"Despicable Konohagakure traitor brat, daring to use me? I'll personally… ugh!"
Tobirama Senju felt himself return to the ninja world once more, his teeth grinding in frustration.
Control! He had already resolved that this time, he would seize the chance to break free from the clutches of that vile Orochimaru.
But to his surprise, when he opened his eyes, it wasn't the sinister, repulsive Orochimaru standing before him. Instead, it was the pink-haired girl who had single-handedly stood against him and his brother last time.
"Lord Tobirama, it's been a while."
Sakura Haruno greeted the Tobirama Senju before her with a smile.
Tobirama glanced around, taking in his surroundings. He found himself in a dense forest, and his body's control—or lack thereof—told him that the one who had performed the Reanimation Jutsu this time was none other than the pink-haired girl in front of him.
"Little girl, you're the one who summoned me?"
Tobirama's expression darkened with displeasure.
No matter how you looked at it, this technique tampered with the souls of the departed.
Those who meddled with forbidden jutsu would inevitably be consumed by the very taboos they invoked.
Tobirama knew this all too well.
As the developer of the Reanimation Jutsu, he had already been thoroughly played by his own creation.
Used as a weapon by a Konohagakure traitor to attack the very village he had died to protect.
Truly, he had woven his own cocoon of misfortune.
"That's right, but it's not important."
Seeing Tobirama's sour expression, Sakura waved her hand dismissively and deftly pulled a scroll from her ninja pouch, shoving it into his hands.
"Take a look at this. It's about the development of a Yang Release ninja taijutsu."
"This time, we have plenty of time."
Tobirama stared at the scroll in his hands, the corner of his mouth twitching.
So, just to develop a single technique, she had gone out of her way to drag him back from the Pure Land to work?
Damn it, I'm already dead!
Since when did Konohagakure's younger generation become so reckless?!
"This is your reason for reanimating me?"
Tobirama frowned at the pink-haired girl before him.
The first time he met this pink-haired girl, he had a rather favorable impression of her.
So young, yet already capable of joining a Kage-level battlefield and playing a pivotal role.
She was also Sarutobi's student, which made her his grand-student.
But to disturb the souls of the dead just for a single technique?
"Can't you develop it yourself?"
Tobirama scrutinized Sakura.
She had grown a little taller since their last encounter, and her chakra reserves had increased slightly as well. Clearly, a few months had passed.
"Well, doesn't this just show that your wisdom far surpasses anyone else's, Lord Tobirama?"
"No one else could do it, but you definitely can!"
Sakura didn't hesitate, immediately laying on a rainbow of flattery.
After all, this wasn't a fight—she needed Tobirama's intellect, which meant keeping his mind sharp and clear.
"Hmph, little girl, you think flattery will get you anywhere with me?"
"Achievement comes from relying on your own efforts."
"If you keep depending on others…"
"Just say whether you'll do it or not," Sakura interrupted, rubbing her temples as Tobirama started to take on the air of a lecturing elder.
"…Fine."
"But just this once."
Seeing the pink-haired girl frowning at him, Tobirama let out a helpless sigh.
What could he do with his own junior?
After all, he was already here.
And the fact that she had managed to obtain the Reanimation Jutsu and his remains for the summoning clearly involved some meddling from Sarutobi Hiruzen.
Damn you, Monkey, digging up my grave for a junior?!
"As expected of my grand-teacher, so magnanimous!"
Seeing her chance, Sakura immediately sidled up to him with a fawning grin.
"Hmph, don't change the subject."
"Tell me, how far have you gotten with this Yang Release ninja taijutsu?"
Tobirama sat cross-legged, unrolling the scroll and studying the various notes on Yang Release under the moonlight.
If this pink-haired girl couldn't figure out this Yang Release taijutsu this time, would she drag him out of the Pure Land again the next time she hit a wall with some other technique?
The thought made Tobirama sigh heavily.
He could already see his future.
If there was a first time, there would surely be a second, a third.
And if future generations followed her example, he'd be yanked from the Pure Land repeatedly to serve as free labor.
I'm already dead—why does my future look so bleak…?
"Condense Yang Release, like how Lightning Release stimulates cells."
"But Yang Release isn't like Lightning Release—it can't stimulate cells."
As soon as Sakura began, Tobirama couldn't help but interject.
"Exactly, as expected of Lord Tobirama."
"So I was thinking, what if we change 'stimulating cells' to 'nurturing cells'?"
Sakura's words made Tobirama pause, deep in thought.
Though he grumbled about her, when it came to work, he was serious. He couldn't let his grand-student down, after all.
"Nurturing cells…"
"It's feasible. We can try it."
"For nurturing cells, we could reference…"
"My brother?"
Tobirama suddenly thought of his clueless older brother.
If they nurtured cells, would it be like his brother?
A body so resilient it had almost no equal?
This seemed to be following his brother's path.
Looking at the pink-haired girl gazing at him expectantly, Tobirama felt utterly helpless.
Faced with Konohagakure's new sprout, he had no defenses.
"Let's try it!"
"If anything goes wrong, we can try summoning my brother."
When a younger brother's in trouble, the older brother has to step up.
Tobirama clearly had no intention of being the only one working for free—his dim-witted brother wasn't getting off that easily.
Though Sakura didn't quite understand why Tobirama brought up Hashirama, since Lord Tobirama had spoken, as a loyal member of Konohagakure devoted to him, she naturally wouldn't object.
Tomorrow, she'd go to the old man and get Hashirama's spine to reanimate him too!
As time ticked by, Tobirama offered numerous practical suggestions on nurturing細胞, drawing heavily from Hashirama's physical model.
Back then, whenever he wanted to study his brother, Hashirama would unhesitatingly let him draw blood.
His dear little brother~~~
Spoiled!
As long as it wasn't forbidden jutsu, anything went!
As sunlight once again bathed the earth, two figures—one tall, one short—stood atop the Hokage Rock.
Tobirama gazed at this familiar yet unfamiliar Konohagakure.
Decades had passed since he had sacrificed his life to protect it, and the village was no longer the one he knew.
Konohagakure lay before him, fully in view.
Tobirama crossed his arms, nodding in satisfaction at the awakened village, his gaze unconsciously drifting to a particular spot.
That was once the Uchiha clan's territory.
"Sakura, what's over there?"
Sakura followed Tobirama's pointing finger, puzzled.
"That's Konohagakure's commercial district…"
Mid-sentence, realization dawned on her.
"Wasn't that supposed to be the Uchiha clan's territory?"
As expected, this old Senju ghost was still fixated on the Uchiha.
"After the Nine-Tails incident thirteen years ago, they were relocated to a corner of Konohagakure."
"Over there."
Sakura pointed out the direction for Tobirama.
It was a corner of the village, and with Tobirama's unparalleled sensory abilities, he immediately noticed there were at most two people there.
Hardly the territory befitting a thousand-year-old clan like the Uchiha.
And it seemed largely barren.
"The Uchiha were wiped out. Only Sasuke remains, though we found another Uchiha clansman a couple of days ago."
Seeing Tobirama's confusion, Sakura kindly explained.
???
!!!
Sarutobi!
You…!
Did such a splendid job!
Tobirama's eyes gleamed, the corners of his mouth curling uncontrollably.
His delight was visible to the naked eye.
Even the most oblivious person could see how thrilled Tobirama was at that moment.
"Oh, is that so? What a pity."
What a pity there are still two left…
"Who was the vile fiend responsible for this?"
Let him take the Senju name!!
Sakura's mouth twitched as she watched Tobirama's insincere display, but she answered anyway.
"That was Uchiha Itachi, the son of the previous Uchiha clan leader."
"And Sasuke's older brother."
Excellent, excellent, excellent!
Itachi!
I declare, you'll take the Senju name from now on!
Senju Itachi!
Well done!
You're the best!
"What a villain. If I ever meet him, I'll bring him to justice!"
I'll have to give him an award!
For making such a great, indelible contribution to Konohagakure and the peace of the ninja world!
Sakura looked at Tobirama, whose grin stretched nearly to his ears, and chose silence.
Anyone with eyes could see this guy was practically bursting with joy.
"Ahem, let's put that aside for now…"
"By the way, where is that Senj—er, Uchiha Itachi now?"
Hold on, Lord Tobirama, did you just almost say Senju Itachi?!
Sakura rubbed her temples, replying with a hint of exasperation.
"He's probably hiding in some corner of Konohagakure."
"What?!"
"Such a talent is still in Konohagakure?!"
"Quick, tell Monkey to find him!"
"I need to personally… reward—er, punish him!"
Tobirama's eyes lit up with fervor.
Alright, alright, alright!
You're not even pretending anymore, are you?!
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