Konoha, Hokage Building
"Second Grandpa, Second Grandpa, what exactly is that New Year's gift?"
Clinging to Tobirama Senju's left arm, Tsunade kept shaking it, making his body tremble continuously.
Ever since he had announced Konoha's special New Year's gift, people had constantly come to ask him about it. Yet Tobirama had kept his lips sealed, only making Tsunade more curious.
"Stop, stop. I'll tell you, I'll tell you..."
Tobirama Senju covered his face, pulled his left arm free, and spoke helplessly.
"You know about the Rinnegan, right?"
"Mm. They're said to be the Sage of Six Paths' eyes. Though that isn't really a legend—I saw them on a kid from the Land of Rain near the end of the Second Shinobi War..."
Tsunade nodded, recalling Nagato, whom she had seen in the Land of Rain.
Back then, she had been utterly astonished. She had wanted to bring him back to Konoha and train him, but Konoha had committed quite a few killings in the Land of Rain at the time. He also seemed to harbor some prejudice against Konoha, so the matter had ultimately been dropped.
"Those eyes belonged to Madara Uchiha," Tobirama Senju explained. "With the Rinnegan, one can command yin and yang, manipulate life and death, and even resurrect the dead on a massive scale."
"Ah!" Tsunade gasped in perfect cooperation.
"That kid Obito was the heir Madara cultivated before his death. Madara had taken responsibility for everything Obito did. He planned to use the Rinnegan to resurrect the innocent people who died during the Nine-Tails Rebellion, to atone for his sins?"
Guessing at Madara's mindset in a drifting tone, Tobirama chuckled.
"So that's how it is!" Tsunade suddenly understood.
"Though Nawaki and the others aren't within that time frame, it shouldn't be a problem for Madara to