Senju Akira stood at the end of the corridor, looking at the mountain range stretching into the distance. The confident curve at the corner of his mouth gradually faded, replaced by a deeper, calmer calculation.
He knew very well that ideals were full, but reality was cruel.
The Ninshu was no longer united as one under the Six Paths Sage.
The elders maintained a united front on the surface, but had already split into two factions in private.
One faction was mainly composed of members of the Senju clan. They advocated suppressing the Uchiha by force and were willing to resort to war if necessary.
The other faction was represented by the more moderate forces such as the Nara and Sarutobi. They were more inclined to maintain the status quo and avoid an all-out war.
As for himself, as Asura's direct eldest grandson, he was highly respected on the surface, but in reality, he was still young within the core of power and had shallow foundations.
'Can't rush.', Senju Akira warned himself inwardly.
'First, I need to raise my own strength, then gradually gain a say. Otherwise, no matter how many pretty words I say, they'll just be empty talk.'
After that, he officially began his plan.
Senju Akira knew the foundation of this body well. The powerful vitality and chakra reserves left behind by the Asura bloodline far exceeded those of ordinary people, but the original host had a mild personality, lacked combat experience, and had no kekkei genkai.
Using his knowledge of the future, he began systematically changing the way he trained.
At dawn, he trained his physical abilities and endurance under the waterfall in the rear mountains, pushing himself beyond his limits. During the day, he focused on researching and developing Wood Release.
Although he still could not casually use large-scale Wood Release like Senju Hashirama in later generations, with the affinity of the Asura bloodline, he was soon able to create simple Wood Clones and Wood Release Binding Techniques.
At night, he studied chakra nature transformation and medical ninjutsu on his own.
"Sharingan... Rinnegan..."
"As long as I can bring the Uchiha back, then combine the power of the Senju and Uchiha... Even if I'm not Asura's reincarnation, I may still be able to reach the threshold of that door."
———
After that, Senju Akira frequently contacted the ninjas responsible for external intelligence under the name of "showing concern for the situation at the border."
He had just arrived, and the original work had never covered this part of history, so he needed to investigate first.
He quickly got a general understanding of the Uchiha clan's situation.
After Indra's death, the position of clan head was inherited by his eldest son.
The clan's hardline faction had the upper hand, but they were not completely united.
Some of the older clan members were tired of being opposed to the Ninshu for so long. In private, they were not opposed to easing relations.
Senju Akira wrote down the names of these people one by one.
"The breakthrough... will start with them."
He did not intend to run straight to Uchiha territory and throw himself into a trap. Instead, he planned to use border trade caravans, neutral wandering ninjas, and even some mutual old acquaintances to send out the signal that "there are people within the Ninshu willing to talk again."
At the same time, he began intentionally or unintentionally spreading an idea within the Ninshu...
"The Uchiha's strength, if it can be put to use by the Ninshu, will be an enormous asset. Continuing to oppose each other will only leave both sides severely weakened in the end, allowing other emerging forces to reap the benefits."
After that came the familiar routine of winning people's hearts.
Senju Akira alone could not stir up any waves.
Unless his strength reached the skies, but before that, forming a group was necessary.
He began selectively approaching those among his peers and juniors who were truly capable but had failed to receive proper recognition because of their background or personality.
He took the initiative to guide them in their training, sharing efficient training methods he had extracted from his "future memories." He even occasionally brought out ninjutsu from later generations to win them over.
Such as the Rasengan and Chidori.
Gradually, a group of young people began gathering around him.
Among them were people skilled in intelligence, those proficient in medical skills, and others with outstanding combat abilities.
Senju Akira never forced them to take a stance. He simply used his actions to show them that...
By following him, they could become stronger and truly do something for the Ninshu.
"Once I've established myself within the sect, I'll officially push for contact with the Uchiha."
He planned out his schedule in his mind.
"Within one year, I'll first make myself an existence that cannot be ignored. Within two years, I'll strive to gain the qualification to hold unofficial talks with the Uchiha."
The night was deep.
Senju Akira sat alone in a stone chamber, lit an oil lamp, and spread out a simple map he had made himself.
On the map, he had marked the border between the Ninshu's headquarters and Uchiha territory with red ink. Several possible points of contact had also been marked.
He raised his head and looked at the pitch-black night sky outside the window. A complicated light flashed in his eyes.
"The division of this era should end with me."
"Uchiha... I'll make you come back on your own."
The oil lamp flickered gently, casting light over his young yet increasingly resolute profile.
A new game of chess had already begun with pieces placed quietly on the board.
———
[Beyond Earth]
Arisu stood with his hands behind his back.
Originally, he had only been routinely inspecting the causal line during this "blank period," making sure the ideological conflict between Indra and Asura did not deviate too far.
After all, a large portion of the history in between had barely been mentioned in the original work, leaving him enough room to make minor adjustments.
However, just as his perception swept across the Ninshu's headquarters, that familiar "abnormal fluctuation" that did not belong to this world appeared once again.
Arisu's movements paused slightly.
The light screen rapidly zoomed in, and the image settled on the stone chamber in the rear mountains of the Ninshu.
Senju Akira was sitting alone beneath the oil lamp, deep in thought as he faced a map he had made himself.
His gaze, temperament, and even the subtle flow of his chakra were completely different from the gentle, reserved original host from five days ago.
"Again..."
Arisu's brows slowly furrowed.
He raised his hand and lightly tapped the air with his fingertip.
After the system scanned him, the truth was immediately confirmed.
Without a doubt... Another transmigrator.
And this time, the person he had possessed was Asura's direct eldest grandson.
Arisu fell silent for a moment, his brows slightly furrowed.
"Interesting.", Arisu muttered to himself.
"Indra and Asura have only just died, and the blank period has only just begun, yet someone has already impatiently jumped out."
The light screen continued switching scenes, replaying Senju Akira's actions over the past few days one by one.
High-intensity targeted training, rapidly exploring Wood Release, secretly gathering intelligence on the Uchiha, and intentionally winning over his peers.
It looked like he had some ulterior motives.
Arisu saw it all clearly.
"He wants to stop the division, bring the Uchiha back into the Ninshu... and he even plans to use the combination of the Senju and Uchiha powers to reach the Rinnegan?"
Arisu chuckled softly and shook his head.
"Not a small ambition. But... his direction is actually quite proper."
Arisu did not immediately interfere.
He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze resting on the young man's resolute profile on the light screen. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes.
"This part of the original story was already vague. Kishimoto barely drew it at all. As long as it doesn't completely change the causal line left behind by the Six Paths Sage, and doesn't cause the conflict between the Sharingan and the Sage Body to collapse ahead of time, I can observe for a while."
"Besides..."
Arisu's voice lowered, carrying a faint hint of interest.