Konoha: Resurrected by Orochimaru at the start

"I have no idea."

Madara Uchiha shrugged: "What you asked is also the question I want to know."

Tobirama frowned: "Didn't he die within the Uchiha clan's territory?" Because of their previous animosity, the Uchiha clan had only publicly stated that Uchiha Gen died due to the outbreak of a hidden injury he had sustained.

Of course, if Tobirama hadn't personally examined Gen Uchiha every few days, he almost would have believed it.

Madara Uchiha smirked, clearly displeased with Tobirama's attitude, and said sarcastically, "You're asking me? Who am I supposed to ask? I can only tell you this: his death was very suspicious. I didn't find any signs of fighting around the body, nor did I hear the slightest sound. Furthermore, most of Uchiha Gen's skin has disappeared..."

Tobirama's eyes flickered slightly: "His skin disappeared—then how did you recognize him immediately?"

Ban frowned, somewhat puzzled: "Why do you think I recognized him immediately?"

"..."

Tobirama pondered, "Perhaps it's true that Uchiha Gen disappeared, but he probably didn't disappear within the clan's territory. If that's the case, then that corpse is most likely not his; it was switched."

"impossible!"

"Um?"

Realizing he had let something slip, Madara's face darkened. He then gave up, letting out a heavy sigh through his nose, and began to force himself to recall the events that had occurred: "He..."

"He was still alive at the time..."

"..."

Tobirama processed the news in a second and calmly asked, "Did Uchiha Gen reveal who the murderer is?"

Madara Uchiha pondered, "Yes... no, maybe he was under a genjutsu, or something else, maybe even poisoned. He seemed to be talking to himself at the time..."

"He said he killed himself..."

Tobirama rubbed his forehead, took a pen from his pocket, and began to write something in his notebook: "To be honest, I feel like my mind has been severely polluted these past few days, and it has nothing to do with those negative emotions."

Madara Uchiha remained silent for the time being, because he didn't know much, but even the scattered pieces of information he had gathered were already quite a headache.

Now that things had come to this, Tobirama felt a pang of regret, regretting why he had agreed to Uchiha Gen's plan in the first place, although—given the circumstances at the time, it seemed that there wouldn't have been much difference between agreeing and not agreeing.

Madara Uchiha: "Tell me, what do you know?"

"I'll stick to what I said before, I don't want to repeat myself, let's talk about it again after I find my older brother."

"You...!" What does it mean to turn your back on someone after you've already done your work? Uchiha Madara instantly felt utterly humiliated.

Catching a glimpse of a pebble at his feet, Madara, as if venting his anger, suddenly kicked it away forcefully: "So, what do you plan to do about Hashirama's matter...?"

With a sound like an explosion of air, the stone flew close to the ground without landing, until it passed through all the obstacles!

Tobirama glanced at him and understood what he meant: "What did you eat?"

"Dried meat".

"Where did it come from?"

"Heh..." Madara Uchiha sneered, without giving a reply.

……

On the other side—

Hashirama pounded his temples, feeling like he needed to find someone, but who was that person?

Unable to recall the information immediately, Hashirama grew increasingly frustrated, which gradually affected his original mood.

Realizing this, Hashirama forced himself to stop thinking, and gradually the feeling faded. He subconsciously walked along the street in front of him, and suddenly saw a dark shadow standing upright in the distance.

anyone?

Hashirama's eyes lit up. Considering his current situation, he made up his mind to ask that person who he should look for.

"Excuse me, have you seen—do you know—where is this place?" Hashirama's words were slightly halted, and the words that had just slipped out seemed to be corrected at the end.

The person in front of him paused, seemingly realizing what was happening, and said, "Um... this is Fire Village..."

"Are you new here?" His words were interrupted as a villager who had walked over seemed wary of Hashirama.

Finally, someone answered his question, and Hashirama was moved for a moment, even though he had forgotten what he had asked before and why he said "finally".

"Yes, I... Huh? What was I originally planning to do...?" Hashirama stopped nodding, his eyes gradually losing focus.

"Weren't you planning to stay the night?" a villager who came out from behind suddenly asked.

"Seeking lodging? No, no, it seems like... seeking lodging? Am I looking for lodging...?" Hashirama muttered to himself.

"It's getting late. If you don't want to stay the night, what do you want to do?" the villager asked Hashirama suddenly emphasized.

Hashirama seemed to suddenly realize something: "Oh right, I was looking for a place to stay."

"Since it's getting late, let's hurry back."

"Wait, my foot is injured. Since you're staying at my house, you have to carry me back." The villager who arrived later said in a bossy tone, his voice full of arrogance.

Hearing this tone, Hashirama's expression visibly tightened, but he seemed to feel that it wasn't right for him to stay at someone else's house for free, so he didn't say anything more. At least this way, he had returned the favor.

Seeing that Hashirama nodded but showed no intention of coming over, Tobirama limped ahead, making a gesture with his hands behind his back.

The reason Tobirama used such a disapproving tone from Hashirama was to force him to make a direct choice between carrying or not carrying. Conversely, if he had used a pleading tone, letting Hashirama slowly think about how to carry him, how serious his leg injury was, and other such trivial matters, no one knew if Hashirama would suddenly change his mind the next second.

Just as Tobirama successfully reached Hashirama's side, a giant blue hand burning with flames suddenly shot out from the ground and grabbed Hashirama. In the instant Hashirama's eyes became empty, the notebook in Tobirama's hand had already slammed firmly onto his head!

The whole process was incredibly smooth, as if it had been pre-arranged by both parties.

however……

Tobirama frowned: "Who asked for your help? Didn't I say that as long as I approached like an ordinary person without using chakra, I could just knock it down?"

"Ha, are you sure your guess is accurate?"

Madara Uchiha said coldly. Of course he saw Tobirama's last gesture, but he felt it wasn't safe, so he still took action.

Tobirama closed his eyes slightly, not wanting to argue with Madara Uchiha any longer. Neither of them used transformation jutsu; they simply changed their clothes. Coincidentally, just as they finished changing, Hashirama approached them.

As it turns out, Hashirama's cognitive abilities were indeed severely flawed. Since there was no prior agreement, the situation just now was entirely due to the improvisation of both parties.

Madara glanced at Hashirama lying on the ground: "Where do we go after Hashirama wakes up?"

"Go directly to the deepest part of the illusion created by Gen Uchiha, find the real original body, and kill the others."

"What if we kill the wrong person?"

Tobirama suddenly said with certainty, "I won't kill the wrong person."