Orochimaru opened his mouth, then hesitated.
He wanted to point out that there was actually one more decisive piece of evidence.
They could simply try using the Impure World Reincarnation on Senju Tobirama.
If Tobirama could be summoned...
Every question would answer itself.
And if he couldn't...
Then, in Orochimaru's opinion, the case would be closed.
Still...
He suspected that even then, Sensei would probably find some way to clear Tobirama-sama's name.
He'd find a way to explain it away.
After all, even clues this obvious had been firmly suppressed by the Hokage himself.
'Konoha's sky isn't always bright when certain sensitive matters are involved...' Orochimaru thought to himself.
But he understood.
It was all because of the bond between his teacher and that man.
In the end, Orochimaru chose to remain silent.
Hiruzen had just displayed overwhelming power capable of shaking mountains.
If he kept pressing the issue of Tobirama...
Orochimaru had a feeling he'd be on the receiving end of Sensei's iron fist of love.
And that...
Would hurt.
"Since there are so many coincidences..."
"Then we'll make use of them."
"We need to recreate the Sky Village's technology in Konoha as quickly as possible by taking advantage of the overlap between their research and ours."
Hiruzen began assigning tasks.
"Aerial power has always been one of the shinobi world's greatest military advantages—and one of Konoha's greatest weaknesses."
"If your Research Department needs funding or materials, submit the requests immediately."
"The village's funding pool is now giving your department top priority."
"The burden on your shoulders is heavy now, kid."
"So stop dwelling on all that other nonsense."
Orochimaru nodded solemnly.
"Yes, Sensei."
Research officially sanctioned by the Hokage...
Was there anything more wonderful in the world?
Squinting, Hiruzen looked up at the sky.
If Konoha's shinobi could be equipped with the Sky Ninja's flight gear, the patrol corps' coverage would improve by leaps and bounds.
Combined with sensor-type shinobi conducting three-dimensional aerial surveillance...
The security of Konoha—and even the entire Land of Fire—would increase several levels.
Not only that...
Once war broke out, most enemy ambushes would have nowhere left to hide.
Even an ordinary chūnin could dramatically increase their combat effectiveness simply by mastering aerial ninja tools.
That was the overwhelming advantage of air superiority.
"And then there are the aerial fortresses..."
"And the aircraft carriers..."
"If Konoha can make proper use of them, transportation will improve tremendously as well."
"Our exchanges with Amegakure will also become much closer."
The moment Amegakure came to mind, Hiruzen smiled.
Although the Land of Rain was only a small country, its year-round rainfall had made its steel industry and metallurgical expertise among the finest in the shinobi world.
The entire nation was covered in steel drainage systems.
After living with floods for so long, they had naturally become experts at dealing with them.
Now that the construction of dams had begun easing the country's flooding problems, the surplus manpower and production capacity could be redirected toward manufacturing Konoha's aerial ninja equipment.
"Let's have Minato handle the coordination with Amegakure."
"Nagato is the one leading Amegakure now, and he and Minato are fellow disciples."
"That kid also gets along well with Hanzō. Every time they meet, he respectfully calls him ojiisan—just like Nakamaro does with Tenzō..."
Hiruzen gazed toward the direction of Kirigakure.
He wondered how Nakamaro and the other exchange students from the Hidden Mist were doing.
Aside from Nakamaro, Hiruzen had grown especially fond of Kisame.
The young man was dependable, straightforward, and honest.
The two would occasionally run into each other during their morning training, and Hiruzen would sometimes invite him to breakfast.
Kisame would even insist on paying the bill every time.
It was rather endearing.
'Once Konoha has the Sky Ninja's aircraft carriers, I doubt Konoha and Kirigakure will be meeting on the battlefield again for a very long time.'
'Unless Iwagakure or Kumogakure decide they want to halt Konoha's development by starting another war...'
'Sunagakure is another possibility. Those people are practically starving by now.'
Hiruzen fell into thought.
The Sky Ninja's large-scale invasion had involved countless flight paths across the sky.
The other hidden villages were bound to have noticed.
The chain reaction that would trigger was impossible to predict.
They had to prepare for the worst.
...
At that moment...
Might Guy came bounding over to his father, grabbing Obito and Kakashi by the arms as he shouted excitedly, "Did you see that?!"
"That's my dad!"
"My father—Might Duy!"
"He protected the village with the power of youth! He fought alongside Minato-san and Seisui-niisan to stop the Sky Ninja's assault!"
"My father's burning youth was so incredible!"
Tears streamed down Guy's face.
He had never imagined that his father—once jokingly known throughout the village as the "Cat-Finding Ninja"—would one day join the glorious Root and make such tremendous contributions to Konoha.
He had looked every bit a true hero.
The elite graduates of Konoha's Ninja Academy, despite only having recently become genin, had also played major roles in the battle.
They had protected civilians and village buildings alike, repeatedly driving back the Sky Ninja who breached the barrier and earning considerable merit.
"Duy-ojisan... you're amazing!"
Imitating Duy's trademark pose, Obito raised a heartfelt thumbs-up.
"I'm going to learn from you!"
"I'll keep building my strength so I can protect the village and Hokage-sama!"
At the moment, Duy was surrounded by medical shinobi.
Soft green chakra flowed around his body as they eased the strain caused by pushing himself beyond his limits.
Even so, after hearing Obito's words, Duy struggled to lift his arm and returned the thumbs-up.
"Yoo!"
"Obito-kun!"
"I can see your youth shining brightly!"
"You can absolutely do it!"
Obito's eyes sparkled.
"Really, Duy-ojisan?!"
"You think I can protect Hokage-sama too?!"
Duy nodded vigorously.
The medical shinobi gently pressed him back onto the stretcher before quickly carrying him toward Konoha Hospital for further treatment.
"I can protect Hokage-sama..."
Obito remained caught up in his excitement, muttering the words over and over.
He had been acknowledged by Duy...
A hero of Konoha.
Duy's encouragement had left a profound impact on Obito.
But Hiruzen had left an equally unforgettable impression.
Watching the Hokage single-handedly stop the flying fortress, combining Boil Release and Ice Release with overwhelming power...
It had been burned into Obito's memory forever.
At that moment, as the terrifying fortress came crashing down like a falling meteor, Obito, Kakashi, Guy, and countless other Konoha shinobi had all felt despair.
This wasn't something any ordinary shinobi could stop.
But the Hokage had done it.
"Hokage-sama once said..."
"Right now, he's protecting the village and all of us."
"But one day, it'll be our turn to protect the village—and Hokage-sama."
Obito repeated Hiruzen's words.
"A shinobi's strength grows exponentially during their youth."
"You have to seize that golden period to become stronger."
"Getting stronger is important..."
Kakashi couldn't help interrupting Obito's daydreaming.
"But maybe we should worry about surviving our upcoming test first."
"In a few days..."
"That blond guy... I mean, Minato-san... is going to evaluate us."
"Oh no..."
Obito's face immediately darkened.
After graduating, Obito, Kakashi, and Nohara Rin had all been assigned to Minato's team.
Meanwhile, Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai had been placed under Hiruko's instruction.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Guy asked in confusion.
"That's Minato-san!"
"And I'm really looking forward to training under Hiruko-sensei."
"He said he'd teach me the secrets of taijutsu."
"It's great..."
Kakashi replied, a vein popping on his forehead.
"But the pressure is enormous."
As Sakumo's son, Kakashi understood perfectly well that becoming Minato's student meant entering the Hokage's direct lineage.
His status would be completely different from before.
But over the past two years...
Minato had left him with psychological scars far too deep to ignore.
Or rather...
For everyone in this golden generation of Academy graduates, Minato had become a shared childhood trauma.
Kakashi and Obito had even joked about it in private.
Once Minato eventually had children old enough to enter the Ninja Academy, the two of them would probably already be jōnin.
When that day came...
They'd finally get their revenge.
Minato had always beaten the two of them the hardest during sparring sessions.
If they couldn't beat the father...
Surely they could beat the kid.
"Don't worry, Kakashi..."
Obito put his hands on his hips proudly.
"I had a dream last night."
"In the future, I awakened a space-time ninjutsu even stronger than Minato-sensei's."
"I became the Uchiha with the strongest Sharingan in history."
"Hokage-sama even patted me on the head and said I had the makings of the Fifth Hokage!"
The Flying Thunder God Technique had left such a powerful impression on Obito and the others during their Academy years that everyone in their class understood just how extraordinary space-time ninjutsu truly was.
Naturally...
A hot-blooded idiot like Obito dreamed of mastering it one day as well.
"Oh?"
Kakashi raised an eyebrow with a smirk.
"So you're going to learn the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"No..."
"Something even stronger than the Flying Thunder God Technique?"
"Even fantasies should have limits!
Does he really think the Uchiha Sharingan can do absolutely anything?"
"Still... it really is time to start thinking about how to become stronger."
"The village and Hokage-sama keep moving forward, shielding us from every storm."
"We can't afford to fall behind."
Kakashi's expression grew serious beneath his mask.
Recently, his father, Sakumo, had spoken with him about volunteering for dangerous Cursed Seal and Kekkei Genkai transplantation experiments in an effort to obtain greater power for the village.
At first, Kakashi had been worried.
But after witnessing what Might Duy and Sarutobi Hiruzen had accomplished today...
He understood his father.
He himself was a genius.
But his father had been one of the greatest prodigies of the previous generation.
There was no way Sakumo would simply accept fading into mediocrity and becoming nothing more than an ordinary shinobi who happened to excel with a sword.
Especially since Sakumo was a fervent believer in the Will of Fire.
As Konoha continued to grow stronger, he, like Kakashi, refused to be left behind.
He wanted greater strength...
So he could protect it.
"Let's work hard together, Obito."
"Your dream of mastering a space-time ninjutsu sounds far-fetched..."
"But since we're Minato-sensei's students..."
"It might not be impossible after all."
Kakashi took a deep breath.
"For now..."
"Let's do what we can."
"Help clean up the battlefield."
"Right!"
"For youth—and for Hiruko-sensei's secret taijutsu techniques—we'll have this place spotless in ten minutes!"
Guy shouted excitedly.
"And for Kakashi's determination..."
"And Obito's space-time ninjutsu!"
Kakashi blinked.
Then something suddenly struck him.
There was a rather glaring flaw in Guy's statement.
Everyone knew Hiruko specialized in scientific research.
No one really knew what his actual combat methods were.
People only knew he was highly valued by Hiruzen.
But one thing was certain.
He definitely wasn't a taijutsu specialist.
"Hiruko-sensei's secret taijutsu techniques...?
What could those possibly be?" Kakashi wondered.
Ironically, his guess was completely accurate.
Hiruko truly wasn't skilled at taijutsu.
The "secret taijutsu techniques" he planned to teach Guy amounted to one very simple philosophy:
Build Guy's young, energetic body into an absolute monster using every resource at his disposal.
Hiruko's understanding of taijutsu was brutally straightforward.
He couldn't teach the techniques themselves.
But improving the hardware?
That was his specialty.
Once the numbers were high enough...
Guy could simply go home and have Duy teach him everything else.
After all, Guy was one of his first students.
Hiruko felt that if he showed too much favoritism toward Asuma, Hiruzen might not appreciate it.
It would make his own vision seem far too narrow.
...
Elsewhere...
Danzō found Hiruzen.
Having finally enjoyed his moment in the spotlight today, Danzō was positively beaming.
For the first time in a long while, he could feel genuine admiration in the eyes of Konoha's shinobi.
After all...
He had actually contributed.
Sure, there had been an element of showmanship.
But he had also been the first person to charge into the sky and engage the enemy.
"Hiruzen, there's something we need to deal with."
Danzō cleared his throat.
"While I was fighting in the air, I saw the aftershock from the Sky Ninja's bombardment."
"It damaged Lord First's statue at the Valley of the End..."
"And Uchiha Madara's as well."
"We'll obviously have to repair Lord First's statue."
"But... what do we do about Madara's?"
Hiruzen nodded thoughtfully.
"You performed well today, Danzō."
"You finally looked like someone worthy of being the Hokage's advisor..."
"Or even the Hokage himself."
"Your Wind Release Chakra Mode really surprised me."
As always, Hiruzen began with praise.
"What do you think we should do?"
Danzō unconsciously straightened his back.
Although Hiruzen's strength had shocked him as well...
When the Hokage needed help...
Wasn't he still the first person Hiruzen had called?
That alone was enough.
"I think..."
"We should repair Madara's statue too."
Danzō answered after a brief hesitation.
Ordinarily, such an opinion would have been completely out of character for him.
But things were different now.
Seisui was his disciple.
He had also become drinking companions with Isshin and Fugaku.
The situation was no longer what it once had been.
In Danzō's eyes...
The Uchiha Clan had become the political foundation upon which his future as the Fourth Hokage would rest.
"We can certainly repair it."
"The Yamanaka Clan has already begun reporting the results of today's battle."
Hiruzen gestured toward the communication device in his hand.
Within a certain range, the Yamanaka Clan's secret techniques, combined with Fūinjutsu and modern technology, could achieve a telepathic communication network remarkably similar to White Zetsu's network.
"The Uchiha Clan performed exceptionally well today."
"They led the Police Force in protecting the civilians."
"Many of them even used their own bodies to shield villagers who couldn't escape."
"I have an idea."
"Let's take this opportunity to redesign the statues."
Hiruzen spoke after a moment's thought.
"The two statues at the Valley of the End currently form the Seal of Opposition."
"Historically, that's accurate."
"But it no longer reflects the relationship between the village and the Uchiha."
"I've already told the Uchiha that, when the right opportunity came, we'd help free them from the historical burden left behind by Uchiha Madara."
"This is the perfect beginning."
"We'll rebuild both First-sama's statue..."
"And Uchiha Madara's."
"This time..."
"They'll be making the Seal of Reconciliation."
Danzō considered it for a moment before nodding.
"Sounds fine."
"I understand, Hiruzen."
"Leave it to me."
Uchiha Madara was already dead.
If that was the case, then he should at least contribute something to the Uchiha who were still alive. Who cared what he had been thinking back then?
Everything should be done for Konoha's unity.
Danzō felt that ever since he had immersed himself in studying the Sayings of Hiruzen, his views toward the Uchiha had become much more open-minded.
Though, more than anything else...
It was because of Seisui.
What Danzō didn't know, however, was that the so-called "Seisui" had also been meticulously crafted by Hiruzen himself.
...
Hiruzen surveyed the battlefield.
After this battle, once Konoha fully digested the Sky Ninja's technology—and after his own spectacular public display had greatly boosted his prestige...
He looked forward to what came next.
Perhaps...
He could begin further condensing the Bloodline Threads within his body, weaving them into a network like chakra pathways one day, strengthening his physical body even further.
Some instinct deep within him told him that it would bring tremendous benefits.
However...
While the Hokage was busy planning the next phase of his training...
He overlooked one very important problem.
Hiruzen could keep Orochimaru and Hiruko quiet.
Both were researchers of the "Tobirama faction." Their deductive leaps were admittedly excessive, but they respected him as Hokage enough not to go around claiming that Tobirama had been revived through the Impure World Reincarnation.
But there was one person in Konoha who didn't care about any of that.
Not only that...
She understood Senju Tobirama even better than Orochimaru and Hiruko did.
She possessed decades of firsthand experience battling alongside him...
As well as an uncanny sixth sense.
That person...
Was Uzumaki Mito.
The moment she saw the Impure World Reincarnation, Mito immediately thought of Tobirama.
And the intuition that had guided her throughout the Warring States Period began ringing louder than ever.
One could say this was an indescribable ability that naturally developed after bringing the Mind's Eye of the Kagura to an extremely advanced level.
Her instincts were telling her—
Tobirama might truly still be alive.
...
However, Mito did not immediately seek out Hiruzen.
Instead, without drawing attention to herself, she retrieved Konoha's Scroll of Seals.
Using "research" as her excuse, she also obtained the inventory of everything recovered from the Sky Village.
She found the records for the Zero-Tails...
The bodily activation techniques...
And the rest of the forbidden research.
Yet none of those struck her as the most decisive evidence.
What captured most of her attention...
Was a forbidden technique called Living Corpse Reincarnation.
According to its records...
It had supposedly been developed by Sarutobi Hiruzen.
At that moment...
Everything clicked into place.
Tobirama probably never died in the first place...
...
Several days later.
At the Senju ancestral estate.
Present were Konoha's three Research Committee members:
Orochimaru.
Hiruko.
Tsunade.
Also present were Isshin and "Seisui."
Mito had summoned the two of them for two reasons.
First, they could communicate with Izuna on her behalf.
Second...
In Mito's eyes, the Uchiha were now, in a sense, Tobirama's in-laws.
Just like Tsunade, they counted as family.
Something this significant...
They deserved to know.
Danzō was there as well.
Mito calmly laid out a chain of reasoning nearly identical to Orochimaru's.
In front of her sat a tightly bound Sky Ninja prisoner...
Along with a test tube containing Tobirama's cells.
"Hiruzen..."
"I know this is difficult for you to accept."
"But you have to stay strong."
"The mastermind behind the attack on Uchiha Yashiro..."
"And the one manipulating the Sky Ninja..."
"Without a doubt..."
"Was Tobirama."
Mito spoke heavily.
"In the end..."
"He still strayed onto the wrong path."
"Hiruzen."
"Tell me."
"This Living Corpse Reincarnation..."
"It was already recorded in the Scroll of Seals long ago, wasn't it?"
"Back when you had only just become Hokage."
"You actually figured it out a long time ago, didn't you?"
"But for the sake of Tobirama's reputation..."
"You placed the technique under your own name."
Looking at Hiruzen, Mito couldn't help feeling sorry for the disciple Tobirama had taken in.
She knew that Tobirama had begun researching the soul back during the Warring States Period.
That research had eventually led to the creation of the Impure World Reincarnation...
And the Soul Confinement Technique.
Hiruzen remained completely silent.
Not a single word left his mouth.
This is bad...
The truth that Tobirama had become an Uchiha...
At this point...
Absolutely no one could be allowed to learn it.
Not even Mito.
"Mito-sama."
"The Living Corpse Reincarnation was developed by me."
"So were the forbidden techniques involving negative-emotion chakra."
"And the bodily activation techniques."
"Those were all forbidden techniques I researched in secret."
Even as everyone present struggled to suppress the twitching at the corners of their mouths...
Hiruzen straightened his back proudly and declared, "I did all of it."
"It has nothing whatsoever to do with Tobirama-sensei."
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