"This is really difficult…"
Uchiha Ren put on a troubled expression.
To Tobirama Senju, however, the act was painfully obvious.
Morals?
Ren?
What a joke.
He's doing this on purpose.
Tobirama clenched his fists.
He wanted to hit him.
But when he thought of Senju Momoka…
He forced himself to endure it.
Under someone else's roof, you had to bow your head.
If he wanted to protect Momoka, he had no choice but to lower himself.
Face? Pride?
He barely had any left in front of Ren anyway.
Losing a bit more didn't matter.
But—
Uchiha Tomita was still here.
Losing face in front of Ren was one thing.
In front of Tomita?
Unacceptable.
Tobirama narrowed his eyes.
"Ren. There are too many people here. Come with me."
He grabbed Ren and dragged him into an inner room.
"I'm a Hokage with principles," Ren said lazily. "Shielding criminals? Even if you beg me… I still wouldn't agree."
His tone stretched deliberately.
His face practically screamed: Go on, beg me.
Tobirama nearly snapped.
But—
He endured.
"Ren… I'll ask you this once."
"Momoka is my brother's son. My brother was the First Hokage. Even if he made a mistake, as the Third Hokage, you should—"
"Stop."
Ren cut him off.
"So now you admit I'm the Third Hokage?"
"I recall someone calling me a usurper."
"Couldn't even bring himself to say 'Hokage-sama.'"
"Not very respectful."
Tobirama's face twitched.
"…Ren—no. Hokage-sama."
The words came out through gritted teeth.
"There. Satisfied?"
Ren grinned.
"Oh? That works."
Then, casually—
"I'll agree."
Tobirama blinked.
That fast?
"…Good."
His attitude flipped instantly.
Relief replaced tension.
Ren waved dismissively.
"Fake."
Tobirama snorted.
He knew exactly what Ren wanted—
To humiliate him.
Typical Uchiha.
Ren's expression turned serious.
"I'll move tomorrow."
"We'll raid Momoka's lab and shut everything down."
"According to the intel, some test subjects are already close to death."
Tobirama's expression hardened immediately.
"Then we move fast."
"Once the cells spread too far, even the perfect solution won't save them."
Ren nodded.
They quickly finalized the plan.
Because Tobirama couldn't be exposed, everything had to be indirect.
Data collection.
Analysis.
Customized treatment solutions.
Tobirama clearly wanted to go in person.
Ren refused without hesitation.
"No."
"You stay here."
"You'll only cause trouble."
Tobirama clicked his tongue but didn't argue.
"Oh, right."
Ren added casually,
"After this, prepare a dose for Tomita."
"That's his reward."
Tobirama's expression darkened.
"…Understood."
Annoying.
Very annoying.
Tomita exposed Momoka—
And now he was being rewarded.
A short while later, Tomita sat in the chair, finally receiving the Hashirama Cells injection he had long desired.
Ren observed calmly while discussing Konoha's development with Tobirama.
Antibiotics.
Production lines.
Market expansion.
Electric transport vehicles.
Power grids.
Industrial growth.
Even the Fire Country nobles were beginning to invest in technological development.
This world…
Was evolving rapidly.
Ren realized something important.
Tobirama was not irreplaceable.
Even without him, progress would continue.
There were always others.
Unknown talents.
Hidden geniuses.
The future didn't belong to one man.
It belonged to systems.
To education.
To industry.
To scale.
Konoha had to change.
Not just as a ninja village—
But as something more.
Something bigger.
"…Interesting."
Tobirama folded his arms, listening.
This perspective—
He had never considered it before.
They exchanged ideas briefly.
Then—
A sharp alarm echoed.
Red warning lights flashed across the laboratory.
Intruder.
Ren's expression changed instantly.
He moved at full speed toward the disturbance.
A mass of black sludge-like shadow slipped through the barrier—
Gone in an instant.
Ren stopped.
He recognized it immediately.
Black Zetsu.
So it followed Uchiha Madara to Konoha.
Ren exhaled slowly.
Too fast.
Still not enough.
The sealing techniques needed improvement.
Behind him, Tobirama arrived.
"What happened?"
"An intruder."
"…And?"
"Gone."
Tobirama frowned.
"With this level of security… someone escaped?"
"…Who was it?"
Ren glanced at him.
Then said calmly:
"The Sage of Six Paths' younger brother."
Tobirama scoffed.
"Then don't answer."
"No need to make up nonsense."
He turned and left.
Clearly not interested.
Ren shrugged slightly.
Truth really was the hardest thing to believe.
Then he followed after him.
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