Chapter 191: Tsunade’s Plan to Revive the Senju Clan.
Konoha Calendar.
Year 60, July 7th.
Hakken Yoru received the Hokage cloak from the hands of the Fourth Hokage, Minato Namikaze, becoming Konoha's Fifth Hokage. A new image was carved into Hokage Rock. Konoha began a new chapter. But the tremors shaking the Ninja World were clearly just beginning.
...
One month later, the Chūnin Exams concluded.
Konoha.
Hokage's Office.
A figure sorting through the files of genin from various villages let out a long sigh. Still that same golden hair.
Glancing at the photograph of the man hanging on the wall, Minato raised his head with another bitter smile.
“Shikaku, what do you think is going on here?”
“This isn’t the retirement I envisioned.”
Standing beside him, the newly appointed member of Konoha's Political Affairs Division, Nara Shikaku, shrugged.
“Someone’s gotta do this job, right? And compared to all the tedious paperwork before, the Hokage has far less to handle after the reforms.”
“But even so, the Fifth wouldn’t be sitting here if he had his way. You should know that.”
It’d be strange if he actually sat here quietly working. The more legendary a person is, the harder it is to grasp their thought process.
Nara Shikaku rubbed his temples. “Pull yourself together, Nagato. Speaking of which, Shikamaru’s already a Chūnin. Once he passes his evaluations, I plan to have him familiarize himself with the operations.”
“Well, compared to that, mine is the real retirement, isn’t it?”
Yeah.
Here’s the situation.
The esteemed Fifth Hokage had just taken office. After spending only two days in the Hokage's office, he never returned. In his own words, he was still young. Spending too much time on these unproductive tasks would prematurely drain his vitality. He casually asked Minato for a favor, so he could get some proper rest.
In short, the one sitting in the Hokage's office was still “Three-One-Seven” Minato.
But what could he do? The Fifth was the Fourth’s disciple, after all. A master helping out their student wasn’t such a big deal.
And as Nara Shikaku had said, the Hokage’s job these days was mainly just stamping papers and setting the broad direction. The colossal heart of the Ninja World, Konoha, kept beating ceaselessly. The village never lacked outstanding talent, so no one worked late, missing time with their families or meals.
Of course, Minato wasn’t complaining. He was simply reflecting. He’d anticipated this situation long ago. That guy wasn’t the type to settle down and pore over documents.
Becoming the Fifth Hokage represented, more than anything, the very soul and spirit of Konoha! The embodiment of the Will of Fire.
Turning his gaze back outside, a smile touched Minato’s lips. Perhaps by the time the new generation of children grew up, he wouldn’t even have the chance to help handle these matters.
Konoha Central Plaza. The towering Wall of Honor and Merit had added many more names. A stooped old man stood there quietly.
Hiruzen Sarutobi.
Konoha’s Third Hokage.
“At this moment, you truly deserve the title of Hokage.”
The words spoken by Hakken Yoru echoed in his mind, a faint expression of calm flitting across Hiruzen Sarutobi’s face. His name was inscribed on the wall. Earned through his own abilities.
When the village faced crisis, he too had the desire to sacrifice himself to protect it. Though the will of fire may age, it never truly grows old. Instead, it is profoundly shaped by the actions of the older generation of ninja, its light illuminating the next.
This is the true inheritance of the Will of Fire.
He lifted his head. His name was written upon that wall.
Hiruzen Sarutobi: The Third Hokage of Konoha, diligently safeguarding the legacy of his senpai. No monumental achievements, no grave transgressions. His spirit of self-sacrifice during the Chūnin Exams remains worthy of emulation. Hereby commemorated.
Ordinary?
Well, I suppose.
Even being ordinary isn't easily accomplished.
Silently, he produced a bottle of sake and moved toward the pillar of shame beside him.
To date, the only one truly deserving of the label "wicked" was his old comrade.
He too was remembered by Konoha's younger generation, but as a cautionary tale.
“Perhaps this way isn’t so bad after all, Danzō.”
Pouring the sake onto the ground, Sarutobi stood motionless beside the pillar. He remained there in quiet contemplation, occasionally pouring more sake.
After an unknown amount of time, he turned and walked away, murmuring to himself.
“Where leaves dance, fire endures.”
“The flames shall continue to illuminate the village and nurture new leaves to sprout.”
He paused. Seeming to age further, he walked backward.
“Old friends wither one by one, like leaves falling in the wind...”
Swish, swish.
Behind him, a tall figure appeared, broom in hand.
He glanced at the vivid Wall of Honor and the dim Pillars of Shame, then at the sake spilled on the ground by Sarutobi Hiruzen, and frowned.
Clearly.
This casual spilling of sake in the central square caused immense inconvenience for cleanup.
“Working, Mr. Madara?”
Just as Madara, wearing sunglasses, was about to use Fire Release to warm it slightly before replacing the floor with Wood Release, Kakashi, who had come bearing flowers to pay respects to his father, suddenly spoke up.
“Still no word from the Fifth?”
Madara set down the broom and frowned.
Sweeping the floor might cultivate one’s spirit, but he was more interested in knowing who had declared the era of ninja over.
“Not sure.”
Shaking his head, Kakashi placed the bouquet before the memorial stone, bowed, and turned to leave.
...
“Ken-san, there’s something I don’t quite understand.”
The Uchiha Clan grounds.
The familiar cherry blossom grove.
Early autumn had arrived, and the blossoms were gradually withering and scattering.
A man sat on a stone stump beneath the trees, drinking sake. Itachi leaned against the trunk, a hint of question on his face.
“Hmm.”
After responding, the man took another sip of baijiu. He lazily rolled over.
"The very purpose of ninjas is constant conflict—protecting what we hold dear through that struggle."
“But what happens when that struggle vanishes?”
“Take now, for instance. With the Ninja World nearing unification, where will ninjas go from here?”
With fewer conflicts in the future, being a ninja—a high-risk profession—might lead many to seek more ordinary lives.
If this trend continues...
In a ninja world without strife, what value or purpose would ninjas hold?
Slow extinction might be their only fate.
“Is this the price of peace?”
Confused, Itachi sought answers from Hakken.
Peace has arrived. What purpose do ninja serve in protecting people?
After unification, there will be no more disputes.
But must the history of ninja be sealed away?
“You, huh.”
Yatsuhashi tossed the sake gourd to Itachi, yawning drunkenly through bleary eyes.
“Where there are people, there will be conflict.”
“Some are born for battle—like Madara Uchiha. Others crave peaceful lives, refusing to harm others with their power, no matter how great it is. This is evident in Shisui.”
“So how to handle the belligerents—that's the real question.”
He drew his katana, sweeping it lightly through the air before him.
An unstable spatial fissure slowly materialized in front of Itachi.
“It’s universally acknowledged that the resources of the Ninja World will eventually be depleted.”
“When resources run dry, war inevitably erupts—a necessity for survival.”
Pointing at the casually slashed spatial rift, Hakken’s gaze burned with intensity.
“But the struggle for resources is divided into internal strife and external conquest.”
“I’d like to ask you this: if the Ninja World were on the brink of collapse and needed to plunder resources from other realms, would you draw your katana to fight for those behind you?”
Deploying warmongers to other worlds to expand the ninja world’s resources—
This was what Hakken intended to do after ultimate unification.
Although the system’s advanced mission, [Crown Yourself King], was still incomplete, Hakken had already inquired about its details. Essentially, once he seized full control of the Ninja World and ascended as its sovereign, the Ninja World would become his primary base of operations.
Then, by invading other worlds to acquire resources, he would expand his main world and connect secondary realms to achieve balance.
That was the duty of a world’s ruler.
“The Green Grass Plains hold countless treasures—wouldn’t they be perfect for farming?”
With a whimsical thought, Hakken waved his hand, and the spatial rift slowly vanished.
If the Ninja World collapses and we must invade other worlds, will I have the courage to draw my katana and fight?
Itachi froze.
Other worlds?
This concept was utterly incomprehensible to him.
But if other worlds truly existed…
To invade them to protect those behind me, disturbing their peace…
Such actions would be no different from banditry.
“Well, worlds come in all shapes and sizes. The ones we could reach would surely be in shambles. Put away your good intentions, my friend.”
“It’s to help them find stability.”
Standing up, Hakken patted Itachi’s shoulder and smiled again.
“And don’t think the people on the other side of the spatial rift are easy to bully. They could crush you with a single finger.”
“The Ōtsutsuki Clan I told you about? Every one of them is at the level of a Rikudō Sennin. To us, they’re the invaders from another world.”
“The weak will always be beaten.”
“Prepare, prepare. The eye-swap surgery the day after tomorrow will be performed personally by Orochimaru.”
Taking the gourd of sake from Ken-san, Itachi lowered his head.
Everything before his eyes blurred.
The unification project remains unfinished.
Dissatisfied factions abound in the Ninja World. The Night Owl Team has been deployed frequently lately, and comparatively, his dōjutsu power is depleting far too quickly.
With frequent use of Tsukuyomi and Amaterasu, this outcome was inevitable...
Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami, however, had never been deployed, so his eye power remained intact.
Moreover, even without Susanoo, Shisui’s strength was formidable.
Eye transplant surgery?
The day had finally come.
Exchanging eyes with Sasuke, and adding the potent red-eye disease eye drops Ken-san mentioned.
Does the Eternal Mangekyo beyond the Mangekyo truly exist?
Lifting her gaze to the distant figure of the man, Itachi bowed.
For my sake, Ken-san has done far too much.
“Kid, I finally found you.”
Just outside the Uchiha Clan grounds, Hakken was still pondering who to invite for a bath that evening.
But he was blocked at the entrance by Tsunade, accompanied by Shizune.
“What is it?”
He couldn’t tell if it was his imagination or reality.
Lately, Hakken felt Tsunade’s gaze toward him had been... off.
“Join me for a drink.”
Her eyes flickered as Tsunade cleared her throat.
“Head to Konoha Inn.”
What was this about?
Hakken froze, then let Tsunade pull him forward.
Konoha Tavern.
The lounge area of the new Konoha Entertainment District.
Offering premium cuisine and private suites.
To Hakken’s surprise, the seat Tsunade had reserved for him was in the most luxurious suite.
In the living room, a table laden with dishes was already set.
Sitting across from each other, Hakken was utterly bewildered.
“Drinking.”
Across from him, Tsunade raised her sake cup and drained it in one gulp. Shizune beside her, however, looked decidedly uncomfortable.
“Hold on, just say what you need to say.”
Hakken frowned, sensing something was off.
“Nothing much. As the Clan Head of the Senju Clan, I felt it only right to treat you to a meal as a token of my gratitude.”
“For what you did with Danzō, for the village's sake, and for letting me see Grandfather again during the Chūnin Exams—thank you.”
Another cup down, Tsunade's eyes narrowed slightly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks.
“What? Showing me respect?”
Is that it?
Hakken suddenly understood. It wasn't about saving face. After all, it was rare for someone like Tsunade to even think about repaying favors. Besides, this table full of food and the suite itself weren't cheap. By Hakken's estimation, if she had the money, she'd probably be gambling it all away.
Yet here she was, willing to treat someone. He hadn't eaten dinner, so a free meal sounded good.
He lifted his sake cup and downed it in one gulp.
But after that single chug, something felt off.
“This sake...”
A wave of dizziness washed over him. His eyes rolled back, and he passed out.
“Shizune! Quick! The time has come to revive the Senju Clan!”
Gantō slammed her fist on the table, then stomped on the floor, instantly summoning a bizarre vessel.
“Why the hell should I do this?”
Panting heavily, Shizune dragged Hakken's body over to the nearby sofa. Then she pulled out a pair of scissors, aiming them at Hakken's martial arts uniform.
This girl had never seen a scene like this before. Her cheeks flushed crimson as she reached out.
“It's almost 5:30. We need fresh supplies.”
“This guy's constitution is abnormal. Nothing worked before—not even the mind-altering incense. This time, I went to great lengths to make this potion, even consulting Orochimaru.”
Tsunade remained unsettled, especially as her gaze fell upon areas that were off-limits to her.
“My apologies.”
Borrow a bit............
“Hm?”
Her hand just started to move down. But when Shizune lifted her head, she met the amused gaze of the man sitting on the sofa.
The next moment, Shizune and Tsunade were stunned.
How could this be?
Tsunade was utterly bewildered. This potion had been tested on the Nine-Tails. Even with that physique, one cup would put it to sleep for three days and nights. She didn’t need Hakken unconscious that long—just a few minutes would suffice.
This kid.
Is he a freak?
“Ah, we’re all from the same village.”
“If you want to borrow it, just say so.”
Hakken shook his head, instantly grabbing Tsunade and pinning her beside him.
“But I don’t care for methods that involve passive extraction.”
“How about... ....”
”Change the method?“
Leaning close to Tsunade, Hakken whispered.
”How... how would we change it?“
Swallowing hard, Tsunade suddenly felt the situation growing complicated.
”Absolute Control!“
”That’s it............."
“...Dammit!”
Konoha Inn.
Night had fallen.
The patrons felt uneasy.
Since earlier, the inn had been experiencing faint tremors. They didn’t know what was happening. But clearly, this night was far from peaceful.
The plan to perpetuate the Senju Clan bloodline had been seized by a certain figure in the night.
Yet matters of bloodline inheritance... succeeded not in one or two attempts alone...