The news of the Ninja World's unification spread far and wide, and two months had passed in the blink of an eye. During these two months, Aoki specifically ordered a large number of ninjas to be on high alert for any traces of Madara Uchiha and Black Zetsu, instructing them to report immediately upon discovering any clues.
However, despite extensive searches everywhere, these two cunning old foxes remained completely silent, adding a few more concerns about the future to Aoki's mind. They had to be found and dealt with as soon as possible to eliminate the threat once and for all.
But for two whole months, no matter how many people Aoki dispatched, not a single useful piece of information was obtained. The reconnaissance squads returned to report: "Hokage-sama, there are still no leads! We've searched throughout the Land of Sound and the Land of Water but found no trace of their hiding places!" Even Minato personally led a search team, only to shake his head in the end, indicating no clues.
Aoki knew this matter couldn't be rushed. It seemed Madara and Black Zetsu were determined to hide, and they could only wait for them to reveal themselves.
"Enough! Cease the search for now! Everyone, focus on developing Konoha! The current Konoha has much to rebuild, and with the various countries just unified, there are still many affairs to attend to," Aoki announced solemnly. He understood clearly that if these two were determined to hide, finding them would be like searching for a needle in a haystack.
Especially Black Zetsu—this creature had been lurking in the Ninja World since the era of the Six Paths Sage and had even manipulated Indra, the Sage's son. No one could say how many hiding places he had prepared underground.
Everyone accepted the order and withdrew. The core area of Konoha was developing rapidly, continuously expanding outward. The prestigious clans from other former Hidden Villages had also all relocated here.
The ninja forces from the former Sand Hidden Village, Iwagakure, and Kirigakure had been reorganized into various branches of Konoha. The populations of the different countries had almost completely integrated, and the entire Leaf Village presented a thriving scene.
On the other side, in the world of the First Hokage.
Upon learning that his elder brother intended to continue conquering other countries, Senju Tobirama immediately voiced his opposition.
"Brother, we've just taken the Land of Wind! Now you want to send troops to attack the Land of Earth—isn't that too hasty?" Tobirama expressed his concerns. "If we keep waging war like this, the territories we've already occupied will inevitably breed numerous problems!"
Tobirama knew persuading Hashirama to change his mind would be extremely difficult. In the end, he could only compromise—Hashirama would lead a portion of the army on the campaign, while he would remain in Konoha to oversee the governance and integration of the Land of Wind.
Hashirama naturally agreed readily. Recently, the news of Aoki unifying the Ninja World in the Chat Group had ignited a sense of urgency among all members, each eager to unify their own worlds as quickly as possible.
Tobirama was filled with bewilderment. Half a year ago, when conquering various smaller countries, his brother had been full of worries, concerned about causing excessive casualties. Even though he used Forbidden Jutsu to minimize Konoha's losses, he still didn't approve of this method of conquest.
But now, barely after conquering the Land of Wind, before it could be properly integrated and smoothly assimilated into Konoha, Hashirama was already planning to attack the Land of Earth. This sudden change had unsettled the major Shinobi Clans of Konoha, leaving them momentarily unsure of what to do.
Yet Hashirama simply dumped the mess onto Tobirama, leaving only one command: "Anyone who dares to rebel—kill them without mercy."
This turn of events left Tobirama utterly speechless. The one who had vehemently advocated against unnecessary bloodshed in the beginning was Hashirama, and now the one ordering ruthless suppression was still him.
Meanwhile, in a deep mountain graveyard of this world, Madara Uchiha watched Konoha's series of actions with an increasingly strange expression.
Back when Konoha was first founded, Hashirama had stubbornly insisted on peaceful coexistence with all nations despite Madara's advice. Yet now, he was instead launching campaigns against smaller countries, aggressively expanding Konoha's territory, and actively attacking other Hidden Villages. Hashirama's transformation filled Madara with confusion.
Black Zetsu also wore a troubled expression and couldn't help but ask, "Hmm, are you certain this is Hashirama's decision and not Tobirama's idea?"
"Although I also don't understand Konoha's recent maneuvers, I can confirm this is absolutely Senju Hashirama's will."
Hearing Madara's answer, Black Zetsu fell into silence. Madara even entertained the thought of returning to speak with Hashirama, but considering the other's current overwhelming power, he ultimately dismissed the idea, deciding to wait and observe before making any plans.
In the parallel world of the First Hokage and Madara Uchiha, compared to Hashirama's world, Konoha here had already grown powerful to the extreme. The God and Asura of the Ninja World—Senju Hashirama and Madara Uchiha—joining forces created a lineup that would be invincible in any era.
To solidify their footing on the path to unifying the Ninja World, Madara used Senzu Beans to evolve both his and his brother's Mangekyo Sharingan into the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.
Since their goal was to unify the Ninja World, the stronger Konoha and the Uchiha Clan were, the better.
Now, Konoha in this world had already conquered the Land of Water and the Land of Wind, with only the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning stubbornly resisting.
Madara solemnly ordered, "Hashirama, the Land of Lightning is yours!"
The Senju brothers nodded with grave expressions, determined to bring true peace to the Ninja World through this campaign.
In present-day Konoha, everyone wholeheartedly submitted to Madara Uchiha as Hokage. Even Senju Tobirama acknowledged Madara's ideals and obediently followed his commands.
"Move out!"
With that order, Madara and Hashirama each led Konoha's armies, marching toward the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning respectively, aiming to unify the entire Ninja World in one fell swoop.
In the world of the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
The smaller nations surrounding Konoha had all been conquered, and Tobirama set his first conquest target on the Land of Water.
After half a year of arduous warfare, he finally completely subdued the Land of Water. However, compared to the worlds of Hashirama and Madara, Tobirama's path of conquest seemed somewhat more difficult.
He lacked many high-level combatants under his command, and the future top-tier powerhouses of the Ninja World had not yet matured. Fortunately, Tobirama himself had awakened the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, which made his conquest considerably smoother.
Next, he set his sights on the Land of Wind. In Tobirama's view, compared to the Land of Earth and the Land of Lightning, the Land of Wind would be much easier to conquer. After taking the Land of Water, all the ninja of Kirigakure were incorporated into Konoha's ranks, significantly boosting Konoha's strength.
In the world of the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade.
Konoha's armies were deployed everywhere, defeating numerous smaller nations one after another. The Third Tsuchikage Onoki, the Fourth Raikage A, and the Fifth Mizukage Terumi Mei gathered in the Land of Iron for an emergency meeting to discuss countermeasures.
Konoha's series of actions had put all Hidden Villages on edge. Onoki directly invited the Raikage and Mizukage to form an alliance to jointly oppose Konoha.
The three great Hidden Villages formed an alliance to jointly resist the threat from Konoha.
However, the Kage of the Hidden Sand Village changed his stance due to Naruto's influence. Now a devoted follower of Tsunade's ideals of peace, Naruto persuaded Gaara, who decided to lead the Sand Hidden Village to join Konoha's side.
Within the Akatsuki, Uchiha Obito grew increasingly concerned about Konoha's actions.
Upon learning that Tsunade possessed the ability to summon past Hokage, Obito became even more cautious in his actions. He had been capturing Tailed Beasts across the lands, and now, within the Ninja World, only the Eight-Tails and Nine-Tails remained at large.
In the world of the Path of the Ninja.
Tsunade's campaign progressed with astonishing speed. She subdued various underground organizations, significantly bolstering Konoha's strength.
After forming an alliance with the Akatsuki, Konoha's path to unification became unstoppable. The Land of Wind and the Land of Earth were conquered one after another, while the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water grew anxious and ultimately chose to declare their allegiance, submitting to Konoha's rule.
Mengma had been hunting ninja with Kekkei Genkai everywhere, but Konoha's series of actions forced him to halt his operations. Filled with doubt, he wondered what exactly Konoha was planning now.
In the world of the Sixth Hokage, Uchiha Obito.
After undergoing a miraculous surgery, Obito's abilities saw a qualitative leap.
He had been fully assisting Kakashi in adapting to his new Sharingan, even going so far as to specially recall Tsunade to perform the surgery on Kakashi. Tsunade's medical skills allowed Kakashi's body to better accommodate the new Mangekyo Sharingan. Now, Kakashi's proficiency in using the Sharingan had greatly improved.
Obito always kept Senzu Beans on hand, ready to aid Kakashi's post-operative recovery at any time.
He looked at Tsunade and solemnly entrusted her: "Lady Tsunade, I leave the surgery entirely in your hands! After the operation, we need Kakashi to be in his best condition for battle."
...
From the perspective of the world of the Fifth Hokage, Kakashi.
Konoha's strength was now in decline. Kakashi understood clearly that to revive Konoha, he must retrieve the Legendary Sannin of Konoha. They were Konoha's peak combat power; their return would greatly boost both the village's strength and morale.
The rewards from the Chat Group granted Kakashi a Devil Fruit, filling him with wild joy. This Rumble-Rumble Fruit could strengthen the physical body, entirely different from abilities like the Sharingan that continuously consumed Chakra. This power delighted him immensely. With the abilities of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, his speed and destructive power reached new heights, as if this power was tailor-made for him.
Kakashi made up his mind and set out to find the Legendary Sannin, hoping to bring all three back to the village. His first target was Jiraiya, and he searched for clues in hot spring towns and pleasure districts where Jiraiya was often found.
Finally, he found Jiraiya at a hot spring. Although Jiraiya looked surprised to see him, he seemed to have sensed the changes in Konoha.
Kakashi had already prepared his persuasion. He stepped forward and earnestly pleaded, "Lord Jiraiya, Konoha desperately needs your guidance now! Please return to the village with me!"
Jiraiya hesitated for a moment, pondering how to face Minato's child and this disciple of Minato before him. In the end, he sighed helplessly and agreed, returning to Konoha with Kakashi.
On the way back, the two spoke of the Third Hokage. Jiraiya remained mostly silent, a self-mocking smile on his face. Kakashi hoped in his heart that Jiraiya's return would prevent Konoha from repeating the Third Hokage's mistakes and would ensure Naruto's safety for life.
After successfully bringing Jiraiya back, Kakashi turned his attention to Tsunade. He knew that with the right conditions, he could persuade her.
As the current Hokage, Kakashi offered her two irresistible terms: first, the opportunity to meet the First and Second Hokages; second, the construction of a private casino for her, with five million chips provided weekly for her gambling pleasure. Tsunade was initially skeptical, but after repeated confirmations, she finally believed Kakashi's words. Without hesitation, she immediately returned to Konoha with Shizune.
However, despite Kakashi's exhaustive efforts, he could never find Orochimaru's trail. Each time he arrived at one of Orochimaru's hideouts, the cunning figure had already vanished without a trace.
The enemy's intelligence always seemed a step ahead, leaving Kakashi to return empty-handed. Yet, he still held onto hope that Orochimaru would one day change his ways.
Fortunately, in the end, Kakashi, Tsunade, and Jiraiya were all gathered in Konoha, bringing new hope to the village on the brink of decline.
Konoha's strength surged dramatically, filling Kakashi's heart with joy and even giving him the confidence to consider external campaigns. Yet, the frustration of failing to find Orochimaru lingered in his mind. He knew that only by bringing Orochimaru back to Konoha could he fully bring the entire Sound Village under Konoha's control.
In the world of the Fourth Hokage.
Minato's wife, Kushina, was about to give birth, and a flicker of worry passed through his eyes. Because of this, Minato temporarily set aside his plans for external expansion, choosing to remain in the village to ensure his wife's safe delivery.
After receiving the report from the medical ninja, Minato personally created a new, hidden residence. Using his Devil Fruit ability, he opened up an independent and secure space exclusively for Kushina's delivery.
He instructed everyone to wait in this safe space, then raised his hand to perform a technique. A portal suddenly appeared before their eyes, and the medical team followed Minato inside.
To ensure a smooth delivery, the entire Sealing Team was present, standing by to reinforce the Nine-Tails' seal and prevent any accidents during childbirth. With all preparations in place, Minato quickly summoned a large number of Anbu, as well as the clan heads of the Uchiha and Hyuga clans, asking them to assist in vigilance using their Kekkei Dojutsu.
Having learned of the future fate from the Chat Group, Minato had long been prepared for this day. With a grave expression, he ordered the entire village to enter a state of strict patrol. Since someone coveted the Nine-Tails, they had to be on high alert for the next two days. Anyone acting suspiciously was to be arrested immediately, and a signal for reinforcements was to be sent directly.
Minato's orders were decisive, and everyone immediately carried them out. The entire Konoha entered its highest state of alert, bracing for the impending threat.
The Hyuga clan, the Uchiha clan, and elite ninja from various villages and clans were all mobilized to guard Konoha, placing the entire village under martial law.
Yet, despite all the thorough preparations, Minato's unease remained, refusing to settle. He knew that the current arrangements might not be enough to handle an unknown enemy. If the opponent had long been plotting, they would likely appear and unleash powerful Ninjutsu to launch a fierce attack on Konoha.
Facing the imminent threat of numerous enemies, Minato fell into deep thought.
After a moment, a resolute gleam flashed in his eyes. With Kushina's safety fully assured, it was now time for him to personally confront this unwelcome guest.
Not far outside Konoha, a figure clad in a black cloak with red clouds was closely monitoring every movement within the village. His face was hidden behind a spiral mask, revealing only a single eye—a crimson Sharingan. Gazing at the distant lights and life within the Leaf Village, a flicker of nostalgia unexpectedly crossed his gaze.
With a tone tinged with the feeling of returning home, he murmured softly, "I'm back, Konoha! But this time, it starts with you, sensei!"
He mused playfully in his mind about why this so-called fastest ninja in the Ninja World was always late. He was curious to see if, this time, his teacher could arrive on time to save his wife and child.
As his words faded, he raised a hand to manipulate space, vanishing instantly and infiltrating Konoha without a trace. This person was none other than Uchiha Obito, the youth who should have died on the battlefield. Now, having awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, he had transformed into a newly risen Asura of the Ninja World, silently stepping into Konoha.
Yet, no matter how thoroughly Obito searched every corner of Konoha, he could not find any trace of Kushina. There was no so-called birthing chamber. Even with his Eye Technique allowing for a comprehensive search, he only discovered that Minato's wife had never left Konoha, but her exact location remained elusive.
Without finding the Jinchuriki, he could not release the Nine-Tails and destroy Konoha. Frustration grew increasingly intense within Obito.
Just as he prepared to continue his search, several figures suddenly appeared atop the surrounding walls, encircling him and sharply exposing his identity:
"Report to the Hokage immediately! An intruder has been spotted in the western district!"
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