Chapter 208 (Patreon)

Orochimaru’s victory on the Eastern Front had disrupted Kizaru’s original plan.

From the beginning, Kizaru had approached this Shinobi World War with a clear strategy.

First, he intended to use the three great shinobi villages to temper Konoha’s new generation. At the same time, he would give the enemy just enough hope to draw them out and entice them into committing their main forces to the battlefield.

Once the three villages had deployed most of their fighting strength—and once Konoha’s casualties reached five hundred—Kizaru would personally enter the war.

With his unmatched speed, he could bring both the Eastern and Western Fronts under control within a single day, crippling the three great villages as thoroughly as possible.

By then, Kizaru’s name would resound throughout the shinobi world. He would surpass even Senju Hashirama, the legendary God of Shinobi, and establish himself as the undisputed ruler of the age.

That was the second stage of Kizaru’s plan.

His goal had never been to conquer the world through brute force alone. His ambitions extended far beyond claiming territory and ruling its people.

He wanted their loyalty as well.

For that, he needed the third stage of his plan: dragging Uchiha Madara out of the shadows and turning him into the common enemy of the entire shinobi world.

Capturing Black Zetsu and reaching an agreement with him had all been preparation for that stage.

Uchiha Madara was proud and deeply obsessed with his ideals. He believed he had seen through the true nature of the world and intended to save it in his own way.

However, Kizaru was the greatest obstacle standing in the way of Madara’s plan. To put it plainly, as long as Kizaru remained alive, Madara had almost no chance of succeeding.

Knowing that, Kizaru had prepared an irresistible piece of bait.

He would give Madara an opportunity to “kill” him.

The third stage of Kizaru’s plan was to have Black Zetsu return the Rinnegan to Madara, giving him the power and confidence necessary to make his move.

Once Madara attacked and Kizaru “barely” managed to drive him back, the evidence Danzō had been ordered to prepare would finally become useful.

The current war would be exposed as part of Uchiha Madara’s conspiracy. Madara had obtained the legendary power of the Sage of Six Paths and intended to conquer the entire shinobi world.

Kizaru would reveal this supposed truth to the three defeated villages, redirecting their anger toward Madara. After being crippled in the war, they would also be terrified of Madara’s overwhelming strength and hidden schemes.

Under the immense pressure created by Madara’s existence, those villages would naturally draw closer to Konoha and Kizaru out of sheer self-preservation.

Once every shinobi village—especially the Five Great Shinobi Villages—voluntarily approached Konoha and formed an alliance under Kizaru’s leadership, he could begin spreading the reforms he had already introduced.

Through changes to the shinobi system, education, culture, and ideology, he could achieve unification with far less bloodshed.

All shinobi belonged to the same class.

Shinobi possessed the power to change the world.

Shinobi could become the ones who led the world into a new era.

Those were the ideas Kizaru was currently shaping, and after the war, he intended to spread them throughout the shinobi world one step at a time.

He would gradually redirect the internal conflicts dividing shinobi toward a common external enemy: the daimyō and the nobility.

Establish authority through strength.

Reform the shinobi villages through a new system.

Transform people’s lives through technology.

Unite all shinobi beneath a shared ideal.

Once those four objectives were achieved, Kizaru’s grand unification would be little more than a crown waiting to be claimed.

The plan had been nearly perfect, and Kizaru was confident that he could complete it one stage at a time.

Unfortunately, Orochimaru had introduced an enormous variable during the very first stage.

It was not that Kizaru lacked confidence in his ability to deal with the powerful Senju Hashirama brought back through Edo Tensei. The real problem was Hashirama’s identity.

He was the First Hokage and the founder of the shinobi village system.

That made the situation considerably more troublesome.

Kizaru had to consider the feelings of those around him. Whether it was his lover, Tsunade, or the shinobi of Konoha—especially those of the older generation—they all held different degrees of respect, admiration, and affection for Senju Hashirama.

If Hashirama insisted on ending the war before Kizaru achieved his strategic objectives, or if he led Konoha’s shinobi against Madara too early, Kizaru’s entire plan could be ruined.

Crippling the three great villages, establishing Uchiha Madara as the most terrifying enemy in the shinobi world, and keeping Madara alive for another three to five years were all essential parts of Kizaru’s strategy.

Considering Hashirama’s desire for peace and his open, forthright nature, Kizaru could not be certain that he would agree to cooperate.

However, if Kizaru succeeded in persuading him, Hashirama’s presence would greatly increase the plan’s chances of success.

Just imagining it made the possibilities obvious.

The legendary God of Shinobi, Senju Hashirama, had returned to the world for the sole purpose of stopping Uchiha Madara’s conspiracy.

What better story could there be to spread among the people?

Hashirama would lead the combined forces of Konoha and the other shinobi villages against Madara, only for the alliance to suffer defeat at the hands of Madara and his Rinnegan. The allied forces would sustain devastating losses, while Kizaru remained behind alone, “barely” holding off Madara’s pursuit and saving everyone else.

It would be the perfect story to unite the shinobi world.

It even resembled the events Kizaru remembered from the anime, where Naruto and Sasuke had joined forces to save the world.

Kizaru would become the only person capable of opposing Uchiha Madara. With their military strength shattered, the other villages would have no choice but to form an alliance with Konoha under the tremendous pressure created by Madara.

And once those villages had accepted the protection of Konoha and Kizaru, how much influence would they truly retain?

What power would they have to prevent the Konoha led by Kizaru from reshaping their villages?

For Kizaru, Senju Hashirama’s return through Edo Tensei could become either a blessing or a disaster.

Everything depended on whether he could persuade the God of Shinobi—and how effectively he could make use of him.

That afternoon, shortly after Tsunade returned, the Konoha forces escorting the Kirigakure shinobi arrived at the village.

Considering that Kirigakure had also been a victim of the conspiracy, Konoha did not imprison its shinobi. Instead, a temporary camp was prepared for them in the forest outside the village.

Of course, the strongest members of Kirigakure’s forces—especially the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura Karatachi—were accommodated in a high-class guest residence near the center of Konoha.

It was partly a gesture of sincerity and partly because keeping them nearby made them much easier to monitor.

Kizaru did not concern himself with the finer details of Kirigakure’s accommodations. He handed the matter over to the Logistics Department, the Secretariat, and the ANBU, with Hatake Sakumo placed in overall command.

For Kizaru and Sarutobi Hiruzen, the most pressing matter was welcoming the First Hokage back to the village.

Hashirama’s current position was far too important—and far too delicate—to be handled casually.

After discussing the matter with Hiruzen and Tsunade, Kizaru decided against receiving him in the Hokage Building. Instead, the meeting would take place within the Senju Clan compound, which had become quiet and sparsely populated over the years.

They gathered inside the main residence of the Senju Clan’s direct line, where Tsunade and Nawaki lived.

Danzō and Orochimaru personally escorted Hashirama there.

Kizaru, Tsunade, and Sarutobi Hiruzen had already been waiting inside the reception room for some time.

Since their first meeting would involve official matters, no one had informed Nawaki, who was currently busy working in the fields.

The door opened.

Senju Hashirama entered the sealed reception room wearing a black cloak and an ANBU mask.

Of the three people waiting inside, Tsunade was by far the most emotional. Hiruzen appeared somewhat calmer, but the look in his eyes revealed that his heart was anything but peaceful.

Only Kizaru remained composed.

He studied the legendary God of Shinobi with undisguised curiosity.

Hashirama lowered the hood of his cloak and removed his mask. His gaze swept across the room before immediately settling on his granddaughter.

“Little Tsunade! Look how much you’ve grown! Hahaha!”

The moment he saw his descendant standing before him, Hashirama burst into joyful laughter.

Tsunade raised a hand to wipe the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“Grandpa!”

Still laughing, Hashirama strode toward them. He stopped in front of Tsunade and gently rested a hand on her head, just as he had done when she was a child.

“In the blink of an eye, you’ve grown into such a remarkable woman.” Nostalgia filled his face. “That’s wonderful, Tsunade.”

During the journey back, Hashirama had learned a great deal about the village from Danzō, including everything Tsunade had accomplished.

He had also learned about her relationship with Kizaru.

“You must be Kizaru, the Fourth Hokage.” Hashirama turned toward him and carefully looked him over. “And little Tsunade’s lover.”

Kizaru was tall, well-built, and strikingly handsome. There were faint similarities between him and Danzō in his youth, although Kizaru was considerably more handsome.

Danzō had, after all, been quite good-looking when he was young.

Judging by appearance alone, Hashirama was very satisfied with his prospective grandson-in-law.

However, a shinobi’s true worth was not determined by appearance. Wisdom and strength mattered far more.

Hashirama could not judge Kizaru’s wisdom from a glance, but after hearing Danzō describe the reforms Kizaru had introduced, he already considered the young man exceptionally capable.

In that regard, Kizaru reminded him of Tobirama.

As for strength, Hashirama had briefly sensed Kizaru’s condition upon entering the room.

What he discovered came as a genuine shock.

Unlike any other shinobi, there was not even a trace of chakra inside Kizaru’s body. If an ordinary sensor tried to determine his strength, they would probably mistake him for a civilian.

Senju Hashirama, however, was no ordinary sensor.

As the former God of Shinobi and a master of senjutsu, he could perceive far more than most.

Kizaru possessed an astonishing amount of life force. Even without using any special sensory technique, Hashirama could tell that his physical body was exceptionally powerful.

In terms of physical ability alone, Kizaru had already surpassed Hashirama when he was alive. His body unquestionably stood at the pinnacle of the shinobi world.

Yet that was not what surprised Hashirama most.

What truly astonished him was the terrifying quantity of natural energy contained within Kizaru’s body.

As a practitioner of senjutsu, Hashirama understood better than most how powerful and difficult to control natural energy could be. Even while alive, he had only absorbed it during battle, allowing him to enter Sage Mode for limited periods.

Kizaru was completely different.

Under normal circumstances, he could absorb and store an immense amount of natural energy inside his body. Moreover, Hashirama could sense that Kizaru was not merely holding a fixed amount.

His body was constantly drawing in more, naturally assimilating it without any sign of strain.

It was similar to the Slug Sage with whom Hashirama had formed a contract.

One only had to consider the Slug Sage’s enormous body and the thousands of years she had lived to understand what Kizaru’s condition might eventually mean.

The Fourth Hokage standing before him could become the first true human sage since the Sage of Six Paths—one capable of living for thousands of years.

“Little Tsunade certainly has a good eye!” Hashirama exclaimed before laughing again. “You found yourself an incredible man! Hahaha!”

“Grandpa!”

Tsunade’s cheeks turned red. Her voice carried an awkward mixture of embarrassment, affection, and annoyance.

“Hahaha!”

After laughing to his heart’s content, Hashirama turned toward Kizaru with a serious expression.

“I’m already a dead man, so I no longer have the right to interfere in the lives of those who came after me. Still, as Tsunade’s grandfather and one of Konoha’s elders, I want to ask something of you.”

Hashirama looked directly into Kizaru’s eyes.

“Take good care of Tsunade—and take good care of the village.”

“Of course,” Kizaru answered with rare solemnity. “Tsunade and this village are both precious treasures to me. I’ll protect them, no matter what.”

His words carried none of his usual teasing or laziness.

This was the respect he owed both an elder of Tsunade’s family and the founder of Konoha.

“Hahaha! Well said!” Hashirama’s smile widened. “I like you, Kizaru!”

Hearing Kizaru describe Tsunade and Konoha as his precious treasures filled Hashirama with genuine happiness.

They were Hashirama’s treasures as well.

He had once sacrificed his life to protect them.

After praising Kizaru, Hashirama turned toward Sarutobi Hiruzen, who stood beside him.

Thanks to Danzō’s explanation during their journey, Hashirama already knew that Hiruzen was the Third Hokage personally chosen by Tobirama before his death.

“Hiruzen, the village owes much of what it has today to you.”

Danzō had also mentioned some of Hiruzen’s failures, including his conservative nature and his handling of the Uchiha Clan. Even so, Hashirama could not deny the effort Hiruzen had devoted to the village over the years.

He had seen Konoha with his own eyes on the way to the Senju compound.

The busy streets, the confident spirit of its people, and the sincere smiles on the villagers’ faces were more than enough to earn his approval of Hiruzen’s time as Hokage.

“I only fulfilled my duty,” Hiruzen replied. “Tobirama-sensei entrusted the village to me. I could never allow myself to betray his expectations.”

Receiving the First Hokage’s acknowledgment meant more to Hiruzen than words could express. His eyes reddened with emotion.

“Hahaha! If Tobirama were here, I’m sure he would be happy to see what the village has become.”

At the mention of his younger brother, Hashirama’s expression softened with nostalgia.

Orochimaru had remained near the door in silence ever since entering the room.

At that moment, he casually spoke for the first time.

“I could use Edo Tensei to bring Lord Second back as well.”

Everyone turned to look at Orochimaru.

Their expressions were priceless.

Danzō thought it sounded like a surprisingly good idea.

Hiruzen wanted his disciple to stop creating more trouble.

Tsunade looked tempted to let him try.

Kizaru wanted Orochimaru to shut his mouth.

Hashirama, meanwhile, appeared to be seriously considering the suggestion.

“Ahem!” Hiruzen cleared his throat. “Orochimaru, you must not use a forbidden technique like Edo Tensei so casually.”

“Sarutobi-sensei, I merely thought that Lord Second’s assistance would make dealing with Uchiha Madara considerably easier,” Orochimaru replied with a smile.

Danzō was about to voice his agreement, but before he could speak, he glanced at Kizaru to see what his nephew thought.

Kizaru gave the slightest shake of his head.

Understanding the hint, Danzō immediately changed his position.

“Orochimaru, we shouldn’t disturb the rest of our ancestors!”

“If it’s for the sake of the village and we’re using it to deal with Uchiha Madara, Great-Uncle Tobirama probably wouldn’t mind,” Tsunade argued.

Seeing Hashirama had stirred memories of her other grandfather as well. Now she genuinely wanted to see Tobirama again.

“Tobirama…”

Hashirama fell silent, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, he shook his head.

“Let’s finish sorting through the information about Madara first. You younger generations can’t keep relying on us dead old men to solve everything for you!”

Once the First Hokage had spoken, the others stopped voicing their opinions.

Hashirama looked around the room.

“We can reminisce later. For now, let’s talk about Madara.”

“Lord First, please sit,” Hiruzen said, gesturing toward the tea table and cushions arranged in the center of the room.

“Of course!”

Hashirama joined the others around the table.

“Well…” Kizaru began in his usual unhurried tone. “Since we’re going to discuss Uchiha Madara, there’s someone else here who may know quite a bit about his plans.”

“Someone else?” Hiruzen asked, puzzled. “Who?”

Kizaru did not answer immediately.

Instead, he tapped his heel against the floor.

“Come on out.”

At Kizaru’s signal, the figure that had been hiding beneath the ground emerged according to their prior arrangement.

Black Zetsu rose from the floor and greeted everyone with a smile.

Confusion and surprise appeared on every face in the room.

Kizaru smiled lazily.

“Allow me to introduce Black Zetsu… Uchiha Madara’s most trusted confidant.”

For a moment, no one said a word.

Why was Uchiha Madara’s closest confidant here?

And more importantly, why was he obeying Kizaru?