Hashirama didn't overly criticize Tobirama. He understood that Tobirama was doing everything for Konoha's sake, prioritizing their village's interests above all else.
"Sir, according to Tobirama's explanation, wouldn't the drawbacks of distributing the Tailed Beasts actually be more beneficial to Konoha?"
On one hand, distributing the Tailed Beasts gave Konoha considerable profits and advantages. On the other hand, the potential danger of Tailed Beast rampages could significantly weaken the other ninja villages.
So how could Konoha possibly lose?
Wasn't this basically a guaranteed win while lying down?
At least in Tobirama's view, even though he'd been ambushed by those Cloud Village bastards this time, the future was still an assured victory for Konoha.
Monkey and the others just needed to do nothing and stay steady.
Konohagakure's overall strength would eventually far surpass the other four villages.
Even Tobirama looked at Kai curiously, hoping to learn from this 'sage' who could seemingly traverse time and foresee the future—where exactly did his strategy fail?
Kai smiled faintly and questioned Tobirama again.
"Second Hokage, if it were you, what would you do after discovering a flaw?"
"Obviously, I'd find a way to fix it."
"Then what would the other villages do after discovering that Tailed Beasts are powerful, but Jinchūriki are very unstable and prone to rampages?"
"They'd find ways to improve sealing techniques, find ways to enhance the Jinchūriki's adaptability, until they could completely control the Tailed Beast..."
"But that's not something easily accomplished. It would take at least several decades of trial and development..."
Tobirama's judgment wasn't wrong. The villages really did tinker around for decades before barely managing to cultivate three: Killer B, Yagura, and Naruto Uzumaki. The last one didn't even have much to do with village training—that was pure neglect, plus Cloud Village tutoring, plus old man cheat codes.
"So you leave Konoha with a Nine-Tails that will never lose control, plus a soft persimmon they can easily suppress even if it does—are you worried the village is too comfortable? Or that the enemy is too stupid and will only stay put?"
Kai's question jolted Tobirama awake!
An overly comfortable environment only breeds complacency, leaving future generations without experience handling Tailed Beast rampages.
Especially when other villages are making progress through massive casualties.
Just staying in place equals regression—let alone when you're actually slowly regressing!
In reality.
Tailed Beast rampages really did bring massive casualties and trouble to the other four villages.
Sunagakure goes without saying—the One-Tail Shukaku drove several generations of Kazekage insane or to their deaths.
Kirigakure was similar—multiple Jinchūriki rampages killed batches of Mist elite.
Iwagakure had that old turtle Ōnoki. Though he could suppress Tailed Beasts, several Jinchūriki ended up leaving the village anyway.
Kumogakure even more so—without the Third Raikage's absolute strength, the Eight-Tails would've destroyed the village who knows how many times.
But over these decades.
The other villages managed to milk quite a bit of wool from their Tailed Beasts.
Sunagakure developed Magnet Release and Feigning Sleep Technique by researching the One-Tail...
Kirigakure developed the Water Prison Seal and cultivated a Perfect Jinchūriki.
Kumogakure developed the Iron Armor Seal and cultivated a Perfect Jinchūriki.
Iwagakure was the worst off, but several Jinchūriki remained fiercely loyal to the village, achieving countless merits while gradually perfecting their sealing techniques.
Comparing them all.
Only Konohagakure, despite having the strongest Nine-Tails, made zero progress, generated zero value, and just coasted on the Uzumaki Clan's legacy to suppress the Tailed Beast.
Once the Uzumaki Clan was carelessly wiped out.
In all of massive Konoha, there wasn't a single person who could teach Naruto how to control a Tailed Beast...
It was all thanks to Naruto's own struggles that he finally utilized the Nine-Tails' power.
Before that.
The Nine-Tails never brought Konoha any assistance—instead, it harmed Konoha again and again.
Everyone else is progressing, everyone else is milking their Tailed Beasts for benefits.
Once they surpass you and come to beat you up, isn't that perfectly reasonable?
If Konoha had given Snake Uncle one or two Tailed Beasts to research freely earlier, he probably could've rolled up with a mechanical Tailed Beast army to sweep the Impure World army during the Fourth War.
Who'd even need a Shinobi Alliance then?
"Sir, Tobirama, what are you guys talking about?" Hashirama scratched his head, completely unable to grasp the significance of technological progress.
Tobirama looked at Kai and thanked him sincerely:
"Thank you for the reminder, sir. I was shortsighted. I'll keep this in mind."
Tobirama secretly decided that once he returned to the village, he absolutely had to update their research and utilization of the Nine-Tails.
They couldn't just sit around waiting for the other villages to slowly surpass Konoha.
Though he and his brother had left the village with substantial capital, it couldn't withstand future generations constantly lacking ambition and staying stagnant!
Of course, Tobirama wasn't too worried.
The Uzumaki Clan + Uchiha Clan were his most solid backing. As long as these two clans remained, no Tailed Beast could overturn Konoha.
Kai guessed what Tobirama was thinking and didn't bother advising him further.
Later, he'd take World #2's Tobirama to see future Konoha.
Once he saw that both the Uzumaki Clan and Uchiha Clan had been completely screwed over by the Konoha F4, then he'd know to panic.
...
"By the way, sir, what's this optimal solution you mentioned earlier?"
Tobirama proactively asked.
Setting aside Kai's mysterious abilities, just his precise analysis of the Tailed Beast Deterrence System earned Tobirama's considerable approval, as if he'd met a kindred spirit.
Naturally, he hoped to learn more of Kai's insights.
"Very simple. Don't distribute the Tailed Beasts at all—just directly unify the shinobi world and eliminate all ninja villages and nations!"
Kai revealed his true intentions, exposing his real purpose.
All that earlier analysis of the Tailed Beast Deterrence System's shortcomings was just to convince these two to abandon their ideals and throw themselves into the great cause of unifying the shinobi world.
Of course, Kai didn't expect to convince Hashirama in just ten-plus minutes, but planting the seed now meant he could gradually guide them later.
He couldn't just shove their heads down and force Hashirama and the others to unify the shinobi world from the get-go.
Forget not having mastered the Rinnegan's power yet—even if he had complete control, he wouldn't dare guarantee he could defeat Hashirama.
"This... isn't appropriate."
"We finally ended the Warring States chaos. If we start a war of unification, how many more people will die!"
Hashirama immediately rejected it. He really didn't want to see more war, more sacrifice...
"Big brother is right. And there's no guarantee that even after unification, things won't split apart again."
Tobirama quickly added, though a gleam of light flashed in the depths of his eyes.
Deep down, he'd wanted to do exactly this for ages!
Unfortunately, his brother never allowed it.
And after his brother died, he alone couldn't possibly steamroll the entire shinobi world.
Originally, Tobirama had some reservations about unifying the shinobi world—he genuinely feared it would split apart again after unification. But now, having experienced the First Great Ninja War, Tobirama was certain that the previous ninja village peace system was complete garbage! Total bullshit!
Those animals in the other villages could never be like his brother—bringing love to achieve mutual understanding and tolerance...
He'd gradually abandoned that path in his heart.
Kai glanced at Tobirama: Yes, that's the look!
I knew you had serious ambition, kid!
Good stuff—I like it!
As expected, the unifying the shinobi world ideology was easiest to sell to this Second Hokage!
...
"No need to get excited. I'm merely proposing a suggestion, not forcing you to unify the shinobi world."
"If you can think of and find a more suitable path, I certainly don't mind you pursuing it—but be mentally prepared for the costs involved."
Both Hashirama and Tobirama fell silent.
After witnessing and experiencing the First Great Ninja War firsthand, both felt an indescribable bitterness.
Even those with the strongest convictions couldn't help but fall into self-doubt and questioning after witnessing reality.
The key issue was that they genuinely couldn't think of any better method to replace the Tailed Beast Deterrence System right now.
"Senju Hashirama, how about it? Can you answer that earlier question now?"
"Huh?"
[What do you want to protect—the village? Or your loved ones?]
"This..."
Hashirama looked at Tobirama and fell into hesitation again.
He'd founded Konoha Village initially to protect Tobirama, protect Madara, protect his precious people.
But now, his future self in this world had killed his best friend Madara for the sake of the village.
Wasn't that the ultimate betrayal?
Had his future self really changed?
Violated his original intentions?
What exactly did he want to protect?
Watching the somewhat confused Hashirama, Kai was quite satisfied.
The God of Shinobi's will wasn't so easily changed.
First swing the sledgehammer to gently shatter his mental conditioning, then urge him to change everything, to unify the shinobi world—that was undoubtedly the most stable method.
"No conclusion yet? That's fine, no rush to answer."
"Let me ask you two more questions."
[Senju Hashirama, what exactly is this Will of Fire you want to pass down?]
[Senju Tobirama, staying behind to cover the retreat at the cost of your life—was that really the right choice?]
Hashirama: "The Will of Fire?"
Tobirama: "Huh?"
Even sacrificing his life to stay behind and cover the retreat was wrong?
That didn't make sense, right?
"No rush. Let's first go to the future and see the story of the next-next Hokage. You can answer then."