Tsunade's decision to join wasn't surprising to Mirai.
Rather than claiming she had a strong personal belief in the Will of Fire, it was more accurate to say she had taken on the ideals of others, layering them over her own sense of purpose.
But the darkness within Konoha had disappointed her time and time again, pushing her away from the village and into the wandering life of an exile.
And now, Mirai had laid bare the truth within her heart, offering her something beyond the Will of Fire—a better alternative.
Konoha, on the other hand, had done nothing but tip the scales further in Mirai's favor.
Shizune wanted to stop Tsunade.
But in the face of Tsunade's resolve, her own will felt fragile.
If she pushed too hard, she knew it would only backfire.
So instead, she made a different choice.
She would stay by Tsunade's side and watch Mirai carefully, observing whether his words and actions aligned.
If they didn't…
Then she would fight—no matter the cost—to bring Tsunade back.
"This communicator is made of nanomaterials and comes with a built-in storage module. It can shrink down to a cubic centimeter at minimum. The system is managed by 18, the original overseer of the Uzumaki Trade Association. You may have heard of her—she's made a few appearances in the Land of Fire."
Mirai handed Tsunade the communication ring, explaining its basic functions.
The rest, he left for her to explore on her own—or to learn from 18.
Tsunade inspected it curiously, like a child with a new toy. Within moments, she had already figured out the basics.
She separated a portion of the nanomaterial, reshaping it into a small earpiece that fit snugly in her ear. It even had an adhesive function, ensuring it wouldn't fall out even with vigorous movement.
"Impressive invention," she mused, running her fingers along the small display screen that extended from the ring. The sheer amount of technical data and applications was staggering.
Then, her gaze lifted to Mirai, eyes sharp.
"I don't get it, kid. You're already ridiculously strong. What could I possibly offer you? Why are you so determined to bring me into this?"
She wasn't joking. Her piercing stare made it clear—she wanted an answer.
Mirai met her gaze without hesitation.
"You underestimate yourself, Tsunade."
"If you hadn't wasted years on drinking and gambling, your understanding of the human body could have rivaled Orochimaru's."
As he spoke, he pulled up a set of digital files, displaying them before her.
"You developed Body Pathway Derangement, a jutsu that converts chakra into electricity. But you never realized its true potential."
Electricity—one of the fundamental forces of nature.
Even if Tsunade's jutsu only mimicked electricity through chakra manipulation, its implications were immense.
If she dedicated herself to developing it further, she could go beyond simple nerve disruption.
She could control electromagnetic forces, potentially reaching levels of power beyond even a certain comic book "magneto."
Tsunade only needed to glance at the data before her to recognize its value.
And that was the moment she got lost in it.
Her talent rivaled Orochimaru's, after all.
Research, not combat, was her true calling.
Forcing her into the Hokage's chair had been a waste of potential from the very start.
"Tsunade," Mirai said smoothly, "I hope you'll take this research further."
"The lab in the Land of Hot Water is ready for you. Also, most of the 'members' you've been trying to track down? They're just different identities used by 18. The real core members—you can meet them through the communicator."
Mirai stood up, ready to leave.
Then he paused, as if remembering something.
Oh, right.
Tsunade's grandfather and great-uncle were still out there…
Tending fields.
Like farmers.
It was time to finally release them.
Upon arriving in the Land of Whirlpools, Mirai found Senju Hashirama and Senju Tobirama operating machinery, harvesting medicinal herbs.
Hashirama wiped his forehead dramatically.
"Two Hokage reduced to field labor… I don't know whether to laugh or cry."
Mirai crossed his arms.
"Good news, gentlemen. You're finally free."
A shiver ran down Hashirama's spine.
That tone.
That expression.
It was the exact same as a corporate boss letting go of employees who had been wrung dry.
Hashirama narrowed his eyes.
"You're not up to something shady again, are you? You already have complete control over us. It's not like we can resist, even if we wanted to."
His voice carried resignation, but also wariness.
"Honestly, you refined Edo Tensei even more than Tobirama ever did. If I had known this would happen, I would have destroyed the jutsu when I had the chance. Tobirama—this is your fault!"
Tobirama's expression didn't change.
"The jutsu itself isn't to blame, brother. Even Fireball Jutsu can be used for murder."
Then, he turned to Mirai.
"There must be a reason. You don't strike me as someone who has sudden pangs of conscience."
Mirai smirked.
"Conscience? I don't have such a burden."
His casual honesty made the Senju brothers uneasy.
"But I do have a reason. Tsunade is joining me. Having her find out about you two would be… inconvenient."
Hashirama's mouth fell open.
"Wait. Little Tsuna—joining you?"
Then, he froze.
He realized something.
They were still Edo Tensei bodies.
Completely under Mirai's control.
If he didn't want them to speak…
They wouldn't even be able to open their mouths.
Hashirama sighed in defeat.
Tobirama, ever the pragmatist, ignored his brother's theatrics and asked a single question.
"What is it you truly want?"
Mirai paused. Then, after a brief moment of thought, he answered:
"People's goals change over time, Tobirama."
"When I was seven, I just wanted to survive the battlefield."
"Now? I want to unite the shinobi world and bring true peace."
"But in ten years…?"
He smirked.
"Maybe I'll be chasing immortality instead."
Tobirama scoffed, his tone dripping with cynicism.
"Hmph. Immortality…"
"Your question time is up, Tobirama. Don't force me to use the curse seal—otherwise, you'll lose your chance to say farewell to Hashirama."
With just a single sentence, Mirai silenced the Second Hokage.
Then, he turned to Hashirama.
"Tell me, boy… will you resort to slaughter in order to unify the shinobi world?"
"No," Mirai answered without hesitation. "I have no interest in meaningless bloodshed or the waste of resources."
In an era where even human capital was a crucial resource, pointless massacres were inefficient.
Hashirama sighed in relief, a genuine smile returning to his face.
"That's good to hear."
Tobirama, however, scoffed.
"You actually believe him, brother? Don't forget—he's a rogue ninja from Konoha!"
"Tobirama, you should learn to trust people! Honestly, I should have destroyed Edo Tensei back then. Do you know how long I've been farming because of this jutsu?!"
"For the last time, brother—jutsu aren't good or evil. It all depends on how they're used."
Mirai let them bicker for another three minutes.
Then, with a simple gesture, he released Edo Tensei.
Under his supervision, Tobirama had no opportunity to break free using the Releasing Jutsu.
There was nothing left for them to do but fade back into the afterlife.
"Two of the best Edo Tensei bodies are gone… Time to think if there's anyone else worth resurrecting."
Mirai wasn't one to waste resources.
After going through every known figure in the shinobi world, only one stood out—the Second Tsuchikage, Mū.
His Dust Release could be an invaluable tool.
If Mirai reverse-engineered the technique, he could have Mū mine minerals for him.
Still… digging up bodies wasn't exactly something he wanted to personally handle.
"Let's leave the grave robbing to the robots."
He sent an order to 18 to manufacture several burrowing drones.
With the right stealth measures, they should be able to avoid Iwa's sensory ninja.
---
Meanwhile, in the Land of Rain—
The Akatsuki had run into unexpected trouble.
The first phase of their operation had gone smoothly.
But after assassinating the Fourth Kazekage, they had been intercepted by none other than Sasori of the Red Sand.
The result?
Even a four-man team from the Akatsuki had struggled against him.
Kakuzu had nearly lost his life protecting the Kazekage's severed head.
Now, in the depths of Amegakure, Pain listened in silence.
"So you encountered Sasori?"
His cold gaze shifted toward Zetsu.
"Find his location. Next time, I'll handle him personally."
Pain was well aware of his subordinates' abilities.
Even Kisame, despite proving his worth by claiming Rasa's bounty, had barely walked away from the fight.
For four Akatsuki members to lose against a single opponent—
There weren't many in the world capable of that.
Sasori needed to be dealt with.
"I've already tried," Zetsu said with a shrug. "But he seems to have a way of detecting my clones. I can't get close."
More than that—Sasori could fly.
How was Zetsu supposed to track someone who could just soar out of range?
"Also, for the time being, we need to halt all major operations."
Pain's expression didn't change.
"Because of Sunagakure's schemes, the assassination of the Wind Daimyō has also been blamed on us."
Right now, there were bounty hunters crawling all over the continent, hoping to claim Akatsuki's heads.
"If you get cornered, send out a distress signal," Pain instructed.
Recruiting skilled rogue ninja was notoriously difficult.
If even one core member died, their plans would be delayed.
Not that any of them were particularly concerned.
Kakuzu sneered.
"Let them come. I could use some new hearts."
Raiga sighed.
"I need to repair my swords, so hiding isn't an option for me."
Kisame, still recovering from injuries, only chuckled.
"If I don't have any assignments, I'll just wander around. No need to worry about me."
Pain let it go.
For now, strict control wasn't necessary.
If he pushed too hard, he might drive them away.
"Do as you wish."
With that, he ended the Hologram Projection Jutsu.
After the meeting, Konan approached Nagato.
"Nagato, there's something else."
Her voice was calm, but grave.
"Sunagakure's influence is growing. The Land of Rain is surrounded by small nations, and most of them are already leaning toward joining Sunagakure's new federation."
In particular—
The Land of Bears was already in talks with Hoshigakure, pushing them to dissolve their ninja village and assimilate into the nobility.
If this continued…
Amegakure would soon be completely surrounded by Sunagakure's growing empire.
And worst of all—
Akatsuki had assassinated their previous Kazekage.
If Sunagakure discovered the truth, war would be inevitable.
Nagato remained silent for a moment.
Then, in his usual unshaken tone, he replied—
"Numbers mean nothing beneath the eyes of a god."
"If Sunagakure dares to invade Amegakure, I will have Pain push them back."
Protecting the Land of Rain had always been Yahiko's dream.
And now, Nagato had both the will and the power to do it.
His medical chamber had restored much of his body's strength, and his connection to the Six Paths of Pain had only grown stronger.
He had no doubt.
Regardless of how many they were—
Before his Rinnegan, they were nothing but ants.
(End of Chapter)
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