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Skip! The Chapter is repeated.
******
The voice of Hashirama echoed in the ears of the Daimyo of the Fire Nation.
At this moment, the Daimyo of the Fire Nation was stunned.
He stared blankly at the man before him, someone who should not have existed in this era.
"Are you... serious?"
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation's brow twitched violently. As the successor Daimyo, he was not the founding Daimyo and did not have the ambition to conquer the world. He preferred to maintain the current stability and remain a regional lord.
"Of course," Hashirama nodded.
"Well... First Hokage, I think the Fire Nation is not in a position to start a large-scale war right now. Additionally, the strength of other nations is relatively balanced—there are no particularly strong or weak countries. Unifying the world won't be easy!" The Daimyo of the Fire Nation remarked.
"You misunderstand. I'm not here to help the Fire Nation unify the world. I am here to establish a new country called the Senju Nation, and I intend to make the Senju Nation dominant!" Hashirama shook his head.
"That..."
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation immediately understood that he had misinterpreted the situation. The First Hokage was not seeking to help the Fire Nation dominate the world but rather to establish his own dominion.
That meant, in essence...
We are now enemies!
With this realization, the Daimyo's expression grew cautious, and his heart was filled with apprehension.
"There's no need to be anxious. I'm here to offer you a chance."
Hashirama smiled, leaving the Daimyo of the Fire Nation bewildered, with question marks popping up in his mind.
"What chance?"
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation followed up with Hashirama's words, fully aware of the man's power.
When this man was kind and reasonable, his strength was a significant guarantee. But if he were on the opposing side, it would be a disaster!
"My Senju Nation has not been officially established yet."
"Given that the Fire Nation supported me when I founded Konoha, I've decided to establish the Senju Nation based on the Fire Nation's current territory."
"If so..."
"You could become the governor of the regions that were once part of the Fire Nation."
"Consider it."
Hashirama looked at the Daimyo of the Fire Nation with a calm demeanor, thoroughly enjoying the situation. The pressure was now on the other side, allowing him to act with complete freedom.
"Well..."
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation was internally rejecting the offer.
He was a Daimyo with a stable position.
Now, he was being asked to become a regional governor under someone else.
What is a regional governor, anyway?
The Fire Nation was considered a major power in the ninja world. As a major nation's Daimyo, his authority was significant, and such a position was not easily relinquished.
Moreover...
This was not solely his decision to make.
The Fire Nation was a legacy handed down through generations.
It couldn't simply disappear like this!
"First Hokage, what if I refuse?"
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation asked tentatively. He felt that the idea of unifying the world was impractical. With the current balance of power among the nations, no one would easily move against another.
Even though large-scale conflicts like the Ninja World War might occur, no ninja nation would be severely crippled.
The fighting would reach a certain level and then halt.
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation found himself caught in a moment of disbelief.
The Daimyo stared at the man before him, someone who seemed out of place in this era.
"Are you... serious?"
The Daimyo's brow twitched sharply. As the successor Daimyo, he was not the founder but rather a leader who preferred to maintain stability and avoid grand ambitions of world domination.
"Of course," Hashirama confirmed with a nod.
"Well... First Hokage, I believe it's not the right time for the Fire Nation to start a large-scale war. Additionally, the strength of other nations is relatively balanced—none are particularly strong or weak. Unifying the world won't be easy!" the Daimyo remarked.
"You misunderstand. I'm not here to help the Fire Nation dominate the world. I am here to establish a new country called the Senju Nation, and I plan to make it the dominant force!" Hashirama clarified.
"That..."
The Daimyo quickly realized he had misunderstood. The First Hokage was not seeking to aid the Fire Nation but to establish his own realm.
This meant, essentially...
We are now enemies!
With this realization, the Daimyo's demeanor became wary, and his heart filled with caution.
"There's no need to be anxious. I'm here to offer you a chance."
Hashirama smiled, leaving the Daimyo bewildered, with question marks forming in his mind.
"What chance?"
The Daimyo knew well the man's strength.
When the man was kind and reasonable, his strength was a significant asset. But if he were an adversary, it would spell disaster!
"My Senju Nation has not yet been officially established."
"Considering that the Fire Nation supported me when I founded Konoha, I have decided to build the Senju Nation on the current territory of the Fire Nation."
"If you agree..."
"You could become the governor of the regions that were once part of the Fire Nation."
"Think it over."
Hashirama observed the Daimyo with a calm demeanor, relishing the situation. The pressure was now on the other side, allowing him to act with complete freedom.
"Well..."
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation internally rejected the offer.
He was a Daimyo with a stable position.
Now, he was being asked to become a regional governor under someone else.
What is a regional governor, anyway?
The Fire Nation was a major power in the ninja world. As a major nation's Daimyo, his authority was significant, and such a position was not easily relinquished.
Moreover...
This was not solely his decision to make.
The Fire Nation was a legacy handed down through generations.
It couldn't simply disappear like this!
"First Hokage, what if I refuse?"
The Daimyo asked tentatively, feeling that the idea of unifying the world was impractical. With the current balance of power among nations, no one would easily challenge another.
Even if large-scale conflicts like the Ninja World War occurred, no nation would be severely crippled.
The fighting would eventually reach a stalemate.
"Then, farewell. From now on, Konoha will be independent from the Fire Nation. When we meet next, we will be adversaries. Consider this meeting as a farewell gift from me. Next time, I'll take it back!"
Hashirama turned and walked toward the door, preparing to leave.
The Daimyo of the Fire Nation watched Hashirama's retreating figure in stunned silence. He had expected an attack but was surprised to see him simply leave.
It was unexpected.
The Daimyo found himself completely unable to understand this man.
As Hashirama reached the door, he suddenly stopped.
"Oh, by the way."
"If there are any unfinished tasks, complete them promptly."
"Enjoy yourself while you can."
"Treasure the present moment."
"Such days won't last long."
With that, Hashirama left.
---
Outside the Daimyo's residence, the crowd grew larger.
Whispers and murmurs filled the air.
Everyone was discussing the mysterious man in unusual attire.
Suddenly, the man in the orange-red armor appeared. He sauntered out from the Daimyo's residence.
In an instant, countless eyes were fixed on Hashirama.
Many had come quickly, eager to see the man who had audaciously entered the Daimyo's residence.
Hashirama stood at the entrance, casually scanning the crowd. Without saying a word, he formed a few hand seals, and with a flash, he vanished from sight.
---
In a certain forest.
In the air.
A large white bird circled above. Two people stood on its back. One was a blonde youth, peering through binoculars downward.
"Brother Scorpion, we've spotted the One-Tail Jinchuriki. There's only a Sand Ninja with him. Should we proceed?"
The speaking youth was Deidara.
The mission to capture the One-Tail had been delayed until now. Only after Hashirama's departure did they feel it was safe to proceed.
"Leave the Sand Ninja to me. You handle the One-Tail Jinchuriki. Act quickly to avoid any complications!" Scorpion's voice was devoid of emotion, sounding almost mechanical.
"Got it!"
Deidara's eyes lit up. He was eager to showcase his art.
(End of Chapter)