"I will now release Lord Shigen from the Edo Tensei."
Tobirama Senju's fingers slowly began to form hand seals as he spoke in a solemn voice. "Before I die, I must finish this."
"What exactly happened?"
Shigen placed a hand on Tobirama's arm, stopping his movements. "You seem to be injured."
As he spoke, Shigen even took the initiative to heal Tobirama's wounds, then asked with a hint of surprise, "I was just discussing with Madara about overseeing the withdrawal of the other villages' troops. Weren't you supposed to be negotiating an alliance with Kumogakure?"
"…"
Tobirama's expression darkened.
Although he had always been displeased with Shigen's interactions with Madara, he didn't have the time to dwell on it now. He quickly summarized what had happened in Kumogakure.
A coup had taken place during the alliance ceremony.
The Kinkaku and Ginkaku brothers had led a squad to attack both him and the Second Raikage.
Now, those two brothers were leading a force of Kumogakure traitors in pursuit of him…
Just as Tobirama finished explaining, the forest was suddenly filled with the presence of multiple chakra signatures. The pursuers from Kumogakure had arrived!
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
Two figures streaked through the forest, moving at incredible speed!
One had a head full of golden hair, while the other had flowing silver hair. Both had tall, muscular builds, with dark horns protruding from their foreheads. Their bodies were riddled with wounds from explosions, but those injuries were healing at a slow but steady pace…
It was none other than Kinkaku and Ginkaku!
With their arrival, more of their subordinates emerged from the trees one after another, swiftly surrounding both Shigen and Tobirama.
"Finally caught you…"
"The Second Hokage of Konoha, Tobirama Senju…"
"We've been watching you for quite some time now…"
"You're still using Lord Shigen, after all!"
Kinkaku's gaze landed on Shigen, and his smirk carried a hint of mockery. "If it weren't for your dishonorable treatment of this great man, the alliance between you and the Second Raikage wouldn't have caused so much resentment in our village. Without that, our coup wouldn't have gone so smoothly!"
"It went even smoother than expected!"
Ginkaku, too, looked pleased, though he wore a facade of false gratitude toward Tobirama. "Konoha is already reviled across the entire ninja world. Now, if we kill you here and take your corpse back, it will only make the people of our village even more satisfied!"
Yes.
This coup had gone far better than anticipated.
While the village's shinobi did not support their assassination of the Second Raikage, they had no objections to their attack on the Second Hokage.
The only issue was…
It would have been better if they hadn't acted during the alliance ceremony.
Originally, Kinkaku and Ginkaku had believed they would need sheer force to intimidate the village's shinobi into submission. But with the current situation, the village's shinobi neither approved nor condemned their actions. Some had even begun debating whether their coup was justified. That was already enough for the brothers to be satisfied.
As long as they killed the Second Hokage…
They could return in triumph, put on a righteous act, and seize power over Kumogakure.
It seemed…
Everything was proceeding smoothly.
After all, Tobirama Senju was waiting for them here in this forest, as if he had already given up on escaping.
As for those young Konoha shinobi…
They seemed to have fled ahead of time.
But…
That didn't matter.
To Kinkaku and Ginkaku, Tobirama was their only target. The others were insignificant. The only real complication was Shigen.
"Lord Shigen…"
"Though we used dishonorable means…"
"We have already gained the support of the majority."
"This Second Hokage has been exploiting you in this war, and his alliance with the Second Raikage caused much discontent in Kumogakure. We hope you won't interfere in this matter…"
"Can't you just let this go?"
Shigen frowned slightly, clearly displeased with their actions. "The other villages have already withdrawn their forces. The war is over. Why create unnecessary bloodshed?"
"The war will never end!"
Kinkaku's expression became fierce, his ambition apparent. "We know of your strength, Lord Shigen, but Kumogakure will never withdraw from this war!"
"Only through war…"
Ginkaku wholeheartedly agreed with his brother, speaking with conviction. "Only war can quickly consolidate Kumogakure's power!"
Only then…
Would Kumogakure no longer oppose their rule!
"I will deal with them first."
This time, Tobirama actively rejected the idea of relying on Shigen. Drawing his blade, he spoke coldly, "There is no need for Lord Shigen to waste his efforts dealing with these clowns who only want war. I'll handle them, then release Lord Shigen from the Edo Tensei."
"Second Hokage, have you given up resisting?"
Kinkaku grinned menacingly as he eyed Tobirama, who stood his ground. "With your strength, you are no match for us!"
"Seems like he's been humiliated to the point of breaking," Ginkaku added mockingly. He was proud of the results of their ambush and didn't take Tobirama's threat seriously at all.
But…
He had abandoned the idea of using Shigen!
To the brothers, this was great news. They no longer had to worry about Shigen's power becoming an obstacle!
Neither side…
Wanted Shigen to interfere in this battle!
"Two fools…"
Tobirama's patience had run out. The cursed seal on his arm surged with power, granting him overwhelming strength. His fingers slowly pointed forward.
"You really think victory is guaranteed?"
"At this moment…"
Kinkaku smirked coldly, his fingers tensing. "No matter what, you cannot be our match… Attack, Ginkaku!"
However…
They had underestimated him!
With his curse mark fully unleashed, Tobirama's power and speed surged to new heights. Even the quality and quantity of his chakra had drastically improved!
Six Flying Thunder God kunai were scattered across the battlefield!
Tobirama's form turned into a flash of light, weaving through the enemy ranks in an instant. Several shinobi were felled in mere moments, their blood staining the lush green forest…
"Those kunai—!"
"Beware of the kunai!"
"Watch out, Lord Ginkaku!"
A Kumogakure shinobi noticed one of the kunai and shouted a panicked warning to Ginkaku.
"Ginkaku!"
Kinkaku's face twisted in horror as he saw Tobirama appear beside his brother, his expression one of pure rage.
"What—?"
Ginkaku turned his head just in time to see Tobirama's blade slicing toward him!
"Flying Thunder God Slash!"
Tobirama's gaze was ice-cold. Just as he had once killed someone else's younger brother, today, he had once again slain another man's brother!
"Ginkaku!"
Kinkaku watched in shock as his brother fell.
"ROAR!"
A furious roar shattered his sanity!
A surge of immense chakra erupted!
Scarlet chakra cloaked Kinkaku's body, transforming him into a monstrous beast. Six crimson chakra tails flared behind him as he lunged at Tobirama!
It was the Nine-Tails Chakra Mode!
Having once devoured the flesh of the Nine-Tails, Kinkaku could tap into this monstrous power, though it would cause him to lose control!
But…
That no longer mattered!
With Ginkaku dead, Kinkaku had lost all reason. He no longer cared about the Six Paths' treasured tools—he only wanted to tear Tobirama apart!
However…
He would never get the chance.
Even the real Nine-Tails had struggled against Tobirama's curse mark-enhanced power. Against just a fraction of that beast's chakra, Kinkaku had no hope.
This battle ended swiftly.
Faster than any other.
Tobirama's body was covered in wounds from Kinkaku's final desperate counterattack. He slumped against the trunk of a large tree, his breath unsteady, but his expression carried a hint of relief.
Now…
There was still some time left.
Tobirama wanted to talk to Shigen.
Because once he died, there would never be another chance.
"Lord Shigen."
As Shigen approached, activating his medical ninjutsu, Tobirama spoke softly, "There's no need to heal me. Let me die here."
"All this time…"
"I must thank you for helping Konoha and saving so many lives."
"To be honest, it's a bit shameful to say, but in order to preserve medical resources on the front lines, I arranged for severely wounded soldiers to be sent to the rear… so they could be treated by you."
"I am a medical ninja."
Shigen shook his head, seemingly unconcerned with what he had done.
"But…"
"In the end, this has backfired."
Tobirama recalled the information he had received from Kumogakure about the public duel, then spoke about his final decision. "Now, because of this, Konoha's reputation has been completely tarnished. Perhaps this is the price for relying on power that was never ours to begin with… and so, a Hokage with a ruined name must die to put an end to it."
"Fortunately."
"The war is over."
"I no longer need to worry about the village."
As he said this, for the first time, Tobirama's expression showed genuine gratitude. "I must also thank you, Lord Shigen, for bringing peace to the ninja world."
"I only wanted to stop more people from dying."
Shigen shook his head. His voice was quiet, as if he were speaking to himself, but also as if he were questioning Tobirama. "This war has ended… but what about the next one?"
"That will be for the next generation to handle."
Tobirama shook his head. "When I decided to sacrifice myself here, I had already appointed Monkey as the Third Hokage of Konoha. I trust that he will protect the village… and I trust that he will, like my brother, safeguard peace in the ninja world."
"Now…"
"There is only one thing left to do."
"I must release the Edo Tensei binding Lord Shigen… so that your soul may return to the afterlife and find peace once more."
After finishing his words, Tobirama slowly clasped his hands together and carefully formed the necessary seals to release the Edo Tensei.
"I have disturbed your soul for far too long. I sincerely apologize…"
"It's alright."
"I once said that witnessing this era was an interesting experience in its own way."
Shigen's body gradually began to emit a soft glow. It seemed as if his soul was about to leave his physical form. His voice remained calm.
"Although, if I'm being honest… I have never been satisfied with this era."
"That is something I truly regret."
Tobirama let out a bitter laugh, lifting his head as if he wanted to say something more. But as he looked at Shigen, he suddenly noticed something.
"Lord Shigen?"
Tobirama's expression changed.
"Edo Tensei: Release."
Shigen calmly severed the Edo Tensei's binding, freeing himself from Tobirama's control. The release of the technique would no longer have any effect on him.
This was a loophole in the Edo Tensei.
As long as the resurrected individual became aware of this flaw and used it to sever their connection to the summoner, they could remain in this world indefinitely.
The glow surrounding Shigen's body faded. His usual compassionate expression had disappeared, replaced by an overwhelming sense of despair and emptiness.
"Why…?"
Tobirama could feel the connection between them breaking.
This could only mean one thing—
Shigen had freed himself from his grasp.
"Because I am not satisfied with this era."
Shigen shook his head, lowering his hands now that he had finished forming the seals.
"The ancient era…"
"I once believed in people like Hashirama, thinking they could bring true peace. But now, it's clear that this era is far too disappointing."
"Even if I have managed to temporarily stop this war, conflicts will continue to emerge. The struggles between shinobi will never truly end."
"But it doesn't matter…"
"This era is not beyond saving."
Shigen's soul, which had been tethered to the Edo Tensei body, now fully returned to its vessel. His gaze lifted slightly.
"If the people of this era are incapable of achieving peace… then I, a shinobi from the ancient era, will use other means to save this world."
"And as it happens, Madara has given me hope that true and eternal peace can be achieved."
"…"
Tobirama's eyes filled with terror.
Madara Uchiha!
Madara had joined forces with Shigen!
This was absurd!
Someone as dangerous as Madara could never possibly align with someone as kind as Shigen! But this wasn't a joke—
Because…
Shigen was far too easy to manipulate!
If Madara had used his dream of "eternal peace" to deceive Shigen, then there was no doubt that Shigen, with his kind heart, would have been swayed!
The threat that Hashirama had left unresolved—
Now, it was joining forces with an ancient shinobi. This could plunge the entire ninja world into even greater turmoil! Perhaps it would even allow Madara to acquire the unfathomable powers of the ancient era!
Although Tobirama did not know Madara's full plan, he was certain of one thing—Madara was dangerous. There was no way he would use honorable methods. It was likely that Madara had never truly cared about peace at all and was merely using it as a lie to exploit Shigen and seize the power of the ancient era!
After all…
Even Tobirama had once coveted Shigen's power.
"Lord Shigen! Madara is using you!"
Tobirama desperately tried to warn the ancient shinobi. "He doesn't care about peace! He only wants to take your power for himself!"
"Tobirama."
Shigen's eyes—those of a resurrected soul, lifeless and dull—now carried an unmistakable trace of mockery.
"Aren't you the one who's been using me all along?"
"!!!"
Tobirama's heart clenched.
Shigen's accusation—he couldn't refute it!
He could justify his actions to his subordinates with the excuse of "doing it for Konoha," but he had no way to deny this in front of Shigen. It was an undeniable truth.
He had been using Shigen all along…
And now, this truth might have been exactly what Madara had used to convince him.
"Not just you. Hiruzen. Danzo…"
"You all received the power of the cursed seal from me."
Shigen's gaze shifted toward the lifeless bodies of the Kumogakure shinobi.
"You all promised me… that you would never use that power for war."
"And yet, in the end, you still used it to kill others."
"…"
Tobirama had no response.
Because during this war, both Hiruzen and Danzo had stood out, making great use of the cursed seal's power—so much so that they had been more formidable than even some shinobi from the Warring States period.
"I saved many people in Konoha…"
"And then you sent them right back onto the battlefield."
"You used me for everything you wanted. So how do you have the right to accuse Madara?"
"At least Madara was willing to help me end this war. He wasn't doing it for the sake of a single village's interests."
"But…"
Tobirama struggled to argue back.
No matter how he tried, he couldn't find a reason.
Because while he had been trying to form an alliance with Kumogakure to fight the other villages…
Madara had actually been working with Shigen to end the war.
Under the watchful eyes of the entire ninja world—
Madara had presided over the public duel that decided the fate of the war.
There were even rumors that Madara had originally planned to attack all the villages himself, forcing them to retreat. It had been Shigen, unwilling to see more deaths, who had stepped in instead.
Now…
The only argument left—
Was Madara's character.
"Madara is inherently evil…"
Tobirama gritted his teeth, about to recount Madara's past actions. "That man was willing to—"
"Tobirama."
Shigen interrupted him, his voice calm as ever.
"If we go by Madara's reasoning… then tell me—
"You, who disturbed the peace of the dead with Edo Tensei…
"You, who forced the dead to fight in war…
"How are you any different from Madara?"
"…"
Tobirama fell completely silent.
Tobirama could no longer say a word.
That single question—
No matter how eloquent or sharp his reasoning usually was, he had no way to refute it.
Because the truth was laid bare before him.
This was the very reason the entire ninja world had condemned him.
How could he justify it now?
Could he say it was for Konoha?
That was meaningless.
Could he say it was for his brother?
That might have been true at the beginning.
Because back then, his brother's life had been directly tied to the peace of the ninja world.
But after that?
Afterwards, everything had changed.
No…
The truth was, nothing had changed at all.
From the moment he witnessed Shigen's power, he had coveted it.
He had sought to extract as much benefit from this ancient shinobi as possible.
"Goodbye."
Shigen had nothing more to say to Tobirama.
He turned and began to walk away.
"If you wish to sacrifice your life, then die here. I will not save those who have chosen to end their own lives."
"…"
Tobirama remained seated against the tree.
As Shigen turned his back to leave, Tobirama's body suddenly tensed.
In an instant, he leaped forward—
His hands rapidly forming the seals for a sealing jutsu!
"Forgive me…"
"Lord Shigen…"
"I cannot allow Madara to gain your power…"
The Second Hokage of Konoha could no longer afford to think things through.
He knew his body wouldn't last long enough for him to return to the village.
There was only one option left—
To seal Shigen away!
Madara was already dangerous enough.
If he gained Shigen's aid, then the consequences…
Were simply unimaginable!
Thankfully—
Madara had lost sight in one of his eyes.
That man, once arrogant enough to look down on all shinobi, had suffered a major blow. Though still formidable, his visual prowess had been greatly diminished, and his Susanoo would never be as powerful as before.
And only Shigen—
The legendary medical ninja—
Had the ability to heal Madara's blind eye.
Perhaps this was the true reason Madara had remained close to Shigen all this time.
If he could seal Shigen here, then Madara's eye would never be restored.
And the threat he posed to the ninja world would be minimized.
Boom!
Just as Tobirama closed the distance—
Only a single step remained between him and Shigen.
But then—
The world went silent.
The sound of rushing wind from his high-speed movement vanished.
Tobirama's body froze just inches away from Shigen.
Dark markings spread across his skin, flowing like ink—
Slowly, they wrapped around him, locking his body in place.
This was the same cursed seal that Shigen had once gifted him.
And now—
It had activated, completely paralyzing him.
This seal…
Tobirama was too weak to break free from it now.
This seal…
Had always possessed the ability to control his body.
Tobirama's gaze flickered as he stared at his unmoving limbs.
Helpless, he could only watch as Shigen slowly turned back toward him.
Standing face to face, their eyes met.
Shigen's expression remained as calm as ever.
Then—
He asked,
"Tobirama, are you trying to use my power… to attack me?"