Chapter 37 : Resurrection?
[Tsunade: ...., Second Grandpa, I'm the only one left.]
[ Senju Tobirama: Even Nawaki? ]
[Tsunade: He died at thirteen, so he didn't even make it to the Gold List.]
[ Senju Tobirama: Fine, good, very good! ]
Senju Tobirama's heart was growing more furious by each moment.
As a master of Forbidden Techniques, I contemplated creating a ninja school to gather civilian geniuses and nurture potential Hokage candidates.
Through a calculated scheme of sowing discord between the Uchiha and the village, and manipulating their emotions while holding the position of the ANBU Commander, only the true extent of Senju Tobirama's wisdom was known to Sarutobi Hiruzen and a few others.
Senju Tobirama could comprehend Sarutobi Hiruzen's efforts to suppress the rise of the Senju and the still formidable Uchiha, as well as to cultivate his own power. He understood the disparate treatment given to the Sarutobi clan.
Yet, in his contemplations, he had underestimated the ruthlessness of his own student.
Uzumaki, once the staunchest allies of the Senju, were eradicated—both the clan and the village annihilated—leaving Tsunade, the lone female descendant of the Senju bloodline.
What a cunning maneuver!
But his fury couldn't be contained, focusing on the Gold List.
What good would anger do?
Lambasting Sarutobi Hiruzen, could that bring back the Senju and Uzumaki clans?
No, indeed not. Such actions would only further tarnish Sarutobi Hiruzen's image as Hokage and cast a shadow over Konoha.
"Cloud and Mist Shinobi joined forces, with Iwagakure even taking a detour to assault the Land of Whirlpools and the Hidden Whirlpool Village. Sarutobi Hiruzen, along with Shimura Danzō, Utatane Koharu, and Mitokado Homura—these four had to manage with minimal shinobi forces at the end of the Great War. The delay in response was inevitable."
"By the time Konoha's aid reached them, both the Land of Whirlpools and the Hidden Whirlpool Village were already razed. Only Kushina and a fraction of the sealing knowledge were spared."
Uzumaki Mito perceived that Senju Tobirama had considered all angles, and she ceased her subterfuge.
Her words seemed to resonate with Senju Hashirama; they were both close to deciphering the truth.
"It appears we both misjudged someone," Senju Hashirama expressed, shaking his head in disappointment.
When Konoha was founded, the Sarutobi clan was supportive.
Sarutobi Sasuke, the clan head at that time, was formidable, boasting mastery over five Chakra Nature Transformations. He was also a close friend of Senju Hashirama.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Sasuke's disciple, was even more remarkable.
Senju Tobirama admired his talents, personally mentoring him with strictness. Senju Hashirama cherished their kinship and shared his wisdom, occasionally stepping in as a mentor.
Sarutobi Hiruzen, effectively, was a shared disciple of the Senju brothers.
As for Shimura Danzō, Uchiha Kagami, Mitokado Homura, and Utatane Koharu, they studied with Sarutobi Hiruzen at the ninja academy. Upon graduation, they were handed over to the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama, for ANBU training.
Later, Tobirama extended this privilege to his granddaughter, Senju Tsunade, appointing her as Sarutobi Hiruzen's apprentice.
What camaraderie.
The outcome, however, was starkly different.
"If I had the chance again, I would choose differently!" Senju Tobirama lamented.
Senju Hashirama patted his shoulder, assuming he referred to accepting Sarutobi Hiruzen as an apprentice.
Yet, in truth, Tobirama's regrets were more profound. He regretted his oversight in facing a multitude of Cloud Shinobi during a fierce skirmish and engaging the Golden and Silver Horns alone, vastly underestimating the Sage of Six Paths tools wielded by the two siblings.
Had he been more cautious and relied on the Flying Thunder God Technique, he might not have perished.
Had he simply prolonged his life—until Nawaki matured or Tsunade ascended to Kage-level power—what significance it could have held.
"Tobirama, there may still be an opportunity!"
Uzumaki Mito's words pierced the air, sudden and unexpected.
"Sister-in-law, what do you mean?" Tobirama inquired skeptically.
"Look at the Gold List!" Uzumaki Mito's voice resonated with excitement.
The Gold List?
Tobirama pondered.
In an instant, as if struck by lightning, his soul seemed to freeze.
It was all because the Uzumaki clan was listed as a reward option.
Option 1: Master the Adamantine Sealing Chains, Sealing Encyclopedia (Four Symbols Seal, Reaper Death Seal, Contract Seal, Tailed Beast Seal, Eight Trigrams Seal)
Option 2: Beginner's Resurrection Card (can revive any being deceased for less than three years, restoring them to their peak state)
The appearance of these two options initiated an eerie stillness across the ninja world, muffling voices in unison.
Even the Kages of the village stood transfixed.
Initially, they had planned to publicly denounce Sarutobi Hiruzen's actions, tarnishing his reputation and evoking the ire of the Senju clan. They aimed to dishearten the people about the Hokage and besmirch Konoha's name.
But their anticipation of Senju Tobirama's ire was met with restraint.
In that moment of admiration, they withheld their intentions, preparing instead to exploit a climate of hostility.
Yet, the Uzumaki clan's reward options quashed their plans.
The first option incited envy among countless, especially the higher echelons of Sunagakure, who burned with jealousy.
The Uzumaki clan, relatives by distant blood to the Senju, possessed a mastery of sealing techniques that had earned them notoriety in the ninja world. Uzumaki Ashina, the clan's founder, had established the Land of Whirlpools and the Hidden Whirlpool Village with their formidable sealing prowess, entering a pact of amity with Hokage Senju Hashirama.
In the ninja world's symbolism, Konoha embodied Senju, Hokage represented Uchiha, and the spiral emblem adorning Konoha's shinobi garb symbolized the Uzumaki clan.
Yet, after the fall of the Senju, the shinobi world recoiled from the Uzumaki clan's sealing arts, triggering invasions on the Land of Whirlpools. These conflicts led to the tragic obliteration of the land and village.
This spoke volumes about the potency of the Uzumaki's sealing art.
The most tangible illustration lay in Konoha's effective sealing of the Nine-Tails—a feat unattainable by Sand Shinobi in controlling Shukaku. This failure left their Jinchūriki perpetually restless and prone to rampages.
And now, Uzumaki held mastery over the very seals.
Yet, this paled before the revelations of the second option.
Resurrection!
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