The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole Behind

Shirou Emiya agreed.

Faced with Tobirama Senju's moral coercion, Shirou Emiya could only go with the flow. At the very least, Tobirama Senju's arrangements were highly beneficial to him.

After all...

Setting Black Zetsu aside...

These two boys would hold no ordinary status in the future.

Shirou Emiya lowered his gaze slightly, studying the two boys before him. In particular, their future selves were inextricably connected to the true contingency he had arranged in advance.

"Please take care of us."

Young Sarutobi Hiruzen smiled brightly.

"Please... take care of us."

Young Danzo simply could not force a smile onto his face.

"Then make your preparations."

A compassionate smile appeared on Shirou Emiya's face. He gently patted Sarutobi Hiruzen on the head. "Come with me to buy some things in the village today. We leave tomorrow."

"Yes!"

The two boys hurriedly agreed.

After Shirou Emiya left with the two youngsters, Hashirama Senju watched his departing figure, his face still full of reluctance.

"What a pity..."

"I didn't expect the time to part to come so soon..."

"It's only a temporary separation."

Tobirama Senju's expression turned cold as he brought up another important matter in which he intended to truly make use of Shirou Emiya. "Brother, there's something else I need to tell you in advance..."

"What is it?"

"About Madara Uchiha."

Tobirama Senju narrowed his eyes, a dangerously sharp look appearing in them. "If nothing unexpected happens, once Madara learns that Lord Shirou has left Konoha, he'll definitely go see him..."

"..."

Hashirama Senju fell silent at once.

"This is an opportunity for us."

Tobirama Senju paid no heed to the friendship between his brother and Madara Uchiha, reminding him in a low voice, "We've secretly sent people to search for Madara's whereabouts, but we've never found any trace of him. Still, we both know that he's lurking somewhere in the Shinobi World, waiting for an opportunity..."

"Now..."

"This is his opportunity."

"Only if Lord Shirou heals that blind Sharingan of his will Madara dare to believe he has enough power to attack Konoha..."

"..."

Hashirama Senju remained silent.

"Brother."

"We can't let this opportunity slip away."

Tobirama Senju knew what his brother was thinking. His voice was heavy as he reminded him of something he had to keep in mind. "If we can't kill Madara, sooner or later he'll destroy Konoha. After your battle, he'll hate Konoha even more..."

"I understand."

Hashirama Senju let out a long sigh. He had already accepted his brother's proposal in his heart. "Don't worry. This time, I won't let Madara escape..."

"But..."

Hashirama Senju raised an objection again, looking somewhat unhappy. "Isn't this a little like using Lord Shirou...?"

"For Konoha, this is a necessary measure."

Tobirama Senju was skilled at persuading his brother. "Brother, do you want someone like Lord Shirou to be deceived by Madara?"

"..."

Hashirama Senju was genuinely embarrassed.

If his friend Madara Uchiha really deceived Shirou Emiya, it would only deepen Hashirama Senju's guilt toward Shirou Emiya, which was already considerable.

"Fine."

Hashirama Senju no longer had any reservations.

The next day.

At the entrance to Konoha Village.

A group of people had gathered there to see them off.

The only one missing was the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

The First Hokage was nowhere to be seen. According to Tobirama Senju, his older brother could not accept this parting and did not dare show himself to see Shirou Emiya off.

That explanation...

Was truly far too flimsy.

Even if Hashirama Senju was an emotional Hokage, he had never chosen to run from a problem. How could he possibly choose to avoid something as simple as seeing someone off?

Still...

No one really cared.

Because the true protagonists were Shirou Emiya and the two youngsters.

"Hiruzen."

Sarutobi Sasuke patted his son's shoulder and earnestly reminded him, "You must take good care of Lord Shirou. Don't let anything go wrong..."

"Don't worry!"

The young Sarutobi Hiruzen thumped his chest confidently!

"No need to worry."

A gentle smile appeared on Shirou Emiya's face. He looked at the two boys before him like an elder and smiled at Sarutobi Sasuke and the others. "I'll keep an eye on these two little ones..."

"I'm truly sorry..."

Sarutobi Sasuke gave an embarrassed, guileless laugh.

"..."

Tobirama Senju said nothing more. He merely looked sternly at the two boys, Sarutobi Hiruzen and Shimura Danzo, hoping they would carry out his plan properly.

Compared to Shirou Emiya's matter...

Someone else's matter was what Tobirama Senju cared about most.

Outside Konoha Village.

Hashirama Senju stood atop a tree, carrying an enormous sealing scroll on his back and clad in Red Battle Armor, fully armed as he gazed toward Konoha Village's entrance.

A group of Anbu ninja stood on the other trees.

These Anbu ninja bore two important missions.

The first was to assist the First Hokage in searching for Madara Uchiha's whereabouts; the second was to secretly eliminate ninja from other villages who attempted to approach Shirou Emiya.

Everything took second place to the first mission.

Madara Uchiha was Konoha's greatest threat.

While the mantis stalked the cicada, the oriole waited behind.

No...

It should be said that the cicada had long noticed the mantis's danger.

Because Madara Uchiha had been lurking outside Konoha Village all along.

Madara Uchiha had been seeking an opportunity to meet Shirou Emiya, hoping to persuade him to stand on his side and learn the secrets of the Ancient Era from him.

Precisely because of this...

When Hashirama Senju and the Anbu ninja set out, Madara Uchiha had already noticed something unusual and quietly hidden himself near these Konoha Ninja.

Beneath a thick tree outside the forest.

Madara Uchiha leaned lazily against the trunk, gazing contemptuously at the group of Konoha Ninja and their leader, Hashirama Senju, as though he had anticipated their actions long ago.

"Hmph..."

"Such a formation..."

"Hashirama..."

"This doesn't seem like your handiwork..."

"It must be that despicable Tobirama guessed that I wanted to meet this great figure, so he had you bring people out to take this chance to surround and kill me?"

If it had been Hashirama Senju's idea...

Based on Madara Uchiha's understanding of his old friend, if Hashirama wanted to kill him, he would certainly come alone. He would never bring this group of Anbu along.

Just as Tobirama Senju believed he had seen through Madara Uchiha's evil nature, Madara Uchiha also understood Tobirama Senju's underhanded ways very well. He guessed that Hashirama Senju and the Anbu ninja's actions must have been at Tobirama Senju's instruction.

"What a pity..."

The breeze scattered Madara Uchiha's hair.

The blind, gray-white eye that had long been hidden behind his disheveled hair was exposed, making the man appear somewhat terrifying.

It was a pity.

Madara Uchiha regretted that he could not fight Hashirama Senju.

Even though Madara Uchiha had transplanted Hashirama Senju's cells and gained Wood Release and powerful regenerative abilities, having lost one Sharingan meant he could not possibly be Hashirama Senju's match. There was even a strong chance that Hashirama Senju would truly kill him.

"Then..."

"Let's use a little trick..."

Madara Uchiha raised his fingers, a strange sharp glint flashing through his lone remaining eye. "Hashirama, that eye of mine failed to see through your Wood Clone during our last battle. Now, let's see if you can see through my Wood Clone..."

As Madara Uchiha formed hand seals, the great tree against his back suddenly began to grow. A Wood Clone slowly emerged from its trunk.

This Wood Clone looked exactly like Madara Uchiha himself. With an icy expression, it stood before Madara, its gaze equally filled with chilling killing intent.

"Go."

"Keep Hashirama away from that important figure."

Madara Uchiha gave the order coldly. Only after watching his Wood Clone vanish in a Body Flicker did he have no choice but to consider a truly troublesome problem.

"Next..."

"The troublesome question is how to persuade that important figure..."

Madara Uchiha could not help frowning. He absolutely could not resort to violence directly, because violence might not be enough to deal with Shirou Emiya.

After all...

The lesson from using genjutsu last time had been far too profound.

That man's immense soul power, like that of a god, had crushed Madara's will in an instant, subjecting him to unprecedented mental backlash! Even the genjutsu he could have cast in his prime would not have stood a chance against him!

As for persuading Shirou Emiya...

Madara Uchiha was not entirely confident, either.

Madara Uchiha knew himself well. He had never been someone good at lecturing others; more often than not, he was the one being lectured.

Madara Uchiha turned to look toward Konoha Village's entrance. He could already see Shirou Emiya leaving Konoha, accompanied by two Konoha brats.

"I can only try... to deceive him..."