After Senshi finished speaking, Konan nodded.
"It's true that Senshi can overpower the ninja world in battle, but he's not skilled at management. Nagato, on the other hand, has a wealth of experience: he used to simultaneously manage seven different departments in Amegakure. I think we can have Senshi serve as the Alliance's Acting Leader while Nagato holds the official Leader position."
"Once Nagato's eyesight is fully restored, he can take over full leadership of the Ninja Alliance."
Before Nagato or Senshi could object, Kakuzu promptly chimed in, "I agree that Nagato should be the Leader, with Senshi as the Acting Leader—or a rotating leader. Either way, we need someone with Nagato's management skills."
Lately, Kakuzu had been the acting leader of Amegakure, assisting Konan with village affairs. He'd discovered that running a single village was already exhausting enough—definitely not a job for most people. And leading an entire Ninja Alliance would involve even more work than that. Just thinking about it was terrifying.
Senshi immediately refused.
"Kakuzu, what nonsense are you talking about? Me, Acting Leader? I'm no good at administration, remember?"
"I'll just spearhead the formation of the Alliance, and Nagato will serve as its Leader. You and Konan can be Acting Leaders or rotating leaders, helping him manage day-to-day operations. You've both done a great job with Amegakure so far, so you'll surely do just as well running the Alliance. That's how the ninja world can truly embrace peace and develop further!"
Konan mulled it over, then said with a gentle smile, "No objections from me."
Kakuzu, however, was reluctant. "I want to keep grinding missions; I don't have time to run a Ninja Alliance."
Senshi just grinned. "Kakuzu, how much can you earn from mission-running alone, working yourself to death? Once the Alliance is formed, we can pay you a 'top-tier salary'—you'll definitely earn more than you do now. Plus, the Alliance can 'hire' you through formal commissions, so you don't even have to go looking for missions anymore."
Kakuzu: (O_O)???
That argument made Kakuzu think. He and his little assistant had been running all over the ninja world, taking on missions nonstop, and it was definitely exhausting. If working for the Alliance could bring in more money than solo missions, it was hard to see a downside.
So Kakuzu nodded.
"If that's how it's going to be, I have no objection."
With Konan and Kakuzu on board, Nagato said, "I can agree to this, but I have one request."
Senshi replied offhandedly, "Sure, Nagato-bro. What is it?"
Nagato straightened up. "Once the Ninja Alliance is formed, we have to do whatever it takes to bring Yahiko back to life!"
Konan's body trembled at that, feeling powerfully moved. She knew how deeply Nagato valued Yahiko and his friendship, but she hadn't realized just how deeply. It nearly made her want to cry. But then Nagato added something that almost made her want to punch him:
"After thinking it over, I believe Yahiko is the best choice to lead the Alliance. His dream was always for the ninja world to achieve peace and prosperity. If we resurrect him, he'd dedicate himself completely to the Alliance's management, guiding the ninja world toward more and more growth."
Senshi, unreserved, praised him. "Nagato-bro, you really are Yahiko's true friend, planning his whole post-resurrection career for him! But yes, it's doable—just commission me when you're ready."
Nagato's reminder gave Senshi a rather interesting idea: he could potentially bring back other older figures from the ninja world to continue contributing.
He could let White Zetsu be the "sacrifice" for the Edo Tensei, resurrecting any number of old-timers who'd passed away, so they could keep helping the living world. Then, once he unlocked the advanced draw and secured multiple Rinnegan, he could move to "Phase Two":
Using the Rinne Rebirth Jutsu to free those resurrected people from Edo Tensei and bring them back to life as flesh-and-blood humans.
Senshi figured this was a pretty good plan, calling it a "Perfect Ninja World Project."
Essentially, with his system's cheats, he could remedy all sorts of regrets, promoting the ninja world's growth. Moreover, he could pitch it to Kaguya Ōtsutsuki and Black Zetsu.
Kaguya was effectively a traitor to her own clan and would inevitably be hunted by them; for her own safety, she might need to arm the ninja world to fight back.
Previously, she'd tried to create a White Zetsu Army, but that obviously wouldn't be much use in battling the full might of the Ōtsutsuki clan.
But a plan that turned the entire ninja world into a real fighting force? That would actually help Kaguya. With her support, Black Zetsu would naturally give his all to make it happen.
Picturing it all, Senshi couldn't help but clap his thigh—this was genius! And hey, maybe they could Edo Tensei Rin Nohara, too, so she could see what Obito had been up to since her death.
As the "Perfect Ninja World Project" unfolded, sinners like Obito could be briefly Edo Tensei'd, forced to atone by working to rebuild the ninja world.
Konan, Kakuzu, and even Nagato could tell Senshi was feeling quite smug. Seeing the grin on his face, which was arguably harder to suppress than an AK's recoil, Konan asked,
"Senshi, what are you thinking about?"
He waved her off.
"It's nothing, Konan. You guys just get the ball rolling for the Alliance. I'll go talk to the rest of the world and see if they're willing to join."
Konan assumed Senshi was just amused by something, and since he wouldn't elaborate, she didn't push. Besides, she felt pretty happy herself; Senshi had confirmed that Yahiko could be resurrected, difficult though it might be.
"All right," she said. "We'll handle things here in Amegakure. You'll have to do the legwork of contacting the various hidden villages."
Senshi answered cheerfully,
"No problem—just a few words here and there."
He wasn't bluffing. He had Wood-Style clones stationed all across the ninja world, so he didn't even need to go in person. After ordering them to spread the word about forming a Ninja Alliance, the rumor hit the world like a series of massive bombs. Before long, the entire shinobi world was in an uproar.
A "Ninja Alliance," led by Senshi and Amegakure, whose goal was to maintain peace and promote overall development—this was something most civilians and many ninja had only dreamed of.
And because it was backed by Senshi, the single strongest ninja in the current era, and Amegakure, arguably the strongest hidden village overall, there was a genuine chance of success.
If anyone else had proposed it, the Five Great Nations likely would have just scoffed. But Senshi and Amegakure? That demanded a serious response.
Indeed, the high commands of the Five Great Nations all gathered in their respective offices to debate what to do.
…
Land of Lightning – Kumogakure – Raikage's Office
All of Kumogakure's top officials met in the Raikage's office. The Fourth Raikage surveyed them.
"Darui, what do you think?"
Darui frowned.
"This is a serious matter. If we handle it poorly, we could find ourselves in a dangerous position."
The Second Jinchūriki of the Two-Tails, Yūgito, interjected, "What's there to consider? Isn't it a good thing if the ninja world achieves peace and development? Don't most civilians and shinobi desire that?"
Samui furrowed her brow.
"You're not wrong, Lady Yūgito, but we still need to figure out how Kumogakure can benefit the most from it."
Darui nodded in agreement.
"Exactly. The alliance is probably unstoppable given it's led by Senshi and Amegakure, but we need to think carefully about how Kumogakure can maximize its gains in the process."
After everyone spoke, the Fourth Raikage said,
"So, everyone here basically agrees to join the Alliance. We just need to figure out the best way to leverage it for Kumogakure's advantage?"
When he asked that, Darui, Samui, and the others all nodded. Considering that Senshi was the mightiest ninja and Amegakure arguably the mightiest village, there wasn't much choice. To them, the big question was how best to profit from it. In principle, Kumogakure had decided to join; only the details remained to be worked out.
…
Land of Earth – Iwagakure – Tsuchikage's Office
Inside his office, Ōnoki slammed a palm on his desk, clearly upset. He was ranting, "This is too much! They've gone too far!"
Though he didn't name names, everyone present knew who he meant. Ōnoki was notorious for being ruthless to help Iwagakure grow, and he bore grudges against both Kirigakure and other villages. Once a formal Alliance was in place, he wouldn't be able to exact revenge. Even so, Iwagakure couldn't exactly oppose it.
Seeing her grandfather blustering, Kurotsuchi could only try to soothe him.
"Grandpa, don't be mad. Forming a Ninja Alliance isn't necessarily bad. Plus, didn't Lord Senshi's Wood-Style clone mention this so-called 'Perfect Ninja World Project' as well?"
At that, the others in the Tsuchikage's Office traded odd looks. Senshi's explanation of the Perfect Ninja World Project had been sketchy at best, but even the small amount of information he'd divulged was jaw-dropping.
Supposedly, with the right combination of jutsu and technology, one could even bring the dead back from the Pure Land. Forming the Alliance would pave the way for this powerful new "global system."
…
Land of Fire – Konoha – Hokage's Office
Hiruzen Sarutobi sat there puffing his pipe, his expression slightly distant. Others might not know the scope of Senshi's abilities, but he did. If Senshi decided to form an Alliance, it was basically a done deal.
And if Senshi said he would implement a Perfect Ninja World Project, he'd probably do that too. Meaning it might not be long before Hiruzen would see many long-gone faces—like Minato Namikaze, Kushina Uzumaki, or even his own teachers, Hashirama and Tobirama.
People such as Sakumo Hatake, the White Fang, who died before his time, might also be revived under Senshi's plan.
But not everyone believed in the plan. Reviving any deceased person was extraordinary enough, let alone bringing back everyone. Even if it was a proposal from Senshi, who was recognized throughout the ninja world as supremely powerful, many doubted he could truly pull it off.
Of course, Senshi actually wanted that skepticism. He didn't want Madara and Obito to think, Well, if a perfect world is coming, there's no need for the Eye of the Moon Plan. That would kill his chances of making money from them.
Hence why he leaked only vague hints. Believe it or not, that was up to the masses. Even some of Konoha's senior councilors, Mitokado Homura and Koharu Utatane, didn't believe in any "Perfect Ninja World." Sighing, Homura commented, "Senshi's 'Perfect World' plan is just a lovely idea, unlikely to ever materialize. But at least it gives people some hope."
"What really matters is his Ninja Alliance proposal, and Konoha certainly should join."
Koharu agreed.
"I think so too. While the perfect world plan may be unrealistic, it's still worthwhile for us to be part of the Alliance."
They'd barely finished when Hiruzen nodded.
"Then it's settled. We'll inform Senshi that Konoha will join."
…
Land of Wind – Sunagakure – Kazekage's Office
Rasa and the senior staff of Sunagakure were in notably high spirits. For once, a good opportunity had come along that didn't cost them money. Ebizō was grinning ear to ear.
"We definitely should join the Alliance! With that in place, the Sand can save money in so many areas!"
Lady Chiyo agreed:
"Once the Alliance's peacekeeping force sets up a branch here, they can handle much of our security."
Rasa, smiling as well, added, "That'll free up a large chunk of our budget to put into puppet research. As long as we maintain our technical edge and keep the core of our puppet technology secret, we can teach or sell some aspects of it externally."
If Orochimaru had been here, he might have ended up forging a true bromance with Rasa out of sheer exasperation. After all, when he visited Sunagakure, he'd barely gotten anything in return. And now they were set to "copy his homework" to earn money.
…
Land of Mist – Kirigakure – Mizukage's Office
Unlike the jubilant atmosphere in Sunagakure, Kirigakure's mood was heavier. They were aware of just how capable Senshi was and how extensively they'd already worked with him.
Though they didn't believe he could truly achieve a "perfect world" by resurrecting all the dead, most of their leaders—Genji and Mei Terumī included—felt he could partially accomplish it. Maybe some people could be resurrected, even if not everyone.
That left the village with a thorny concern: Kirigakure was once known as the "Bloody Mist," and most of the deceased from those days were anything but saints.
After a long silence, the ancient-sounding voice of Genji spoke:
"Let's join the Alliance too. Kirigakure might also take part in the Perfect World plan. With Lord Senshi's help and the deterrent effect of the Alliance peacekeeping force, there's no chance we'll ever revert to the Bloody Mist again."
When he finished, Ao frowned. "What if the Fourth Mizukage, Lord Yagura, is among those revived? How do we handle that?"
At that question, Mei Terumī and the others showed complicated expressions. Yagura's tenure was a colossal failure. If the Third Raikage came back, the current Raikage and Killer Bee would celebrate.
The same for other villages and their legendary dead, like Mu of Iwa, the Third Kazekage of Suna, the Fourth Hokage Minato, or the Second Hokage Tobirama. Their villages would want them back.
But the Fourth Mizukage Yagura was a grim exception. Nobody in Kirigakure was eager for his return, not after his oppressive rule turned the village into the Blood Mist.
Finally, Mei decided.
"All right, Kirigakure will join the Alliance, but we need to have a talk with Senshi about the Bloody Mist faction."
…
In short, all five great nations agreed in principle to join. For the smaller nations and lesser shinobi villages, membership was even more attractive. They were the first to sign up, hoping the Alliance would protect them from being trampled during future conflicts.
…
Land of Earth's Black Market
Word of the Alliance and Senshi's "perfect world" idea also reached Madara and Obito, who greeted it with contempt.
Madara scoffed, "Senshi might be stronger than that brat Hashirama, but he's just as naïve. He thinks something like that will bring peace and development to the ninja world? Ridiculous."
"Even the Uchiha clan and the other founding clans in Konoha never found real harmony after the village was formed. That's why I walked away when they kept ostracizing us. If that couldn't be resolved in a single village, how could the entire ninja world manage it?"
To Madara, only the Eye of the Moon Plan could bring true and lasting peace. Obito nodded,
"Sure, maybe Senshi can leverage his enormous power to form an alliance, but after he dies in a century or two, the whole thing will break down. As for the Perfect World he's talking about? Impossible. The only way to resurrect the dead is through the Rinne Tensei Technique with the Rinnegan, and even that can cost the caster's life. And if the deceased do come back, there's no guarantee they won't just be killed again in this world."
So, like Madara, Obito believed that true salvation lay only in the Infinite Tsukuyomi. His Infinite Tsukuyomi, in particular. Dismissing Senshi's proposals, they returned to their mission-grinding with lighter hearts. After all, even the invincible Senshi couldn't pull off everything, while they could do something he couldn't—guarantee perpetual bliss for the shinobi world (or so they believed).
…
Land of Fire's Black Market
On the other side of the world, Jiraiya was sitting in a small restaurant with Naruto and Sasuke. He looked like he had a headache.
In his view, it might be worthwhile to resurrect Nawaki—but Dan? That was a different story. Despite rarely returning to Konoha these days, Jiraiya stayed well-informed, and he was aware Tsunade had returned to the village.
He had always liked Tsunade (even if she didn't feel the same), which meant he definitely didn't want Dan wandering around, revived.
Should I go talk to Senshi and commission him, on the sly, to keep Dan dead? Jiraiya wondered. The more he thought about it, the more he felt he should. But he also worried that maybe Senshi was just bluffing again about this perfect-world stuff.
If it was impossible, Jiraiya would be exposing himself for no reason. And if the plan was real, and everyone else's loved ones got brought back except Dan, Tsunade might eventually find out "someone" had interfered—someone who didn't want Dan resurrected.
~~~
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