"Now, I will release the Impure World Reincarnation on Lord Emiya," Tobirama announced, his voice low and resolute as his fingers began to form a hand seal. "Before I die, I have to take care of this."
"What on earth happened?" Shirou raised a hand, gently stopping Tobirama's movement. "You're gravely injured..."
As he spoke, he instinctively began to heal the wound, his brow furrowed in confusion. "I was just with Madara, supervising the retreat of the other villages. I thought you were discussing an alliance with the Cloud."
Tobirama's expression soured. He was less than thrilled about Madara's newfound camaraderie with Shirou, but he had more pressing concerns. He quickly recounted the disaster at the alliance ceremony: a coup.
Kinkaku and Ginkaku had attacked him and the Second Raikage. Now, the two brothers were leading a pack of Cloud rogue-nin to hunt him down.
Just as he finished, a dense cluster of chakra signatures appeared in the forest. The welcoming committee had arrived.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
Two figures, moving at blinding speed, burst into the clearing. One had a shock of gold hair, the other silver. Both were built like tanks, with black horns sprouting from their heads.
Ugly, half-healed explosion wounds marred their bodies. It was Kinkaku and Ginkaku. Their subordinates flickered into existence around them, surrounding Shirou and Tobirama.
"Finally caught you, Senju Tobirama," Kinkaku sneered, his eyes landing on Shirou. "We've been watching you for a while. Still using Lord Emiya Shirou, I see. As expected."
He let out a mocking laugh. "If it weren't for your... unethical treatment of this great figure, our Raikage's little alliance wouldn't have stirred up so much hostility back home. Your disrespect made our coup surprisingly successful!"
"An unexpectedly smooth success, indeed," Ginkaku added, a hint of false gratitude in his voice. "Konoha is already a pariah in the ninja world. Killing you here and taking your body back will only make the people in our village happier."
And it was true. Their coup had been almost laughably easy. While the villagers hadn't exactly approved of them assassinating the Raikage, no one shed a tear over them attacking the Hokage.
As long as they killed Tobirama, they could return, spin a few righteous-sounding tales, and seize power. And it seemed their luck was holding. Tobirama was just sitting here, waiting for them, seemingly having given up on escape.
As for the young Konoha ninja who'd been with him? They were gone, but it didn't matter. Tobirama was the only target. The only wrinkle was Shirou.
"Lord Emiya," Kinkaku said, adopting a more respectful tone. "Although our means were... dishonorable, we have the support of the majority. This Second Hokage has been using you to fight his wars. His alliance with our Raikage caused a lot of dissatisfaction. We hope you will not interfere in this matter."
"Can't you just stop?" Shirou frowned, clearly displeased. "The other villages have retreated. The war is over. Why cause more needless casualties?"
"The war will not end!" A flash of fighting spirit lit up Kinkaku's face. "We know your strength, Lord Emiya, but the Cloud Village will absolutely not withdraw!"
"Only war," Ginkaku added seriously, "can unite the power of the Cloud Village."
And ensure no one opposes our rule, went unsaid.
"I'll deal with them," Tobirama said, surprisingly taking the initiative to draw his sword. He clearly had no intention of using Shirou this time. "To deal with these war-hungry clowns, Lord Emiya is not needed. I'll take care of them, then release your Edo Tensei."
"Giving up already, Second Hokage?" A smug smile spread across Kinkaku's lips. "With your strength, you're no match for us."
"Looks like the humiliation got to him," Ginkaku mocked. The success of his surprise attack had made him cocky. And Tobirama had given up on using Shirou! This was perfect. They no longer had to worry about his power. Both sides, it seemed, wanted Shirou to stay out of it.
"Two idiots," Tobirama muttered, a flicker of impatience on his face. The cursed seal on his arm pulsed with power. His fingers slowly rose. "You actually think you're sure to win?"
"The you right now?" Kinkaku's lips curled into a cold smile. "No matter what, you're no match for us. Let's go, Ginkaku!"
They were far too careless.
When Tobirama released his Cursed Seal Mode, his power and speed exploded. Six Flying Thunder God kunai shot out. He became a blur of light, flickering through the crowd. In an instant, several Cloud-nin fell, their blood staining the forest green.
"Those kunai! Be careful of those kunai!" a Cloud-nin screamed, spotting one near his leader. "Lord Ginkaku, watch out!"
"Ginkaku!" Kinkaku's face twisted in horror as he saw Tobirama appear next to his brother.
"What?" Ginkaku whirled around, but it was too late. He saw the flash of Tobirama's sword pass through his body.
"Flying Thunder God Slash!" Tobirama's eyes were like ice. Just as he had killed another's younger brother in the past, today he did it again.
"Ginkaku!" Kinkaku watched in disbelief as his brother fell. A primal roar shattered his sanity. Surging, scarlet chakra erupted from his body, forming a cloak.
Six red tails of chakra whipped behind him as he transformed into a fierce beast and lunged at Tobirama. It was the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode, a power gained from devouring the Nine-Tails' flesh, a power that now cost him his mind. But it didn't matter. With Ginkaku gone, Kinkaku only wanted one thing: to tear Tobirama to pieces.
But he couldn't. If the true Nine-Tails couldn't handle Tobirama with the cursed seal, what chance did this pale imitation have?
Without his sanity, he couldn't even use the Sage of Six Paths' treasured tools. He had no chance.
The battle was over in a flash. Relying on the Flying Thunder God and his Cursed Seal, Tobirama had a complete advantage. Even his one weakness, his chakra reserves, was supplemented by the seal.
The bodies of the Cloud rogue-nin littered the forest floor. Tobirama, severely injured by Kinkaku's final, desperate counterattack, sat awkwardly under a tree, a look of relief on his face. He wanted to chat with Shirou one last time.
"Lord Emiya," he said softly as Shirou approached, hand glowing with healing jutsu. "No need. Just... let me die here. All this time... thank you for helping Konoha, for saving so many lives. It's a bit shameful to admit, but I was arranging for the seriously wounded to be transported to the rear, just to make use of your medical skills."
"I am a medical ninja," Shirou replied, shaking his head as if it were nothing.
"But it ultimately backfired," Tobirama sighed, thinking of the intel he'd received. "Konoha's reputation is in tatters now. Perhaps this is the price for using power that doesn't belong to me. A Hokage with a bad reputation needs to die to end all this. Fortunately, the war is over. I don't have to worry about the village's problems."
A look of genuine gratitude appeared on his face. "And I must thank you, Lord Emiya, for calming this Great Ninja War."
"I just don't want to see more people die," Shirou said, almost to himself. "This war is over, but what about the next one?"
"Leave it to the future generations," Tobirama shook his head. "When I decided to sacrifice myself, I had already designated Monkey as the Third Hokage. I believe he can protect Konoha, and the peace of the ninja world, just like my brother."
He took a deep breath. "Now, there is only one thing left. To release the Impure World Reincarnation on you, so your soul can return to the underworld and find peace." His hands slowly came together, forming the release seal. "I'm very sorry for having disturbed your soul's peace for so long."
"It doesn't matter," a faint light began to glow from Shirou's body. "Being able to see this era was a novel experience. Though, for me, I have always been very dissatisfied with it."
"I'm truly sorry about that," Tobirama said, a self-deprecating smirk on his lips. He looked up, about to say more, but froze. His eyes widened in shock at what he saw. "Lord Emiya?"
"Impure World Reincarnation: Release." Shirou calmly spoke the words himself, severing the connection. The light around him faded. The compassionate man was gone, replaced by a figure of desolate stillness.
"Why?" Tobirama felt the link between them shatter.
"Because I am very dissatisfied with this era," Shirou said, slowly lowering his hands. "In the ancient era, I once believed in a person like Hashirama, thinking he could bring eternal peace. Now, it seems this era is inevitably disappointing. Even if I can quell this war, future wars will still emerge. It doesn't matter."
"This era is not entirely without hope. Since the people of this era are powerless, then let me, a ninja from the ancient era, use other methods to save this world again. It just so happens that Madara has once again shown the hope of achieving eternal peace."
A flash of panic crossed Tobirama's eyes.
Madara! He's colluded with Shirou! What a joke!
How could an evil man like Madara convince a kind soul like Shirou?
But it was no joke. Shirou was too easily used. If Madara had spun a tale of eternal peace, a soft-hearted person like him would have been completely convinced. His brother's greatest failure, colluding with this ancient ninja... the world would be plunged into an even greater storm!
Madara might even obtain the terrifying power of the ancient era!
"Lord Emiya, Madara is using you!" Tobirama pleaded, desperate for him to see reason. "He's not for peace! He just wants your power!"
"Tobirama," Shirou's dead, reanimated eyes seemed to hold a silent, mocking question. "Haven't you also been using me all along?"
The question hit Tobirama like a physical blow. He was speechless. He could justify it to his subordinates, "for Konoha's sake," but he had no defense against Shirou's accusation. It was an iron-clad fact. His own use of Shirou had probably become a tool for Madara to convince him.
"Whether it's you, Hiruzen, or Danzo," Shirou continued, his gaze falling on the dead Cloud-nin, "you obtained the cursed seal's power from me. You all promised you wouldn't use it for conflict between ninjas, but in the end, you used it to kill. I saved many people in Konoha, and you sent them back to the battlefield. You, who have used all this, how can you righteously accuse Madara? At least he was truly willing to help me quell this war, and not for the benefit of one village."
"But—" Tobirama tried to argue, but he had nothing. While he was trying to ally with the Cloud Village to fight other villages, Madara had been genuinely helping Shirou resolve the war. It was rumored Madara had even been willing to attack all the villages himself to force a retreat, and it was only Shirou who had stopped him. The only argument he had left was Madara's character. "Madara is innately evil! That guy, for the sake of—"
"Tobirama," Shirou interrupted, his voice still calm. "According to Madara, you used the Impure World Reincarnation to disturb the peace of souls, to use the dead to participate in war. Are you any more just than him?"
Tobirama was silenced. No matter how good he was at debate, he couldn't argue against that. It was a fact laid bare for the entire world to see. "For Konoha's sake" was an excuse that rang hollow now.
For his brother? Yes, at the beginning.
But later? He had changed.
No, he hadn't. Ever since he saw Shirou's power, he had been eager to squeeze as much benefit as possible from him. That was the irrefutable truth.
"Goodbye," Shirou said, turning to leave. "Since you wish to sacrifice your life, then die here. I won't save those who wish to end their own lives."
But as Shirou turned, Tobirama leaped up, rushing towards him, his hands flying through seals. "Sorry, Lord Emiya. I can't let Madara get your power."
He couldn't think anymore.
He knew his body wouldn't last. He had to seal Shirou first. Madara was already terrifying enough. With Shirou's help... it was unimaginable.
Bang!
Just as Tobirama got within a step of him, the air fell silent. His body froze. The black cursed seal flowed across his skin, controlling him, stopping him. The very power Shirou had given him was now being used against him. The currently weakened Tobirama was powerless to break free.
His eyes moved slightly, looking at his immobile body as Shirou slowly turned around. Shirou looked at Tobirama's face, so close to his own, and questioned calmly, "Tobirama, you want to use my power... to attack me?"