Questioning the Conspirators! Pressuring the Hokage!

"Move."

There was no pointless chatter, nor any of the shouting from those bounty hunters earlier.

These masked Root shinobi were like killing machines programmed in advance.

"Wind Release: Vacuum Sphere!"

"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet!"

"Secret Technique: Kikaichū Sphere!"

They opened with killing moves.

The wind fed the flames, instantly forming a towering sea of fire. At the same time, densely packed poisonous insects surged from underground, sealing off every route of escape.

This was Root's elite.

Their coordination was flawless, they had no emotions, and they did not even fear death.

One Root shinobi had Explosive Tags plastered all over his body. Like a human bomb, he charged at Tobirama under the cover of the ninjutsu.

"Interesting."

Tobirama shielded Konan behind him, a cold smirk curling across his lips.

"They're a little better than that trash earlier, but only a little."

"Second-Stage Susanoo!"

Boom!

Red chakra erupted in an instant. This time, it was not merely a skeleton—its meridians and muscles materialized as well.

The terrifying flames, poisonous insects, and even the self-destructing Root shinobi—

When they struck that red armor, they failed to leave even a mark.

"Th-That's the red giant from the intelligence report!"

Though the Root captain was supposed to be emotionless, even he was intimidated by that chakra.

"The intelligence was wrong! Its defense cannot be breached!"

"Otsu! Take the intelligence and retreat! Report to Lord Danzo!"

"The rest of you, self-destruct with me! Hold him back!"

With a roar from the captain, the remaining seven or eight Root shinobi launched suicide attacks without hesitation.

"Trying to run?"

Tobirama watched the Root shinobi who turned and slipped into the forest like a loach.

"No one has ever left alive with my intelligence under my watch."

Tobirama's right eye flew open.

His gaze focused.

"Amaterasu!"

Whoosh—!

In the distance, the fleeing Root shinobi, Otsu, suddenly let out a shrill scream.

Black flames ignited out of nowhere across his back.

Water Release? Useless.

Earth Release? Useless.

He rolled frantically across the ground, but the black flames were like a curse from Hell. They only slowly died out after reducing him to a pile of ashes.

As for those few who wanted to self-destruct?

"Flying Thunder God Rasengan!"

Tobirama became a streak of red lightning.

Slash! Slash! Slash!

Susanoo's massive hand grabbed two men by the heads and crushed them outright.

Flying Thunder God Kunai flashed through the air.

Before the remaining men could ignite their explosive seals, their limbs were severed, and then their throats were cut with a single stroke.

One minute.

The battle was over.

The ground was covered in severed limbs and the scattered corpses of Root shinobi.

Expressionless, Tobirama took out a massive sealing scroll.

With practiced movements, he sealed away every corpse wearing a Root mask and bearing a Cursed Seal carved onto its tongue.

This was evidence.

It was also bargaining leverage for later.

"Master..."

Konan peered out from behind him, her face slightly pale.

"Were they Konoha shinobi too? Why did they want to kill us?"

She did not understand.

Enemy shinobi were one thing, but why would people from the same village kill each other?

"Because that is politics."

Tobirama put away the scroll and rubbed Konan's head, his eyes cold.

"Konan, remember this."

"The enemy is not only outside."

"Sometimes, the ones who stab you in the back are the people you fight desperately to protect."

"This welcome gift was sent by some rat hiding in the gutter."

"Come on. We're going back to the village."

Tobirama looked in Konoha's direction, killing intent surging around him.

"Master's taking you to... flip the table."

Konoha, the main gate.

Today was a big day.

Word had spread that Uchiha Tobirama, the hero who had conquered the Land of Rain, was returning. The entire village had flocked voluntarily to the gates.

Some held banners, some carried flowers, and people packed the area as far as the eye could see.

"He's here! He's here!"

"Lord Tobirama is back!"

The moment Tobirama appeared at the end of the road with Konan, cheers exploded.

"Lord Tobirama! You're so handsome!"

"Thank you for protecting Konoha!"

Countless girls screamed, while countless children looked at him with worshipful eyes.

Tobirama instantly changed his expression.

The cold killing intent vanished, replaced by a warm, gentle smile.

As he waved to the crowd, he pulled stack after stack of... banknotes from his ninja tool pouch.

That was right, money.

Hanzo's little treasury, which he had looted from Amegakure, was finally proving useful.

"Everyone has worked hard!"

"Th-These are all spoils of war! Konoha's glory should be shared by everyone!"

Rustle!

A rain of banknotes filled the sky.

The villagers were stunned by the sight, followed immediately by even more frenzied cheers.

Who did not like a hero who was strong, generous, and handsome?

Standing in the middle of the crowd, Tobirama shouted:

"I am Uchiha Tobirama!"

"And I am also part of Konoha!"

"As long as I am here, the flames of war will never reach Konoha!"

"I will protect every one of you as I protect my own family!"

That speech, paired with his monetary offensive, sent his reputation soaring to its peak.

Quite a few villagers were even moved to tears, feeling that their past prejudice against the Uchiha Clan had truly been inappropriate.

Look at that magnanimity! That was the Will of Fire!

Hokage Building, top floor.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stood by the window, watching the fanatical scene below. His expression was uglier than if he had swallowed a fly.

Beside him, Danzo looked even more grim, like a corpse.

"Hiruzen, did you see that?"

"He's buying people's hearts!"

"What kind of shinobi is this? He's clearly a politician!"

"If we let him continue like this, the next Hokage will be an Uchiha!"

Danzo gritted his teeth, venomous light flickering in his single eye.

"Root's assassination failed... useless trash!"

"Still, that brat may be strong, but he is young and hotheaded."

"Hiruzen, the next mission..."

Danzo lowered his voice, his tone chilling.

"Send him to the Land of Lightning border."

"I've already contacted the radicals in Kumogakure, along with Ōnoki of Iwagakure."

"When the time comes, I'll personally lead the team and disguise ourselves as enemy shinobi..."

"This time, we will use every resource available... and eliminate this threat completely!"

The hand holding Hiruzen Sarutobi's pipe trembled.

That was... a guaranteed-kill setup.

Not only would they use others to kill him, they intended to act personally.

"Danzo... isn't this a little too..."

"Too what?" Danzo sneered. "Think of Uchiha Madara!"

"Konoha cannot have a second uncontrollable Uchiha!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi fell silent.

He looked at the spirited youth outside, then at his own increasingly aged hands.

Finally—

He turned around, faced away from Danzo, and took a deep drag from his pipe.

He said nothing.

That was his tacit approval.

A vicious grin of triumph spread across Danzo's lips.

"Master, where are we going?"

Konan watched as Tobirama showed no intention of going home. Instead, he marched furiously toward the largest red building.

"To collect a debt."

The smile vanished from Tobirama's face.

What replaced it was rage suppressed to the extreme.

At the foot of the Hokage Building.

The Anbu guards had just tried to stop him.

"Get lost!"

With a single glance, Tobirama activated Tsukuyomi. His overwhelming ocular power made the two Anbu's legs go weak, and they fell to their knees on the spot, trapped in the Mangekyo genjutsu.

He led Konan through without obstruction, charging straight to the Hokage Office door.

Inside, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo were plotting.

Bang!

There was no knock.

There was no announcement.

Tobirama raised his leg, and a kick carrying the Strength of a Hundred slammed directly into the heavy oak door.

Boom!

The door exploded instantly, sending wood chips flying everywhere.

Half the door even flew past Danzo's ear before smashing into the wall and blasting out a massive crater.

Inside the office, there was deathly silence.

Hiruzen Sarutobi jolted in fright.

Danzo shot to his feet, his single eye fixed on the doorway.

Through the dust.

Tobirama stepped over the splintered wood, walking in one step at a time.

Behind him followed Konan, tense but trying hard to look calm.

Smack!

Tobirama casually hurled the scroll containing the Root corpses onto Hiruzen Sarutobi's desk.

The scroll rolled across the floor.

Shun released the corpses inside—masked figures with Cursed Seals on their tongues.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi!"

Tobirama did not bother with honorifics, addressing him directly by name.

His Mangekyō Sharingan spun wildly, and the red ribs of Susanoo faintly emerged as the temperature throughout the office instantly dropped to freezing.

He pointed at the scroll on the desk, then at Danzo beside it.

"Is this the explanation you're giving me?!"

"I'm risking my life on the front lines for you people, while you're sending men to stab me in the back?"

"An interception by Root? Or a suicide attack?"

"What? You think too few people from Konoha have died?"

"Or is it that..."

Tobirama stepped forward, his terrifying killing intent locking directly onto both Hiruzen Sarutobi and Danzo.

"You two old bastards are sick of living..."

"Do you want Konoha to erupt into civil war right now?"