Chapter 213 (Patreon)

The moment Hashirama Senju closed his eyes and opened them again, black markings appeared across his face—the unmistakable sign that he had entered Sage Mode.

They were standing inside the Ninja Academy, surrounded by children. Taking that into consideration, Hashirama decided to use his full strength and subdue the One-Tail, Shukaku, in a single move.

Shukaku stood within the school fence, staring intently at Hashirama. Almost immediately, he sensed that something was wrong.

Something was terribly wrong!

The man before him had suddenly begun radiating an enormous amount of chakra, and the black markings that had appeared on his face were equally strange.

Shukaku had never seen this middle-aged man in Konoha before. With the recent outbreak of war across the shinobi world, his first thought was that this unknown powerhouse might be an enemy ninja sent by another village to attack Konoha’s Ninja Academy.

The moment he remembered Xizhi, who was still attending class inside the academy building, along with the other students who had spent the past three years with him, Shukaku’s expression became serious.

“Sage Art: Gate of the Great God!”

Hashirama brought his palms together.

Several enormous red torii gates descended from the sky, crashing down upon Shukaku and instantly suppressing the chakra he had been preparing to unleash.

“Gah! Damn you!”

Shukaku’s shrill voice rang out across the playground. He had only just begun enlarging his body when the gates brutally pinned him to the ground.

Hashirama leaped over the fence and landed inside the playground. He walked beneath the towering torii gates until he stood directly in front of Shukaku.

“Shukaku, it’s far too dangerous for you to remain in a place like a school!”

As he spoke, Hashirama extended his right hand. The kanji for “Sit” appeared in the center of his palm as he aimed it at Shukaku.

“You bastard! Uncle Shukaku will remember this!”

Shukaku usually kept his body in a smaller form, so the amount of chakra he maintained was limited. As far as he was concerned, he had only been caught because he had been completely unprepared.

“Hokage-Style Sixty-Year-Old Technique—Kakuan Entering Society with Bliss-Bringing Hands!”

Hashirama poured chakra into the kanji on his palm, preparing to suppress Shukaku completely.

“Wait!”

Matatabi, who had also been staying near the academy, rushed over and called out to stop him.

Hashirama temporarily halted the technique and turned toward the tree on his right. When he saw the Two-Tails standing beneath it, both doubt and surprise appeared in his eyes.

Just what had happened to Konoha over the past several decades?

Why was Sunagakure’s One-Tail living inside the village?

And why was the Two-Tails—the very same Tailed Beast he had once handed over to Kumogakure—here as well?

“Shukaku and I are both Kizaru’s partners and contracted summons,” Matatabi immediately explained.

She then stared vigilantly at Hashirama.

“You are clearly no ordinary shinobi. Where did you come from, and why are you attacking Konoha without warning?”

After hearing Matatabi’s explanation, Hashirama finally realized that the entire situation had been a misunderstanding.

The chakra gathered in his palm dispersed. He lowered his hand and scratched the back of his head with an embarrassed smile.

“Ahahahaha! So that’s what happened! I’m sorry!”

Hashirama held no prejudice against the Tailed Beasts, so he apologized without hesitation.

“You bastard! Hurry up and release Uncle Shukaku!”

Shukaku shouted furiously, still trapped beneath the torii gates Hashirama had summoned.

Hashirama glanced at Shukaku before turning toward Matatabi, who seemed far more reasonable.

He was worried that if he released the hot-tempered One-Tail, Shukaku might do something reckless and damage the Ninja Academy.

Matatabi understood Hashirama’s concerns from his expression. She stepped forward until she stood beside Shukaku.

“Shukaku, calm down. This is the Ninja Academy. If you destroy this place, Kizaru won’t let you off easily.”

Shukaku snorted in dissatisfaction.

“He’s the bastard who attacked me first! Just look at him! He’s obviously a shinobi sent by another village to attack the academy!”

“I am a shinobi of Konoha,” Hashirama immediately explained.

Matatabi turned her attention back to him.

Unlike Shukaku, who had never personally been captured by the First Hokage, Matatabi had once been subdued and sealed by Hashirama. Ever since arriving, she had felt that there was something strangely familiar about his presence.

It was also distinctly irritating.

“I really am a shinobi of this village. Young Kizaru can vouch for me,” Hashirama added when he noticed the doubt in Matatabi’s eyes.

“This senior truly is one of Konoha’s shinobi. You don’t need to worry.”

A calm, unhurried voice came from above.

Particles of golden light gathered in the air, forming Kizaru’s body as he descended into the playground.

With Kizaru’s sensory abilities, he had noticed the situation from the moment Hashirama and Shukaku encountered each other. His delayed arrival was merely because he had been handling a serious matter elsewhere.

That matter had been far more important. Moreover, Kizaru trusted Hashirama’s ability to control the situation, so he had finished dealing with it before making his way to the academy.

And what could have been so important?

Naturally, it concerned Nagato and the Rinnegan.

During the inner council meeting that afternoon, Kizaru, the two elders, and Hashirama had reached a unanimous decision. For Nagato’s safety, the Rinnegan that Uchiha Madara had implanted in him had to be removed.

Of course, after removing the Rinnegan, the village would transplant a new pair of eyes cloned from Nagato’s own cells.

The village’s ability to create eyes compatible with Nagato was primarily the result of Kizaru’s heavy investment in medical research after becoming Hokage. Among the projects he had promoted was the development of organ-cloning technology derived from the study of Hashirama’s cells.

Tsunade, who was responsible for overseeing the project, had reported that the research was progressing smoothly. The technology had already been perfected to the point that it could be put into practical use.

The only reason the project had not yet been declared a complete success was its prohibitively high cost, which prevented it from being widely implemented.

With Tsunade guaranteeing the procedure’s feasibility, neither Kizaru nor the compassionate First Hokage felt any further hesitation about removing Nagato’s Rinnegan.

Once the meeting ended, Kizaru immediately began making the necessary arrangements.

He ordered several ANBU shinobi to escort Nagato and his family to the Hokage’s office. Kizaru then brought Tsunade, Black Zetsu, and White Zetsu before them and explained the true origin of Nagato’s Rinnegan.

Nagato’s mother, Fusō, was a survivor of the Uzumaki Clan. She had received an education from her clan during her childhood, so she possessed a certain understanding of her own lineage and its unusual vitality.

When she learned that the Rinnegan Nagato had supposedly awakened actually belonged to Uchiha Madara, she was so horrified that she nearly fainted.

What kind of person was Uchiha Madara?

He was the ruthless shinobi once feared throughout the world as the Ghost of the Uchiha.

If a man like that had deliberately implanted his eyes in Nagato and used her son to preserve them, how could anything good possibly come of it?

There had to be an enormous conspiracy behind it.

Fusō had already experienced the destruction of her homeland and the scattering of her clan. She no longer held any grand ambitions for Nagato. Her only wish was for her son to live a peaceful, healthy life.

Some time ago, Nagato had spoken about applying to join the medical division. Both Fusō and her husband, Ise, had been delighted by his decision and fully supported it.

In their eyes, Nagato becoming a medical-nin and working at Konoha Hospital would be the ideal future.

Medical-nin received a good and stable income. They rarely needed to accept dangerous missions, and their survival rate was far higher than that of ordinary shinobi.

That was the kind of life Fusō and Ise wanted for their son.

Yet Kizaru had now revealed that the Rinnegan Nagato had seemingly awakened was not some mutated kekkei genkai. Uchiha Madara had transplanted his own eyes into Nagato, intending to use the vitality of Nagato’s Uzumaki bloodline to nourish and preserve them.

Upon learning the truth, Fusō broke down in tears.

She believed that everything was her fault.

If she had not been born into the Uzumaki Clan—if Nagato had not inherited the Uzumaki bloodline—then Uchiha Madara would never have targeted him.

This mother, who loved her son more than anything, placed all the blame upon herself. She could not bring herself to hate someone as distant and terrifying as Uchiha Madara, so she could only direct that hatred toward herself and the blood flowing through her veins.

Kizaru comforted the grieving mother and made her a solemn promise.

As long as he remained alive, and as long as Nagato remained a member of Konoha, Kizaru would guarantee Nagato’s personal safety.

He then proposed replacing Nagato’s eyes, while Tsunade assured the family that the procedure would be safe.

Nagato’s parents could think of no better solution. They questioned Tsunade repeatedly, wanting to be certain that the transplanted eyes would not cause any lasting harm to their son.

Only after Tsunade gave them a firm guarantee did they finally agree.

Compared to his parents, Nagato appeared much calmer.

He quietly accepted the shocking truth. However, when Kizaru explained the plan to replace his eyes, a hint of fear entered Nagato’s expression.

“Sister Tsunade... will the operation hurt?”

Tsunade gently explained the entire surgical process to him. She assured Nagato that aside from the initial injection, he would feel no pain during the operation or throughout his recovery.

After hearing her explanation, Nagato gradually relaxed and agreed to cooperate with the procedure.

Once Nagato gave his consent, Kizaru left Tsunade behind to continue reassuring the family. He departed the Hokage’s office and headed toward the Ninja Academy to deal with the situation involving the First Hokage and the Tailed Beasts.

“Kizaru!”

Still pinned beneath the torii gates, Shukaku looked at Kizaru with an aggrieved expression.

“This bastard ambushed me! You have to seek justice for Uncle Shukaku!”

Shukaku’s miserable yet oddly adorable appearance swept away the gloom left by Kizaru’s earlier conversation with Nagato’s family. Kizaru couldn’t help but laugh.

He manipulated the surrounding natural energy, erecting a barrier that prevented anyone outside from sensing what was happening within. He then walked over to Shukaku, who remained trapped beneath the torii gates.

Kizaru crouched down and reached out with his right hand, casually scratching Shukaku’s head as though he were a cat.

“Kizaru! Hurry up and save me!”

Shukaku’s voice became even sharper as he struggled beneath the gates again.

Kizaru nodded with a smile before glancing back at the slightly embarrassed Hashirama, signaling that he could release the Tailed Beast.

Understanding the message, Hashirama brought his hands together. The Sage Art dispersed along with the Gate of the Great God, and the black markings on his face faded as he exited Sage Mode.

“Kizaru, hurry up and help Uncle Shukaku teach this bastard a lesson!”

The instant the restraints disappeared, Shukaku felt confident again. With Kizaru standing beside him, he immediately began enlarging his body.

“Keh-heh-heh—”

Thump!

Before Shukaku could grow any larger, Kizaru lightly struck him on the head.

“You’re not allowed to increase your size inside the village.”

Shukaku covered his head with both paws and glared at Kizaru, looking both furious and wronged.

“Kizaru! I’m the one who was attacked!”

“If you’re still dissatisfied, you can go and fight him outside the village,” Kizaru replied pleasantly.

Shukaku paused.

He looked at Hashirama again, then confidently raised one paw and pointed at him.

“You bastard! Do you dare to face Uncle Shukaku outside the village?”

“Ahahaha! What an amusing tanuki!”

Hashirama laughed heartily, paying no attention to Shukaku’s provocation.

“You bastard! I’m not a tanuki! Come outside the village and fight me!”

Shukaku jumped up and down in fury.

“Ahahaha!”

Hashirama only laughed harder.

“Senior,” Kizaru said with a sincere smile, “if it isn’t too much trouble, why don’t you take Shukaku outside the village and play with him for a while?”

Kizaru had always enjoyed watching the proud and short-tempered Shukaku suffer a setback.

Hearing his request, Hashirama scratched his head. After hesitating briefly, he nodded.

“All right! It has been a long time since I last had a chance to move around.”

“Keh-heh-heh!”

The moment Hashirama agreed, Shukaku let out a wild and delighted laugh.

Matatabi stood to the side, silently observing how the situation had developed. She cast a sympathetic glance at the foolish Shukaku.

She still did not know the identity of this strange and powerful man, but she was absolutely certain of one thing.

Shukaku was no match for him.

Kizaru really did have a terrible personality.

Matatabi shifted her gaze toward the smiling Hokage and complained inwardly, just as she always did.

“Shukaku, you had better not lose,” Kizaru said, offering him some deliberately earnest encouragement.

Shukaku puffed out his chest.

“Just watch me, Kizaru!”

“Mm. I’ll be cheering for you.”

Encouraged by Kizaru’s words, Shukaku raised his head proudly and waved one paw.

“Let’s go!”

With that declaration, Shukaku confidently marched toward the fence.

As Hashirama prepared to follow him, Kizaru walked over with a smile.

“Senior, I’ll leave him to you.”

Hashirama was certainly no fool. After watching the interaction between Kizaru and Shukaku, he had already realized that Kizaru was deliberately leading the One-Tail into a trap.

Finding the situation rather amusing, Hashirama smiled and gave Kizaru a thumbs-up, revealing a broad row of white teeth.

Once the barrier was removed, Kizaru allowed Shukaku to lead Hashirama out of the academy grounds. He and Matatabi followed behind them.

Matatabi leaped onto Kizaru’s shoulder and brought her head close to his ear.

“Kizaru, who is that human? Why does his presence feel so familiar to me?”

Kizaru turned his head slightly and answered in a low voice.

“That is the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju-sama.”

Matatabi’s eyes widened in shock.

The former God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju?

Why was he still alive?

And why did he still look so young?

“Shouldn’t Hashirama Senju be dead?”

“Hashirama-sama was temporarily brought back through one of our jutsu,” Kizaru explained quietly. “This is a village secret, so you mustn’t tell anyone.”

“I understand.”

After giving her word, Matatabi raised her head and looked at Hashirama’s back once more.

She then glanced at Shukaku, who was confidently marching at the front, fully prepared to avenge himself.

For a moment, she felt an overwhelming urge to laugh.

“You really are awful,” Matatabi whispered in Kizaru’s ear.

Kizaru’s smile deepened.

“But you want to see what happens too, don’t you?”

Matatabi did not want to admit it, but she could not deny the truth.

She genuinely wanted to watch the battle between Shukaku and the First Hokage.

No—it would be more accurate to say that she wanted to watch Shukaku receive a thorough beating from the First Hokage.

Back when Hashirama was still alive, Shukaku had been the only one among the Nine Tailed Beasts who was already sealed inside a temple in the Land of Wind. Because of that, he had fortunately escaped being personally defeated and sealed by Hashirama.

This time, Shukaku could finally make up for the one experience he had missed in his life as a Tailed Beast.