In the world of the First Hokage, the Senju Clan territory of Konoha.
Senju Hashirama slowly opened his eyes. Gazing at the familiar scenery before him, he instantly regained his senses.
"Ha~ I never expected the World Ranking List to bring such a huge surprise. This is truly astonishing."
Hashirama murmured in amazement, his mind replaying everything that had happened in the Hokage Chat Group.
Just then, the familiar chime of the system suddenly echoed in his mind, once again capturing his attention.
[Ding! Reward has been issued. Please check promptly.]
Hearing the notification, a gleam flashed in Hashirama's eyes. Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "It's here!" and immediately chose to claim the reward.
He knew this was a treasure capable of healing his body. Once fully recovered, he could entrust Konoha to Tobirama and focus wholeheartedly on strengthening the village. The thought of securing the top spot in the next Group Assembly filled Hashirama with unwavering determination.
Even he, hailed as the God of the Ninja World, couldn't help but covet the reward for first place. This was the first reward from the World Ranking List; surely, even more bountiful treasures would follow. Powerful worlds might even receive rewards from second or third-tier worlds. Moreover, what expressions would Madara and Tobirama wear if he could obtain the Sharingan? Hahaha.
A shower of multicolored light filled the air, and an unremarkable jar, roughly the size of a human head, materialized before Hashirama. Curious and eager, Hashirama lifted the lid to find the jar packed full of colorful beans.
He picked one up, a doubt forming in his mind. Could such a tiny bean truly possess such miraculous effects? But this was a reward from the Chat Group; it couldn't be false.
Without hesitation, Hashirama tossed a Senzu Bean into his mouth.
Crunch~
The bean dissolved instantly upon touching his tongue, and an overwhelmingly immense surge of life force instantly swept through Hashirama's entire body.
"Hmm?! Such terrifying vitality!"
Hashirama's eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding from the sudden influx of power.
In an instant, the Senzu Bean completely healed all of Hashirama's old ailments, hidden injuries, and physical depletion. His body was restored directly to its peak condition, and a formidable, overwhelming aura erupted from within him.
This abruptly unleashed, terrifying aura instantly alarmed the patrolling ninja within the Senju territory. Sensing the oppressive pressure, they immediately gathered.
"An enemy attack? Who dares to invade our Senju territory? The aura is coming from the clan head's residence! Quick, notify Lord Tobirama at once!"
The ninja stood ready, prepared to face the enemy.
Before they could act, a flash of blue light suddenly appeared. Senju Tobirama, using the Flying Thunder God Technique, instantly materialized near Hashirama's dwelling.
"Damn it, that's big brother's room! Hurry, follow me! We cannot let the enemy escape!"
Driven solely by the desire to protect his brother, Tobirama immediately gave the order.
Staring at the terrifying aura emanating from Hashirama's courtyard, Tobirama's heart initially clenched with worry. But when he realized the source of the aura was Hashirama himself, his anxiety instantly vanished.
"Big brother!"
Tobirama burst into the room and saw Hashirama looking radiant and full of energy, clearly having fully recovered. The weight in his heart finally lifted. Indeed, his elder brother's health had been restored.
Hashirama was startled by Tobirama's sudden entrance and only then realized that, in his excitement, he had caused such a commotion.
"Hahaha! Elder brother, you've finally recovered! I knew you'd be fine!"
Tobirama was overjoyed, genuinely happy for Hashirama's recovery.
While Tobirama rejoiced over Hashirama's restored health, Hashirama began pondering the future events mentioned in the Chat Group. Though his memories were somewhat hazy, he vaguely recalled that after his death, the First Great Ninja War broke out, with multiple nations joining forces to invade Konoha.
At this thought, a brilliant idea suddenly occurred to Hashirama. He spoke solemnly to Tobirama, "Tobirama, do not tell anyone about my recovery today. I have a plan!"
Tobirama was taken aback. Since when had his elder brother started scheming like this? Nevertheless, he patiently listened as Hashirama eagerly explained his idea.
"Tobirama, after you leave my room today, officially succeed as the Second Hokage and announce my death to the public!"
"No way!"
Tobirama refused without a second thought.
But this time, Hashirama gave him no room for refusal. He was determined to strengthen Konoha's power. Now that he had recovered, he needed to prepare for the next Hokage Chat Group Assembly and secure a spot in the top three.
"Recently, the neighboring countries near the Land of Fire's borders have heard that I'm critically injured and are already growing restless. Tobirama, you must understand that now that I've recovered, this is the perfect opportunity to show those ninja villages what true peace really means!"
Hashirama's words clarified the key points. Tobirama understood, and though he was still reluctant, he nodded in agreement, deciding to cooperate with his elder brother's plan.
After Hashirama gave a few more detailed instructions, Tobirama immediately left the room to begin preparations for the impending conflict.
Alone in the room, Hashirama looked at the jar full of Senzu Beans on the table and carefully sealed it in a scroll, keeping it close to his body.
Meanwhile, after Tobirama left, Uzumaki Mito, tears streaming down her face, hurried to Hashirama's courtyard. What awaited her would be a huge surprise.
After all, the marriage alliance between the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan had always had its reasons. Just look at Minato Namikaze—why was he so favored? The Nine-Tails Chakra, the Uzumaki Clan's formidable stamina, and the Adamantine Sealing Chains were all key factors.
Almost simultaneously, the news of Senju Tobirama succeeding as the Second Hokage was swiftly announced throughout Konoha.
This sudden change shocked the entire village, and everyone knew something major must have happened.
The news quickly spread back to the various ninja villages through spies embedded in Konoha, carrying only one clear message: "Confirmed, Senju Hashirama's days are numbered!"