
Both Tobirama and Izuna instantly lost composure.
This girl absolutely could not die!
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