"Earth Release: Fist Rock Technique!"
From above, Mū's strike came crashing down, his colossal fist slamming directly into Gengetsu's clam. The summoning beast shattered instantly, dispersing in a puff of chakra as it was sent back to the summoning realm.
"Have you had enough fun yet?"
Mū's true body appeared silently behind Gengetsu, his voice calm, almost dismissive.
Gengetsu's expression darkened. He hadn't expected his trick to be unraveled so quickly.
"That's enough, Moustache. I don't have time to play with you."
His tone was flat, but behind the bandages his lips curled with pride. If not for those memories he had inherited, he never would've pinpointed the clam so fast. Without it, Gengetsu's strength dropped by half.
"Tell me this, though, why didn't you use Dust Release just now?"
Gengetsu frowned, still unwilling to accept how quickly he'd been undone. 'That opening… if Mū had used Dust Release, I'd be dead already.'
Mū's expression stiffened. 'I can't exactly tell him my split bodies can't use Dust Release, can I?'
He crossed his arms, feigning disdain.
"Hmph. I simply held back. If I'd gone all out, you'd already be a smear on the ground."
"Bastard! Can you stop acting so damn smug all the time?!"
Gengetsu clenched his fists, his irritation boiling over.
The two reappeared at the gates of Iwagakure in a flicker of movement. The mist had already dispersed.
From the outside, it looked as though both men had simply vanished for a moment, only to return as mysteriously as they had left.
At that very moment, the delegation from Konoha arrived, led by none other than Tobirama.
"Greetings, Mū."
Tobirama extended a hand politely. Mū returned the gesture with a nod. Tobirama's sharp eyes flicked briefly to Gengetsu, recognition and curiosity in his gaze.
"This is Gengetsu Hōzuki of Kirigakure. Since your delegations arrived at the same time, I thought it best to host you together."
Mū's voice was calm, neutral.
Tobirama only inclined his head, saying nothing more.
All three of them were pragmatic men.
With only the briefest of courtesies exchanged, they quickly moved on to business.
The moment they stepped into the village proper, Tobirama's eyes widened faintly in surprise.
This was not the Iwagakure he had pictured.
He had imagined a settlement of harsh stone and crude defenses, a place as rugged and unadorned as the mountains around it. But what stretched before him was a thriving, bustling shinobi village.
Shops lined the main streets, banners fluttered gently in the breeze, and goods from all over were displayed in orderly rows. Civilians and shinobi mingled freely, faces lit with contentment and security.
"…Impressive. Mū, it seems Iwagakure has changed greatly. You've clearly poured a great deal of effort into this."
Tobirama's words carried a rare note of respect.
Mū gave a thin smile. "The village has prioritized commerce. By trading with nearby towns and cities, prosperity followed naturally."
They continued their walk deeper into the village, passing into the heart of Iwa. Here the buildings were grander, sturdier, the towering Tsuchikage's office dominating the skyline. Tobirama silently nodded, reassessing Iwa in his mind.
'So… aside from its military might, Konoha isn't so far ahead after all. In some ways, Iwa's cohesion might even surpass ours.'
The Senju knew well that Konoha still simmered with clan rivalries and grudges. But here in Iwa, he sensed a stronger unity.
Finally, Mū led both Tobirama and Gengetsu to the new shinobi academy.
Both visitors regarded the institution with visible interest.
Mū offered no concealment. There was no point. Word would spread across the shinobi world soon enough, better to let Iwa be remembered as generous and open.
"Our academy is divided into lower and upper grades. Each cycle lasts five years. Students typically graduate at ten years old. Upon graduation, they are organized into three-man teams under the supervision of a jōnin, who leads them on missions."
Mū explained calmly, his words deliberate and steady.
The more Tobirama listened, the more intrigued he became. Not only were their ideas eerily alike, the very system of dividing students into teams matched the one he himself had envisioned.
'This man… could he really be another version of me?'
"Mū," Tobirama asked at last, rubbing his chin, "where exactly do these ideas of yours come from?"
Mū scratched his head, then deadpanned, "The Sage of Six Paths came to me in a dream and whispered them into my ear."
Gengetsu burst out laughing. "Pfft! Hahahaha! If you didn't want to answer, you could've just said so, why drag the Sage into it?"
Even Tobirama cracked a small, dry smile, choosing not to press further.
"I see… what I'd truly like to observe, however, is your anbu. How is it structured?"
His tone was pointed.
Gengetsu's eyes also gleamed with curiosity.
But Mū shook his head immediately. "That division is classified. No comment."
'Do they take me for a fool?'
If he opened up his most secret intelligence unit to foreign powers, it wouldn't be much of a secret unit at all.
After the tour of the academy, the day concluded with a banquet. Plates were laid out, drinks were poured, and the conversation grew lighter.
Mū, however, seized the opportunity to probe.
"Tobirama, how fares Lord Hokage? And what of Lord Madara?"
His voice was casual, as though making idle talk.
Tobirama did not suspect much, answering plainly, "My brother is in good health. As for Madara… better left unspoken."
Mū tilted his head in feigned curiosity. "Oh? It seems there is some discord between you and Lord Madara?"
Tobirama waved the comment off with practiced ease. "That is an internal matter of Konoha. Iwagakure need not trouble itself."
But Mū wasn't about to let it go.
"It's not my place to interfere in Konoha's politics," he said lightly, "but since your delegation has honored Iwa with a visit, let me offer you a friendly warning."
His voice lowered, deliberately edged with weight.
"Konoha's greatest enemy is not outside its walls, it's within. If your Uchiha clan is not handled with caution, they may one day become your village's gravest threat."
The name Uchiha hit like a spark. Tobirama's chopsticks froze halfway. His eyes sharpened.
"…What did you say?"
For the first time, his composure cracked. He had thought himself alone in holding this belief, forced to keep silent for his brother's sake. Yet here was Mū, voicing it outright.
Mū leaned forward slightly, his tone smooth but firm.
"From what I've observed, the Uchiha are driven by extreme emotions. It wouldn't take much to push them down a radical path. Surely, Tobirama, you of all people understand this better than I."
He held Tobirama's gaze. "Would you entrust the future of Konoha to such volatility?"
Tobirama fell silent, deep in thought.
'Even outsiders see it… while my brother stubbornly clings to his naive faith in them.'
Mū's insight impressed him, but it also left him uneasy.
This man was sharp, perceptive, and far too quick at identifying dangers.
Finally, Tobirama muttered, "You're not wrong. But you do not know our village as I do. I've long wished to eliminate that hidden danger… yet the resistance is overwhelming. Even my brother shields them."
He took a sip of sake, eyes narrowing with frustration.
At that moment, his suspicion of the Uchiha, never truly quelled, flared brighter than ever.