I, who just wanted to be lazy, was forced to become the Hokage.

Chapter 179 S-Rank Secret Scroll Reward! The Endless Vortex Absorbing the Myriad Manifestations Technique! (Third update, 10,000 words, seeking monthly votes)

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Hiruzen Sarutobi finally got down to business.

"Mirror, this is the scroll data on the Impure World Reincarnation Technique researched by the Second Hokage."

Hiruzen Sarutobi took a file out of his pocket and handed it to Kagami Uchiha.

"I don't know if Madara Uchiha has improved the Impure World Reincarnation Technique over the years. Please read this scroll first, and then see if you can remove your current Impure World Reincarnation state."

"Yes."

Uchiha Kagami took the scroll containing the formula for the "Impure World Reincarnation Technique" and, by the faint moonlight, immediately began to read it.

After dealing with the "living people," Hiruzen Sarutobi turned his attention to the "dead/half-dead."

"Uchiha Madara..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi temporarily skipped over the unconscious Five-Tails Jinchuriki and focused his gaze on the corpse of the old man who looked frail and aged.

"I never expected him to be like this now."

Minato Namikaze stepped forward and told Hiruzen Sarutobi all the details and information Madara Uchiha had revealed during the mission. He also told him that they had gouged out Madara Uchiha's left eye and given it to Shisui Uchiha.

"Kyo's Kagami's Kaleidoscope Sharingan, huh...?"

Hiruzen Sarutobi nodded slightly.

As the Third Hokage, he was intimately familiar with the many abilities of the Uchiha clan.

It's not just the "Mangekyou Sharingan." In the secret scrolls of the Naruto series left by the First and Second Hokage, there are even higher-level eyes—eyes unique to Madara Uchiha that can't go blind...

"Speaking of this matter, there's Shuimen, and Langui."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows furrowed slightly, as if he had thought of something.

"When you met Madara Uchiha, did he only have one left eye?"

Minato Namikaze nodded and said, "Yes."

"Could it be that Madara Uchiha completely blinded his special Mangekyou Sharingan during his battle with the First Hokage at the Valley of the End?"

The complete asymmetry of intelligence information prevented Hiruzen Sarutobi from making accurate judgments, and he could only speculate based on past experience.

"To compensate for the loss of both eyes, Madara Uchiha took Kagami's left eye... but this still doesn't make sense. Kagami's death and disappearance were still a long time away from the battle at the Valley of the End."

However, being in the Kikyo Mountains with Madara Uchiha's body lying on the ground, Hiruzen Sarutobi was unable to make any deeper deductions.

He stepped forward and began to silently examine Madara Uchiha's body. He found that it was indeed the body of an old man who was so old that he was almost decaying, and he couldn't help but breathe a slight sigh of relief.

"I'm sorry, Minato and Lan Gui, please excuse my poor appearance."

After examining Madara Uchiha's body, Hiruzen Sarutobi then spoke to Minato Namikaze and Ranka Nara.

"I also thought that Madara Uchiha was dead, but in the last two days, while searching through the files left behind by the Second Hokage, I discovered that after the battle at the Valley of the End, the Second Hokage had studied Madara Uchiha's body for a long time."

"But one day, Madara Uchiha's body suddenly disappeared, and even the Second Hokage didn't know what happened."

"Now it seems that Madara Uchiha may have used some special means to escape the perception of the First and Second Hokage."

"This time... I'm worried there might be some special methods involved."

For ninjas, Madara Uchiha's corpse was indeed a huge treasure.

The Second Hokage, Tobirama Senju, was able to develop a forbidden technique like the "Impure World Reincarnation," which is utterly dehumanizing.

It is only natural that Madara Uchiha's corpse would be studied.

Although Minato Namikaze was kind-hearted, he did not have any objections to this.

It was commonplace for ninjas to study and extract information from corpses.

As long as you don't lay a hand on living people, or even your own fellow villagers...

Then Minato Namikaze wouldn't have any objections.

Compared to Minato Namikaze and Hiruzen Sarutobi.

Nara Rinka knew more about this matter.

He knew that Madara Uchiha's "death" at the Valley of the End was just a fake death, just like this one.

However, the last time Madara Uchiha used "Izanagi" which was created using his own right eye.

This time, Madara Uchiha even abandoned the Mangekyou Sharingan that he later transplanted from Kagami Uchiha...

"Could it be that Madara Uchiha possesses other Sharingan reserves? Was his method of escaping death this time the same as always—the Izanagi technique?"

A few scattered thoughts flashed through Nara Rinka's mind.

Say something.

He was quite interested in the Uchiha clan's special forbidden techniques—Izanagi and Izanami.

In the ninja world, the origins of most ninjutsu can be traced back to their source.

However, some ninjutsu... fall entirely into the category of deus ex machina!

This kind of mechanical deus ex machina ninjutsu is comparable to a cheat code...

It would be strange if Nara didn't feel curious about the cassia tree.

After all, strictly speaking, Nara Rinka is also a ninja who is skilled in Yin Release.

After explaining to Minato Namikaze and Rinkazu Nara, Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but sigh slightly.

Deep down, he desperately hoped that the corpse of Uchiha Madara that he found this time was the real corpse.

But it's better to be safe than sorry.

What if this is another of Madara Uchiha's underhanded tricks...?

Even the First and Second Hokage couldn't recognize this technique, so Hiruzen Sarutobi didn't think he could either.

Although some may call him the "strongest Hokage of all time," Hiruzen Sarutobi was well aware of his true level of skill.

Not to mention Hashirama Senju, who single-handedly quelled the chaos of the world.

If Hiruzen Sarutobi's abilities and qualities are comparable to Tobirama Senju's.

He wouldn't go so far as to create another "Root" within the Dark Guard and call it a "Dark Guard Training Institution."

Actively divide your own power so that others can bear the darkness of the Hokage.

This is simply a manifestation of insufficient ability!

Fortunately, the village still has outstanding talents like Shuimen and Langui.

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at the two young men beside him and silently formed hand seals.

Even if Madara Uchiha fakes his death again... then we can just kill him one more time!

The thought flashed through his mind, and Hiruzen Sarutobi had already finished his hand seals.

"Fire Release: Great Flame Technique!"

Aiming at Madara Uchiha's corpse, Hiruzen Sarutobi unleashed a ball of extremely fierce flames, instantly striking the former.

Amidst the blazing flames, Madara Uchiha's shriveled corpse rapidly turned to ashes.

A lesson from the past, a teacher of the future.

With Tobirama Senju as an example, Hiruzen Sarutobi had no intention of leaving Madara Uchiha's body behind for research, so he simply burned his corpse completely.

Hiruzen Sarutobi, Minato Namikaze, and Rinko Nara watched silently as Madara Uchiha's body burned to ashes and disappeared into the night, as if they were giving this former legend of the ninja world a silent, fiery funeral.

He gazed at Madara Uchiha engulfed in flames.

Nara Ranka silently opened the S-rank [Ninja Scroll] he had just obtained.

"Unlocking the [Ninja Scroll] during the cremation ceremony of the founder of Konoha, I really wonder what it will contain..."

"This is Madara Uchiha's [Ninja Scroll]! Although it's not Madara Uchiha in his prime, it's still S-rank quality!"

"Reading is always beneficial!"

[Opening...]

[This S-rank ninja scroll includes: Techniques]

[S-Rank Sealing Technique: Sealing Technique Absorption]

[Spell Description: An endless vortex that absorbs all phenomena!]

[Skill Effect: Reverses the body's chakra circulation, forming a powerful chakra barrier on the body's surface. It absorbs the chakra contained in any technique used against the enemy. The absorbed chakra dissipates within the body and transforms into the user's own power.]

[Jutsu Evaluation: What era are we living in? Still using traditional ninjutsu?]

"This is?"

Nara Rinka gazed at the S-rank sealing technique [Sealing Technique Absorption] on the virtual panel.

"If I understand correctly, this is probably a chakra absorption ability unique to successive generations of Rinnegan users?"

"This thing isn't some kind of bloodline limit ability, but just a simple sealing technique?"

"The Uzumaki clan, is this some kind of absurd thing?!"

As the flames gradually dissipated.

Uchiha Kagami also completed learning how to undo the Impure World Reincarnation Technique.

To avoid unnecessary trouble, Uchiha Kagami did not focus on the first half of the Impure World Reincarnation Technique, but instead concentrated on figuring out how to undo it.

Madara Uchiha's "Flame Funeral" has ended.

Uchiha Kagami stepped forward and handed the scroll of jutsu back to Hiruzen Sarutobi.

"My lord, I have completed my studies."

Nara and the other two turned their attention to this person.

Hiruzen Sarutobi tightened his grip on the scroll and said in a deep voice, "Then let's begin, Kagami."

Uchiha Kagami took a deep breath and slowly formed hand seals.

"戌! 午! 寅! — Explanation!"

Under the watchful eyes of the three, Uchiha Kagami completed the unsealing process of the Impure World Reincarnation Technique.

A faint glow emanated from his body, much like the scene when the Impure World Reincarnation Technique was dispelled last time.

But in the next moment.

The glow on Uchiha Kagami's body gradually faded, and he returned to his original state.

"I'm sorry, Kagami."

Hiruzen Sarutobi couldn't help but ask.

"How are you doing right now?"

"I can't describe the situation right now. If I had to say something..."

Uchiha Kagami raised his right hand and clenched his fist slightly.

"I feel like I've successfully broken free from some kind of control... I can return to the Pure Land anytime, anywhere, whenever I want."

Hiruzen Sarutobi frowned slightly. "Kagami, what do you mean?"

Uchiha Kagami remained silent for a moment before revealing his deepest concern: "I'm a little worried about Konoha, and about Shisui."

As an Uchiha who longs for Konoha.

I witnessed firsthand that Konoha was still mired in the quagmire of war.

How could Uchiha Kagami possibly abandon this responsibility?

Especially since he's already so powerful!

"It seems... I need to assign you a new identity."

Hiruzen Sarutobi's brows relaxed.

The situation in the Third Shinobi World War has now reversed.

Konoha has gone from being at a disadvantage to being at an advantage, especially when facing Iwagakure and Sunagakure.

But no matter what, having another fighter of Uchiha Kagami's caliber is definitely a good thing!

Especially since Uchiha Kagami is tireless and immortal... he's even more of a ninja than a ninja!

However, Uchiha Kagami's identity was too special to allow him to appear publicly in Konoha. The only places he could operate, besides the Anbu, were certain elite special teams...

Is it the Minato team? Or the Nara team?

Hiruzen Sarutobi glanced at Minato Namikaze and Rinkazu Nara, unable to make a decision for the time being.

"It's getting late, Shuimen, Langui, you two should go back first."

Hiruzen Sarutobi waved to Nara and the other man.

"The rest, Jing and I will handle."

Minato Namikaze nodded, and was about to disappear in a flash.

But just then, Nara Rinka's voice reached his ears.

"I apologize, Lord Third Generation."

Nara Rinka pointed to a White Zetsu he had personally captured, and Han, the Five-Tails Jinchuriki.

"I need to take my spoils with me, and that should be in accordance with the rules."

"Also, I don't know if Orochimaru has reported this to you."

"I am determined to get the Five-Tails."

A hint of displeasure flashed through Hiruzen Sarutobi's mind; he disliked the sharp attitude that Nara Rinka was displaying at this moment.

"Lan Gui, our Konoha was able to capture the Five-Tails not because of the power of any single ninja, but because of the combined efforts of everyone. Moreover, the Five-Tails has not yet been freed from the Jinchuriki's body..."

Hiruzen Sarutobi started speaking in official jargon.

"The village will hold a special meeting regarding the handling of the Five-Tails."

Third update.

It was two hours later than expected.

Sorry, sorry...

(End of this chapter)