The Peach Grove: Mom Loves Me the Most!

"Don't cry, don't cry!"

"There, there."

Mito Uzumaki wiped the tears from Tsunade's face, patiently coaxing her until her emotions gradually calmed.

However, Toma Senju, standing to the side, was frozen as if struck by lightning, unable to recover from the shock.

His second uncle was dead?

Impossible!

His second uncle possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique and was filled with powerful forbidden jutsu. If he wanted to leave, who in the ninja world could stop him?

But reality lay before him. No matter how much he didn't want to believe it, he had to accept it.

Tears welled up in Toma Senju's eyes as he recalled moments spent with Tobirama Senju. Ever since his father, Hashirama Senju, died, Tobirama Senju had taken on a fatherly role, teaching him as if he were his own son.

"Toma, now is not the time for grief."

"I know."

Toma Senju wiped away his tears, took a deep breath, and followed Mito Uzumaki into another room.

Toma Senju felt a knot of nervousness in his stomach, anticipating Mito Uzumaki's news.

She had summoned him back from the front lines so urgently; it must be related to the Third Hokage of Konoha.

Toma Senju was prepared to take over as the Third Hokage.

"According to Tobirama's dying wish, the person appointed as the Third Hokage is Hiruzen Sarutobi."

"What?"

Toma Senju could hardly believe his ears. Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Who the hell was he?

Did he have the right to covet the position of Hokage of Konoha just because of the Sarutobi clan behind him?

If Tobirama had passed the mantle to Kagami Uchiha, Toma Senju could have grudgingly accepted it.

Wait, wasn't Hiruzen Sarutobi his second uncle's bodyguard? If his second uncle was dead, how could he return?

A conspiracy!

This was a conspiracy!!

"This is impossible!!"

Toma Senju's composure shattered. He refused to believe Mito Uzumaki's words, repeatedly questioning her until he finally accepted the truth.

"Mother, you called me back in such a hurry. You don't want me to help Hiruzen Sarutobi ascend to power, do you?"

Toma Senju's expression turned cold. He couldn't understand his second uncle's decision. No matter how the Hokage position was passed down, it shouldn't fall to an insignificant figure like Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Even if the Senju clan grudgingly accepted it, the Uchiha would never agree.

This is going to ruin everything!

Mito Uzumaki sighed. She came from a prominent ninja clan and had read extensively. She was well aware of the dirty dealings within powerful families.

For the position of Clan Head, people could even resort to extreme measures and cause internal strife. How much more so for the Hokage of Konoha?

If she supported Hiruzen Sarutobi...

Her own son might turn against her immediately.

Toma Senju's status was that of the young Clan Head of the Senju clan. He had now automatically been promoted to Clan Head. If he rallied the clan, they could have her confined in an instant.

Could she really go against her own son?

For Hiruzen Sarutobi?

Don't be ridiculous!

"How could that be? Of course, I support you."

Mito Uzumaki immediately declared her stance, which was a great relief to Toma Senju, and his expression improved considerably.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi is just a minor player. Your real competitor is the Uchiha clan."

Toma Senju nodded. He hadn't taken Hiruzen Sarutobi seriously either.

If he wished, with the power of the Senju clan, Hiruzen Sarutobi would be found dead today with five shuriken in his back, ruled as a suicide.

The Uchiha clan was the true threat!

"Now, the Uchiha clan has produced a powerful individual who may one day rival Madara Uchiha. He has awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan."

Upon mentioning Madara Uchiha, Toma Senju's mind was instantly filled with images of Madara Uchiha dominating the battlefield with his Susanoo.

In this ninja world, no ninja was worthy of being Madara Uchiha's opponent, except for his father, Hashirama Senju.

Now, the Uchiha clan had produced such a figure. He himself was far from being as capable as his father, Hashirama Senju.

There was no doubt that the Uchiha were now targeting the Third Hokage's seat.

Toma Senju's mood grew anxious again. He hated that he hadn't inherited his father's Sage Body, Wood Release, or the Sage Mode he could activate instantly.

Compared to his father, Hashirama Senju, he was just an ordinary person.

Compared to regular ninjas, he only had a little more talent for ninjutsu, a bit more chakra, and a bit more recovery ability.

He had no competitiveness at all!

"Don't be so self-deprecating. You've only shown a little potential. Someone like Madara Uchiha wouldn't appear so easily."

"This is just a reminder, don't forget who the real opponent is."

Mito Uzumaki said slowly, seeing Toma Senju's confidence falter.

Throughout the Uchiha clan's thousand-year history, a genius capable of awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan would appear every few generations. Correspondingly, the Senju clan would also produce a genius capable of rivaling the Uchiha, as if it were a tradition.

Madara Uchiha was special. The previous Uchiha who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan were nowhere near as powerful as Madara Uchiha, and the Susanoo dwelling in their eyes didn't appear often.

The only reason Mito Uzumaki thought highly of Uchiha Nan was that Uchiha Nan had displayed the power of Susanoo, but it wasn't invincible.

Mito Uzumaki recalled Tobirama Senju's research. Madara Uchiha becoming an anomaly, his strength far surpassing that of previous Uchiha who awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan, had already ignited Tobirama Senju's scientific research fire.

According to Tobirama's deductions, awakening the Mangekyo Sharingan had a flaw. Continued use would eventually lead to exhaustion of the ocular power and blindness.

To compensate for this flaw, one could only transplant the Mangekyo Sharingan of a blood relative. Madara Uchiha had transplanted his younger brother Izuna Uchiha's eyes, and his strength underwent a qualitative change.

Although it was just a conjecture, if Tobirama said it, it certainly wasn't baseless. Perhaps Madara Uchiha's grave had already been dug up by Tobirama Senju, and the corpse was already on Tobirama's experiment table.

Uchiha Nan's parents had died early, and he had no siblings. The possibility of transplanting a pair of Mangekyo Sharingan was extremely slim.

"Toma, don't you think Hiruzen Sarutobi is very useful at this moment?"

"Since Tobirama fancies him, why not push him out first? We don't need to act. The Uchiha won't let him go. He's perfect for testing that Uchiha's strength and gathering more intelligence."

What a great idea!

Toma Senju's eyes lit up. In a ninja war, the power of intelligence was self-evident. There were too many strange ninjutsu in the ninja world, and it wasn't uncommon for Jonin to fail due to insufficient intelligence.

"Then I'll listen to Mother."

A cunning smile appeared on Toma Senju's face. Mother was indeed resourceful and always considered him.

Mom, you love me the most!

Mito Uzumaki nodded with relief, seeing her son agree with her.

Hiruzen, don't blame me.

At least on the matter of dealing with the Uchiha, I and the Senju clan support you. If you can solve the Uchiha problem, then the Senju won't be an obstacle to you.

As for the promise Mito Uzumaki had made to Hiruzen Sarutobi to help him deal with the Uchiha, she had selectively forgotten it.

Circumstances had changed. At that time, the Uchiha didn't have a ninja who had awakened the Mangekyo Sharingan.