Konoha: Offer your heart to the Hokage!

Aside from Mito Uzumaki, Tobirama Senju, and Jinji, even his son Takayuki didn't know why his father had disappeared.

There are considerations behind this as well.

If the villagers found out that Hashirama was going to challenge Madara Uchiha to a duel, the news would likely break the hard-won stability and peace once it reached overseas.

The next day, as the sun rose, the villagers quickly noticed something was amiss.

The person sitting in the Hokage's chair has changed from Hashirama Senju to Tobirama Senju.

Tobirama announced that the First Hokage was away from the village for training and would temporarily leave, during which time he would temporarily take charge of Hokage affairs.

Initially, there was a lot of private discussion.

How could someone so casually become the acting Hokage? What if there's some hidden story behind the "Axe and Candle Shadow" incident?

It wasn't until Shen Er personally came forward and confirmed the truth that the rumors that were lurking were suppressed.

Shen Er's reputation and standing in Konoha are beyond question; he's practically the most trustworthy person. Even he testifies to this, so it's likely the First Hokage did indeed leave behind such an order.

Even without the First Hokage, the village continued to function as usual.

He even asked Tobirama for a day off, saying that he needed to make some personnel adjustments at Evangelion Hospital before officially taking over as Hokage's assistant.

Tobirama didn't suspect anything and readily granted permission.

In fact, Shen'er had already made preparations in the underground laboratory last night.

He used the parasitic seed to regain control of a Chunin test subject, then infused it with his five senses, and left Konoha under the cover of night.

Where did Hashirama go?

Last night, before parting, Hashirama didn't say anything explicitly. However, Tobirama is a clever man and must have guessed it; and since Tobirama understands the future developments, he naturally knows as well. Therefore, Hashirama's secrecy was meaningless.

He must be heading towards the Valley of the End.

Even relying on the parasite's concealment and security, Shen Er planned to lay out his plans in the valley in advance.

It's not about being a bloodthirsty spectator, but about becoming a fisherman who reaps the benefits.

When the snipe and the clam fight, the fisherman profits.

If history had followed its original course, Hashirama would have won the second Battle of the Valley of the End, and Tobirama would have taken Madara's body back to a secret laboratory in Konoha while cleaning up the battlefield.

But now that he's like a butterfly flapping its wings, no one can be sure whether history will change.

Everything is still unknown.

If it had been Hashirama who died, Madara would most likely have given him a dignified burial.

If it were Madara who died… I would act according to the circumstances, to see if there was a chance to take his eyes and steal his heart.

Whoever loses, their body will be desecrated.

Even when multitasking.

While controlling the new version, he stealthily headed straight for the Valley of the End.

Meanwhile, the main body remained at the Gospel Hospital, methodically advancing the personnel adjustments.

He never imagined that one day he would be appointed as an advisor or elder.

As one's status and position rise, some of the powers previously held can gradually be relinquished. Performing surgery on the wounded is a very tiring task, and after completing the initial character building, one can naturally turn down all ordinary surgeries and only take on S-level surgeries.

The reason he continues to take on S-level surgeries is not because he is particularly kind-hearted.

Rather, "S-rank" signifies that the injured person is someone of high status. Like opening a blind box, those lying on the operating table are either Jonin or nobles from the Land of Fire—all valuable resources that can be utilized.

Shen Er readily implemented the adjustment plan she had prepared in advance.

He promoted pharmacist Ya Shi to vice president, and thereafter entrusted him with all the daily affairs and administrative matters of the Gospel Hospital. He himself transformed into the behind-the-scenes controller of the Gospel Hospital, remaining hidden in the background.

Shen Er could easily imagine such a scene.

Decades later, the vice presidents of Gospel Hospital changed one after another, but the position of president remained unchanged.

One day, a group of hot-blooded, bumbling protagonists, in order to save their companion or uncover a secret, braved the hospital's many obstacles and finally found the legendary, mysterious director. When they learned the truth, they were utterly astonished. The director, who had run the hospital for decades and was rumored to possess unparalleled medical skills, was actually just a handsome young man who looked to be around twenty years old.

A very standard identity setting.

At last.

The Gospel Hospital also has a department that is quite important to Shen: the Medical Research Department.

Its offices are located on the basement levels one and two.

Its official function is to be responsible for the unified storage and research of pathological specimens, blood samples from public-service ninjas, and cadavers. Secretly, it serves as a sample center for those seeking to uncover the secrets of the ninja world.

Previously, all matters, large and small, of the research department had been personally controlled by Shen Er, with no outsiders allowed to interfere. Now that he was going to the Hokage Building and could no longer oversee Gospel Hospital every day, he naturally had to hand over this core department to the most trustworthy person.

The only candidate at present is Matsumoto Kazuka.

Despite her qualifications and reputation, which outsiders would consider insufficient for the position of minister.

But so what?

She is Shen'er's disciple.

She casually filled in her name in the position of head of the medical research department.

His power as Dean of the Evangelical Fellowship is limitless.

It was just a small act of capriciousness that elevated this ordinary girl, who had just graduated from the ninja academy a year ago and was only fifteen years old, to a pivotal figure at the Gospel Hospital.

Even if something really did happen later...

Even saints make mistakes.

After completing the remaining less important adjustments, Shen Er sent out the notification.

After doing all this, Shen Er returned to the meditation room in the Zen temple compound.

This meditation room was built at great expense by him, and the walls are made of special materials that have the effects of sound insulation, heat insulation, and blocking some chakra probing.

As for its greatest use, it is to allow Shen to remain in a corner of Konoha and thus be able to easily control those parasites to exert their maximum influence, stirring up trouble and disrupting the situation in various parts of the ninja world.

Even when he closes his eyes and opens them again, the perspective changes, and all five senses descend upon him.

He looked around.

It was evening when a torrential downpour began.

A violent clap of thunder tore through the sky, and large raindrops pelted the ground, splashing up half a foot of water. The valley swayed precariously in the wind and rain, but the forest rooted in the ruins exuded an unusual vitality, seemingly indifferent to the raging storm.

Sensing the chakra traces remaining on it, he even realized that this was the Wood Release technique left by Hashirama ten years ago.

At this point, the terrain of the End Valley is not entirely like that of the future.

It will probably be completely changed after this battle.

Shen Er lay hidden among the vines and rocks, using the assassination techniques he had honed in Takigakure to conceal his presence as he crouched down.

As an assassin, patience is the one thing you have in abundance.

Not long after.

At the top of the waterfall in the distant End Valley, two fiery red figures leaped down and landed steadily on the ground.

"Motor!!"

"Hot Mom from Harbin!!!"

Chapter 58 The Mighty Susanoo, the Transformed Buddha on His Crown

It can truly be said that...

A shadow descended from the sky, its form ferocious and furious!

Hashirama was overjoyed to be reunited with his dearest friend.

"Ban, stop now! Your ambition will kill countless people."

"In all these years of warring states and chaos, how many people have died in the ninja world, and who has truly cared?" Madara Uchiha's laughter echoed wildly through the valley. "The greatest evil is often committed by those who firmly believe they are doing good!"

"If you were willing to join forces with me, this ninja world should have been at peace long ago."

"Since you refuse, then I will have to go my own way..."

Hashirama Senju's eyes were filled with disappointment: "Madara, since you are so stubborn, I have no choice but to bring you back to reality!"

The cliffs of End Valley seemed to groan and howl in the howling wind.

Shen, lurking in the distance, sensed a strong fluctuation of chakra in the air, emanating a terrifying sense of oppression that could make one tremble.

Madara Uchiha stood to the left of the waterfall, his long black hair fluttering in the wind. His Sharingan instantly transformed into the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan, his scarlet eyes fixed on Hashirama Senju.

"Only my own eyes see reality!"

Ban's voice was deep and tinged with mockery as he slowly raised his hand. "Let me see if your strength has weakened in seven years."

"Spiritual communication!"

Bang!

A dense array of incantations instantly spread across the ground, a thick cloud of white smoke rose, and a colossal black shadow appeared within it.

As the smoke gradually dissipated, the ferocious and terrifying appearance of the Nine-Tailed Fox was exposed to the moonlight.

Madara, wielding a scythe in one hand and a fan in the other, leaped onto the Nine-Tails' head.

"Nine-Tails? You actually controlled it."

Hashirama was somewhat surprised, then clapped his hands together.

Wood Release vines burst from the ground and attacked the Nine-Tails, but were shattered by a single palm strike, making it impossible for them to get close.

Hashirama took a deep breath, took the large scroll from his waist and spread it on the ground, quickly forming hand seals: "Wood Release: Wood Dragon Technique!"

The earth trembled instantly.

Countless giant trees emerged from the cracks in the rocks, intertwining and coalescing into a massive wooden dragon, which suddenly pounced out, strangling and tightly binding the nine-tailed creature.

This is one of his best Wood Release ninjutsu, which has the property of absorbing chakra.

Binded tightly by the wooden dragon, even the mighty Nine-Tails could not withstand it, letting out a painful roar. Then, its huge mouth opened wide, and purplish-black chakra rapidly condensed: "Tailed Beast Ball!"

"Wood Release: Wood Human Technique!"