"Where is Uchiha Kagami's current residence?"
"Also, watch him closely and don't let him escape!"
Watanabe Ichiro could not figure out Black Zetsu's train of thought, but if it wanted to control someone, it would definitely start with the people that person cared about. For Uchiha Kagami, his pregnant wife was the best entry point.
Was it to capture her as a captive? To kill her outright? Or perhaps...
Thinking of Black Zetsu's possession ability, a hair-raising guess popped into his mind.
Upon arriving at Uchiha Kagami's residence, his guess became reality.
Uchiha Kagami's wife had hanged herself a few days prior and had been dead for a long time, and the unformed child in her belly had followed her as well, two lives lost in one go.
Calculating the dates, Watanabe Ichiro recalled the unforgettable, resentful gaze Uchiha Kagami had given him during the succession ceremony... Was it that day?
Watanabe Ichiro could already deduce the cause and effect of the matter.
Black Zetsu possessed Uchiha Kagami's wife to hang herself from the rafters, leaving behind something like a suicide note to make Uchiha Kagami and himself clash.
Black Zetsu made its move really early; what was it trying to do? Did it want to provoke Uchiha Kagami into awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan?
Although Uchiha Kagami's aptitude was completely incomparable to Madara Uchiha and Uchiha Izuna, he could still be considered a genius of a generation within the Uchiha Clan, so the possibility of him awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan did exist.
However, Black Zetsu's plan might have failed. If Uchiha Kagami had awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan, it would have been impossible for him not to use it during the fight just now.
Yet again, what did Black Zetsu want to achieve by provoking him to awaken the Mangekyō Sharingan? To split the Uchiha Clan? To siphon away the authority in his hands? Or did it want to create enemies for him? Or perhaps... to make a backup plan for evolving his Sharingan into the Mangekyō?
Watanabe Ichiro was unclear on Black Zetsu's thoughts, but as per usual, he collected a set of Impure World Reincarnation materials from Uchiha Kagami's wife for other uses.
While he was gathering materials, a clansman ran over in a panic to inform him of the news that Uchiha Kagami had defected.
"Lord Clan Head! While his injuries were being tended to, Uchiha Kagami knocked out the medical staff and escaped!"
Following clan convention, Watanabe Ichiro dispatched a few clansmen with decent strength to track him down, checking Black Zetsu's location in the system. It was in the northeastern part of Konoha, some distance away from the village.
Sure enough, this fine show was Black Zetsu's handiwork.
In that case.
Watanabe Ichiro smiled kindly.
Courtesy demands reciprocity, so he would send it a grand gift as well.
Watanabe Ichiro received a message from Tobirama Senju and arrived at the Hokage Building office.
"So, we are going to distribute the Tailed Beasts?"
Watanabe Ichiro held a scroll inscribed with the Nine-Tails in his hand, raising it up to observe it under the sunlight.
The Tailed Beasts' violent chakra faintly leaked from outside the scroll, incomparably cold and chilling to the bone.
Meanwhile, a wisp of pure Wood Release chakra was firmly anchored to the outside of the scroll, echoing the intricate spell patterns upon it.
However, Watanabe Ichiro sensed a hint of danger and unease, feeling that this scroll could not completely suppress the Tailed Beasts at all.
Come to think of it, was this really strange? Didn't the original work use Jinchūriki to seal the Tailed Beasts?
How come it was sealed with just a tiny scroll this time?
Tobirama Senju perceived his confusion and spoke in explanation.
"The Sealing Scroll I invented can only suppress the actions of the Tailed Beasts, and Big Brother's Wood Release chakra can only fend them off for a moment."
"We are able to keep them locked up simply because Big Brother Hashirama declared that whichever Tailed Beast dares to run out, he will pin it down in front of the other Tailed Beasts and spank its bottom."
"As expected of Lord Hashirama, his thoughts are rather... cough cough, rather majestic..."
Watanabe Ichiro imagined the Tailed Beasts' individual proud and aloof appearances, all so protective of their pride; if they were subjected to that kind of treatment, they probably wouldn't want to live at all.
He had to admit that Hashirama Senju had indeed found the Tailed Beasts' fatal weakness, pfft hahaha.
"This distribution of the Tailed Beasts is also Big Brother's idea. He hopes that by distributing the Tailed Beasts to the various nations of the Shinobi World, he can make the people of each nation wary, thereby stopping disputes and warfare to achieve world peace. Ichiro, what do you think?"
Tobirama Senju stood with his arms crossed, a somewhat displeased expression on his face as he tossed the question to Watanabe Ichiro, carrying quite a bit of a testing intent.
"I feel that Lord Hashirama's philosophy is very good, but the difficult points are how future generations will manage to control the Tailed Beasts, and how the various nations will make proper use of the deterrence of the Tailed Beasts."
"Elaborate?"
"How many people in this world are as powerful as Hashirama, who don't put Tailed Beasts in their eyes? I imagine that apart from Lord Madara, not even you would have a way to deal with Tailed Beasts with such effortless ease. So how can we be certain that our descendants, Konoha's heirs, will master the power of the Tailed Beasts well?"
"If there is no existence among future generations capable of rivaling the Tailed Beasts, then once the Tailed Beasts riot within the village, the casualties will be heavy-the disadvantages outweigh the advantages. With a wealth like Konoha's, how could the other nations be any different? That is the first point."
"Secondly, how can we guarantee that the other nations won't treat the Tailed Beasts as weapons of war? If the existence of the Tailed Beasts provides no deterrence, but instead becomes a weapon for attacking Konoha, how should we respond?"
"Summing up these two points, I believe that distributing the Tailed Beasts is fine; we can distribute them in the early stages to weaken their national power. However, we in Konoha must have a system capable of perfectly suppressing the Tailed Beasts to prevent future Konoha from falling into a state of Tailed Beast turmoil."
Tobirama Senju listened silently, nodding continuously. Watanabe Ichiro's line of thought matched his own.
"Then, in your view, what means can perfectly suppress the Tailed Beasts?"
Watanabe Ichiro pondered for a moment and replied.
"What I can think of at present is, first, the Uchiha's Mangekyō Sharingan; second, Wood Release; and third, Sealing Jutsu."
"The Uchiha's Mangekyō is only unlocked when individuals with exceptional aptitude experience extreme negative emotions. That is why I previously told the teacher that the Uchiha Clan has a need to exist."
"Place the Uchiha into the core of Konoha's authority, and transform the glory of the Uchiha in their hearts into the glory of Konoha. This way, Konoha need not worry about failing to control the Tailed Beasts."
"The Uchiha Clan values bonds; as long as we select a few individuals with the finest talent, cultivate bonds with their peers from childhood, and then at the appropriate time let them... Therefore, actually, the Mangekyō Sharingan is the best choice for perfectly controlling the Tailed Beasts. Cultivating it is not difficult."
As he spoke of his own clan, it was as though he were speaking of a complete stranger unrelated to him, scheming meticulously and utilizing every possible means.
If any other person were present, they might feel that Watanabe Ichiro was far too cold-blooded and ruthless, but the one present was Tobirama Senju.
Hearing this line of argument, the pragmatist, nemesis of the Uchiha, and Tobirama Senju expressed profound gratification, unable to help once again marveling inwardly in his heart.
He truly deserves to be a good disciple of mine who carries the Senju bloodline. Look at this ruthless drive against the Uchiha; I have taken on a fine disciple!
Before you continue