"Wait!"
Just as Kaede was about to make his move, Hashirama suddenly stepped forward and loudly stopped him.
Kaede narrowed his eyes impatiently. "What, even now you still think you can convince me?"
Hashirama looked at him sincerely. "We can avoid this battle between us!"
"Everything you resent about Konoha… yes, those are Konoha's mistakes. But today, with me here, we can resolve this crisis peacefully. You can come back. The war doesn't need to continue!"
Everyone present froze at his words.
Especially Tobirama, who sighed in frustration. He had long grown accustomed to his elder brother's occasional foolish idealism.
Kaede stared at Hashirama for a few seconds before letting out a mocking laugh.
"How… naive."
"If you really want peace, then have all the guilty in Konoha commit suicide, and the rest will submit to me!"
Hashirama immediately rejected him. "Impossible!"
Konoha was built by him and Madara together. Even though Madara had left in the end, this place carried all the dreams of their youth. It could never be allowed to vanish.
Kaede shook his head coldly. "In that case, what's left to talk about? Enough useless words!"
Hashirama sighed, his immense aura beginning to surge.
"If you intend to destroy the village, then I have no choice but to kill you."
Kaede sneered. "Heh… I'm not Madara."
Taking the chance, Tobirama turned to Kagami and Shisui again.
"Kagami, you still don't believe me?"
Kagami looked at the teacher he respected so deeply and finally nodded.
Tobirama continued, "Kaede's existence will drag the Uchiha—and even the entire shinobi world—into utter ruin. If we deal with him, I will not take my anger out on the other Uchiha, including Konoha's loyalists. And afterward, I will see to it that justice is done. Your deaths will not be in vain."
His meaning was clear—Hiruzen and Danzō would be dealt with. And right now, he didn't care if those two didn't give their all. Compared to them, Tobirama—who had fought Izuna Uchiha many times—understood far better the power of Mangekyō Sharingan wielders like Kagami and Shisui.
They would be far more useful against Kaede's forces than Hiruzen and Danzō ever could be.
"Sensei…"
Hiruzen's heart ached. He could hear in those words that he had been abandoned. And with the truth of what he and Danzō had done exposed, Tobirama would never let them go.
Danzō, too, was filled with bitter resentment. The one he had summoned refused to obey him and now worked directly for his enemy.
"Dammit! I will not die here today!" he swore in his heart. "You'll all pay for this!"
Kaede quietly observed Tobirama's performance. He truly was willing to give Kagami and Shisui a chance—they were rare Mangekyō users in this era.
"So… what will you choose?"
His gaze flicked briefly to Minato and Kushina, a cold smile curling on his lips. Minato's soul was still inside the belly of the beast, while Kushina's was with Kakashi. Without the Sage of Six Paths' intervention, not even Danzō sacrificing himself could have summoned them.
That Sage had made no effort to hide his presence at all.
Kagami and Shisui were silent for a long time. Then, Kaede smiled faintly.
"Sensei, I'm willing to trust you—trust Konoha." Kagami said.
Tobirama smiled in relief.
Kaede then turned to the hesitant Shisui. "Child, I believe you've inherited my will. Peace in the shinobi world and Konoha didn't come easily."
Shisui closed his eyes. "I don't know how to choose. I want to see the current shinobi world first."
In an instant, his figure vanished.
Though Kagami was his grandfather, Shisui had never truly spent time with him, only hearing of his deeds. It was not so easy to sway him. And most importantly, from the moment Danzō took his right eye, Shisui had lost all faith in everything.
Even then, with Kotoamatsukami still in his left eye, he could have changed someone's will—but he had instead entrusted the eye to Itachi and taken his own life.
Now, he wanted to see the world as it was and hear Itachi's opinion. He was no longer the Shisui who would give everything for Konoha without hesitation.
"Tch!" Tobirama clenched his fists but did not give chase—Kaede was still watching.
Kaede, too, simply watched Shisui's retreating back.
"Heh… going to see Itachi, are you?" He shook his head. "I hope you come to understand… or else…"
Then his eyes swept back to Hashirama and the others.
"Enough talk. Time to send you all on your way."
The battle erupted instantly.
Kaede's side: Tsunade, Orochimaru, Naruto, Mifune, and the Three Snake Princesses.
Hashirama's side: Tobirama, Minato, Kagami, Sakumo Hatake, plus the two old fossils Hiruzen and Danzō.
Even with Tobirama's immense power, Kaede's side had the advantage in Kage-level fighters.
With the Edo Tensei reinforcements, their forces were nearly even. This would be a truly evenly matched decisive battle.
"Let's see whether you, the former God of Shinobi, or I, the current God of Shinobi, am stronger!"
Kaede's figure vanished and reappeared beside Hashirama in an instant.
A powerful kick forced Hashirama to raise his arm in a hurried block, yet he was still sent flying dozens of meters. Kaede followed immediately, kicking him away again.
Their battle would reshape the very land, so they could not fight in the same area as the others.
As they vanished, the rest of the combatants clashed.
Tsunade and Orochimaru engaged Tobirama.
Tsunade said coldly, "Grandfather, stop holding back!"
Orochimaru chuckled darkly. "Hehehe… since our last fight against Jiraiya, I never thought we'd join forces one day."
"Unfortunately…"
Jiraiya, after all, had not chosen their side.
Tobirama's killing intent flared. "Tsunade, I'll beat some sense into you!"
Naruto charged at Minato in his Golden Cloak form.
"Naruto, I don't want to fight you," Minato said bitterly.
Naruto sneered. "That's not your choice! You sealed Kurama inside me—now see the results of my training!"
Mifune blocked Sakumo Hatake.
"I've long heard of your renown," Mifune said as he drew his blade. "Please, allow this junior to learn from you."
The Three Snake Princesses went straight for Hiruzen and Danzō.
Failing to capture Jiraiya last time had shamed them in Kaede's eyes. This time, they would claim the heads of the two men their master despised most and earn his approval.
(End of Chapter)
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