After Mū established both the Academy and the Anbu system, waves of astonishment rippled through the shinobi world.
The other four great villages were stunned, whispering his name with awe.
A formal ninja academy, just the idea stirred envy and longing. Some villages, especially those with strong leadership, immediately began imitating Iwagakure's reforms.
And then there was the Anbu.
In the original history, Tobirama would be the one to create the Anbu as a special assassination and covert ops unit under the direct command of the Hokage.
But Mū's Anbu was different. His version functioned more like a national security bureau: patrolling the Land of Earth in secret, stamping out unrest, gathering intelligence, and reporting every shred of information straight to Mū's desk.
He even had agents quietly watching over the daimyo and monitoring the movements of Land of Earth officials.
Of course, none of this could ever be said out loud.
Publicly, the Anbu were only for "defense."
---
Land of Water, Kirigakure
Bang!
The door slammed open.
When Byakuren stormed in and saw Gengetsu Hōzuki dozing away without a care, his blood pressure nearly exploded.
"Gen! Getsu! Hō! Zu! Ki!"
"Get up! Look at yourself! Look at what the other villages are doing! Over in Iwagakure, Mū has already established both a shinobi academy and an Anbu system!"
"And you? What do you do besides sleep or mess around? Do you take anything seriously?!"
"If it weren't for your fighting talent, and that Hōzuki clan standing behind you, I'd never have picked you in the first place!"
Byakuren's roar rattled the walls, while Gengetsu grimaced in embarrassment.
But when he heard Mū was the one who came up with such systems, his expression sharpened instantly.
"What? Mū did all that?"
He blinked in disbelief.
He never knew that bandaged stick of a man had that kind of talent.
"That's right!" Byakuren snapped. "I plan to model Kirigakure after Iwagakure, copy their system straight across."
Gengetsu froze, then a sly grin stretched across his face.
"Wait, wait. Mizukage-sama, I have an idea. We've only heard about this academy. We don't actually know how they're running it inside, do we?"
Byakuren narrowed his eyes. "So you're saying we shouldn't follow their lead?"
"No, no!" Gengetsu waved his hands. "I'm saying we should send a delegation to Iwagakure. Observe firsthand. See exactly how their academy is managed. That way, we'll copy the best parts properly."
Byakuren paused. "…You do remember our relations with Iwagakure are… less than friendly? They might not let us set foot past their gates."
Gengetsu just smirked, flashing a toothy grin.
"C'mon, Mizukage-sama. No enemies are eternal. Let me draft the letter. I'll lead the delegation myself."
Byakuren considered it carefully. It wasn't a bad idea. Iwagakure was distant, and rumor could never replace actual intelligence.
"…Very well. We'll do it your way."
The Mizukage gave his approval and left the office.
The moment the door shut, Gengetsu's grin widened.
"Heh… Mū, looks like we'll be meeting again soon."
He rubbed his hands together in excitement.
It wasn't about the academy, not really. The real reason he volunteered was to see that stubborn man again. Since their last clash, where both nearly crippled each other, he hadn't seen Mū once.
Hokage Building
"My gods… that man, Mū, he's practically me!"
Tobirama muttered to himself in disbelief.
Word had already reached Konoha: Iwagakure had founded its own shinobi academy and established an Anbu corps.
And when Tobirama studied the reports, he was shaken to his core.
It wasn't that these ideas were particularly radical. What unsettled him was that they mirrored his own thoughts almost perfectly.
Not ten percent similar, not even just close, identical.
Even the name "Anbu" was exactly the same.
He had long envisioned such a unit, an elite corps under direct Hokage command.
If it had been only the academy, he could've dismissed it as coincidence.
But even the title of Anbu, that was too much.
Tobirama half-wondered if he'd muttered his plans in his sleep one night and Mū had somehow overheard.
"…Still, credit where it's due. That man has talent. From the first time I met him, I knew he was different."
His eyes narrowed. A thought began to form.
"I need to see Iwagakure for myself."
Rising abruptly, Tobirama vanished in a flicker.
---
He reappeared at Hashirama's residence.
"Big Brother? Brother?"
No response. Tobirama frowned.
Mito emerged from within the house. "It's you, Tobirama. Hashirama just stepped out."
Hearing that, Tobirama immediately guessed where his brother would be. Another instant later, he was gone again.
---
Hokage Rock
Two figures stood side by side: Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha.
"Madara, don't lose heart. The villagers just don't understand you yet. In time, they will. Once they know you as I do, they'll accept you."
Hashirama's voice was earnest, almost pleading.
Madara's reply was flat, his eyes cold.
"Hashirama, you still don't see it. This isn't about acceptance. It's about ideals."
Hashirama grabbed his friend's arm, his face tight with worry. "Madara, don't think like that! You still have me. You still have your clan!"
Madara only gave a bitter laugh. "Clan? Hah. Half of them already doubt me."
Before he could continue, Tobirama's voice cut in from behind.
"Brother!"
The younger Senju appeared in a blur, landing beside them.
Madara's expression darkened instantly, lips pressed thin.
"Tobirama? What brings you here?" Hashirama asked, puzzled.
Tobirama's gaze lingered on Madara, watchful, wary, before turning to his brother.
"There's something about the village I need to discuss with you."
Hashirama hesitated, then nodded quickly. "Madara, give me a moment."
Without waiting, he followed Tobirama away, leaving Madara standing alone on the cliffside.
"Tch."
Madara turned his back. Tobirama's suspicion was obvious, always there, gnawing.
"If not for Hashirama… I'd have walked away from this farce already."
His expression was dark as stone.
He had gotten his so-called dream: the village they once swore to build together. But instead of peace, he felt only suffocation.
Something was missing. Something broken.
Maybe it was the death of his brother. Maybe it was the hollow gap between the dream and the reality.
And maybe it was the bitter truth that he had been denied the Hokage's mantle, and that the next in line would almost certainly be Tobirama Senju.