Traveling through three generations: Making Konoha great again!

Chapter 161 The Will of Fire and Kakuzu! Sage Mode and Uchiha Tomie (Mega Chapter of 1.2 Words!)

Yashiro was still caught up in the excitement of joining a new Root and didn't respond to Kakuzu.

Kakuzu shook his head speechlessly.

Another traditional ninja who's willing to die for the village and sacrifice himself for the collective—

Really down!

But once such a thought took root in his mind...

The conversation between Hiruzen Sarutobi and Kakuzu by the hearth echoed in Kakuzu's mind like an illusion.

His gaze was drawn back to the Uchiha model bulletin board.

If only we were in Takigaku back then—

After his mission failed, the leader of Takigakure defended him, saying he had a heart of gold and was a hero of the village.

Would I still defect?

Kakuzu's five hearts twitched slightly at the same time.

Let alone defection—

When the one-country-one-village system was first established, he was just a young boy. Perhaps he had the same strong desire to die for his country as Yatsushiro?

Kakuzu couldn't help but glance at the beaming Uchiha Yatsuhoku and mutter to himself, "You're a lucky kid—being an Uchiha is lucky, but being born in Konoha is unfortunate, yet you happened to meet the Third Hokage—"

Yashiro said matter-of-factly, "I am indeed quite lucky. I would be even luckier if I could join Root, to protect my comrades with a glorious death, and to have my name engraved in the textbooks of the Ninja Academy—"

"Don't you think this is cool?"

Kakuzu nodded silently.

An idea popped into his head.

"By the way, didn't you encounter a formidable enemy?"

"If one day, the Third Hokage ordered you to assassinate an enemy similar to Hashirama Senju or Madara Uchiha, what would you do?"

Kakuzu asked softly, "As payment for your answer, I will not charge you for this Storm Release ninja; I will give it to Konoha for free—"

Uchiha Hachimoku pondered.

"I definitely can't win—but since the Hokage has given the order, I'll just have to carry it out."

"If I were to face an enemy like that, they certainly wouldn't send me alone. It would probably be to tie down the powerful foe head-on, creating opportunities for other fronts—"

"When war breaks out, everyone is risking their lives, doing jobs that will get them killed. The Hokage will definitely be the first to rush in and fight, so there's nothing to complain about."

"If everyone's afraid of death, how can we defeat the enemy? We're ninjas—"

Kakuzu sighed.

He understood—

In Konoha, even controversial missions like sending ninjas to their deaths in the open go unchallenged.

This only shows that the village's system is very popular, to an extreme degree—

"What if no one supports you and you're sent to your death alone? It doesn't matter to the other fronts—" Kakuzu asked, as if possessed, still unwilling to give up.

"How could that be? This doesn't align with the Will of Fire—"

Uchiha Yatsuho asked, his face full of questions: "Considering you're a Storm Release ninja, let's put it another way, if one day I were forced to carry out this mission—"

"Then I will carry it out first, as it is a ninja's duty. However, I will leave a letter for Fugaku and Isshin, the two Konoha committee members, and they will give their opinions to the Hokage—"

"If my death can help improve the village's system, then that would be a good thing."

"Besides, what you're describing doesn't exist—"

"Konoha isn't heaven; it's impossible for every ninja to survive. But it's fair here—isn't fairness enough for a ninja?"

Kakuzu sighed.

He was a bit stubborn and couldn't argue anymore.

Indeed, sometimes people live for a sense of pride, for the spirit of not being bullied and for fairness.

If everyone is working hard, then it's perfectly acceptable for me to work hard too.

Moreover, Kakuzu astutely noticed that the "Konoha committee members" could offer opinions to the Hokage—

When Hizashi introduced himself to him, he specifically pointed to the badge on his uniform and mentioned this identity.

"What do your Konoha committee members do?" Kakuzu wasn't in a hurry to find Hiruzen Sarutobi; he figured the information he got from talking to Hachika Uchiha would be more reliable.

After all, Yashiro doesn't seem very bright—

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi was a seasoned veteran, and even Kakuzu wasn't confident enough to claim his experience surpassed that of the Hokage.

After all, one is a bounty hunter, and the other is the Kage of the strongest hidden village—

This is something that can't be made up for by living an extra twenty or thirty years.

"In Konoha, each Jonin is in charge of a group of ninjas, collecting their opinions and views on the village, and providing real-time feedback and solutions."

"If the Jonin can't handle it, they'll report it to the Konoha committee member in charge of them—every Konoha committee member is a highly skilled hero—"

At this point, a hint of envy appeared in the Eighth Generation's eyes: "I want to be one too—but there's nothing I can do, our generation of Uchiha will definitely be Fugaku and Aozumi."

"We need to produce a clan leader and the most outstanding talent. I could also pursue another path; the strong will always have a chance. But my abilities are somewhat lacking. It would be good enough if I could enter the root clan."

Yashiro sighed, "Forget about Aoisui, I can't even beat Fugaku-nii—"

Kakuzu glanced at Yashiro: "Fugaku? Is that the other one who was just arm in arm with Danzo?"

Yashiro nodded.

"That guy is no pushover. My combat instincts are always pretty accurate. He's a formidable ninja."

Kakuzu was somewhat dazed.

If Yashiro thought Fugaku was weak, then that means this kind of man is at the bottom of the Konoha committee in terms of overall quality.

Konoha is truly teeming with talent!

Jiaodu had some questions in his heart.

However, this problem is clearly not one that a Konoha ninja of Uchiha Yatsuho's caliber could answer.

I must ask Hiruzen Sarutobi in person.

"Konoha—" Kakuzu slowly murmured the village's name in his heart.

Deep down, he still didn't want to admit it.

However, his wandering gaze subtly revealed his true feelings.

Kakuzu originally believed that the one-country-one-village system was too artificial and not as realistic as the ruthlessness of the Warring States period.

Therefore, after leaving Takigakure, he chose money as the order in his heart.

But now it seems, perhaps he just didn't find the right place—

"Let's go. The Hokage told me that he's waiting for you at the training grounds—" Yatsushiro and Kakuzu said.

The two walked slowly through the village.

As Kakuzu approached the administration building, his gaze sharpened.

He saw several Hidden Mist ninjas gathered around the notice board, their eyes filled with longing.

It was Kisame, Mei Terumi, Nakamaro, and Yuki.

The power of fireside chatter is immense.

This has a significant impact not only on the ninjas in Konoha, but also on the students from Kirigakure studying abroad.

It turns out that "shadow" can be so approachable—

The village can protect the ninjas; everyone can work together and help each other!

So even after several months, Kisame and the others were still very shocked and would come to the administration office from time to time to check on Konoha's latest policies.

Although these things have nothing to do with them, watching them makes them feel like they're involved.

"They even provide subsidies for childbirth?" Mei Terumi sighed. "That's incredibly comprehensive!"

"In a month, we'll be returning to Kirigakure—a year will be up." Nakamaro said coldly, glancing at Yuki beside him.

The four of them did not share the same thoughts.

Nakamaro and Yuki have already revealed their rebellious nature; they're just waiting to return to Kirigakure to persuade their clansmen to prepare for their escape.

Mei Terumi is a fantasy writer.

Although she is a bloodline ninja, Mei Terumi's family has close ties with the Third Mizukage, so she still hopes to change Kirigakure—

Finally, there's Kisame, a candidate for the Seven Ninja Swordsmen of the Mist and a loyal local figure to the Mizukage. Lately, he's been hypnotizing himself with the belief that Kirigakure will also improve.

Nakamaro has already set his sights on Kisame, planning to have his clansmen pull strings after returning to the village to "throw Kisame into the Internal Affairs Department," so he can see the bloodiest side of Kirigakure—

Fantasy always has to be shattered!

"Konoha Mutual Aid Gold—" Kisame stared at this line of text and shook his head.

When Hiruzen Sarutobi implemented this policy, he specifically emphasized that it was entirely voluntary and that no one was forced to participate.

However, in order to support the Hokage, and also to obtain this benefit, the ninjas crowded the administration department's doors the next morning, engaging in lively discussions and praise—

Kisame and the others couldn't participate, but they unconsciously followed along, watching the Konoha ninjas' flushed and excited faces as they enthusiastically discussed the village's future—

Even a ninja like Kisame found this feeling indescribable.

"Like a dog sitting by the roadside, watching people have a feast—" Recalling that day, Kisame muttered to himself as if possessed, "Under the Mizukage's Blood Mist Village, Kirigakure will become as good as Konoha. The Kirigakure ninjas won't be dogs anymore; one day they'll finally be people eating at the table!"

Nakamaro glanced at Kisame and chuckled inwardly.

In the past few months, after finishing his sparring duties at the Ninja Academy, Nakamaro had been intensively studying with Hyuga Tenzo, absorbing knowledge from his second uncle.

Therefore, Nakamaro can now be considered a highly cultured person in the Kaguya clan.

"My second uncle said that these kinds of ninjas are the most dangerous—they have extremely strong self-awareness and abilities, so we can't use force, we can only use gentle methods—"

"Even within the Hyuga clan, with the Caged Bird Seal in place, a wise main family wouldn't be so harsh on a branch family member like this; it would plant a time bomb for the clan—"

"I won't give the Third Mizukage and his men the chance to win Kisame over! I'll show him the most bloody side of Kirigakure!"

The most disgusting thing about it, unlike Konoha—

Tenzo, a seasoned warrior of the Sengoku ninja clan, passed on his mental techniques to Nakamaro.

This would allow him to quickly select Kaguya clan members he could recruit after returning to Kirigakure.

This can also be considered a reverse cultivation technique.

Kakuzu passed by them, and Nakamaro and the others also noticed Kakuzu, this powerful outsider.

Their eyes met.

Nakamaro's heart tightened.

"This guy seems like someone you shouldn't mess with—oh no, why is he in Konoha? And why was he received by Brother Yashiro? Does he also want to come to Konoha?"

"Isn't this stealing the spotlight from our Kaguya clan?!" Nakamaro suddenly became anxious.

I can't wait to get back to Mist Village and quickly set up a plan—

"As expected, there are still many clever people in this ninja world! The goodness of Konoha will gradually spread throughout the ninja world—" Nakamaro gritted his teeth.

However, Nakamaro was actually worrying too much.

Konoha's advantages are not yet widely known among other hidden villages in the ninja world, but with the anxious Nakamaro present, it's visibly spreading this information extensively in Kirigakure.

#

Konoha's Second Martial Arts Arena.

Hiruzen Sarutobi sat cross-legged in the sea of ​​fire, his upper body bare, with faint curse marks protecting his lower body.

He closed his eyes and concentrated, his body was strong and upright, and his muscles were firm.

The flames burned the skin, yet caused no burns; instead, they flowed over it as smoothly as water.

Kakuzu and Yashiro slowly walked to the entrance of the training ground, made contact with the ANBU at the entrance, and then slowly walked in.

Upon seeing this, the two of them froze.

What is the Hokage doing?

A ninja's body is very fragile.

Even Jonin, and many renowned ninjas, possess physical strength not significantly different from that of ordinary Chunin or Special Jonin.

Only someone like Kakuzu, with his Earthly Grudge Body, possesses such extraordinary physical strength.

However, without using escaping techniques to strengthen the body, one cannot achieve the level of being unharmed by fire escaping—

"If his face were covered, I would think I was seeing the Raikage because of the Hokage's physical strength and power," Kakuzu muttered to himself.

He recalled the day he clashed with Hiruzen Sarutobi—

Earth Grudge Fear Ultimate Shooting Battle Against Five Elements Great Combo Bullet Technique.

Now it seems that Kakuzu thinks Hiruzen Sarutobi might not even need to use ninjutsu; he could probably beat him to a pulp using only taijutsu.

Where's the ninjutsu professor I was promised? Why is he going for a body-based playstyle?!

What Kakuto didn't know was...

Hiruzen Sarutobi is a cautious person.

The body is the foundation of everything, and the fragility of a ninja's body combined with the high offensive power of ninjutsu made him very uneasy.

"Kakuzu, Yashiro——"

"Come on, use Fire Release on me!" Hiruzen Sarutobi looked up and said with a smile in his eyes.

Yashiro and Kakuzu were taken aback.

Under Hiruzen Sarutobi's encouraging gaze, the two hesitantly formed hand seals.

"Fire Release: Head Carving"!

"Fire Release: Phoenix Claw Crimson!"

Flames engulfed Hiruzen Sarutobi's body, while Kakuzu and Yatsushiro stared intently at the Hokage.

Yashiro also activated his three-tomoe Sharingan, looking reverently at Hiruzen Sarutobi's strong physique, a worried expression on his face.

In his Sharingan, the Eighth Generations did not see Hiruzen Sarutobi using chakra to protect his body.

"Be careful, Hokage-sama!" Yashiro couldn't help but remind him.

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded, feeling the burning and scorching sensation on his body, and exhaled a breath of stale air.

"Having acquired a certain level of fire-style chakra resistance—"

"The element of surprise and uncertainty in someone else's actions can actually be beneficial for cultivation—"

"I can already withstand the level of fire-style chakra nature transformation of the Eighth Hokage. Kakuzu's can still hurt me, though. If I were hit head-on several times, I would suffer significant damage even without using my lightning armor."

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly stood up, his body turning a reddish-copper color as a result.

And at this moment, a bizarre scene unfolds.

A faint glow appeared on his chest, and the raging flames suddenly became docile.

The fire slowly seeped into his skin, flowing straight into his heart, like seawater entering a whirlpool.

The Eighth Hokage of Uchiha stared in disbelief at the scene.

what?

Is the Hokage absorbing flames with his body?

Even Kakuzu, a veteran of the ninja world who prided himself on his extensive knowledge, was shocked.

"A chakra absorption technique? No, if it's Dark Release, Fire Release should also have time to be converted, so it wouldn't become completely powerless in an instant—"

"It's almost like it's been sealed away; only a sealing technique could have such a powerful effect—"

Kakuzu analyzed in a low voice.

"This looks like the fire-sealing seal that Brother Fugaku mentioned—" Yashiro blinked.

After being asked to read more books, Fugaku read some classical texts.

However, he liked to show off as soon as he learned something, in order to prove that he was knowledgeable and erudite.

One of them is the Fire Sealing Seal.

"Hey, Eighth Hokage, let me tell you, even our Uchiha clan's Fire Release techniques aren't invincible!"

"You should be humble—the Fire Sealing Seal is effective against Fire Release techniques. It only requires a specially made scroll as a carrier. Even the ultimate Fire Release technique, Amaterasu, is difficult to break through this seal—" Fugaku said to Yatsushiro with a smug look.

"Wow, you have good taste, Yashiro!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled a scorching breath: "This is what I call the internalization of the Fire Sealing Seal, but I'm not very proficient yet. Absorbing your two Fire Release techniques is already my limit. I need some time to digest it—"

Both Yatsushiro and Kakuzu looked puzzled.

What is meant by the internalization of sealing techniques?

A walking sealing technique, huh!

"You're truly impervious to water and fire—"

"If you continue training, even the strongest Fire Release: Amaterasu, the legendary Fire Release technique of the Uchiha clan, the so-called inextinguishable flame and the strongest physical attack, will be useless against you—"

"Yashiro said excitedly."

As Hiruzen Sarutobi grew stronger, he felt a sense of pride and pride in becoming stronger as well.

Kakuzu couldn't help but frown.

What kind of talk is that?!

It sounds like the Uchiha clan had long wanted to use Amaterasu to burn the Hokage—

"If it's the Uchiha, then it makes sense—" Kakuzu muttered to himself.

Even though the Uchiha clan ninjas haven't been active in the ninja world for a long time, jokes about the emotional intelligence of the red-eyed ninjas are still widely circulated in the ninja world.

Yashiro seemed to realize this as well, and quickly tried to add a few words.

Hiruzen Sarutobi interrupted him with a smile: "If I improve further in the future, and another ninja in the Uchiha clan awakens this eye technique, we could give it a try—"

"Don't be nervous, Hachishiro. We're family, so we don't need to be so formal with each other. Just relax and be yourself."

Your loyalty needs no further explanation.

Yashiro chuckled; he knew his worries were actually a bit unnecessary.

The Hokage is not one to nitpick or label others!

Kakuzu seemed lost in thought; perhaps this was why the Uchiha clan was displaying such large banners at the police department—

Such a powerful figure, yet he still holds an extremely tolerant attitude towards ninjas with whom he had past conflicts, is truly rare in the ninja world.

Suddenly, Kakuzu remembered an acquaintance—

That was Hashirama Senju, who had once released him.

"That person's figure? I wouldn't say it's there, but it certainly has a hint of their spirit—"

"Yashiro, go ahead and get busy. I need to talk to Kakuzu-san," Hiruzen Sarutobi said.

Kakuzu slowly walked forward and, at Hiruzen Sarutobi's signal, sat down side by side on the bench.

"How is it—"

"Konoha under my rule has changed somewhat compared to before, hasn't it?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "However, there are still many shortcomings—"

Do you have any suggestions for me?

Kakuzu paused, surprised that the Hokage was actually asking for his opinion.

"I'm just a bounty hunter, a rogue ninja from Takigakure. What good could I possibly have for Konoha?"

Kakuzu chuckled self-deprecatingly: "All these years I've wasted in the ninja world have been spent dealing only with corpses and money."

"You are knowledgeable and experienced, and we have different perspectives on issues."

Hiruzen Sarutobi shook his head: "No one can be perfect. It always requires collective wisdom and effort to identify problems and build together."

'

Kakuzu was speechless.

He became increasingly certain that Hiruzen Sarutobi was not a ninja—

"As for questions—I'd like to ask the Hokage a few questions first, is that alright?"

Kakuzu said softly.

After obtaining Hiruzen Sarutobi's consent, Kakuzu frowned and said, "Hokage-sama, why are you giving away all this hard-earned money to the poor?"

"Even if it's to win people's hearts, you've gone too far in favoring the lower classes. You should concentrate your resources on the Jonin; they are the foundation of your rule over the village."

"I don't understand, this isn't the way to maximize economic benefits—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled.

Kakuzu's thinking is like that of a businessman, conducting the most self-serving cost accounting—

"The poor are people too. Many of them just lack the resources to get started."

"My students Jiraiya, Orochimaru, Sakumo, Hiruko, and many other Konoha Jonin, though they didn't come from wealthy backgrounds, still managed to rise to prominence—"

"Some people are poor but lucky, like those I've taken on as apprentices."

"But perhaps there are other ninjas just as talented as them who lacked this luck and were stuck on the brink of poverty, thus missing out on their golden period of development—"

"One million taels is not much for you or me, but for a genin who has lost the support of his family, it can allow him to settle down and realize his talents."

Kakuzu subconsciously asked, "What if there's no high return on investment? Most ninjas don't have the talent to become strong—"

"That's where you and I are thinking differently. The war between hidden villages is different from the Lone Wolf operation."

"Any large-scale battlefield requires a large number of relatively mediocre ninjas to fill the battle lines, defend key points, and prevent enemy infiltration and encirclement—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly. "They will block the enemy's sharpest first strikes and obtain valuable intelligence, laying the foundation for the elite troops to win the battle."

"So the casualties are very high."

"Making them as strong as possible would be extremely beneficial to Konoha's military strength—" Hiruzen Sarutobi sighed, "Moreover, it would give the ninjas a greater advantage when facing enemies, and a greater chance of survival on the brutal battlefield—"

Kakuzu looked directly at Hiruzen Sarutobi and asked solemnly, "But—this isn't really beneficial to you, is it? I'm curious, why would you want to take care of these ninjas—"

"I want to hear your most honest thoughts!"

"Perhaps it's because I'm Hashirama's apprentice—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said without changing his expression, believing that the First Hokage's name was a special advantage for him.

She belongs to the first generation of succubi in the ninja world.

"Lord Hashirama is so powerful that, apart from a few individuals like Madara Uchiha, other ninjas are like you and me to ordinary genin in his presence—"

"However, he still restrained his power and chose to create Konoha for the peace and happiness of the majority, thus ending the Warring States period."

"If it weren't for Lord Hashirama, I might not be alive now, and I wouldn't have had the opportunity to grow up—" Hiruzen Sarutobi said earnestly.

"You can't be serious—you're a genius, after all!" Kakuzu said hesitantly.

"I was only a few years old when the chaos ended, and in that cruel era, how many young geniuses died?" Hiruzen Sarutobi said slowly, "Lord Hashirama didn't calculate the so-called maximization of ultimate interests, but wanted to ensure that everyone could survive as much as possible. Otherwise, he could have completely controlled anyone and started one massacre after another—"

"I am a person with little ability, far inferior to Lord Hashirama, but his magnanimity and demeanor will forever be engraved in my heart."

"So, I just want to do my best to fulfill what Lord Hashirama wants. After all, I'm from a generation that grew up in gratitude for his kindness, and a man should know how to repay kindness—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi used a strategy of retreat to advance, thus binding himself to the name of Hashirama.

The so-called repayment of gratitude is openly about himself, but in reality, it subtly touches Kakuzu's heart.

"What the Hokage said is true—"

Kakuzu sighed softly, the image of Hashirama letting him go years ago flashing through his mind: "Young man, you're quite skilled! But you're unlucky. Be careful not to get harmed by others in the future!"

Hashirama's hearty laughter seemed to transcend time and space, echoing once again in Kakuzu's ears.

If Hashirama had the same mindset as him, would he have survived to this day?

It's obviously impossible—

"Hokage-sama, what are your thoughts on the concept of 'face' and 'substance'?" Kakuzu suddenly asked a strange question, his tone becoming slightly sharp: "Is it about taking the good aspects for yourself and letting others bear the bad ones?"

After Kakuzu finished speaking, even he himself felt that he had been too presumptuous.

But he really wanted to know—

As someone who was harmed by Hidden Village, he is particularly sensitive to any kind of "scapegoating" and is also extremely eager to get Hiruzen Sarutobi's opinion.

If this problem can be explained—

Kakuzu considered Konoha to be his ideal dream organization, the only drawback being that he didn't join it.

Hiruzen Sarutobi pondered for a moment.

In the ninja world, this question is actually a bit beyond the scope of the subject.

He needs to organize his thoughts.

"What unites people's hearts is a narrative of justice and a consensus of morality—and as the one who interprets this system, I naturally need to avoid getting too tainted by darkness."

"But if a village wants to survive, especially in the ninja world, it must deal with hidden risks and gray missions that cannot be made public, and use tough or even dark methods to safeguard the organization's bottom line for survival."

"I need to establish myself as a strong person who absolutely follows the rules. If there is any imbalance in this regard, given my considerable influence in the village, a large number of ninjas will lose faith in the rules."

"So, I need someone else to do this job for me, to act as what you call the 'inner workings'."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said sincerely.

These words were so blunt that even Kakuzu was taken aback.

This wasn't an explanation; it was more like teaching him how to be Hokage.

"I've seen all those ninjas who did dirty and hard work, and who were immersed in darkness."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said softly, "Take Danzo, for example, the Uchiha clan in the past, and the Root group. They sacrificed a lot, but sometimes they were misunderstood by their comrades—"

"Therefore, I also need to support them, use my influence to publicize their contributions, give them the recognition and honor they deserve, and provide them with substantial material benefits."

"On the other hand, I can also use my influence to restrain them and prevent them from excessively breaking the rules."

"The inner workings handle the things I can't do, while my outward appearance helps them emerge from the darkness, allowing them to one day stand in the light with greater pride."

"They are not knives that can be discarded after use, but heroes who bear the burden for me and for the village."

"I admit that this system is not perfect, but it is the best solution I can find right now."

Hiruzen Sarutobi said, word by word.

Kakuzu slowly exhaled a long breath, his expression filled with emotion.

As a ninja—

What we fear most is not sacrifice or dedication, but carrying out a mission without any reward.

"Shifting to the inner workings" means being treated like a chamber pot after the work is done, or being discarded like a used tool.

Kakuzu was once like this in Takigakure—

In Konoha.

Whether it's the Uchiha clan, Danzo, or the honored Anbu members—

All the facts tell Kakuzu that Hiruzen Sarutobi never owes anything to those who work for him.

Even if someone has stains on their reputation, it's easy to turn against them and deal with them—

For example, if Hiruzen Sarutobi stirs things up even slightly, the Konoha ninjas will only feel anger towards the Root members and Danzo.

But Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't; instead, he humbled himself and treated them with extraordinary respect.

"How kind of you, Hokage-sama—"

Kakuzu exclaimed from the bottom of his heart, "I really like your explanation."

Hiruzen Sarutobi did not embellish his own image, but instead truthfully explained to Kakuzu the workings of the village.

And it is precisely this authenticity that strikes a chord with the softest spot in Kakuzu's five hearts—a spot that none of them can easily avoid.

Let's be open and honest!

"Konoha, what a wonderful village—"

"What a pity, I am a rogue ninja from Takigakure, and I have wasted so many years in the ninja world—" Kakuzu sighed.

"It's no pity. You were a promising young talent that Lord Hashirama once lamented." Hiruzen Sarutobi joked, "With your Earth Grudge Fear, you're still a young man with a long road ahead of you—"

Is there still a long way to go?

Kakuzu looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi and his heart skipped a beat.

Hiruzen Sarutobi stared directly at Kakuzu, his gaze calm and resolute.

"Lord Hokage, I've heard—"

"Konoha allows other ninjas to join? The Tsuchigumo and Iburi clans have joined the village's reserve forces—" Kakuzu said subconsciously.

"Of course, we welcome all ninjas who share the Will of Fire and are like-minded."

"One's background is actually the least important thing."

Kakuzu nodded casually.

After a moment, she said softly, "Do you think I'm suitable?"

Kakuzu was slightly nervous.

His reputation in the ninja world is really bad—

While it can't be said that he was as renowned in the ninja world as Tobirama, he was still under close surveillance when passing through the Great Hidden Village.

After all, no organization would like a powerful lone wolf.

"My acquisition of Kakuzu is like Hashirama acquiring a teacher!"

Unexpectedly, Hiruzen Sarutobi burst into hearty laughter, grabbed Kakuzu's hand tightly, and said, "Actually, I wanted to ask you that earlier, but I was afraid you'd think I was being presumptuous—"

"I've heard from the Anbu ninjas that you're a renowned financial expert in the ninja world, and that Konoha's annual profits are around 5 billion ryo, not counting mission earnings!"

"If you come, I would like to ask you to be my financial expert, to summarize, re-approve, and supervise all future inflows and outflows of funds—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi let out a long sigh of relief: "There are too few ninjas in the village who understand these things. Now I finally have someone to talk to!"

Kakuzu's eyes widened.

no--

I just asked you if it would work, and you immediately went all out?

Logically speaking, you shouldn't think about it for a while before saying yes or no.

However, Konoha has its own village customs, and it put me through a series of tests, such as sending me into a reserve force like the Iburi clan, so that I could make a name for myself and then be promoted to a regular position!

You've just handed over 5 billion to yourself to manage all at once. Even if you're not in charge of everything, it's still incredibly generous!

Fifty billion taels—

Kakuzu couldn't help but calculate in his mind that he would have to kill three to five hundred elite Jonin to raise that much bounty!

That's about all the hidden villages combined!

Even the wealthy Kakuzu was stunned by the large gold coins of Konoha.

"Do you trust me that much?" Kakuzu couldn't help but ask.

"I've always believed in trusting those I employ and not employing those I don't trust," Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a chuckle. "Actually, in principle, joining Konoha requires going through a certain procedure—"

"But you have special talents and combat strength, and you have a long-standing relationship with Hashirama and Lady Mito, so you are an old friend of Konoha."

"To be honest, ever since I learned that you are a bounty hunter but are incredibly disciplined, I've thought that maybe one day we can become partners who can rely on each other."

Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Kakuzu on the shoulder and laughed heartily, much like Hashirama, saying, "Looks like my intuition was right!"

"I was just talking about this with Lady Mito the other day—" Hiruzen Sarutobi blinked. "By the way, you haven't gone to see her yet, have you?"

Kakuzu was bewildered: "Y-yes, I haven't visited Lady Mito yet, but I was planning to, and I brought a gift—"

So it turns out he and the Hokage have known each other for a long time?

Is this what they call a bond?

"Alright, let's go see Lady Mito—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi said with a smile, "I will now deliver your headband to Lady Mito. I hope you can gain her approval and have Lady Mito become your introducer when you join Konoha."

"In this way, no one will say anything—you will have established a foothold in Konoha, and your work will proceed more smoothly from now on, so that no one will cause you any trouble."

It's natural that outsider ninjas who have been given such high positions of power would be viewed with suspicion, even by Konoha.

But Mito Uzumaki was a transcendent figure in Konoha.

Moreover, this is a beautiful story about the Will of Fire and Hashirama!

Kakuzu, who was once released by Hashirama, was inspired by the Will of Fire fifty years later and joined Konoha with the approval of Hashirama's widow, Mito.

This is simply an excellent promotional material!

The Will of Fire is practically exploding in this story—

Kakuzu took a deep breath.

He simply didn't know what to say—

He hadn't even become a formal Konoha ninja yet! Hiruzen Sarutobi was already thinking about his job, proactively removing obstacles to prevent him from being mistreated—

What are you doing?!

Kakuzu felt a warm sensation all over his body, yet also a slight heat, as if he were under a genjutsu; even the flow of the black threads within his body seemed to have accelerated considerably.

"Hokage-sama—"

"I will go and visit Lord Mito immediately!"

"As for my specific work, let me discuss it with you in more detail. I have a better idea that would be good for the village—"

Kakuzu stood up and said seriously.

His posture was upright, clearly indicating that he had already integrated into the Konoha hierarchy.

"Okay! I'll wait for you to come and talk to me, but don't rush—"

"We need to consider our own work habits and resolve this issue once and for all—" Hiruzen Sarutobi patted Kakuzu on the shoulder, "Go ahead, and give my regards to Lord Mito!"

Kakuzu nodded heavily.

Hiruzen Sarutobi smiled as he watched Kakuzu's retreating figure.

The inherent stubbornness of ninjas means that if you strike their weak spot, the scenario of "their mighty bodies tremble and they bow down in submission" is plausible.

However, Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't trust Kakuzu that much either.

There was another crucial reason why he was sent to find Mito Uzumaki.

That was Hiruzen Sarutobi's trust in Mito Uzumaki's Kagura mind and his malicious perception.

Even Tobirama couldn't escape his detection back then, but in Hiruzen Sarutobi's opinion, Kakuzu didn't have that ability either.

Although it was calculated, it was a good thing for all parties.

Hiruzen Sarutobi can clearly demonstrate Kakuzu's usability, Kakuzu can gain endorsement and trust, and Mito can reminisce about Hashirama's past deeds and figure.

It's a win-win situation!

"Fire Release—"

Hiruzen Sarutobi sensed the fire jutsu he had absorbed into his body, as well as his current fire jutsu resistance.

Smile.

Progress is being accelerated.

"I wonder if that brat will give me a surprise when he gets back—" Hiruzen Sarutobi chuckled, referring to Jiraiya.

Jiraiya, who was in seclusion at Mount Myōboku, said that he was able to use Sage Mode in actual combat with some effort through prior preparation.

He sent a letter to Hiruzen Sarutobi, Orochimaru, Tsunade, and Hiruko.

He proudly declared that he had become a sage, his strength was now far greater than before, and he would return to Konoha to show off his power!

He claims to be "Sensu Daoren, a celestial disciple of the prophet of Mount Myōboku in Konoha!"

Hiruzen Sarutobi has never seen Sage Mode up close before, and he is very curious about it.

As for his old disciple Jiraiya, he'd actually been itching to get his hands on him for a while now—

I really want to play! It feels so good!

As Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't train like Sakumo did, simply going to the border to kill some spies when he felt he lacked real combat experience—

If he leaves the village and makes a move, the entire ninja world will be thrown into chaos.

Therefore, he could only engage in actual combat with the village ninjas under the guise of friendly sparring and exchange.

Hiruzen Sarutobi had already set his sights on Tobirama—

I plan to test my skills against my younger teacher.

But Jiraiya brazenly declared he would show Hiruzen Sarutobi his true power—

Then we might as well fight!

#

Dark area.

Danzo, now sober, or rather, not drunk at all, looked at Aoshui in front of him with great satisfaction.

The charade with Isshin and Fugaku was mainly to get the ninjas to spread the word, letting everyone in the village know they had reconciled and could make dumplings together in a happy reunion.

Otherwise, who would know if we closed the door?

Danzo, however, was increasingly satisfied with "Seisui".

The more I look at him, the less he seems like Izuna; he looks exactly like his teacher!

Of course, only Danzo would think this way, because his daily habit of looking at Tobirama's photograph unconsciously amplified Tobirama's features in Aozuki's face—

But interestingly...

With a cold expression, Tobirama finished reading through the information and ninjutsu Danzo had given him.

He uttered an unexpected statement: "How can this Wind Release chakra mode be perfected from this angle? You don't understand the basic principles of perfecting ninjutsu at all!"

"Obviously."

"You should start with the change in properties, using the initial structure of the Hozuki clan's water transformation technique as a reference, and extending it with the dynamics of airflow. If you keep going like this, you'll never complete this technique in your lifetime—"

Danzo was dumbfounded.

Faced with the blueprints handed to him by "Qingshui," Danzo instinctively asked, "How do you know so much?"

Tobirama stated matter-of-factly, having already planned this: "My younger brother is Shisui. His family has the texts and research ideas left behind by Tobirama Senju. Can't he just glance at these things and learn them?"

"Even the second-generation masters have compiled it so simply and easily—"

"I'm very curious, how come you, as his apprentice, can't even understand these things?"

Danzo, for the first time in a long time, showed a confused expression.

He naturally knew what the so-called Tobirama Tokugawa scriptures and research and development ideas referred to—

Every member of the royal guard back then received a set; Tobirama-sensei hoped they would carry on his legacy, and that everyone would at least have some knowledge of research and development.

Unfortunately, no one could understand it back then.

This also applies to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Because Tobirama's thinking was too jumpy, many of the logics and research inspirations that he took for granted were always expressed with one obvious statement after another.

Even Danzo, who respected Tobirama so much, complained to Hiruzen Sarutobi when he was young: "Where exactly is this supposed to be?"

Danzo stood up abruptly, his hands trembling slightly as he looked down carefully.

After a long while, he took a deep breath.

This feeling—

It was as if Tobirama-sensei had come back to life!

Help him complete this procedure!

"Qing Shui——"

Danzo stared at Tobirama, his eyes burning with a fervor that seemed to blaze like a raging fire: "I will definitely help you become Hokage!"

Tobirama curled his lip.

He doesn't want to be Hokage!

Once you've done that job, you'll understand. It's exhausting, like being skinned alive. It's nothing like the comfortable job I have now.

He's worked hard his whole life, it's time for him to enjoy some personal freedom!

After all, Hiruzen did a very good job.

"Your immediate priorities are twofold: first, to refine the Wind Release Chakra Mode according to my ideas; and second, to adjust the organizational structure of the Anbu intelligence department. Focus on completing the tasks at hand first—"

Tobirama handed over another piece of paper: "According to the records left by the Second Hokage, intelligence work on the periphery of the Dark Side emphasizes single-point silence, single-line communication, and no overlap between nodes—"

"These spies are in a very dangerous situation right now. You need to adjust your strategy quickly!"

Danzo frowned; he felt there was nothing wrong with his job.

But after reading Tobirama's comments, I felt a lump in my throat.

Did he really not fully understand Tobirama's teachings from back then?

How could this happen!

"There's no need to blame yourself too much. As the head of the secret service, you're bound to make some mistakes when you have too many responsibilities."

"Now I'll fill in the gaps for you—"

Tobirama patted Danzo on the shoulder: "I'm leaving now. You and the Uchiha clan ninjas did a great job today, but it still seemed a little too deliberate—"

"Next time, you can try to inspect with a smile, using your established persona to create a sense of contrast."

Danzo nodded, as if it were a muscle memory, and said, "Okay, I understand!"

A moment later, Danzo realized what was happening after hearing the loud slam of the door closing.

That's not right—

He is the real master!

"Qingshui" has clearly become his apprentice, but he has never called him "master" before!

How come he's already giving his work a dressing-down and assigning him homework before he's even said anything himself?

"As expected of Tobirama-sensei's grandson—"

"This is the true talent who has inherited Tobirama's mantle; he must become Hokage!" Danzo exclaimed sincerely after reviewing Tobirama's comments once more.

"However, I will not admit defeat. I will make sure that one day Qing Shui will sincerely call me master!"

Just as Danzo was having these fantasies.

The next day.

They returned to Tobirama's territory in the Uchiha clan compound.

However, they encountered a major obstacle.

Through the combined efforts of Danzo and Isshin, Tobirama met with Tomie Uchiha.

Tobirama was interested, but he wasn't in a hurry.

But Isshin and Danzo both wanted to ensure that Izuna and Tobirama's bloodline flowed again in Konoha—

It can only be said that things that were originally completely opposite ended up working in perfect harmony.

Opposite Tobirama.

Uchiha Tomie and he chatted casually.

This girl, around eighteen years old, had a beautiful face, long black hair, fair skin, and a scarlet beauty mark at the corner of her eye.

Yet his expression was indifferent and blank, as if he cared nothing about anything—

Izuna, inside Tobirama's body, nervously watched Tomie, his inner warning signals about to explode!

warn!warn!

She looks way too perfect.

"Qingshui, run! Something's wrong. Trust me, don't talk to her about your family or your past hurts! If she gets interested in you, you're doomed—"

Izuna kept talking.

Tobirama, however, did not take it to heart.

It's just a chat, what's so scary about it?

Are you an orphan too? Me too—

Tomie Uchiha said softly, "It seems we have something in common—"

"The village and the clan are my family, are you too?" Tobirama asked tentatively.

His early warning radar was also activated.

However, it had nothing to do with the Uchiha landmine woman; rather, he sensed the extreme Uchiha aura in Tomie.

"The Hokage did a great job, but I—"

Tomie gently shook her head: "I don't know how to face the village, but it doesn't really matter. These things have nothing to do with me anymore. Actually, you shouldn't have come to see me today."

Tobirama felt a chill run down his spine. What did he mean by "it has nothing to do with you"?

This is too dangerous!

Tobirama cautiously started chatting with her, and the two of them got along better and better as they talked.

Finally, Tomie revealed a little about her situation: "I have no sense of belonging to my clan or Konoha—"

"My father was still talking about Tobirama Senju before he died, saying that his clan would be wiped out. He died of depression caused by Tobirama Senju's police department policies."

Tobirama gritted his teeth.

Oh no, what's going on?

Izuna couldn't help but curse, "That bastard! He ruined my people!"

"My grandmother raised me, but she later fell ill and forgot many things. She always talks to herself that my grandfather was killed by Uchiha Izuna, and that he didn't even spare his own clansmen—"

Tobirama forced a smile, appearing deeply pained.

This does not mean that Izuna did not love his clansmen.

When Madara and Izuna first ascended to the stage of power in their clan, bloodshed was inevitable, and the internal strife within the Uchiha clan during the Warring States period was extremely fierce.

But this time, it was finally Izuna's turn to break down.

no--

Is this even possible?

He only purged a few die-hards back then, and yet he still managed to run into the other party's descendants, even during a blind date?

It was even more hellish when he and Tobirama each killed one of the other's important family members.

What's going on?!

"Thank you for listening to me—" Uchiha Tomie smoothed her long hair and said softly, "However, we shouldn't see each other again—it's not that I'm dissatisfied with you, but I have a bloodline disease, and I'm probably going to die—"

Tobirama and Izuna couldn't hold back any longer.

This girl can't die!

P.S.: Here comes a long chapter of 12,000 words!

I was supposed to post this last night, but I got caught up in writing it and couldn't stop, so I finished it all in one go.

This chapter was gone by 8 AM. Xiao Fan has to go to the hospital for a check-up today. She went yesterday afternoon, but the hospital was so crowded, and she couldn't get an appointment for some tests. (Orz)

I've been having some health issues lately, so updates have been inconsistent. Thank you all for your understanding and encouragement.

I'll be back in top form once I'm fully recovered! See you tomorrow morning at 8 AM~

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