Bang!
The doors of Konoha Hospital slammed shut.
Everyone present watched as the young man stormed out, glancing between Sasuke—completely recovered from his near-death injuries—and Sarutobi Hiruzen, who was trying to explain himself. The story of these two friends became clear.
The young man had rushed to the hospital, anxious to check on his friend after hearing that Hiruzen's father was gravely injured. Finding Sasuke fully healthy, he could not contain his fury—he felt tricked, his emotions toyed with!
"Danzo!" Hiruzen called, running after him.
"Let me explain!" he shouted, trying to calm his friend. He explained that his father had indeed been severely injured but had been saved by a mysterious medical ninja.
"Are you telling the truth?" Danzo asked, unconvinced.
"Of course!" Hiruzen insisted. Curious and lively as ever, he elaborated, recounting what he had witnessed firsthand.
"The identity of that medical ninja is mysterious. Everyone calls him Lord Emiya. He is highly skilled and of significant status—he might even be related to the greatest medical ninja in history."
Hiruzen paused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "But he's strange… Even after saving my father, he shows no joy. He seems… solemn, almost like a coffin."
"What does that have to do with us?" Danzo frowned. Unlike Hiruzen, he was stoic and rarely smiled.
"If his identity is mysterious, it must be an important village secret. Genin like us shouldn't meddle," Danzo said firmly.
Despite his friend's caution, Hiruzen's curiosity lingered. Why had neither the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, nor his father stopped him from interacting with this enigmatic figure?
As they discussed this, Hiruzen noticed two figures leaving Konoha Hospital. The thought struck him: there was more to this than met the eye.
It was sunset. The hospital work was almost done. Hiruzen saw Hashirama Senju walking beside Emiya Shihara, treating him with respect that suggested the First Hokage was accompanying a distinguished guest.
"Those are the new generation of our village," Hashirama explained casually, introducing the group of young men to Emiya Shihara. "Tobirama founded a ninja school, and these are the first students. The monkey you met earlier is the most outstanding among them."
His words were true. Hiruzen was gifted. By this age, he had mastered the Sarutobi clan's unique summoning beast, the Sarutobi Ma, refined five types of chakra, and was learning five-attribute ninjutsu under Senju Tobirama.
Hiruzen's personality was equally remarkable. Elders had noticed something more precious than talent: leadership. Playful and energetic, he could remain calm under pressure, comforting his companions even when deeply worried about his father.
"The boy next to Hiruzen is called Danzo Shimura," Hashirama added, a hint of nostalgia in his voice. "Hiruzen and Danzo were rivals in ninja school, yet now they recognize each other as companions."
"It seems they have a strong bond…" Shihara Emiya observed, his expression unreadable.
"If nothing unexpected happens," Hashirama continued, "the future of Konoha will rest on the shoulders of these children."
"Is that so?" Emiya Shihara mused, taking interest in the young group. "Humans always entrust their will to the hope of the future. Even the Sage of Six Paths did so; we mortals are no exception."
An assistant quietly recorded Shihara's words. Sent by Senju Tobirama, he was tasked with capturing every detail, every insight. Emiya Shihara was a treasure trove of knowledge, and Tobirama did not dare waste a single opportunity.
Inside the Hokage Building, Senju Tobirama was busy. With Uchiha Madara still at large, he had to deploy resources to monitor the Uchiha clan and prevent instability in Konoha.
He also had another plan. With Hashirama having only ten years left to live, Tobirama intended to reshape the village's structure. Using Shihara Emiya's knowledge of the ancient Ashura and the Ninja Sect, he sought to guide the clans to focus on Konoha rather than individual clan interests.
The Warring States period loomed. Villagers still trusted clan leaders over the village itself. Only by dispersing the major clans—especially the Senju—could the village be unified. Tobirama planned to relocate the Senju to different settlements, demonstrating that they did not seek to dominate other clans.
With the Senju leading by example, other clans would follow, their loyalty shifting toward Konoha as a whole. Future generations would identify as Konoha ninjas first, rather than members of a single clan.
"But…" Tobirama thought, "the Uchiha clan must remain intact, for surveillance purposes. The Hyuga clan is more complicated… Their Byakugan must be protected, and branch families remain under strict control."
"Other clans?" He paused, recalling their current state. "Nothing major to intervene with yet."
Knock, knock, knock.
The assistant delivering intelligence on Emiya Shihara entered.
"Lord Tobirama, here's the report on Lord Emiya. Most of it concerns medical and surgical techniques, as well as medicinal herbs. He notes that any herbs found must be verified first."
"I see," Tobirama said, scanning the report. "It seems Lord Emiya treated many patients today."
"Indeed."
Tobirama sighed. Though valuable, the report contained nothing that could directly enhance the ninjas' combat abilities. His gaze lingered on the final note:
"Only Konoha… can be entrusted with his knowledge. For Konoha, even extraordinary measures are justified."
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