Uchiha Natsu's Warning

Hashirama's pupils suddenly contracted, and his expression instantly became serious.

He immediately stepped forward, firmly blocking Tobirama. His usually cheerful and gentle voice had completely turned somber, filled with an unyielding determination.

"The Uchiha residing in Konoha are all my Hashirama Senju. As long as I am alive, no one can harm them in the slightest."

Natsu did not look at him; her Sharingan remained fixed on Tobirama behind her, unwavering.

"These are the words I've been waiting for. But Hashirama, everyone's lifespan eventually comes to an end."

He slowly revealed the cruelest reality, each word piercing to the bone.

"Now that Madara has withdrawn from this world, after your passing, Tobirama Hokage, and in the future, Hiruzen Sarutobi Shimura Danzō hold Scepter in Konoha. At that time, who will still be determined to protect the Uchiha?"

"I have already shown you the complete tragedy of the Uchiha's annihilation in another world, Tobirama. You know the whole story of that tragedy better than anyone else."

Tobirama clenched the Kunai Tobirama his palm with such force that his knuckles turned bluish-white.

He had no way to refute it.

Every word Natsu uttered was a bloody and undeniable fact.

He had indeed deduced the future of Konoha after Madara's departure countless times, and had devised ways to counter and suppress the Uchiha. He even filled his Forbidden Technique manual with tactics to counter the Sharingan's characteristics.

These hidden schemes were now laid bare, exposed to the Gecko.

I want a promise.

The Wood Clone's tone was flat and forceful, leaving no room for negotiation.

The courtyard fell into a long, deathly silence.

The night wind blew silently, making people's hearts tense.

Hashirama couldn't help but turn his head to look at his silent younger brother beside him, quietly waiting for his reply.

After a long while, Tobirama raised his Tobirama and returned the Kunai to his waist. He then raised his arm and condensed a wisp of Chakra light, which floated above his palm.

That was the most solemn oath of a ninja; once made, it was valid for life.

"I, Tobirama Senju, hereby swear."

He raised his eyes and stared directly into those scarlet Sharingan, his gaze both frank and piercing, his words resounding with conviction.

"In my lifetime, I will never initiate attacks or persecute the Uchiha Clan, nor will I issue any discriminatory laws against the Uchiha, and I will not tolerate any person or force systematically suppressing or persecuting the Uchiha."

After a brief pause, he completed the most weighty part of the vow without the slightest hesitation.

"If I break this oath, I will have no complaints Uchiha Natsu takes my life himself."

Natsu gazed at him quietly, remaining silent for a long time before slowly nodding.

"I've got it."

As the words fell, the clone's form began to slowly fade from the edges. Fine wood chips mixed with wisps of white smoke drifted away in the wind, and the form gradually melted into the night.

Seeing that he was about to disappear, Hashirama quickly asked, "Madara... has he already left?"

"They've already set off." From within the blurred afterimage, Natsu's calm voice echoed, "They've also taken Izuna Uchiha's remains with them."

Hashirama felt a slight lump in Hashirama throat, a profound emptiness welling up inside him. After a long pause, he whispered, "Remember to tell him that I've been waiting for the dumplings he owes me."

"Um."

As the last wisp of white smoke dissipated in the wind, the courtyard finally returned to its completely empty state.

The evening breeze swept through the courtyard, rustling the stacks of official documents in the study, the sound of pages turning particularly clear in the quiet night.

Hashirama turned to look at his younger brother beside him, his tone gentle yet firm.

"I've kept your promise in mind. You don't have to shoulder this responsibility of checks and balances alone."

There was no response from the Tobirama. He silently turned and walked back to his study, sat down, and began to write, gazing at the documents piled on the table.

The pen tip hovered above the paper, not falling for a long time.

After a few breaths of silence, he finally suppressed the turmoil in his heart, slowly put down his pen, and continued to review the official documents that seemed to never be finished.

Tonight, however, my pen carries a heavy weight of constraint and unwavering resolve, no longer displaying the sharp, decisive edge of the past.

The spatial fluctuations of the Flying Thunder God slowly faded, and the night breeze, carrying the fresh and open air of the mountains and fields, surged in.

Natsu and his group left Konoha territory and landed in a deserted, remote mountain valley.

Surrounded by towering forests and sparsely populated areas, far removed from the hustle and bustle and strife of villages, the place is so tranquil that only the sound of the wind and insects can be heard, making it an excellent temporary resting place.

The Yaoyu and the smell of Yakumi stood on either side, their bodies tense, silently guarding against any unknown movements around them.

Ban stood still, raising his eyes to gaze at the deep night in the distance.

At this moment, he was at peace, the melancholy of leaving his hometown gone, leaving only a settled expectation.

He only knew that Natsu and the Uchiha clan had settled in a New World that transcended the Ninja World, but he knew nothing about Origin Island, let alone what kind of heaven-defying power and system was hidden in that world.

Before everyone could rest, Natsu had already closed her eyes.

An invisible sense of perception spread out like a tide, and the gentle yet domineering Observation Haki instantly covered the entire deep mountain, penetrating layer by layer along the mountain's texture and the underground rock layers, thoroughly examining every inch of land within a hundred miles.

Pebbles, grass, and hibernating insects—all traces of life were clearly reflected in his perception, down to the smallest detail.

What are you investigating?

Madara sensed the peculiar energy rhythm around him, which was neither Chakra nor Natural Energy, but a strange power completely transcending the Ninja World system, and couldn't help but ask a question.

Natsu slowly opened her eyes, a glint of light flashing in them. Her Observation Haki remained fully activated, and her tone was gentle and composed.

"Find some special materials. Something unique in the Ninja World; it'll be very useful if we bring it back."

"Materials?" Madara raised an eyebrow, a hint of doubt in his voice.

"Hmm." Natsu nodded, making no attempt to hide anything, and frankly stated her plan, "A group of ancient life forms, known as White Zetsu, are sleeping beneath the Ninja World."

It was created by the Kaguya Clan using the power of the Divine Tree to refine the ancient natives. It slept underground for countless years, possessing extremely strong adaptability and a bizarre vitality."

Upon hearing Yakumi, Yao Wei frowned slightly and added in a low voice, "According to ancient records, such ancient creations have long since disappeared, and there is almost no trace of them in the world. Only Kaguya Clan's will, embodied in Black Zetsu, knows the place where they slumber."

"That's right." Natsu responded calmly, lightly lifting her fingertip and continuing to activate her Observation Haki to penetrate deeper into the underground rock layers. "Ordinary detection methods simply cannot find their traces, only Observation Haki can penetrate the soil layers and capture their faint life rhythms."

A hint of surprise flashed across Madara's eyes. He had spent half his life conquering the Warring Sengoku period and dominating the Ninja World, and he had heard the legends of the Divine Tree and Kaguya Clan, but he had never known that such a hidden creation existed underground.

"What use are they to you?"