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"Tobirama-sensei, are you in an Edo Tensei body now?"
Hiruzen noticed the cracks all over Tobirama's body and the lifeless look in his eyes, similar to those reanimated during the previous wars using Edo Tensei.
"Due to some unexpected events, I was summoned using Edo Tensei, but I've broken free from its control."
Tobirama explained, noticing that Hiruzen was accompanied by some powerful shinobi. One of them, a white-haired ninja, seemed to have even more chakra than Hiruzen, and looked somewhat familiar. He asked,
"Saru, what are you all up to?"
Despite being almost sixty years old, Hiruzen felt a sense of nostalgia at Tobirama's familiar nickname for him. He explained,
"Tobirama-sensei, we're on a mission. Currently, there is an organization called Akatsuki in the ninja world, founded by one of Jiraiya's students. One of its members possesses the Rinnegan."
Tobirama's expression grew more serious at the mention of the Rinnegan. Upon hearing about Nagato, he felt that this wasn't the person the Sage of Six Paths had mentioned.
Moreover, Tobirama was always cautious about the words of the Sage of Six Paths, as he only trusted himself. Now that he was back, he needed to investigate.
Hiruzen did not hide anything when providing Tobirama with information about Nagato. It wasn't necessary, after all. Nagato's animosity towards Konoha wasn't Hiruzen's doing; he had originally wanted to ally with the Akatsuki, but Danzo had ruined those plans.
"Saru, I remember making you the Third Hokage. Why are you out of the village on a mission? Or is there a Fourth Hokage in the village now?"
As Tobirama spoke, he noticed Hiruzen's face looked quite old, possibly even older than Tobirama's age when he died. So he asked,
"The current Hokage is the Fourth, Sakumo. You might remember him, Tobirama-sensei. When you visited the Ninja Academy, you said he would be a pillar of the village."
Hearing Hiruzen's words, Tobirama recalled who the Fourth Hokage was—the genius who wielded a short sword in the academy.
After pondering for a moment, Tobirama asked seriously,
"Saru, are you confident in this mission? The Rinnegan isn't something to be taken lightly. And if I'm not mistaken, the Rinnegan in Nagato's possession doesn't belong to him."
Although he needed to investigate what the Sage of Six Paths had said, the origins of the Rinnegan were unlikely to be a lie. There should only be two pairs of Rinnegan in the ninja world, with a third pair still developing.
Aside from the Sage of Six Paths' Rinnegan, the second pair belonged to Uchiha Madara.
Tobirama crossed his arms and said,
"If you go, you'll likely come back empty-handed. The Rinnegan in Nagato's possession is someone else's. If you encounter him, you'll likely meet Uchiha Madara."
"Uchiha Madara!?"
Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and the others exchanged shocked glances.
Hiruzen quickly responded,
"Tobirama-sensei, according to our information, although Madara didn't accept his fate in the ninja world, he died three years ago."
Tobirama replied,
"He's like me now, an Edo Tensei body. Let's return to Konoha, Saru. I have other matters that require the village's assistance. Fill me in on what's been happening in the village."
Madara would certainly value Tobirama's awareness of his Rinnegan. Hiruzen and his group might not be able to secure the Rinnegan and could even run into Madara, leading to unnecessary losses.
"I understand, Tobirama-sensei."
Hiruzen agreed with Tobirama's suggestion. Although this was a mission issued by Yoichi, they had encountered the Second Hokage.
Moreover, Hiruzen had been reluctant to undertake this mission with Jiraiya. Even if they captured Nagato, the Rinnegan would belong to the village, while the losses would be borne by the Sarutobi clan.
On the way back, Hiruzen gave Tobirama a brief overview of recent events.
"Kushina-san."
A familiar voice suddenly called from behind, startling Kushina as she battled her inner darkness. The scene around her vanished, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself in her familiar bedroom.
Turning her head, Kushina's face filled with anger.
She was about to shout but remembered Naruto was still sleeping. She lowered her voice,
"What are you doing here? This is my home."
"I know, but don't you want the videotape? If you don't, I'll take it back."
Before Yoichi could finish his sentence, Kushina had already snatched the videotape from his hand.
Just as she was about to crush it with a punch, Yoichi grabbed her wrist and reminded her,
"Kushina-san, don't forget our agreement. Ten tapes mean ten times, or else..."
"I know, you don't need to remind me."
Kushina replied angrily, puffing her cheeks. She cursed herself for being too slow this time.
"In that case, why not enjoy watching while we proceed? Once it's over, the tape is yours to dispose of."
Yoichi took the tape, pulled out a storage scroll, and retrieved a TV and a VCR, setting them up as if Kushina's bedroom conveniently had outlets and a table.
Seeing Yoichi's actions, Kushina's face turned pale with anger and she whispered furiously,
"Are you crazy? Here? I won't agree to this! Naruto is sleeping next door."
"That's why you should set up a barrier, Kushina-san. Besides, do you really have a choice now?"
While speaking, Yoichi connected the TV and VCR, inserting the tape he took from Kushina.
"Bastard!"
Kushina was furious that Yoichi would dare do such a thing in her home, especially something like this. She rushed forward to stop him.
However, fearing making too much noise, her attempt to stop him was futile. In the end, she blushed and retreated, crossing her arms over her chest.
"You bastard..."
Seeing her embarrassing moments appear on the TV, Kushina reluctantly formed hand seals to activate a barrier. Placing her hands on the ground, the barrier's runes quickly spread throughout the room.
"You... how dare you..."
Before Kushina could finish, the TV screen lit up, and the sound of her own voice filled the room. Hearing her voice, Kushina felt a strange sensation.
The bed frame began to creak, but thanks to the barrier, it didn't wake Naruto sleeping next door.
With Yoichi's clones guarding outside, he had no fear of being interrupted.
As the noise from the bed grew louder, Kushina's cheaply-bought bed seemed on the verge of collapsing.
"Take down that photo! You... you jerk, let me go!"
As Kushina knelt on the bed, enduring, she suddenly noticed the wedding photo on the bedside table. Overcome with shame and anger, she wanted to break free and remove the photo.
However, Yoichi held Kushina tightly, pinning her down with his weight.
After struggling for a while, Kushina found herself unable to break free, and she buried her face in the bedding, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.
'Minato, I'm sorry!'
"Mm..."
...
...
"Yoichi-sensei, you're back! The Hokage robe is ready. Shall I help you put it on?"
Rumi greeted Yoichi with a sweet smile as she took out a Hokage robe. The design was simple, reserved for those with the highest status in Konoha.
"Is it finished already? By the way, Rumi, has the new Hokage hat been completed as well?"
Yoichi turned around, allowing Rumi to drape the Hokage robe over his shoulders. The Hokage hat hadn't been replaced since the First Hokage. While every Hokage got a new robe, the same hat had been used for fifty years.
Thinking about it was disheartening. It was time for a new one.
"Yes, Yoichi-sensei, it's ready. We've also sent people to notify the daimyō and the smaller nations surrounding the Land of Fire. They should arrive in Konoha in three days."
Rumi adjusted Yoichi's collar and blushed slightly, realizing she was acting like a wife, so she quickly changed the subject,
"The Police Force has also been informed. They've prepared security plans for the Hokage election day and arranged accommodations for visiting nobles and merchants."
The Police Force was, of course, not falling behind. They were the most enthusiastic department about the Hokage election. The Fifth Hokage would be their Uchiha clan leader, symbolizing the Uchiha's rise as the village's leading clan.
Even within the ninja world, the Uchiha's reputation was well-known, thanks to Yoichi. The Sharingan had become one of the most feared Kekkei Genkai.
Konoha had grown increasingly prosperous, with separate commercial and residential areas, resembling a modern metropolis.
The village's size had expanded, stretching seventy to eighty kilometers from the Ninja Park to the other side. Even for shinobi, covering that distance required time; it was even more challenging for ordinary people.
If not for the tram system being established, connecting twenty stations within the village, the villagers would have demanded it.
The Police Force patrolled the village's outskirts with a substantial presence. Konoha's prosperity made it a potential target for those looking to cause trouble, like a human bomb with explosive tags. It would be a significant blow to the village.
This was why Yoichi had held lengthy discussions with Hiashi, involving Hyūga clan members in the Police Force. Hiashi's brother, Hizashi, now led the Police Force's fifth division.
Swish, swish, swish!
As Tobirama and his group neared Konoha's outskirts, they were intercepted by two patrol teams.
"It's the Third Hokage and Jiraiya-sama..."
Recognizing the group, Zoshi Uchiha spoke up. After confirming with his Sharingan that they weren't using transformation techniques, he allowed them to pass and reported through his radio,
"All clear, it's the Third Hokage, Jiraiya, and the shinobi who went on the mission last time."
"But Third Hokage, what's with him? Why does he look like the Second Hokage?"
Having seen the Hokage Rock hundreds of times, no shinobi could fail to recognize the past Hokage. Upon confirming that Tobirama wasn't using a transformation technique, Zoshi was shocked.
Hiruzen replied,
"This is classified. I'll report to the Fourth Hokage. Clear the way."
"Understood."
After making way, Zoshi watched the group leave and reported his encounter through the radio.
Seeing the Konoha gates, Tobirama asked Hiruzen,
"Saru, is the Police Force patrolling outside the village now?" He had also noticed Hyūga clan members among the Police Force. What was going on?
They had returned so quickly that Hiruzen hadn't had a chance to explain all the village's changes, but Tobirama sensed that the village had changed a lot before even entering Konoha.
"Tobirama-sensei, I haven't handled village affairs for a long time. This should be the work of the Fourth Hokage and the Hokage advisor, Uchiha Yoichi."
"Is that the Uchiha kid who was with Tsunade? Let's keep moving."
Tobirama continued toward Konoha, but as he entered the gate, he noticed a hunched old man sweeping the ground. The figure seemed very familiar, so Tobirama went to take a closer look.
"Danzo? Why are you sweeping here?"
Approaching, Tobirama immediately recognized his disciple, Danzo. However, Danzo had changed significantly; he was filthy, his chakra so weak it was nearly undetectable, likely sealed.
Danzo's eyes were dull, mechanically repeating his sweeping motions. A quick sensing confirmed he was under genjutsu.
"Release!"
Tobirama frowned as he dispelled the genjutsu. Hiruzen had only mentioned that Danzo had done something foolish and been punished but hadn't described the nature of the punishment.
Under genjutsu, with his chakra sealed, and sweeping at Konoha's gate, this was sheer humiliation.
"What happened?"
"Tob-Tobirama-sensei?"
Gradually regaining clarity, Danzo saw the figure before him, a mix of fear and longing in his heart. He regretted not achieving more to prove himself to Tobirama-sensei. It was his mistake in choosing the wrong person back then.
"Danzo, why are you..."
Before Tobirama could finish, a four-man squad of Police Force members appeared.
Seeing the genjutsu on Danzo dispelled, Matsuro Uchiha frowned and asked,
"Third Hokage, Jiraiya-sensei, and... the Second Hokage?"
(End of Chapter)
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"The Second Hokage? Why is he here?"
Matsuro Uchiha asked with a wary yet puzzled expression. How could a Hokage who had died long ago suddenly appear in the village?
"What happened with Danzo? If he made a mistake, he should be punished according to the rules. Why humiliate him by making him sweep at Konoha's gate?"
Tobirama spoke coldly. When he dispelled the genjutsu, he noticed that it was Sharingan-based, something only the Uchiha clan could cast.
Furthermore, the fact that the patrol members had arrived so quickly after he broke the genjutsu suggested that the person before him had cast it.
"This was ordered by the Hokage. But, Second Hokage, are you under the effects of Edo Tensei?"
Matsuro suddenly recalled an incident when he was escorting goods for the family business. They had a silent guard who, during a battle, was shattered but quickly reformed.
The eyes and cracks were the same; this Second Hokage was definitely an Edo Tensei body. But who had summoned him?
"Apologies, Second Hokage, but I need to report your presence to the Fifth Hokage. As for Danzo's punishment, please don't interfere with the Police Force."
Matsuro said as he subtly gestured with his hand behind his back.
One of the patrol members received the signal and immediately left to notify the Hokage building. However, Matsuro was unaware that someone had already informed the Police Force earlier, and the message had already reached the Hokage building.
"If you can't explain, then let someone who can come and speak to me,"
Tobirama said, folding his arms across his chest. He had no intention of moving.
"Then let me explain."
A voice suddenly interrupted. Neither Tobirama, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, nor the others had sensed anyone's approach. They instinctively looked up at the telephone poles above but saw nothing.
Tobirama was quicker, immediately glancing to his side to see someone had appeared beside him.
If he hadn't caught a glimpse of the white Hokage robe out of the corner of his eye, Tobirama might not have noticed the person at all. This individual's Body Flicker Technique... was far superior to his.
"Second Hokage, who used Edo Tensei to bring you back? And your chakra..."
Yoichi asked, tilting his head slightly. This wasn't the chakra typically seen in an Edo Tensei body. The sacrificial material used for this summoning was probably of higher quality than what he had been using. Could it be White Zetsu clones?
"Never mind. Let's discuss this back at the Hokage building. It seems you're not under anyone's control, Second Hokage. As for Danzo, continue sweeping the streets, and make it double today!"
While speaking, Yoichi glanced at Danzo, his Sharingan glinting. Before Danzo could react, he was once again caught in a genjutsu.
Danzo's eyes glazed over, and he picked up the broom, preparing to continue sweeping as per Yoichi's command.
"Uchiha brat, you—"
Tobirama's face darkened, ready to speak, but he was quickly cut off.
"Don't even think about breaking his genjutsu. This time, I've left enough chakra to destroy his brain. If you want to break the genjutsu, you might as well kill him outright. And as a former Hokage, you shouldn't interfere with the current Hokage's decisions."
Yoichi said, then turned his gaze to Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and the others, asking,
"And you all? Have you abandoned the mission on your own?"
Tobirama spoke up,
"I ordered them to abandon it because some unexpected developments occurred along the way..."
"Then go home and rest. Don't come to the Hokage building for a while."
Yoichi said as he headed toward the Hokage building. He had numerous methods to empower his subordinates, such as the Sage Curse Mark, the Extremis Virus, and the giant snakes of Ryuchi Cave.
These combined could produce numerous chunin- or jonin-level shinobi in Konoha who were loyal to him.
As for the Ino-Shika-Cho trio and people like Jiraiya, they had too many independent thoughts. Even though they knew Yoichi was the Fifth Hokage, they still didn't follow his orders without question. Yoichi didn't need such subordinates.
Among the Ino-Shika-Cho, only the Yamanaka clan's secret techniques were somewhat useful, such as extracting information from the heads of the dead. However, as Konoha grew stronger, the role of the Yamanaka's techniques would diminish.
Konoha was about to annex the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers. In such a situation, stability within the village was crucial. The Ino-Shika-Cho trio needed to decide whether to stay or leave.
On the way to the Hokage building, Hiruzen, Jiraiya, and the others felt the weight of Yoichi's earlier words.
Were they being told to go home and not be allowed to work as shinobi anymore?
Upon reaching the Hokage building, Yoichi sent an ANBU to summon Sakumo, then headed to his office.
Upon entering, he frowned and said to the group following Tobirama,
"Third Hokage, Jiraiya, why are you following? You can leave now."
"Brat... Fifth Hokage, it was I who told them to abandon the mission. Because the one using Edo Tensei is Madara, and those Rinnegan eyes are his. If Saru and the others continued the mission, they could very well have died, so I stopped them."
Tobirama said. He was a stickler for rules, so upon learning that the Uchiha brat before him was the Fifth Hokage, he had reluctantly changed his tone, even though he wasn't impressed.
"Madara? What do you mean?"
Yoichi feigned confusion, though he had already guessed what was happening.
Perhaps after Obito was captured, Black Zetsu feared the plan would fail and had used some method to revive Madara prematurely.
But if that idiot revived Madara, why did he also bring back Tobirama? And even if he did, why lose control over the Edo Tensei body? He was causing more trouble from a different angle.
Yoichi clicked his tongue inwardly.
"It started with Madara..."
"...While I was in the Pure Land, I encountered a legendary figure. He told me that significant changes were likely to occur in the ninja world and warned me about a second pair of Rinnegan that was about to emerge."
Tobirama began to recount his experiences since his return to the ninja world. However, when he mentioned the second pair of Rinnegan, Yoichi suddenly interrupted him,
"Second Hokage, do you know the conditions required for the Rinnegan to appear?"
"Yes, the Sage of Six Paths told me. Extreme Yin power and extreme Yang power, combined with the Six Paths chakra, will yield the Rinnegan."
As Tobirama said this, he began gathering chakra. Although the Sage of Six Paths had given him chakra, Tobirama hesitated and chose not to use it.
"Second Hokage, do you know what constitutes extreme Yin power?"
As Yoichi spoke, his eyes revealed the pattern of the Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan, the overlapping design of twin triangular shuriken slowly rotating. It was beautiful yet gave off an intense feeling of danger.
"The Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan represents extreme Yin power, my eyes. And extreme Yang power should not be unfamiliar to you, Second Hokage."
Swish!
Before Yoichi finished his sentence, Tobirama used the Body Flicker Technique, appearing behind Yoichi.
His hand, saturated with visible chakra, was raised high, his gaze calm and steady, ready to strike down.
Bang!
Yoichi wasn't surprised. He seemed to have anticipated it. Even with his back to Tobirama, he remained composed. Tilting his head slightly, he raised his right hand.
He precisely caught Tobirama's wrist, the collision resounding loudly.
A powerful shockwave emanated from their clash, sending chairs, tables, and documents flying in all directions, forcing Kurenai and Rimi to shield their faces.
At the same time, a strong force hit Yoichi, but his robust body and genetic enhancements neutralized it, causing only minor cracks to appear in the chair beneath him.
"Dare to attack Yoichi-sensei!"
"Genjutsu: Tree Bind Death!"
Kurenai and Rumi, recovering, were furious. They activated their Sage Curse Marks, and Rimi opened her Byakugan, ready to attack Tobirama.
"Calm down, Kurenai, Rum."
Yoichi said, stopping the two from attacking Tobirama.
"Your two assistants are impressive, in every sense, Fifth Hokage."
Tobirama commented. His right hand, now covered in cracks, shattered into pieces but quickly reformed.
After speaking, Tobirama returned to his seat. His intention was merely to test Yoichi. Regardless, he wouldn't harm his granddaughter's suitor, even if the person before him was an Uchiha.
Moreover, Tobirama didn't fully trust the words of the Sage of Six Paths. He only believed in his own investigations. If, during his investigations, he found Yoichi to have intentions of destroying the shinobi order, only then would he act.
"They are both my disciples, so naturally, they will support me, Second Hokage. Now, let's get to business. What are your plans?"
Yoichi paused before continuing,
"Kurenai, Rumi, clean up."
Hearing Yoichi's words, Kurenai and Rumi understood that Tobirama wasn't an enemy, and they retracted their Sage Curse Marks. However, Tobirama noticed the marks on their faces and grew a bit more curious.
"The Sage of Six Paths mentioned that you would bring destruction—"
"Brat, is it true that my great-uncle has been revived?"
Before Tobirama could finish, the office door was pushed open. Tsunade, now visibly pregnant, entered with her usual brash demeanor.
Seeing so many people in the room, Tsunade paused and then lowered her voice,
"Great-Uncle, how are you back? And why are Old Man and Jiraiya here?"
Shizune, panting, followed Tsunade inside and quickly bowed to greet Yoichi and the others.
"Tsunade, you're here..."
Jiraiya forced a bitter smile, greeting her. It hadn't been long since they last met, and Tsunade was already close to giving birth.
"Yes, Jiraiya, you're back."
Tsunade greeted before turning to Tobirama with excitement,
"Great-Uncle, who used Edo Tensei to bring you back? What about Grandfather?"
"Tsunade, now that you're pregnant, you should be more mature. Barging in like that isn't appropriate. Besides, you're now..."
Tobirama scolded, making Tsunade look like a scolded student, head bowed and silent.
Back in the Senju clan, Tobirama had always doted on his granddaughter, Tsunade, who resembled him in many ways. But Tobirama was strict with his descendants, especially after Hashirama's death, almost militarily managing Tsunade.
Hearing the familiar scolding brought back memories, and Tsunade instinctively stood up straight.
However, realizing her reaction, Tsunade pouted and grumbled,
"Great-Uncle, enough already. I'm over forty..."
"Tsunade, take a seat. Second Hokage, let's discuss the real issue. What are your plans?"
Yoichi mediated, sensing that Tobirama's return might not be entirely bad. At least he could keep Tsunade in check.
With Yoichi's words, Kurenai and Rumi tidied up the room and brought over sofas and a table. Sakumo Hatake had also been summoned by the ANBU.
Sakumo probably thought he didn't have much to do today, especially with his retirement in three days, and went fishing. That was why he arrived even later than Tsunade.
"The Second Hokage? Yoichi, what's going on here?"
Sakumo asked in surprise as he entered, trying to cover up his fishing.
"Take a seat. Let's have the Second Hokage explain everything from the beginning."
Once everyone had gathered, Tobirama recounted the events involving Madara and what had happened in the Pure Land, including what the Sage of Six Paths had said.
However, Tobirama kept some things to himself, not mentioning the chakra given to him by the Sage of Six Paths.
After explaining everything, Tobirama immediately stated,
"We need to resurrect my elder brother immediately and use the full strength of the village to locate Madara, seal him, and send him back to the Pure Land. We must prevent him from ever returning to the ninja world again. This is our most pressing task."
The others, hearing Tobirama's words, instinctively wanted to agree, but Sakumo and the others turned to Yoichi.
In the village, Yoichi handled major affairs. Sakumo had gotten used to not meddling, so the idea of using the village's full strength against Madara needed the approval of the soon-to-be Fifth Hokage.
As everyone looked at Yoichi, he shook his head and said,
"Reviving the First Hokage is possible, but using the full strength of the village against Madara isn't feasible. We have more important matters at hand."
(End of Chapter)
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