Minato's Reluctant Return to the Village

The beginning of Konoha's forty-eighth year.

Everything inside the village was under Orochimaru's control. He had complete authority over it.

Outside the village, Minato called the shots. Most of the border guards were his men.

Inside the Hokage Office.

"Obito, what happened to half your body?" Orochimaru asked, looking at Obito.

Ever since Obito had returned to the village with Minato, he had become quite conspicuous. If he wanted to become Hokage, he was doing good deeds left and right. Among the village elders, who didn't know Obito by now?

The fact that one of Minato's students was trying to win the elders' favor set Orochimaru on edge, so he started paying a little attention to Obito.

That was when he realized something was strange about Obito's body!

Zhengyi trained six days a week, giving his body one day to rest. Many of Konoha's ninja followed the same routine.

But Obito trained seven days a week, like a machine that never got tired!

Obito's original intention had been to make up for the days on his annual training pass that he'd wasted with Madara. In his carelessness, he'd revealed how quickly this body could recover.

"Uh, Lord Hokage, someone rescued me back then..."

Obito had no choice but to gloss over Madara's existence and explain how he'd ended up like this to Orochimaru.

"Is that so?" Orochimaru had the feeling Obito was hiding something from him. And if he let his imagination run wild, could this Obito be an impostor? Was the real Obito already dead?

"Obito, about this half of your body—I have a way to help you recover your original appearance. Do you want it?" Orochimaru suddenly became interested in Obito's body.

"I do! Of course I do, Lord Hokage. You're such a good person."

Obito had had enough of his half-destroyed face. He was afraid he'd scare Rin, and even after being back for so many days, he hadn't dared to go see her.

He really...

What would I do without Rin?

If I showed her my real face...

Would she hold me tight?

The White Zetsu fused with half of Obito's body felt helpless and despairing.

Was this the fate of all White Zetsu?!

The number of White Zetsu left decreased by one.

"So this thing is called White Zetsu? Its bodily structure is truly fascinating." Orochimaru strangled the White Zetsu. Looking at its body, he licked his lips with a wicked smile.

Without the White Zetsu fused to him, Obito was missing half his body and looked rather odd. The fact that he was even alive was a miracle. Orochimaru had grown intensely curious about Obito's body, and when he examined it, what did he discover?

Hashirama Cells were hidden inside Obito's body.

Heh. Obito had lied.

Hashirama Cells weren't something just anyone could handle.

Konoha had once conducted experiments with Hashirama Cells. Everyone who had them injected into their bodies—including members of the Senju clan—had struggled to withstand their vitality. Many had died on the operating table.

Was it because he was an Uchiha?

Orochimaru didn't think even he could handle Hashirama Cells yet. No one in the Shinobi World understood cellular research better than he did.

So...

It could only be because Obito was an Uchiha.

He should focus his research on the Uchiha.

"Go on back."

Zhengyi felt that Konoha's population of tens of thousands was still too small. A smaller population meant less tax revenue and less consumption in the future, so they needed to encourage people to have children!

Konoha's economy was booming, and Orochimaru kept producing new technological research!

Every villager in Konoha believed one thing: tomorrow would be better.

Ever since Minato and the others had returned, the village's birth rate had risen sharply. It was as if everyone had agreed to have babies lately.

Many women's bellies were gradually growing round, and they were getting all kinds of checkups at the hospital.

Minato and the others ended up staying in the village.

Shikaku had no choice. They didn't have Zhengyi's boldness when it came to dealing with the nobles, because they were nobles themselves—not like Orochimaru and Zhengyi, who came from common backgrounds.

So Minato had military authority, but no land. That put him at a serious disadvantage, and he still had to return to the village to build his influence.

Jiraiya continued traveling the world, wandering wherever he pleased.

As long as Minato held on to his military authority, he'd be safe. Shikaku advised him to stay in the village and contend with Orochimaru.

He had to wait for a chance to settle everything in one decisive battle.

Endure! It meant keeping an open mind and holding steady!

To be honest, Minato really hated Shikaku's approach. But when he saw Shikaku's resolute gaze, he knew it was all for his own good. What could he possibly reproach him for? There was a lot he needed to learn from Shikaku.

There was no way Orochimaru believed Obito's story.

He left Zhengyi in charge of Konoha, then secretly took some Anbu to investigate underground near Kannabi Bridge, where Obito had disappeared.

"Lord Hokage! Over here!"

The Anbu found a passage. After entering, Orochimaru discovered the place where Madara had once lived.

He surveyed the dark cave, his eyes full of curiosity.

Who had lived here?

It was clear the former occupants had left in a hurry. They had erased all traces of their daily lives, but hadn't bothered to seal up the cave completely.

"When Zhengyi went to steal the Hashirama Cells, he saw Hashirama's body with only one piece missing."

Orochimaru fell into thought.

That missing piece had been used in the Hashirama Cells experiments that the Third Hokage had ordered back then. The remains had all been destroyed afterward.

This proved that whoever had obtained the Hashirama Cells in Obito's body had taken them while Hashirama was still alive.

Based on Orochimaru's research into Hashirama Cells, they had become unusually active after Hashirama turned seventeen, reaching their peak. Anyone who had injured Hashirama before he was seventeen could also be ruled out.

The only person who could have injured Hashirama after he turned seventeen...

Was that man.

Was it you?

Madara Uchiha.

Everyone said Madara Uchiha was dead. But what if... his death back then had only been a feint? As far as Orochimaru knew, the Uchiha had a dōjutsu called Izanagi. It could rewrite reality at the cost of one eye.

If that was the case...

It would be wonderful.

Then...

Madara...

What was your purpose in clinging to life?

Could we become kindred spirits?

Black Zetsu had known the cave's existence would be discovered.

Fortunately, he'd moved Madara somewhere else.

Looking at Madara, who was hooked up to the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path and "powered down," Black Zetsu missed his mother.

He had suffered so much and worked so hard to resurrect her.

"What should we do?"

The one asking Black Zetsu was a cold, unsmiling White Zetsu.

Now that Obito had returned to Konoha, who was going to capture the Tailed Beasts?

"What has Madara's eye been doing lately?" Black Zetsu asked.

By "Madara's eye," he meant Nagato Uzumaki. He had founded the Akatsuki with Yahiko and Konan, and was working toward peace in Amegakure.

For now...

The results were mediocre, and they hadn't attracted much attention.

Nagato was easily swayed. He only listened to Yahiko.

Obito was lovesick. Unless Rin died right in front of him—but at this point, whether Rin died or not didn't matter. It wasn't as if just any death could make Obito break down and hate the world.

Two useless fools!

All they did was go on about love. Was romance really that important?

And Madara brought up Hashirama every day. Now he was just lying there asleep, leaving all the problems to Black Zetsu. What did he even need Madara for?

"A bunch of useless idiots. Not one of them can be relied on."

To make matters even worse...

Madara's lifespan had run out. He died that winter.

Black Zetsu: "!"

Madara was dead, and Obito hadn't come back either. What kind of hellish start was this?!