"Tobirama, Madara! Remember to speak kindly with them… Even if Konoha is strong now and they can't defeat us, they've still surrendered…"
"Don't put too much pressure on them. Mutual understanding is what matters most, everything is for the peace of the shinobi world!"
"I'll be asking you both afterward! Don't cause bloodshed, I beg you…"
As Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Madara were preparing to leave for the grand negotiation, young Hashirama blocked their way in advance, nagging at length about his hopes, almost as if he wouldn't let them go without a promise.
This time, Tobirama hadn't allowed young Hashirama to attend. His reasoning was that, as one of Konoha's core powers, his presence would only intimidate the other side.
After thinking it over, young Hashirama felt there was some sense in it and agreed.
But at the last moment, still worried his younger brother might do something extreme, he came to give his reminders anyway.
If that was the case, he had shown strong concern…
There shouldn't be any major incident, right?
Uchiha Madara's expression grew complicated… he knew Tobirama this time intended to kill all those leaders!
If Hashirama found out…
There would surely be a fierce quarrel! With Hashirama's temper, he might even resort to violence — though he wouldn't be able to beat Tobirama, of course…
But it would grievously wound their harmony.
Madara kept thinking about how to warn Senju Hashirama in advance so he'd be prepared.
Tobirama answered naturally, "Don't worry, brother… everything is for peace. How could I do anything so irrational?"
"Just get ready for your task… By the way, how are you getting along with the Tailed Beasts? Have they accepted being part of Konoha?"
At mention of that, Hashirama's face lit up.
Getting along with the Tailed Beasts was far more enjoyable than playing chess with that old Uchiha…
"Don't worry, Tobirama! The Tailed Beasts are already my friends. They all feel Konoha will be a different kind of village…"
Young Hashirama laughed heartily. "I even know their names! Calling them by name and playing with these adorable creatures doesn't feel like work at all!"
Tobirama smiled and patted young Hashirama on the shoulder. "That's good… anyway, rest assured. When Madara and I return, we'll formally establish Konoha with our allies…"
Young Hashirama nodded vigorously.
'It seems Asura chakra's influence on Hashirama's thinking isn't as great as I expected… even after the chakra has been fully assimilated, he still has this mindset?'
'That only proves Hashirama is born with this personality…'
Tobirama pondered.
Uchiha Madara, watching Tobirama's silence, spoke up: "Hey… is this really okay? We're planning to act — we can't hide it forever, can we? Or have you changed the plan?"
Tobirama gave a slight smile and shook his head. "Relax… just follow my lead when the time comes. As I said, we are the roots of Konoha; we are destined to shoulder the darkness…"
"Some things don't need to be known by the leaf, and never should be."
Uchiha Madara froze for a moment, thoughtful.
But he still didn't understand what Tobirama was really planning. Especially that line—"the dead are sometimes more useful than the living"—it left Madara completely puzzled.
A short while later.
Senju Tobirama and Uchiha Madara arrived at the site of the negotiations.
In a wide encampment, a seat had been placed at the center.
The other leaders—who were in fact the First Kage of each nation in the original timeline—sat there with their most trusted guards, waiting for Konoha's two lords to arrive.
"Everyone's here…"
After entering the tent, Tobirama glanced at the assembled shinobi, using his sensory ability to probe chakra within a hundred kilometers.
There were no ambushes or reinforcements.
"Sit. The First Hokage of Konoha…" What was interesting was that even though Senju Tobirama had informed these leaders beforehand that he would be arriving with Uchiha Madara… there was only one chair left empty.
But Tobirama didn't care. He very naturally pressed the somewhat hesitant Uchiha Madara down into the chair, then stood behind him.
Seeing this, disappointment flashed in the eyes of the shinobi from the other villages.
They had thought they might glimpse cracks between Uchiha and Senju after their union, hoping to exploit it and spark infighting.
Uchiha Madara was too strong… but wasn't there still Senju Hashirama? If the two destroyed each other, the shinobi world would once again belong to the outer villages!
Yet Tobirama had perfectly defused it.
"Everyone, I have seen your sincerity… next, please read this peace treaty to join Konoha…"
Tobirama drew a stack of documents from his ninja pouch and tossed them toward the tables of each leader.
The scattering sheets landed neatly in front of each person.
And in the instant they touched the ground—
Tobirama's figure suddenly erupted into motion! Each sheet carried a transparent Flying Thunder God seal, serving as his teleportation coordinates.
Like lightning, crimson light burst across the encampment! Opening his Mangekyō Sharingan, Tobirama instantly slaughtered all four of the First Kage from the outer villages!
Their guards as well fell, blood spurting from their throats, their heads tilting as they collapsed cleanly to the ground.
Uchiha Madara was startled. Even with his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, it was extremely difficult to follow Tobirama's speed.
What Madara couldn't understand was why those leaders didn't resist. Clearly, they should have had a chance to struggle…
But Uchiha Madara didn't know.
On those sheets of paper, Tobirama had also sealed the ocular technique Kanrō. The power to freeze space instantly turned those leaders into lambs waiting for the blade…
They had never imagined that even with overwhelming power on his side, Senju Tobirama would still use underhanded tricks against them…
Uchiha Madara frowned as he watched.
So, it was killing after all…
But in the next moment, Tobirama's actions confused him even further.
He saw—
With a rapid series of finger strikes, the eight souls that hadn't risen far were pulled back down by some kind of force, returning to the bodies of the leaders and guards.
Then, one by one, Tobirama walked past them, channeling threads of the evil fire of Wakatsuki and fusing it with heavy curse seal techniques, pouring them into their minds.
After working for a while—
These leaders and guards, who should have been dead, moved again like zombies. Expressionless, they began cleaning up the site and wiping the blood from their clothes.
Afterward, they sat down in their chairs and solemnly signed the documents Tobirama had brought, shouting in unison: "Madara-sama, Tobirama-sama! We willingly join Konoha and will faithfully lead those clansmen who accept peace to live well in the village…"
"And we will kill those who cannot be persuaded!"
Uchiha Madara's pupils shook violently.
He knew Tobirama had done something to them—likely some special technique combining Impure World Reincarnation with Sharingan genjutsu…
In short, they had become Tobirama's puppets.
But the problem was, even with his Mangekyō Sharingan, Madara could find no flaws in these leaders under Tobirama's control!
It was concealed too well!
"Take this, Madara… this is the key to controlling them. Now, do you understand what I meant?"
Tobirama raised his brows with a meaningful smile. "Sometimes the dead are more useful than the living, aren't they?"
Dead men more useful than the living?
After witnessing Tobirama's methods, Uchiha Madara, just appointed as the First Hokage, felt as though he had grasped some profound truth…
He too had no desire to let those troublesome shinobi village leaders live on. These old men, tempered by the baptism of the Warring States era, would not so easily let their will to resist be broken…
Certainly, due to the disparity in strength, so long as Hashirama, Tobirama, himself, and Izunai remained alive, they would obediently bide their time.
But their will would not be extinguished.
So much so that even if the entire shinobi world were united, with peace as the dominant theme serving as a shield, they would still have room to stir up trouble…
Madara had thought about how to solve this problem, but had never found a good method…
Tobirama, however, had resolved it perfectly.
These village leaders neither lived nor died. Instead, they had been transformed into machines promoting integration for the newborn Konohagakure, granted a glorious new mission.
The means might not be fit to show in the open, but the effect was outstanding.
In the name of their leaders, they caused their subordinates to lose their old convictions, sincerely becoming part of Konoha…
"Madara, no one else will ever know about this…" Tobirama met the complicated look on young Madara's face with calm, unwavering eyes.
"These are the talismans controlling those shinobi… I already told you, as the First Hokage of Konoha, I will place complete trust in you."
"And at the same time, from now on, you cannot think with the simple mindset of an enforcer as you once did in leading the Uchiha Clan—you must become a leader who plots far ahead."
"Although it will be difficult, I believe you can do it…"
Madara remained silent.
He deeply detested conspiracies behind the scenes. During the wars of the Warring States era against the Senju Clan, Uchiha Madara had countless times wished to tear apart the white-haired schemer before him…
But that was on the premise that he was the one being deceived.
Yet now, Senju Tobirama had taken all the dirty work upon himself, his hands soaked in blood that defied morality, while the one who would reap the benefits was Madara, the First Hokage.
It was a classic case of shouldering the blame.
"Madara, I'm going to deal with something troublesome next…"
Senju Tobirama patted his shoulder. "I may disappear for a time. Do not come looking for me, and above all, do not speak of this to anyone."
"Even Izunai—you must calm her emotions."
"This matter is of great importance to the entire shinobi world."
Madara frowned. "What is it? No matter how difficult, with Hashirama, Izunai, and me together, no one can stand against us!"
"No… just as your mission is to fulfill your duty as Hokage, mine is to deal with Him." Tobirama waved his hand, unwilling to argue further. With Flying Thunder God, he vanished.
Several months later.
By using the strength of the unified shinobi village alliance, Tobirama had created a vast surveillance system. Every shinobi, while carrying out missions, placed markers at the ends of the earth, allowing their power to be joined together.
At last, they discovered the desiccated remains of Shibai.
This thing was well hidden, but it carried a certain trait.
It devoured all chakra nearby…
Through analysis of chakra distribution and large-scale data ninjutsu, Senju Tobirama locked onto a mountain cave.
"My dear, I'm heading out for a while to research a forbidden jutsu." Senju Tobirama had prepared a full table of Izunai's favorite dishes, and after indulging in her several times, he spoke to her as she lay on the bed.
"It'll probably take some time before I return. Don't worry about me."
Immersed in bliss, Uchiha Izunai's heart gave a violent tremor when she heard this.
"Go on, I'll wait for you to come home!" Uchiha Izunai answered lazily, as if drained of all strength from being tormented, ready to sink into deep sleep.
Senju Tobirama chuckled. After turning off the light, he closed the door behind him.
But two hours later, he silently slipped back inside with Flying Thunder God. Cloaked in concealment jutsu, he looked upon Izunai's steady breathing as she slept and allowed a faint smile to curl his lips.
He really had been afraid Izunai would notice something strange.
If Izunai insisted on going with him, the battle with Shibai's remains would have to be delayed once again…
Tobirama still hadn't figured out how to explain his identity as a traverser to Izunai.
After Tobirama left, Uchiha Izunai slowly opened her eyes, her scarlet pupils gleaming with an enchanting luster in the dark.
She had known this damn man would circle back like this.
"I don't doubt you'd betray me, but I'm sure you think I'm some delicate flower…" Uchiha Izunai muttered to herself, her words tinged with that unique Uchiha stubbornness and a hint of madness.
"I don't care what your identity is, or who you're fighting… I have to help you!"
Uchiha Izunai walked over to the surveillance map kept in their home, and just like Senju Tobirama, instantly spotted the peculiarity of the place where Shibai's remains lay.
This beautiful woman donned her breastplate, secured all her battle gear, and cast herself into illusionary concealment through her Mangekyō technique. With Flying Thunder God, she followed behind Tobirama.
She wanted to see for herself what kind of enemy it was that had driven her man to spend months searching and researching in exhaustion.
...
Inside the cavern.
Shibai's remains lay hidden within.
And even the corpse of a god, though like a candle flickering in the wind, still retained divine power.
It could keenly sense whether true danger had arrived.
For instance, beings like Isshiki—even if cut into pieces, it only made it easier for them to find a suitable vessel for complete resurrection, nothing worth concern.
But Tobirama's descent into the shinobi world made its sixth sense throb with unbearable pain.
This man possessed the ability to utterly destroy it…
The remains pulsed, shaking free from hibernation in an instant, releasing a pheromone that only pure-blooded Ōtsutsuki could detect.
Ōtsutsuki Isshiki, wandering the shinobi world, caught the scent, and in that instant his Byakugan turned blood-red.
Like a controlled corpse, drool streamed from his mouth, the wineglass in his hand shattered on the ground with a crack, and his sanity plummeted, leaving him a mindless husk.
This was the might released by Shibai's remains.
When facing direct-bloodline descendants, it nearly possessed rule-like dominance.
Isshiki appeared before the remains of Shibai.
That pale-white bone seemed alive, slowly rising from the ground, then in a flash, it pierced through Isshiki's heart.
"Revived again… forced resurrection. I must quickly find a more fitting vessel…"
"This wretched descendant's body is far too feeble."
The remnant soul of the remains fixed its gaze on its hands. "Shibai transcended, and I too can achieve it!"
At that moment—
Tobirama arrived at the cave.
His scarlet eyes locked onto the resurrected remnant soul, and his heart tightened.
Trouble…
This thing was far more troublesome than he had imagined!
Behind Tobirama, Izunai hid to the side. From a distance, her expression grew taut.
The pressure emanating from the remnant soul of the remains—
It surpassed every single person she had ever known!
…
Final Note:
The original author did not continue the story any further. However, the main storyline had already reached its conclusion, and the chapters focusing on Tobirama and Izunai were written as extras. Although the author once promised to keep developing this part, no additional chapters have been released to this day. For that reason, the novel is considered technically complete.