Conviction

Graveyard Mountains.

Madara Uchiha sat on the throne of the Asura of the Shinobi World, listening as Black Zetsu recounted the intelligence he had gathered.

"Senjutsu, the Wood Human Technique, the Mangekyō Sharingan, and even Majestic Attire: Susanoo wielded through the Wood Human Technique." Senju Genma had truly shocked Madara Uchiha.

"Does that child have Uchiha blood, too?"

"Could it be that after that battle, it wasn't only me who gained Hashirama's cells? Did Hashirama also use my body?"

"Then, under the direction of the naturally evil Senju Tobirama, did he conduct experiments I knew nothing about?"

"Or perhaps Hashirama was actually a woman, but she kept it from me, then secretly, without my knowledge..."

At this point, Madara Uchiha's old face turned red, and he looked a little bashful.

"If that's really the case, why didn't she tell me sooner? I liked her, too..."

"If she'd told me earlier, what would that woman Uzumaki Mito have had to do with anything?"

"Wait, no, the ages don't add up!"

"According to White Zetsu's intelligence, the First Shinobi World War had ended seven years before Genma was born. Hashirama died not long after our battle, and Tobirama died during the First Shinobi World War. The dates don't match."

"Then there's a good chance that someone in Genma's ancestry married into the Uchiha Clan!"

"Like the Senju Clan, our Uchiha Clan doesn't forbid marriage outside the clan. And before they awaken their eyes, our people aren't much different from ordinary people."

"Genma's parents' backgrounds are clear, so perhaps a clan member who'd wandered away married someone from the Senju Clan back in the Warring States era. That would explain why Senju Genma has so much power at only thirteen."

"Just as the stone tablet says, when the powers of the Senju and the Uchiha are combined, they can create an even greater power."

After saying all this, Madara Uchiha grew melancholy at the thought that Genma wasn't a child he'd had with Hashirama. He fell silent.

White Zetsu's main body asked, "Lord Madara, since Senju Genma has Uchiha blood and has awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, should we have him inherit your plan?"

Madara Uchiha didn't even need to speak. Black Zetsu answered for him.

"That child has already grown powerful. In Lord Madara's current condition, there's no way to force him through strength."

"Besides, from what I've observed, that child isn't easy to fool. He's not suited to carrying out the Eye of the Moon Plan."

Unless someone had something seriously wrong with their head, who would want to help us carry out our plan?

Madara Uchiha nodded, agreeing with Black Zetsu. "Black Zetsu is right. Keep looking for a suitable candidate."

"Senju Genma will be our backup. If my time is almost up and we still haven't found someone suitable, we'll have no choice but to try Senju Genma!"

"Yes." The Zetsu all answered in unison, then slowly sank underground.

Half a month later.

After losing the war against the Land of Fire, the Land of Wind ultimately fell into civil war.

With no other choice, Sunagakure was forced to sign a peace treaty with the Hidden Leaf Village.

The terms included the withdrawal of Sunagakure's forces from the Land of River, payment of war reparations to the Land of Fire and the Land of River, and the return of Shukaku through a ransom paid by Sunagakure.

As the Third Kazekage had predicted, the Land of Fire had no interest in the Land of Wind's territory.

Even so, the enormous war reparations put the Third Kazekage under immense pressure.

The main reason was that their most important Jinchūriki was in the enemy's hands. They had no choice but to pay.

If Bunpuku returned to the village safely, he could have come up with all sorts of excuses to put off paying, then let the matter fade away.

For that reason, Rasa, whom the Third Kazekage was grooming as his successor, could only spend day after day refining Gold Dust once his injuries had healed, trying to repay the Land of Fire as soon as possible.

As for the Land of River, well, Sunagakure simply didn't take them seriously.

After returning to Konoha, Senju Genma and the others didn't rest. They followed Hatake Sakumo to the Hokage Building.

Although they would submit a written report to Hiruzen Sarutobi soon after the war, it was only right for the unit's senior officers to report to him in person now that the fighting had just ended.

Knock, knock, knock—

Hatake Sakumo was very polite. He hurried in front of Tsunade, who was about to kick the door down, and knocked on the office door.

Knowing that today was an important day, Hiruzen Sarutobi hadn't used the Telescope Technique to watch anything strange. Instead, he was diligently reviewing documents.

He was about to pick one up when he heard the knock.

"Come in!" Hiruzen Sarutobi called.

Only after receiving Hiruzen Sarutobi's permission did Hatake Sakumo push the door open.

"Lord Hokage!"

At that, Hiruzen Sarutobi stood up as well, greeted everyone, and asked them to sit.

"You're all heroes of the village. You fought a splendid battle!"

"But I'd still like to learn more about what happened on the battlefield. Sakumo, please tell us about it."

"Yes!" Hatake Sakumo replied, then began explaining the details of the final battle to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

As for Genma's fight against Shukaku, Genma himself gave that account.

Of course, he didn't tell them everything exactly as it had happened. He embellished the story a little.

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't very well interrogate another country's important Jinchūriki over something like this, either. At most, he'd have someone make a few simple inquiries.

Senju Genma had already prepared for that with an illusion cast through his Mangekyō Sharingan.

Bunpuku was a Perfect Jinchūriki. Perfect Jinchūriki could resist illusions, but there was a condition: after falling under an illusion, either the Jinchūriki or the Tailed Beast had to remain conscious and use their own chakra to awaken the other.

If both were controlled at the same time, they couldn't dispel the illusion.

Senju Genma spoke for half an hour, making his account sound spectacular. He ended by describing his narrow victory, and even Tsunade was moved to tears.

Half a month had passed, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had received the battlefield report long ago. He already had a general understanding of the decisive battle between the two countries.

Even so, hearing Senju Genma describe it left Hiruzen Sarutobi shaken by Genma's strength.

As Senju Tobirama's student and one of the village's old guard who had been there since its founding, Hiruzen Sarutobi had never fought a Tailed Beast himself, but he had a general idea of how powerful they were.

Senju Genma had defeated the One-Tail. Even if it had been a narrow victory, that was still terrifying. It gave him a whole new understanding of Genma's strength.

"You all did very well. Genma, you've really surprised me this time!" Hiruzen Sarutobi exclaimed.

Senju Genma replied modestly, "Lord Hokage, it was nothing. I could only do it thanks to the help of my companions in the village. The bonds I share with them gave me the strength to defeat Shukaku."

Hiruzen Sarutobi praised him. "No, that's exactly what makes you worthy of praise. When I look at you, I see not only strength, but the true Will of Fire!"