Hokage Tower.
Hiruzen was staring intently at the fireball floating before him.
It was one he had shaped using Fire Release chakra.
"So-called Release techniques are ultimately reconstructed from the nature and shape transformations applied to neutral chakra. If I can identify the key structure within them, I should be able to break them back down into neutral chakra..."
"In that case, the power of the technique would be greatly reduced."
Hiruzen pondered quietly.
Techniques capable of absorbing chakra and ninjutsu were rare within the shinobi world, but they were not unheard of.
Some shinobi were born with such abilities, such as Kisame.
Among bloodline limits, Kirigakure possessed a Kekkei Genkai known as Dark Release, whose ability allowed the user to absorb Release techniques and then fire them back out.
"Fūinjutsu produces a similar effect against Release techniques..."
"For example, the Fire Sealing Method can heavily suppress Fire Release chakra. No matter how refined its shape or nature transformation may be, it can still seal it away."
"At its core, it works by disrupting the technique's structure, greatly reducing its volatility before sealing it."
Ever since Hiruzen had mastered dual Kekkei Genkai and the two "threads" had appeared within his body...
Those threads had become intertwined with the second heart created by the Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal, further deepening his understanding of the five basic Releases.
Not in terms of nature transformation.
Not shape transformation.
Nor raw power.
Rather, when Hiruzen looked at ordinary Five Release ninjutsu, he could vaguely perceive a kind of "core"—the crucial point responsible for maintaining the technique's shape and nature transformation.
"The reason for this is inseparable from both my mastery of the Five Releases and my unique affinity for Fūinjutsu..."
Hiruzen stared at the fireball before him.
Within it, he could see a faint, indistinct core.
He extended his hand and slowly released a thread of chakra toward it.
Only a trace amount.
Yet the moment the core's structure was disrupted, the entire fireball abruptly collapsed, transforming into a gentle current of neutral chakra.
"Just as I expected."
"I don't actually need to imitate Dark Release and focus on absorbing this dispersed chakra. Once my Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal reaches a sufficiently advanced level, it will naturally gain that capability."
"Adding another function would inevitably reduce the upper limit of my ability to destroy the structure of Release techniques."
"What I need to do is nullify the enemy's ninjutsu. If it can be absorbed, then I'll absorb it with the Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal. If it can't, then I'll simply destroy the structure of the technique itself."
Hiruzen thought of Ōnoki.
In the current shinobi world, there were two ninja he regarded as his greatest threats.
One was the Third Raikage.
The other was Ōnoki.
One possessed a naturally extraordinary body. With his violent Lightning Release Chakra Mode and overwhelming physical durability, he practically had limitless room for error.
The other could use Dust Release to brutally erase any margin for error, reducing any matter to its molecular components.
And beyond these obvious enemies—
The shinobi world contained countless strange and varied ninjutsu.
Although people called Hiruzen the "Professor of Ninjutsu," he himself never took that title seriously.
How could anyone possibly have seen every ninjutsu in existence?
And that was precisely where the importance of intelligence lay in the shinobi world.
There were simply too many techniques capable of killing an opponent the first time they were encountered.
"Back then, Tobirama-sensei developed the Flying Thunder God Technique and severely wounded Uchiha Izuna the first time he used it..."
"And yet he himself was placed at a disadvantage by Kumogakure's Sage of Six Paths treasures..."
"Even a research-oriented ninja like him encountered such situations. How much more so for me?"
There had never been any rule stating that only the Hokage could exploit information asymmetry while others couldn't lay traps for the Hokage.
And if he wanted to prevent that from happening, he needed to address the problem at its source—by dismantling every technique back into neutral chakra.
Even if he couldn't completely dismantle it, he still needed to disrupt its structure as much as possible, achieving a form of "downgrading."
That way, no matter how many ninjutsu came at him, he could remain unmoved.
Hiruzen created another cloud of acidic mist before him.
This time, however, he found it difficult to clearly perceive the "core" within it.
"Kekkei Genkai are different after all. And Dust Release, a Kekkei Tōta like Ōnoki's, is on an entirely different level."
"But that's fine. My upper limit will continue to grow."
First he would familiarize himself with the Five Releases.
Then he would practice on Kekkei Genkai.
Eventually, he would reach the level of Kekkei Tōta.
Besides, Hiruzen had no intention of completely reducing Ōnoki's Dust Release into neutral chakra.
As long as he could partially interfere with its structure and strip away its molecular disintegration properties, that would be enough.
If it was merely a Kekkei Genkai—or even a half-step below a true Kekkei Tōta—then Hiruzen could find ways to withstand it.
"And who's to say I can't master a Kekkei Tōta myself?"
"One step at a time. Learning how to destroy the core of ninjutsu will also deepen my understanding of technique construction at its most fundamental level. That will benefit my development of Kekkei Genkai—and perhaps even Kekkei Tōta—as well."
Hiruzen thought of Tobirama.
Long ago, Tobirama had criticized him in disappointment:
"Monkey, with talent for ninjutsu like yours, you'll never achieve true greatness if all you do is follow the paths laid down by others. It's far too craftsmanlike!"
"You need to learn how to develop techniques that truly belong to you. That's how you become a unique powerhouse!"
Hiruzen smiled.
For this technique, he really would need Tobirama's help.
If he wanted to use chakra to disrupt the structure of an enemy's Release technique, directly projecting visible neutral chakra was far too obvious. It would be easy for opponents to notice and counter.
Hiruzen's first thought was to use Yin Release chakra as the foundation.
The intangible nature of Yin Release and spiritual energy would serve as the spear that dismantled the cores of enemy techniques.
Within Konoha, there were many clans skilled in Yin Release.
And Tobirama—now an Uchiha and a master of ninjutsu development—was clearly the ideal person to help him refine the concept.
"The Kurama Clan should be involved as well. After all, Kurama Genshin is also a member of Konoha's council."
Hiruzen smiled faintly.
This was one of the advantages of being Hokage.
Whenever he wanted to develop a new technique, he could freely mobilize the entire village's resources to support him.
After all, if he became stronger, didn't that mean Konoha became stronger as well?
If war broke out, Hiruzen would be the one facing the enemy's strongest ninja.
In extreme situations, he might even have to fight two or three of them at once.
Five chakra spheres of different attributes appeared before him, each roughly the size of a fist.
The Hokage narrowed his eyes, locking onto the cores of each technique as he poked them one by one with threads of chakra.
One after another, the elemental chakra transformed into streams of neutral energy.
At that moment—
Danzō pushed open the door and froze at the sight.
What was Hiruzen researching this time?
Danzō instinctively let out a sigh.
The only thing comforting him was that his Wind Release Chakra Mode was nearly complete.
Soon, he too would become the kind of ninja Hiruzen described as having "distinctive characteristics."
But a moment later, Danzō shifted into battle mode.
That was also the reason he had opened the door immediately after knocking.
"Hiruzen, you're going to regret this!"
Danzō opened with what could only be called his classic routine.
"Hanzō is incredibly treacherous! Cooperating with him will cause problems!"
"You should be wary of him and keep him suppressed! How can you possibly restore his fighting ability?"
"I know all about you having the Research Department treat him!"
Hiruzen replied with a cheerful smile.
"Listen to yourself. It's not like I was trying to hide it from you."
"How would it look if I secretly arranged medical treatment for a foreign ninja without informing my advisor?"
Danzō paused.
That actually sounded reasonable.
But he immediately became angry again.
"That's not the issue!"
"Don't worry. I have a fairly comprehensive plan for this."
Hiruzen spoke seriously.
"In the future, supervision of Amegakure will be your responsibility."
"I'm not simply acting according to Hashirama-sama's idealistic vision of peace. Shared interests and proper oversight will both be essential components of our cooperation with Amegakure."
"Danzō, you need to learn to view things from a win-win perspective."
"For example, imagine two shinobi. One is powerful but overwhelmed with responsibilities. The other is weaker but possesses excellent perception and abundant energy."
"Together, they complement one another."
"If one simply kills the other, the most they gain is a little money."
Danzō let out a heavy sigh.
"Fine! Fine!"
"I can't argue with you."
"But I'll be keeping a close eye on Amegakure."
"Thank you for your hard work."
Hiruzen nodded.
"Without your assistance, cooperation with Amegakure couldn't move forward."
"I made this decision precisely because I value your intelligence-gathering and supervisory capabilities."
Danzō desperately tried to suppress the corners of his mouth.
But they still curled upward.
He knew it!
Konoha would have fallen apart long ago without him!
Fortunately, Hiruzen understood that.
"I've got work to do!"
Danzō turned around while holding back a smile, completely forgetting why he had come in the first place.
Right now, he needed to visit Root and speak with Aburame Shikuro.
He wanted Shikuro's assistance with Seisui's treatment.
Now that Danzō was the head of Root, things were different from before.
It was no longer his personal kingdom.
For side projects like this, he couldn't simply issue orders and force compliance.
Otherwise, Danzō worried that Shikuro might follow Seisui's old example and report him directly to Hiruzen.
After leaving the office and walking only a short distance, Danzō ran into Hanzō head-on.
The two exchanged nods, smiling on the surface while neither smile reached their eyes.
After arriving at the Hokage's office, Hanzō's very first words nearly broke Hiruzen's composure.
"Big Brother!"
"I have absolutely no intention of sowing discord, but you must keep an eye on Shimura Danzō!"
"He conducted multiple private communications with me behind your back and behind Konoha's back..."
Hanzō immediately sold Danzō out.
Because of Root's methods in the past, Hanzō, who wanted to consolidate his authority, and Danzō, who was ruthless and unconstrained in his methods, had gotten along remarkably well.
Their cooperation had been extremely pleasant.
Pleasant though it was, they had also been deeply wary of each other.
That old bastard was definitely not a good person.
"If you don't believe me, I can return to Amegakure and bring back the records and documents."
Hanzō frowned and spoke gravely.
"I know your nature is generous and compassionate, but some people simply cannot be reformed."
Hiruzen rubbed his forehead.
"How could I not trust my worthy brother?"
"Don't worry. I already know about Danzō's activities. Besides, don't I have you?"
"I'm planning to assign Danzō to some work involving Amegakure. When that happens, help me keep an eye on him."
Hiruzen repeated essentially the same arrangement as before, merely reversing who was watching whom.
"Then leave it to me, Big Brother!"
Hanzō nodded heavily.
"Take a look at this document."
Hiruzen handed over the cooperation agreement that he had already drafted.
Receiving it respectfully with both hands, Hanzō began reading.
The first point:
Amegakure's shinobi would take on the portion of Land of Fire missions that Konoha could not accommodate.
However, every Amegakure shinobi entering Konoha would be required to undergo detailed registration and medical examinations through the Administrative Department, using the same standards applied to Konoha ninja.
This was something Hiruzen had carefully considered.
Konoha would receive a percentage of the mission revenue generated by Amegakure shinobi. That benefit was relatively minor.
The real purpose was to cultivate a sense of belonging and aspiration toward Konoha among Amegakure's ninja.
Furthermore, even after the Land of Fire implemented its new mission regulations, some shinobi and nobles still nostalgically clung to the old doctrine of treating ninja as mere tools.
Amegakure's shinobi could serve as an excellent supplement for that segment of the market.
People only truly appreciate their own circumstances when they have something to compare them against.
The second point concerned the Sage Region Pills.
Konoha would grant Hanzō distribution rights for the overseas version of the Sage Region Pills, allowing him to sell them to the nobles of the Land of Rain.
Thirty percent of the profits would be allocated to Hanzō for infrastructure development and border defense projects within Amegakure.
The remaining seventy percent would not be reclaimed by Konoha.
Instead, every bit of it would be returned to Amegakure in the form of mission contracts.
A portion of Amegakure's shinobi would work alongside craftsmen from the Land of Rain, forming labor-intensive processing industries that would provide material support for Konoha's research efforts.
Examples included producing blank chakra scrolls, polishing ninja tools, manufacturing Sage Region Pill packaging, and other low-technology industries.
Additionally, Hiruzen intended for the Land of Rain to become a distribution hub.
By using it as a buffer between Konoha and the other hidden villages, surplus future production of Sage Region Pills could be sold to nobles across various nations.
The enormous profits generated through smuggling would not only bring in additional revenue but also expand Konoha's influence.
The third point:
While developing its infrastructure, Amegakure would also strengthen its intelligence network and border defenses.
In the northern regions of the Land of Rain, it would begin long-term strategic preparations for future conflicts, serving as the first defensive line against Iwagakure, Kumogakure, and Sunagakure.
In return, Konoha would not treat Amegakure as expendable cannon fodder.
It promised to supply medical chakra scrolls and, if war broke out, would provide immediate military assistance.
The two villages would be united in purpose, brothers standing side by side.
It was difficult to call such terms unfair.
While it was true that the missions Konoha offered were generally the jobs its own shinobi didn't want, and the industrial contracts were mostly low-value processing work rather than high-profit industries—
For Amegakure, this was already an exceptionally favorable arrangement.
Moreover, Hiruzen wasn't taking the profits from the Sage Region Pills.
Part of the revenue would be under Hanzō's direct control, while the remainder would flow back into Amegakure through industrial contracts.
Hanzō understood the situation perfectly.
There was no possibility that Konoha would hand over its core industries to Amegakure.
And frankly, that was only reasonable.
If Hiruzen actually proposed such a thing, Hanzō would probably be the first person to oppose it.
He doubted Amegakure's fragile military strength could even protect the formulas.
"Relief through employment. Solving two problems at once."
Hiruzen smiled as he looked at Hanzō.
"So, worthy brother, are you satisfied?"
"Big Brother!"
This time, Hanzō's voice was filled with genuine emotion.
He could practically see the future before his eyes.
Every Amegakure shinobi employed.
Massive investments flowing into effective flood-control projects.
Powerful northern defenses rising along the borders.
And as the leader of Amegakure, his prestige would undoubtedly soar to unprecedented heights.
This was far superior to the political maneuvering and power struggles he had previously relied upon to maintain authority.
"There is one issue, though... the nobles."
Hanzō spoke somewhat awkwardly.
"I'm not particularly skilled at dealing with them."
"Could you send someone to guide me?"
"I'm not good at pricing, quotas, or evaluating the wealth of the noble families."
"Rest assured, I won't let your people come all this way for free."
A flash of satisfaction appeared in Hiruzen's eyes.
This was exactly what he had been hoping for.
Control of the Land of Rain's nobility meant control of most of the legal and political foundation necessary for eventually integrating Amegakure.
But there was no rush.
If he wanted Konoha's shinobi to truly accept Amegakure, that would require time.
It would also require sweat and blood to prove their reliability.
"It's possible..."
Hiruzen let out a long sigh.
"Since my worthy brother has asked, then I'll see it through to the end."
"I'll call in a few favors and send professionals to help you."
The professionals he had in mind were Kakuzu and members of the Hyūga main family.
After all, Hyūga Kō had personally asked him to find work for them.
And once Hiruzen gave his word, he intended to keep it.
When the Hokage made a promise, it meant something.
Hanzō lowered his head in embarrassment.
"I've truly caused you trouble, Big Brother."
He couldn't help it.
There were simply too few people in Amegakure who understood economics or knew how to deal with nobles.
That was one of the problems faced by small hidden villages.
They were crippled—and sometimes missing more than one leg.
"After you return, take the lead in organizing Amegakure's senior ninja."
Hiruzen spoke slowly.
"Publicize our cooperation agreement, conduct some training, and bring people to Konoha so everyone can become familiar with one another."
"Worthy brother, you should be able to see that even Konoha has its extreme conservative factions."
"People like Danzō. Though he's a Konoha ninja, his understanding of the Will of Fire is somewhat shallow."
"I'm carrying out these reforms under considerable pressure myself, so don't let things fall apart on your side."
The meaning behind Hiruzen's words was obvious.
He was telling Hanzō to properly educate Amegakure's ninja and make sure they worked honestly and responsibly.
Because if problems arose, Konoha had people specifically assigned to investigate them.
"Big Brother, rest assured!"
A trace of killing intent flashed through Hanzō's eyes.
"If any of my subordinates dare ruin this, I'll cut off their heads!"
"There you go talking about killing people again..."
Hiruzen waved his hand and sighed softly.
"What I hope is that one day Amegakure's ninja will enjoy the same protections and benefits as Konoha's shinobi."
"For now, all we can do is work toward that goal together."
Hiruzen had already realized that, at his core, Hanzō was a veteran believer in the old Shinobi Rules.
A single Lightning Oppression Horizontal Chop wasn't enough to change decades of ingrained beliefs.
Still, Hiruzen didn't particularly mind.
When it came to getting things done, the Shinobi Rules did have their advantages.
"I understand, Big Brother!"
At the same time, Hanzō was rapidly considering potential candidates who could serve as points of contact with Konoha.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that most of his subordinates were useless.
Loyal enough, perhaps.
But in terms of ability, they left much to be desired.
Looks like I'll need to find some younger talent...
Then a thought suddenly struck him.
Wait...
He remembered the Akatsuki organization, which had recently begun gaining momentum within the Land of Rain.
Those were capable young people.
And among them was Nagato, rumored to possess the Rinnegan. With his red hair, there was a high probability he belonged to the Uzumaki Clan.
'I've heard they also have some connection to Jiraiya...'
The more Hanzō thought about it, the more uneasy he became.
Because of Akatsuki's rapid rise, he had once considered eliminating them.
They had ties to Konoha, were young, and possessed outstanding talent.
They threatened his position.
Now, however, Hanzō practically found himself hoping that Yahiko and the others truly did have a relationship with Jiraiya.
It was similar to Danzō arranging for Seisui to marry into the Uchiha Clan.
Nagato and the others could become figures recognized by both Konoha and Amegakure—people capable of serving as bridges between the two villages.
Hiruzen chatted with Hanzō for a while longer.
Already impatient to return and transform Amegakure, Hanzō carefully stored away several medical chakra scrolls that Hiruzen had given him.
Then, after receiving a few final instructions, he hurried off.
To accomplish great things, one had to devote oneself completely and spare no effort.
After Hanzō departed—
Hiruzen returned to contemplating his technique for "nullifying ninjutsu."
"I should give it a name..."
"Let's call it Spirit Release."
"To comprehend the spirit of Release techniques and dismantle their very foundations."
Hiruzen casually settled on the name.
Compared to Minato's flashy, chūnibyō-inspired naming sense, his own tastes were rather plain.
"The next stage of training for the Ten Thousand Seals Body Integration Seal also needs adjustment."
"I can set Water Release aside for now and replace it with the Evil Sealing Method. That should help improve both my spiritual energy and my Yin Release."
This would also give him a perfectly natural excuse to spend more time interacting with the Uchiha Clan and with Tobirama.
That way, the Uchiha and the Kurama Clan could help him research how to use intangible Yin Release as a medium for destroying the "core" within ninjutsu and completing his first original secret technique—
Spirit Release.
Perhaps it could even qualify as a Kekkei Genkai.
After all, he was the only one capable of seeing those cores.
"That little brat Jiraiya is still training at Mount Myōboku. Sage Mode really is difficult after all."
Hiruzen found himself somewhat missing the troublemaker.
And he also wanted to speak with Mount Myōboku, the place responsible for granting him the title of "Teacher of Prophecy," and establish deeper cooperation.
Ideally, he hoped to have one of the Three Great Sage Regions provide special training for his summoning beast, the Monkey King Enma, helping him improve in every possible area.
If the master was training, how could the summoning beast be left behind?
A little extra training would do him good.
Three months later.
As cooperation between Amegakure and Konoha steadily deepened—
Kirigakure was being manipulated from the shadows by an invisible hand.
Under Uchiha Madara's guidance, the entire village's perception of Konoha was carefully shaped around the idea that Konoha's leadership had lost control because it had made too many concessions to ninja.
The village charged headlong down that path.
As a result, the Blood Mist era only grew more severe.
If the enemy was wrong, then naturally that meant Kirigakure was right.
Inside Kirigakure's Internal Affairs Department—
Kisame stared at his blood-soaked hands.
His eyes were bloodshot.
Madness slowly overtook him.
Then, behind him—
Nakamaro appeared silently.
A smile spread across his face as he spoke.
"How are you holding up, my friend...?"