Chapter 54 — Lifting the Curtain: The Second Hokage Reborn?
"What is the proper judgment," Namikaze Yami asked calmly, "for a Hokage Advisor who sells out a fellow shinobi of his own village?"
The first sentence he uttered struck the silent office like a thunderclap.
Hiruzen Sarutobi's hand tightened sharply around his pipe. His gaze turned razor-sharp as he fixed it on Yami.
"Chūnin Namikaze!" he barked, his voice harsher than before. "Mind your words. Accusing the Hokage Advisor of betraying the village is no trivial matter. Without concrete evidence, such allegations amount to slandering the leadership. The consequences would be severe."
Tsunade's brows furrowed slightly. Though she held no affection for Shimura Danzō, she understood the gravity of such an accusation.
This was not something she could casually intervene in.
She remained silent, observing.
Yami was not surprised by Hiruzen's almost reflexive defense.
He understood well the Third Hokage's complicated feelings toward his old comrade. Without Hiruzen's tacit tolerance—intentional or otherwise—how could Danzō's "Root" have grown so deep within Konoha's shadows?
Rather than pressing the point further, Yami shifted seamlessly to his next question, his tone calm but cutting straight to the heart of the matter.
"Hokage-sama, does it not strike you as strange?"
"I infiltrated the Land of Water under the identity of a traveling merchant. I acted cautiously at every step. In fact, this was already my second trip. I had cleared multiple checkpoints and established stable routes."
"Then why," he asked evenly, "was I suddenly exposed—and ambushed with precision by Kirigakure shinobi?"
He ignored the subtle shift in Hiruzen's expression and continued.
"My movements—and even the infiltration mission itself—were classified within Konoha. Without internal leakage, how could they have constructed such a precise death trap?"
"And even more curious—those who set the ambush used ANBU-exclusive contact markings."
"How do you explain that?"
Hiruzen fell silent.
Smoke curled around his face, obscuring his expression.
He could not easily refute the chain of logic.
Short of internal betrayal, there was no reasonable explanation.
Yami understood when to press—and when to withdraw.
He did not corner the Hokage further. Instead, he introduced another critical question.
"Then may I ask—who was the one who strongly advocated sending me to Kirigakure on this infiltration mission in the first place?"
The office fell into silence once more.
Tsunade clearly had not known about the internal decision-making behind the mission. Her arms tightened across her chest as she turned her questioning gaze toward Hiruzen.
After a long pause, Hiruzen finally spoke.
"…This matter," he said slowly, "I will investigate personally."
"But until there is conclusive evidence—this accusation is not to be mentioned outside this room."
His tone was firm.
But there was no outright denial.
And that, in itself, said enough.
Yami understood that with only his word—and no concrete evidence—it would be nearly impossible to shake Danzō's position.
But the seed of doubt had already been planted.
If justice did not come, he would not hesitate to claim it himself.
He shifted the conversation smoothly.
"I understand," he said calmly, "that what the higher-ups truly care about is how I managed not only to survive Kirigakure's full-scale manhunt—but to gain something from it."
"Correct," Hiruzen replied, seizing the change of topic. He adjusted his posture, his usual composure returning. "In that environment, what you accomplished cannot be explained by 'luck' alone."
Yami did not answer immediately.
Instead, he looked directly at Hiruzen, his expression turning solemn.
"What I am about to show you involves my core personal abilities. I ask that this remain confidential."
Hiruzen frowned slightly, but seeing the seriousness in the young man's eyes, he nodded.
"As long as it does not endanger the village, I can agree."
Yami inclined his head.
He formed no hand seals.
With nothing more than a shift of intent—
The moisture in the office air stirred.
Water vapor gathered obediently toward his palm like tame spirits, coalescing within seconds into a crystal-clear sphere. Inside it, currents rotated gently in perfect equilibrium.
The control was so refined it felt instinctual.
Then, a flash of gold erupted behind him.
Several chains—purely formed from dense, powerful chakra—shot outward.
They were unmistakable.
The Uzumaki clan's secret art: Adamantine Sealing Chains.
Like living dragons of light, they coiled and circled around him, radiating immense sealing pressure. Even the air seemed to grow heavy.
"…That's… the Adamantine Chains? And that level of water manipulation…"
Tsunade's pupils contracted.
As the granddaughter of Uzumaki Mito and a top-tier shinobi herself, she recognized the technique immediately.
But the purity and natural affinity Yami displayed toward Water Release far exceeded expectations.
Hiruzen, with his vast experience, understood at once—
This was not merely a bloodline technique.
It was a profound grasp of the fundamental nature of water chakra, fused seamlessly with Uzumaki sealing arts.
The potential was staggering.
Even this alone explained how Yami could survive within Kirigakure's chaos.
Of course, this was precisely the impression Yami intended to create.
And he was not finished.
With a casual motion, he dispersed both the water sphere and the golden chains.
Then he walked to one of the smooth walls of the Hokage's office.
He raised his hand—
Touched it lightly.
In less than a breath—
A complex sealing formula appeared on the wall.
Perfect. Complete. Stable.
Even as a single mark, it spoke volumes.
Hiruzen shot to his feet.
Both hands slammed onto the desk.
His beloved pipe slipped from his fingers unnoticed.
He stared at the marking as if struck by lightning.
"Th-This is…?"
His voice trembled.
"The Flying Thunder God formula?!"
"Where did you learn this technique?!"
Yami answered evenly.
"By coincidence. I found it within a hidden chamber in an Uzushio ruin. I've only recently managed to grasp it."
His earlier displays had laid the groundwork for this explanation.
The Uzumaki and Senju clans had been allied for generations. It was not entirely implausible that the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, might have left behind research notes or inheritances among trusted allies.
And both Tobirama and the Uzumaki elders were long dead.
Who could verify it?
Surely no one would resort to summoning them via Edo Tensei just to confirm.
Besides—
The future "patron saint" of Edo Tensei—Orochimaru—had likely not yet received his angel investor, Shimura Danzō, nor begun serious immortality research.
At that moment, looking at the young man before him—
Possessor of pure Adamantine Chains.
Holder of astonishing Water Release affinity.
Master of the Second Hokage's original S-rank space-time ninjutsu—
Hiruzen's thoughts drifted backward through time.
Forget the golden chains.
The Flying Thunder God formula alone—
Combined with that absolute control over Water Release—
The image of Senju Tobirama, the "Fastest Shinobi of His Era," the pioneer of countless Water Release techniques…
Seemed to overlap with the figure before him.
A thought surfaced in Hiruzen's mind—
One that even startled him.
No.
Perhaps—
He had surpassed the master.