Hiruzen Sarutobi's words reflected one undeniable truth: he was a worthy disciple of the Second Hokage!
Takigakure did not belong to the Konohagakure Alliance system, so if they were attacked, it was their own fault. Moreover, someone getting attacked was actually beneficial for the entire ninja world. After all, once they felt the pain, others would start taking things more seriously! Sacrificing Takigakure wasn't really a big deal.
"What kind of people have you been teaching?"
After everyone left, Hashirama Senju couldn't help but mutter under his breath.
"I remember the Monkey used to be a decent person. How did he end up like this?"
"Hmph, what do you mean by 'end up like this'?"
Tobirama Senju snorted disdainfully, his voice cold.
"This is what makes a qualified Hokage. Sometimes you have to consider the bigger picture; you can't give love to everyone!"
"You really are annoying, Tobirama."
"Plenty of people find me annoying; I don't care what those in Konohagakure think of me."
"You're impossible to deal with."
"Then let me ask you this: If you cared so much about them, why didn't you unify the ninja world back then? At least there wouldn't be so many villages or wars now!"
"..."
"I remember Madara Uchiha wanted the same thing back then. Rarely did he have a good idea, and you denied it?"
Tobirama's words left Hashirama silent. From the current perspective, perhaps that really should have been done. After all, after his death, the chaos never ceased. If everything had been unified back then, maybe...
"Don't talk about useless things. We didn't have enough people to hold everything together back then, and too much blood had already been shed."
Hashirama sighed, shaking his head gently, but Tobirama remained cold.
"If we had drained others' blood back then, we wouldn't have had to shed Konohagakure's blood later. You're just making excuses."
At this point, the two couldn't continue their conversation. Both had their own thoughts and positions, and neither regretted the decisions they had made. Tobirama was resolute, and even Hashirama had killed Madara Uchiha for the sake of the village! Besides, if they weren't firm in their beliefs, they wouldn't have come this far.
"Forget it, let's not talk about this anymore."
Tobirama sighed, deciding to change the subject.
"Let's focus on finding the Uchiha stone tablet. I'm very curious about it."
"I just hope they don't cause too much trouble."
Hashirama chuckled bitterly, shaking his head.
"Jiraiya, Kakashi's team, especially Minamoto... Are those five really going out for a diplomatic visit?"
"Don't worry about it. As long as we say it's a visit, it's a visit."
Tobirama was very confident, but he quickly voiced another concern.
"By the way, is your mind clear now?"
"What do you mean?"
Hashirama frowned, and Tobirama asked directly.
"Are you sure Madara Uchiha told you about that Uchiha stone tablet?"
"I'm very sure; he did mention it!"
"Then are you certain the Senju Clan doesn't have something similar?"
"..."
"Like a stone tablet? Or bark, as Minamoto suggested? If not that, maybe a stick or something?"
"..."
Leaving the ANBU base, Jiraiya stretched lazily and spoke.
"Another mission, huh? And with you, Minamoto. For some reason, I have a bad feeling about this."
"A hospital visit, perhaps?"
Kitagawa Minamoto blinked, but Tsunade interrupted from the side.
"A hospital visit wouldn't be a bad idea. With me here, Konohagakure's medical system won't be as bad as before."
"..."
Hiruzen Sarutobi rubbed his temples, speaking with frustration.
"You two haven't done much, have you? One spends all day peeping, and the other follows the First Hokage to the casino. Do you think I don't know?"
"Hehe..."
Jiraiya grinned foolishly, while Tsunade remained indifferent. After all, following the First Hokage wasn't a big deal—she didn't believe her teacher would say anything about it. Besides, wasn't her Second Uncle still around?
"By the way, old man, when will my stipend be issued? Also, even though my grandfather is under Summoning: Impure World Reincarnation, he's working and was once Hokage. So his stipend..."
"..."
"Don't forget to give it to me. I'm heading back now."
"..."
Watching Tsunade's antics, Hiruzen Sarutobi was both exasperated and helpless. Kitagawa Minamoto shook his head, sighing.
"What a stipend thief! It seems Konohagakure not only has administrative issues but also major financial problems!"
"I think it's better if you don't talk about these things."
Hiruzen Sarutobi looked at Kitagawa Minamoto with resignation, feeling increasingly drained.
"You've settled your team members, but when do you plan to depart?"
"I'm ready anytime."
Kitagawa Minamoto stroked his chin, thought briefly, and gave his answer. Jiraiya also considered and then said,
"I don't have any issues either. Let's prepare a bit—like sending a letter to Takigakure—before heading over."
"That's the best approach."
Kakashi nodded. The last time they visited, things had been rather awkward.
"It shouldn't take us long to get there anyway."
As he spoke, Kakashi glanced at Kitagawa Minamoto. Their speed was already impressive, not to mention the Flying Thunder God Technique marks Kitagawa Minamoto had left in the Land of Waterfalls. Getting there would be incredibly convenient!
"We're good to go!"
Both Sasuke and Naruto nodded earnestly. After three years of missions, they were seasoned veterans. A visit to Takigakure wouldn't excite them much, especially since this time it was just a diplomatic mission.
"It's settled then. Take the rest of the day to prepare; we'll leave early tomorrow."
Kitagawa Minamoto stroked his chin, nodded, and spoke decisively.
"Alright, dismissed."
"Yes!"
Sasuke and Naruto immediately nodded. They exchanged glances, seemingly having some unspoken plans.
"Then we'll..."
Swish—
Naruto began to speak, but Sasuke ignored him entirely, vanishing in an instant!
"Damn it! Not again?"
Naruto looked at Kitagawa Minamoto with resentment, as if blaming him for corrupting Sasuke. However, he didn't dare complain openly and could only sigh helplessly before disappearing as well.
"Sasuke is becoming more and more like a proper ninja."
Seeing this, Kitagawa Minamoto nodded in satisfaction. Meanwhile, Kakashi was somewhat speechless.
"That's what you call a proper ninja?"
"I've always taught them that a ninja must use any means necessary. Sasuke has grasped this concept well."
Kitagawa Minamoto said seriously.
"Besides, the Second Hokage... well, his personality might be problematic, but he shares my philosophy. Sasuke has a great teacher."
"..."
Both Kakashi and Hiruzen Sarutobi were at a loss for words, feeling a mix of concern and resignation about Konohagakure's future. With Kitagawa Minamoto, the village was bound to grow stronger. The younger generation of Konohagakure was thriving, ensuring a bright future. But what worried them was how far the village's education system might plummet. After all, if the upper echelons were flawed, the foundation was bound to crumble.
"Well, I'll go prepare now."
Kitagawa Minamoto smiled at the two, and seeing their silence, he thoughtfully added,
"Don't worry, everything will be fine. Stop worrying about those two. Instead, think about Konohagakure's administrative and financial issues."
"..."
"It's a mess. We need to take strong measures to combat this poor behavior!"
"..."
Watching the three of them with deadpan expressions, Kitagawa Minamoto felt his words had sunk in. He bid them farewell and left, leaving the three to exchange glances and sigh deeply.
Returning home, Kitagawa Minamoto created a Divine Tree clone. In the next instant, he vanished from his room. His System's activity wasn't about a mission but something he had been waiting for three years to mature!
With a spatial shift, he arrived in Amenominaka. Over three years, his Amenominaka had expanded, though the expanded world still resembled a desert. This made him wonder if the world within Amenominaka required him to divide it further, but for now, this setup worked better.
Because...
"Not bad at all."
Looking at the giant tree in Amenominaka, Kitagawa Minamoto nodded in satisfaction. The tree had grown so large it was close to occupying the entire space! Its enormous flower bud, seemingly encasing a Rinnegan, had risen but still showed no signs of blooming.
"Maybe it's because there's no moon? Or perhaps the Tailed Beasts haven't been fully gathered yet. Still, it's fascinating how Kaguya's chakra can be used like this."
Kitagawa Minamoto muttered to himself. Three years ago, he had experimentally integrated Kaguya's chakra—obtained from Black Zetsu—into the tree. Since he couldn't absorb it directly, and Kaguya had consumed the Divine Tree's fruit, her chakra might benefit the Divine Tree.
"Besides, the Divine Tree requires an Ōtsutsuki to mature. I won't sacrifice myself, so why not try using some chakra?"
To his surprise, it worked! Kaguya's chakra indeed enhanced the Divine Tree's source, making it more aggressive and accelerating its chakra absorption. Not just Kaguya's chakra, but also the Dragon Vein, Tailed Beasts, and even Tenseigan chakra—it devoured them all!
"And it's been three years of this..."
Over three years, the tree had ravenously consumed Kitagawa Minamoto's resources, indirectly limiting his development to only 62%.
"But now it's finally stopped."
Looking at the towering tree and sensing the overwhelming power within, Kitagawa Minamoto smiled in satisfaction. This colossal entity, though its "stage" hadn't changed, was far stronger than the previous Divine Tree Source.
"Perhaps its 'stage' is tied to the Tailed Beasts. Only when they're fully gathered can it bloom and bear fruit."
Kitagawa Minamoto thought to himself, slowly landing atop the Divine Tree.
"After three years of consuming my resources, it's time for it to give something back."
Though he had spent the past three years studying other things, it hadn't been wasted time. But the essence of the Divine Tree Source was to help him grow stronger. After three years of refinement, it was time for it to provide feedback!
Placing his hand gently on the massive tree, its roaring energy surged into his body. The exhilarating sensation engulfed him, as an indescribable power erupted within. His mind flooded with information, and his interface refreshed.
[Name: Kitagawa Minamoto] [Bloodline: Ōtsutsuki Clan (Development: 68%)]
(End of Chapter)
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