Enma took a deep breath before dropping to one knee.
He understood better than anyone how precious the inheritance of the sages truly was.
"Honored sages, if I am fortunate enough to master it, I swear I will keep it strictly confidential. I will use it only to fight for peace alongside Hiruzen, Konohagakure, and Mount Myōboku. I have no other intentions whatsoever!"
Enma declared firmly.
"I swear it upon the future of the Monkey Clan!"
Fukasaku raised one hand and, using the tremendous force of Frog Kata, effortlessly pulled Enma back to his feet, reclaiming at least a little face for Mount Myōboku.
"There's no need to go that far. The Monkey Clan, as Hokage-sama's contracted summons, are naturally allies of Mount Myōboku. As long as it's for the sake of peace, Mount Myōboku is willing to help!"
Strictly speaking, that was stretching the truth.
Mount Myōboku was extremely selective when it came to choosing contract holders.
But with the Teacher of the Prophecy standing before them, they had to think bigger and present themselves accordingly.
Otherwise, Mount Myōboku would seem far too petty.
After making prophecies all day long...
If they refused to contribute when it was finally time to act, what kind of sense would that make?
And so, carrying several Medical Chakra Scrolls with them, Enma, Fukasaku, and Shima bid Hiruzen a reluctant farewell before returning to Mount Myōboku.
Just before leaving, Fukasaku made a point of mentioning that if the Sage Regions ever lacked materials, and the other two Sage Regions happened to be short on supplies, Mount Myōboku had plenty of other useful specialties it could provide.
"Just take your time, kid. Don't always think you have to shoulder everything by yourself."
"If you run into an enemy you can't handle, your first thought should be to fight with everything you've got—but you should also remember to return to Konohagakure and call for reinforcements. With the Flying Thunder God Technique, getting back to the battlefield won't take long."
Hiruzen once again reminded Jiraiya.
The kid had the makings of a fanatic.
Whenever something happened, he always tended to take things to extremes, constantly fantasizing about ideas like 'A shinobi's greatest finale is to die a glorious death.'
If he truly encountered an enemy who had to be fought to the death, then going all out was perfectly fine.
But he couldn't go looking to die on purpose.
Jiraiya nodded honestly.
No matter how slow he might be, he understood that his teacher was simply worried about him.
Watching the exchange between Hiruzen and Jiraiya, Orochimaru couldn't help snorting.
"Idiots really are a handful. Sensei has to pay special attention to him."
Tsunade shot Orochimaru a surprised look before speaking in a strange tone.
"Seriously? A genius is jealous of an idiot?"
"Now that's actually pretty funny."
Orochimaru's face immediately darkened.
He had to admit it...
Tsunade's mouth was something else.
The moment she opened it, she was already stirring up trouble.
Mount Myōboku and Shikkotsu Forest have both rallied around Sensei...
What about Ryūchi Cave?
Orochimaru pondered.
In a two-against-one situation, even Ryūchi Cave, arrogant as it was, would probably have no choice but to lower its head and deepen its cooperation with Konohagakure in search of a new balance.
The problem was that summons truly capable of communicating—like Enma, Fukasaku, Shima, or the Slug Sage's split bodies—were exceedingly rare in Ryūchi Cave.
The summons there were far more beast than human.
Manda, whom he summoned most often, was an especially troublesome case.
I really need to do something about those snakes.
It's time to get tough with them.
Orochimaru thought to himself.
Otherwise, it was honestly embarrassing.
After the sparring match concluded, every participating shinobi from Konohagakure found themselves deep in thought.
Sakumo and Fugaku, in particular, became even more determined to grow stronger.
As members of the Konoha Council, both could easily see that Jiraiya's return would undoubtedly contribute to the development of the Cursed Seal.
As long as they passed their physical examinations...
It would be worth taking the gamble.
Even if they failed, at least their sacrifice would provide valuable research data for the village's future.
That was simply how shinobi were.
They lived at the extremes.
The possibility of transplanting a Kekkei Genkai also tempted both Sakumo and Fugaku.
Neither lacked Hizashi's resolve or determination, and both placed complete trust in the Research Department and the Hokage.
If they were told there was even a chance it could work...
Neither of them would hesitate for even a moment.
Then there was Danzō.
After witnessing Hiruzen's overwhelming strength, he felt both gratified that this was the lifelong rival he had always acknowledged—and somewhat dissatisfied with his own Wind Release Chakra Mode.
His Wind Release Chakra Mode was certainly powerful.
But compared to Hiruzen's...
It fell far short.
Still, what Danzō had in mind wasn't an ordinary bloodline transplant or a Cursed Seal.
Those were creations developed by Orochimaru and Hiruko's group.
The Darkness of the Shinobi had no interest in using them.
My beloved disciple Seisui recently reported that progress has finally been made in researching Hashirama-sama's cells...
As someone born and raised in the Hokage faction, if I'm going to undergo a transplant, it should be Lord First's cells. Even if I don't awaken Wood Release, it'll still give my reputation a considerable boost.
Danzō quietly weighed the idea.
If the opportunity arose...
Should he take the gamble?
Perhaps Lord First really was watching over him.
Perhaps he'd be able to withstand the less aggressive version of Hashirama's cells.
"Hokage-sama!"
"Guy, did you see that? The blazing spirit of Lord Hokage lit up everyone's youth! We have to become stronger together and protect the village!"
Recalling Hiruzen's words, Might Duy shed tears of youth.
"Guy! We have to memorize every word Hokage-sama said! From now on, we'll recite them while running during our morning training and unleash the greatest potential of our youth!"
Guy nodded repeatedly before embracing his father as they both cried.
"Hokage-sama is truly incredible!"
The corner of Danzō's mouth twitched.
Hiruzen, honestly...
They're just ordinary words, yet somehow he manages to make them sound like they're under a genjutsu...
Still... perhaps I could bring Might Duy along as well?
A gleam flashed through Danzō's eyes.
But the process that had led to Might Duy joining ROOT still left him speechless whenever he thought about it.
After ROOT had been disbanded and later reestablished, its core combat personnel had been completely reorganized.
Might Duy was among them.
There were thirteen members in total.
Hizashi served as deputy commander while also acting as one of the administrators, alongside Seisui.
There were Aburame Tatsuma and Aburame Shikuro.
Nara Suzaku, Yamanaka Fū, and Akimichi Dōmu formed the classic Ino-Shika-Chō trio.
There was Ida, who had mastered the Super Beast Imitating Drawing Technique, along with Uchiha Yashiro.
There was Iburi Hi, an elite member of the Iburi Clan whose illness had been cured by Orochimaru as a special case. He could transform his body into smoke without being dispersed by strong winds.
Then there was the medical ninja Uzumaki Shio.
After deciding to prioritize both her own career and the village, Uzumaki Shio had chosen to work in ROOT—the village's harshest yet most respected organization.
There, although she frequently crossed paths with Tobirama, the two interacted with complete composure and spoke only about work.
It was almost as though that slap had never happened.
Interestingly enough, as Shio continued improving herself through constant study, it was actually Tobirama who sought her out more often, hoping to secretly learn from Mito's understanding of Fūinjutsu.
Finally...
There was Might Duy.
If it weren't for the Eight Gates Technique, I never would've let him join ROOT, no matter how many times he begged Hiruzen.
He's just too loud...
Danzō looked at Might Duy speechlessly.
Sometimes, even he didn't know what to do with the power of youth.
Fortunately, ROOT was now powerful enough that none of its enemies survived.
Otherwise, the moment Might Duy unleashed a Konoha Whirlwind, even an idiot would know exactly who had shown up.
Duy possesses the extremely rare trait of having completely attribute-neutral chakra. He's insensitive to every type of chakra nature transformation.
Ordinarily, that's practically synonymous with being talentless.
But according to Seisui's research, someone like Might Duy actually has a better chance of successfully accepting Hashirama-sama's cells.
That's because the Wood Release power within Hashirama-sama's cells has an inherently devouring nature. It rejects chakra capable of differentiating into other natures—unless it's counterbalanced by exceptionally powerful Yin Release chakra.
Although everyone's chakra started out attribute-neutral before undergoing nature transformation, once someone mastered an element and used it repeatedly, traces of that affinity would inevitably become imprinted upon it.
It wasn't completely without residue.
I don't expect Duy to awaken Wood Release.
His body suffered lasting damage when he was younger, so no matter how hard he trains now, his upper limit is largely fixed. He can only push his combat power higher through the Eight Gates.
The more Danzō thought about it...
The more convinced he became that it could work.
After being weakened, Hashirama's cells rarely granted Wood Release to their host.
But the tremendous vitality and life force they contained remained completely intact.
And for Might Duy...
That was exactly what he needed to compensate for his greatest weakness.
The Eight Gates can increase one's power dozens of times over at its peak.
If that base were supplemented by Hashirama-sama's life force...
The more Danzō considered it, the more feasible it seemed.
He decided he'd find an opportunity to ask Might Duy.
Though I'd better be careful about how I approach it...
Danzō sighed.
At some point, he'd unconsciously begun worrying about following proper procedures.
Back in the old days...
He would've simply deceived, coerced, or bullied someone into agreeing.
That wasn't an option anymore.
If Hizashi, Orochimaru, or even his own disciple Seisui found out...
Danzō was certain he wouldn't enjoy the consequences.
Even Hiruzen wouldn't side with him.
After all, Hiruzen had already made it clear during their fireside talk.
That had been the last time.
If Danzō caused another incident...
He would have to answer to every shinobi in the village.
...
Besides Konoha's leadership and elite shinobi...
Kakashi and Obito were equally captivated by everything they had witnessed.
They both felt they had spent long enough within the confines of the Ninja Academy.
It was time to face the harsh reality of the shinobi world.
Their classmates were thinking the same thing.
Thanks to a shinobi's remarkable physique, along with proper meals and structured training at the academy, their bodies had grown like bamboo after spring rain.
They already looked more like teenagers than children.
As the academy's elite students, it almost felt strange for them to still be attending classes.
"Let's apply to graduate once we get back."
Kakashi and Obito spoke almost at the same time.
"Yeah! We need to start taking missions and improve through real combat!"
Obito nodded emphatically.
"Asuma and the others think so too. Shisui's been unable to wait for ages..."
He paused before wondering aloud, "I wonder who'll end up being my jōnin instructor?"
After a moment's thought, he said, "Asuma will probably be assigned to Hiruko-sama. He's already become his disciple."
Kakashi shot Obito a flat look.
"We'll be lucky just to get assigned a jōnin. Let's leave it to the village."
What Kakashi didn't know...
Was that the blond-haired man he feared most had already reached an agreement with Sakumo in private.
Minato would lead Kakashi, Obito, and Rin as Team 1.
It was the classic combination of a shinobi clan heir, an ANBU-affiliated ninja, and a civilian-born shinobi.
A composition that was unlikely to go wrong.
Thus...
The Ninja Academy's "Golden Generation" was about to enter graduation season.
They were finally preparing to step onto the grand stage of the shinobi world for their debut.
...
Several days later.
Konohagakure.
Hokage Tower.
Orochimaru walked up the stairs with a scroll in hand.
He didn't actually have any official business.
He had simply come, as usual, to sit with Hiruzen for a while and chat.
As he walked, he thought to himself, Kabuto's talent is quite impressive, and his loyalty to Konohagakure is strong. I suppose it's about time I formally accepted him as my disciple. I should report it to Sensei.
Although Orochimaru had brought Kabuto back from the orphanage to Konohagakure, he had never intended from the outset to take him on as a disciple.
He was, by nature, a practical and rational man.
Only after observing Kabuto for nearly half a year had Orochimaru finally put his mind at ease.
He had decided to accept Kabuto as his true disciple...
And as the heir to everything he would leave behind.
In the process...
Orochimaru had also come to appreciate the joy of watching someone grow.
'Was this what it felt like when Sensei taught me all those years ago?'
Orochimaru shook his head with a chuckle.
After nodding to the ANBU guards, he walked to the door—only to stop in his tracks.
He had actually heard Kabuto's voice.
"So then, Kabuto. Tell me, what have you learned recently?"
Hiruzen asked with a warm smile.
Hiruzen had discovered Kabuto entirely by accident.
While taking a break from training, he had casually used the Crystal Ball Technique to observe what was happening around the village.
To his surprise, he spotted a bespectacled child walking down the street with a book in his hands, reading as he walked.
The kid even had an obedient-looking bowl cut.
The sight instantly stirred memories from Hiruzen's past.
In the shinobi world, where children grew up swinging swords and throwing kunai from a young age, it had been a very long time since he'd seen such a studious child.
So he had called Kabuto over.
After asking a few questions and learning that Orochimaru had brought him over from the orphanage, Hiruzen found himself liking the boy even more.
After all...
What Hokage wouldn't adore a child from such a humble background—one who was deeply grateful upon meeting him, worked hard at his studies, and happened to be Orochimaru's disciple?
"Reporting to Hokage-sama! Kabuto has learned a little bit of the Mystical Palm Technique recently!"
Kabuto said excitedly.
A faint emerald glow appeared in his palm.
"Look!"
"That's amazing, Kabuto..."
Hiruzen smiled.
"I'm already past my prime. The future of the village will depend on all of you. Little by little, you'll grow up and inherit the banner of the Will of Fire."
Laughing heartily, Hiruzen rubbed Kabuto's head before handing him a piece of beef jerky.
"Grow up quickly! Build yourself a strong body. Kabuto is going to become an outstanding shinobi someday."
Chewing on the beef jerky, Kabuto puffed out his cheeks and raised a tiny fist.
"Hokage-sama, I'll train hard and protect you!"
"Just watch me!"
Hiruzen nodded in satisfaction.
If Kabuto had simply showered him with flattery, Hiruzen wouldn't have liked it.
It would've felt far too deliberate.
Children should act like children.
Orochimaru stood there in a daze.
So this is what people mean by grandparents doting on their grandchildren...
No wonder Sensei keeps looking for Minato to spar with.
Then Orochimaru's eyes darted about before the corners of his mouth curled upward into a broad smile.
Compared to Jiraiya...
He had finally closed the gap on his side as well.
As always...
Sensei still had a soft spot for shinobi on the "research" track.
...
While Konohagakure's next generation steadily inherited the village's legacy, and everyone found themselves inspired by Hiruzen's words to become stronger...
Hōzuki Gengetsu and Mū, that pair of lifelong rivals, had just finished carrying out another mission near Sky Village under Madara's orders.
Instead of immediately returning to the Mountains' Graveyard, the two drifted through the skies above Kirigakure for a look around.
Madara's control over them was remarkably sophisticated.
Over the course of several months, he had carefully woven a subtle genjutsu through the power of the Rinnegan.
They were free to move about as they pleased.
But the instant either of them harbored rebellious thoughts, their entire body would become paralyzed.
The White Zetsu spores attached to their bodies would then immediately engulf them.
"You've got to be kidding me..."
Still invisible, Gengetsu's expression turned uglier and uglier.
"How did that idiot Kiritori take Kirigakure and run it into the ground like this?!"
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