166 Chapter 160: System

On the opposite end of the Village, a similar meeting was taking place, with it being between arguably the two figures in Konoha who hold the most political sway.

On one side of the desk was a man who stood in the prime of his life, with him unconsciously emitting an aura of strength and power, one that would make anyone near him feel confident and safe, as if there would be no danger if he was around.

His mastery over the elements stood near the pinnacle, with many going so far as to dub him as the Second Shinobi No Kami, or God of Shinobi. 

This was all due to the near absolute control he held over the five Elemental Chakra Natures, as well as his knowledge on many of Konoha's Ninjutsu.

He had even begun to study Yin, Yang, and Yin-Yang Releases, with his hope being to master them to boost his combat prowess even further.

That man was the Third Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen.

And on the other side of the desk, an elder man sat calmly with an analytical gaze, as if he could see through anything and everything as if it were glass.

In his prime, many considered him as the most powerful Water Release user in the world, and the front-runner for the title of the most intelligent in the Shinobi World. 

The amount of Ninjutsu that he created for the sole purpose of defeating opposing forces is astonishing.

And his infrastructural abilities that allowed him to become the main proponent in the successful establishment of the Village showcase his immense intelligence in a varying amount of fields.

And even in his old age, no one would dare to underestimate him, as it's unknown how dangerous this genius has become with more time to develop.

This man was the Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju.

For the first time since his return, Tobirama had requested a meeting with his student, causing the meeting between two Hokage.

"How can I help you today, Sensei?" Hiruzen asks, though the respect held in his tone is completely evident.

"I believe you already know why, but I'll humor you this once. I'm here to ask what do you plan on doing with the current situation that has arisen throughout the nation?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nothing." Hiruzen responded, staring at his teacher with a blank face that displayed no emotion.

"You do realize that I expect an adequate response, right?" Tobirama stared back at him, his face displaying the authority of being Hiruzen's teacher.

Hiruzen sighed as he began his response.

"Any actions we make could only lead towards worsening the situation. If we were to intervene, we could potentially worsen the conflict. It may cause the perception of the Land of Fire to change from a peaceful and kind land with the great Konoha as its protector to a dictatorship that sees us brutally and cruelly victimizing our citizens. And if we side with the civilians, we would become the enemies of the entire world as we would be going against the Daimyo system itself. My hands are fully tied in this situation." 

"Don't delude yourself monkey. You know as well as I do that this event isn't some randomly occurring event. Someone has fanned the hatred in the hearts of the civilians, and that is causing the Land of Fire to enter into an extremely delicate state." Tobirama said, a bit annoyed that Hiruzen was attempting to avoid the information that he undoubtedly possessed.

Hiruzen's face gained a small frown for a moment due to him not understanding how his teacher was capable of obtaining such information, though it quickly morphed back to normal.

"And I assume that you already know who is doing it, seeing that you haven't dispatched any shinobi to help discover the culprit. If you are the type of Hokage that I think you are, then I have no doubt that you would have quickly sent someone to investigate the source. But seeing that you have not, it means that you either are fully confident in a suspect or have already deduced it, coming to the same conclusion as I." Tobirama stared at Hiruzen, analyzing his body for any patterns or slight movements to give him his answer.

And it was the slight shiver in Hiruzen's shoulder that gave Tobirama the answer that he needed. 

While Hiruzen was a master at concealing his emotions and preventing them from becoming apparent, he was not on the level where he could fool someone with an analytical mind as powerful as Tobirama.

"I've dealt with the Daimyo before, Hiruzen. It was his suggestion that I travel to the Land of Lightning on the day that I went missing. And no matter how much people like to compare the two positions, the position of the Hokage is that of a General to a King. And I have no doubt that he was likely aware of the issues going on there. So, be prepared for the King to use the General as his sharpest weapon, no matter how we wrote the Constitution of the Village. Because unless we are fully willing to end our connection to the Land of Fire, you will have to follow orders, the same as I. And if he is behind this as I expect, then you will be forced to put him down, personal feelings aside."

"Is that what you have come here to remind me, Sensei? That I'm a cog in a machine that will never end, and never allow me to break free from it. Or that I'll be forced to kill my best friend from my own hand if the Daimyo finds out and orders it?" Hiruzen asked, his mask breaking and brightly showcasing his emotions fully.

"No. I'm here to remind you of your duty as the Hokage. And that ultimately, the choice to change or maintain the system will be up to you. For that is the burden you carry, as the Hokage of Konohogakure." Tobirama finished as he stood and headed to leave.

However, before leaving, he decided to add one final thing.

"Though I reminded you of the lives that will follow your decision, remember to also follow what your heart feels is correct, for only then will you be able to determine the proper answer."

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~Finals Week is next week so no chapters~