"Is that you, Tianqi? Who would've thought the last person I'd see at the end of my life would be an Uchiha? How ironic. Did you come to laugh at me?" Tobirama Senju said slowly between labored breaths.
"You're overthinking it. The moment I awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, you were already no match for me. Besides, you're breathing your last. I'm just here to collect your body so you don't end up lying in the wilderness, a laughingstock." Tianqi looked at Tobirama Senju, once a mighty shinobi, and felt a tangle of emotions at the sight of him now.
"Is that so? When I die, take me back to the village. The village will be in your hands from now on. I..." Before Tobirama could finish speaking, he drew his last breath.
Watching Tobirama pass, Tianqi sighed. "I never realized how fragile life could be. No wonder Orochimaru turned evil in the original story. Anyone would be moved watching a great man die right in front of them."
"Damn, I almost forgot there's someone else still alive." Tianqi looked at Kinkaku, who was lying on the ground. Both Kinkaku and Ginkaku had reverted from their Nine-Tails forms to their ordinary appearances, but their bodies were extensively burned. Tianqi couldn't tell whether the injuries had come from the explosion or from using the Nine-Tails Chakra.
"You're going to be killed by the Third Raikage eventually anyway. Instead of waiting for that, I might as well do you a favor and avenge Tobirama now. Sigh, what can I say? I'm just that kindhearted. You don't have to thank me, Tobirama Senju." Looking at Kinkaku lying on the ground, Tianqi drew the Tang Dao strapped to his back.
He brought the blade down on Kinkaku's neck as he lay unconscious. In an instant, his head was severed from his body. Kinkaku, a mighty shinobi, lost his life without ever waking up.
Tianqi put Tobirama Senju's body into the Kamui Dimension, then looked around. Where were the Six Paths Ninja Tools? They'd make pretty good entertainment. He had no idea where they'd gone. Never mind. Without looking back, he left and headed for the Konoha camp.
A day after Tianqi had left, the Cloud Ninja came to retrieve Kinkaku and Ginkaku's bodies. Of course, that was the next day. Tianqi was leaping through the forest, and soon the Konoha army appeared before him.
"Tianqi? You weren't at camp. What are you doing here?" Sarutobi asked as soon as he saw Tianqi.
"It's like this. A few days after you left, my eye kept twitching, and I had a bad feeling. So I followed this road to look for you, but I couldn't find you." Tianqi began making up an excuse on the spot.
"Oh, I see." Sarutobi Hiruzen didn't suspect a thing. They'd known each other for so long that there was basic trust between them.
"Hmph. If you went looking for us, why didn't we see you on the way back? You're definitely hiding something." Unlike Sarutobi, Danzo was in a foul mood and found fault with everyone because he hadn't become Hokage.
Tianqi ignored Danzo, and Sarutobi and the others did too.
"Tianqi, you don't know what's happened yet. Come on, hurry with us. The Second is in danger. We have to go save him!" Sarutobi remembered the urgent matter and reached for Tianqi, ready to rush off.
"Big Brother Sarutobi, there's no need to go. It's already over." Tianqi stopped Sarutobi Hiruzen from setting out.
"Tianqi, what do you mean, it's over? You don't know what happened. Kinkaku and Ginkaku of the Cloud Ninja staged a coup, and the Raikage is dead. The Second is fighting alone to protect us. We have to hurry and reinforce him!" Sarutobi urgently explained what had happened.
"I know, Big Brother Sarutobi. Hold on, okay? Let me show you something. I guarantee you won't want to go reinforce him after you see it." With that, Tianqi activated his Mangekyō Sharingan and brought Tobirama Senju out of the Kamui Dimension.
Tobirama Senju's body appeared before the Konoha shinobi. They stared at it in disbelief.
"Teacher! Teacher! Second! Lord Hokage!" Everyone looked at the body with grief, especially Tobirama Senju's students and the members of the Senju Clan. Kagami Uchiha looked sorrowful as well.
"Tianqi! What happened? How could this have happened to the Second? Explain everything to me!" Sarutobi grabbed Tianqi by the shoulders, his face furious.
"It happened like this..." Tianqi left out the beginning and the end as he told them what had happened. He didn't mention that he'd watched from the sidelines.
"Damn the Cloud Ninja! Damn Kinkaku and Ginkaku!" Sarutobi Hiruzen punched the ground, venting his anger.
"Sarutobi, we have to avenge our teacher and the Konoha shinobi who died. We must wipe out the Cloud Ninja! Give the order, Sarutobi!" Furious at the death of his mentor, Danzo urged Sarutobi to act. He didn't care whether Tianqi's story was true; all he could think about was revenge against the Cloud Ninja.
Several of the students nodded in agreement. Kagami was the only exception.
"No, absolutely not. If we start another war now, both sides will suffer terribly and countless people will die. The other shinobi villages will only take advantage of us." Seeing Sarutobi Hiruzen wavering, Kagami hurried forward to stop him.
"Kagami Uchiha, what are you saying? Our teacher treated you well. He never looked down on you because you were an Uchiha—instead, he even acknowledged you. Aren't you afraid you'll make him turn over in his grave by saying that?" Danzo angrily snapped at Kagami.
"It's precisely because our teacher acknowledged me that I have to stop you. I absolutely won't agree to starting another war. If you want to go to battle today, you'll have to step over my dead body." Kagami rarely talked back to Danzo, but he loved peace and would never allow another war to begin.
"You damn Uchiha! I'll..." After hearing Kagami's words, Danzo drew a Kunai and prepared to attack him.
Just then, Tianqi stepped forward and grabbed Danzo's hand.
"Uchiha Tianqi, what do you think you're doing? Are you siding with Kagami and rebelling too?" Danzo grew even angrier when Tianqi stepped in to stop him.
Tianqi ignored Danzo and addressed Sarutobi Hiruzen. "Big Brother Sarutobi, I know Tobirama Senju appointed you Hokage. You're now the leader of the village. Even if you don't consider the shinobi, you have to think about the people of the village."
"We've already lost more than half our forces in this war. Some villagers have lost their parents, some their siblings, and some the people they love most. Are you going to make even more people lose their families just for revenge? Before he died, Tobirama Senju wanted you to protect Konoha, not avenge him. Third Hokage, you must think carefully!" Tianqi looked at Sarutobi earnestly. He knew Sarutobi Hiruzen would choose the right path.
Sure enough, after hearing Tianqi's words, Sarutobi's agitation began to settle. He was right—he was no longer a mere foot soldier. As the Third Hokage and leader of the village, he had to take responsibility for its people.
"Everyone, withdraw! Return to Konoha and bury the Second. We'll discuss everything else later." Having made up his mind, Sarutobi Hiruzen gave the order to retreat.
"You! You'll regret this decision one day, Sarutobi!" Danzo angrily shook his hand and left. He headed toward Konoha in the Land of Fire. He had no choice but to obey; Sarutobi was Hokage now.
When Danzo had left, the others didn't press the matter. They followed the army back to Konoha, while Kagami nodded at Tianqi in gratitude.
Tianqi ignored Kagami and followed Sarutobi. It was better to keep his distance from Kagami, that peace-loving loser.
Before you continue