Black Zetsu's plan was formulated very smoothly.
The only problem was that executing it was not so smooth.
It was unrealistic to have Uchiha Madara and Emiya Shihara meet in Konoha. Uzumaki Mito's strong sensory abilities would definitely prevent Madara from setting foot there rashly.
For example, when Uzumaki Mito saw little Tsunade returning alone, she realized Uchiha Madara had appeared and alarmed the whole of Konoha from top to bottom.
People worried that Madara would attack Konoha again.
Without Senju Hashirama's protection, no one in Konoha had enough confidence to resist Madara except Uzumaki Mito, the Nine-Tails' Jinchūriki.
It was not until Emiya Shihara returned to the village, explained Madara's reverence for Hashirama, and guaranteed with his own credibility that there was no problem, that everyone felt relieved.
"Hmph… that bastard killed my elder brother… how dare he even have the nerve to come to Konoha to pay his respects…"
Senju Tobirama was furious when he heard the news. Yet he was powerless against Madara. No one in Konoha could pursue him.
Instead of pursuing him, it was better to consolidate Konoha's forces quickly.
Tobirama sensed the scent of war from increasing border reports—especially from the Wind Country's Sand Village, whose shinobi were frequently entering the Fire Country to gather intelligence.
War was approaching.
Time was running out for Konoha.
As villagers gradually recovered from the First Hokage's death, they watched the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, launch sweeping reforms.
He overhauled nearly every institution: he established a medical-ninja training department at Konoha Hospital, reformed the curriculum at the Ninja Academy, and expanded the ranks of the Anbu.
Then there was the most troublesome clan—the Uchiha.
With Madara still alive, their threat to Tobirama increased. Yet he couldn't annihilate them outright. Instead, he cultivated Konoha-leaning individuals such as the outstanding Uchiha Kagami, whom he promoted to his Hokage Guard.
Furthermore, the long-planned surveillance policy began. Tobirama ordered the Uchiha to live separately, without dispersing completely. Members of the clan would form a Konoha Police Force, independent of the military, tasked with guarding prisons and resolving internal disputes.
This exclusion was obvious.
Voices of dissent arose within the clan. Some considered it excessive; others saw it as proof that the Uchiha were the most powerful ninja clan in Konoha.
After all, the Senju clan had been broken up and faded. Those who tried to oppose Tobirama's policies were quickly arrested. The establishment of the Police Force by the Uchiha became a foregone conclusion.
"This is all for Konoha," Tobirama declared firmly. "At this time Konoha cannot afford internal unrest. War is inevitable…"
War arrived swiftly—faster than even Tobirama had anticipated.
Shinobi from the Sand Village rallied across the River Country and crossed the Fire Country border, provoking a war against Konoha. The scale escalated quickly.
At first, people assumed the Sand Village was simply dissatisfied with its barren land and sought to seize Fire Country's fertile fields.
Soon the entire ninja world was engulfed.
Seeing Konoha's conflict with the Sand Village, other villages assembled forces to join in, hoping to seize spoils: the Hidden Rock of the Land of Earth, the Hidden Cloud of the Land of Lightning, and even the distant Hidden Mist of the Land of Water. Smoke of war filled the world. Even the tiny coastal nation of Whirlpool was dragged into the conflict.
Tobirama had anticipated war and adopted a simple strategy: attack the weak, defend against the strong.
Konoha's forces first eliminated the weakest village—the Sand of the Wind Country—forcing its surrender. Then they marched north to defend against the Rock and Cloud armies.
As for the south, it was temporarily handed over to the Uzushio Village of the Whirlpool Country.
Its leader was the patriarch of the Uzumaki clan, distant relatives of the Senju. The Uzumaki ruled Uzushio and maintained their alliance with Konoha; Konoha even made the Uzushio alliance its symbol.
As long as the stalemate lasted, nothing unexpected would happen.
Peace between Kumogakure and Iwagakure was impossible. Both were in the north and more prone to conflict. Their struggle over nearby small nations would sooner or later erupt.
Tobirama remained somewhat optimistic.
Thus he did not interrupt Konoha's normal operations. Children continued attending the Academy, but ninja teachers were replaced by chūnin. Ninjutsu courses were no longer tailored individually but focused on basic techniques.
"My former teacher went to the battlefield."
"I heard many people died in the village during the war. A kid in the next class lost his parents…"
"There are so many wounded arriving at the hospital…"
Little Tsunade also enrolled. She attended school by day and wandered into Konoha Hospital at night for medical training with Emiya Shihara.
Because of front-line casualties, many medical ninjas were assigned to logistics, leaving the hospital short-staffed. Seriously injured shinobi were sent back, some beyond treatment.
In fact, this was Tobirama's order.
After inspecting battlefield emergencies, he immediately thought of Emiya Shihara—idle in Konoha—and, following his usual habit of "bullying the good guys," ordered medical ninjas to conserve chakra and provide only basic first aid. Troops would transport the injured directly to Konoha, where Shihara would take over.
It was a brilliant move, saving lives.
Some injuries were far beyond field medics, and Tobirama didn't believe Shihara would give up, being a figure even the Six Paths Sage had noticed.
At Konoha Hospital, Emiya Shihara was indeed saving lives.
Many severely injured patients survived under his care. His palm shimmered with emerald chakra as he grasped a patient's heart, keeping it beating. Then, using chakra like silk threads, he sewed tiny wounds around the heart and vessels.
"Tsunade."
Hearing she had come to the hospital, Shihara beckoned to her to stay away: "Go sit in the next room for a while. The operation will be over soon."
"I'm not afraid, Lord Emiya."
Little Tsunade moved closer, her hands also glowing with emerald chakra. "I can help too!"
"Then listen to me. These chakra lines promote wound healing," Shihara instructed while operating. "When doing surgery inside a patient, you must control yang chakra and shape it into chakra threads. Later the patient won't need stitches removed. The chakra disappears after healing and won't affect life…"
"Mm…" Little Tsunade carefully handed him gauze.
"Thank you for your hard work."
While holding the gauze to absorb blood, Shihara chatted with her: "It seems more and more injured are being sent here lately…"
"Lord Emiya has to work harder…" Tsunade's face grew sad. "Lord Emiya, how can we save more people? If there's only one of you, how can we save so many?"
"Better medical skills. More surgical experience. Stronger mental fortitude."
He signaled an assistant to push the patient away. Water splashed over his palms to rinse them clean. His voice dropped so low even Tsunade barely heard:
"The most important thing is more powerful strength."
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