In Year 22 of Konoha, Tobirama Senju fell several years later than he had in the original timeline. Those extra years had not only strengthened Konoha but also spared the Shinobi World some turmoil and bloodshed.
During that time, Konoha had steadily refined its institutions under Tobirama's leadership. His rigor and foresight had built a bulwark of stability around the village.
As Tobirama's student and a member of the ANBU, Uchiha Shinichi had also accumulated considerable wealth over those years. Of course, that wealth was not merely material—
Tobirama Senju's secret laboratory had become his personal inheritance.
Shinichi stood in the dim underground laboratory, his gaze sweeping over neatly arranged rows of scrolls and research notes. Faint candlelight illuminated the dormant forbidden jutsu and research findings, as though recounting their weighty history.
"Looks like old man Tobirama didn't tell Hiruzen Sarutobi about this laboratory the way he did in the original timeline," Shinichi murmured, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
Although Hiruzen Sarutobi had succeeded to the position of Third Hokage, he had never set foot in this laboratory. That meant that after Tobirama's death, Shinichi alone knew of the research into forbidden jutsu, kekkei genkai, Sealing Jutsu, improvements to Flying Thunder God, and even more advanced versions of Impure World Reincarnation.
"That's just as well. At least no one will start researching hashirama cells."
Shinichi narrowed his eyes slightly as memories of events from the original timeline flashed through his mind—
Orochimaru's experiments with hashirama cells, Danzo's enhancement plan combining the Mangekyō Sharingan with hashirama cells, and even the later army of Impure World Reincarnation—all of it seemed to trace back to the research Tobirama had left behind. In this timeline, however, that research remained sealed away in Shinichi's hands.
"Hashirama cells, huh..." Shinichi studied the scroll documenting