Hiruko: "Speaking of which, I wonder how far Second Hokage-sama's research into fusing Honkai Beasts has progressed?"
Orochimaru: "Hiruko, I recall now. It seems you defected from Konoha back then precisely because you were researching a forbidden jutsu... if I remember correctly, its name was the Chimera Technique."
Senju Tobirama: "The Chimera Technique? I remember that. It's a forbidden jutsu capable of devouring other Ninjas to integrate their Bloodline Limits into one's own body. However, the conditions for fusion were far too harsh and the success rate was too low, so I didn't pursue deep research into it at the time."
Senju Tobirama: "Why? Have you made significant progress with this forbidden jutsu? If so, why not return to Konoha? With the help of Konoha—and indeed the entire Ninja World—you could better research the Chimera Technique. You might even be able to use it to fuse with Honkai Beasts."
Hiruko: "..."
To be honest, Hiruko was truly tempted.
Especially since the one saying this was the Second Hokage.
If it were anyone else, like that old fogey the Third Hokage, he wouldn't believe a word of it. But it just so happened to be the Second Hokage.
And most importantly, the First Hokage was also there. Even if there were problems, with the First Hokage around, how dark could things really get?
It certainly couldn't be darker than the era when the Third Hokage was in power, right?
He finally understood now why Orochimaru had chosen to return to Konoha so readily.
A: "Wait a minute. If I heard that right, that Chimera Technique can devour other Ninjas to fuse their Bloodline Limits?"
Kurotsuchi: "Konoha's Second Hokage really can develop any kind of forbidden jutsu, can't he?"
Uchiha Izuna: "Heh~ And you still claim us Uchiha are inherently evil. I'd say the Senju Tobirama who can develop this kind of forbidden jutsu is the truly evil one!"
Senju Tobirama: "The loser barks again."
Uchiha Izuna: "￥...SDG%#^, I'll ******* you!"
Senju Hashirama: "Madara, though I don't know what you've been through, please come back. The Ninja World needs you, and I need you too!"
Uchiha Madara: "..."
[Under the consensus of Senju Hashirama and the various Kage, the establishment of the Shinobi Alliance proceeded very smoothly, with more and more small Ninja Villages choosing to join.
The Daimyo and nobles of various countries, in order to protect themselves, injected more and more resources into the Alliance.
For a time, the Ninja World achieved an unprecedented state of peace.
It was second only to the era when Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara pacified the chaotic warring states.
At the same time, the Shinobi Alliance—which gathered all the outstanding scientists of the Ninja World—sparked a technological explosion.
In just a few short months, research into Honkai Beasts made massive strides.
Furthermore, with the assistance of the animals from the Three Great Sage Regions and under the guidance of Senju Hashirama, a method was finally found for those with enough resistance to successfully absorb and utilize Honkai Energy.
Though this was merely using Honkai Energy as a catalyst to enhance the power of Ninjutsu, it was a giant leap forward.
This meant that even ordinary Ninjas now possessed the ability to threaten Zombies and even Honkai Beasts!
Everything was flourishing.
It seemed that as long as the Ninja World joined hands, they could overcome any disaster!
However, under these circumstances, the Akatsuki's actions in capturing the Tailed Beasts caused the concentration of Honkai Energy in the Ninja World to rise repeatedly.
Yet, the Akatsuki hid themselves incredibly well; no one had been able to find them.
Even a team led by Senju Hashirama failed to locate them.
The Akatsuki knew that capturing Tailed Beasts at this time was too dangerous; a single slip-up would bring a full-scale siege upon them.
Therefore, they had long since moved the location for extracting Tailed Beast Chakra into Uchiha Obito's Kamui Dimension!
Although the Kamui Dimension had already been exposed to the Herrscher of Reason, they chose it for the sake of secrecy, considering she didn't seem to care about the place.
And precisely because they placed the extraction site within the Kamui Dimension, the Shinobi Alliance was unable to find them despite searching nearly every corner of the Ninja World.
Consequently, the Honkai Energy in the Ninja World continued to rise.
Due to this constant increase, beasts in the wilderness began to undergo semi-Honkai transformations, while Honkai Sickness began to appear in villages and towns on a massive scale.
In certain regions where Honkai Energy gathered, large clusters of Honkai Beasts began to entrench themselves.
Specifically in New Konoha, the place where the Third Herrscher was born.
Because the Herrscher had left, the massive Honkai Energy lingering there birthed a vast number of Honkai Beasts.
Under the stimulation of this energy, several extremely powerful Honkai Beasts were born!
The strength of these beasts far exceeded that of ordinary ones, and each possessed the power to manipulate elements and change the weather.
The most powerful among them was a terrifying giant beast capable of controlling lightning. It possessed four pairs of wings made of light and a bird-like form with a wingspan of over a thousand meters.
Without a doubt, this was a Judgment-class Honkai Beast!
In addition to it, three other massive beasts were born. They were not flying types and stood only a hundred meters tall, but they were Emperor-class Honkai Beasts with the power to control wind and thunder.
Among these three Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, one could control lightning, one could control wind, and the last could manipulate both energies simultaneously.
With the birth of these four Emperor-class Honkai Beasts, the Honkai Beasts within New Konoha became increasingly violent.
It was foreseeable that a terrifying Beast Tide was about to be born!
Led by the Judgment-class Honkai Beast, no living creature would survive in the wake of this Beast Tide!]
Onoki: "Wait? The Herrscher has already left, so why are such terrifying Honkai Beasts still being born? This isn't scientific!"
Onoki was on the verge of exploding.
Because right next to the Land of Grass was his Land of Earth!
Once those Honkai Beasts broke loose, they would very likely head straight for the Land of Earth!
He wasn't the only one panicking; anyone near the Land of Grass—whether Ninja, civilian, or noble—was losing their mind!
The ordinary people, in particular, were falling into despair.
Looking at that Honkai Beast shrouded in lightning—which revealed only a single wing of light, half a claw, and two eyes within the thunderclouds, yet still radiated a terrifying pressure—many people were scared witless!
Such a terrifying existence was even more fearsome than a Tailed Beast!
Onoki: "Kurotsuchi, you must keep a close watch on New Konoha. If those Honkai Beasts show any sign of moving toward the Land of Earth, notify us immediately!"
Not just Onoki, but other Ninja Villages also dispatched more personnel to monitor New Konoha.
They were terrified that if they looked away for even a second, those Honkai Beasts would come for them.
Senju Hashirama: "Tobirama, aren't you very capable? Can't you research some kind of terrifying ultimate weapon that can kill all these Honkai Beasts at once?"
Senju Tobirama: "Brother, don't ask for the impossible."