Not long after the battle along the southern coastline of the Land of Wind...
Konohagakure, Underground City.
Kamui's research institute.
"Monkey, you've gotten old."
The Impure World Reincarnation Senju, dressed in a white lab coat, stared at his disciple.
That was... Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Lord Second..."
Upon seeing his teacher again, Hiruzen Sarutobi was startled at first, then tears of emotion streamed down his face.
"I'm sorry... Lord Second, I got too emotional..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and spoke.
"Koharu, you haven't changed much."
Tobirama Senju's gaze swept over Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura.
Mitokado Homura had aged somewhat less.
That was because Danzo had transplanted Wood Release Cells into him back then.
He looked to be stuck in his fifties.
And being in one's fifties... actually meant one was still in one's prime.
Although his true age was already sixty-eight.
"..."
Utatane Koharu looked at Tobirama Senju with a complicated expression.
Her lips moved, but she still said nothing.
Because...
"What is it?"
Tobirama Senju asked.
"Lord Second..."
Mitokado Homura tightened his face and adjusted the green-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose.
"The village has reached a critical juncture..."
Mitokado Homura deftly changed the subject.
Tobirama Senju was naturally a shrewd man.
He understood at a glance that Utatane Koharu had something she found difficult to bring up.
So he gave his disciple an easy way out.
The truth was...
The real Utatane Koharu was already dead.
The one standing before Tobirama Senju was nothing more than a collection of Wood Release Cells.
It could be said...
Utatane Koharu was the Wood Release Cells version of Tobi.
Tobi White Zetsu was a Child of the Divine Tree born from the Divine Tree.
He possessed the purest White Zetsu Cells—in other