Chapter 266: Orochimaru Is Controlling Me
"What is it?"
Kushina looked at Senju Tobirama suspiciously.
She wondered whether the Second Hokage could really be so stingy as to go collect copyright fees.
Otherwise, what else could he possibly want?
The Second Hokage wasn't even close to Naruto.
It couldn't be that just because Naruto was also the reincarnation of Asura's chakra, he was going to acknowledge him as his big brother, right?
"I'm going to remind him to train harder and to subdue the Nine-Tails as soon as possible. At the rate he's going now, in his current state, how many years will it take before he makes any real progress?"
Senju Tobirama fixed his gaze on Uzumaki Naruto below.
The idea had only just occurred to him.
If Kushina hadn't wanted to come back to take a look at Naruto, if she hadn't steered the conversation in this direction, he wouldn't have thought of it for the time being.
"Huh? Why? Wouldn't that be forcing things and backfiring?"
Kushina hadn't expected the Second Hokage to be so direct, going straight to telling Naruto to subdue the Nine-Tails.
Was he planning to have both mother and son tackle the Nine-Tails at the same time?
She had been thinking of trying first herself, and once she succeeded, she would share her experience with Naruto.
"Forcing things? Heh."
Tobirama let out a cold laugh. "The ninja world now is vastly different from the original one. The same goes for Konoha. When a person's environment changes, can that person still walk the same path as before?"
"Let me give you an example. Back in our Warring States period, if when my elder brother was still a child, a powerful figure had suddenly appeared, conquered the Five Nations, unified the lands, and brought an end to the chaos of war once and for all…"
"Then would Uchiha Madara and my elder brother still have shared the same goal? Would they still have achieved the same accomplishments and strength?"
"Even if they did, without pressure and motivation, it would likely have been delayed by a long time."
"That… that makes sense."
Kushina recalled what Shiromo had said about Naruto's original circumstances.
Sasuke was supposed to defect, and Naruto would strive and train desperately in order to bring him back.
Then there was Jiraiya's death, after which Naruto would grow once more.
Finally, the masked man, Obito, would ignite the Fourth Great Ninja War. Naruto would be forced to begin mastering the Nine-Tails' power, and the Nine-Tails would gradually come to accept him.
Throughout it all, there was one constant goal: "to become Hokage."
Now that Kushina compared everything carefully—Good grief, all of it was gone!
Sasuke hadn't defected; he had simply gone abroad to study.
Jiraiya hadn't died either. At least for now, he had no reason to.
As for the ninja war and the masked man?
If the sky fell, the tall ones would hold it up. The Five Great Ninja Villages had already begun to unite. No matter what, it wouldn't be Naruto's turn to play the leading role.
The most crucial goal, "to become Hokage."
That at least was a source of motivation.
But such a grand ambition was too distant for a child. It simply wasn't strong enough to drive him.
He could easily spend the whole day playing, then say he would start working hard tomorrow, and then let tomorrow become another tomorrow.
Moreover, as the reforms recommended by Shiromo began to be implemented across the Five Great Nations, the Hokage's authority was growing greater and greater. That position was no longer something one could attain through strength and recognition alone.
Without real capability, taking that seat would only bring harm to the nation and its people.
"Don't you understand yet? Peace is beautiful, but it also breeds complacency."
"According to the future Shiromo described, the peace ushered in by Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke lasted less than twenty years before it fell apart."
"And because of those twenty years of complacency, the ninja world no longer had the ability to resist."
"Why did I establish the Ninja Academy even after the Warring States period ended and the chaos subsided?"
"It was precisely to remain vigilant in times of peace, to continue cultivating ninjas in a sustainable way."
"What a pity. I've seen the current Ninja Academy. It only retains the framework I originally set up. Later generations never thought to revise or expand upon it."
"On the other hand, in Shiromo's Amegakure Village, they've introduced entirely new…"
Tobirama's words were filled with admiration for Shiromo. He only regretted that Shiromo was not from Konoha.
"Second Hokage-sama, then go tell him quickly. Naruto really does need to become more diligent!"
Kushina snapped back to her senses and urged him anxiously.
She understood clearly that Naruto was not the core, not the protagonist.
Even that immensely powerful Baryon Mode was only one branch among many ways to combat the Otsutsuki, and Naruto himself was merely half of one of the nine sub-branches within that branch.
At most, he also had the status of Asura's chakra reincarnation.
The only one who would always truly care about Naruto and pay attention to him was her, his mother.
It wasn't that everyone looked down on Naruto. It was that everyone was busy, occupied with other matters, with no time to manage the course of his life.
If this opportunity hadn't happened by chance…
So she had to seize it.
"Alright. Leave it to me."
Seeing Kushina agree, Tobirama knew he could proceed without restraint.
Just as Kushina had guessed, if not for this coincidental encounter and his sudden inspiration, Senju Tobirama would never have paid attention to Uzumaki Naruto's life trajectory.
Uzumaki Naruto and that inherently evil Uchiha brat, Uchiha Sasuke, were merely failed saviors of the old world.
After observing the various aspects of the Limited Tsukuyomi world, Tobirama had already formed some ideas.
"Where is Jiraiya, that disciple of Hiruzen's? Wasn't he sealed by Orochimaru down there, forced to focus solely on teaching Uzumaki Naruto?"
Tobirama asked.
"I don't know… What? Jiraiya-sensei had what sealed??"
Kushina only reacted halfway through her sentence, her face immediately filling with shock.
"That Jiraiya is quite something. Even after being sealed, he hasn't changed his nature. Looks like he'll have to make some contribution to Naruto's transformation."
Tobirama's gaze swept across the surrounding streets and locked onto Jiraiya, who was walking this way.
"Uh…"
Kushina had just recovered from the shock of Jiraiya having that part sealed when she realized what was happening. The Second Hokage was looking for a pretext.
Otherwise, why would he, after saying "Leave it to me," not act immediately, but instead ask about Jiraiya?
Sure enough.
Down below, Jiraiya was strolling along happily. When he saw Sakura storm out after finishing her business and punch Naruto flying, he grinned.
At that moment.
A kunai shot toward Jiraiya.
Hearing the sound of something slicing through the air, Jiraiya froze for a second, then stepped back.
"Where did this little thief come from, daring to ambush the great Jiraiya-sama?"
He smiled confidently as the kunai flew past him.
But in the next second, his smile stiffened.
As a novelist, Jiraiya suddenly had a strange sense of déjà vu about this situation.
"Oh no!!!"
Jiraiya ducked low in a split-second evasive move.
"Flying Thunder God Slash!"
A flash of white light streaked past. Tobirama's blade sliced off the hair on top of Jiraiya's head, leaving him bald.
"As expected of Minato's Sensei. It seems you do know a bit about my Flying Thunder God. You actually managed to dodge it. You're stronger than that useless Izuna."
Tobirama spoke slowly, offering a rare word of praise.
"Second Hokage-sama? Is it really you? Why?!"
Clutching his newly bald head, Jiraiya asked in disbelief.
"Why? Are you an idiot… Move aside quickly. I can't control myself. That fellow Orochimaru is controlling me!"
"?"
(End of this chapter)