"The God of Ninjas, not the God of Ninjas."
"I don't want to get involved."
"Besides, ask yourself honestly, are you even worthy of it?"
"The strongest Hokage... let's say you are. Your Fire Release techniques are indeed passable."
"But what I want to ask now is about the Uzumaki clan and the Land of Whirlpools!"
[Tobirama Senju shouted sharply.]
He could already sense the ever-increasing chakra emanating from his elder brother.
[It's already close to breaking through the current limitations of the Impure World Reincarnation technique.]
There will only be two possible outcomes.
[One possibility is that the offering cannot withstand the strain, the technique is not perfect, and the Impure World Reincarnation collapses on its own.]
[The other option is to break through the limitations. Of course, Tobirama Senju wasn't sure what the consequences would be; in severe cases, it might damage one's soul...]
"Aren't you going to tell me?"
Tobirama Senju turned his head and glanced at Hashirama Senju, whose head was steaming.
[He sighed inwardly.]
These are things he couldn't have come up with even if he racked his brains.
He then looked down at the Konoha villagers glaring at him angrily in the arena below.
Saying that monkeys are sentimental is not a reason to act arrogantly or make sophistry.
Tobirama Senju smiled.
It's a laugh born of extreme anger.
"What's going on with the Uzumaki clan?"
"Should I go down and ask you to speak?"
Tobirama Senju tried his best to avoid meeting Kushina and Tsunade's eyes.
A hint of coldness flashed in his eyes.
[If the other person doesn't say anything, he really will make a move in the next second.]
[If he keeps holding it in, chakra steam will soon be rising from his head.]
As for the person Tobirama Senju asked.
All eyes followed Tobirama Senju's gaze.
The daimyo of the Land of Fire, who had been using a folding fan to shield his face, finally realized something was amiss.
[The folding fan was secretly removed.]
[Looking at Tobirama Senju's deathly gaze.]
He shrank back.
He quickly replied, "I...I don't know!!"
"That happened back in my father's time!"
[Um? ! ]
Tobirama Senju glared.
[thump--]
The daimyo of the Land of Fire immediately knelt on the ground.
The villagers of Konoha were all stunned.
[How is that possible?!]
"Damn it!"
"They must have used a despicable illusion!"
"How could the Daimyo of the Land of Fire do this?!"
"Third Hokage, please wake up!"
"Don't dwell on the past!"
"My noble name cannot be dishonored!"
["..."
The villagers of Konoha started criticizing him all at once.
[This caused the Fire Country's top spot to break out in a cold sweat.]
He knew it very well.
The First Hokage was somewhat better off.
The Third Hokage could even collude with him... and cooperate.
However, becoming the Second Hokage is absolutely impossible.
[If it weren't for the political landscape that the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, intended to implement back then...]
[And their attitude was tough.]
Otherwise, these people wouldn't be in their current positions.
From the very beginning, Tobirama Senju never gave them a second glance.
[You should know this.]
[After this political landscape became known.]
Other villages did indeed seek out prominent figures as well.
But the village is connected by blood.
It was there from the very beginning.
[It didn't happen later.]
[The daimyo of the Land of Whirlpools is also the village chief of Whirlpool Village.]
Although it's puzzling, it is, after all, the Hidden Leaf Village of the Land of Fire, and it was personally decided by the God of Shinobi.
Then imitate it.
However, they all tacitly made the changes.
[So, before the Daimyo of the Land of Fire, what were they?]
[Are they simply the powerful and wealthy? Or... the aristocratic class...?]
Tobirama Senju: "Hmph!"
Tobirama Senju: "A gluttonous, good-for-nothing."
Tobirama Senju: "If it were truly useful, there wouldn't have been so many wars."
Tobirama Senju: "In the end, it still comes down to the ninjas themselves. Brother, you really did do something pointless back then."
Tobirama Senju: "Pour it into the village, and within the country, establish another department."
Hashirama Senju did not answer.
He was still in the Pure Land, head bowed.
A lifetime flashed through my mind.
After speaking, Tobirama Senju realized that his words had been a bit harsh.
But there was no other way.
He's only able to control his emotions now because he's become somewhat numb.
...
["Tobirama-sama!"]
"It's none of my business...and none of my father's business either!"
"I've seen the secret documents...and my father even punished me for it..."
The fat on the daimyo of the Land of Fire jiggled wildly.
[His entire aura, which could be described as effeminate, was completely exposed.]
Aren't you afraid?
What he just said wasn't a joke.
It would be better if we were actually arrested.
[I'm afraid that if I get caught, I'll end up kneeling alongside Hiruzen Sarutobi, and whether I'll even survive after that is uncertain.]
[Sell out your teammates immediately, then just happily be a useless player...]
The daimyo of the Land of Fire quickly raised his head, pointed at Hiruzen Sarutobi, and said:
"That's it!"
"The Third Hokage!"
"Yes, it was him who participated in... and actively planned it with my father!"
"Without you and Lord Hashirama..."
"The Land of Fire is in a very passive position!"
"Both my father and the Third Hokage are afraid that the allied nation, the Land of Whirlpools, harbors disloyal intentions!"
"When you and Lord Hashirama were alive, our two countries were indeed friends for generations."
"Even the ninja uniforms of Konoha Village have the Uzumaki clan crest printed on the back."
"But... what if?"
["certainly."]
"I don't think the main reason is that my father and the Third Hokage weren't worried."
"They're actually coveting the sealing techniques of the Land of Whirlpools!"
"And then there are those unpredictable and mysterious priests..."
"And...unwilling to get involved in the war."
"But the other four great nations and four great ninja villages will definitely not let go of this golden opportunity when Konoha is in a period of transition after you and Lord Hashirama's deaths!"
"And so, my father and the Third Hokage..."
"They pushed away the Land of Whirlpools, a piece of meat that everyone coveted!"
"Feed them well...that way...the Land of Fire and Konoha will have plenty of time to recover...in fact, they have a meticulous plan for this..."
[The words of the Daimyo of the Land of Fire.]
This completely stunned everyone present.
[There were doubts, but judging from the way the Fire Country Daimyo looked like he was about to wet himself with fear.]
[And they don't even pause when they speak...]
It's highly likely to be true; even if there's some truth to it, it's probably close to the truth!
A sense of desolation permeated the entire venue.
The villagers of Sunagakure all wore expressions of anger.
[To form an alliance with Konoha?]
[fart! ]
None of them had a good ending!
[His village, Sunagakure, is almost so poor they can't even afford to eat!]
Otherwise, why would they cooperate with Orochimaru to launch the Konoha Crush plan?
Most importantly, even after all this, they're still being called in to participate in the Chunin Exams, and so many big employers are being invited... This is practically pushing Sunagakure to its doom!
Tobirama Senju's chest heaved rapidly; he couldn't imagine how Mito's sister-in-law would have reacted upon hearing this news.
Just as Tobirama Senju was about to let the daimyo of the Land of Fire continue speaking.
Suddenly.
Sensing something, Tobirama Senju quickly looked at his elder brother.
[boom--]
The entire roof began to shake.
At the same time, a calm yet familiar voice rang out.
"Go on."