Yang Seal!

Tamura Hiroshi calmly spun his tale. "You can think of me as part of Tobirama, or as a continuation of him. Back then, he conducted a great deal of research, including cell replication experiments. He wanted to replicate Hashirama and create new individuals like him, thereby ensuring the Senju's position and preventing the clan from declining due to a lack of top-tier experts."

Unfortunately, he died in battle in the Land of Lightning before completing his research. I'm one of the unfinished works he left behind."

This was the explanation he had prepared beforehand. Once he learned that Konoha had already sent people to communicate with the Uzumaki clan, he knew Uzumaki Kushina was about to be sent to Konoha.

He had to seize this opportunity, trick the mother of that protagonist into leaving, and cut off the chance for that Hokage protagonist to be born—or, in other words, change the identity of the protagonist's mother.

If Uzumaki Naruto's birth was predetermined and could not be changed, then he could change the secondary factors. That would certainly allow him to obtain a considerable amount of the Power of Destiny.

Masahiko Uzumaki was stunned. It took him a while to recover.

"Has Tobirama's research already become that forbidden?"

He knew Senju Tobirama liked researching forbidden ninjutsu, but he had not expected it to have reached such an extreme.

"How has Sister Kushina been doing all these years?"

Whenever he thought of that older sister, Masahiko Uzumaki felt conflicted.

"Her material life is certainly very good, but her mental state isn't so great. In particular, Sister Tsunade caught Hashirama's gambling addiction—and she loses every single bet. If this continues, she'll squander the clan's entire fortune. She already has a terrible reputation, and she can't even find a decent husband. She's driven Grandma Mito nearly mad."

Tamura Hiroshi began grumbling. He knew he could not reveal the slightest flaw now. An old hand like this was not easy to fool.

"That girl Tsunade still hasn't quit gambling?"

Masahiko Uzumaki laughed. He knew about it. That girl really was too fond of gambling, and her luck was absolutely terrible.

As for the young man's confusing way of addressing people by generation, he paid little attention to it. After all, the young man's identity itself was difficult to determine.

"I prepared some sakura cakes that Sister Kushina likes. Take them back to her when you leave."

He said it casually, but Masahiko Uzumaki still harbored doubts about the young man's identity.

According to the report, the leader of this group had gone to see the elder. Everyone knew that the elder hated Konoha the most—indeed, he even hated the Senju Clan.

Moreover, the Chakra auras of the three people outside did not possess the Life Force characteristic of the Senju. Something felt very wrong.

However, this probing was completely transparent to Tamura Hiroshi. With his Good-Evil Perception, Tamura Hiroshi had an excellent grasp of other people's emotions. He could sense that the clan leader of the Uzumaki clan still did not truly trust him.

"Grandma Mito likes sakura cakes? I've never seen her eat them."

Feigning confusion, Tamura Hiroshi indicated that he had never seen it happen. Don't try to fool me.

"She liked them when she was young. Maybe her tastes changed after she got married."

Masahiko Uzumaki brushed it off casually, but he felt considerably more at ease. It seemed this really was someone from the Senju Clan, and he was very close to his sister.

Feeling Masahiko Uzumaki's growing goodwill, Tamura Hiroshi inwardly mocked the old man's old-fashioned test.

This sort of probing scene had already been overused in the films and television dramas of his previous life. It had nothing new about it.

"You weren't sent here by my sister, were you?"

Masahiko Uzumaki got down to business. These people had come to Uzushio Hidden Village and immediately sought out the elder. They clearly had something important to discuss.

Tamura Hiroshi knew the main event had arrived. He put on a helpless expression and spun another tale. "There are many different voices within the clan. Grandma Mito's faction favors stability and is willing to compromise again and again, until those people test our bottom line.

"My faction has already seen through the sinister ambitions of Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others. The Great Ninja War that is about to begin will be a major crisis for both the Uzumaki clan and the Senju clan.

"I want to represent the Senju clan in inviting the Uzumaki clan to join Konoha and live alongside us Senju, so that we can work together to plan for the future.

"Most importantly, we must take control of the Nine-Tails. Whether in the Ninja World or within Konoha, overwhelming strength is the foundation of everything.

"The Senju Clan has lost both Hashirama and Tobirama, and has weakened far too much. Now, with Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others secretly guiding the village's many Ninja Clans to reject and isolate us, and with Grandma Mito growing old and finding it increasingly difficult to suppress the Nine-Tails, the situation will become extremely dangerous if this continues..."

Drawing on the information he had learned from Dodai and his knowledge of Naruto, he fabricated this entire speech. It was absolutely enough to fool the old man.

Masahiko Uzumaki listened attentively, and his expression grew graver with every word.

The problems within Konoha were more complicated and severe than he had imagined.

"I can tell you with absolute certainty that the deployment of our clan's elite forces to the Frontline in the Land of Earth was no accident. The joint attack on the Land of Whirlpools by the Four Great Shinobi Villages was no coincidence either. The Uzumaki clan can only continue to exist by merging with us Senju. Otherwise, our clan will surely be wiped out."

At the end, Tamura Hiroshi displayed an overbearing determination to claim the Uzumaki clan. Put simply, he was taking advantage of the situation to pressure them.

This made Masahiko Uzumaki unhappy. It felt like nothing more than taking advantage of their desperate situation.

"Although the shinobi armies of the Four Great Shinobi Villages are powerful, our Uzushio Hidden Village is not weak either. This is our homeland. We will not go anywhere."

Masahiko Uzumaki put on a firm front. He absolutely could not show weakness at a time like this.

"Confidence is a good thing. I'll be watching with interest. However, I must take the person with me today. I absolutely cannot let Hiruzen Sarutobi and the others get their hands on her."

Tamura Hiroshi smiled leisurely as he stated that he wanted to take someone away—the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki they had already chosen.

"Very well!"

After a moment of silence, Masahiko Uzumaki nodded in agreement. This had already been decided, and his sister had mentioned it in her letter as well.

With the business concluded, Masahiko Uzumaki once again curiously examined the young man before him.

"Which of Tobirama's talents did you inherit?"

He felt that the young man's Chakra aura was extremely weak, so his aptitude in this area should not be very good.

But since he was Senju Tobirama's creation and replica, he should still possess some extraordinary talents.

"Does intelligence count?"

Tamura Hiroshi replied helplessly. He then took the Sword of the Thunder God from the Sealing Object Spell on the inside of a Kō plate and injected Chakra into it, forming a small lightning blade.

"There are many problems with me. The main one is that my aptitude for Chakra Quantity is terrible. Grandma Mito said that you might be able to help me."

He did not know what sort of foundation the Uzumaki clan possessed, but it was certainly considerable. They had inherited so many Sealing Techniques, so they ought to have some way to help people increase their Chakra.

Besides, the Sword of the Thunder God could serve as a token, further earning the old man's trust.

Sure enough, after seeing the Sword of the Thunder God, Masahiko Uzumaki completely believed him. After all, it was Tobirama's weapon. There was no mistaking it.

"Your Chakra Quantity is far too low!"

Staring at the tiny lightning blade, Masahiko Uzumaki truly could not believe that this was a replica of Senju Tobirama.

It really was an unfinished work!

"My sister asked you to come here because of the Yang Seal that her husband asked Father to research back then. But I can't give it to you for nothing."

Back then, her husband had asked Father to simplify the Yin Seal so that ordinary shinobi could cultivate it, allowing them to store Chakra and improve their endurance and explosive power in battle.

Unfortunately, her husband had died too young, and Senju Tobirama had followed him soon after. The Hokage of Konoha had then become Hiruzen Sarutobi, someone they were unfamiliar with, so the deal had not continued.

However, before Father passed away, he successfully simplified the Yin Seal and named it the Yang Seal.

Although its effects were far inferior to those of the complete Yin Seal, its cultivation requirements were much lower. It did not even require the assistance of Yin-Yang Release. As long as one's Chakra control reached a sufficient standard, one could successfully cultivate it.