Chapter 223: The Bond Between Kaguya and Hiruzen Sarutobi, Hashirama Senju Returns to the Shinobi World

Kaguya felt a surge of joy at her own world-shaking wisdom.

Once she unleashed her profound insights and abundant combat experience…

Wouldn’t this person immediately bow down in awe and utter shock?

Hehe, the geniuses of the Otsutsuki Clan are just like that…

It’s completely normal for mortals not to understand.

Even among the Otsutsuki, not many comprehend it!

“Are you trying to establish a connection with me?”

Kaguya pondered and said, “Since you are in battle, I can offer you a pointer or two…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi became extremely vigilant.

No…

He had to refuse this crazy woman!

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi’s emotions were stable, it didn’t mean he wasn’t wary of Kaguya.

On the contrary, his internal defenses were already at maximum!

Because an entity capable of breaching his Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration, silently bypassing the wall-like array of sealing jutsu, merging with the chakra of the nine Tailed Beasts, and appearing within his body…

There was absolutely no precedent for this in the entire shinobi world!

It could be said that the level of bizarre phenomenon had already far surpassed the Mangekyo of the Uchiha Clan…

Furthermore, Kaguya’s words and emotions gave Hiruzen Sarutobi an incredibly familiar feeling…

Where did this Uchiha come from?

Among the Uchiha Clan, someone who would scream about being the Progenitor of Chakra, declare that all the chakra in the shinobi world belonged to them, and scream to a stranger about being wronged and filled with hatred…

Would be considered a purebred, championship-level specimen.

Because generally speaking, according to what Hiruzen Sarutobi had read in Tobirama’s notes, once an Uchiha ‘awakened’, they wouldn’t just throw a fit out in the open. Instead, they would engage in bizarre internal musings, appearing rather profound…

It was akin to feeling they had no common topics with their peers, becoming unwilling to communicate, and looking as if they didn’t want to engage in a battle beneath their level…

“This woman is too dangerous.”

“She must be sealed…”

“I cannot initiate contact with her right now.”

Various thoughts flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi’s mind.

His solo charge into the Iwagakure and Kumogakure military formation this time seemed reckless, but in reality, he had an accurate assessment of his own strength.

It was just that the shinobi in the village didn’t know he was in the midst of a process where “quantitative changes lead to qualitative changes.” Possessing Spirit Release, kekkei threads, and his sealing palace, nothing would go wrong…

But Kaguya’s appearance shattered that balance.

A completely unknown, powerful, alien entity forced Hiruzen Sarutobi to slow down his attempts to communicate with her, treating her as an enemy full of tricks and deep schemes…

“She must be faking this, right? The series of screams, curses, and exposing intelligence is actually to make me drop my guard so I’ll relax my vigilance…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi reasoned internally.

The Lord Hokage had actually fallen into a cognitive trap.

He subconsciously believed that an entity surpassing his understanding should also be calculating, logical, and full of contingencies in their thinking…

But that was hard to say…

“With Konoha as it is now, I cannot afford to have anything happen to me.”

“The construction of the institutional system has collided with a period of high-speed development and expansion, and the inertia of the shinobi world is too strong…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed inwardly.

This was actually a happy kind of trouble.

In his heart, his ideal Konoha was one that, even without him, could rapidly find a capable successor to carry the banner, preferably with an equally excellent candidate lined up for the generation after that…

If that were the case, it would align with his consistent ideals and vision. From a personal perspective, he could also unload this heavy burden and just lie back while his talents grew…

But clearly, that was impossible.

The construction of an institutional system requires time; it needs a vast amount of time to influence several generations before a consensus can be formed.

Take the prefecture-county system as an example.

It took over a hundred years from the Qin Dynasty to the reign of Emperor Wu of Han for it to be completely established.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi slowed down Konoha’s development and let the village settle for a decade or so without expanding or innovating, he might be able to achieve the initial stages of his “institutionalized Will of Fire.”

During a period of rapid expansion, institutionalization can only be a side dish.

To quickly resolve internal friction and unify the collective will, one must use a “strongman” template, employing an iron fist to suppress all internal contradictions.

The larger the organization’s scale and the faster its expansion, the greater the need for a crucial “anchor.”

Without the time for systematic stabilization, the risk of collapse is also higher. The early stages of any venture are always fraught with various risks.

Conversely, in the later stages, even with various flaws and shrinking operations and personnel, the sheer volume accumulated previously can sustain its life for an unknown period…

This has been proven multiple times in history.

Alexander’s Macedonian Empire spanned Europe, Asia, and Africa, but it fractured and collapsed the very day he died.

Less than a decade after Genghis Khan’s death, the Mongol Empire split into four khanates.

And in the shinobi world, which possessed supernatural powers, this speed would only be faster.

Chakra was a natural amplifier of rules.

For the institutionalization of the Will of Fire to truly take root, the shinobi world would need to completely stabilize and settle for several generations. As various problems were exposed, mature supporting measures would form, creating a consensus in the hearts of all shinobi.

Because right now, how many shinobi truly understood his Will of Fire?

At that time, Hiruzen Sarutobi truly wouldn’t be needed anymore.

Even if the inertia and shackles of the shinobi world were erased, officially ushering in a new era.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t stop.

Because he knew of the existence of the “Deus ex Machina,” the high returns brought by Konoha’s rapid expansion played a decisive role in his talent and combat power.

Therefore, in a sense, Konoha’s development must not be rushed, but it must be fast.

He, as Hokage, had to steadily delegate power, yet also take charge of everything.

The shinobi world and Konoha were in a historical period that sounded somewhat contradictory…

This was something Hiruzen Sarutobi could do nothing about.

Therefore, the Hokage had to handle any demands proposed by Kaguya with the utmost caution…

As for chakra connection, he currently respectfully declined.

If the other party’s chakra possessed a level of complexity that even his Spirit Release couldn’t dismantle, let alone controlling him to remotely manipulate the shinobi world, even if she simply used some method to make him suddenly disappear for a period of time…

For instance, teleporting him to some pocket dimension, or reverse-sealing his aura.

It would cause all the hidden contradictions to erupt like an exploding Tailed Beast Bomb!

Although Hiruzen Sarutobi felt it was arrogant to say so…

The shinobi world and Konoha still needed him far too much right now!

“A chakra connection is unnecessary for now. You don’t know my trump cards, and I don’t know the depths of your power. We should take it step by step and slowly get to know each other.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered and said:

“How about this? Your communication with me right now is based on the fused Tailed Beast chakra stored at the core of the second circulatory system built within my body using sealing jutsu…”

“We don’t need to connect. I will provide some chakra to open a portion of my perspective to you.”

If his chakra connected with this woman’s, reverse contamination was a possibility.

But if Hiruzen Sarutobi adopted a format similar to a “television broadcast,” isolating a portion of his chakra and presenting it to her, there would be no problem.

Even if something went wrong with that portion of chakra, it would fundamentally remain locked within the sealing palace inside his body, unable to enter Hiruzen Sarutobi’s main chakra circulation.

Dual systems indeed possessed their advantages.

And upon hearing the word “sealing” from Hiruzen Sarutobi, Kaguya almost had another panic attack.

Sealing jutsu…

The “usurpation” power system invented by her powerful, rebellious son!

It had caused Kaguya endless suffering…

Whenever sealing jutsu were mentioned, Kaguya felt anger and madness, but also a sliver of complex emotion regarding her eldest son’s proud talent…

With such an ability, why couldn’t he earnestly support her?

Why did he insist on opposing her!

“Do you not trust me?” Kaguya thought for a moment, deliberately speaking coldly.

“I do not trust you.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded decisively, speaking in a deep voice before Kaguya could: “Because trust is something more precious than chakra…”

“If we trust each other the moment we interact, it only proves that such trust is a cheap deception.”

“What I hope to build with you is a deep cooperation and a community of shared interests that lays a foundation step by step and can withstand complex trials, not just empty words.”

“Doing so is my respect for you, and it shows your respect for me.”

“Only then will the trust between us not collapse over minor issues in the future.”

“What do you think?”

Before Kaguya could utter the words she was about to use to make a scene, Hiruzen Sarutobi shut her down.

Wait…

Is this guy actually serious about building trust with her?

Does he know how difficult trust is to establish?!

How ridiculous…

But as Kaguya wanted to say something, trying to find a linguistic loophole in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s words.

She realized there actually wasn’t anything wrong with them…

Even though she was currently in an extremely weakened state, an entity capable of restricting her chakra from dissipating was enough to warrant her treating them with a somewhat serious attitude.

Thinking about it carefully…

It really did seem that way?

Because Kaguya didn’t actually harbor any intention of controlling Hiruzen Sarutobi. Perhaps she had just realized that a chakra connection could be used that way, but at the very least, she hadn’t thought of it when she first spoke.

This is the prestige of someone who can instantly kill Naruto and Sasuke with the All-Killing Ash Bones, but ends up crying in a daze…

The epitome of acting on whatever pops into her head…

“Fine.”

Kaguya said reluctantly: “Hmph, you have missed an opportunity! You will regret this!”

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned a deaf ear and simply said softly: “Thank you for understanding…”

Kaguya paused.

She seemed to have discovered a blind spot…

That is, this person’s emotions seemed genuinely stable. Unlike those two rebellious sons of hers, who loved to argue the moment something happened, and even resort to violence!

He really liked reasoning, and he spoke in such a logical, structured way…

Hiruzen Sarutobi carefully transferred a small portion of chakra into the sealing palace, processing its structure with genjutsu to ensure it was compartmentalized.

This way, even if Kaguya were to devour this portion of chakra, it wouldn’t affect his main body.

“Can you see my perspective?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi asked softly.

At this moment, Kaguya, whose main body was far away inside the moon, finally, through Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes, saw her long-lost “precious nursery” once again.

“Mine, this is all mine…” Kaguya couldn’t help but murmur to herself.

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t stop the corner of his mouth from twitching.

He was now highly suspicious that not only was this woman perhaps related to the Uchiha Clan, but she might also be inextricably linked to Kirigakure’s Kaguya Clan…

There was definitely something wrong with her head!

Riding on the back of the Five-Tails, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally concluded this cross-dimensional phone call.

And behind him.

Konoha’s main army had arrived!

First was the Anbu and Root led by Hizashi.

Followed by the major Jinchuriki of the Konoha Alliance.

One-Tail Nagato, Three-Tails Kimimaro, Six-Tails Shio Uzumaki, Seven-Tails Tomie…

And the minor Nine-Tails Jinchuriki, Minato.

After receiving treatment from Tsunade and Katsuyu, and having the sealing jutsu inflicted by Ashina Uzumaki broken by the combined efforts of Kushina and Shio Uzumaki, Danzo and Tobirama were restored to their peak condition.

Hanzo held his bloodstained kusarigama, followed by his salamanders and a massive Amegakure force.

Clearly, upon hearing his Big Brother might be in trouble, he hadn’t even arranged for shinobi to guard his village before launching a full-scale deployment…

Kisame gritted his teeth, his face fierce, Samehada strapped to his back, leading the Kirigakure elites who had rushed to aid the First Mizukage.

Fugaku and Isshin, the Uchiha pair, were still wreathed in their Susanoo ribcages, not yet having had the time to deactivate them.

Sakumo’s White Fang glinted with the cold light of Storm Style.

Kakuzu had entered his Earth Grudge Fear state, black threads wildly whipping around him like a demon.

Jiraiya had summoned the Fukasaku and Shima Sages, the two Toad Sages perched on his shoulders.

Genma Kurama stared at the distant Third Raikage and Onoki, ready to unleash True Genjutsu at a moment’s notice.

Even Hiruko, a scientific researcher, had run to the frontlines, his arms covered in blood.

It was worth mentioning that when the other Konoha Committee Members appeared on the battlefield, the Iwa and Kumo shinobi, having received orders from Onoki and the Third Raikage, possessed almost no motivation to resist…

But upon seeing Hiruko, a couple of shinobi’s eyes actually flashed, wanting to test the mettle of this seemingly frail scientific genius…

They were immediately crushed by the dual numerical superiority of Steel Release and Swift Release. This actually made Hiruko a bit unhappy, feeling he wasn’t getting the respect he deserved.

He might not be the best fighter relative to Konoha’s top tier, but placed in the wider shinobi world, he was definitely someone to be reckoned with!

Behind the Third Raikage and Onoki.

Two-Tails Jinchuriki Yugito, Eight-Tails Jinchuriki Killer B, Four-Tails Jinchuriki Roshi, along with Kitsuchi and the few other high-end combatants, broke out in cold sweats as they looked at the personnel and military formation behind the Hokage.

In just a few short years…

Hiruzen Sarutobi had actually forged such a terrifying village!

Let alone a full-scale assault, even if the current Konoha were split into three, it would be enough to form brand new Five Great Hidden Villages alongside Iwagakure and Kumogakure…

“Apologies for the wait, you two.”

“To be honest, I have no desire to inflict unnecessary slaughter, as it is meaningless.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Onoki and the Third Raikage, sighing softly: “But you two still cling to the old mindset of the shinobi world, trapped in the Warring States period, unable to escape…”

“You’re either constantly imagining hypothetical enemies, or still treating Kage like bandit chiefs.”

“Such internal friction is good for no one.”

“I have no intention of expanding the chains of hatred. So, since you two wish to decide the outcome of this war through a ‘duel of generals,’ I accept.”

Behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, the cheers of the Konoha shinobi roared like thunder!

But the moment he began to speak, they miraculously quieted down instantly…

Only to see.

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly turned around and smiled at the Konoha shinobi:

“You have all done very well. I still remember a few years ago, when Orochimaru and I were sparring, we conducted a rapid-response test for the village…”

“The performance back then could only be described as barely satisfactory.”

“But now, everyone has done exceptionally well…”

Seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi clad in black armor, sitting atop a white horse (the Five-Tails), facing an army of tens of thousands alone with unshakeable composure, chatting and laughing with the Third Raikage and Onoki…

The Konoha shinobi silently etched this scene into their hearts.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Hokage who would risk his life to save his teacher’s bloodline, who cherished his bonds with his childhood friends, who was flesh and blood—his image, filled with both a human touch and overwhelming power, deepened yet again…

“There is no need for impatience, everyone.”

“I know you wish to display your results.”

“But the enemies of the shinobi world may not only be the Iwagakure and Kumogakure before us. The days when you will need to lend a hand to help me and the shinobi world are still ahead…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly.

After witnessing the existence of Kaguya, Hiruzen Sarutobi had established a benchmark for the combined strength of the Konoha shinobi.

That benchmark was the ability to handle and delay an entity like her—the “Main Branch” Kaguya spoke of—even without his presence.

If they could achieve that, then they would have met the initial standard.

“Retreat.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled, surveying the Konoha formation, his gaze sweeping across it casually.

Yet it made every Konoha shinobi feel as though the Lord Hokage had locked eyes with them personally. They subconsciously puffed out their chests, smiles inadvertently appearing on their faces.

Such a sweeping gaze was one of the basic tools of being Hokage.

And after Hiruzen Sarutobi issued the order and turned around, the Konoha formation, under the organization of the various reacting Konoha Committee Members, rapidly transitioned from a forced march into a perfectly uniform posture.

Organized footsteps echoed, raising a heavy reverberation across the battlefield, like the footfalls of a giant.

“This level of organization…”

Onoki and the Third Raikage watched all of this in silence.

Only at this moment did they realize how foolish they had been.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi had wanted to annihilate Iwagakure and Kumogakure, they would have been destroyed long ago…

The reason he hadn’t attacked, instead using a controllable war to train his troops, was likely because he truly had inherited Hashirama’s will in his heart, not wanting the shinobi world to shed too much blood…

“Have no reservations. Give it your all.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi stated earnestly: “Clashing with the strong is exactly what I desire…”

The Third Raikage and Onoki took a deep breath and nodded.

If they held back out of fear of the terrifying military formation behind Hiruzen Sarutobi, they would strip Iwagakure and Kumogakure of their last shred of dignity and be looked down upon by everyone.

Moreover, objectively speaking, neither of them had the arrogance to hold back when facing Hiruzen Sarutobi. If they could fight with everything they had and display some flair, securing a modicum of value for their villages in future negotiations, that would already be a massive blessing…

“I humbly seek your guidance, Hokage!”

The Third Raikage roared, terrifying lightning erupting from his body. His highly refined Lightning Style Chakra Mode activated in this instant, emitting crackling sounds.

“Four-Finger Nukite!”

The Third Raikage didn’t hesitate. His opening move was his most lethal jutsu, channeling the killing power of his body—completely vitalized by lightning—into the ultimate nintaijutsu concentrated in his hand!

Onoki hovered in mid-air. Under his command, the earth beneath Hiruzen Sarutobi became incredibly viscous and turbulent.

A dust-white barrier rose in his hands as he stared fixedly at Hiruzen Sarutobi, waiting for an opening.

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly smiled.

He suddenly found that he actually seemed to share some traits with the Uchiha.

A love for copying.

Within his current combat system, the most practical techniques truly were the Lightning Style Chakra Mode and Particle Style…

While his self-developed Spirit Release was domineering, there weren’t many situations where he needed to use it.

In an instant, lightning even thicker than the Third Raikage’s erupted around Hiruzen Sarutobi. He mimicked the gesture, raising four fingers, and clashed directly with him!

The Third Raikage’s eyes widened!

In this shinobi world, are you the Raikage, or am I the Raikage?!

In the distant military formation, the Fourth A watched this scene, dumbfounded. As an expert in the Lightning Style Chakra Mode, he could tell at a glance the Hokage’s level of mastery over this mode…

He was absolutely an expert among experts!

Even his own father might not be able to catch up…

“Too fast…”

A hint of helplessness flashed through Onoki’s heart. The release speed of his Particle Style wasn’t slow, but trying to keep up with the speed of these two men was still far beyond him.

In his past spars with the Raikage, if they wanted to determine a winner, it always came down to close-quarters combat: one using “One-Finger Nukite,” the other using “Particle Style: Dismantling Jutsu”…

The deciding factor was whether the Particle Style was released first, or if the Nukite landed first…

Because of the lessons learned from the Second Great Ninja War, both sides had been exercising restraint.

Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Third Raikage collided!

Lightning roared, and the impact from the clashing lightning instantly covered the battlefield in electrical arcs, as if they had entered the heart of a cumulonimbus cloud!

“Good physique…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled brightly. Steam billowed from his arms, and bolstered by the immense strength of Boil Release, he broke through the Third Raikage’s power!

The Third Raikage’s fingers bent instantly, and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s palm thrust straight into his chest, sending him flying!

Blood traced the arc of the Third Raikage’s flight, splattering across the earth…

“How is that possible?!”

Killer B and the Fourth A couldn’t help but exclaim.

That was a body even a Tailed Beast Bomb couldn’t break!

But what these two didn’t know was that the primary characteristic of a Tailed Beast Bomb lay in its massive blast radius. The fundamental combination of Yin and Yang chakra couldn’t actually be considered sophisticated.

Against bodies like the Raikage’s and Hiruzen Sarutobi’s, the single-target lethal power of a Tailed Beast Bomb was insufficient.

“Rather than saying the Lightning Style Chakra Mode is weak to Wind Style…”

“It’s more accurate to say that the ultimate sharp shape transformation of Lightning Style is the best way to pierce the armor. Using lightning to counter lightning…” Hiruzen Sarutobi muttered to himself as he faced the charging Third Raikage once again.

He had already seen through the Lightning Style Nukite…

This was actually a jutsu somewhat similar to the Eight Inner Gates. The reason the Raikage didn’t use the Nukite with full force right from the start wasn’t because he didn’t want to, but because he couldn’t.

The first few Nukite charges were essentially warm-ups—sprints to mobilize and stimulate an excess of chakra within the body, accumulating it in preparation to concentrate it all into a single point…

“I’m only mimicking it through technique.”

“The specific details of this seem like they could be transferred to the Eight Inner Gates. Perhaps it could make bearing the burden of the Eight Inner Gates much easier for Duy…”

Although the battle hadn’t ended, Hiruzen Sarutobi was already considering the list of spoils he’d claim upon victory.

“Perhaps I could try learning the Eight Inner Gates as well?”

“My control over my body is pretty good now. After all, I have a dual-system circulation.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s heart stirred; he had found a new avenue for self-improvement.

Taijutsu had always been considered the lowest tier of the “Ninjutsu, Taijutsu, Genjutsu” triad in the shinobi world.

But having reached a new echelon, Hiruzen Sarutobi realized a problem.

Physical damage is always the truest damage.

No need for all those flashy things, nature or shape transformations; it’s just the pure theorem of kinetic energy!

It could also serve as his own trump card.

Kaguya silently watched this scene. Initially wanting to offer some critique, she now remained silent.

Because Kaguya suddenly discovered a problem…

Why did the shinobi here actually use ninjutsu to elevate their physical attributes?

Shouldn’t your stats just be whatever your base stats are?

Chakra could be used like this?!

Kaguya’s most frequently used technique was called “Eighty Gods Vacuum Attack.” Simply put, it involved molding massive amounts of chakra into fists, and then punching them out one by one…

Pure stats, not a trace of technique.

Hiruzen Sarutobi naturally couldn’t fathom Kaguya’s “let them eat cake” mentality.

Even someone like him had never thought about abandoning technique.

Because technique is the amplifier of base stats; the two have always complemented each other…

Hiruzen Sarutobi faced the Third Raikage with one hand, and aimed the other at Onoki, his chakra erupting!

“Boil Release; Lava Style Composite Kekkei Ninjutsu: Melting Mist Jutsu”!

“Particle Style: Dismantling Jutsu”!

In the path of the charging Third Raikage, magma mixed with highly virulent acid mist erupted around him instantly, as if released via a visual jutsu!

The ultra-high-temperature magma intermingled with the ultimate acid mist. The intense heat fused them together, causing the powerful acidity to cling to the Third Raikage’s body like maggots on rotting bone…

Even with his body, which far surpassed the durability of a Susanoo ribcage, he found it unbearable in this moment. Signs of dissolution began to appear on the surface of his skin…

But the Third Raikage gritted his teeth, pushing through the pain to continue his charge…

He finally understood…

He couldn’t engage in a war of attrition with Hiruzen Sarutobi, because there was a tier-level gap between them.

In the past, the Third Raikage prided himself on his stamina, believing that even if he fought for three days and three nights in a war, he would have abundant physical energy to cope.

But when fighting an opponent like Hiruzen Sarutobi, he absolutely had to play all his trump cards right from the start.

Otherwise, after being strung along for a few exchanges, he wouldn’t even have the capital to continue fighting.

This was a completely different combat model…

And on the other end, Onoki’s eyes trembled as he watched Hiruzen Sarutobi unleash a Particle Style even more proficient than his own. The two pillars of light clashed!

“Is that Particle Style?”

“I heard from the Land of Water that the Hokage knew Particle Style, but I thought it was psychological warfare…” Roshi muttered to himself, feeling utterly bewildered: “And this Lava Style!”

The Four-Tails inside him fell silent.

Because it actually recognized Enma, or rather, the monkey clan…

Hundreds of years ago, they were family!

But why was its own Jinchuriki so incompetent, while a mere summoning beast was eating this well?

It wasn’t fair!

White light flared between Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes.

The power of Spirit Release erupted, striking Onoki instantly in the form of a visual jutsu, throwing the chakra within his body into chaos.

He then looked towards the Third Raikage…

The visual jutsu of Spirit Release struck him. Although the violent Lightning Style Chakra Mode offered a degree of resistance, it still caused the vitalization of his physical body to regress significantly…

The process of forcing the activation of the One-Finger Nukite was interrupted!

Kaguya was utterly stunned watching this.

It wasn’t that she thought Hiruzen Sarutobi’s jutsu were incredibly powerful…

But rather, she felt his system was far too similar to her own!

This wasn’t Kaguya talking nonsense. Within her combat system, there was a jutsu called “Amenominaka,” which connected five distinct dimensions to the core dimension.

During battle, she could switch the home field to gain the advantage.

These were the Acid, Lava, Ice, Gravity, and Desert dimensions…

Weren’t Hiruzen Sarutobi’s acid mist and magma exactly like two of her dimensions?

Especially Spirit Release…

Kaguya wasn’t exceptionally skilled in other combat techniques, but she had honed the one jutsu she relied on for her survival to the absolute limit. It was also her greatest asset that allowed her to succeed in her sneak attack…

Its name was “All-Killing Ash Bones”!

The faint hint of “dismantling” and “annihilation” hidden within Spirit Release was accurately caught by Kaguya, who was well-versed in this path.

“Is it truly destiny?”

A strange thought arose in Kaguya’s heart.

And at this moment.

Hiruzen Sarutobi pointed one hand at the sky and the other at the ground.

“Earth Style: Super Light-Weight Rock Jutsu Gravity Field: Full Power”!

The gravity field he normally used to temper himself violently erupted, forming an irresistible, invisible hand that rapidly dragged the momentarily incapacitated Onoki from the sky and the Third Raikage, who had been half-forced out of his Lightning Style Chakra Mode, towards him…

“This is bad, I can’t use Particle Style…” Sensing the chaotic chakra within his body, a wave of despair washed over Onoki.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s combat system, which differed from any other shinobi in the world, left Onoki feeling exhausted in both body and mind…

I’m a shinobi. If you don’t let me use ninjutsu, how am I supposed to fight you?

Even if you absorbed it, that would be one thing. As the Tsuchikage, it’s not like he hadn’t seen Kirigakure’s Dark Release. There would still be room to maneuver regarding absorption rate and capacity…

But shooting white light from your eyes to remotely seal my abilities? Can anyone handle that?!

Even Mangekyo visual jutsu aren’t this unfair!

As the Third Raikage and Onoki flew rapidly toward Hiruzen Sarutobi, the two Kage still maintained their combat discipline, struggling to leverage the kinetic energy of the gravitational pull to launch another counterattack…

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled faintly: “Ice Age…”

Dense, frigid mist billowed from the soles of his feet. In an instant, a thick layer of ice encased Onoki and the Third Raikage’s bodies, leaving only their heads exposed.

The scene descended into an absolute silence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi channeled Spirit Release into his hands, white light flashing on both fists. He struck out left and right, as if hammering the empty void, and invisible shockwaves seemingly became visible!

The still-burning magma, lightning, and chakra-scorched earth on the battlefield rapidly lost the structure maintaining their forms under the intense shockwaves, dissolving into formless chakra…

Like a purification, it washed away all the ninjutsu on the battlefield. Then, Magnet Style activated, the sand acting like a broom, sweeping the cratered earth flat.

As for when Hiruzen Sarutobi learned Magnet Style…

Because Fugaku constantly hyped up how powerful his Magnet Style was in Konoha, enthusiastically recommending others to join his “Uchiha Magnetic Field Martial Arts,” Hiruzen Sarutobi took his crystal ball, watched for a while in his spare time, and figured it out…

It could only be said that Fugaku’s teaching skills were quite solid.

At least, Hiruzen Sarutobi thought so, because he had certainly learned it…

No one had imagined that the Hokage capturing two Kage in a single battle would be such a crushing display…

It was as if a Ninja Academy teacher was lecturing newly enrolled students.

Kaguya was dumbfounded for a moment.

Wait…

What is the meaning of this?

He even matched the Gravity and Desert dimensions?!

“This…”

“What does this mean?!”

Kaguya fell into deep thought. Could someone be setting her up?

But in this shinobi world, it was highly unlikely anyone was setting her up.

Because Hagoromo, the one with the capability to do so, would absolutely never allow her to emerge from the moon’s seal. Furthermore, her rebellious son’s division of the Ten-Tails definitely caused him massive vitality loss…

It was essentially a situation where triggering a fail-safe meant death.

“You…”

“How did you manage to use gravity without letting the gravity affect yourself?”

Kaguya recalled Hiruzen Sarutobi’s combat sequence.

First, she noticed that this person actually seemed to have some logic behind his fighting; there was a method to his attacks. He didn’t exhibit any panic or lack of confidence…

A certain Kaguya, who in another timeline had turned tail and run after being burned by Amaterasu, was deeply puzzled.

In reality, everyone was confused by that back then.

Because even Madara, before becoming the Ten-Tails Jinchuriki, stood perfectly still while burning with Amaterasu, yet the Progenitor of Chakra covered her face and fled!

It could be said she gave Amaterasu, the strongest physical visual jutsu, the utmost respect…

And at this moment, Kaguya discovered another blind spot.

Why wasn’t Hiruzen Sarutobi affected by his own jutsu?

This once again brought up how a certain Progenitor of Chakra, upon entering her Gravity Dimension, was so affected by the intense gravity that her movements became sluggish. She didn’t even realize she needed to aim higher when firing the All-Killing Ash Bones…

And missed over and over again!

“What did you say?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi listened as the shinobi of the Konoha camp erupted in heartfelt cheers for him. Despite his vigorous prohibitions, someone still shouted the title of “Strongest Hokage” at this moment.

As if contagious, the chant grew increasingly uniform.

Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his head and gestured for the Konoha shinobi to suppress this politically incorrect slogan.

And then, some unknown genius had a sudden inspiration and shouted a new slogan: “Lord Hashirama Reborn!”…

On one hand, the people of the village left him, the Hokage, at a loss.

On the other hand, Kaguya’s question left him stunned.

What was this mysterious woman saying?

She must be playing dumb, right?

“What did you say?” Hiruzen Sarutobi repeated the question. A thought flashed through his mind:

“What I mean is, your question contains great wisdom. Although it might sound fundamental, the more fundamental something is, the harder it is to execute in practice. So you might as well elaborate…”

“Let’s discuss this properly. Perhaps I can learn a thing or two from it.”

Kaguya’s eyes lit up. She seemed to have genuinely met someone she could communicate with!

Even within the Otsutsuki Clan, very few people supported Kaguya’s consistent argument that “stat monsters are actually the hardest to operate.”

Many clansmen without high stats were even somewhat triggered by it, resenting her for it!

“How did you prevent your gravity dimension from affecting yourself?”

Kaguya tried her best to ask the question in an unfathomable, profound tone.

But it still rendered Hiruzen Sarutobi speechless.

This question was generally asked most frequently among Ninja Academy students…

Because it was simply too basic.

It was like Mei Terumi’s Boil Release acid mist not affecting herself, allowing her to stand within her own acid mist, or Roshi and the Third Kazekage not needing to dodge their own Magnet Style force fields…

Any Jonin worth their salt had a basic understanding of jutsu regulation.

For the “Professor of Ninjutsu,” it was a step as simple and skippable as forming hand seals. So much so that Hiruzen Sarutobi mulled it over several times and still couldn’t find any hidden meaning in the question…

Even if Einstein, Newton, and Gauss all came together, one plus one still equals two!

“It’s done like this…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi channeled some chakra within his body, using an incredibly exquisite structure to display the basic principles of ninjutsu construction and operation within Kaguya’s field of vision.

He essentially broke it down into its simplest components, trying his best to make her understand.

Kaguya looked as if she had suddenly seen the light, but there were still parts she didn’t quite grasp. However, her high EQ kicked in, and she chuckled: “I understand everything now!”

But this time, Hiruzen Sarutobi wasn’t going to be easily bluffed.

Someone who could ask a question like this…

He suddenly felt that the other party might not be playing dumb, but genuinely had something wrong with them…

Even playing dumb wouldn’t go this far!

But at this moment.

An anomaly occurred!

A massive wooden dragon roared forth from beneath Hiruzen Sarutobi’s feet. The Hokage’s gaze narrowed, and he swiftly dodged the incredibly condensed Wood Style.

And in mid-air.

Clad in black robes, six Kage, plus the enhanced Edo Tensei body of the Second Kazekage Shamon—seven in total—slowly emerged from the ground.

The Second Tsuchikage looked at Onoki and sighed: “How embarrassing…”

The Second Raikage, Kinkaku, and Ginkaku looked at the Third Raikage, all three shrugging their shoulders.

They didn’t say anything, though…

Because they fully understood the pain of a stat monster being countered upon encountering even higher stats.

“We meet again, Mizukage!”

Only Gengetsu Hozuki waved with a grin. Then, seemingly reprimanded by someone, his playful expression tightened.

Ashina Uzumaki, from the moment he appeared, stared intently at Hiruzen Sarutobi, his eyes practically glowing.

Madara Uchiha wore Tobi.

The wooden dragon was his newest idea…

He had devoured Hashirama’s power, and he possessed the God Tree’s son, Tobi. Combining the two to masquerade as the inheritor of Hashirama’s will, acting as the leader of the “Akatsuki” organization to mediate the shinobi world…

It was perfectly logical!

The reason he did this was because, given Hiruzen Sarutobi’s current strength, masquerading as a second-rate hack like “Tobirama Senju” would no longer satisfy the intensity required for a proper fight…

In truth, Madara missed one point: he believed Tobirama couldn’t possibly possess Hashirama’s power.

But through word of mouth, a certain Second Hokage had almost become the ultimate scapegoat of the shinobi world. His upper limits and scientific capabilities had been demonized in the rumors…

Let alone replicating his older brother’s jutsu and cells…

The rumors practically claimed that Tobirama had even researched the Sage of Six Paths!

Madara Uchiha floated high in the sky, looking down at Hiruzen Sarutobi with a gaze full of anticipation:

“The ‘Akatsuki’ organization officially makes its debut in the shinobi world!”

“I am the inheritor of Hashirama’s will, officially stepping in to mediate the war in the shinobi world…”

“This war is over! We will take over Kumogakure and Iwagakure in the name of the former Kage. You of Konoha, stand down for now…”

The Third Raikage and Onoki’s faces drastically changed.

But right now, no one cared about them.

Hiruzen Sarutobi narrowed his eyes.

After this interaction, he had already confirmed Madara Uchiha’s identity.

And the underlying meaning of his words was clearly the familiar patriarchal routine. Just as Konoha was about to harvest the fruits of victory, he swoops in with, “I’ll hold onto this New Year’s money for you…”

If Konoha withdrew just like that, what about the war reparations?

“That person has an aura that shouldn’t belong to him!”

Kaguya’s voice suddenly became extremely serious, warning her destined ally: “You must be careful! If he erupts with full power, you cannot defeat him!”

She sensed Isshiki’s aura!

But Isshiki didn’t sense Kaguya, because Hiruzen Sarutobi’s Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration acted as a natural barrier, and he hadn’t been marked with a Karma seal.

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s eyes flashed.

Has the other Deus ex Machina run to Madara Uchiha?

It’s hard to say whether this is a good thing or a bad thing…

“You must try to stall him as much as possible. Do not engage him in a head-on battle. It’s best to find a way to drive him off…” Kaguya said in a deep voice: “The more he uses that power, the faster Isshiki will seize that vessel!”

But after thinking for a moment, Kaguya felt this was asking too much of Hiruzen Sarutobi and sighed.

Having picked up Isshiki’s trail, Kaguya’s words became much more straightforward.

This was her most terrifying enemy. The Sage of Six Paths didn’t even rank; after all, he was family…

“I can’t fight him?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s heart stirred; he thought of a good method.

When it came to breaking up fights, he actually knew an expert!

Watch.

The Lord Hokage clapped his hands together.

You want to use Edo Tensei?

Then I’ll use Edo Tensei too!

A coffin slowly emerged from the earth.

The coffin lid swung open, and a man stretched lazily. With a rather adorkable expression, he looked around, his face full of shock:

“Eh?”

“What do you all do for a living? What’s going on here?”

The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju…

Had descended upon the shinobi world once again!