Meanwhile, in a highly secluded laboratory in Konoha...
The ninja on guard duty stood at their posts on either side, their expressions stern and their bearing impeccable.
"Tobirama, how are things outside?"
Hashirama had changed out of his Warring States armor and put on a white lab coat to look the part. Glancing at his younger brother, whose Shadow Clones were darting back and forth with Flying Thunder God, he asked curiously.
"Someone from the Akatsuki showed up. He's pretty strong. I was only using him to test the security measures on some of the village's facilities, but the kid had a few tricks up his sleeve and nearly got away..." Tobirama confirmed the intelligence with his Shadow Clone. After the clone departed with Flying Thunder God, he turned toward the laboratory's interior. "But everything is still under my control. Don't worry too much about it. What we're doing here is more important."
"Just don't let it get out of hand. How about I go take a look?"
"Sure. It's not as if you're any use here anyway, big brother."
"..."
Hashirama's spirits plummeted in an instant, and gloom settled over him.
Yet even after he had sulked off to the side for quite some time, Tobirama showed no intention of coming over to comfort him. He sighed and headed outside. "Still as cold as ever..."
"Since big brother is handling it, then..."
Tobirama glanced at Hashirama's retreating back, then created another Shadow Clone. "You don't need to worry about things in the village anymore. Go tell Naruto and the Nine-Tails to come over. We've made some progress."
Once the Shadow Clone had disappeared, he turned his attention to the enormous space inside the laboratory.
The entire laboratory resembled a vast open-air plaza. Even creatures as enormous as tailed beasts