Undercurrents Stirring

"Sensei, weren't you being a little too hasty... Even if we did some things wrong, you shouldn't have gone this far."

Hiruzen Sarutobi spoke earnestly.

In his mind, Tobirama Senju probably wanted to reclaim the authority that belonged to the Hokage. So, old-timers from the previous era like them would surely be the first to be purged.

But he had not expected Tobirama Senju to be so merciless.

"Hiruzen, I heard that after my death, the Senju Clan was persecuted by you people in power?"

Tobirama Senju turned his head. Rather than answering Hiruzen Sarutobi's question, he threw out a fact Hiruzen could not explain.

"Th-this, Sensei... As your and the First Hokage's clansmen, the Senju Clan naturally inherited your and the First's Will of Fire. They always fought to take the most dangerous missions on the battlefield. I originally wanted to stop them, but they were all outstanding Konoha ninja who had awakened the Will of Fire. I couldn't dampen those burning hearts..."

Several beads of sweat rolled down Hiruzen Sarutobi's gaunt face. Clearly, even he had little confidence in that answer.

"Utter nonsense!"

"Was everyone in the Senju Clan a ninja? Did you send those civilians to the battlefield too?!"

Tobirama Senju shouted, blue Chakra surging around his body like a gale.

Under that intense pressure, Hiruzen Sarutobi's aged legs trembled, and he nearly fell to his knees.

He hurriedly said:

"Sensei, I'll confess! It was all Danzo's idea! Danzo wanted to recreate the First Hokage's Wood Release power. Most of the Senju Clan's civilians were abducted by his Root to be used as Wood Release test subjects!"

"Sensei, there are still many surviving members of the Senju Clan. Tsunade is even my disciple. How could I possibly have harmed the Senju Clan? They are all living peacefully within the Land of Fire."

Terrified that Tobirama Senju would kill him on the spot as well, Hiruzen Sarutobi immediately pinned everything on the dead Danzo.

"And where were you while Danzo was doing all this?" Tobirama Senju demanded coldly.

"I... I..."

I was hoping the Senju Clan and the Uchiha would all die out. Those two great clans produced so many powerful people—they absolutely couldn't be allowed to produce another who might threaten my position.

Naturally, Hiruzen Sarutobi could not voice what was in his heart. After holding it in for a long time, he could not squeeze out a single explanation.

He stood there like a student desperately searching for an excuse.

"Hiruzen Sarutobi, you certainly lived comfortably as Hokage."

"Since you have not taken things to the absolute extreme, I will spare your life. From now on, you will remain confined to your home. I will assign an ANBU squad to watch over you until your death, though I will not strip you of your Hokage title."

Tobirama Senju delivered his judgment upon Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"Yes... Thank you, Sensei..."

The frail old man bowed. He seemed to have aged ten years in an instant, looking utterly decrepit.

From this day onward,

the era of Konoha's older generation of rulers came to an end.

The era of the even older Tobirama Senju began.

--

One week later,

everything that had happened in Konoha had already spread throughout the ninja world.

Tobirama Senju had been resurrected, the council of elders had been abolished, Hiruzen Sarutobi had stepped down, Sunagakure's Fourth Kazekage had been killed by Orochimaru, the One-Tail Jinchuriki had been detained by Konoha, Jiraiya had returned to the village... These pieces of news rapidly spread through the Five Great Nations and the smaller surrounding countries, shaking nation after nation and ninja village after ninja village.

Who was Tobirama Senju?

Most people were not very familiar with him.

But his older brother, Hashirama Senju, was known as the God of Shinobi. He had pacified the chaotic age and founded the ninja village system.

Compared to his elder brother, Tobirama Senju was inevitably somewhat overshadowed. Yet as the younger brother of the God of Shinobi, his title as a master of ninjutsu still resounded throughout the ninja world.

The various Shadow Clones used by every ninja village had all originated from him.

What shocked people was that the Second Hokage, immediately after being resurrected, had removed his disciple from the position of Hokage, then killed some of his disciple's followers and arrested others.

Soon afterward, factions one after another issued orders not to provoke Konoha for the time being. They did not yet know what kind of person the Second Hokage was, and they had no desire to offend him yet.

At the same time, envoys from ninja villages were dispatched to Konoha to investigate how Tobirama Senju had been resurrected.

--

Land of Rain, a conference room in Amegakure

At this moment,

blurred phantoms appeared one after another over the seats in the conference room.

Illusory Body Technique

A ninjutsu used by Akatsuki members to exchange intelligence by channeling Chakra into the rings they wore.

...An orange-haired figure appeared directly in the conference room in person, waiting for all the members.

Very soon,

pairs of eyes lit up.

Once everyone had appeared, one person looked toward the orange-haired figure and said:

"Zero, why have you gathered us all here? Is there a mission? I have a fifty-million-ryo bounty to collect, and I'm in a hurry."

"Damn it, that bastard Kakuzu drags me around all day making his filthy money. It's making my faith in Jashin waver. Leader, I request a new partner!"

The second voice was wild and unrestrained, immediately livening up the atmosphere.

"My new art is almost finished, you know. I'm very busy."

"Agreed."

After two more voices spoke, Zero listened expressionlessly to the members' complaints.

Akatsuki members had always been like this. He was already used to it.

After everyone quieted down, Pain looked toward a pitcher plant. "Zetsu, explain the situation to them."

"Fine." The pitcher plant nodded slightly.

"Konoha's Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, has been resurrected. He has perfectly retained all the strength he possessed in life, killed Danzo, and resumed the position of Hokage."

Zetsu said only that before closing his mouth.

The conference room fell silent.

At one moment, a figure with three tomoe in his eyes trembled slightly upon hearing of Danzo's death.

"So what if he was resurrected? I have an immortal body too. Is that so unusual?" The phantom with slicked-back hair laughed.

Zetsu spoke again.

"Tobirama Senju is very powerful. His strength definitely surpasses the Kage of the Five Great Nations."

"I suggest that we temporarily abandon all missions related to Konoha. For the organization as it stands, avoiding him is the wisest course."

After saying that, Zetsu fell silent again.

Every phantom present lowered their heads in thought.

Among them,

the slicked-back-haired Hidan and the blond-ponytailed Deidara both felt Zetsu was exaggerating. So what if he possessed power beyond a Kage? Every one of them had strength comparable to Kage Level. No matter how strong Tobirama Senju was, could he really kill them all?

Kakuzu's pupils shrank to pinpoints, and he no longer mentioned money. Having been active in the ninja world since the Warring States period, he had naturally witnessed Tobirama Senju's strength.

Back then, as Takigakure's chosen assassin sent to kill Hashirama Senju, he had even exchanged blows with a Wood Clone that possessed one-tenth of Hashirama Senju's power. After losing, Hashirama Senju had pleaded for mercy on his behalf, saying it was not easy for a small ninja village to train ninja. That was how he had survived at Tobirama Senju's hands.

Although he had spent all these years boasting about having fought Hashirama Senju, he knew just how terrifying those great figures whose names had spread through the ninja world during the Warring States period truly were.

Pain spoke, breaking the silence.

"According to Zetsu, we will temporarily suspend all missions concerning Konoha. Send people to investigate Konoha's situation. For now, devote all efforts to accumulating funds and preparing for our final plan!"

After saying that, Pain's figure flashed and left the place.

The remaining figures gradually disappeared as well.

The Sharingan was the last to vanish, its eye gleaming briefly.