Immortality begins with the ninjas of Konoha

"As the Hokage, I will take care of the raw material issue. Everyone just needs to continue investing in research and development."

"This is an era where you either move forward or fall behind. Konoha is at a critical juncture of transformation. We must think about the next generation and not just focus on immediate gains."

Minato calmly summarized the situation, and the ninja clan members all calmed down.

Kakashi and Might Guy exchanged a glance. As mission ninjas, they had already noticed the changes in the ninja clan: abandoning research and development, blindly pursuing maximum profit, and some ninja clan members had become more greedy.

Even ninjas cannot fight against human nature. Continuous investment in research and development is only an ideal state. More than 20 years have passed since the secret medicine was created, and its drawbacks have begun to appear.

"Next is the issue of the Ten-Tails and the God Tree that the First Hokage mentioned."

"Although we haven't received any definitive intelligence, the Kara organization has confirmed through Otsutsuki Isshiki that the Divine Tree is undergoing transformation."

"The Divine Tree is currently in another dimension, and it is unclear whether it will return here."

"The First Hokage proposed a monitoring plan, but we currently lack the means to open up another dimension. This concerns the safety of the ninja world, and I hope everyone can contribute their share."

Minato, with a serious expression, raised the issues to be discussed next. Madara Uchiha expected some responses, but most of the Jonin sat upright, remaining silent...

Let alone overseeing it, most Jonin have no interest in even intervening in related plans. Even if the divine arts distorted their perception, Furukawa Shushin's habit of killing people remained unchanged.

Whether it's "madness for love" or just personal preference, it doesn't matter. Ordinary ninjas can just live their lives well.

Seeing that no one responded, Nara Shikaku had no choice but to cough lightly to defuse the awkward situation. He looked at the two Hokage and solemnly replied:

"If it's another dimension, even the Hokage's Flying Thunder God Technique wouldn't be able to do anything, right?"

"The only way is to open the alternate dimension using special eye techniques."

"Besides that Uchiha hero, I can't think of any other candidate."

When Obito Uchiha was mentioned, everyone present felt somewhat awkward.

After being distorted by divine magic, Obito's attempt to seize the Nine-Tails was part of the First Hokage's plan. This internal strife is a mess, and no one wants to talk about it too much.

Madara Uchiha grew increasingly disappointed with the Konoha ninja's reaction. These people had lost their ninja way and were now just ordinary people who wielded chakra power.

"I do need Obito Uchiha's help; the power of the God Tree is still too dangerous."

"What Tobirama Senju saw back then was a tampered historical document. There are also records about the Divine Tree on the stone tablet passed down from generation to generation by the Uchiha clan, but unfortunately, the contents of that tablet are also problematic."

"The Kara organization has uncovered part of the truth: the Divine Tree is the ultimate weapon of the Otsutsuki clan. Once the Ten-Tails evolves to its final form, it will most likely distort the user's mind."

Sharing the information obtained from the Kara organization in a deep voice, Madara Uchiha's expression turned solemn as he finished speaking. His mind was twisted; he was not lying, which was also the reason why he discovered that Black Zetsu was problematic and did not deal with the Gedo Mazo himself.

Madara Uchiha did not want to introduce any new power until he could be certain that the Gedo Mazo and the Tailed Beast chakra were safe.

The omnipotent divine magic was out of control, and the cells of the "god" within his body were also problematic. Fortunately, he now had control of the shell tissue, and he needed to re-understand the effects brought about by that "god".

"Even if the First Hokage's mind is twisted, there's nothing we can do..."

"Yes, ordinary ninjas can't interfere with Lord Xiu's affairs, and the same goes for the Otsutsuki. We can't even sense those aliens."

"Lord Xiu should consider the Ten-Tails' problem. It's better for the Divine Tree to fall into Lord Xiu's hands than those aliens, after all, we are all still human!"

The Jonin members cautiously retorted that they had no interest in getting involved in the matter; they were all used to having Osamu Furukawa standing on high ground, "watching but not interfering."

World-ending crises are things that the strong should consider.

The more "advice" he heard, the more disappointed Madara Uchiha became; the Konoha ninjas had lost that indomitable spirit of ninja.

These elites are concerned with their families, interests, and personal lives. They are united because the village can amplify their profits. No matter what kind of "Will of Fire" they are, it cannot change their behavior pattern.

Minato noticed the disappointment in Madara Uchiha's eyes, the founder of Konoha, and a wry smile appeared on his face. He changed the subject and gave the order:

"Kakashi, Guy, stay behind for now. This matter is in your hands for the time being."

"The testing work on the resurgence and transformation of the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path is still ongoing. The Sealing Team and the Barrier Team, please continue to report!"

"..."

The meeting continued, but Madara Uchiha closed his eyes, while Koharu Utatane and Homura Mitokado remained silent.

The two old advisors hoped that the First Hokage could change the atmosphere of the village, but now it seems that even though the "Will of Fire" has been awakened, the ninja clan still doesn't buy it.

The ninja clans, who control both production and power, have entered a monopoly stage. Unless there is a complete transformation like that of Kirigakure, the Hokage's power will only shrink in the future, and he will continue to co-rule with the ninja clans.

After the midday meeting ended, most of the Jonin who left the Hokage Building looked relaxed, and the ninjas from the Aburame and Inuzuka clans secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

"How is Senior Jaw's health?"

Aburame Shiki adjusted her sunglasses slightly and asked in a low voice, while Inuzuka Tsurugi chuckled and shook his head in response:

"That's fantastic. After leaving the ninja ranks, he's now in charge of training ninja dogs. Recently, many companies have even been offering high prices to buy ninja dogs."

"Although I'm not sure if ordinary people can afford the food for ninja dogs, it is indeed a new source of income growth."

At 37 years old, Inuzuka Tsurugi is currently the head of the Inuzuka clan, a position he holds thanks to the ninja dog Kuromaru.

The talking, powerful dog has indeed helped the ninjas with a lot of work; Kuromaru is already a veteran of the guard team...

"It seems you've successfully found a way to integrate into the new era. Perhaps the Aburame clan should take on fewer assassination missions."

Aburame Shiki sighed. Although the Aburame clan had developed rapidly over the years, it had also sown the seeds of future problems. By focusing on assassination, they had narrowed their path.

However, transformation is extremely difficult. Cooperation among ninja clans has its own positioning, and developing new revenue streams is very difficult in today's increasingly competitive era.

"I remember that the multi-functional honey products launched by Oil Women's Group in the last two years have been very popular, right?"

Inuzuka Tsuru asked with some curiosity. Upon hearing "honey," Aburame Shii felt a little embarrassed. The new product received mixed reviews within the clan, and many people secretly laughed at them for associating honey with sexual intercourse.

However, the "multifunctional honey" launched by the Oil Women tribe is indeed very popular, and the health products have extremely high profits. Although their reputation is on the verge of collapse, most tribesmen do not want to give up the related trade.

"It only slightly supplemented the income of the clan's ninjas!"

"Speaking of which, there seems to be something wrong with the First Hokage..."

Aburame Shiki spoke in a low voice with a serious expression, saying that the parasitic insects had been somewhat restless ever since Uchiha Madara appeared, a situation that only occurred when the other party was an enemy.

In contrast, even though Furukawa Osamu possessed extremely powerful chakra, the parasitic insects never showed any signs of agitation.

Not only that, the insects also seemed to really like Osamu Furukawa, as the feeling they sent back was "warmth".

Despite his perception being distorted by the divine magic, Inuzuka Tsurugi sensed something was amiss. After a quick glance around, he whispered in response:

"The First Hokage's scent is definitely unusual; it doesn't smell like a human..."

After being modified by the cells of "God", Madara Uchiha's body underwent an unknown mutation. Tsurugi Inuzuka and the ninja dogs both smelled the "inhuman scent", but it was not something that could be said out loud.

The two exchanged a glance and fell silent. Finally, Aburame Zhiwei said in a low voice:

"I will contact the other side of the group. It's never a bad thing to make some preparations in advance."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, senior!"

Inuzuka Tsurugi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly responded. Most of the Konoha ninja clans have been hedging their bets, and over the years they have secretly replenished Furukawa Osamu's ranks with a lot of personnel.

The rapid progress of Kirigakure's research on bloodline limits is also inseparable from their support. Although it may make the bloodline less pure, mutual fusion may also give birth to a more powerful bloodline.

...

Madara Uchiha was unaware that the Konoha ninjas of the new era were all "two-faced." His understanding of Konoha ninjas remained stuck in the past, and he did not realize that someone was about to betray him.

Inside the Hokage Building, the few people remaining in the room were all his closest confidants.

As a newly promoted Jonin, Sasuke was naturally not qualified to speak in the previous meeting, but now that he has been kept behind by the "Ancestor," the young man is very happy.

"To visit Kirigakure and seek cooperation?"

"Teacher, as far as I know, Obito hasn't carried out any ninja missions in recent years. Maybe he has retired from the ninja ranks and doesn't want to participate in troublesome missions anymore."

Kakashi immediately asked about the mission, and Guy, who was standing next to him, nodded in agreement. He had a deep impression of the boy named Uchiha Kakashi.

Minato looked at Madara Uchiha, whose eye twitched slightly, but he patiently explained:

"It's just opening up another dimension; as a member of the Uchiha clan, he won't refuse."

"The Shell organization has identified several visions of the future, many of which are apocalyptic disasters. We must strengthen our oversight."

Maintaining the persona of the First Hokage, Madara Uchiha tried his best to avoid revealing his desire for the Chakra Fruit and to become a god.

Even after he said those words, Kakashi still felt a strange unease lingering in his heart. These past few days, he had felt like he had forgotten something, and this feeling intensified after hearing the details of the mission.

"I understand, First Hokage!"

"I will be working with Kai, along with Class 7 and Class 10."

Kakashi eventually agreed, stating that Madara Uchiha, the founder of Konoha, would not destroy the village, and that his decision must be for the sake of making the village more prosperous.

Finally seeing the true essence of a ninja in Kakashi, Madara Uchiha nodded in satisfaction. After Kakashi and Guy left, he looked at Sasuke, who was kneeling on the ground, and gave the order again:

"Sasuke, as a member of the Uchiha clan, you will assist Shisui in completing missions when necessary."

"The ultimate power of the Uchiha clan must still be in the hands of the village."

Sasuke glanced up at the Fifth Hokage, noticed Minato nod, and immediately bowed his head in a solemn response:

"I understand, First Hokage!"

"Very good. Remember, if a conflict occurs, align yourself with members of the Shell organization. They will protect you immediately."

Madara Uchiha gave a word of advice, and when he saw the young man's face, which resembled his younger brother's, a rare touch of warmth appeared on his face.

Sasuke, who had received half a month of special training from "Ancestor", felt a warmth in his heart from the care. Even Fugaku Uchiha had never cared for him like this. In an instant, he made up his mind to complete the mission well.

As Sasuke left, a strange look flashed in Minato's eyes. Jiraiya's message through the toad indicated that Madara Uchiha, the First Hokage, had been influenced by "God".

Through this mission assignment, Minato also noticed the other party's eagerness. There was a problem with the First Hokage's resurrection, and Konoha should take this opportunity to seize the power of the Ten-Tails. This was what he, as the Hokage, should be doing.

"First Hokage, the sealing of the Ten-Tails is nearing completion. Only the Nine-Tails' chakra remains to be sealed."

"The Nine-Tails? You've worked hard, Minato. I'll take care of the rest."

Madara Uchiha smiled in response. The sealing techniques of the Fifth Hokage before him were extremely excellent. After sealing the chakra of eight tailed beasts in succession, he was basically certain that Osamu Furukawa had not tampered with the Amber Purification Bottle.

He had to finish the job himself; the incomplete power of the Ten-Tails was already beckoning to him!

The two Hokage and the advisor discussed their next steps. According to the information provided by the Ten Directions Divine Technique, the Otherworldly Divine Tree would be completely transformed by the middle of this month.

At that time, regardless of whether Osamu Furukawa brings the Divine Tree back to this world, the First Hokage will have to oversee it, and the two who wield the same power will rebalance the entire ninja world.

...

As the sun set, Sasuke, in high spirits after finishing his afternoon training, returned home. To his surprise, Fugaku Uchiha was waiting for him with tea.

"Father, I'm back."

"Have you received special training from Lord Madara again? It seems he thinks highly of your talent."

Fugaku Uchiha forced a gentle smile and asked softly. Sasuke glanced at his father and nodded, recalling his "ancestor's" teachings on the Sharingan and Fire Release techniques, and responded somewhat happily:

"The three-tomoe Sharingan can also use Yin Release, which is a part of Susanoo. Madara-sama truly deserves to be the First Hokage who founded Konoha!"

"His fire techniques have also benefited me greatly!"

Seeing his son like this, Fugaku Uchiha became even more suspicious of Madara Uchiha. Even after Shisui recovered his health, he was not valued by the "Ancestor," who possessed the Mangekyou Sharingan.

Not only that, Madara Uchiha also seemed to dislike the clan's secret medicines, behaving strangely at the clan meeting and seemingly indifferent to his juniors, which was completely different from the recorded situation.

"In that case, you must not let Lord Madara down!"

"Yes, Father, I will complete this mission successfully and bring the Uchiha hero back to the clan."

As a new generation ninja, Sasuke doesn't pay much attention to keeping mission information confidential, and he even reveals important information to his father without any precautions.

Fugaku Uchiha nodded without changing his expression. After his son took his leave, he went to the study alone and silently used the summoning jutsu.

An eagle with bright eyes and brown feathers appeared in the room. After writing furiously, Fugaku Uchiha handed over the scroll and whispered instructions:

"Get the scroll to Itachi as soon as possible."

The eagle nodded obediently and then flew out of the window. Thanks to Uchiha Shisui, the head of the Anbu, the Uchiha eagles were also included in the organization, and many of them were messenger eagles, which would not arouse any suspicion.

As a father, Fugaku Uchiha knew he was somewhat biased, but he simply preferred his eldest son. Even after Itachi left the family, he still cared about his eldest son's whereabouts.

"Even the First Hokage shouldn't try to sabotage the Uchiha's interests. The ninja world crisis is none of our business..."

Fugaku Uchiha murmured, "The Ten-Tails and the God Tree are not things that the Uchiha should be involved in right now. Osamu Furukawa has such great power, yet he didn't interfere with the development of the ninja world. This is the kind of leader we need."

As night fell, in Kirigakure, a communication hawk passed a scroll to a small white snake before flapping its wings and flying away. The snake silently broke through multiple layers of barriers and returned to Itachi Uchiha's home.

Since Izumi is pregnant, Itachi has turned down most of his missions these days and is taking care of his wife at home every day.

His carefree life almost made him forget that he was still a ninja, until he saw a small white snake spitting out a scroll on his desk, which made Itachi Uchiha tense up.

Unless there are special circumstances, Fugaku Uchiha would not contact him. Itachi opened the scroll and read it carefully, his expression becoming solemn. He did not completely trust the mission information.

"What's wrong, Itachi? Is something the problem?"