Uchiha: Starting as Tobirama's Jinchuriki

It's a gesture from those in power to purge disloyal subordinates!

This was the look in Tobirama Senju's eyes when the Uchiha clan defied him!

When Hiruzen Sarutobi had just become Hokage and hadn't yet consolidated his power, some senior Jonin would contradict or question him on certain decisions...

Hiruzen Sarutobi would learn from Tobirama Senju's memory and use the "death gaze of a Hokage" to drive away those unruly ninjas.

But the Third Hokage never expected this...

That gaze, which had been directed at Tobirama-sensei, was now being cast upon me!

This means…

Tobirama-sensei considered him an enemy?!

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a tremor in his heart, but he had to admit it...

He did indeed have ideas different from Tobirama Senju.

"I finally understand why Hashirama and Lady Mito kept such a close eye on my teacher's ninjutsu development..."

"Our teacher is really something else! He managed to pull off this possession technique right under Lady Mito's nose..."

"If no one were to supervise the teacher, I wouldn't even dare to imagine what terrifying techniques he might create... perhaps something capable of destroying the ninja world?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi vented his emotions internally, but instead of immediately answering Aoshui's question about the coat, he stared at Aoshui with a rather serious expression...

Or perhaps it's Naruto, or Tobirama Senju in his mind...

Became thoughtful.

After a moment, Hiruzen Sarutobi exhaled deeply and said solemnly, "Sensei... I admit that I concealed Naruto's identity as the Fourth Hokage's son because I had doubts about Naruto's ability to serve as the Nine-Tails' Jinchuriki..."

"He's still too young... If it's revealed that Naruto is the son and Jinchuriki of the Fourth Hokage, and he loses control again... then it will deal a heavy blow to the confidence of the entire Hidden Leaf Village!"

"Even the Fourth Hokage's desperate sealing technique couldn't suppress the Nine-Tails. The Fourth Hokage and his son, working together, were no match for the Nine-Tails..." Hiruzen Sarutobi imagined what would happen to public opinion and the situation if Naruto revealed his identity but went berserk.

Qingshui chuckled, clasped his hands together, and carefully examined Hiruzen Sarutobi.

The meaning is obvious—is it meaningful to portray yourself as so glamorous?

Upon seeing Qing Shui's gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi's expression stiffened.

They always use so many fancy phrases about the Will of Fire, it's gotten a bit much...

I haven't quite gotten used to this long-awaited candid exchange between master and student, especially since they're both Hokage...

"I admit, teacher... I owe Naruto something."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's heart sank, and he uttered words that were very unbecoming of his Hokage status: "I withheld the treatment that Naruto received as the orphan of the Fourth Hokage, treating him merely as an ordinary Jinchuriki, and testing his suitability as a vessel with harsh conditions."

"On one hand, I'm not capable enough, and I'm worried about the Nine-Tails' rampage and the village's public opinion... On the other hand, in governing the village, I also need to cultivate a Jinchūriki who fully supports me..."

"The Uchiha clan, Danzo, all the other ninja clans... I can't handle everything perfectly like you, teacher, relying solely on my own strength and skills. I haven't even properly trained my three students. Even though I'm an old man now, I don't know who to choose as the next Hokage..."

Orochimaru, obsessed with forbidden techniques, defected from Konoha; Tsunade, heartbroken, no longer wanted to be a ninja; Jiraiya, captivated by the prophecy of Mount Myōboku, wandered the land, his mind unfocused on the village…

Hiruzen Sarutobi launched into a profound self-criticism, as if he were apologizing to his teacher.

But then she changed the subject—"But..."

“Teacher, I have never forgotten that Naruto is the son of the Fourth Hokage… I am raising him to be the future Hokage! Although he is a bit mischievous and naughty, he is actually a good boy…”

“Even in a repressive upbringing, Naruto never had any extreme thoughts. I can understand his attention-grabbing pranks; Naruto just wanted to gain the attention and recognition of others.”

Hiruzen Sarutobi slowly raised his head, his gaze meeting Tobirama Senju's with unwavering resolve: "Sensei, I know your forbidden technique was for the good of the village, but you really shouldn't have possessed Naruto, this innocent child whom Konoha owes a debt to!"

"If you need another body, I will use all the resources of Konoha to find a suitable model for him..."

"You may not know this, but the village has made progress in its research on Hashirama's cells. Although we can't mass-produce Wood Release, I believe that under your leadership, creating a body with abundant chakra is absolutely no problem!"

Qingshui narrowed his eyes slightly as he sized up Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Under Aozumi's oppressive gaze, Hiruzen Sarutobi forced himself to suppress his inner turmoil and met the eyes of Tobirama Senju, whom he admired, with a hint of fear yet unwavering determination.

He, Hiruzen Sarutobi, although he had many bad things to do with Naruto... he never thought of taking Naruto's life!

These words.

Hiruzen Sarutobi was subtly conveying to Tobirama Senju that although he was his student, he did not support his teacher taking over Naruto's body...

Naruto stared thoughtfully at Hiruzen Sarutobi, sighed, and murmured, "Third Hokage..."

Meanwhile, Kurama snorted coldly and slapped Naruto on the head with its claw: "Kid, what are you thinking? Do you think this old man is actually a decent person, at least he's considered your feelings?"

Naruto nodded in surprise: "Kurama, how did you know?"

"Kid, don't be fooled! Compared to pure malice, the actions of someone like the Third Hokage, who uses the guise of 'for your own good' to forcibly dictate your life, are far more terrifying..."

"This is a cruel form of murder, killing your chance to grow freely, molding your personality into what he wants..."

Kurama pointed to the dim Ashura chakra curled up in a ball and said in a deep voice, "Have you forgotten it?"

"This chakra, while granting you some power... is slowly influencing your thinking, dulling your sensitivity to negative emotions, and causing you to abnormally pursue so-called mutual understanding..."

“If this continues, Naruto, do you think you are you, or a second version of it created by this chakra?” Kurama said to Naruto earnestly.

And when he said these words to Naruto.

A new understanding was also subtly emerging in the Nine-Tails' heart.

Not only was Naruto led by Ashura's chakra, but wasn't this split form of the Ten-Tails also destined by the Sage of Six Paths? — Just a beast waiting for the prophesied child to call out its true name.

“You’re right, Kurama…”

Naruto let out a long breath, the hint of emotion in his eyes disappearing as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi, and slowly said, "Only Qing Shui is truly good to us... He never assigns us missions and even specifically told us not to consider him..."

Nine-Tailed Fox snorted coldly and said disdainfully, "Do you need to tell me this? What an idiot!"

Qing Shui listened to the conversation between Kurama and Naruto with a smile, remaining silent...

This comparison is actually unfair.

He is different from Hiruzen Sarutobi and the Sage of Six Paths... Aoshi doesn't need to make any plans for Konoha or the ninja world. He only needs to give his power to Naruto and Kurama, and while constantly improving his own power, he can turn his original destiny upside down!

But what if it's unfair?

Let alone another dimension, even in the dimension where Qing Shui is located, before obtaining enough power to protect oneself... if one could obtain the power but chooses not to use it out of so-called compassion and pity, that would be the greatest cruelty to oneself and this planet!

"Monkey, I'm so glad you have the Will of Fire in your heart..." Qing Shui smiled with genuine satisfaction as he looked at Hiruzen Sarutobi's serious expression.

He was very familiar with this scene.

In the timeline where Aozumi exists, Hiruzen Sarutobi, unable to accept that Aozumi has been possessed by Tobirama Senju, erupted in a fit of inner turmoil. During their first meeting, he betrayed Aozumi and even used the Reaper Death Seal Technique in an attempt to take his teacher down with him...

Although compared to Aokiji, Hiruzen Sarutobi from the other dimension clearly didn't have such deep feelings for Naruto that he was willing to fight to the death... it was still quite commendable that he openly expressed his opposition to Tobirama Senju.

As the Third Hokage, Hiruzen Sarutobi still had a strange bottom line.

Hiruzen Sarutobi felt a flicker of joy upon hearing Aomine's praise, but it quickly turned cold again—"But your Will of Fire is so limited, I don't like it..."

"I'm asking you, monkey."

"If killing a Konoha ninja whose heart is filled with the Will of Fire could bring lasting peace to the entire village, would you do it?"

Qingshui mimicked Tobirama Senju's tone, naturally adding a touch of the demonic aura unique to the Uchiha clan: "What are you hesitating for, monkey... Let me tell you, as the Second Hokage, I will kill him without hesitation!"

"Even if what I did was definitely wrong, violated the Will of Fire, and I personally did something wrong..."

"But for the whole village, it's the right thing to do!"

"Take Naruto for example... He was an innocent child, a true member of the Hokage lineage. I possessed him; it was I, Tobirama Senju, who wronged him... But after that, with Naruto's body combined with my research abilities, and the Nine-Tails within him..."

Qingshui slowly said, "I will gather all the bloodline limits in the ninja world, surpass my elder brother, Uchiha Madara, and become the strongest ninja in the entire history of the ninja world, or rather, the perfect being!"

"Peace will naturally come before my overwhelming power... Do you understand, monkey? Furthermore, I will gain immortality and eternally protect the peace I have created, completely ending any possibility of turmoil!"

"So, sacrificing Naruto, but preventing every war that kills tens of thousands from happening again... do you think it's worth it? A raging fire always needs kindling..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded subconsciously.

How could it not be worth it?

You know, let alone so-called lasting peace...

Hiruzen Sarutobi sacrificed Hizashi Hyuga in exchange for a brief peace treaty... If it were truly possible to exchange one person for true, lasting peace, as Tobirama Senju said...

As someone in a position of authority, what is unacceptable?

just.

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but have some doubts... Was his teacher really reborn for the sake of peace?

The hint of madness unconsciously emanating from his tone made Hiruzen Sarutobi involuntarily think of the Uchiha clan and his disciple Orochimaru.

Orochimaru, in the past, sought to exhaust all ninjutsu in the ninja world and obtain the method of immortality, thus embarking on an irreversible path of demonic cultivation.

Hiruzen Sarutobi suddenly awoke with a start.

It's like a generational inheritance... Orochimaru and Tobirama Senju, this grand-disciple and grandmaster pair, are so alike!

They are all obsessed with scientific research and forbidden arts, with wildly imaginative and daring ideas...

just.

Orochimaru's talent was far inferior to Tobirama Senju's, but even so, he still turned to the dark path when no one was there to restrain him...

And what about Tobirama Senju?

In a ninja world without Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't fathom why his teacher had been resurrected...

Is it really for the Will of Fire and peace?

Or was it to escape the two beings who could monitor him and go to a timeline where Tobirama Senju could do whatever he wanted?

The word "immortality" always gave Hiruzen Sarutobi a strange, sinister feeling!

Something is wrong, nine out of ten is wrong!

"Monkey, don't bother me these days... and don't interfere in matters concerning the Uchiha clan..."

A delicate wisp of Nine-Tails chakra coiled around Naruto's fingers, twisting and turning with incredible skill: "Uchiha, I have my own plans... As for the Nine-Tails, I've already gained a basic grasp of this fox's power..."

"What, you don't trust your teacher, or do you want to test the abilities of a perfect Jinchūriki?"

A forced smile, completely out of character for his age, appeared on Naruto's fair and delicate face: "If you want to make a move, then do it now."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat.