Sarutobi Hiruzen rested both hands on his knees, his back perfectly straight, his voice calm and unwavering.
It was as if the kinjutsu he was admitting to creating were nothing more than ordinary techniques from the Five Nature Transformations...
But that was far from the truth.
The body activation and regeneration techniques were one thing—they could at least be justified as extensions of medical ninjutsu.
But the Zero-Tails' reliance on negative emotions...
That was much harder to explain.
Negative emotions were finite. Anyone hearing about such research would naturally assume someone had deliberately tried to manufacture them.
Besides, no one would willingly become an emotionless fool incapable of joy or anger.
Negative emotions were the driving force that pushed people to resist oppression. They were far from meaningless.
"Hiruzen, think very carefully before you answer," Uzumaki Mito said sternly.
To Tobirama, it felt exactly like the way she had interrogated and reprimanded him all those years ago. It was as though time itself had turned back.
"You may be the Hokage, Hiruzen, but the original intent behind these techniques is right there for everyone to see. They won't stand up to scrutiny."
"Just because they're sealed away in the Scroll of Seals doesn't mean the village's shinobi will never learn of them. Right now, Orochimaru and Hiruko are running the Research Department—but what about thirty years from now? Fifty?"
"You need to think about your reputation!"
A thin sheen of cold sweat formed on Orochimaru's back.
Living Corpse Reincarnation...
A supreme kinjutsu that stole other people's bodies to achieve immortality.
There was no washing away the malice behind that technique.
If Mito found out he had created it...
Orochimaru was certain that the strong-willed and formidable widow of Hashirama would put him under intense scrutiny from that day forward. His life would become endlessly troublesome.
Orochimaru knew all too well how terrifying Mito was.
Even the founder of their "Tobirama faction" had never been able to deal with her. Tobirama was her contemporary and the Hokage himself, yet even he had been helpless against her...
Compared to someone like that, Orochimaru had absolutely no leverage.
Tobirama lowered his head without saying a word.
Although Mito had just dumped an absolutely massive mess in his lap...
He reminded himself that, in this life, his name was Uchiha Seisui.
This wasn't his place to speak.
Inside Tobirama's body, Izuna nodded repeatedly as he exclaimed, "As expected of Mito! Even I'm extremely wary of that woman..."
"Great minds think alike! I knew from the start this was Senju Tobirama's doing. That guy's been mentally unbalanced since he was a kid..."
"He always acts so calm, but who knows how much he's bottling up inside!" Izuna speculated maliciously.
Tobirama kept his expression perfectly blank.
Now wasn't the time to trade insults with Izuna.
All he could do was listen as his lifelong rival gleefully unloaded from the VIP heckler's seat.
Compared to his reputation in his previous life, however, Tobirama was far more concerned about Hiruzen.
'There's really nothing wrong with admitting it...'
'At worst, my reputation takes another hit for a while. Senju Tobirama is just a dead man—a name. There's no point stubbornly trying to protect it.'
'The truth will come out eventually.'
That was what Tobirama told himself, but he couldn't help feeling deeply moved.
Having lived in the village all this time, he had personally experienced the increasingly bizarre decline of his reputation from his previous life.
At first, he had been furious.
Later, he let it go.
Hadn't he gone through the same thing during the Warring States Era?
People's understanding of him had always progressed in spirals.
Still, principles were one thing.
Hiruzen's unwavering determination to defend his reputation and good name touched Tobirama deeply.
It made him feel that the best decision he'd made in this life had been accepting this disciple.
The man could shoulder responsibility like no one else.
He didn't back down even when facing Mito.
That was something Tobirama himself hadn't managed back then.
"Mito-sama..."
"For the first twenty-five years that I led the village, I was indecisive and weak. Because of that, I failed to unite Konoha's resources and forced the village to take many unnecessary detours."
After a moment's thought, Hiruzen spoke slowly.
"During that time, I thought about running away. I also thought about retracing the path Tobirama-sensei once walked by developing certain kinjutsu to restore Konoha's advantage."
"Under that immense pressure, I lost my way. The precursor technologies behind Living Corpse Reincarnation and the Zero-Tails were both products of that period. But neither was compatible with Konoha's reality or the Will of Fire, so I abandoned them."
"The only reason you were able to discover those techniques was because I listed my own name beside them in the Scroll of Seals."
Hiruzen looked at Mito.
"If I hadn't wanted you to see them, you never would have known they existed—let alone any other shinobi."
"So I was never afraid of people learning that I had stored these kinjutsu in the Scroll of Seals."
His tone became utterly sincere.
"That way, future generations of shinobi can learn from my mistakes. They'll understand that a village must develop in every aspect, or else it's all too easy to become obsessed and end up harming itself."
"I'm not afraid of my reputation suffering. When the day comes that I die, I'll do exactly what Hashirama-sama and Tobirama-sensei did. I'll donate my body and all my research to the village. More than anything, I hope my experiences can help those who come after me."
"And besides, this will let everyone know that even the Hokage can make mistakes. I think that will inspire future generations of shinobi to strive even harder, while also breaking the mindset that 'the ways of our predecessors must never be changed.'"
Hiruzen kept his back perfectly straight as he spoke.
These were his genuine feelings.
Hiruzen intended to keep climbing toward the limits of what a shinobi could achieve. He would never waste this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to wield extraordinary power.
But at the same time, he held a sincere affection for the Konohagakure he had governed for so many years.
As long as someone kept getting things done, which Kage was free of controversy?
As for trying to create the image of a flawless man who had never made a mistake in his life...
Hiruzen neither desired it nor cared for it.
Besides, this explanation also provided a new justification for his ever-growing strength...
They were simply unfinished kinjutsu that would eventually be placed in the Scroll of Seals...
Staring at Hiruzen's upright figure, Orochimaru slowly let out a long breath.
This...
...was his teacher!
Only now did Orochimaru truly understand why, after the Living Corpse Reincarnation had been completed, Hiruzen had insisted on putting his own name on it.
So Sensei had foreseen a day like this all along!
'My reputation is still too fragile—like the trunk of a young sapling. It couldn't withstand the hurricane of public backlash that Living Corpse Reincarnation would bring.'
'But Sensei is different...'
'If it's Sensei, the village's shinobi won't say much. Something like this could never shake his authority. If anything, they'd think he was simply covering for the Second Hokage.'
Once again, Orochimaru felt the depth of Hiruzen's heartfelt care.
It was as though a blazing fire had filled his heart.
'Sigh... the truth is, I was never afraid of any of this.'
'It's just a little controversy. Sensei simply doesn't want me to suffer what he once went through...' Orochimaru sighed inwardly.
Even though Living Corpse Reincarnation had indeed been his own creation...
Orochimaru still found himself holding a small grudge against the man he respected most—Senju Tobirama.
Why did he have to leave so early back then?
He'd made things so much harder for Sensei!
Having once experienced firsthand how difficult it was to be Hokage, Orochimaru felt he had every right to say so.
'If Tobirama-sama had done a better job...'
'...there never would have been any conflict between Sensei and me.'
'I need to work even harder for Sensei!'
After Hiruzen finished speaking, Danzō, standing nearby, wore an expression of utter shock.
From the very beginning, his brain had practically frozen.
Who could have imagined that Mito-sama had summoned them here to tell them that the mysterious powerhouse who had attacked the village was none other than Tobirama-sensei?
The revelation had nearly overloaded Danzō's brain.
More importantly...
Mito's reasoning had completely convinced him.
As the leader of Root, a man who had spent years immersed in darkness, Danzō had never been the type to demand a perfectly complete chain of evidence before acting.
All he needed was a plausible line of suspicion.
Flying Thunder God Technique...
Repulsive-force kinjutsu...
Body Activation and the Eight Gates...
His understanding of the Uchiha...
His contempt for Hashirama and Madara...
The Zero-Tails and its negative-emotion chakra energy source...
The surviving Sky Village technology...
Impure World Reincarnation...
The tangible benefits to Konoha...
The evidence against Tobirama was practically overflowing.
There was enough to build an entire psychological profile!
With this many pieces of evidence...
When Danzō dealt with other shinobi, one or two were already enough to invite someone down to Root for "tea."
'Looks like it really was Tobirama-sensei...'
'I actually understand him. Hiruzen is a wonderful man, but he's far too open and upright. He can't gather resources for Konoha as quickly as possible.'
'Still... why didn't he at least tell us?'
'Wait... this itself is a test! A test of the understanding between him, Hiruzen, and me as sensei and disciples! Just like how he tested Hiruzen before, he's testing the village's response!'
Danzō smacked a fist into his palm.
Everything suddenly made perfect sense.
No one...
...understood Tobirama better than he did.
Especially this style of working from the shadows, using whatever means necessary to strengthen the village.
It gave Danzō an overwhelming sense of kinship, making him instinctively certain.
Other than the First Darkness of the Shinobi, Konoha Shinobi Registration No. 003, the Second Hokage, Tobirama-sensei...
Who else could it possibly be?
No one else possessed that kind of experience or mindset!
'Still... Hiruzen's bond with Tobirama-sensei really isn't any weaker than mine.'
'Anyone else would have buckled under a rap this massive, yet Hiruzen accepted it without a second thought, all to protect Tobirama-sensei.'
'Damn you, Hiruzen... you've gotten ahead of me once again!'
Danzō looked at Hiruzen.
This time...
He truly had to admit defeat.
Was Hiruzen really better than him even at taking the blame?
The sharp smack of Danzō's fist against his palm drew everyone's attention.
After steadying himself, Danzō slowly spoke.
"I have something to say..."
"Hiruzen, there's no point insisting otherwise."
"It had to be Tobirama-sensei!"
The moment those words left his mouth, Tobirama's face darkened involuntarily.
He really had broken Danzō.
If the mysterious powerhouse was supposed to be him...
Then who was it that had been showing up at Root every day to kick Danzō in the backside and force him to do his job properly?
A ghost?
Hiruzen's expression turned rather subtle as he caught the change in Tobirama's face.
Sorry, old friend...
This time, even I can't help you.
You're on your own in Root from now on...
"But there's one thing we absolutely have to recognize..."
Danzō cleared his throat.
"Tobirama-sensei's methods may not have been exactly conservative..."
"...but everything he's done so far has been for the good of the village."
"You could even say he deliberately created healthy external conflicts that were perfectly tailored to Konoha's needs."
"Think about it, everyone. From Yashiro to the Sky Village and Amegakure, hasn't every single incident pushed Konoha forward? So, Mito-sama, I cannot agree with your claim that Tobirama-sensei has strayed down an evil path."
"This is merely another manifestation of the Will of Fire!"
"Wherever there is light, there must also be darkness. A healthy tree needs both roots and leaves. Taking a step back, didn't even Hashirama-sama rely on Tobirama-sensei to handle certain matters for him back then?"
Danzō also noticed the ugly expression on "Seisui's" face. Something stirred in his mind, and he hurriedly added a word in defense of the Uchiha.
"Uchiha Madara also played that role back then. He rendered great service by capturing the tailed beasts and deterring the other hidden villages. He simply became too extreme later on..."
"But Tobirama-sensei clearly knows how to keep things within reasonable limits—provided Konoha continues growing stronger."
"This is a Warring States-style test. Tobirama-sensei often tested Hiruzen and me like this when we were young. I understand exactly what he's thinking."
"The position of Hokage held Tobirama-sensei back!" Danzō declared with considerable emotion.
In Danzō's opinion, Tobirama's current methods were what truly allowed his teacher to make full use of all his talents.
The position of Hokage forced a man to be far too proper!
Danzō's explanation left everyone present dumbfounded.
However, Mito and Isshin, both shinobi from the Warring States Era, nodded slightly as they listened. Orochimaru, who had entertained similar ideas before, did the same. Even Tsunade wore a thoughtful expression.
Once Danzō explained it this way, the logic came full circle.
Suddenly, nothing seemed strange anymore!
"This brat truly is Tobirama's disciple. He inherited his darker side..." Izuna assessed objectively.
"He's saying exactly what I wanted to say. Tobirama may be extreme, but whenever he tests the village, the challenge will always come with an opportunity."
"He's trying to put the village under pressure so it won't become complacent and arrogant amid its prosperity. Starting wars is also a way to mislead the other hidden villages, preventing them from noticing that something is wrong and joining forces ahead of time..."
Tobirama no longer wanted to speak.
Rationally speaking, Tobirama had to admit that if the mysterious powerhouse really were him...
Then this whole damned explanation actually made sense.
Had he not died back then, there was a real chance he would have followed precisely this approach.
Tobirama was even beginning to doubt himself.
After thinking it over, he was fairly certain he had never created any soul-splitting technique—something similar to the clone technique used by the Second Tsuchikage, Mū.
This was starting to feel like looking into a mirror...
Mito let out a long sigh.
Danzō, who had rarely ever stood so firmly against her before today, moved her somewhat.
The Nine-Tails emerged from her shoulder and crossed its forelegs before delivering its blunt assessment.
"I don't see anything wrong with what the bandaged brat said. Hashirama's approach sounds wonderful, but it isn't realistic!"
"Read a few more books and you'll understand. Where is all this mutual understanding between people in the shinobi world supposed to come from? Those hidden villages hostile to Konoha should be forced to follow our pace until they bring about their own destruction!"
"I support Senju Tobirama! You can start cursing me now!"
The Nine-Tails spoke openly and without the slightest shame.
Speaking its mind was the Nindō it now followed.
Konoha allowed even the tailed beasts to have a voice!
So it would simply say what it truly thought.
Over the course of its long life, the Nine-Tails had also reflected on the war between Asura and Indra—the conflict that marked both the beginning of Ninshū's division and the birth of shinobi clans.
During that conflict, the Sage of Six Paths had asked the Nine-Tails for help, and it had chosen to support Asura.
That biased old man had even transferred part of his own power, along with everyone's chakra, into Asura's body.
Only then had Asura barely managed to defeat Indra.
Objectively speaking, the Nine-Tails thought it was perfectly understandable that Indra had refused to accept the outcome even until his death.
Had it been in his position, it would not have accepted it either!
Mutual understanding was far too idealistic.
To truly improve the shinobi world, one needed to act like Sarutobi Hiruzen—establishing a system based on Asura's principle of maximizing the collective interest with one hand, while wielding Indra's power as a guarantee with the other.
What was wrong with balancing the two?
Forcing everyone to choose one or the other was the real mistake!
Having been thoroughly influenced by Hiruzen's Will of Fire, the Nine-Tails occasionally thought that if it ever met the Sage of Six Paths again, it really needed to have a proper debate with that old man...
Aside from Hiruzen, everyone stared at the Nine-Tails in astonishment.
The Third Root of Konoha?
When had that happened...?
Even some of the Nine-Tails' unconscious turns of phrase surprised them.
"For the village" and "the Will of Fire," was it?
At this rate, they might have to assign the Nine-Tails a Konoha shinobi registration number.
Perhaps one day it might even be elected to the Konoha Council...
With its immense reserves, the Nine-Tails had indeed made enormous contributions to the village.
It monitored malicious intent, supplied chakra for the construction of barriers, and had helped create Uzumaki Shio, a partial jinchūriki...
Moreover, the Nine-Tails now wandered around Konoha in the form of a small fox.
Unlike its true body, which inspired terror, this smaller form was unexpectedly popular...
It could already be said to possess a foundation of public support.
"Hiruzen, there's no need for you to shoulder this burden for Tobirama..."
Mito sighed.
"I know how deep your bond with Tobirama is, but you still have to face reality..."
"Just as Danzō said, what Tobirama is doing was actually quite common during the Warring States Era. He has simply expanded its scale from individual shinobi to entire hidden villages."
"Don't worry. Only the village's inner circle will know that it was Tobirama..."
Mito patiently tried to persuade him.
She truly could not bear to see Hiruzen's reputation for openness and integrity stained with an indelible mark for Tobirama's sake.
There was simply no need for it...
Hiruzen said nothing. He merely shook his head and continued thinking.
He took out his pipe, slowly packed the tobacco down, and began smoking puff after puff as though no one else were present.
Others could misunderstand and believe that man was Tobirama.
But Hiruzen could not.
He knew the person on the other side was not Tobirama, which meant there was no guarantee that he would exercise restraint.
This time, he had acted according to these rules.
But what if next time he truly intended to destroy Konoha?
Placing their hopes in the stability of a fanatic would be profoundly irresponsible.
Moreover, something Danzō had said earlier seemed to have sparked an idea in Hiruzen's mind.
Amid the drifting smoke, the Hokage strained his thoughts, trying to seize that thread of logic...
"In that case, Hiruzen, this is our only option."
Mito glanced at Orochimaru.
Understanding her intention immediately, Orochimaru picked up the test tube containing Tobirama's cells. Using the Sky Village shinobi before him as the sacrifice, he performed the Impure World Reincarnation.
Ominous gray-black earth enveloped the Sky Village shinobi, and the summoning field appeared...
Only to collapse immediately afterward.
This phenomenon meant...
The Impure World Reincarnation of Senju Tobirama had failed!
Tobirama watched expressionlessly, the corner of his mouth twitching almost imperceptibly.
There was no need to go through all this trouble to summon him with Impure World Reincarnation.
He could simply take two steps forward and stand beside the Sky Village shinobi.
"Hiruzen, what do you have to say now?" Mito asked softly.
Her reasoning was the same as Izuna's.
Yes, Tobirama might have left behind some safeguard that prevented him from being summoned with Impure World Reincarnation.
But the more likely possibility was that he could be summoned, only to release the technique himself...
Another piece of irrefutable evidence!
Hiruzen exhaled a stream of smoke.
At that moment, his mind raced as he analyzed every possible mechanism of the Impure World Reincarnation...
"Sensei, there's no need to keep going..." Orochimaru could not help trying to persuade him.
"Sensei, Granduncle did this for the village as well, even if his methods were extreme..."
Tsunade also spoke, her brows slightly furrowed.
"We should focus on finding a way to persuade him and dealing with what comes next."
"Hiruzen, there was nothing wrong with what Tobirama-sensei did. There's no need to keep insisting!" Danzō declared.
"Hokage-sama, I agree. Advisor Danzō is right..." Isshin said earnestly.
Tobirama opened his mouth.
Even he wanted to persuade Hiruzen to simply accept it for now...
There was no point suffering an immediate loss over this!
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