The familiar figure returned to the vacant seat, and the Ninja Academy was once again filled with the lively chatter of days gone by.
Holding the textbook written by "Tobirama," Rikusei absentmindedly turned the pages. The studious atmosphere around him was as intense as the summer sunlight outside the window.
Was this really the same relaxed, leisurely classroom as before?
He could understand their eagerness to learn. The chance to take part in sealing a Tailed Beast was rare; they couldn't afford to miss it, or they'd regret it for the rest of their lives.
Maybe he should mention to Tobirama that next time he could bring more people along. After all, the Wood Golem had handled the Tailed Beast with one hand. At most, they'd need to prepare a few more Kunai bearing Flying Thunder God Marks.
All in all, he still missed the lazy atmosphere the school used to have.
A sharp sound of something cutting through the air came from the podium. Rikusei, lost in thought, suddenly leaned back, jolting awake and trying to twist aside. But Naori was sitting behind him.
The white blur hurtled closer in his field of vision. The chalk's white shape filled his eyes until it struck him squarely on the forehead.
It landed with a sharp thud that rang through the classroom.
Rikusei covered his reddening forehead and looked innocently toward the podium. Kaku, his face expressionless, crooked a finger to signal for him to bring the chalk over, then pointed toward the door.
After handing over the chalk, Rikusei obediently stood in the hallway, facing the wall and listening to the lesson inside. He activated his Sharingan to adjust his focus, carefully watching the podium. As the lesson progressed, he followed along with the diagram on the blackboard illustrating how to generate power in Taijutsu.
A refreshing summer breeze swept down the corridor, lifting his robe and drying the sweat on the back of his hand. The cool sensation reached his heart, and he thought this actually wasn't so bad.
"Heh. It's a real shame to put your Sharingan to use like that."
A faint teasing voice came from behind him. Even without turning around, Rikusei knew who it was.
The silver-haired man regarded him with a smile. When Rikusei turned around, he said softly, "You've already mastered all this, haven't you?"
Red eyes met red eyes.
Rikusei widened his Sharingan and stared at him in astonishment. The usually self-disciplined Tobirama had actually left the office and come straight here just to make fun of him.
Tobirama shrugged helplessly and gave him an encouraging look before heading out of the Ninja Academy.
Walking under the blazing sun, Tobirama made his way along Konoha's streets, surveying the crowds. He felt both pain and pleasure: after only a few days away, the village was already piled high with all kinds of paperwork again.
Who knew what new, outlandish ideas his Elder Brother and Madara would come up with to torment him in the Hokage's Office this time?
He quickened his pace toward the Hokage Building, but paused at the newly opened iced-drink shop and glanced at the shinobi working hard to chill the beverages.
His subordinates had investigated her identity thoroughly. She was a shinobi from the Yuki Clan of the Land of Water. Her strength was average, and she'd be easy to capture. Many of the kunoichi waiting in line at the shop were taking turns keeping an eye on her. It seemed the shinobi really liked her iced drinks.
Once he reached the Administration Department, Tobirama sat down and read through copies of the documents Shikahira had reviewed. A look of growing approval appeared in his eyes. Even when the matter concerned medicinal herbs belonging to his own clan, Shikahira hadn't shown any favoritism. He'd also handled matters involving the other two closely allied clans quite well.
Nara Shikahira.
Tobirama repeated his name in his mind. Suddenly, the office door opened, and the very man he'd just been thinking about walked in. Tobirama stood and pointed to the documents on the desk. "I'm taking these copies, all right?"
Shikahira watched the man sitting at the desk, resolve gathering in his eyes. He couldn't let such a good opportunity slip past him. He ventured, "What if we used the sealing of the Nine-Tails to make a bit of a splash in the Shinobi World?"
Tobirama turned the tables, raising an arm to invite him to sit down and explain.
Unfazed, Shikahira pulled a chair over from beside the wall. "Everyone in the Shinobi World knows how strong Lord Hokage and Lord Madara are, but many don't have a clear idea of what that means. This is the perfect opportunity to give them a glimpse."
Tobirama nodded, approving the idea inwardly. After the sealing, quite a few people in the village had already started comparing his Elder Brother's and Madara's power: the Nine-Tails was no match for the Great Buddha's grasp.
This was a very good development. The shinobi from the clans already understood their strength. The most important thing was for ordinary shinobi to see Konoha's might for themselves, rather than just hear about it secondhand.
That was how they could attract more people and gradually grow Konoha into the strongest village in the Shinobi World, earning more commissions from the Daimyo and bringing in more funds. That would create a virtuous cycle.
"How do we spread the word?" Tobirama gazed into his eyes, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk as he asked in earnest.
At last, Shikahira had gotten the question he'd been waiting for. He took a proposal he'd already written from a nearby cabinet and set it in front of Tobirama.
Tobirama took it and studied it carefully. As he read the opening, he realized the plan was to spread the news through merchants.
Merchants were indeed one of the main channels for information in the Shinobi World. As expected of the Nara Clan, with its medicinal-herb trade, Tobirama thought admiringly.
But the further he read, the more astonished he became.
Merchants collected local product prices and compiled them into tables. With a little expansion, those tables could become collections of news from the various hidden villages—printed in booklets and circulated throughout the Shinobi World.
If they really did this, Konoha would gain the upper hand in public opinion across the Shinobi World—or perhaps even monopolize information.
A gleam of admiration flickered in Tobirama's scarlet eyes. He'd gained a new appreciation for the Nara Clan's intelligence.
Shikahira's standing in his eyes rose another notch. He'd begun to think of him as one of his own.
"But there's a drawback, too. Once the other Hidden Villages learn that Konoha successfully sealed the Nine-Tails, they'll definitely go after the other Tailed Beasts."
Shikahira, seated in his chair, smiled silently. The man in front of him was pretending not to know what he already knew. The report of Kirigakure's failed attempt to capture the Three-Tails had already reached the Hokage Building.
He simply said, "Sealing Jutsu and sealing tools."
"Right." Tobirama stood up as though suddenly enlightened. Picking up the copies from the desk, he said with a chuckle, "I'll discuss what you suggested with the Hokage. There'll be plenty more work for you from now on, so don't complain that you're tired."
Shikahira saw Tobirama out. After watching him disappear down the corridor, he ran a hand over his Pineapple Head and turned to look at the now-empty desk. A relieved smile spread across his face. At last, he could be rid of that annoying nagging for good.
Carrying the documents, Tobirama headed down the hall toward the Hokage's Office. He could hear laughter from inside long before he reached the door. The smile on his face instantly turned as cold as ice.
He was working himself to the bone for the village, while the two inside were laughing away as if nothing was wrong, completely carefree. It was enough to make anyone feel bitter.
The knock on the door silenced the laughter. Tobirama pushed open the office door and saw the two of them sitting bolt upright, as if the laughter he'd heard had been an Uchiha Illusion Technique.
He dropped the stack of documents by the wall without a hint of warmth and said, "I just spoke with Shikahira. He brought up some interesting ideas, and I'd like to discuss them with you in detail."
With both hands resting flat on the desk, Hashirama glanced discreetly at Madara and said with great seriousness, "No problem."
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