Tobirama Senju let out a long sigh and patted his older brother on the shoulder.
"Big brother, you should just shut up. Never mind Izuna, take a look at Father and Tajima Uchiha behind you. At this rate, you might be in for a mixed doubles beating."
Hashirama Senju: "Huh? Tobirama, are you jealous? Big brother will still..."
"Shut up!!"
Thud. (dejected)
Madara Uchiha couldn't stand seeing him like that, so he headed over to the Konoha Ninja Academy to teach a lesson to a certain "Ancestor-sama" who didn't know his place.
Minato gave an awkward smile and lit a candle for his student.
...
Outside Kamui's Dimension.
After both clans learned the truth, the Senju Clan and Uchiha Clan began their post-battle cleanup on the spot. The wounded needed treatment, the bodies needed to be recovered, and hatred would not vanish overnight just because the truth had come out.
But among ninja clans, the Clan Head's orders had to be obeyed. Defying them was no different from attempting a coup.
"So the real mastermind behind everything was Black Zetsu."
"According to Ancestor-sama, that guy has been appearing and disappearing at will, taking advantage of the Ninja World for over a thousand years."
"The hatred between the Senju and Uchiha all began because of him. Even our younger brothers' deaths were caused by him."
Hashirama Senju, Madara Uchiha, Izuna Uchiha, and Tobirama Senju sat cross-legged on the ground, analyzing what they needed to do next based on what the "Uchiha Ancestor-sama" had told them.
Izuna Uchiha said, "The village must be built jointly by the Uchiha and the Senju. I won't accept the Senju clan dominating everything!"
"Of course, of course!"
Hashirama Senju nodded so hard it was as if a little purple lotus flower might sprout from his head, showing just how bright his mood had become the moment Madara gave him the slightest bit of sunshine.
"Madara and I aren't good at this sort of thing. You and Tobirama should discuss it more."
Izuna agreed, then glanced at Tobirama Senju and glared at him. "Hey! Say something!"
Ever since they had sat down, Tobirama Senju had not said a single word.
"I'm thinking."
"Thinking about how to give the Senju clan an advantage and keep the Uchiha under your thumb?"
"Don't project your petty schemes onto everyone else."
Tobirama Senju's red eyes flicked toward Izuna Uchiha beside him.
"I was thinking that if the souls of Kawarama, Itama, and your younger brothers are still in the Pure Land, then the Pure Land should be a place similar to Mount Myōboku, the Shikkotsu Forest, and Ryūchi Cave, a place our current understanding simply can't grasp yet."
Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha were still somewhat confused when they heard him say that.
But Hashirama Senju, who had learned Senjutsu in the Shikkotsu Forest and signed a contract with the Katsuyu Sage there, seemed to understand his younger brother's line of thought.
"Tobirama, are you trying to say..."
"If the toads of Mount Myōboku, the slugs of the Shikkotsu Forest, and the snakes of Ryūchi Cave can all be summoned, then why can't the souls in the Pure Land be summoned too?!"
"!!!!"
Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha's expressions changed at once.
Tobirama Senju said, "My Flying Thunder God Technique is based on the Summoning Technique and is an extension of your Summoning Technique. I believe there must be a way to summon souls back from the Pure Land!"
"No! I refuse to do something like that!"
Hashirama Senju cut him off. "Desecrating the souls of the dead is a sin that can never be repaid!"
The Senju Clan believed in Buddhist principles. Sin referred to the karma by which Yama judged whether a person would be reincarnated after death or sent to hell.
Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha, on the other hand, had lost and regained their younger brothers, only to watch them leave before their eyes once more. They had tasted the unwillingness of parting all over again.
"Can you really do what you're talking about?"
Madara stared at Tobirama Senju in front of him and only then noticed that Hashirama's younger brother, whom he had rarely looked at properly, actually had a pair of vermilion eyes strikingly similar to the Sharingan.
Izuna said, "But even that Ancestor-sama with one of Rikudō Sennin's Rinnegan couldn't keep a soul in the mortal world for long, right? How do you know you can do it?"
The two brothers completely ignored Hashirama Senju's wishes and pressed Tobirama Senju for answers.
Tobirama Senju also chose to selectively ignore his older brother. He told Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha, "That's exactly what I was thinking about just now. If there isn't a body to serve as a vessel for the soul, then logically speaking, the mortal world isn't suitable for souls to exist in for long."
"Are you saying you want my younger brothers to possess someone?"
Although Madara Uchiha and Izuna were not exactly merciful people, they instinctively felt that this was not the best method. Besides, the appearance and abilities of those bodies would not match their younger brothers from before.
And if they wanted to awaken the Sharingan, they would need the bloodline and physical body of their clan.
"Let me finish!" Tobirama Senju said. "You saw it just now, didn't you? That Black Zetsu came down from a white, clay-like thing that had transformed into an Uchiha ninja."
Madara Uchiha, Hashirama Senju, and Izuna Uchiha seemed to understand what Tobirama meant.
Especially Madara Uchiha.
His breathing grew noticeably quicker.
Tobirama Senju said, "As long as we can find a way to locate more of that substance, I believe I should be able to research a method to summon souls back from the Pure Land, then turn that white substance into the most suitable vessel."
He spoke earnestly and sincerely, and Madara Uchiha and Izuna's Sharingan widened.
"Really?!"
"Are you sure you can do it?!!"
"I'm fifty percent confident," Tobirama Senju said. "If we can find more of that white substance, it could probably rise to seventy percent."
"Besides that, sealing Black Zetsu is also a problem. From what that 'Ancestor-sama' said, ordinary Fūinjutsu has absolutely no effect on him."
That was indeed a problem. Based on what they currently knew about Black Zetsu's abilities, aside from the Uzumaki Clan's Reaper Death Seal, none of them could think of any other method capable of sealing him.
"Also, Madara," Tobirama Senju continued, "how much vision do you have left?"
He looked at Madara Uchiha.
Because of the matter with his younger brothers, Madara paused for a moment, but he did not hide it.
"If I don't activate the Sharingan, I can still see clearly within three meters."
"Three meters?!!" Hashirama Senju cried out in shock.
Izuna Uchiha immediately covered his mouth. "Keep your voice down! Do you want every Uchiha and Senju to hear you?!!"
"Sorry, sorry, but Madara, has your vision really gotten that bad?! Why didn't you tell me sooner?!!"
Before Madara Uchiha could say anything, even Tobirama Senju could not hold back. "Big brother, are you stupid?! We were still enemies not long ago. What reason would Madara have to tell you his eyes were almost blind?!"
Almost blind.
Those three words were like an invisible boulder smashing straight into Madara Uchiha's head, nearly crushing him flat.
Izuna said, "Tsk, watch your mouth! What do you mean, almost blind?!!"
"I'm not discussing that with you," Tobirama Senju continued. "What I'm saying is that aside from researching the souls of the Pure Land and that white humanoid substance, we also have to find a way to seal Black Zetsu, cure Madara's Sharingan, form an alliance between the Senju and Uchiha, and build the ninja village..."
He let out a long breath. "For a long time to come, we're going to be very busy. You'd better be ready."
When Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha heard that Tobirama Senju had actually included treating the Uchiha's Sharingan among their important tasks, they were not exactly stunned, but they certainly froze where they were.
Izuna Uchiha clearly did not believe him. "You'd be kind enough to treat my brother's eyes?"
"Did you think I was trying to treat your eyes? Ridiculous."
Tobirama Senju gave a cold snort.
"...You only produce a special chakra when your emotions fluctuate violently, which causes your eyes to develop the Sharingan, a Dōjutsu."
Izuna Uchiha said, "As much as I hate to admit it, that is true."
"I've always had a theory. That chakra doesn't just damage the nerves at the back of your eyes. It also severely burns out your brains."
In summary, Tobirama Senju's words could be understood as:
Was I trying to heal your eyes? I was obviously trying to heal your brains!
With one sentence, Madara Uchiha, who had just started to feel the slightest bit of goodwill toward Hashirama's younger brother, almost lost his breath and went straight to his grave.
Tobirama Senju said, "You all heard that Uchiha ancestor's prophecy about the future, didn't you? If we let things continue, Madara Uchiha will become the Ninja World's number one public enemy sooner or later. For the sake of peace in the Ninja World, shouldn't we help fix his brain?!"
Damn it! That made so much sense that they could not even argue with it!
But Madara Uchiha had only one thought. Why were his hands itching so badly?!!!
Why did he suddenly want to tear that mouth in front of him to shreds?!
Madara Uchiha forced down his anger. "I need to be sure that under the same conditions that allow you to revive your younger brothers, you can also revive mine, and I need you to guarantee that you won't use them."
"Madara! You should trust Tobirama a little more. He'll definitely revive your younger brothers too. Right, Tobirama?"
Seeing the pleading look his older brother sent him, practically begging him to answer "yes," Tobirama Senju sighed.
"First of all, this method should still be far from true resurrection. Second, as I said earlier, your mind is dangerous and needs something to keep your thoughts in check. If you think that counts as using your younger brothers, then so be it."
Madara Uchiha was furious.
He turned to Hashirama Senju. "Why do you have such an annoying younger brother?!"
"Right back at you. When it comes to being annoying, you have no right to criticize me."
Seeing the tension between them growing thicker, Hashirama quickly stepped between them to play peacemaker and calm them down.
"Leave Black Zetsu and that white thing to me and Hashirama."
Madara Uchiha changed the subject, which was essentially his way of accepting Tobirama Senju's proposal.
Hashirama was still worried about the ethics of allowing the souls of the dead to remain in the mortal world, and he wanted to say something to turn things around.
In the past, Tobirama had been outnumbered and could not win against him. But now, with Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha added to his side, even someone like Hashirama had no choice but to give in for the moment and take things one step at a time.
In his heart, he quietly wondered whether he should make some kind of scroll to ban the ninjutsu Tobirama might develop in the future.
And what should he name that scroll... Block?