Chapter 224: Hashirama's Reputation, Fleeing Madara and the Forced Forward Tobirama

When Hashirama Senju appeared on the battlefield.

The cacophony of noise was already mostly smoothed over…

And the moment he asked his question, although the content and tone were a bit silly, it plunged everyone into silence…

What are we doing?

You tell us!

The God of Shinobi…

This title echoed throughout the entire shinobi world!

The name Hashirama wasn’t even exclusive to Konoha.

Because he was the man who, from combat power to institutional systems, truly reached the widely acknowledged pinnacle among shinobi, founded the one-village-one-nation system, and brought an end to the Warring States period!

Any shinobi possessed a thick filter of reverence and deep curiosity towards Hashirama…

But the moment Hashirama spoke, everyone discovered a problem.

The God of Shinobi didn’t seem quite like what they imagined?

He wasn’t all that majestic…

“Oh my, oh my…”

“Are you all fighting? Why are you fighting?”

These words deepened the silence of the shinobi present.

Wait…

We all heard that Lord God of Shinobi loved peace, but did he love it like this?

Kaguya stared at Hashirama Senju, her expression slightly shocked.

She could sense that Hashirama Senju didn’t seem to be a pure living person, but rather in a state existing somewhere between Schrödinger’s life and death.

After thinking for a moment, Kaguya’s curiosity about the Edo Tensei jutsu won out. She felt that asking about such a complex jutsu wouldn’t necessarily damage her pride…

Even though it wasn’t quite as cutting-edge as overcoming the super-gravity of her own dimension!

But at least it was a substantive topic that could demonstrate her sincerity…

After all, Hiruzen Sarutobi had said that only through extensive communication could a bridge of mutual trust be built…

“Consider this giving him face…” Kaguya thought to herself, asking Hiruzen Sarutobi softly:

“What kind of jutsu is this?”

“Why is this person in such a strange state?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi maintained a straight face.

Since Hashirama had emerged, he would just let him free-style first!

Since no one else was speaking, he would chat with Kaguya for a moment…

“This jutsu is called Edo Tensei…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi patiently explained his old teacher’s claim to fame: “It is a jutsu that exchanges a sacrifice for power, thereby summoning the deceased from the Pure Land.”

“Generally speaking, the dead cannot utilize the full strength they possessed while alive, but they gain the characteristic of being immortal and indestructible. Their maximum chakra capacity is reduced, but their recovery rate is extremely fast…”

“The jutsu wasn’t like this originally. Its intended purpose was to be used in conjunction with Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags.”

Hashirama’s Edo Tensei was specifically crafted using the combined power of all of Konoha.

It contained chakra generously provided by the Tailed Beasts, concentrated cloned Hashirama cells, pure Natural Energy injected by the Three Great Sage Regions, plus curse marks, kekkei cells, sealing jutsu to nourish the soul, and so on…

Everyone contributed what they had—chakra, technology…

This wasn’t to say that Mito or Orochimaru wanted to use Hashirama Senju as Konoha’s ultimate enforcer.

Because stacking combat power on Hashirama was an endeavor with a low return on investment.

When this man didn’t want to fight, no one could force him…

It was just that Hiruzen Sarutobi specifically emphasized that using Edo Tensei on Hashirama was a last resort. If they truly had to do it, the God of Shinobi had to possess at least seventy or eighty percent of his past glory…

If the resurrected Hashirama only had thirty percent of his strength, it would be smashing Konoha’s own signboard!

Not a single Konoha shinobi wanted to see a weakened Hashirama.

Even if he himself didn’t utilize that power…

Those were two separate issues.

“Ah? Such a jutsu exists?”

Upon hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi’s explanation, Kaguya was startled and asked a flurry of questions:

“What is the Pure Land? A place where the souls of the dead are imprisoned? Edo Tensei is summoning these souls and using a vessel to bring them back to life in a special way?”

Holy crap…

How does this sound exactly like a homegrown shinobi world version of “Karma”?!

What Kaguya didn’t know was that the “Living Corpse Reincarnation” was actually even more similar…

And the person who created the Edo Tensei jutsu had already been the first to enjoy the fruits of that particular research.

“You wouldn’t be wrong to put it that way.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly.

“What a wicked jutsu! Kill them if you must, let them go if you must! Why resort to this?”

Kaguya felt the shinobi world was a bit extreme…

Back in the day, when she used the Infinite Tsukuyomi to turn the entire population of the shinobi world into White Zetsu, she at least threw in an ultimate sweet dream for free before they died…

But Edo Tensei and the Pure Land? They don’t even let people rest after they’re dead?

She did what she did to prepare for the Otsutsuki pursuers early on…

So what was the purpose of these shinobi creating such a jutsu?

Kaguya had the exact same question as Hashirama…

“What are you saying!”

Hiruzen Sarutobi instinctively tried to whitewash his teacher’s reputation:

“This Edo Tensei also has a good side to it. It allows the living to see the deceased, making up for regrets…”

Kaguya chuckled, feeling the other party’s rhetoric was too naive: “Don’t lie to me. The person who could create the Pure Land and Edo Tensei absolutely did not do it for that purpose!”

This left Hiruzen Sarutobi speechless.

Over the years, he had always held the upper hand in debates with others.

But when it came to the topic of Teacher Tobirama, Hiruzen Sarutobi often found himself powerless as well.

He couldn’t help it; he had too few cards in his hand to play!

And Kaguya didn’t realize that she was essentially cursing her rebellious son and Tobirama together…

“Wait a minute…”

“This shinobi named Hashirama Senju, what is his connection to the God Tree?” Kaguya sensed Hashirama Senju further. Due to Hiruzen Sarutobi’s isolation, her perception wasn’t completely clear.

But Hashirama was simply too unique.

At this moment, in Kaguya’s perception, Hashirama Senju was like a walking, miniature God Tree. The vitality within his body was so dense it almost materialized.

Furthermore, he carried an aura unique to the God Tree…

In fact, Kaguya almost mistook Hashirama for a White Zetsu…

But even if a White Zetsu achieved enlightenment, it wouldn’t be this strong. Those things, in Kaguya’s eyes, actually weren’t that powerful, and not a single one of them was smart. Their main advantage was sheer numbers—they were cheap and plentiful, and slightly stronger than an average shinobi…

So it felt more like the God Tree had gained self-awareness!

Hiruzen Sarutobi was stunned.

“God Tree”?

Another highly important keyword and piece of intelligence…

Negotiating with Kaguya left Hiruzen Sarutobi a bit bewildered; he had never encountered an opponent like this.

Before he even used any tactics, she was just spitting out piece after piece of intelligence on her own…

An entity like this, in Hiruzen Sarutobi’s view, was either a supreme master who played with human hearts to the extreme, or someone whose brain truly didn’t work very well… A choice between “appearing foolish but being incredibly wise” and “appearing wise but being incredibly foolish.”

Or perhaps just purely foolish…

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt slightly countered; his experience dealing with this type was simply too lacking.

“First of all, you shouldn’t be giving me this ‘intelligence’ anymore. Let’s find a time to sit down and talk properly. Saying these things now, I can’t tell what’s true and what’s false.”

“I am someone who is not good with words, you could even say I’m a bit clumsy.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s heart stirred, and he also began to mimic Kaguya’s style: “I will tell you everything I know, but when I ask you questions in the future, please don’t lie to me.”

The Lord Hokage also had his own schemes…

Sister, I’m a bit slow, could I take a look at the detailed blueprints for the Kekkei Mora?

Kaguya thought for a moment and nodded: “Alright!”

This person must truly be a good guy…

Every time she accidentally misspoke, Hiruzen Sarutobi would proactively remind her…

So sincere!

“Lord Hashirama has mastered Wood Style and Natural Energy, possessing an extremely powerful Sage Mode and vitality. I’m not sure what the God Tree is, but during the Warring States period, some people did jokingly call him a ‘violent botanical human’…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi coughed lightly.

“Wait!”

“Why do these shinobi have the Rinnegan?!” Kaguya exclaimed in shock again.

Only at this moment did she realize that the Second Tsuchikage Mu, Ashina Uzumaki, and the others possessed the Rinnegan in their eyes, and were also in a strange Edo Tensei state.

Since when could the shinobi world wholesale the Rinnegan?!

This truly shocked Kaguya!

Although they were counterfeit, inferior products, Kaguya clearly couldn’t tell the difference through Hiruzen Sarutobi’s seal.

Or rather, even if she were out, Kaguya’s eyesight wasn’t sharp enough…

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a long breath.

He was now tentatively starting to believe that he seemed to have hit the jackpot and encountered a true oddball.

Because the angle she chose to play dumb from was something he couldn’t have thought of even if he wracked his brains…

She was either a peerless genius or she was genuinely revealing her true feelings…

“In battle, one must first learn to acquire intelligence. The simplest and most direct method is observing the overall situation.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly:

“I know you might be very strong, but in this shinobi world, geniuses fall like rain, and powerhouses are as numerous as carp crossing the river. Having raw stats doesn’t mean you should abandon your intelligence advantage or the benefits of technique.”

“If you can walk on two legs, don’t hop on one…”

“Because sooner or later, we will all encounter opponents stronger than ourselves. Blindly relying on pure strength will leave you unadaptable when facing a formidable enemy.”

Kaguya instinctively wanted to retort, to defend her dignity as the Progenitor of Chakra…

But Hiruzen Sarutobi’s last sentence struck right at her heart.

What Kaguya had always worried about were the pursuers and members of the Main Branch of the Otsutsuki Clan. Because it was highly likely one would arrive who could out-brute-force her…

Then she would only have her White Zetsu army for one final dance…

Just relying on herself, Kaguya truly had no confidence.

Just like how Kinkaku and Ginkaku lost heart upon seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi.

A combat style relying purely on physical stats is too one-dimensional; once restricted, there is no effective counterattack.

“If you want to learn, I can discuss it with you. If I make mistakes, you are welcome to correct me.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smiling expression.

This approach of retreating to advance, wrapped in mutual respect, completely erased the last shred of rebelliousness in Kaguya’s heart.

Kaguya nodded gently: “Hmm…”

In this moment, Kaguya suddenly felt that she might have truly been somewhat wrong back then.

Having lost her complete Tailed Beast chakra and returning to the shinobi world without executing the Infinite Tsukuyomi, because she no longer possessed the ultimate violence to ignore everything else, Kaguya had instead calmed her mind down.

Whether it was Hashirama, this walking little God Tree, the Edo Tensei Rinnegan, or Hiruzen Sarutobi, this shinobi who understood a little about combat…

Actually, even the Third Raikage’s Lightning Style Chakra amplification and Onoki’s Kekkei Tota Particle Style made Kaguya’s eyes light up, making her sigh deeply in her heart at their application of chakra…

Although she frequently emphasized that “there is nothing to say to ants who don’t understand the precious meaning of chakra,” these ants of the shinobi world truly seemed to know how to use chakra better than she did.

With few cards in hand, they could only play them meticulously, utilizing every single variation.

Kaguya began the first step on her path of accumulation.

Chapter 1: The Fallen Genius of the Otsutsuki!

And after Hashirama emerged, the vast majority of the Iwagakure and Kumogakure shinobi breathed a massive sigh of relief, their final shred of battle intent completely vanishing.

The God of Shinobi has appeared, what more is there to say?

But two people’s nerves were exceptionally taut!

Namely, Madara Senju and Tobirama Uchiha, who had swapped identities…

It could be said that these two were the people who understood Hashirama best in the entire shinobi world…

One was his biological younger brother, the other his closest friend.

In their eyes, Hashirama was a very mysterious man.

Put it this way: even if Hashirama were standing here right now, suddenly glancing at Madara and Tobirama…

And abruptly shouting, ‘Oh my, Tobirama, how did you become an Uchiha?’

Or saying, ‘Madara, why are you floating in the air? Hurry down and chat with me…’

Both of these were entirely possible!

Even though Tobirama’s soul and body had been forged and fused into one; even though Madara had draped himself in the God Tree’s son, Tobi, and used the Rinnegan to conceal himself…

Even with all the objective conditions met perfectly, it might not actually work on Hashirama…

Because his unpredictability easily made him the number one ranked shinobi of the Warring States period!

He was just that unreasonable…

Because a reasonable person couldn’t possibly learn Sage Mode in a single day out of nowhere…

“Eh, why is it just you guys?”

Hashirama sighed, looking very disappointed. He pointed at Madara and the members of the Akatsuki organization: “I haven’t been dead for that long, right? Why is everyone fighting each other again…”

“Holy crap, my father-in-law is here too!”

“Ashina, you’re here too…” Hashirama enthusiastically waved at Ashina Uzumaki, leaving the sealing jutsu master struggling to maintain his composure.

Couldn’t he just call him “Father”?

But clearly, Hashirama had been playing the fool all these years. Toward Ashina, who refused to join Konoha, he gave the Uzumaki Clan ample respect in terms of treatment, but he just wouldn’t call him that…

“And you…”

Hashirama stared intently at Madara. His eyes seemed to harbor a clear, innocent stupidity, yet they made Madara’s heart pound wildly as they met his gaze. For the first time in decades, Madara felt sweat form on his back!

Don’t shout my name in front of all these people…

If he does, it’s over!

He wasn’t Madara Uchiha; he was the villainous Tobirama Senju…

Even though he wore the skin of the “Inheritor of Hashirama,” it was merely because Madara wanted to increase the intensity slightly just in case he had to exchange blows with Hiruzen Sarutobi, while simultaneously seeing if he could solidify the shinobi world’s impression that he was a Senju…

But the problem was, Hashirama had actually been brought out by Hiruzen!

Whether it was having his identity exposed in front of the entire shinobi world, or pretending to be his successor right to Hashirama’s face, both were completely unacceptable to Madara…

The Asura of the Shinobi World refused to accept such a life!

“You feel like you have a lot of my cells on you…”

“You feel so familiar, like someone I know. Can you say something?” Hashirama stared at Madara, stroking his chin, looking as though he was deep in thought.

In this instant, Madara’s Limbo clone, in a dimension no one could see, took large strides and sprinted frantically into the distance, trying desperately to leave absolutely no trace.

If Orochimaru could see it, he might even comment, “Lord Madara’s clone runs quite scientifically”, with both arms pumping vigorously instead of the classic ninja run…

Limbo and main body swap!

The almost ethereal Limbo clone replaced the Madara beneath Tobi’s skin. The main body continued sprinting into the distance, issuing an order to A-Huo: “A-Huo, you are me now! Go communicate with Hashirama…”

A-Huo, who was chatting with Obito, was dragged away for sudden overtime by Madara.

Relying on the power of the Gedo Statue within its body, A-Huo established telepathic contact with the Limbo clone wearing the Tobi suit, remotely taking over its bodily authority.

It could be said that among the White Zetsu, A-Huo was getting close to having its own “Six Paths Clones”…

“Hello, Lord Hashirama.”

A-Huo smiled slightly: “Perhaps. Because I do indeed possess your power, and the reason I feel familiar to you is probably because we both yearn for peace…”

“Those who possess the Will of Fire will naturally attract each other.”

As soon as these words were spoken, Hashirama’s eyes instantly lit up.

What a high-level response!

This also slightly dispelled Hashirama’s suspicion that this person might be “Tobirama” or “Madara.”

Because in his heart, those two would never speak properly to him, and their usual attitude towards him was never good…

Always scolding him!

Only now did Hashirama turn his head.

Somewhat similar to how Kaguya reacted when she noticed the other Edo Tensei individuals, he saw Konoha’s massive military formation…

Hashirama was stunned. When did Konoha get this much population?

Especially since some of the shinobi inside were wearing Amegakure and Kirigakure forehead protectors…

Did they all join the Will of Fire family?!

At the thought of this, a massive, involuntary smile spread across Hashirama’s face. He chuckled happily, his eyes seemingly brimming with heartfelt lightheartedness.

This was his absolute favorite scene to see!

Hiruzen Sarutobi quickly stepped forward and greeted him: “Lord Hashirama, I am Hiruzen, the current Third Hokage of the village…”

“It has been almost fifty years since you departed for the Pure Land.”

“It’s Hiruzen!”

Upon seeing Hiruzen Sarutobi, the smile on Hashirama’s face deepened.

With Hiruzen as Hokage, his mind was at ease.

“Oh my, Monkey, I always thought highly of you since you were little. I knew you could become Hokage!”

“So good, truly wonderful!”

Hashirama laughed heartily, hands on his hips: “Tobirama even told me he needed to evaluate you further, but I said there was no need! He also said I was too reckless, but I just knew you could do it, Hiruzen…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression was subtle.

So Hashirama really was the one who firmly chose him?

That certainly perfectly matched his stereotypical impression of Tobirama and Hashirama…

And within the Konoha military formation, Tobirama’s face was dark, struggling to maintain his composure.

Big Brother, what is the meaning of this?

Hiruzen was only seven or eight years old back then, and you said the kid could become Hokage. Logically and reasonably, shouldn’t he be evaluated?!

Saying this in front of so many people gave Tobirama the feeling that his brother was trying to steal his disciple!

All this time, Tobirama actually had one thing he never told anyone else.

That is, the reason he got along so well with Minato was because, within the personality of that little sun, he sensed traits similar to Hashirama’s…

Equally sunny, but with a faint, almost imperceptible hint of a dark underbelly…

“Fifty years?”

A hint of confusion appeared on Hashirama’s face. He counted on his fingers: “Then, Monkey, how are you still so young now? And you smell completely of sealing jutsu… Oh no, Tobirama didn’t use a kinjutsu on you, did he?!”

“Are you alright?!”

“Where is Tobirama? I have a few words I need to ask him!”

As soon as Tobirama and kinjutsu were mentioned, Hashirama’s expression turned majestic. An invisible, massive chakra surged from his body.

Just a sliver of it made the hearts of the shinobi present tremble.

The God of Shinobi…

Was ultimately the God of Shinobi!

No matter how abstract his words or actions might be, when he got serious, they had to give that damn respect back to Hashirama Senju!

But Hiruzen Sarutobi’s expression remained unchanged. He just sighed and said: “Teacher Tobirama departed for the Pure Land over thirty years ago. He died covering my retreat during the First Great Ninja War.”

“We are currently in the Third Great Ninja War, Lord Hashirama.”

“Please do not speak of Teacher Tobirama that way. He might have developed some wildly imaginative jutsu, but it was all for the village—from another perspective, for the continuation of the Will of Fire.”

“Please, Lord Hashirama.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi bowed his head slightly, his voice firm and heavy.

Tobirama took a deep breath. He felt slightly intoxicated, his head swaying involuntarily.

Excellent!

Even with his personality, he couldn’t help but want to down three massive cups of sake in honor of Hiruzen Sarutobi’s words!

Exhilarating!

He had wanted to say those exact words for so many years himself…

It truly has to be Hiruzen…

These words left Hashirama stunned. He scratched his head and smiled sheepishly:

“Sorry, sorry. My bad. I shouldn’t have spoken of Tobirama that way…”

And at this moment, Ashina Uzumaki, Mu, Gengetsu, Kinkaku, Ginkaku, the Second Raikage, and Shamon—these several Edo Tensei Warring States old-timers all collectively spat in their hearts.

Damn you, Tobirama Senju!

How did you manage to pick up such an incredible disciple?!

He even dares to speak out for your gutter-tier reputation right in front of the God of Shinobi?!

And it wasn’t even that the God of Shinobi’s words were too heavy; it’s clear they were far too light!

But these individuals had no way of speaking up.

The Third Raikage and Onoki cast questioning glances at the former Kage of their respective hidden villages.

What exactly was going on?

The former Kage had all become Edo Tensei bodies, and they had even joined a mysterious organization whose leader possessed the Wood Style unique to Hashirama Senju…

Just hearing this was deeply unsettling!

Mu and the Second Raikage sighed, throwing their hands up at Onoki and the Third Raikage.

Nothing we can do…

This shinobi world has already become Konoha’s private backyard…

Hiruzen Sarutobi and Tobirama Senju are playing a game of chess between master and disciple, and they absolutely insisted on bringing us along to act as their whetstones. What can we do?

Just play along quietly!

Consider it purchasing an indulgence to join the Will of Fire family in the future…

Who told our hidden villages to be so ignorant as to start the First and Third Great Ninja Wars?

“The reason I look slightly young is because I cultivated the ‘Yin Seal’ taught by Lady Mito. As for the sealing jutsu, it was to become a bit stronger, so I requested Lady Mito to teach me the ‘Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration’…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi openly and frankly told Hashirama about the kinjutsu he was cultivating.

Even though this was a jutsu that both Tobirama and Hashirama had jointly opposed back in the day…

But because of Hiruzen’s reputation and candor, Hashirama was initially stunned, then looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi with concern: “It’s fine, Monkey. Even if you cultivate kinjutsu, I know you are doing it for the village.”

“I’m just afraid your body won’t be able to handle it…”

Hashirama leaned in and whispered to Hiruzen Sarutobi, though his voice wasn’t actually that quiet; at the very least, Ashina Uzumaki could hear it:

“That Uzumaki old man’s jutsu cannot be practiced recklessly! You must be careful!”

“As for this Edo Tensei jutsu, in your hands, I’m not worried. Seeing you summon me, I assume it’s also to call a halt to this war, right? I always knew I judged you right since you were little!”

Hashirama, true to form, offended multiple people with a single sentence.

Ashina Uzumaki rolled his eyes continuously. Right now, he somewhat regretted marrying Mito off to this idiot!

Who talks about their father-in-law like that?!

But for the sake of Hiruzen Sarutobi successfully cultivating the “Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration,” Ashina Uzumaki tolerated it.

It’s all for the greater sealing jutsu!

Compared to the goal of leaving a mark on history and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Six Paths, these matters could be tossed aside and ignored…

After all, if he had a bad attitude towards Hashirama, what if Hiruzen decided to disown him as his master?

What Mito taught him was equivalent to what he, her father, taught her!

This was Ashina Uzumaki’s logic…

“But the Yin Seal is fine. That’s a legitimate jutsu of the Uzumaki Clan, unlike that old man’s and Tobirama’s jutsu. It’s good for the body,” Hashirama said with a smile.

The corner of Tobirama’s mouth twitched uncontrollably.

You’re just letting yourself go completely now that you know you’re dead, aren’t you!

And you won’t stop talking about it…

With so many people watching!

But strangely enough, the entire shinobi world listening to this nodded in slight agreement.

After Tobirama’s reputation had been demonized by Madara, and because he also had to take the blame for some of Konoha’s actions…

The current Tobirama was no longer just the man himself; he had become a “symbol,” creating a sort of mutual consensus and understanding across the shinobi world on certain matters.

Even Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head and laughed.

He always felt that there were some little stories between Hashirama and Tobirama that he didn’t know…

This stereotyping was simply too deep!

Even Kaguya nodded thoughtfully as she listened. She seemed to have grasped one of the sources of these incomprehensible ninjutsu.

The naturally evil shinobi world native, Tobirama Senju!

“What is your relationship with this Tobirama?” Kaguya couldn’t help but ask.

“Didn’t I just say?”

Hiruzen Sarutobi replied, surprised: “He is a very great, very formidable shinobi who created many jutsu. My lifelong mentor, the Second Hokage of Konoha.”

“But everyone else seems to have a bad attitude towards him…”

Kaguya frowned: “And he’s already dead. Won’t defending him like this bring you trouble? Jutsu like Edo Tensei sound like they leave a terrible impression on shinobi, right?”

“Why do you acknowledge this teacher?”

Kaguya had fallen into a logical trap.

She subconsciously equated Edo Tensei with the Infinite Tsukuyomi.

Because in a sense, White Zetsus and Edo Tensei bodies were indeed both weapons…

“Teacher Tobirama might have indeed done some out-of-bounds things.”

“But he will always be family to Konoha. Furthermore, Teacher Tobirama’s starting point was good. If family members can’t look out for each other and seek common ground while reserving differences, wouldn’t that be too heartless?”

“People are certainly not perfect; everyone makes mistakes. If problems arise, the first thing to do is sit down for a serious communication, to have a heart-to-heart talk…”

“Communication is always the most important thing. After all, the starting point was good. Why must things become so rigid between family members?” Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed: “Besides, precisely because everyone else refuses to acknowledge Teacher Tobirama, I, his disciple and the Hokage, must acknowledge him. Otherwise, no one would speak up for him…”

“I don’t want my teacher to be all alone.”

“Some things cannot be measured solely by interests.”

These words caused Kaguya’s pupils to tremble suddenly.

For some unknown reason…

In this instant, she actually projected herself into his words…

If Hagoromo and Hamura could have sat down and spoken to her nicely back then, instead of glaring at her with eyes that felt like crushing weights, would she really have fought her own sons?

Not doing the Infinite Tsukuyomi was also an option!

Kaguya felt a wave of sadness.

Because in her heart, she still cared for her two sons, and even her grandsons, Indra and Asura. But would they ever speak up for her like Hiruzen Sarutobi did for Tobirama?

Even if she had made a mistake, the bond of family still lingered in the depths of her heart.

Perhaps they wouldn’t…

Kaguya fell into silence, quietly thinking about who knows what…

And in this moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi’s image in her heart involuntarily became much more multi-dimensional, gaining elements of flesh and blood.

He was an honorable and honest man!

Cooperating with him truly seemed to be an option worth deep consideration…

“By the way, Lady Mito has always missed you.” Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly to Hashirama:

“She inherited your Will of Fire and ideals, and has been shielding the village from the wind and rain all these years. Since I have presumptuously summoned you, why not stay in the shinobi world a while longer?”

“Mito misses me?”

Hashirama laughed heartily at the sky: “Hmm, hmm, I miss her very much too!”

Hashirama’s laughter drifted across the entire battlefield. The chilling atmosphere of war seemed to be dissolved by the laughter of the God of Shinobi, and the tense bodies of the shinobi softened slightly.

There are some people who can bring peace just by laughing…

And there are others whose laugh can make people shudder.

“Um…”

“Hiruzen, did you summon me to fight for Konoha?”

Hashirama glanced at the Konoha military formation behind him. He was very happy in his heart, but also somewhat nervous.

Unlike Hiruzen Sarutobi, who sought to unite all forces for the unpredictable “Deus ex Machina,” Hashirama simply loved peace.

He didn’t want to see people die because of war, unless there was absolutely no other choice.

Because he had truly seen far too much of it during the Warring States period.

Perhaps there was a trace of the “holy mother” complex in him, but this was a trauma response stemming from his unique historical background, and Hiruzen Sarutobi could understand it.

“So many Jinchuriki like Mito!”

“And shinobi from other hidden villages have also joined Konoha, haha!” As Hashirama looked around, his mood vastly improved.

He was increasingly looking forward to returning to the village to see what Konoha was like now!

As for seeing Mito, he was also looking forward to it, but compared to the Konoha under Hiruzen’s governance, that ranked second or even third…

Especially since Hashirama had also spotted many Uchiha shinobi!

And they were all looking at him and Hiruzen Sarutobi with reverent eyes…

Wow…

So many Uchiha possessing the Will of Fire!

This made Hashirama feel even more elated, walking on air…

In the shinobi world and Konoha, it is widely known that Hashirama was the eternal strict father figure to the Uchiha Clan.

But Hashirama was perhaps also the person who loved the Uchiha the most…

Even if he hit them hard during the wars, back in the Warring States period, Hashirama was already speaking up for the Uchiha, saying those red-eyed folks were also shinobi with kindness and love in their hearts…

This was even truer during the Konoha era. He argued vehemently with Tobirama over Uchiha matters multiple times, and had sincerely wanted Madara to become the First Hokage.

“Hiruzen, you’ve done incredibly well!”

“Oh, by the way, I actually wanted to say this earlier. Why are you wearing Madara’s armor?” Hashirama stared intently at the jet-black heavy armor on Hiruzen’s body and couldn’t help but ask.

“I also have a set of yours, given to me by Lady Mito. Usually, I hang both yours and Madara’s armor high in the Hokage’s office…” Hiruzen Sarutobi answered with an unchanging expression:

“Konoha was founded by you and Madara. Although Madara did some extreme things, I believe he will always be your best friend, a founder of the village, and the Great Clan Head of the Uchiha Clan…”

“As Hokage, I cannot show favoritism. This is a symbol of the eternal cooperation hand-in-hand between the Senju and the Uchiha.”

“Moreover, reviewing Madara’s actions today, they do hold a certain significance, it’s just that his methods and approaches were incorrect and require profound reflection.” Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his voice, whispering to Hashirama:

“Didn’t you also refrain from revoking Madara’s shinobi registration back then? You just said it was a conflict between the two of you, so I figured you probably wanted to retain that person’s Konoha identity…”

“You know how Teacher Tobirama was. He was the Second Hokage, after all, so the Uchiha suffered a bit. Doing things this way also gives them some peace of mind…”

“Over the years, to stabilize the village and unite the people, I sometimes used your banner to say certain things and do certain things, and shamelessly claimed I was the inheritor of your will…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi lowered his head: “I am sorry, Lord Hashirama.”

Hashirama hastily grasped Hiruzen Sarutobi’s shoulders, his grip so strong it involuntarily made the Hokage look up. His voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the entire battlefield: “I knew you could do it, Hiruzen!”

“Giving Konoha to you was the right choice! You’ve done a much better job than I did as Hokage! You are the inheritor of my will, my one and only disciple. You’ve done absolutely brilliantly!”

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn’t help but laugh as he listened.

Hashirama was just that kind of man—open, magnanimous, with a fiercely burning Will of Fire in his heart.

From the Konoha military formation, thunderous applause erupted spontaneously!

The emotion was so full and passionate that it even prompted some shinobi from Iwagakure and Kumogakure to subconsciously clap along.

Witnessing the handover and inheritance of the Will of Fire between the First Hokage and the current Lord Hokage was a scene they could boast about to their children and grandchildren when they grew old…

They were witnesses to history!

Only Tobirama was sulking alone.

Big Brother, what you’re doing is completely unreasonable!

What does Hiruzen’s education have to do with you at all?!

This is absurd…

Tobirama clearly remembered that back then, Hashirama excitedly grabbed Hiruzen, saying he was going to give him special tutoring. After teaching him a whole mess of disorganized moves, Hiruzen returned with a bitter face, saying he hadn’t learned a single thing!

It was he who had taught him the five elemental ninjutsu hand-by-hand, laying all the solid foundations…

Given Hashirama Senju’s teaching style, probably only the Sage of Six Paths could understand him!

But Tobirama still didn’t dare to speak up.

Because his thoughts aligned with Madara’s: Hashirama’s unpredictability was simply too great. If an inexplicable issue arose, his identity would be easily exposed. The fact that he was Ao Uchiha was set in stone; he truly had to make a sacred severing from the persona of Tobirama Senju.

Tobirama never imagined his reputation would one day become this demonic…

Listening to the Konoha shinobi discussing “Madara’s” identity, Tobirama almost lost his composure.

Many people actually thought it was him…

Wait, do you guys really have that much confidence in me?

Do you truly believe I can transplant Hashirama’s cells, learn the Wooden Dragon Jutsu, and control the former Kage of all the major hidden villages?!

Tobirama didn’t know whether he should be happy or unhappy…

“It’s like this, Lord Hashirama.”

“I summoned you because this mysterious person has repeatedly engaged with Konoha in bizarre ways. Now that the war is drawing to a close, he suddenly steps in horizontally to mediate the war.”

“And while he calls it mediation, he actually wants to take over the affairs of Kumogakure and Iwagakure. The Rinnegan he possesses and his strange Edo Tensei state are very unsettling.”

“With such a takeover, the treaties Konoha is supposed to formally sign with Iwagakure and Kumogakure will likely be intercepted by these people. I absolutely cannot accept the village’s interests being damaged…”

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared at the fusion of A-Huo and Madara’s Limbo clone, saying softly: “I agree to end the war, but all the compensation Konoha is owed must be fully implemented.”

“Didn’t you say you were the inheritor of Lord Hashirama’s will? Very well, then I will have Lord Hashirama negotiate with you…”

“As for your identity, that is not the crux of the issue right now.”

A-Huo’s heart stirred: “Lord Madara, what do you think?”

“Handle it as you see fit!” Madara had no time to worry about such trivial matters. Mediating the war and incorporating Iwagakure and Kumogakure as controllable threats was the most important strategic objective to begin with.

Wanting to swallow Konoha’s reparations was merely one of his tests, or rather, his patriarchal urge acting up again…

He always wanted to manage everything!

Upon hearing that Hashirama was stepping up to discuss reparations, both Onoki and the Third Raikage breathed a sigh of relief. Mu and the Second Raikage also felt a weight lift from their hearts.

Because although Hiruzen Sarutobi was an absolutely honest and honorable man…

Hashirama Senju’s reputation couldn’t be described merely as “honest.”

He was a bit too generous…

“Since the Hokage has said so, then naturally, that is acceptable.”

Being able to communicate face-to-face with Hiruzen Sarutobi also excited A-Huo slightly. Suppressing its inner agitation, it said in a deep voice: “We can negotiate, but please do not interfere with the affairs between the Akatsuki organization and Kumogakure/Iwagakure.”

“After all, our organization possesses former Kage.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled and nodded: “That is naturally understood…”

He only wanted the resources and technology of Kumogakure and Iwagakure; he had no time to manage their population anyway.

Once Konoha’s informatization was rolled out, many things would fall into place naturally. There was no need to hastily gather these two messes into his arms—let them ferment on their own for a while!

“Hiruzen, why don’t we just let it go? I see they’ve also had a tough time…”

Unsurprisingly, Hashirama whispered exactly this.

“No, Lord Hashirama.”

“Mistakes must have consequences. If mistakes are always forgiven, then more and more people will make mistakes in the future.” Hiruzen Sarutobi rejected Hashirama’s suggestion, turning and waving to the Uchiha Clan:

“Isshin, Fugaku, Tomie…”

“Yes, and Ao, Danzo. The five of you, come together!”

“Accompany Lord Hashirama to negotiate with Iwagakure and Kumogakure, as well as the people from the ‘Akatsuki’ organization…”

Compared to Tobirama, Hiruzen Sarutobi held an indifferent attitude towards the reunion of the Hashirama brothers.

They had to meet sooner or later anyway!

Moreover, with Tobirama and Danzo present, Hiruzen Sarutobi wouldn’t have to worry about the negotiations. The necessary strategic intents and reparations would definitely be secured. He needed to hurry up and have a chat with this mysterious woman…

Reluctantly, Tobirama walked over to Hashirama’s side.

And the moment he arrived.

Hashirama leaned his face close, his large, dark eyes staring intently at Tobirama. The wisps of hair on his forehead twitched slightly as he furrowed his brow: “Eh…”

“Are you an Uchiha?”

“Why do I feel like you look exactly like Tobirama!”