Kakuzu hummed an old tune from the Warring States Era as he carried his suitcase and made his way back to Konohagakure with practiced ease.
After joining Konoha, Kakuzu had been put in charge of financial affairs, though his primary responsibility was approvals.
Or, more accurately...
Auditing the books.
As a result, he didn't have to sit in an office every day. His workload was handled on a quarterly basis.
His day-to-day routine remained much the same as it had been during his bounty hunter days: wandering freely across the shinobi world while serving as Konoha's independent rapid-response force.
On top of that, he also worked as an economic advisor for Amegakure, helping Hanzo reorganize the Hidden Rain's financial system for the new era while binding the village even more tightly to Konoha's war chariot.
That said, although Kakuzu had resumed his old trade as a bounty hunter, he was no longer working alone.
With Hiruzen's special authorization, Kakuzu had been equipped with a ninja tool developed by Orochimaru called the Earth Grudge Communicator, which allowed him to contact nearby Konoha shinobi and occasionally carry out joint operations with the Anbu and Root.
'Danzō may have the worst personality imaginable, but at least he's competent at his job.'
Kakuzu thought to himself.
Back when he was still a bounty hunter, the people he hated dealing with the most were Danzō and Root. Those bastards had a habit of placing jobs, refusing to pay afterward, and sometimes beating you up if you went to collect your fee.
They were infamous throughout the bounty hunter community.
Things were different now.
After the reforms, Root actually paid bounty hunters for their work.
More importantly, Kakuzu now had access to Danzō's intelligence network and military support. He had discovered that having the Darkness of the Shinobi as an ally was surprisingly reassuring.
With a powerful organization backing him, logistics and intelligence were no longer things he had to worry about.
All he had to do was find the target and get to work.
There were even specialists responsible for cleaning up afterward.
"...Still, we have to uphold the Will of Fire now."
Kakuzu rarely complained about Hiruzen, but this time he couldn't help grumbling.
"Though I suppose that's exactly what makes the Hokage and this village so remarkable. Even toward their enemies, they still maintain a basic sense of order and morality..."
Hiruzen did not allow Konoha's shinobi to proactively hunt down ninja from other hidden villages.
With Konoha's current military strength, once that door was opened, things could easily spiral out of control and turn Konoha into the next Kumogakure.
Compared to the power of the Will of Fire, the profits gained through outright plunder simply weren't worth mentioning under the current circumstances.
So, with the Hokage's tacit approval, Kakuzu, Root, and the ANBU had adopted a fishing strategy instead.
Lure the other side into making the first move...
Then unleash unrestricted self-defense.
"This time I acquired Kumogakure's Magnet Release. I wonder whether Sakumo or Fugaku will be able to make use of it."
"Those brutes are just as aggressive as ever, but they're far too weak. Against Konoha's strength and my experience, they're nothing worth mentioning."
Kakuzu rolled his shoulders.
Several masks protruded from his back.
Two of them stood out in particular.
One housed a Sharingan.
The other, a Byakugan.
That's right.
Both the Uchiha and Hyūga Clans had supplied those eyes from their respective clan stockpiles.
For someone with Kakuzu's unique body structure, bearing them wasn't much of a burden.
He couldn't use them as effortlessly as Nagato, but by cleverly installing them into his Earth Grudge Fear clones, they placed almost no strain on his own body while making his combat style far more versatile.
It gave him something of a mini Six Paths of Pain feel.
Neither the Uchiha nor the Hyūga had objected to donating the eyes.
After all, putting aside Kakuzu's status as a Konoha alternate council member and one of the Hokage's most trusted subordinates...
The man genuinely contributed to the village with his own body.
Earth Grudge Fear might have been a jutsu, but it was also part of Kakuzu himself.
Konoha's shinobi relied on those all-purpose black threads for limb reattachments, major surgeries, and even stitching internal organs back together.
The guy literally pulled out his own blood vessels by the kilogram!
So what if the Uchiha and Hyūga each contributed a pair of eyes?
Faced with the benefits their cooperation with Kakuzu brought, Isshin and Tenzō tacitly forgot all about that old saying:
"A clan's eyes are its pride and should never be used by outsiders."
Maintaining a good relationship with Kakuzu came with far too many advantages.
Kakuzu made his way to the Hokage Building, exchanging friendly nods with the ANBU guards stationed outside.
Although everyone wore masks, many of them had worked with Kakuzu enough times that they knew each other well.
With his wealth of experience, Kakuzu could identify many of them from the smallest details in their posture alone.
Inside the Hokage's office...
Hiruzen sat smoking his pipe as he listened with mild curiosity while Fugaku enthusiastically explained the stone tablet before him.
Originally, Hiruzen had been in the middle of completing the final stage of the Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal within his body.
At his current level of mastery, he had already mastered the Water and Fire aspects of the Five Elements, fully integrating their properties into his body.
All that remained were Earth...
Wind...
And Lightning.
According to Uzumaki Ashina's bold theory, once the seals for those three chakra natures had been completed, the next step would be to construct a Four Symbols Seal within his body, establishing it as the body's structural foundation to further strengthen his physique.
It would serve as the four supporting pillars of his physical form, further increasing the strength of his body.
Hearing Ashina's idea, Hiruzen couldn't help laughing.
That only worked because he was an exception. If it were anyone else recklessly packing that many sealing techniques into their own body, something would have gone wrong long ago...
Even so, the Hokage decided to give it a try.
However, before he could continue his train of thought, Fugaku and Isshin burst into the office.
One was carrying the Uchiha Stone Tablet.
The other had a suit of armor from the Warring States Era slung over his shoulder.
"Hokage-sama, please take a look at this stone tablet."
"After the war, Clan Head Isshin and I were restoring the Uchiha compound. When we passed by the tablet, it suddenly began glowing with rainbow-colored light, and there were even strange noises coming from it."
"We searched the surrounding area several times but couldn't find anything unusual. Then, after the writing appeared, it claimed to contain the body-training method left behind by the Sage of Six Paths!"
Fugaku spoke excitedly.
"Hokage-sama, it says that by combining multiple Kekkei Genkai into one, you can obtain the supreme power that gives rise to all things. I can't make heads or tails of it, but I'm sure you can!"
"Congratulations, Hokage-sama! You've earned the title of 'Sage' now!"
Beside him, Isshin covered his face before finally losing his patience and kicking Fugaku squarely in the backside.
In Isshin's eyes, Fugaku's mental journey had gone through three distinct stages.
First, he wanted to become an intellectual...
Then he realized he wasn't cut out for it.
After struggling with himself several times, he finally decided to become a warrior instead!
He had completely given up on thinking things through himself, choosing instead to simply follow orders and solve problems with brute force...
Ever since Fugaku declared he was done reading books, he seemed to have entered some kind of bizarre mental state.
Constantly bouncing back and forth between carefree and completely unhinged.
The corner of Hiruzen's mouth twitched.
He was already used to Fugaku's utterly explosive way of speaking.
He was an Uchiha, after all.
An occasional bout of madness was perfectly normal for them. At least it meant he wasn't brooding.
It was just...
The scene Fugaku had described sounded far too familiar.
"...Tell me."
"When you discovered this stone tablet, did you happen to hear a fox crying, 'Konoha shall prosper, the Hokage shall reign!'?" Hiruzen couldn't help joking.
"That didn't happen..."
Fugaku blinked.
"But that's easy enough. Should we ask Mr. Nine-Tails to help? He is a fox."
"Are you trying to manufacture an auspicious omen? I get it. Back when I still read books, I learned that some nobles used tricks like that as an excuse to start rebellions..."
Hiruzen smiled wryly.
Well...
He'd completely forgotten Konoha actually had a fox.
Now all the necessary ingredients were in place.
Of course, Hiruzen had no intention of rebelling against anyone.
He was already both the Hokage and the Shōgun of the Land of Fire, effectively holding power in every direction imaginable.
Isshin gave Fugaku another hard smack on the head.
"You brat! Either stop reading books altogether or read them properly every single day. People like you, who only half understand things and then fill in the blanks with your own imagination, are the worst!"
Cradling the stone tablet in one arm while rubbing the back of his head with the other, Fugaku nodded repeatedly.
"Got it, got it, Clan Head Isshin. I won't try to sound scholarly anymore. I'll just focus on being Hokage-sama's enforcer."
Isshin chuckled before adding emphatically, "When your younger son is born, send him to Seisui just like Itachi. Under no circumstances are you allowed to raise him yourself!"
Hiruzen silently watched the once-proud and aloof Uchiha Clan steadily transforming into a family of lovable goofballs.
"Hokage-sama, would it be alright if we placed this stone tablet here?"
"According to our clan records, this tablet was originally left behind by the Sage of Six Paths. Putting it behind your desk carries an excellent meaning—it symbolizes that the Sage of Six Paths is Konoha's backing. That's why it's called a 'backing stone.'"
Isshin said with a smile.
If this had happened in the past...
If the Hokage had asked for the Uchiha Stone Tablet, the Sharingan, or any other clan heirloom, the entire clan would have exploded in outrage.
He's trying to strip the Uchiha Clan of everything we have!
But things were different now.
Ever since Sarutobi Hiruzen had removed "Madara"—the Uchiha Clan's greatest historical burden and ticking time bomb—and instead elevated him with immense honor while firmly establishing the Uchiha as one of Konoha's founding clans...
The entire Uchiha Clan had erupted in celebration.
The festivities had lasted for several days.
But once the excitement died down, a new concern emerged.
How were they supposed to repay Hokage-sama?
The red-eyed clan prided themselves on being people of honor.
Accepting kindness without repaying it would be disgraceful.
They had even convened several clan meetings just to discuss the matter.
Then, after the war against the Sky Village ended, Isshin organized the clan to restore the compound and inventory its assets.
By pure chance, they discovered that the ancestral stone tablet had changed.
At the same time, they found Madara's old suit of armor inside an ancient scroll.
As for where the armor had come from...
Naturally, after the Amegakure incident, Madara had instructed Hi-kun to return it there.
"'Backing stone,' huh?"
Hiruzen wore a strange expression.
"Very well. Thank you, Isshin... and Fugaku. I like it very much."
Hiruzen rose to his feet with a smile.
"As long as you like it..."
Isshin beamed.
"Ah, and this..."
"I found this suit of armor in an old scroll stored within the clan compound. En and I studied it for quite a while before confirming that it once belonged to Madara-sama."
"It would honestly be a waste for this armor to remain with the Uchiha Clan."
After discovering Uchiha Madara's armor, Isshin had pondered the matter for a very long time.
Although Madara's standing in Konoha had been restored, looking across the entire Uchiha Clan, there still wasn't anyone qualified to don this armor and march into battle for Konoha.
Seisui might be able to do so in the future, but in Isshin's view, he clearly lacked the necessary standing for now.
After all, this was Madara—one of Konoha's founders.
Thus, after thinking it over, Isshin decided to bring it to Hiruzen for his appraisal. At the very least, he needed to report its existence to the Hokage.
Hiruzen exchanged a glance with Isshin and immediately understood what the clan head was thinking.
'Wearing Madara's armor truly is a rather sensitive matter. In the past, it would have practically amounted to openly declaring rebellion.'
'I see. They're satisfied with their lives now and terrified that some accident might ruin everything, so they report absolutely everything to me. They're following procedure far too meticulously...'
It was the principle that those who had more to lose were the first to yield.
A thought crossed Hiruzen's mind as he examined Madara's armor.
Unlike the copper-red set familiar to everyone, the armor before him was pitch-black throughout, gleaming with a deep, chilling luster. It had been forged from some kind of special metal.
Its design was also far more flamboyant and aggressive than ordinary lamellar armor. The protective plate over the chest was shaped like a Susanoo, while the shoulders bore scale-like patterns.
An eye-catching jet-black sash wrapped around the waist, with crimson details accenting certain sections.
It even came with a matching pair of bracers.
The entire set radiated raw power. It was heavy armor in the truest sense, completely unlike any Warring States Era armor Hiruzen had ever seen. It had clearly been custom-made.
Hiruzen immediately took a liking to it, his eyes lighting up slightly.
Isshin was delighted and hurriedly explained, "Well, according to reliable information, Madara-sama commissioned this armor at enormous expense in his youth. That was also the period when his fighting style was at its most spectacular and brutally forceful."
"Later, as Madara-sama gradually gained complete mastery over Susanoo, he stopped taking this armor out and placed it in storage."
"I never imagined it had remained in the clan treasury all this time. My failure to discover it sooner was a dereliction of my duties as clan head..."
The reliable source Isshin referred to was naturally Uchiha Izuna.
However, with the dim-witted Fugaku standing nearby, there was no need to tell him that Izuna resided within Seisui's body.
After all, Madara's and the Uchiha Clan's reputations had only just begun moving in the right direction.
The fact that Izuna existed inside Seisui would also affect how some people viewed him.
Mangekyō abilities were simply too bizarre and mysterious. Outsiders could easily interpret the situation as schizophrenia, a split personality, or something similar.
"That's perfectly understandable, Isshin. There's no need to blame yourself."
"As for this armor..."
Hiruzen cleared his throat lightly.
"I do have a somewhat presumptuous request. I took a liking to it the moment I laid eyes on it..."
Isshin burst out laughing. Why would he have brought it here if he hadn't intended to give it to Sarutobi Hiruzen?
He simply hadn't stated it outright earlier so that both sides would have room to maneuver.
It would have been terribly awkward if he offered it and was refused.
Trying to force the gift upon him might also have seemed like an attempt to pressure the Hokage into siding even more firmly with the Uchiha.
But now that Hiruzen had personally asked for it, everything was different.
"Fine armor belongs with a hero! Hokage-sama, please accept it!"
Isshin pressed his advantage while the opportunity was there.
"Look, the armor of the First Hokage that Mito-sama gifted you is already hanging on your wall. If Madara-sama's armor were displayed beside it, the two would complement each other perfectly."
"With only Hashirama-sama's armor hanging there and no Great Clan Head to accompany him, I'm afraid it might grow lonely!"
Fugaku turned to Isshin in astonishment.
Was this what it meant to be an intellectual?
He had made it sound so wonderful, as though the Great Clan Head and the First Hokage had never once come into conflict.
"Very well, then I won't stand on ceremony!"
Hiruzen rose and solemnly accepted the jet-black armor from Isshin before summoning the Anbu.
With great care, Hiruzen had it hung on the wall alongside Hashirama's armor.
Fugaku also worked with the Anbu to put the Uchiha Stone Tablet on display.
For a moment, Sarutobi Hiruzen's Hokage office looked steeped in an astonishing amount of history and prestige.
It now contained relics of the Sage of Six Paths, the Ghost of the Uchiha, and the God of Shinobi.
'I've heard that fellow Ōnoki is deeply afraid of Uchiha Madara...'
'If Konoha ever truly goes to war with Iwagakure, I could wear this armor and give him quite a fright. Though I wonder whether Ōnoki would recognize the battle armor Madara wore in his youth...'
'He might. Perhaps the First Tsuchikage, Ishikawa, told him about it. Ōnoki and I are alike in that we were both raised by the First Kage of our respective villages...'
Hiruzen thought with amusement.
He invoked Hashirama's banner and reputation throughout the shinobi world every day, yet when war broke out, he would march onto the battlefield wearing the armor Madara had worn in his youth.
Shinobi from the other villages would probably be unable to keep a straight face.
Hiruzen had practically been divided into three, constantly switching between Tobirama, Hashirama, and Madara.
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