Faced with the First Hokage's questioning, Tsunade and Minato Namikaze were filled with helplessness.
The Konoha under their respective leaderships was already riddled with problems.
Minato's world was relatively stable. The Uchiha Clan had not been exterminated, the Sannin, though having gone their separate ways, were all still alive, and with Minato's own formidable combat strength, Konoha's power was still considerable.
But Tsunade's world was completely different. Konoha's top-tier powerhouses were few and dwindling, and the village no longer had any renowned ninja capable of standing alone.
She was unaware that her world was actually on the brink of a storm, with internal and external troubles arriving one after another, and that Konoha still harbored top-tier hidden cards like Might Guy, Rock Lee, Naruto, and Sasuke. In terms of strength, the era she was in was far more formidable than any previous period in Konoha's history. However, at present, the futures of both these versions of Konoha were shrouded in uncertainty.
During the Chunin Exams, no one thought Might Guy, who claimed to be stronger than Kakashi, was particularly impressive, yet he was the only one besides Hashirama who nearly killed Madara Uchiha.
Always remember, Madara was neither killed by Naruto nor defeated by Sasuke, but was betrayed by Black Zetsu.
Seeing their expressions, Hashirama understood the numerous challenges Konoha would face in the future. He resolved that as soon as Sarutobi Hiruzen and Danzo Shimura entered this chat group, he would request their immediate elimination.
These two were far too cunning. Controlling the strongest ninja village in the Ninja World, they wasted Konoha's limitless potential for their own selfish gains.
But at this moment, Hashirama was momentarily speechless and could only turn his gaze to the Light Screen. On it played the scene from Konoha's first year, where he and Madara Uchiha shook hands and made peace, jointly establishing the Leaf Village.
From the very founding of Konoha, Tobirama had been determined to have Hashirama ascend to the position of Hokage.
His perception was naturally sharper than Hashirama's. Sensing Madara's imminent arrival, he deliberately discussed matters related to the Hokage with Hashirama.
"The deeper the hatred, the stronger the Eye Power. Such a person cannot become Hokage."
This was an established fact in the original story.
Due to Tobirama's deliberate actions, these words were overheard by Madara Uchiha, who became convinced that Tobirama would never allow true peace between the Senju and Uchiha clans.
After that, Madara left Konoha.
In Konoha's second year, Hashirama officially ascended to the position of Hokage. Under his leadership, Konoha welcomed the beginning of a flourishing development.
Watching the content on the Light Screen, Hashirama suddenly realized, with startling clarity, details he had never paid attention to before.
He looked resentfully at Tobirama and said, "I had a feeling back then! Madara was definitely there!"
Faced with the First Hokage's gaze, the Second Hokage looked embarrassed. Having his scheme exposed publicly made the situation extremely awkward.
Although Hashirama knew that the Tobirama before him was not the one from his own world, he couldn't help but voice his dissatisfaction.
Even after the great battle with Madara, even after Madara's demise, they ultimately failed to join hands and lead Konoha toward true prosperity.
In Konoha's third year, seeing the village thriving, other nations began to deliberately emulate it.
Kumogakure, Kirigakure, Sunagakure, Iwagakure, and other ninja villages were officially established one after another. Led by the five strongest ninja villages of the five great nations, the Ninja World formally transitioned from the Warring States era, where various ninja clans fought each other, into a new era dominated by the five great ninja villages.
In the fourth year of Konoha, for the prosperity of the Ninja World, Hashirama believed that as long as the Tailed Beasts were distributed to other ninja villages, each nation's fear of hegemony would dissipate, and warfare would cease.
Tobirama couldn't change his mind, so he could only compromise by suggesting that the Tailed Beasts shouldn't be given away for free—any nation that wanted one must pay a hefty price.
In the fifth year of Konoha, thanks to Hashirama's "gift," each of the five great ninja villages possessed its own Tailed Beast. Under his leadership, the five great nations jointly signed a peace treaty.
Looking back at the First Hokage's experiences, Tobirama regretted it so much he wanted to bang his head against a wall. He thought to himself, "I should have been more resolute back then and kept all the Tailed Beasts in Konoha. If that had happened, would there have been so many wars later?"
If any nation dared to cause trouble, they could have just thrown a Tailed Beast at them.
Even Minato, who had just begun engaging with political affairs, felt that the First Hokage's idealism was too extreme—naively believing that balancing the strength of all sides could prevent war.
The root of all this ultimately lay in Hashirama's reputation as the "God of Shinobi." Strength is the foundation of standing firm. Without this strength, the nations of the Ninja World wouldn't have waited for Senju Hashirama's death—the First Great Ninja War would likely have erupted much earlier.
In contrast, the Land of Fire, where Konoha is located, is blessed with beautiful mountains and rivers, abundant resources, while the other nations each have their own drawbacks.
Iwagakure in the Land of Earth is isolated, surrounded by continuous mountains; Sunagakure in the Land of Wind is an endless desert plagued by constant sandstorms.
Kirigakure in the Land of Water is surrounded by sea, with sparse and scattered land, most resources hidden underwater; Kumogakure in the Land of Lightning is situated among towering mountains, enduring relentless sun and wind.
Over time, such a stark disparity in resources naturally made the other nations covet the Land of Fire's abundant produce, eyeing its fertile lands.
Hashirama was well aware of this.
Why were the five great nations willing to sign the peace treaty? Was it truly for peace?
No, it was only because they feared him, the God of Shinobi. To move against Konoha, they would have to go through him first, and at that time, no one in the entire Ninja World could match his strength.
Recalling his past, Hashirama looked at the Light Screen, which showed his earth-shattering battle with his dear friend Madara Uchiha—a battle that ultimately led to Madara's death—his eyes filled with nostalgia.
Everyone else gazed at the scene before them, utterly shocked. Even Aoki couldn't help but be awed by this overwhelming strength.
This level of power had long surpassed the Kage-level, reaching the Super Kage Level.
This immense strength also intensified the sense of urgency in Aoki's heart. After all, the true monsters of the Ninja World had yet to appear. By the later stages, Super Kage Level strength would only be enough to play a supporting role; only by achieving Six Paths Level combat power would one be qualified to participate in the final battle.
"I just hope the rewards after this ranking will be useful," Aoki thought to himself. A new chapter for them was already poised to begin.