The air in the dim, underground Root headquarters was thick enough to chew on.
Hiruzen, Danzō, and the other revived Kage stood in a tense silence, simply staring at one another. What words could possibly follow a confrontation like that?
The Second Tsuchikage, Mū, finally broke the stalemate with a weary sigh.
"Well, this is a mess. So, are we actually going to do what he says?"
"Absolutely not!" Danzō bit out, his fist clenching so hard his knuckles turned white. He looked as if he'd swallowed a lemon. "Hand the entire shinobi world over to that… that Uchiha madman on a silver platter? I would rather he kill us all and be done with it!"
It was a bold declaration against Madara Uchiha. But throw him into one of Hayashi Yuto's interrogation rooms back in the Land of Waves, and his tune would change. Danzō could handle death. It was the creative, rule-breaking torment he couldn't stomach.
"Danzō, just… breathe," Hiruzen said, placing a calming hand on his old friend's shoulder. He looked exhausted, worn down by a fatigue that sleep could never cure. "Picking a fight now is the worst possible move. We must be strategic."
The sheer, oppressive power that had radiated from Madara was enough to make any sane man's knees weak.
In a real fight, Hiruzen knew Konoha wouldn't survive the opening act.
"Strategic? Hiruzen, that isn't strategy—it's cowardice!" Danzō shot back, his face flushing with anger. "You give a man like that an inch, and he'll take a mile. Then another. Where does it end? What is left of our principles then?"
Hiruzen fixed him with a flat, exhausted look.
"And who was it that let a man like that off his leash in the first place?"
That silenced Danzō. He sputtered, looking away in shame. "I… My only goal was to eliminate Hayashi Yuto! It was a necessary strategic move!"
"A 'strategic move' that let the tiger out of its cage to eat the wolf. Except the wolf is still doing just fine," Hiruzen sighed, the weight of decades of poor decisions heavy in his voice. "And now the tiger is making itself at home in our living room."
"Hiruzen, I never intended—"
"I am not blaming you, Danzō," Hiruzen interrupted, his tone softer but no less firm. "I just need you to see that Konoha… our home… cannot withstand another war. Not like this."
Danzō fell silent, his head bowed in bitter acceptance.
A new voice, sharp and clear, cut through the tension. "He's right. We agree to his terms."
Everyone turned. The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was pushing himself up from the floor, where he had lain unconscious. He was pale, but his crimson eyes were focused and keen.
"Lord Tobirama!"
"You're awake! Are you alright?"
Both Hiruzen and Danzō moved to assist him, but Tobirama waved them off irritably.
"I'm fine. I don't need coddling." He took a steadying breath, his gaze sweeping over his two former students. "Danzō. Hiruzen. Let's be honest for a moment. The two greatest threats to ever emerge—first Hayashi Yuto, and now Uchiha Madara—both seem to have your fingerprints all over them, do they not?"
They both winced. When stated so bluntly, it was impossible to deny. A cold sweat beaded on their temples.
"But pointing fingers is a waste of time now," Tobirama continued, all business. "We cannot, under any circumstances, allow Madara to achieve his goal. But for the moment, our only move is to play along. We let the tiger chase the wolf a little longer."
"So… we stall?" Hiruzen asked.
"Madara is no fool," Tobirama said, glancing toward the entrance as if expecting the man to be listening. "He knows Hayashi Yuto is a problem. A significant one. He will not risk overplaying his hand until that particular thorn is removed."
His eyes settled on Danzō, who, for once, he had no arguments. The fire in him had been extinguished.
"Teacher is correct," Danzō murmured, uncharacteristically meek.
"And his first demand… it might actually work in our favor," Tobirama added, a calculated glint in his eye. "If my brother completes his Hollowfication, he will be a force of nature. Madara's reign of terror would be short-lived."
Hiruzen's face lit with hope.
"Of course! With Lord Hashirama on our side, we would stand a real chance!"
Tobirama merely grunted, not sharing his optimism. He had a nagging suspicion that even his brother, Arrancar or not, might be outmatched this time.
"Actually," Tobirama said after a moment, an idea striking him. "If we are converting my brother, we should include Mito as well. Her sealing jutsu, combined with his power… Why are you two looking as if you've seen a ghost?"
Hiruzen and Danzō were staring at him, eyes wide and faces pale.
"It's nothing!" they said in hurried unison. "It's just… perhaps we shouldn't disturb the rest of the deceased too much!"
---
Yuto's Residence
The atmosphere in Yuto's home was considerably more relaxed.
"He can't beat him?" Kushina asked, one eyebrow arched skeptically. She was lounging on the couch while Yuto rubbed her feet. "I thought they were rivals. Pretty evenly matched. Didn't the First Hokage usually win?"
"This isn't the same Madara," Yuto said, not looking up from his task. "His spiritual pressure… it feels different now. It has a similar… texture to yours."
That got her attention. Mikoto, sipping tea nearby, almost choked on her drink.
"What?" Kushina blinked. "Like ours?"
That was significant. The reason she and Mikoto were the top two Espadas wasn't just about raw power; it was the quality of their spirit energy—far purer and more concentrated than anyone else's. They had earned that upgrade the hard way: by having their souls marinated in Yuto's own energy and the strange power of the Soul-Nurturing Pearl within him.
So how had a soul from the Pure Land, freshly awakened, managed to acquire a similar essence?
"Pretty sure it's my fault," Yuto admitted, pulling out his mysterious communicator. "This thing doesn't just send messages. It's a direct mind-link. And when you're that connected, some bleed-over is inevitable. You start to sync up."
Kushina's face shifted from confusion to horror.
"Wait. Are you telling me… is Uchiha Madara your soulmate now?"
Mikoto lost all composure, bursting into peals of laughter. "Oh, dear gods! Soulmates! That's the best thing I've heard all week!"
"Well, that's what it sounds like!" Kushina insisted, gesturing wildly at Yuto.
"It's just a minor spiritual feedback loop, you maniac," Yuto said, rolling his eyes with a fond sigh. "Don't make it weird."
"So, he's basically leaching off your power to get a boost?" Kushina clarified, her nose scrunched in distaste.
"That's the theory," Yuto nodded. "And it goes both ways. I'm getting something from him, too."
As he spoke, his vibrant green eyes began to shift. The color melted away, replaced by a light, purple and a series of concentric ripples.
Kushina and Mikoto stared, dead silent.
"No way," Kushina finally whispered.
"The Rinnegan? You've got to be kidding me," Mikoto breathed.
Okay. Now, they believed him about the whole "mutual influence" thing.
"Relax, it's not the same," Yuto said, his eyes shifting back to normal. "His energy is just similar to yours. Not identical. It just means he's less of a ninja-playing-dress-up and more of a real, honest-to-goodness Arrancar now."
A fierce, wild grin spread across Kushina's face. She cracked her knuckles, a spark of battle lust igniting in her eyes.
"Well, now you've got me all excited. I kinda want to go punch him in the face and see for myself."
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