"Grandpa Hokage!"
"I swear, I'll pass the graduation exam next week!"
"I'm going to earn this Konoha headband with my own two hands!"
Little Naruto stood before Makarov, his expression filled with determination.
"Hahaha..."
"I believe in you, Naruto. I have no doubt you'll pass the exam."
The old man chuckled, patting Naruto's shoulder. "And to make sure you pass with flying colors," he continued, "I've decided to cook a special meal for you tonight! Let your old grandpa show off his culinary skills."
Makarov struck a pose, looking eager to get started.
Having already achieved an unbeatable status in the shinobi world, Makarov's only remaining hobby was exploring the secrets of fine cuisine.
"Uhh..."
"You know, I think I'll pass!"
"Grandpa, your cooking is... well, it's hard to praise," Naruto said, trying to be polite. "Besides, I already made plans with Sasuke. I'm having dinner at his place tonight."
"Big Brother Itachi is cooking, and his food is seriously the best!"
The mere thought of Makarov's cooking—a culinary nightmare that was nearly impossible to swallow—made Naruto shiver.
In the end, Naruto decided it was much safer to eat a proper meal at Sasuke's house. If he kept eating Makarov's food, he'd probably miss the exam due to a stomach ache.
(On a side note: because the Uchiha Clan Massacre never happened, Sasuke grew up under the loving care of Itachi. He's now just a typical teenager with a slight tsundere attitude.)
"That kid," Makarov said with a fond smile. "Alright, go on then! Just remember to be back early."
"Okay!"
With Makarov's permission, Naruto bolted for the Hokage's office door. Before leaving, he didn't forget his manners. "Goodbye, Grandpa Hokage! Bye, Brother Eden!"
"You know, Naruto's personality reminds me a lot of Laxus when he was a boy," Makarov said with a laugh as he watched Naruto leave. "This time, I'll be sure to raise him right."
It was a mutually beneficial relationship. One wanted to make up for his grandson's lost childhood, while the other desperately needed a proper adult to look after him. The old man and the young boy were a perfect match.
"Heh," Eden chuckled softly. He could already picture the future: a grown-up Naruto, finding his Talk-no-Jutsu ineffective, would simply roar, "We are all mages of the Fairy Tail guild!" before proceeding with a... physical correction.
"Oh, right, Eden," Makarov said after Naruto had gone, closing the office door. "The ninjutsu of this world, while not particularly useful for mages like us, has some interesting exceptions. After digging through countless ancient texts, I've found a special type of ninjutsu called Sage Art. There's also a miraculous taijutsu that can unlock the human body's potential. Both could be extremely helpful for our guild."
Makarov pulled two scrolls from his desk drawer. One contained a wealth of information on Sage Art. The other had four characters written on it: 'Eight Inner Gates'.
"Ah?!"
Eden's eyelid twitched at the sight of the 'Eight Inner Gates' scroll. No one knew its power better than he did...
This was the legendary taijutsu that allowed Might Guy to nearly kick his way to the series finale. Its power was terrifying, though its side effects were immense.
Of course, the most shocking thought for Eden was this: what would happen if Makarov, in his 50,000-meter Titan form, used the Eight Gates?!
He wouldn't just be kicking his way to the finale; he could probably kick Madara of the Six Paths straight into his next reincarnation!
"Unfortunately, it's quite difficult to modify this Eight Gates technique for a mage's body," Makarov lamented. "After more than ten years of grueling training, I can only open the first three gates! And the side effects are just too severe. It's essentially trading your life force for power, so it's not much help to me."
"The most important thing... it shortens your lifespan."
Makarov's last words brought Eden back to reality.
The first few points didn't matter. The phrase "shortens your lifespan" was enough to deter anyone. The drawbacks of the Eight Gates were indeed a massive problem. Besides, the technique had its limits. It wasn't as simple as 'more life force and a stronger body equals easier training.' Otherwise, its greatest user would have been the First Hokage, Hashirama Senju, not Might Guy.
"However, I've made significant progress with Sage Art," Makarov said, a smile returning to his face. "A while back, I paid a visit to Mount Myoboku, Ryuchi Cave, and Shikkotsu Forest to discuss the mysteries of sage training with the great sages themselves."
Makarov paused, then demonstrated.
As he activated his Sage Art, strange red markings appeared on his body. A massive amount of natural energy from the surroundings surged into him. In that moment, Makarov's aura skyrocketed, approaching a transcendent level.
"According to the great sages, in about fifty years, I should be able to fully catch up to them and become a true Sage in every sense of the word," Makarov said, chuckling as he felt the boundless natural power within him.
Just when the entire Shinobi World was praying for the old man to finally die, he had spent years focusing on his health, planning to live for hundreds, even thousands of years. How's that for frustrating?!
"..."
Eden stared silently at the old man who had spent over a decade secretly mastering Sage Art.
So the old man has been secretly cultivating immortality in the Ninja World all these years?!
No wonder Makarov had carried an air of profound wisdom and tranquility since he'd arrived. His self-control must be off the charts by now.
"I've made a decision," Eden said with a smile, looking at the sage-like Makarov, whose entire aura felt out of place.
"Decided what?" the old man asked, blinking in confusion.
"I've decided to make this world the second base for the Fairy Tail guild," Eden declared. "Earthland is too dangerous, filled with too many powerful enemies. One wrong move and you could run into a monster on Acnologia's level. As for that world surrounded by the sea, it no longer has the resources we need to grow stronger. But this world... a world where everyone can learn Sage Art and become more powerful and live longer... I think it's perfectly suited for our guild's current development."
"No strong enemies, and plenty of resources..." Eden concluded.
"Well... you have a point," Makarov admitted. His Sage Mode almost deactivated on the spot. After thinking for a long moment, he couldn't find a single flaw in Eden's logic.
As Eden said, this world was a paradise for them. It was a training sanctuary with no real threats and abundant resources.
For the sake of the Fairy Tail guild, the ninjas of the other great villages would just have to suffer a little longer.
"Eden, take it easy," Makarov finally said, offering a piece of advice. "Don't break the Ninja World."
"Relax, I know what I'm doing," Eden said confidently.
"No," Makarov replied, cold sweat beading on his forehead. "It's precisely because I know exactly what you're capable of that I'm telling you to hold back."
Eden: "Guild Master Makarov, what kind of trouble do I need to cause to truly fit into the Fairy Tail family?!"
Makarov: "Just toning it down a little would be a good start."
Eden: "I always feel that I'm too ahead of my time, which makes me feel out of step with everyone else."
"So, are you leaving again, Eden?" Makarov asked, changing the subject.
"I'm going to build a dimensional gate here that connects to Earthland. That way, you can travel between the guild and the Leaf Village," Eden explained. "Once the gate is complete, I'll continue my journey to other worlds to find our guildmates."
Eden had already told Makarov everything that Precht had done.
"That bastard Precht," the old man cursed, a routine exclamation by now. Then, his eyes grew misty as he looked at Eden. "The guild is in your hands, Eden. I... I miss them."
"So you don't miss me, is that it?!" Eden teased, sensing something off in the old man's tone.
"Ahem," Makarov coughed, adjusting the Hokage robe he wore. It seemed he had a certain image to maintain now and couldn't be as carefree as he was back at the guild. "I've already seen you, haven't I?"
"Oh, by the way, Eden," Makarov said, a thought striking him. "In four months, I'll be hosting the Chunin Exams here in Konoha. You have to be there to watch!"
This year's Chunin Exams would be different. The Sand, Stone, Cloud, and Mist villages would all be sending delegations. If things went as planned, all the other Kage would be attending as well.
"I know," Eden nodded with a smile. "Don't you worry."
"I'll bring everyone with me."
It took about a week to create the dimensional magic gate.
During that week, Eden worked on the portal next to the Hokage Tower while also taking the time to tour Konoha like a tourist.
He even tried Naruto's favorite Ichiraku Ramen.
His verdict? It was just ordinary Japanese ramen. Or maybe his expectations had been too high.
On a side note, Eden made a startling discovery: Uchiha Shisui was not dead.
Outside the Hokage's Special Retirement Home, Eden saw Shisui standing guard over a secluded Danzo, whose eyes had been taken from him.
As it turned out, after being betrayed by Danzo and cornered by Root, Shisui had been unable to contact Makarov, who was swamped with Hokage duties. Desperate, Shisui made the same choice as in the original story: he entrusted his remaining eye to Itachi, helping him awaken the Mangekyo Sharingan, and then jumped off a cliff.
But then, he woke up to find he'd been saved by Makarov.
Regarding this, the legendary child-collector Makarov had only this to say: "I have no idea! I just had a feeling that if I went for a walk today, I'd find an outstanding kid! So, I went for a stroll, and there was Shisui."
Upon learning his savior was Makarov, Shisui immediately revealed Danzo's vile schemes and the Uchiha clan's desperate situation—pushed to a point where a coup was their only option.
"..."
Makarov had been stunned. At first, he couldn't believe it. How could a village be so consumed by internal strife?
He quietly hid Shisui away and watched the drama unfold.
Then came the moment when Itachi, determined to carry on Shisui's will, agreed to slaughter his own clan to protect the village, on the condition that Danzo spare his younger brother, Sasuke.
Danzo agreed.
And that's when Makarov made his move. With a single, overwhelming show of force, he brought everyone to heel. He used the opportunity to completely strip Danzo and the Third Hokage of all their power.
Danzo paid for his crimes with his authority.
The Third traded his power for Danzo's life.
It was only then that Makarov, an outsider, officially—not just symbolically—became the Fifth Hokage of Konoha.
Outside the retirement home.
Shisui watched Danzo, who hadn't left his room in months. "Lord Danzo, you can come out now!" he called out with a smile. "The Fifth Hokage has already forgiven you."
"..."
Danzo remained silent, ignoring Shisui's taunts.
"Heh," Shisui chuckled, looking at the old man who sat as still as a statue.
Of course, Shisui was lying. The Fifth Hokage hadn't forgiven Danzo at all. The moment Danzo stepped out of that room, he would be struck down on the spot.
"Hmm, good, very spirited," Eden murmured to himself, taking it all in. He should have known. When had the old man ever played by the rules?
It was clear now. Under Makarov's leadership, Konoha was slowly transforming into another Fairy Tail. Everyone was going a little 'wild'.
As Eden returned to the portal site by the Hokage Tower, committing the scene of Konoha's "peaceful days" to memory, something was happening elsewhere.
"..."
Danzo, who had been under Shisui's constant watch, waited until nightfall when his guard had gone to rest. Then, he spat out a scroll from his mouth.
"The Konoha Crush Plan?!" he thought, his eyes glinting.
"No! This is not the Konoha Crush Plan. This is the Redemption Plan."
"The Land of Fire and the Village Hidden in the Leaves do not need a foreigner as their Hokage."
"Makarov Dreyar must die."
Danzo stared at the words written on the saliva-soaked scroll, his expression twisting into a demonic frenzy.
Mist Village.
"Makarov Dreyar," Obito muttered, controlling Yagura from the shadows within the Mizukage's office. His eyes gleamed with a vicious light. "You are the greatest obstacle to my plan. Therefore, you must die!"
"If only... if only you had appeared sooner," he whispered, a hint of sorrow in his voice. "So many wars could have been avoided!"
(Because of Makarov's presence, Ao never acquired a Byakugan, and no one dared to transplant the dōjutsu of the Land of Fire. Without the Byakugan or Sharingan, there was no way to tell if Yagura was being controlled.)
"Rin!"
"This world without you, this Konoha without you... it can all be destroyed for all I care!" Obito's voice was a raw, hate-filled rasp.
His Kamui could not hide his tears, for his world was filled with nothing but Rin.
Who was he? Just an inherently evil Uchiha brat, the one and only Uchiha Obito, who betrayed his master and his lineage.
Cloud Village.
"He's over a hundred years old!"
"Makarov is over a hundred years old, and he's still not dead!"
"I can't wait any longer!"
"I've already allied with the Mist, the Sand, and the Stone."
"Makarov must die! This is the consensus of the world."
The Fourth Raikage, A, was numb. He had lost count of how many times his subordinates had told him to just wait a little longer, that the invincible Makarov was on the verge of death, and that Konoha would collapse once he was gone.
The price of waiting was Konoha growing stronger and stronger. Makarov had even resolved the village's biggest internal conflicts: the Uchiha clan and the Hyuga main and branch family feud. At this rate, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger; Konoha's new generation of geniuses would be enough to handle the other villages. Especially those two Uchiha prodigies who had become famous in recent years, Shisui and Itachi. Old man Onoki said that seeing them was like watching a young Madara grow up again (an exaggeration, but still).
Stone Village.
"Makarov... oh, Makarov..." Onoki murmured to himself, his hands clasped behind his back. "Even you... can you truly withstand the combined assault of the other four Kage and eight Tailed Beasts?"
"Either you die, or we do..."
Sand Village.
"..."
The Fourth Kazekage stood with his hands behind his back, his clenching fists betraying the storm raging within him.
The Sand Village had always possessed the weakest of the nine Tailed Beasts, while other villages had two. How was that fair?! Now, not only were they at a disadvantage with the Tailed Beasts, but their ninjas were also treated unfairly on missions, constantly bullied by those bastards from Konoha.
Yes, Makarov had suppressed the shinobi world for a long time. The four great villages had been oppressed by Konoha for a full decade!
How many decades does a person have in their life? Now, all who had suffered under Makarov and Konoha had united!
Where there is oppression, there is resistance!
Makarov Dreyar must die.
Waterfall Village.
"Seven-Tails, secured."
Before the Six Paths of Pain, controlled by Nagato, the Seven-Tails, Chomei, stood no chance. It was subdued instantly.
One week later.
Just as the four great villages and the Akatsuki were finalizing their Konoha Crush Plan...
Eden was enjoying a famous scene.
Yes, he was supposed to have finished the portal this morning and left for another world...
But today was the day the legendary Team 7 was formed. He had stayed behind specifically to watch.
An event this spectacular? It would be a real shame to miss it.
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