"As for the second point, Wood Release, I don't know much about it. But I've never seen you use it, Teacher, so I imagine it isn't something ordinary people can master."
Watanabe Ichiro, who had purchased the complete version of Wood Release from the system, lied through his teeth.
"So I have no ideas regarding Wood Release. As for Sealing Jutsu, I imagine you have better insights, Teacher?"
Watanabe Ichiro finished his brief remarks and tossed the question back to Tobirama Senju.
"Sealing Jutsu... I have a few ideas, but as things stand, perhaps only a Jinchūriki could achieve perfect control."
Tobirama Senju shrugged helplessly. Although he ranked among the finest researchers in the shinobi world, even the finest needed time to think, never mind the extensive trial and error and refinement required to develop a jutsu.
During the Warring States period, Uchiha Izuna had outmatched him in combat after awakening his Sharingan. To avoid dying in battle, Tobirama had been forced to rack his brains developing all kinds of jutsu to counter the Uchiha, including various powerful Water Release techniques, the Flying Thunder God Slash, the Bringer-of-Darkness Technique... and so on.
Only after the two clans formed an alliance, during Madara Uchiha's tenure as Hokage, had Tobirama Senju gained time to study and research freely. But then he had been roped into helping handle Konoha's administrative affairs, and after Uchiha Izuna's death, he had started working on the Impure World Reincarnation...
He had never had enough time to devote himself entirely to research, which had severely hindered his progress.
Otherwise, with his talent for research, a few more years would probably have been enough for him to create a device that harnessed tailed beast chakra.
Then the shinobi world would have had an inexhaustible supply of clean energy. Who would need the Allied Shinobi Forces to fight Kaguya Otsutsuki?
Times have changed, my lady. Care for a taste of our Tailed Beast Nuclear Weapons?
After discussing the matter for a while, the two finally reached an agreement.
They would give away the tailed beasts. They absolutely had to!
But not for free. They would make the Four Nations pay enough to seriously hurt their finances.
No money? Secret techniques would do.
No secret techniques? People with special bloodlines would do.
No people? Minerals, grain, or medicinal herbs would do.
Nothing at all?
And they still wanted to trade for their powerful tailed beasts?
They could go home and sleep. In their dreams.
And if the tailed beasts went berserk and wreaked havoc after reaching their countries?
That had nothing to do with Konoha. Weren't they perfectly fine when they were handed over? Don't come complaining just because you don't know how to raise them.
They would use the tailed beasts, which everyone coveted but which might do more harm than good at home, to hold the other nations back.
Meanwhile, Konoha would quietly build up its strength and delay the outbreak of war.
By the time the other nations figured out the tailed beasts' power and brought them back to attack Konoha, Konoha's Mangekyō Sharingan and sealing formulas would show them what it meant to throw meat buns to a dog-none would ever come back.
"Teacher, is Lord Hashirama doing all right?"
Remembering Hashirama Senju, who had remained bedridden for so long, Watanabe Ichiro suddenly asked.
Tobirama Senju fell silent for a moment, then shook his head.
"He won't last much longer, so we need to act quickly. If my brother Hashirama dies, his Wood Release chakra will dissipate, and the tailed beasts will break out of their seals. If Konoha can't withstand a rampage by the nine tailed beasts, we'll be in danger."
"My brother doesn't know the seals will unravel after his death. I've kept that from him. All he knows is that this conference is about distributing the tailed beasts. Don't tell him anything about the rest. With his temperament, he would never agree to this plan."
Watanabe Ichiro understood. No wonder. He had known Hashirama Senju could never have dreamed up a vicious scheme that killed two birds with one stone.
The softhearted had no business commanding armies. It only made sense to keep Hashirama Senju in the dark.
Still, sorry, but this plan to distribute the tailed beasts is doomed to fail.
Watanabe Ichiro went through the motions of discussing a few more details with Tobirama Senju.
At the end of their private meeting, Watanabe Ichiro reached into his ninja tool pouch with a smile, then withdrew his hand. Resting quietly in his palm was an eyeball, carefully secured and submerged in a medicinal solution.
"The Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan of the former Uchiha Clan Head, Madara Uchiha."
Tobirama Senju's breathing instantly quickened. Eternal... Mangekyō?
A feverish gleam began to fill his eyes, but he still struggled to maintain his dignity as an elder. His suspicious gaze shifted between Watanabe Ichiro and the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, and he remained motionless.
This fellow refused to give me Madara Uchiha's body to study before. Why is he suddenly so generous, bringing out an Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan outright?
Unsolicited favors always come with strings attached.
Tobirama Senju was certain something was amiss.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"This is a belated gift to honor you as my teacher. You've taught me for so long, Teacher, and I have no idea how to repay your kindness. So I took the liberty of removing the former clan head's eye as a gift. I hope you'll accept it."
"Still, as your student, I am also the current head of the Uchiha Clan. So if you conduct any research on the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan and obtain any results, perhaps I have the right to know?"
Hmph. The brat wants to get my research results for free?
That's fine. If I'm the one conducting the experiments, you'll only learn what I want you to know, won't you?
That condition might as well not exist.
Tobirama Senju agreed on the spot and accepted the rather crude glass container, curling his lip in disdain.
You put such precious research material in this thing?
He stared feverishly at the eyeball spinning in the medicinal solution, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from lifting.
Sure enough, those loathsome Uchiha are much easier on the eyes once they've been cut up into research material.
Tobirama Senju impatiently sent Watanabe Ichiro away and plunged into his laboratory.
Watanabe Ichiro had achieved his goal too-earning some goodwill from Tobirama Senju and distancing himself from the major incident about to unfold.
Meanwhile, in a cave northeast of Konoha.
Uchiha Kagami's eyes were bloodshot as he frantically hammered the stone wall, paying no heed to the burns on his body or his mangled, bloody hands.
"Why did you make me run away?! I awakened these eyes right there! I could have killed him! I know I could have killed him!"
He roared, venting his resentment on the innocent stone wall as a pattern somewhat resembling the Flying Thunder God Mark turned in his pupils.
Black Zetsu stood silently to one side, but inwardly, he was scoffing.
How could I possibly let you kill Uchiha Ichiro? He's my plan B for saving Mother. You're barely a plan C-a spare pair of eyes in case Uchiha Ichiro can't evolve his directly into the Rinnegan.
That's all you're worth. Don't think you're that useful.
Behind Uchiha Kagami's back, he smiled contemptuously, while maintaining an inscrutable expression.
Only after Uchiha Kagami had exhausted his anger and dropped weakly to his knees did Black Zetsu slowly speak.
"Kagami, my chosen head of the Uchiha Clan, look at how helpless you are now. How disappointed your wife would be..."
"Don't mention her!"
Uchiha Kagami instantly flew into a rage, only to wilt again as though a bucket of cold water had been poured over him.
Regardless of how it had happened, his defeat at Watanabe Ichiro's hands was a fact. He had lost his one chance to claim the position of clan head fair and square.
"...Please tell me. What should I do?"
Before you continue