Tobirama: Uchiha Yan is utterly depraved, even deceiving beasts

Konoha was peaceful and thriving.

But Senju Tobirama had just been turned away at the door.

The day Senju Tobirama saw Uchiha Yan wield the power of the tailed beasts, he began entertaining the thought of borrowing their power himself. As a ninja contracted with the sea and Konoha's master of forbidden techniques, if he could wield the tailed beasts' immense chakra like Uchiha Yan, then combine it with his forbidden techniques, how could the mere Uchiha dare act so brazenly before him?

This was called learning the barbarians' strengths to control the barbarians. Senju Tobirama was a pragmatist. As long as it could make him stronger, he was even willing to try human experimentation. This was nothing by comparison. If they could do it, so could he. If Uchiha Yan could borrow the power of those tailed beasts, there was no reason he could not.

Thus, Senju Tobirama went to Tailed Beast Paradise, intending to find a tailed beast suited to him.

The moment he entered Tailed Beast Paradise, Senju Tobirama frowned. After Uzumaki Ashina modified the seal, Tailed Beast Paradise no longer drained the tailed beasts' chakra day and night. The tailed beasts inside were each doing their own thing—playing with sand, spraying water, blowing bubbles.

Beasts really are beasts, Senju Tobirama cursed inwardly. Who knows what method that evil Uchiha Yan used to win over these tailed beasts.

"Uncle's back! Son Goku, as his nephew, why don't you hurry up and do a somersault to greet Uncle?" The sharp-tongued Shukaku spotted someone entering from afar and immediately hollered at the top of his lungs.

"Shukaku, no wonder you're the weakest tailed beast." Son Goku lay sprawled across a tree branch, mocking him without mercy. "He doesn't even smell like a fox."

"What uncle and nephew?" Senju Tobirama did not understand, only finding these beasts unbearably noisy.

"Damn it! Son Goku, you learned how to talk from that stinking fox too! If you've got the guts, let's settle this! Let's see who the weakest tailed beast is! So what if you're a red-furred monkey with four tails?" Shukaku flew into a rage.

"Who are you? What did you come here for?" Two-Tails Matatabi looked at Senju Tobirama.

"I am Senju Tobirama. Senju Hashirama, the one who captured you and brought you here, is my elder brother." Senju Tobirama proudly raised his head.

Truthfully, Senju Tobirama looked down on these tailed beasts. They did not look like dogs, nor did they look like cats. Especially that Eight-Tails, with a bull's head and an octopus body—who knew what the hell it was supposed to be.

"Senju? Descendants of Ashura," Five-Tails Reverent King said.

"According to Uncle, Ashura is our elder brother. Since the Senju are Ashura's descendants, this brat should call us great-uncles." Shukaku looked at Senju Tobirama with a sly grin.

Ever since Uchiha Yan acknowledged them as his nephews, Shukaku had acted as though he did not care, but deep down, he valued it greatly.

What kind of nonsense was this? Senju Tobirama only felt that these beasts were insane. He was the second-in-command of the Senju Clan and Konoha's gate commander, and they wanted him to call these beasts great-uncles?

"Hmph. I don't know what Uchiha Yan told you, but I know he borrowed your power."

"What an irritating fellow, showing no respect for his elders." Eight-Tails Ox Demon barely restrained its anger. As children of the Sage of Six Paths, they were being treated this way by the descendants of their elder brother Ashura.

"Name your terms. Whatever Uchiha Yan can do, I can do as well." Though communicating with these beasts was exhausting, Senju Tobirama felt he could endure it for now.

"Hahahaha..." Shukaku laughed in a mocking tone. "We're being looked down on."

"Get out!"

Eight-Tails Ox Demon could no longer stand listening to him. If not for the sake of their Fourth Uncle, it would have made this fellow understand the consequences.

Their father, the Sage of Six Paths, was the eldest; Hamura was their Second Uncle; Black Zetsu was their Third Uncle. But the original Black Zetsu had split into two, so they called the new Black Zetsu their Third Uncle and Uchiha Yan their Fourth Uncle.

"Hmph!" Senju Tobirama left Tailed Beast Paradise in a furious rage.

That damned Uchiha Yan was truly devoid of all conscience, rotten to the core—he had even deceived beasts. Though Senju Tobirama had not fully understood what they meant earlier, he had roughly figured it out: Uchiha Yan had taken these beasts as his nephews. Those damned beasts even wanted him to be their nephew? Even if these beasts became his nephews, he would find them beneath him. He should never have come today.

"Tobirama."

Senju Tobirama stormed back to the Senju clan grounds, where he saw his sister-in-law, Mito, calling out to him.

"Sister-in-law, what is it?"

"It's about Uchiha Izuna."

"Something about that Izuna? Sister-in-law, tell me everything."

That day, Uzumaki Mito had heard Uori mention "the eternal, undying light" and "what a pity Yan has no brothers." After much thought, she felt she should tell her brother-in-law. After all, if Senju Tobirama kept acting so crazily, Mito feared he would lead Shuzong astray.

Uzumaki Mito repeated Uori's words from that day exactly as she had heard them. Senju Tobirama's mind raced after listening. As the shinobi world's master of forbidden techniques, Senju Tobirama's intelligence was beyond question. Before long, he had roughly deduced the reason Izuna had grown stronger.

Mangekyo Sharingan... biological brothers could influence each other... eventually strengthening both of their ocular power?

Izuna saying, "What a pity Yan has no brothers," meant that this effect could only be achieved between blood-related brothers.

Because Uchiha Yan had no brothers, he could not strengthen his ocular power?

So was Izuna in such a hurry to have a second child because of this as well?

Senju Tobirama felt that he had uncovered the Uchiha's secret.

Meanwhile, within the Uchiha clan grounds...

Uori moved into the Uchiha clan grounds with Shino and Nagetsuki. Of her two sisters, one liked Uchiha Madara while the other liked Uchiha Yan. Letting them live in the Uchiha clan grounds meant they would have the advantage of proximity.

That evening, Izuna learned that Uzumaki Shino liked his elder brother, and he was overjoyed.

Meanwhile, after Uchiha Yan heard of this from Izuna, he arranged a position for Shino as a "Hokage's assistant" the very next day. However, the position carried no real authority. Her daily duties consisted of organizing materials for the Hokage and serving tea and water.

Ever since Uchiha Madara returned, Yan had stepped down as acting Hokage. Uchiha Madara now had to review documents at Konoha White Palace every day, and the position of Hokage's assistant happened to ease his burden.

Unfortunately, progress on Uchiha Yui's side remained slow. Compared to before, however, Senju Tobirama had already grown accustomed to Yui. After receiving Uchiha Yan's guidance, Yui often cooked for Tobirama. Their way of getting along had gone from Tobirama shouting and yelling at the beginning to a modest degree of mutual understanding now.

As for Uzumaki Nagetsuki...

Uchiha Yan had a headache.

Man was not made of grass or wood; how could he be without feelings? It was simply that his ambitions did not lie in romance. So long as the Otsutsuki Clan remained, he truly had no mind for such matters.

It was not that he failed to see Uzumaki Nagetsuki's feelings. He simply did not know how to respond.

For now, he could only put it off and deal with it later.