~ Every 100 Power Stones = Bonus Chapter! Your votes keep this climbing. Thanks!
Orochimaru: "…Huh?"
Ever since following Qianyu, question marks seemed to bloom over Orochimaru's head daily. He didn't understand. He was just immensely baffled.
The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was famously strong-willed. (Read: a hothead!)
Qianyu-kun, are you certain that reanimating Lord Second won't just result in him chopping us into pieces first, instead of helping us work?!
"Trust my judgment, Orochimaru. Go prepare. If anything goes wrong, the Third Hokage is there to take the heat, isn't he?"
"This… well, alright then, Qianyu-kun."
Faced with Qianyu's firm insistence, Orochimaru hesitated for a moment before agreeing with a wry smile. Qianyu wasn't wrong. If you wanted to finish an exam paper quickly, the fastest method was to invite the exam writer himself.
To complete the modifications to the Edo Tensei as soon as possible, this was perhaps their only option.
As the current second-in-command of Konoha, Orochimaru easily procured some… fragments… of Tobirama Senju, along with a lively, high-quality sacrificial vessel. He began arranging the intricate seals for the Edo Tensei on the floor of their hidden lab.
"Qianyu-kun, if Lord Tobirama loses control later, you must get us out of here first thing."
Orochimaru pushed the vessel into the dark seal array on the floor, then glanced back at Qianyu beside him, giving an uneasy reminder.
"Relax. I've heard Lord Tobirama is a gentleman of refined elegance, a rare purely rational type among Kage. Not the sort to fly off the handle at the drop of a hat."
Qianyu patted Orochimaru's shoulder reassuringly.
"…Fine. Edo Tensei!"
Orochimaru formed the hand seals. The movements were fluid, practiced to perfection—so fast his hands were almost a blur. Some aunties would probably swoon.
Whoosh…
A chilling, spectral wind sprang up in the sealed laboratory. Countless earthen-colored paper talismans surged from the black seal array, wrapping the vessel on the floor into a dense, mummy-like cocoon.
Moments later, the talismans receded.
What remained was a corpse covered in cracks and dust.
Silver hair. Red eyes. A metal forehead protector. Blue armor. White fur trim…
Without a doubt, this handsome yet severe-looking old man was Konoha's Second Hokage—Tobirama Senju!
Impressive, an S-tier character. It's been a while since anyone made me feel this sense of pressure.
Qianyu observed the not-yet-conscious Tobirama, giving the famed Senju posterior a thoughtful poke.
Fwoosh!
Tobirama's eyes snapped open. His stiff neck creaked as he turned it, gaze sweeping the surroundings with confusion.
"…The hell? I've been reanimated?!"
The moment he understood his situation, Tobirama cursed outright. In that instant, he grasped the concept of karma's cruel circle.
So much for 'refined elegance'!
Orochimaru flinched at the outburst, literally hopping a step closer to Qianyu, ready to bolt.
"Bold. You dare play with my soul."
Tobirama's cold eyes, sharp enough to freeze air, locked onto the two. He took a stiff step forward.
"S-s-sorry, Lord Tobirama! I am a student of the Third Hokage—Hiruzen Sarutobi!"
Fear had pitched Orochimaru's voice into a near-squeak. He wasn't the slippery snake he'd become yet—death here was permanent. And since Qianyu-kun refused to activate the Flying Thunder God Technique, name-dropping Hiruzen was his only shield.
"…Oh? You two are the monkey's students?"
The reanimation was still crude. Tobirama's reactions were slow. After a long pause, he finally stopped his advance, frowning as he scrutinized them.
The deeper Tobirama's frown grew, the tighter Orochimaru's heart clenched. What he didn't know was that Tobirama wasn't even looking at him. His full attention was on Qianyu.
Why does this brat give me such a conflicting feeling? Familiar, yet repulsive… There's Senju blood in him, but it's… impure.
Qianyu's complete fusion of Hashirama's cells and his own Senju lineage created profound confusion in Tobirama, spawning bizarre conjectures.
Hell, is this brat the result of my brother and a… Hm. Probably overthinking it. But the Senju lineage is undeniable.
One was his grand-student. The other… potentially a descendant. Tobirama's fury cooled a fraction. He let out a cold snort.
"Hmph. You two. Give me a reasonable explanation. Otherwise, I'll teach you the price of defiling the dead."
"Qianyu-kun, quick, use Fly—"
Halfway through, Orochimaru remembered Tobirama also knew the Flying Thunder God Technique. "Qianyu-kun, explain it to Lord Tobirama!"
"Alright." Qianyu nodded, his voice firm and clear. "Lord Tobirama. The inherently evil Madara Uchiha is not dead."
…What?
The information density of that sentence overloaded Tobirama's processing. His mind blue-screened.
BOOM!
A moment later, chakra erupted from Tobirama's body. A dangerous aura radiated from him.
"Brat. Do you understand what you're saying?"
Tobirama's face darkened, his gaze turning hostile.
"Lord Tobirama, Madara Uchiha did not die in his final battle with Lord Hashirama. He survived using Izanagi. I saw him with my own eyes not long ago."
Qianyu remained calm, explaining methodically. "Madara Uchiha seeks to overturn the shinobi world. I feigned cooperation to escape. Upon returning, my first thought was to reanimate you. Otherwise, Konoha faces true annihilation!"
"That inherently evil Madara Uchiha, he actually…!!"
Qianyu's words were too precise, too confident to disbelieve. Tobirama's expression turned utterly grim.
Konoha. Built by his brother and himself, with their blood and sweat. That inherently evil Madara Uchiha wouldn't even give up tormenting it from beyond the grave!
"My brother should have listened to me back then. We should have joined forces and eradicated Madara Uchiha completely. We wouldn't be in this mess today."
Tobirama clenched his fists, his tone commanding. "Brat. Tell me everything you know. Everything you've done. Leave nothing out."
"Yes, Lord Tobirama. During a recent mission, I was 'captured' by Madara Uchiha. He demanded my assistance in overturning the shinobi world."
"My plan was to play along. Use Madara to clear obstacles for Konoha, then unite all possible forces to eliminate him."
After finishing his account, Qianyu smoothly presented his request.
"Lord Tobirama, we need your help to perfect the Edo Tensei. To reanimate you and Lord Hashirama at your peak, to assist us in dealing with Madara Uchiha."
Tobirama: "???"
If he understood correctly, this brat wanted him to figure out a better way… to exploit himself?
"A clever scheme. But you expect me to believe you based on a few words? Where's the monkey? Bring him to me!"
Tobirama sneered, unconvinced.
"Lord Tobirama… the Hiruzen-sensei of today is not the Shinobi Professor of old."
Orochimaru, who had been listening quietly, finally spoke up. "He hesitates, second-guesses. If he learned of this… he might hinder more than help."
Qianyu raised a hand, stopping Orochimaru. He looked at Tobirama. "How about this, Lord Tobirama. I'll take you to see Tsunade."
"…Tsuna-chan?" Tobirama was taken aback. His sharp aura instinctively softened.
"Yes." Qianyu nodded. "Tsunade and I are… close. Perhaps from her, you can gauge my character."
…
Konoha's Small Garden.
"Qianyu, I'm busy! Why did you have to call me out here?!"
Tsunade complained as she approached Qianyu, but the delight in her eyes was unmistakable. Her carefully applied makeup said it all.
"No reason. Nawaki said you've been working non-stop for days. I thought you could use a break. Forcing you to take one."
Qianyu stood up from the bench with a smile, offering a bento box. "Here. All your favorites. Have a few bites."
"Last time I sent a clone with food, you dispersed it for 'interrupting work.' Now that I'm here in person, you have to give me some face."
Tsunade took the bento. After a moment of silence, her eyes reddened, and she punched Qianyu's arm.
"You called me to the garden… just to make me eat? You're the most boring guy I've ever met!"
"Oww! That hurts!"
Qianyu grimaced, clutching his arm and hopping around the garden, making Tsunade burst into laughter.
In the shadows, a figure watched silently. The coldness in his eyes had softened considerably.
Tobirama didn't want Tsunade to see him in this state. He chose to observe, to judge Qianyu through Tsunade's reactions.
Fwoosh.
After one last, deep look at Tsunade, Tobirama left the garden. Under a transformation technique, he wandered Konoha, subtly probing people of all walks about their opinions of Qianyu.
Qianyu's legacy of saving countless lives paid off. Hearing nothing but praise, Tobirama's suspicions finally dissolved.
That night. Root Laboratory.
"Brat. If this is truly to deal with Madara Uchiha… I'll help you this once. Don't expect a repeat!"
Tobirama looked at Qianyu, arms crossed. "But if I discover you harbor hidden ambitions… or treat Tsuna-chan poorly… don't blame me for what happens."
"As the creator of this jutsu, the summoning contract holds no real power over me. I can dissolve this reanimation anytime."
God, I want to laugh. The day he finds out he can't break it, he'll be so embarrassed he could dig a three-bedroom apartment with his toes.
Qianyu fought back a smile, nodding repeatedly. "Rest assured, Lord Tobirama. I, Qianyu, am nothing like that inherently evil Madara Uchiha."
Qianyu-kun is incredible. He actually secured Tobirama Senju's cooperation. Such a man is truly captivating.
Orochimaru watched Qianyu's back, eyes gleaming with admiration.
"Lord Tobirama, in your expert opinion, how long would it take to modify the Edo Tensei to perfectly accommodate you and Lord Hashirama at your peak?" Qianyu asked.
"Hmm. At least a few months."
Tobirama pondered. "When I developed this jutsu, I only considered pairing it with Mutually Multiplying Explosive Tags. The durability of the reanimated body wasn't a priority."
"I see. Understood."
Qianyu nodded slightly. It seemed he'd need to stall for time with Madara on his end.
…
Madara Uchiha's Underground Palace.
"Qianyu. My preparations are complete. Are you ready to overturn this world with me?"
The moment Qianyu's figure appeared, Madara snapped out of his dormant state, asking eagerly.
He wanted to dance. To dance! To DANCE!
"Lord Madara. Here are the chakra samples of the One-Tails, Five-Tails, Eight-Tails, and Nine-Tails."
Qianyu didn't answer directly. Instead, he produced four scrolls, laying them before the Uchiha.
"Oh? Not bad. Your efficiency is commendable."
Madara nodded in satisfaction, gesturing for the nearby Black Zetsu to collect them.
"However, Lord Madara, to ensure the next phase of the plan proceeds flawlessly, I'll require a bit more preparation time. Coordinating several major villages simultaneously is no small task."
After delivering partial results, Qianyu circled back to the original question.
"More time?! It's been long enough already!"
Madara's brow furrowed instantly, his gaze turning displeased. This brat was the one who initially sparked his interest, and now he was throwing cold water? Annoyance simmered. His eyes on Qianyu grew dangerous.
Was this brat stalling? Preparing some scheme against him?
"Madara Uchiha. Is that my fault?"
Facing Madara's suspicious stare, Qianyu fired back. "If you weren't stuck rotting here, would I be running around alone, busting my ass like this?!"
"I'm doing the heavy lifting. Not you. I control the timeline. You don't get to question it. Your job is to sit back and let it happen. Got it?!"
The reprimand was blistering, leaving even Black Zetsu stunned.
Damn it, does this kid have a death wish? Talking to Madara Uchiha like that… to Madara Uchiha*!*
Black Zetsu trembled, fearing Madara would lash out and ruin the Moon's Eye Plan's hard-won progress.
"Ha! Good. Besides that bastard Tobirama, you're the first to dare scold me to my face. Not bad. Reminds me of my younger self. Hahahaha!"
Contrary to all expectation, Madara didn't get angry. He threw his head back and laughed.
So the Uchiha really are all madmen. Their thought processes are utterly incomprehensible.
Black Zetsu sighed internally, for the umpteenth time. Be nice, get the cold shoulder. Yell at them, and they're happy? Pure insanity.
"Fine. Proceed as you suggest, Qianyu."
After some thought, Madara agreed to grant more time. He'd been too impatient. Qianyu had a point. He'd waited decades. For a flawless plan, a little longer was acceptable.
"Also, Lord Madara. The Zetsu's material is unique. May I take a few to practice Yin-Yang Release techniques?"
Seeing Madara agree, Qianyu pushed further.
"Take as many as you need. But give me a concrete timeframe, Qianyu."
Madara waved a hand dismissively, but his burning eyes fixed on Qianyu. He'd compromised, but only if Qianyu provided a reasonable deadline. Otherwise, he'd flip.
Qianyu knew this. A sliver of tension crept in. He chose his words carefully. "Lord Madara. One month, at most. I'll have everything fully prepared."
From Madara making his move, to the world plunging into chaos, to collecting all the Tailed Beast chakra to 'heal' him… the intervening time should barely suffice.
"Good. One month it is."
Madara's eyes narrowed, as if seeing through Qianyu's thoughts. "So, in two months maximum, you will deliver the chakra of all Tailed Beasts to me. Correct?"
"Of course."
Facing Madara's overwhelming pressure, Qianyu could only agree stoically. A thread of anxiety wound through him.
Such a short time. Could he, Tobirama, and Orochimaru perfect the Edo Tensei in time?
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
BOOK COMPLETED ON PATREON!
This story has reached its conclusion on my Patreon!
Full story available now
Exclusive bonus content & early access to new books
Join my Patreon community today!
p a t r e o n .com/BingeInk
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━