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Senju Tobirama stared blankly at the smiling boy in front of him.
Unify the ninja world?
Since ancient times, even before shinobi existed, the world had never been unified. Back then, samurai pledged loyalty to their lords, forming countries. Later, shinobi fought among themselves and created villages.
The current structure was the most stable it had ever been.
At the very least, each country only had one village. That was the general consensus.
And yet, Shimura Yami actually wanted to unify the ninja world and become the sole Kage.
"Your thoughts are too dangerous." Senju Tobirama looked at the boy with sharp scrutiny. "You remind me of Uchiha Madara. He once said the exact same thing."
"Do you think he was wrong?" Yami raised his eyebrows.
"If Hashirama had said it, would you have helped him?"
"Of course." Senju Tobirama answered without hesitation, then looked at Yami with a strange expression. "Kid, are you really comparing yourself to my elder brother?"
"Anyone who hasn't seen my elder brother fight Madara will never understand how terrifying he was."
Yami smiled and clenched his fists. "Anyone who hasn't been beaten by me wouldn't understand my confidence."
Senju Tobirama was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, half in anger. "You?"
"I'll admit, you've mastered Flying Thunder God and Dust Release, which I didn't expect. But ninja battles aren't just about having more jutsu. This body is too weak to withstand my full power, or I'd give you a lesson and show you the true vastness of the world."
"Then go ahead and try."
Yami clasped his hands together, and in the next moment, Senju Tobirama felt his soul being pulled from this vessel.
Two days later, Senju Tobirama was revived again via Impure World Reincarnation.
However, for those in the Pure Land, time held no meaning. It felt like just an instant of unconsciousness before he was dragged back into the living world.
This time, though, he immediately sensed a difference. The chakra within him was nearly equal to what it had been in his prime. Even if it was slightly less, the Impure World Reincarnation's unlimited chakra supply made up for it.
"This chakra... is this my brother's power?"
"Correct." Yami lowered his hands. "I captured a Jōnin from Iwa and injected him with a large amount of Hashirama cells. Just before he died, I used Impure World Reincarnation."
"Though it still can't carry the full power of the First Hokage, it should be more than enough for you."
Senju Tobirama felt a chill in his heart.
He was the one who had opened the gates of this devil.
Senju Tobirama knew very well the pain an experiment subject would suffer when Hashirama's cells were forcibly transplanted.
It was cellular erosion and destruction.
On top of that, they would also endure the tearing process of Impure World Reincarnation...
Even imagining that made his scalp tingle.
Fortunately, the subject was an Iwa Jōnin.
If it had been someone from Konoha, he would've kept Yami here permanently.
Looking around, Senju Tobirama revealed a hint of surprise. "The Valley of the End? You really know how to pick a place."
Two massive statues faced one another, standing tall against the cliffside.
Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara.
Their hands formed opposing seals, and the waterfall between them crashed into the lake below.
At this moment, Yami and Tobirama stood on their heads.
Yami stood on Madara's statue. "Life needs a sense of excitement."
"Given your identity and strength as the Second Hokage, I thought it fitting to pick a worthy stage for you."
"Hmph."
Faced with Yami's arrogance, Senju Tobirama snorted coldly, pulled out several kunai, and got into a fighting stance. "Let me teach you something today. Don't think you're the only genius in the world."
With that, Senju Tobirama rushed forward, and Yami leapt from the statue.
Their forearms collided violently!
Boom!
The intense shockwave stirred up layers of water. Senju Tobirama's eyes gleamed sharply as he quickly launched a barrage of attacks.
Fist to fist. Foot to foot.
Senju Tobirama was a true founder of Konoha. Many of the modern taijutsu and kenjutsu techniques were developed by him based on the secret arts of major clans.
He had personally mastered those techniques.
Every strike flowed naturally, like he had Sharingan eyes tracking his opponent.
Yami's taijutsu was also strong, but compared to someone polished through decades of combat, he lacked experience. Still, he had his own advantages.
Their fists clashed again, flattening the water surface and sending waves outward.
Senju Tobirama was knocked back, crashing into the mountain and blasting a hole into it before stopping.
Chunks of rock embedded into his body quickly repaired his injuries.
Senju Tobirama stared at Yami. "Not bad. You really do remind me of my brother."
"If this were my real body, I could probably go a few more rounds with you. But the Impure World Body is still just a clay doll. I won't disgrace myself."
As he spoke, Senju Tobirama quickly formed three hand seals.
"Let me show you the true value of the Impure World Body. Water Dragon Bullet!"
"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet!"
Yami didn't back down, using the same technique to counter.
Two enormous water dragons collided midair, fangs bared, and heavy rain poured across the area.
"Water Release: Heavenly Cry!"
"Water Release: Wave Riding Attack!"
"Water Release: Water Severing Wave!"
It was a feast of Water Release ninjutsu. Yami finally understood why Kisame's Water Release always looked powerful, but didn't feel impactful.
Now he understood clearly.
Even with more chakra, Kisame simply used standard Water Release, just on a larger scale. It looked flashy, but the essence hadn't changed.
Senju Tobirama was different. His Water Release had the power of the ocean itself. The same Water Dragon Bullet in his hands had the momentum to devour the world.
That was the difference between the sea and a lake.
Inspired, Yami grasped the trick. The Water Release techniques in his hands surged like waves, each one stronger than the last.
Senju Tobirama felt uneasy. His strongest Water Release was only equal to Yami's?
This time, he couldn't blame it on the Impure World Body. On the contrary, being a Reanimation Body allowed him to cast ninjutsu without worrying about chakra.
"Water Release: Hard Vortex Water Blade!"
Both of them held spinning water spears in their hands and clashed again until all the water dissipated.
Senju Tobirama moved.
He quickly threw several kunai, among them special ones with Flying Thunder God marks.
If standard ninjutsu didn't work, then it was time for Forbidden Techniques.
But when he saw his kunai deflected midair by shuriken, his expression darkened.
"Uchiha's throwing technique?"
"Yeah. An Uchiha senpai taught me. It's surprisingly useful."
"Stay away from the Uchiha. They're evil by nature, don't—"
Senju Tobirama suddenly stopped. He remembered that the Uchiha clan had already been wiped out.
"I have two fiancées from the Uchiha clan," Yami added.
"What?!"
Senju Tobirama's face twisted.
A union between Senju and Uchiha reminded him of his brother and Madara...
Tch, this Impure World technique is flawed. There's something wrong with my brain.
"Yami, I know you're still young and probably swayed by beauty."
His tone turned gritted. "Those Uchiha women are all dangerously attractive. If you're not careful, they'll be your downfall."
"Don't fall for them."
Yami didn't care about Senju Tobirama's slander. "You, of all people dealing with Forbidden Techniques every day, what do you know about love? Ours is true love."
"Stubborn!"
Senju Tobirama was furious. He unleashed a wide-area darkness technique to cloak the surroundings.
"Genjutsu: Bringer-of-Darkness!"
"Crystal Release: Eightfold Crystal Wall!"
Clink clink clink clink!
The kunai bounced off the solid crystal walls. Senju Tobirama suddenly sensed Yami's chakra in front of him. He crossed his arms to block, but was a step too slow and got kicked away.
"You can sense through this?"
"Just a bit."
Inside the darkness, the two engaged in close-quarters combat again. This time, Yami exploded with raw strength, forcefully tearing off Senju Tobirama's arm.
Senju Tobirama looked at Yami with a complicated expression.
He had to admit Yami was a flawless shinobi. His ninjutsu and genjutsu were both terrifyingly powerful, with no weaknesses.
"But that alone isn't enough."
Senju Tobirama raised his sword fingers. A massive amount of chakra surged in his body.
"My brother and Madara stood at the top of the ninja world not because of balance or perfection, but because of absolute power!"
"Kid, don't blame me. Your ambition is too great. I can only use a finishing move!"
He hurled his severed arm like a shuriken and teleported using the Flying Thunder God mark on it.
"Ninjutsu: Tandem Paper Bombs!"
Boom!
Explosions echoed one after another as Detonating Tags appeared in succession, erupting continuously.
This was the A-rank Forbidden Technique invented by the Second Hokage—Tandem Paper Bombs.
One explosion triggered countless others. The Impure World Body, composed of paper and ashes, was the perfect material for this move.
This was one of Senju Tobirama's killing techniques.
But this time, he stayed alert. If Yami was injured, he would stop immediately.
After all, this was to educate the next generation, not kill them.
However... a thick wooden arm suddenly reached out and grabbed Senju Tobirama, shielding him from the blast.
A massive Wooden Golem rose from the water!
Yami stood on its head expressionlessly, while the Impure World Body was blown to pieces.
Though the Wooden Golem's arm was heavily damaged and smoked, it quickly regenerated with continuous chakra flow.
Not far away, the scattered paper began to reform. Senju Tobirama stared at Yami in silence.
"..."
In that moment, the Second Hokage had only one thought.
You can use Wood Release... You should've said that earlier…
If he had known, he wouldn't have embarrassed himself by pretending to be a mentor.
The person who feared Wood Release most in the world was Uchiha Madara, who was beaten by it constantly. The second was him, Senju Tobirama, who had followed his elder brother for years.
"Second Hokage, this is the absolute power you were talking about. Are you satisfied now?"
Yami looked down from atop the Wooden Golem.
This was his first time using Wood Release in battle. True to its name as the art of the God of the Shinobi World, it was pure power without any trickery.
Once the Wooden Golem appeared, it alone was enough to make the enemy despair.
"Yami... how did you awaken Wood Release? Was it... through my brother's cells?" Senju Tobirama asked with a complicated expression.
"Not exactly. There have been cases in the village of people awakening it using Hashirama's cells, but only one success."
"My Wood Release is somewhat related to Hashirama, but this is my own power."
"..."
Senju Tobirama didn't know how to respond.
The moment he saw the Wood Release, he knew that Yami's ambition was no fantasy. He truly had the power to dominate the ninja world.
"I lost." He admitted his defeat plainly.
"As agreed, I will no longer resist your orders."
"Very good."
Yami leapt down from the Wooden Golem. "You really are much stronger than the old man. At least you keep your word."
"What do you want me to do?" Senju Tobirama asked.
Yami pulled out a nutrient vial from his ninja pouch. "Your old profession. Continue researching Hashirama cells."
Senju Tobirama took it, confused. "You don't need this anymore, right?"
"But someone else does."
"I don't need Wood Release anymore. But at the very least, it can significantly increase chakra volume."
After thinking for a moment, Senju Tobirama nodded.
Even if he refused to study Hashirama cells, Yami would find someone else. That would only make it more dangerous.
Better to let him do it and keep an eye on this kid to make sure he didn't go down the wrong path.
Both of them were speedsters. They quickly returned to Konoha's underground lab. After preparing the equipment and materials once used for Hashirama's research, they brought in several prisoners from the Root holding cells.
Yami became a hands-off overseer.
This Impure World Reincarnation was truly convenient. No need to eat, no salary, no rest required.
It was practically the innate body of a labor ox.
A 24/7 Senju Tobirama, the number one scientific researcher in the ninja world, was guaranteed to bring him plenty of surprises.
In a good mood, Yami leisurely returned home.
But the moment he walked in, he felt the atmosphere was off.
Let alone a welcome, the two Uchiha beauties in the room were glaring at him with clear dissatisfaction.
Yami looked toward Uzumaki Misa, who had just walked out of the kitchen.
Misa gave him a helpless look before heading upstairs.
This was going to be a major headache.
(To be continued.)
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