"What do you want? Spit it out!"
Senju Tobirama stood there in a lab coat and mask, his tone sharp with impatience. Even without seeing his face, Uchiha Ren could tell his expression was foul.
"Come here first."
Ren pulled him aside into a corner before speaking.
"Tobirama… I can now confirm that Uchiha Madara has already infiltrated Konoha."
Tobirama's brows knit tightly.
He had been mentally prepared—but hearing it confirmed still made his heart race. His breathing grew heavier. He pulled off his mask and let out a deep breath.
"I don't think Hashirama Cells alone are enough for me to face Madara."
Ren glanced at Tobirama's expression—no visible reaction—then continued.
"So I was thinking… the First Hokage's Sage Mode sounds pretty good."
"Don't you think it suits me perfectly?"
"…What?! Sage Mode?!"
Tobirama's voice rose instinctively, drawing the attention of the surrounding Uchiha.
"What are you looking at?! Turn your heads! Plug your ears!"
Even after death, Tobirama's authority still lingered. The Uchiha immediately complied.
Major matters between Hokage—
Best not to listen.
Tobirama turned back, glaring.
"Uchiha Ren… don't you think you're being greedy?"
"My brother only had so much to begin with—you're trying to take everything!"
The power of Senju Hashirama rested on two pillars:
The Sage Body.
And near-perfect Sage Mode.
Ren was already seizing one—
And now he wanted the other?
If he obtained both Senju and Uchiha's ultimate powers…
How strong would he become?
Another Madara?
Another Hashirama?
Or something even beyond that?
Tobirama didn't dare imagine it.
"I'm doing this for Konoha."
Ren shrugged lightly.
"You know Madara's strength better than anyone. You're the Second Hokage—you don't want anything to happen to the village, right?"
"Also… the Shikkotsu Forest summoning contract."
"You're Hashirama's brother. Former head of the Senju. If you want, leaving your name on it should be easy."
"No!"
Tobirama snapped.
"I never asked my brother for that contract! Do I need Sage Mode?!"
"I have the Flying Thunder God Technique—I can go anywhere in the ninja world!"
"My Water Release, my forbidden techniques—"
Ren waved him off.
"Enough. If you can't learn it, just say so."
"You're so strong, yet you still died."
"Your Water Release and forbidden techniques didn't help much, did they?"
Tobirama froze.
That was a direct hit.
"You don't understand!"
"I stayed behind to cover my students' retreat!"
"Try surviving being chased by over a dozen jonin and elite jonin—with Kinkaku and Ginkaku leading them, using Nine-Tails Chakra Mode and wielding Six Paths treasures!"
"You'd die too!"
He was fuming now.
Ren's response?
A simple scoff.
"Tch."
He spat lightly onto the floor.
(Tobirama's mess—Orochimaru's job to clean.)
"Damn Uchiha brat!"
Tobirama nearly exploded—but restrained himself.
Attacking here would only get him suppressed again.
"Do you even want Sage Mode or not?!"
"Even if you're Hokage, the Senju will never give you the Shikkotsu Forest contract!"
"Unless I step in!"
"I can convince them!"
There it was.
His real intention.
He wanted contact with the Senju.
With Mito Uzumaki.
Once his existence was exposed—
Control over his Edo Tensei body would no longer belong to Ren.
Then—
Everything would change.
His prestige.
The Senju's influence.
His research.
Enough to break Ren's dominance.
In Tobirama's mind—
Most of Konoha's achievements belonged to him anyway.
Ren had only provided a little money.
A little.
So why did all the glory go to him?
"Hmph. Forget it."
Ren rejected him immediately.
"It's just a summoning contract."
"Shikkotsu Forest isn't the only place with Sage Mode."
Let Tobirama out?
Absolutely not.
Konoha only needed one Hokage's voice.
A dead one had no business interfering.
Even his own clan and Orochimaru—
Ren had sealed them.
Any leak of Tobirama's existence would trigger immediate consequences.
"Fine."
"When Madara attacks Konoha, don't regret this."
"Shut up, old man."
"I'm the Hokage."
Ren said it effortlessly.
First Mito.
Now Tobirama.
Next… Hashirama?
He shuddered slightly.
Was this the fate of the Third Hokage?
"Then get out of my lab!"
Tobirama snapped.
Another infuriating day.
As Ren turned to leave—
Tobirama's gaze shifted.
"You—yes, you. The one sneaking glances."
"First blood draw."
"800cc."
The Uchiha froze.
800cc?
That was the upper limit—even for shinobi.
Ren rolled his eyes.
"Ignore him."
"600cc max."
"You're in Uchiha territory. He's not that strong right now."
"If he pushes too far—three or five of you can handle him."
"Oh—and don't break the equipment."
"It's worth tens of millions of ryo."
Ren left.
The Uchiha exchanged uneasy glances.
Fight Tobirama?
Absolutely not.
Better to endure.
"Anyone want to try?"
Tobirama's eyes gleamed coldly, a kunai appearing in his hand.
Silence.
"You."
"600cc or 800cc?"
Sweat dripped down the young man's forehead.
"…800cc."
"Good."
Tobirama smiled.
His authority still held.
"Actually… make it 400cc."
He wasn't unreasonable.
Weakening them too much would interfere with the Hashirama Cells experiment.
"Line up."
"Prepare for blood extraction."
Watching the obedient Uchiha—
Tobirama's mood improved slightly.
At least they were more agreeable than Ren.
—
Night.
Hokage Residence.
Ren lay on his bed, breathing heavily.
Another exhausting "battle."
His mind cleared.
Peaceful.
Why are there so many annoying problems in the world?
Hopefully Jiraiya wouldn't disappoint him.
And Madara…
Hopefully he was just sightseeing.
Like Obito visiting Rin's grave.
Thinking that—
Ren drifted into sleep.
—
Next day.
Hokage Building.
Ren arrived early for once.
Sitting in his office—
Doing absolutely nothing.
Waiting for Nara Shikaku's report.
"Hokage-sama—"
"Exchange students from the Uzumaki Clan will arrive soon."
"The Land of Iron has formally requested aid. Amegakure's new faction is causing border conflicts."
"This could be an opportunity to enter the iron trade… but Konoha isn't ready for war yet."
"Also—"
"A new village has appeared in the Land of Sky."
"Kusagakure instability continues…"
"Factories are expanding. Nobles are dissatisfied…"
Ren listened quietly.
The seeds of the Second Shinobi War…
All here.
The Five Great Villages were recovering.
Watching.
Waiting.
Small villages grew bold in the meantime.
Konoha couldn't act yet.
Not without overwhelming force.
Otherwise—
It would become a drawn-out disaster.
"Continue gathering intel."
"Send spies to acquire those flying tools."
"For the Land of Iron—give an ambiguous response."
"Act like we might intervene."
"Extract benefits—iron, trade rights…"
"We'll undercut the market."
"Crush competitors."
"Monopolize."
"As for the nobles—ignore them."
"If they cause trouble…"
"Send them to meet the Sage of Six Paths."
Orders issued.
Nara Shikaku recorded everything and left.
Ren leaned back.
"The world's getting chaotic again…"
"Outside—turbulence."
"Inside… a ticking time bomb."
Madara.
A bomb that could destroy Konoha entirely.
"…What a headache."
He took a sip of iced cola.
"When can I just relax and do nothing forever…"
Time passed.
Soon—
Noon.
Knock knock.
"Hokage-sama!"
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