"So it was this suit of armor..."
Kakuzu stared at the wall and said with emotion, "I never saw it with my own eyes, but ancient records I've read described Uchiha Madara wearing this jet-black heavy armor and wielding a Susanoo blade wreathed in raging flames as he swept unstoppably across the battlefield."
"With you wearing it, Hokage-sama, I believe you could recreate the imposing figure of the Ghost of the Uchiha in his prime!"
Hiruzen laughed heartily.
"You flatter me, Kakuzu!"
Kakuzu and Hiruzen had already exchanged a glance the moment he entered.
However, since Isshin and Fugaku were discussing something, Kakuzu politely refrained from interrupting and simply listened in silence.
"You've worked hard on this trip and brought back so many things again."
"Even if you're immortal, you still need to maintain a proper balance between work and rest..."
Hiruzen poured Kakuzu a cup of tea and handed it to him naturally.
"I'm only doing my part for the village..."
A faint but heartfelt smile appeared on Kakuzu's lips. He accepted the tea, drained it in one gulp, and turned toward Fugaku.
"Isshin, Councilor Fugaku, the Sharingan you provided me have proven extremely useful."
"This time, I brought back material containing the Magnet Release Kekkei Genkai. Magnet Release is formed from Wind and Lightning Release. While neither is the Fire Release you're most familiar with, Lightning Release is also one of the Uchiha Clan's specialties."
Kakuzu smiled at Fugaku.
"I'll pray for you. May the Sage of Six Paths bless you and grant you Magnet Release."
As he spoke, Kakuzu pointed toward the Uchiha Stone Tablet behind him.
"Ha! Don't worry. I've heard that fortune favors the brave!"
"With two uses of Izanagi plus my own life, if I fail all three attempts, then I'll accept my fate!"
Fugaku waved his hand with carefree confidence.
Kakuzu shook his head with an amused smile. The path of the reckless Uchiha brute truly suited Fugaku remarkably well.
To think he had devised such an extreme method merely to transplant a Kekkei Genkai...
Hiruzen also shook his head helplessly.
Fugaku and Sakumo both insisted that unless they grew stronger soon, they would be left behind by the times. No matter what anyone said, they were determined to undergo the risky operations.
In Hiruzen's view, the chances of success were fairly high, but there was still a risk, wasn't there?
There was no need to rush. They could simply take things one step at a time.
Unexpectedly, however, Fugaku and Sakumo had turned around and placed the burden of principle upon him, the Hokage.
"Hokage-sama, Konoha's councilors should be the first to lead by example! We refuse to sit back and enjoy the benefits while others take the risks!"
"Please have faith in our Will of Fire. We've already consulted Councilors Orochimaru and Hiruko, and we both passed our physical examinations. Even if there is some danger, that doesn't matter. What shinobi mission is ever without risk?"
After they put it that way, even Hiruzen could no longer stop them. He could only instruct Orochimaru to prioritize stability and safety.
Fugaku scratched his head, his face turning red as he struggled to speak.
"Um..."
"Hokage-sama..."
"My younger son will be born soon. I would like to ask whether you could allow him to inherit Sarutobi Sasuke-sama's name, so that he may regard it as a lifelong honor and grow into an outstanding shinobi..."
Hiruzen froze upon hearing this, only understanding Fugaku's meaning a moment later.
In the shinobi world, a highly respected elder might, after receiving a solemn request, permit a junior to bear the name of one of their distinguished predecessors.
It represented both expectation and encouragement, as well as goodwill and mutual recognition between the two sides.
Hiruzen blinked.
"It seems we had the same idea..."
"You two are the current leaders of the Uchiha Clan. I was thinking that, should I have another child in the future, I would name a boy Sarutobi Madara and a girl Sarutobi Izumi. Would the two of you approve?"
Isshin and Fugaku both stared at him in surprise.
"We approve! Of course we approve!"
Wouldn't this make the two families closer than ever?
Once the Hokage's own children were named after the Great Clan Head or Young Clan Head, anyone who dared raise the Uchiha Clan's historical issues again would effectively be attacking Hokage-sama's children!
It was undoubtedly a permanent solution for eliminating the historical burden weighing upon the Uchiha.
Anyone who dared bring it up again would be targeting Sarutobi Hiruzen's children before they had even been born.
Merely imagining it made Fugaku and Isshin want to laugh aloud. The Uchiha Clan wouldn't even need to take action themselves.
Hiashi and Hiruko alone, those two ferocious guardians of Hiruzen's reputation, would practically devour the offender alive.
"But, Hokage-sama, recently you..."
Isshin blinked. Was Hokage-sama actually planning to have more children?
However, Hiruzen had merely mentioned the possibility and had no concrete plans yet.
After thinking it over, Isshin quickly put the matter out of his mind.
One reason he had brought over the armor Uchiha Madara wore in his youth was that the current Hiruzen possessed an exceptionally tall, powerful, and robust physique.
Had the Hokage lacked the build to carry such armor, gifting him a suit of heavy armor like this would have carried a faintly insulting implication instead.
Even so, if the current Hiruzen wished to wear Madara's heavy armor onto the battlefield, Biwako might still need to enlarge it for him...
The group chatted cheerfully for quite some time before finally parting ways.
Kakuzu planned to relax by visiting Root and the Research Department to audit their accounts.
Isshin hummed a tune, the final weight upon his heart having finally been lifted.
He intended to urge Seisui to accumulate military achievements as quickly as possible and take over his position as a Konoha councilor. Once retired, Isshin could spend his free time helping raise Fugaku's children.
Fugaku, meanwhile, headed to the Anbu to find Sakumo. The two men were going straight to the Research Department to begin their path toward evolution.
As he walked, Fugaku grinned broadly.
"Magnet Release! Magnet Release is excellent! It's the Third Kazekage's signature ability. At the very least, it has the potential to reach Kage level!"
Unfortunately, Fugaku still did not understand chakra-based Kekkei Genkai well enough.
At their core, chakra-based Kekkei Genkai were also a form of ninjutsu. Just like the ordinary five basic nature transformations, they possessed both changes in nature and changes in form.
Boil Release, for example, could manifest in two distinct forms: 'steam' and 'acid mist.'
Magnet Release did not control the same substances in every user's hands.
The Third Kazekage, for example, controlled Iron Sand, while Rasa specialized in Gold Dust.
Even if Fugaku acquired Magnet Release, his version might not develop in the direction of manipulating external objects.
Combined with his warrior mentality, it might instead evolve into something along the lines of strengthening his body through magnetic-field rotation...
After everyone had left, Hiruzen spent some time admiring Uchiha Madara's heavy armor.
"Its defensive power is astonishing..."
"Is it made from chakra metal? At least part of it must be. It was probably forged using special techniques and materials..."
Hiruzen tapped the heavy armor, producing a dull thud, and found himself liking it even more.
"I wonder how Enma's training at Mount Myōboku is progressing..."
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
The thought of wearing this jet-black armor accented with blood-red details onto the battlefield while wielding the Adamantine Staff made even a peace-loving man like him feel a trace of anticipation.
"And then there's this Uchiha Stone Tablet... It was supposedly passed down by the Sage of Six Paths?"
Hiruzen walked over, lit his pipe, and narrowed his eyes as he examined the tablet.
Truthfully, he was not particularly interested in its contents.
He had combed through countless ancient records, yet had never found any evidence that a shinobi before him had successfully combined multiple Kekkei Genkai. The path he was following was highly unusual.
In Hiruzen's eyes, Fugaku's exaggerated tone and behavior had mostly been a strategy to persuade him to accept the gift, allowing the Uchiha Clan to publicize the matter afterward.
Hokage-sama had accepted their gift—and not just any gift, but the precious stone tablet containing the Sage of Six Paths' legacy!
Their relationship was growing closer and closer!
"An ancient training method?"
Hiruzen shook his head. Treating it as little more than a way to pass the time, he began reading while smoking his pipe.
In Hiruzen's view, ancient training methods were not worth adopting.
Ninjutsu was plainly advancing and being refined with every generation.
Across a span of more than a century, it was unlikely that the present would somehow be inferior to the distant past.
Yet as Hiruzen continued reading, he suddenly froze.
"Wait..."
"Why does this actually sound somewhat reasonable?"
"Isn't it describing each Kekkei Genkai as a separate thread, which can then be woven together into a net through a special method? It's explaining a process in which quantitative accumulation produces a qualitative transformation..."
The Hokage grabbed the Uchiha Stone Tablet, placed it on his desk, and began studying it with utmost seriousness.
Even Black Zetsu had never expected this.
The methods it had written based on Kaguya's subconscious memories contained numerous gaps.
They were incomplete fragments missing portions of the underlying derivation process, making them virtually impossible to reproduce.
However, Hiruzen had already conducted similar experiments in the past.
The 'Kekkei Genkai threads' within his body were the product of those experiments, and they happened to coincide with the method Black Zetsu had recorded.
In a sense, Black Zetsu and Sarutobi Hiruzen were a perfect match: one truly dared to write it, while the other truly dared to try it!
A long while later, Hiruzen raised his head in shock.
Had he just discovered that this method genuinely had merit?
It was probably impossible to weave the threads inside his body into a complete net and reach the profound realm described on the tablet as the 'Kekkei Mōra.'
At the very least, however, the techniques recorded upon it could greatly accelerate the rate at which he produced new Kekkei Genkai threads.
"Could there truly be such a thing as destiny's favor?"
Hiruzen exhaled a cloud of smoke. Having precisely what he needed fall into his lap whenever he thought of it made it seem as though he barely needed to do anything himself.
Konoha's wealth of resources was simply absurd!
...
Meanwhile, in Amegakure, Nagato, Konan, Yahiko, and Hanzō were inspecting the village's factories.
"Excellent!"
"Production of the unfinished medical chakra scrolls has already reached the required quota. With the help of Hyūga Takashi and Hiashi, Amegakure's nobles can barely wait to throw their money at us..."
Hanzō smiled as he inspected the industrial shinobi working busily throughout the factory.
Under Kakuzu's advice and adjustments, Amegakure had undergone structural reforms.
Some shinobi with exceptionally precise chakra control had been selected as industrial shinobi and assigned to production work.
Another group lacked strong combat ability but possessed good attitudes, so they were sent to Konoha to perform low-ranking missions as part of the service sector.
Finally, the shinobi with genuine combat talent followed an elite-force model, with the village concentrating its military resources upon them. It was somewhat similar to Sunagakure's policy.
The difference was that Sunagakure had adopted that approach because it was poor.
Amegakure did so because its population was small, while part of that population also had to be devoted to production and services.
"Greetings, Hanzō-sama!"
When the Amegakure shinobi saw Hanzō arrive, they respectfully greeted him.
"Good, good! You're all doing well!"
Hanzō waved cheerfully.
Being sincerely respected by his village's shinobi and watching Amegakure gradually return to the right path was a feeling he had become addicted to.
"Remember to balance work and rest. Don't rush during production—but make sure you're fast!"
Hanzō declared forcefully, "The other hidden villages will not stand by and watch Amegakure enter a comprehensive partnership with Konoha. Those wolves and jackals will certainly find some way to disrupt our development!"
"But we will never be afraid! No one can stop the union of the Will of Fire and the Will of Rain!"
The Will of Rain was something new Hanzō had come up with. In truth, it was not much different from the Will of Fire.
Its purpose was to familiarize Amegakure's shinobi with Konoha's atmosphere ahead of time.
Although it was only the budget version, sooner or later the Ame shinobi would suddenly realize...
The life of an Ame shinobi was a life spent finding a way into Konoha.
This was not because Hanzō intended to "sell off" Amegakure's shinobi.
Rather, with their economies and strategies now comprehensively bound together—and Sarutobi Hiruzen having promised him that Amegakure would retain its autonomy—there was no longer any need to care about such labels.
The nobles' wholesale embrace of the Sage Region Pills had also made Hanzō understand that becoming a vassal of the Land of Fire was the prevailing trend throughout the Land of Rain, from top to bottom.
Even setting aside his brotherly bond with Hiruzen, Hanzō would still have needed to actively push matters in that direction.
Besides, Hanzō felt that his bond with his sworn brother could not be set aside in the first place...
"Yes! Everyone, don't rush—but make sure you're fast!" Yahiko declared energetically.
"Every unfinished scroll is a future chance to save one of our comrades. Rest assured, everyone. Hanzō-sama and the rest of us will stand in front of you and keep every enemy outside our gates!"
The Ame shinobi shouted in unison and threw themselves into their work with even greater enthusiasm.
Interestingly, despite the apparent contradiction in Hanzō's and Yahiko's words, not a single Ame shinobi found anything wrong with them.
To them, being allowed to work on a piece-rate assembly line in a medical chakra scroll factory was already a blessing the village had not enjoyed in decades.
There was therefore nothing to complain about...
They should only be grateful!
"Nagato, you've done very well lately. Those spies must be killed."
"When dealing with spies from Iwagakure and Kumogakure, you must drive them back with the harshest possible response. You cannot reveal even the slightest trace of weakness."
"This will also sharpen your practical combat ability. Your potential is limitless, and you must work hard to fulfill it."
Hanzō patted Nagato on the shoulder and said earnestly, "You are the first shinobi in history to hold dual registration in both Amegakure and Konoha. You represent two villages!"
"Yes, Hanzō-sama!"
Nagato puffed out his chest.
"I understand! I also carry the names of the Hyūga, Uchiha, and Uzumaki. I will never disgrace Hokage-sama or you! I will break the neck of any enemy who tries to destroy the peace between Amegakure and Konoha!"
The corners of Yahiko's and Konan's mouths twitched.
Wasn't he carrying a little too much on his shoulders?
In the current Amegakure, Nagato had already become widely respected because of his combat power.
However, very few shinobi dared maintain eye contact with him for more than a few seconds.
Nagato's permanently active Sharingan and Byakugan, combined together, were enough to make anyone feel dizzy at a glance.
It truly was a grand patchwork unseen in a thousand years of shinobi history...
"Good lad. Keep it up!"
Hanzō then turned toward Yahiko.
"Yahiko, you've also done very well. Don't be discouraged because combat isn't your strong suit. Hiruzen once said that mobilizing people and raising morale are also remarkable talents."
"Recently, Hiruzen and Konoha finished digesting the Sky shinobi's technology. Orders to manufacture unfinished flight wings and senbon launchers have already been passed down to us. I'll leave that area to you."
"The Land of Rain's forging techniques and production capacity are sufficient, but you must keep the workers' morale as high as possible and have them devote themselves fully to production."
"Before the next war arrives, Konoha and Amegakure must do their utmost to equip their shinobi with these ninja tools so that we can better defend our homes."
Seeing the light in Yahiko's eyes, Hanzō smiled inwardly.
He had visited Konoha a few days earlier.
After the Sky shinobi's attack, Hanzō had brought a group of Ame shinobi to help repair the damaged sections of the village. He had also found an opportunity to speak with Hiruzen.
One of the main points they discussed was how best to keep Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan on the right path.
Hiruzen had given Hanzō an idea.
First, they would establish the principle that Konoha and Amegakure would never initiate a war in the shinobi world.
All military development would be intended solely to prevent invasion.
Second, they would keep the young people busy. The busier they were, the less time they would have to think about troublesome things...
Hanzō had always readily accepted his sworn brother's advice, and after putting it into practice, he found that it worked exceptionally well.
"Konan, you also need to take on more responsibility. Find a way to raise scroll production even further. Whatever supplies the shinobi need—electrolyte drinks, high-energy foods, or anything else—just tell me."
Imitating Hiruzen's tone, Hanzō declared magnanimously, "I've already spoken with Hokage-sama! Several major merchants from the Land of Fire will transport a large initial shipment here free of charge. After that, they'll sell everything to us at cost!"
"Yes, Hanzō-sama!" Konan exclaimed excitedly.
"On behalf of Amegakure's shinobi, thank you—and thank Hokage-sama as well!"
Hanzō smiled and waved his hand dismissively.
The three youngsters went off to attend to their respective duties.
After returning to his office, Hanzō picked up Senju Tobirama's Water Release manual and began studying it.
"This technique is devious enough. Excellent..."
Hanzō continued expanding his arsenal of ninjutsu.
Whenever he remembered that his incredibly powerful sworn brother woke at four every morning to train, his entire body felt uncomfortable whenever he found himself idle.
Further refining his Water Release and combining the Explosive Flame Formation with a miniature version of the Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags were Hanzō's current research priorities.
There was also the venom sac that Orochimaru and Tsunade had fully integrated into his body...
Hanzō was waiting for war.
This time, he was no longer alone. He stood beside Sarutobi Hiruzen, with Amegakure and Konoha behind him.
Should Iwagakure, Sunagakure, and Kumogakure truly come attacking...
Hanzō was brimming with determination to give those bandits who knew nothing of the Will of Fire a surprise!
The wrath of Hanzō of the Salamander!
That night...
While most areas of Konoha and Amegakure continued developing in an orderly manner, there were also isolated places where events had begun spiraling out of control.
Root.
Tobirama had just finished lecturing Danzō. He walked out through the main entrance with a thoughtful expression, only to find his path blocked by a figure.
The person who had come...
Was none other than Uchiha Tomie, whom he had been seeing less and less lately as he gradually distanced himself from her.
Tomie stared at Tobirama and spoke bluntly beneath the moonlight.
"Seisui..."
"The truth is... you never liked me at all, did you?"
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