After taking Tobirama Senju out for a walk, Uchiha Ren brought him back to the laboratory.
The place was as chaotic as ever. Explosions from glass containers, the occasional leak of pungent gases—incidents like these happened so often they were practically routine.
Tobirama, being already dead, clearly cared less about laboratory safety rules.
At the very least, Orochimaru would never conduct experiments this recklessly.
Ren sat down on a sofa in the innermost room. Tobirama still wore his usual grim expression, clearly dissatisfied that his "walk time" had ended.
"Another year just flew by," Ren said casually. "Time really doesn't wait."
"Tobirama, did you watch the New Year program this year?"
"I did. It wasn't bad."
"Did you and Orochimaru make dumplings together?"
Ren said it as a joke.
Tobirama didn't react at all.
"You're saying strange things again."
Still cold.
"Boring…"
Ren clicked his tongue, then suddenly felt a faint sense of emptiness.
Even after becoming Hokage…
Even with all this power…
He was still alone.
His home—
Gone forever.
"Hey… what's wrong with you?" Tobirama frowned slightly, noticing the shift.
"…Nothing."
Ren adjusted his mood within seconds.
Sentimentality solved nothing.
If there really was a way back—
He would have to reach the peak of this world first.
But for now—
There were more immediate problems.
"Tobirama," Ren said, his tone turning serious, "if there were a creature that's extremely skilled in Yin–Yang Release, excels at concealment, has lived for over a thousand years, is incredibly cautious… and has been following me constantly—how would you capture it?"
Tobirama was startled.
Before he could respond, he noticed something—
Ren's eyes.
The markings around them.
Sage Mode.
"You've brought something else dangerous into Konoha again?" Tobirama's head started to ache.
Ren activated his sensory abilities.
Outside the lab—
Black Zetsu lingered, unwilling to step inside.
Ever since nearly getting trapped by the lab's sealing techniques once, it had developed a strong aversion to entering.
It simply waited outside whenever Ren went in.
A cautious rat.
"Relax," Ren waved his hand. "It's not dangerous. Just long-lived and hard to catch."
"…What exactly is it?" Tobirama asked.
"You remember the lab alarm last time?"
"That was it."
"I told you before—it's the Sage of Six Paths' younger brother."
"Now it's stuck to me like glue. Even when I'm… busy at night, it's still watching. It's getting annoying."
Ren's tone turned irritated.
This thing had to go.
But rushing it would only alert it.
And once it escaped—
Catching it again would be nearly impossible.
"…The Sage of Six Paths' brother?" Tobirama's expression changed instantly. "You weren't joking?"
"I've never even heard of that."
"There are two, actually," Ren said casually. "The one following me is the third—Black Zetsu. The second lives on the moon. The Hyuga clan are his descendants."
"Moon…?" Tobirama's voice rose.
"They used to live there. Some still do. And some of them are probably still thinking about destroying the ninja world."
Tobirama was completely shaken.
"You never thought to mention something this important before?!"
"What good would it do?" Ren shrugged. "We can't reach the moon. And even if we could—we probably couldn't win."
"Unless Hashirama Senju and Uchiha Madara both fought with us."
The power on the moon was on a completely different level.
Ren didn't bother explaining further.
Not necessary.
"Right now, the problem is Black Zetsu," he continued. "A rat like that… annoying."
Tobirama frowned deeply, processing everything.
"…The Hyuga on the moon want to destroy the world?"
"What about the Hyuga in Konoha?"
"Do they have any connection?"
"Maybe. Maybe not."
Tobirama's eyes sharpened.
Ren immediately rolled his eyes.
"You're thinking about targeting the Hyuga, aren't you?"
"We can't ignore the possibility."
"It's been a thousand years," Ren said flatly. "They're practically different species now."
"The Hyuga are part of Konoha. Don't start that again."
Tobirama clicked his tongue.
Ren smirked slightly.
Hypocrisy felt great.
"Forget that for now," Ren said. "Focus on Black Zetsu."
"You're the best at dealing with things like this."
Tobirama sighed.
"…Then we need a sealing barrier. Large-scale. Fast activation. Capable of suppressing Yin–Yang Release."
"That's not simple."
He grabbed a pen and began sketching.
"Sealing techniques like this take time. If Mito Uzumaki helps, it'll be much faster."
"Got it," Ren nodded. "I'll get what we need from her."
"Tch… Taoma…" Tobirama muttered, clearly irritated.
Ren grinned. "Even without that, the Uzumaki clan would hand over their techniques if I asked."
Tobirama snorted.
Of course they would.
Just like the Senju hadn't escaped Ren's grasp.
The Uzumaki wouldn't either.
Then Tobirama suddenly looked back at Ren.
"…How do you know all of this?"
"Even the Hyuga's secrets?"
"This isn't something your clan tablet could tell you."
"You're hiding something."
Ren leaned back comfortably on the sofa.
"I'm Hokage. I have my sources."
"Bullshit," Tobirama snapped. "I was Hokage too. I've never heard any of this."
Ren suddenly sat up straight, his expression serious.
"…Fine. If you insist."
Tobirama leaned forward slightly.
Ren spoke solemnly.
"I'm actually the reincarnation of the Hagoromo Otsutsuki."
"Your ancestor."
"Why don't you kneel now? It's still the New Year—I'll even give you a red envelope."
Tobirama's face turned purple.
"Go to hell, you damned Uchiha brat!"
"I'm trying to have a serious conversation and you're joking?!"
He swung a fist.
Ren instantly formed hand seals.
Familiar ones.
Tobirama froze mid-motion.
"Does it really matter where I got the information?" Ren said lightly.
"When the truth comes out, you'll understand everything."
He released the control.
Tobirama glared at him coldly.
"People like you should all die."
Still—
He couldn't let it go.
"…You really won't tell me anything?"
Ren smiled faintly.
"Maybe I wasn't lying."
"If Madara and Hashirama are reincarnations of Indra and Asura…"
"Why can't I be the Sage of Six Paths?"
Tobirama's expression changed again.
He actually started thinking.
Ren nearly laughed.
Did he really fall for that?
Maintaining a straight face, he added—
"Work harder. Help me catch Black Zetsu."
"Then I'll hand it to you."
"It's lived for a thousand years. Imagine how much it knows."
"If you want answers… ask it."
Tobirama snorted.
"You're using me."
"Obviously."
Ren stood up.
"I'll leave you to it. Your lab's creepy as hell anyway."
"Don't you ever get nightmares?"
"…I don't sleep."
"…Right."
Ren paused.
Then grinned.
"Twelve-hour shifts? No."
"Twenty-four."
Tobirama pointed at the door.
"Get out."
"Now."
Ren laughed and left.
Behind him, Tobirama muttered—
"…Could it actually be true?"
"…Is he really… the Sage of Six Paths?"
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