Right then...
Bang!
Hashirama Senju burst into the room.
"Madara! Tobirama! You hid this from me! You started a war behind my back?!"
Hashirama demanded furiously, his face filled with anger.
He had been kept completely in the dark.
It wasn't until this morning, when he read the newspaper, that he found out Konoha had declared war on Iwagakure.
At first, Hashirama thought he was still half asleep.
Turns out it was real.
Seeing this, Madara Uchiha couldn't even be bothered to keep pretending anymore.
"Hashirama, stop clinging to fantasies. Prepare for war." Madara spoke calmly.
Tobirama Senju silently nodded in agreement.
Only someone as oblivious as his older brother could fail to notice something was off. If it were him, he would've figured it out long ago.
"Tobirama, you too?! You actually worked together with Madara to hide this from me?!"
"As long as we took things slowly, victory was already guaranteed. Why rush things and start a war?!", Hashirama asked in confusion.
He firmly believed that as long as Konoha continued developing steadily, unifying the ninja world through economics and culture would only be a matter of time.
There was no need to pursue quick results through war.
"Where's the Konoha army now?! Call them back immediately!", Hashirama said anxiously.
Tobirama replied, "Big brother, do you think this is still the era of ninja clans? This is an official declaration of war, not some private duel where you can just decide not to fight halfway through."
"And besides, Konoha's forces have already broken through Iwagakure's defenses and advanced two hundred li into their territory. They're currently at Kannabi Bridge."
Madara casually added.
"That fast?!" Even Hashirama was shocked inside. He hadn't expected their advance to be this rapid.
Seeing the stunned look on Hashirama's face, Madara couldn't help feeling pleased.
"Heh. Hashirama, Tobirama and I planned all of this together."
Madara looked at Hashirama proudly, practically wearing an expression that said, Hurry up and praise me.
Hashirama's expression turned ugly. In the end, helplessness filled his heart, and he let out a long sigh.
Madara and Tobirama were both his closest brothers.
What could he even do?
Punish them?
Impossible. In the end, everything they did was for Konoha.
Besides, both of them genuinely wanted what was best for the village. Their methods were just different.
Hashirama had lived long enough to understand the situation.
Even if he didn't support it, he couldn't oppose it anymore.
Because the deed was already done. At this point, the only option was to support it wholeheartedly and ensure success, not stand against it.
"What am I supposed to do now?"
"Are you planning to attack the other ninja villages too?"
Hashirama sighed as he asked.
Madara and Tobirama exchanged a glance and smiled.
"Big brother, I knew you'd eventually get in step with us," Tobirama said with a smile.
Madara crossed his arms and nodded. "In that case, we can proceed to the next phase."
Hashirama frowned. "What are you planning now?"
"Madara and I are going to personally head to the battlefield. Big brother, you'll handle logistics and protect the village," Tobirama said.
Madara nodded as well. "Tobirama and I plan to use the Flying Thunder God Technique and drop directly into Iwagakure."
"Once that happens, both their front lines and rear will collapse simultaneously. Their defeat will be inevitable!"
———
"Old man! Old man!"
Kakuzu hurried over with a newspaper in hand and handed it to Arisu.
After reading the headline, Arisu frowned slightly. Just as expected, Iwagakure had suffered a crushing defeat.
"At this rate, Iwagakure probably won't last more than a few days.", Kakuzu spoke.
Arisu narrowed his eyes slightly and stroked his beard in thought.
"No. Iwagakure won't fall."
Arisu said it with absolute certainty.
"I trust Mu. That man can withstand Madara and Tobirama's assault."
Kakuzu looked at him in confusion.
"Judging from their forces on paper, Iwagakure is nowhere near Konoha's level…"
"Why are you so confident in Mu?"
Arisu said nothing. He slowly clasped his hands behind his back and walked into the bathroom…
Inside the bathroom, Arisu pulled out his phone and quickly typed out a message.
———
"Big Happy Family" Group Chat
[Six Paths Patriarch: "@All Tailed Beasts New mission. Due to the current situation, each of you is to choose a ninja village to support. Any village except Konoha."]
[Kurama: "Wow, Teacher, it's rare for you to actually give us missions!"]
[Shukaku: "Teacher, I'm practically rusting away here. Perfect timing, I was just itching to stretch myself a little."]
[Matatabi: "I actually kind of miss the human world…"]
[Gamamaru: "I recently developed a batch of scientific ninja tools. I can deploy them into the ninja world if necessary."]
[Six Paths Patriarch: "@Gamamaru No need. Your scientific ninja tools don't fit the current era of the human world. Stay in the Myobokuzan test server for now."]
[Gamamaru: "666. Scientific ninja tools still haven't made it out of the Myobokuzan test server? Just how far behind is the human world's tech tree?"]
[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "Pure Land retirement server welcomes scientific ninja tools."]
[Gamamaru: "Holy crap, Hagoromo brat, when did you get added to the chat?"]
[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "Gamamaru, the Sage invited me in. After all, I'm half a Myobokuzan native myself."]
[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "Gamamaru, when are you dying? Once your role's finished, come join me in the Pure Land. I kinda miss you. I even founded a Ninshu here too~"]
[Indra Otsutsuki: "Heh…"]
[Kaguya Otsutsuki: "@Six Paths Patriarch Arisu, when are you coming back? There are some things I want to say…"]
[Hagoromo Otsutsuki: "Mother, why are you always tagging the Sage? Where are you anyway? Why can't I find you in the Pure Land?"]
[Kaguya Otsutsuki: "Get lost!"]
———
The nine tailed beasts gathered once more.
"Teacher's given us a new mission. We're leaving the mountain… and each choosing a ninja village."
Kurama looked toward the other tailed beasts.
Soon after, the beasts rapidly made their choices before departing.
In the end, the One-Tail, Shukaku, chose Sunagakure.
The Two-Tails, Matatabi, and the Eight-Tails, Gyuki, chose Kumogakure.
The Three-Tails, Isobu, and the Six-Tails, Saiken, chose Kirigakure.
The Four-Tails, Son Goku, and the Five-Tails, Kokuo, chose Iwagakure.
The Seven-Tails, Chomei, chose Takigakure.
As for the Nine-Tails... It chose Amegakure.
———
Deep underground in the ninja world, within the innermost depths of the bounty exchange.
Two young men with horns growing from their heads sat there, vicious-looking and overflowing with murderous intent.
They were descendants of Hagoromo Otsutsuki.
The currently living Gold and Silver Brothers.
"Orders have come from above. The two of us are to leave seclusion and assist Kumogakure."
"Since it is that lord's command, we naturally obey."
Kinkaku and Ginkaku each retrieved one of the Sage of Six Paths' treasured weapons, gearing themselves up and preparing for battle.
Neither of them had ever known the true identity of that "lord."
But ever since childhood, they had been raised and cared for by him.
The debt of gratitude ran too deep. The only thing they could do was obey.
Even without knowing who their master truly was, they were still willing to become the sharpest blades in his hand, ready to be wielded at his command.
———
After finishing all of this...
"All that's left now… is to wait for the winds to rise…"
Arisu slowly sat back down in his chair and quietly waited for the outside world to change.
No one knew that the one truly manipulating the tides of the world... Was neither the lofty daimyo... Nor the overwhelmingly powerful Kage.
But rather this refined, gentle-looking middle-aged man, hidden among ordinary people.
The true ruler of the world.
Watching Arisu's unfathomable demeanor, Kakuzu couldn't help feeling a sense of awe rise in his heart.
"So calm and detached… This is what a true 'hero of the ninja world' looks like…"