316-320

*Chapter 316: The Last Breath of Obito*

"Ranzan?"

"Why are you alone? Where are Fujika and the others?"

With quick, anxious steps, Sougen approached Uchiha Ranzan, his eyes scanning the surroundings for the group of youths. But as far as he could see, there was only Ranzan.

Trailing behind was Shisui, who had followed him closely. Using the Flying Thunder God Technique required precise coordinates, and after mastering it, Shisui had strategically placed the technique’s markings throughout the village. But the destructive Heavenly Anger Technique used by Kazuma had damaged the markers, rendering them unusable.

As a result, Shisui couldn’t teleport directly to Ichiraku Ramen, now in ruins. He had to bring Sougen to the nearest location.

"Sougen? Is it over?" Ranzan’s tone was weary as he explained, "Fujika, Naruto, and the others are fine. They’re with Kurenai, Hayate, and Muta. I followed Kazuma here."

"As long as they’re safe," Sougen sighed, his tense nerves slowly relaxing.

“Wait—did you say you followed Kazuma here...so he escaped?”

"He escaped by using Earth Release to tunnel underground. I tried to catch up but couldn’t match his speed. By now, he’s probably beyond the village’s barrier. We’d need a tracking team to find him.”

"Let him go if he’s gone; he’s not much of a threat."

"'They’re not much of a threat?'" Ranzan caught the strange choice of words.

"Yes, Sasori slipped away too," Sougen admitted.

Both Ranzan and Shisui already knew about the matter, so there was no harm in mentioning it. And if anyone else was around, they wouldn’t be able to escape the watchful eyes of Sougen and Shisui.

"What?" Ranzan was visibly surprised.

"Did they wait until you and Shisui were preoccupied?” Kazuma’s escape didn’t bother him much—it was a missed opportunity to finish him off, but there would be other chances. Sasori’s escape, however… well, maybe it wasn’t such a big deal after all.

In retrospect, Ranzan realized he felt only mild disappointment that Sasori got away. Though Sasori might have held back some secrets, Ranzan had learned enough from him.

As for any threat Sasori might pose to the village or the Uchiha clan? Not a concern! If Sasori ever returned for revenge, they’d simply fight him again. Against Sougen, Shisui, or any other clan members, taking down the Red Sand Sasori wouldn’t be too hard.

"Brother."

"Sensei."

"Sougen-san."

"Clan Leader!"

The voices calling out were familiar to Sougen.

He looked up to see Fujika, Naruto, and the others. Though Naruto and Yakumo looked fairly composed, the rest appeared pale and drained, with their chakra levels noticeably low.

"What happened to you all?"

Sougen glanced around. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured—no broken limbs or internal injuries. Their chakra depletion was temporary, with no major issues.

"Maybe if someone had come sooner!” Fujika complained, pouting as she leaned on Yakumo. She seemed more like she was playfully whining than truly complaining, at least in Yakumo’s view.

“These things aren’t as simple as you think,” Sougen replied, shaking his head. “But this experience will benefit you all. The Ninja Academy is too sheltered. You’ve had a chance to see the real world outside the greenhouse. Overall, you did decently, though these creatures were brainless. It’s people who are the real threat.”

Sougen found himself lecturing his little sister and his two students, along with Naruto and Sasuke, who often joined in on his lessons.

Being a mentor wasn’t easy; it was less like teaching a classroom and more like raising children. He truly saw Yakumo and Hotaru as daughters, and his sister, Fujika, was adored by the whole family.

As for Naruto and Sasuke…they were just along for the ride.

“Just decent?” Fujika pouted, clearly unsatisfied.

“Only Yakumo and Naruto did well. The rest of you need improvement. I’ve told you many times the importance of reserving some energy, yet you still drained all your chakra, leaving yourselves vulnerable and forcing Yakumo and Naruto to cover for you. If you hadn’t used your skills well during the battle, I wouldn’t even have given you a ‘decent’ rating.”

“But we did it to protect the village!” Fujika protested. She was the only one who dared talk back to Sougen; his two students wouldn’t dream of it.

“So you’re saying without your help, the village would’ve been in danger?” Sougen responded sternly. “Yakumo and Naruto alone could’ve handled things. Think about it carefully—if you made a mistake, learn from it for next time. Arguing here won’t change anything.”

Spoiling is not the same as indulging.

Some things just need to be said.

It’s because he genuinely cares for his younger sister that he doesn't mind patiently advising her over and over again.

"Uh..."

Fujika fell silent.

The young girl had indeed grown up; she was no longer the little child who would get frustrated and aim her shoe at her brother's shin.

...

Meanwhile, in a dark, damp underground cave, a loud thud echoed, and the smell of blood quickly spread through the air. Uchiha Obito, struggling without his legs, raised his head and tried to light a lamp, but he was too weak.

“Whoosh—”

A bright flame appeared.

The gentle candlelight chased away the darkness in the cave.

"Zetsu, you’re here!" Uchiha Obito sighed, exhausted.

Fortunately, he’d agreed on a meeting place with Zetsu in advance, and Zetsu hadn't delayed. Although the spot wasn't far from the Hidden Leaf Village, Zetsu had managed to catch up to him almost immediately, wasting not a second.

"Obito, your condition..."

Black Zetsu looked at the sprawled Obito on the ground, eyes wide with shock.

Even before Uchiha Munen arrived, he had suspected that Obito would return defeated. He hadn’t expected Obito to come back in such a pitiful state: both legs cut off at the thigh, blood gushing out.

If it weren’t for the life force of the White Zetsu body he’d grafted, he might not have made it back alive.

And that wasn’t all—Obito’s left hand had turned to stone.

Fortunately, this transformation was limited to his left hand and hadn’t spread.

"I was ambushed by Uchiha Munen and Uchiha Shisui. Let’s discuss the details later—just fix my limbs quickly, or I might really die here." Obito lost consciousness as soon as he finished speaking.

His condition was critical; he was clinging to life by a mere thread, holding off the Reaper's pull with sheer willpower.

Zetsu knew what was at stake.

This guy, Obito... He needed to live if possible. His death would derail their plans significantly, and no matter what he said or did, the consequences would be hard to reverse. As long as the Rinnegan remained, hope remained for the plan. But why make things unnecessarily complicated?

After a split-second decision, Zetsu got to work, stopping Obito’s bleeding to prevent him from dying of blood loss, forcing various blood-replenishing and strengthening potions down his throat, and then calling on White Zetsu to restore Obito’s lost legs and left hand.

Perhaps Obito’s will to live was stronger than expected, or maybe the life force of White Zetsu’s limbs was potent, or perhaps both; in any case, Obito survived.

He had wrested himself back from the hands of death.

"…I survived?"

Obito blinked his lone eye, confirming Zetsu’s presence beside him, not a spirit or ancestor.

"This time, yes… but there’s no guarantee about the next," Zetsu replied.

"I see."

"Now, can you explain what happened? How did you end up in such a state?" Black Zetsu asked, unable to hold back his curiosity.

"I told you—it was Uchiha Munen and Uchiha Shisui together. I failed to evade Munen’s eye technique, and when my left hand was hit, I knew things had gone south. While escaping, Shisui managed to strike my legs with a sword sharp enough to slice them off. I fear my true identity won’t stay hidden for long."

Obito took a deep breath, feeling the strain from saying so much at once.

"It wasn’t a total loss. We managed to uncover more about Munen’s other eye technique. That alone is a substantial gain," Black Zetsu noted nonchalantly, playing with Obito’s severed stone hand, seemingly unbothered by the defeat.

"You have a point... but it still feels bitter. This is the second time now."

Obito glanced at his petrified left hand, the desire for revenge stirring within.

The first time in the forest on the eastern coast of the Land of Fire, he’d lost to Munen and had even lost Uchiha Madara’s fan. Now, Munen had gotten the better of him again, and if he hadn’t reacted quickly, it would have been more than just his hand that turned to stone.

"And you think your identity might be revealed… because of that severed leg?" Black Zetsu pondered, sighing. "Well, if it’s exposed, so be it. After all, this is the second time you've lost—you’re struggling to maintain Madara’s legacy. But you’ll need to come up with a convincing excuse for Nagato. Relying solely on me to sway him won’t be easy."

"I’ll handle it."

Obito nodded slightly, too tired to respond with more energy.

He had some confidence in how to handle Nagato’s straightforward nature.

"That aside, we need to focus on how to break down the Hidden Leaf," he said, changing the subject. "Uchiha Munen, Uchiha Shisui, Uchiha Fugaku... just these three are a massive obstacle. If we don’t eliminate these roadblocks, we can’t move forward with the plan."

"I understand that, but without Nagato personally taking action and using the Rinnegan to crush the village in one blow, even if we muster the full force of the Akatsuki, excluding Nagato, it’ll be nearly impossible to bring down the Leaf. The Akatsuki… is simply not strong enough."

Black Zetsu’s dark face remained expressionless, though his tone carried a faint bitterness.

"Homma was lucky and managed to escape, but Hiruko… we had hoped to recruit him into the Akatsuki. Unfortunately, Uchiha Munen captured him, so our numbers won’t increase."

"Not a single bit of good news?"

Obito asked.

"Not quite. White Zetsu located someone we hadn’t previously found."

(End of chapter)

*Chapter 317: Hiruko Becomes Sticky Like Chewing Gum*

After the final self-regenerating monstrous snake was captured alive by the skilled Seal Division, the flames of battle were extinguished, bringing an end to the crisis that had threatened Konoha. Thanks to their efforts, the village was safe once more.

Why was it difficult to say exactly how dangerous this crisis was? Primarily because Hiruko had stormed in with a ferocity that made even those who had lived through the Nine-Tails' Night fear that, even if the village survived, it would lose many comrades. But once the Hokage's assistant pinpointed the threats, he decisively struck, crushing Hiruko's forces with overwhelming force.

Victory was secured.

The Administrative Department, working overtime, compiled a rough casualty report. Surprisingly, the number of dead hadn’t even reached triple digits. Though many were injured, with over a hundred seriously wounded and nearly a thousand sustaining minor injuries, Konoha's advanced medical technology ensured that even those with severed limbs could have them reattached if recovered. Minor injuries were of little concern.

Thanks to vigorous promotion by the relevant departments, this was heralded as yet another victory achieved under the Hokage assistant’s leadership, similar to the previous battles with the Mist and Cloud ninja.

“Thank goodness for the Hokage assistant! Without him, who knows how badly the village would have been devastated this time,” remarked a villager.

“That’s for sure! The village gate was destroyed, but thankfully our house survived. When the Nine-Tails went wild five years ago, our old house was crushed, and we had to live in tents for a month before we got a small compensation from the village. If we didn’t have some savings, that compensation would’ve barely covered anything,” said another villager.

“Since the Fourth Hokage sacrificed himself, things have been tough… but at least we have the Hokage assistant now!”

“Exactly. We’re lucky to have the Hokage assistant!”

In every corner, from streets to tea houses, praise for the Hokage assistant grew. Although some early praises were orchestrated, over time, admiration for him became the prevailing sentiment.

Especially among the ninjas, Sōgen’s already considerable reputation skyrocketed. There was no need to organize praise; those who witnessed his powerful, sweeping victory over Hiruko became his ardent supporters. Whether in the hospital, on patrol, or at bars, they eagerly shared stories of that day with fellow patients, comrades, and friends, emphasizing the strength and reliability of the Hokage assistant.

“Tsunade, is Senior Takikaze stepping down?” asked Jiraiya.

“Why do you say that?”

“My ears aren’t deaf yet!”

“True, you’ve changed a lot, Jiraiya. The old you… well, wouldn’t have thought of these things.” Tsunade’s face flushed, and the table was nearly covered with empty sake bottles. “But you’re right; that old fat man is indeed stepping down.”

“So, Konoha is really about to have a Hokage from the Uchiha clan,” Jiraiya remarked, swirling his sake cup.

He had just returned to the village and wasn’t there during Hiruko’s attack. But upon his return, he saw how the main gate area had been leveled, with workers busy rebuilding it.

“What? Jiraiya, don’t tell me you’re like Sarutobi-sensei and see the Uchiha as inherently evil. No, actually, I think it was Uncle who first said that… whatever, it’s all the same,” Tsunade, her inhibitions loosened by the alcohol, spoke freely.

“I was just musing. To me, the Uchiha are the same as everyone else,” Jiraiya sighed.

He hadn’t inherited the Third Hokage’s caution and distrust towards the Uchiha. In fact, none of the Sannin had carried on that legacy.

After a moment, Jiraiya asked, “By the way, Tsunade, have you seen Hiruko?”

“No.” Tsunade put down her cup. “Why? You want to visit him?” Though Hiruko’s survival hadn’t been widely publicized, many people were aware of it. Secrecy was mostly reserved for those without enough power or strength to know.

“I want to understand why he did it — the forbidden jutsu research, betraying the village, attacking it. I can’t figure out what drives people like him… or why he would go so far,” Jiraiya said, staring into his drink, his reflection blurred in the cup.

“Why are you telling me this?” Tsunade replied impatiently, gripping her sake cup tightly. Despite her youthful appearance, veins stood out faintly on the back of her hand.

“Just asking if you’re interested. We could go take a look together.”

“Boring.” Tsunade downed her sake and stood up. “Let’s go!”

“Now?”

“When else? Tomorrow? No need, and fewer people around tonight.”

“Feels like we’ll be a bother going at this hour… but fine, let’s go.” Jiraiya set his cup down, paid the bill, and left the tavern with Tsunade, with Shizune following quietly, like a shadow.

It was just after nine in the evening.

The moon shone brightly in the sky, while the lights below glimmered like a sea. The attack two days prior had already faded from the villagers’ minds. After all, the damage caused was minimal, with civilian casualties numbering fewer than ten, and most of the fallen were ninja on the frontlines. The areas affected were limited to the main gate and Ichiraku Ramen shop, and most people hadn't suffered any personal loss.

Life went on as usual. If there were any noticeable differences, it would be the increasing frequency with which people mentioned the Hokage's assistant.

Tsunade and Jiraiya arrived at the Hokage's office.

Hiruko was being held in the police department's dungeon. Typically, high-risk criminals would be confined by the Anbu, but since Hiruko had been captured by Sougen himself—who lacked direct authority over the Anbu—he chose to place him in the police department’s custody.

As for why they didn’t go directly to the police department, it was because, without permission from Uchiha Sougen, even they couldn’t simply barge into the dungeon to see a high-priority detainee like Hiruko.

Nine o’clock was a time for leisure for most Konoha villagers, the busiest hour for bars and similar establishments, with nearly every table occupied. But for Sougen, it was still work time.

The damage from Hiruko’s attack two days ago was minor for the village. However, it had considerably increased Sougen's workload. After working overtime until one in the morning yesterday and sleeping only five hours, he was back to managing affairs, without a moment’s rest except for the basics.

Under the fluorescent lights, Sougen was hunched over his desk, reviewing a document.

Just then,

Knock, knock!

“Come in; if it’s work, get to the point—I’m out of time... Jiraiya-senpai? Tsunade-senpai?”

Sougen looked up to see Jiraiya and Tsunade entering, surprised—it wasn’t one of the building's staff as he’d expected. His words halted, and he took a second to process. “Jiraiya-senpai, when did you get back?”

“This afternoon.”

“No wonder. Well... never mind. Is there something you two need?” Sougen asked, although he already had a hunch. Given recent events, it wasn’t hard to guess the reason.

“Sougen, we came to see if we could visit Hiruko. You know, he was once our classmate and comrade,” Jiraiya said solemnly.

“To see Hiruko?” Sougen nodded, his guess confirmed.

“Well…”

Sougen didn’t respond immediately to Jiraiya’s request and fell into thought.

“What is it? Sougen, is there a problem?” Jiraiya pressed.

“Hiruko should still be alive, right?” Tsunade asked, her eyes wide, saying what had suddenly come to mind.

“Haha! Don’t worry, Tsunade-senpai. Hiruko’s not going to die so easily.” Sougen shook his head with a smile. “I captured him alive, not to execute him quietly. At the very least, not until he’s served his purpose. Meeting him isn’t difficult... but would you two mind if I accompanied you?”

“Accompany us? You’re going too?”

“Yes. To be honest, the police department hasn’t had much success interrogating Hiruko these past couple of days. Due to his Ghost Transformation jutsu, even with his chakra sealed, standard interrogation methods are ineffective. Even the Sharingan’s genjutsu hasn’t worked.”

“Couldn’t the Yamanaka clan simply read his memory?”

“There are Yamanaka members in the police department, but according to the reports, Hiruko’s mind has changed after merging multiple bloodline limits. Although he’s susceptible to genjutsu, he remains mentally aware, which means his willpower prevents true manipulation. Even the Yamanaka’s mind-reading jutsu isn’t working.”

Sougen’s expression was conflicted as he explained.

He hadn’t expected Hiruko to be this resilient. He even tried to probe Hiruko’s mind himself, only to find that while killing Hiruko was possible, extracting his memories was nearly impossible. Using Shisui’s Kotoamatsukami to alter Hiruko’s mind was currently out of the question.

They had used Kotoamatsukami on Black Zetsu not long ago, and though it was ineffective, the technique couldn’t be used again immediately. Even though Scorpion’s innovations using White Zetsu’s remains meant there was no risk of blindness for him anymore, the cooldown period for Kotoamatsukami remained.

“In short, both the police and interrogation departments have exhausted their options. I’m hoping you two might be able to persuade Hiruko to speak of his own accord.”

“The Ghost Transformation jutsu is that powerful?” Tsunade asked, surprised.

They’d been tasked with capturing Hiruko before, so they were familiar with the Ghost Transformation jutsu, and understood that it had been deemed forbidden due to its unnatural, unethical mixing of human and animal traits. Hashirama Senju had banned it himself after seeing his brother’s unnatural creations.

To be honest, Hashirama was horrified at the time.

Four-fifths of the forbidden techniques in that thick scroll were his brother’s inventions.

“This is one of the things we want to investigate. According to our studies of the Ghost Transformation jutsu left in Konoha, it shouldn’t have this level of capability.” Sougen shrugged. “But for now, Hiruko really has withstood every method of questioning we’ve tried, so... for now, our only option is to appeal to his emotions and see if that works.”

Sougen’s curiosity was piqued by Hiruko’s unique resilience.

“I see. Then let’s go together!” Jiraiya nodded.

“Kabuto! Kabuto!”

“Yes, sir?”

Kabuto Yakushi appeared, exhausted from the endless work. As Sougen’s assistant, his workload had only intensified. If not for chakra limits, he’d have created multiple shadow clones to handle the mountain of tasks, which had been enough to give him a stomachache.

“I need to go to the police department; please handle these documents for now.”

“W-What?” Kabuto adjusted his glasses, eyes wide. “But... but these are the documents you specifically need to handle!” The weariness in his voice was palpable.

“Use your best judgment. Given your experience with my preferences, you should know what I’d decide on. Unless it absolutely requires my signature, take care of it yourself.” Sougen patted Kabuto’s shoulder. “I trust you.”

“What…?”

Kabuto opened his mouth to protest but wasn’t sure what to say.

“Oh, Tsunade-senpai, should Shizune stay here instead of joining us? She’s capable, so perhaps she could lend a hand to my assistant.”

“Shizune, you stay here.”

And so, Sougen, Tsunade, and Jiraiya left the Hokage building together, while Kabuto and Shizune, who held her little pig, stood dumbfounded in the assistant’s office.

End of Chapter

*Chapter 318: The Dream That Has Long Been Shattered*

Police Department, Dungeon.

The dungeon wasn’t the dark, sinister place one might imagine; it was brightly lit, and Jiraiya and Tsunade, who were used to the dimness outside, instinctively squinted as their eyes adjusted. As they followed Sougen, they took in the surroundings, which looked nothing like the prison they remembered. The passage of time left them feeling a bit sentimental.

Thoughts like these had crossed their minds before. The Konoha of today was vastly different from what it had been five or even ten years ago.

The advancements in shinobi technology had veered — no, one should say it had found a development path suited to the unique needs of the shinobi world. Especially after Sougen took on his role as the Hokage’s advisor, nearly every research funding request from the equipment development department had been approved, pushing Konoha’s technological development forward at an unprecedented rate.

“It feels pretty deserted here,” Jiraiya suddenly commented.

Since they entered, every cell they passed had been empty.

“The prisoners are in Konoha’s main prison. This is just a temporary holding area. Until the interrogation department completes its final verdicts, some prisoners awaiting trial are kept here. The reason it’s empty now is because we’re holding Hiruko here. To ensure his security, we moved everyone else out of this area,” Sougen explained before stopping.

“We’re here, you two. He’s in that cell at the end of the corridor.”

Jiraiya and Tsunade moved closer, stopping in front of the cell, and looked past the thick iron bars. Inside, they saw Hiruko chained and suspended in a large, spread-eagle position, the chains covered in dark sealing symbols.

Jiraiya immediately noticed these were inscriptions meant to suppress chakra.

But that wasn’t all.

Looking closer, he saw yet another chain around Hiruko’s waist, anchoring him to the back wall, as well as black sealing symbols on his chest and abdomen. Jiraiya figured that if he were bound like this, even breathing might become challenging, let alone escaping.

Yet, Hiruko still had enough strength to greet them.

“Jiraiya, Tsunade… hah! Long time no see!”

Hiruko lifted his head to look at them with a twisted smile. His face, aged as if he were nearing ninety, was even more unsettling.

“Hiruko, what happened to you?” Jiraiya was startled.

“A minor side effect!” Hiruko sneered. “It’s the price of my imperfect evolution. If I hadn’t been so greedy… we might have met under different circumstances. Meeting like this is rather unpleasant.”

“Imperfect evolution? Are you saying that merging the five bloodlines would make you perfect? That’s naive… but fine. I don’t care about your obsession. I have one question,” Tsunade’s voice sharpened. “Where did you get Mokuton?”

Everyone has their reasons for what they do.

Just as Jiraiya wanted to understand Hiruko’s motives, Tsunade had agreed to join him largely out of curiosity about Hiruko’s Mokuton.

“Delusion! Delusion! Delusion…” Hiruko seemed not to hear her question. He kept muttering the word “delusion” repeatedly, his face contorted, his head raised as he let out a furious roar. “A delusion… is that all you see in my actions, Tsunade? Hahaha! You haven’t changed! You’re still as arrogant as ever! To you, everything I’ve done is just a trivial obsession… I’ve always hated that arrogance in you.”

“You want to know where I got Mokuton? Fine. I don’t know either! It was brought to me by that man, Hama, one of the original twelve guardian shinobi. There’s no way someone like him could get hold of it, but I don’t know who’s behind him. So you’ll have to dig around if you want to find out who’s desecrating the First Hokage’s Mokuton! Hahahaha!”

The chains rattled violently.

If it weren’t for the sealing techniques suppressing his chakra, breaking free from the chains would be a simple matter.

“Tsunade, calm down. Don’t let him get to you,” Jiraiya said quickly, placing a hand on her shoulder, fearing she’d tear down the cell in her anger.

However, upon placing his hand on her shoulder, he realized he had misjudged. Tsunade hadn’t been preparing to lash out. She was merely looking at Hiruko with a serene expression, her gaze so calm that even Hiruko’s laughter started to wane.

“Hiruko, I’ve never looked down on you. Whether you believe me or not, before you turned to forbidden techniques and betrayed the village, you were more reliable to me than Jiraiya. And I thank you for the information.”

“Hey, hey, Tsunade! I’m reliable too, you know?” Jiraiya muttered, though Tsunade ignored him, brushing off his hand from her shoulder.

Hiruko was now staring intently at Tsunade, searching for signs of strain or weakness, but he found nothing. Her composed demeanor filled him with an inexplicable emptiness. Was everything he’d done truly meaningful?

He had turned to forbidden techniques just to stand on the same level as Tsunade, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya.

Now he had strength rivaling theirs, yet he felt no satisfaction. All of it seemed utterly pointless, incapable of bringing him any sense of achievement.

All he had gained was endless emptiness.

The dreams he once had were unrecognizable now.

“...So pointless!”

Hiruko lowered his head, his disheveled white hair falling over his face.

“Jiraiya, why are you here?”

Jiraiya paused, not expecting Hiruko to initiate conversation. He glanced between Tsunade and Hiruko, considering how to proceed. But when Hiruko spoke up, he responded without hesitation, asking, “…I just want to ask one question: why are you doing this?”

“Jiraiya, are you asking why Orochimaru betrayed the village?”

“Yes.”

Jiraiya didn’t deny it. “But it’s not just Orochimaru—I also can’t understand why you’d do all this: stealing forbidden jutsu, betraying the village, attacking it. Why did you do all of it?”

"Tch! You were a nobody like me at the start... yet somehow, you ended up far beyond my reach, alongside Orochimaru and Tsunade, growing further away. At first, I just wanted to keep up with you all, but I didn’t have any talent!"

No talent!

This is a harsh reality most shinobi have to face.

For those kids dreaming of becoming Hokage, the realization of having no talent is like a death sentence for their dreams. Most accept reality after their initial heartbreak and disappointment, then go on to re-plan their lives. But there are always a few who just won’t let it go.

And Hiruko...

He was one of them.

“No matter how hard I tried, even pushing my body to the breaking point and landing myself in the hospital, pouring all my heart and sweat into it, I still found myself unable to catch up to you all. Then I understood—I’m not a genius like you. I’m just a fool with too-high hopes!”

“But I didn’t want to give up. I didn’t want to stay behind, watching you disappear onto the frontlines. I wanted to fight by your side. So... I needed power, and if I couldn’t get power through talent, then my only choice was forbidden jutsu. From there, things just... took their course.”

His voice echoed, fading away.

Tsunade remained silent.

Jiraiya let out a quiet sigh, as if he wanted to say something, but looking at Hiruko’s disheveled figure, he finally just asked, “What about Orochimaru?”

“Orochimaru?” Hiruko chuckled softly. “Shouldn’t you ask him that yourself? I left Konoha before he defected, so how could I know why he betrayed the village? We’ve had no contact over the years.”

“But... if I had to guess, I’d say he probably got tired of death.”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just a feeling.”

“Be specific. Don’t brush me off.”

“... Jiraiya, I genuinely don’t understand how a fool like you ended up with a talent I could only dream of. Haven’t you ever noticed how icy cold Orochimaru’s aura is on the battlefield, as if he’s surrounded by despair?”

“Especially after Nawaki.”

Hiruko paused, and Tsunade, who had been silent, looked over at this point.

“When Nawaki died, all you saw was Tsunade breaking down, but you didn’t notice how terrifying Orochimaru was then. Since that moment, I felt there was something deeply, terribly changed in him.”

Nawaki,

Tsunade’s younger brother and a true Senju heir.

Few knew that Nawaki was also Orochimaru’s first apprentice, a boy cherished by Orochimaru for his remarkable talent and bright personality. But like a young sun, he was extinguished too soon by the swamp of war, his light snuffed out before it could fully shine.

“That’s just my guess.”

Hiruko looked up at Jiraiya and Tsunade. “As for the truth, only Orochimaru could tell you. Maybe... even he’s forgotten why he started all of this, just like I’ve forgotten my own dreams, consumed by a blind rush down a dark and twisted path.”

His words trailed off, and the dungeon grew quiet, filled only by the sounds of breathing.

“Sougen, Hiruko... what does the village plan to do with him?” Tsunade asked, breaking the silence.

“He’ll be made to suffer,” Sougen replied with indifference.

“A fate worse than death?” Jiraiya frowned slightly.

“Of course! This time, because of him, nearly a hundred comrades have fallen. For him, death would be a mercy. He needs to experience a punishment that truly reflects the loss of his comrades. I’m a person who always repays in kind,” Sougen said with a grin.

In the light, his gleaming white teeth shone menacingly, like a predator about to strike. At least, that’s how Jiraiya saw it.

“But Hiruko, if you’re willing to cooperate and redeem yourself, and if you can contribute enough to make up for the crimes you’ve committed, then perhaps we can give you a swift end. So, think it over.”

“What do you want me to do? What could I even offer?” Hiruko asked, looking at Sougen.

“... Rest assured, as long as you cooperate, you’re still of value.” Sougen snapped his fingers, and a line of elite interrogators from the Security Division filed in. “First, let’s start with your experiences and the knowledge stored in your mind!”

Bringing Jiraiya and Tsunade to meet Hiruko had been the right choice!

Unlike Orochimaru, whose twisted pursuit of eternal life came from being jaded with death and a thirst to uncover the truth of the shinobi world, Hiruko’s madness was fueled by jealousy that warped his dreams, ultimately turning him into a shell of his former self.

Seeing Jiraiya and Tsunade, his old dreams embodied, might stir something different in him.

And as expected, Sougen’s instinct had been right.

“All right, if you two are finished here, we should leave. From here on, the details involve village secrets, so it’s best if you both avoid being around to prevent any complications for their work,” Sougen said, pointing to the group of Security Division elites waiting by the cell.

End of Chapter

*Chapter 319: The Nominee for the Sixth Hokage*

With Hiruko’s cooperation, they avoided a lot of unnecessary hassle. Even though Shisui's Kotoamatsukami could potentially influence Hiruko’s will, he didn’t want Shisui to alter Hiruko’s mind unless absolutely necessary. After all, there was no guarantee that Kotoamatsukami wouldn’t have unknown negative side effects.

Changing an average person’s will isn’t much of a concern, but Hiruko is no ordinary person. Despite feeling “lacking in talent,” he still managed to refine the Chimera Technique to an unbelievable degree. If changing his will made him ordinary, it would be a huge loss in value.

Coincidentally, Sasori escaped, so perhaps Hiruko could fill the gap.

But it was still uncertain. Whether Hiruko’s cooperation was genuine or merely a ploy would take time to determine. Besides, after causing the loss of nearly a hundred Konoha shinobi—two-thirds of whom were from the Police Force—he wouldn’t be living comfortably for a long while. Locked up in the Police Force’s dungeon, Hiruko’s life wouldn’t be easy.

After this late-night meeting, Jiraiya didn’t linger in the village. He briefly met Naruto and then hurried off as if on a mission, but the Anbu couldn’t find any clues, and Jiraiya gave no explanations. He simply vanished mysteriously.

Tsunade, on the other hand, stayed temporarily. Her reason was simple: Fifth Hokage Torifu Akimichi’s treatment wasn’t complete yet. She couldn’t leave until he no longer needed her personal attention, after which she could continue her aimless travels.

---

It was a sunny afternoon at the Akimichi clan grounds.

“Have you made up your mind?” Shikaku Nara asked softly.

“My mind is made up,” Torifu replied resolutely, basking in the warm sunlight.

There was no more time to delay—for his sake and for the Ino-Shika-Chō alliance. His vision might have faded, but his hearing was still sharp. He sensed the recent shifts in the village’s atmosphere, and with his work delegated, he had plenty of time to listen to the Anbu’s thorough reports. He knew it was time.

Shikaku, sitting formally on the porch, took a deep breath. Though he had anticipated this, the gravity of the situation weighed on him. The last Hokage transition had caused quite a stir, and memories of that upheaval were still fresh.

“I understand, Lord Hokage. What should we do next? Please give your instructions,” Shikaku replied, bowing slightly.

“Gather the Hokage aides, the two senior advisors, the heads of each department… Oh, and bring Tsunade as a witness too. Too bad Jiraiya’s not here, but this group will suffice,” Torifu instructed. He wasn’t making a last-minute decision—he had everything planned out.

“Tell them I have a very important announcement and expect them to come immediately, no matter what they’re doing,” he commanded firmly, his voice echoing through the blooming garden.

The order spread swiftly to Konoha’s leaders: Uchiha Sumiyoshi, the Hokage’s aide; the two advisors, Hyūga Seiyuki and Kumo Kensai; and the heads of the Anbu, Administration, Medical, Education, and Interrogation departments. The Police Force was still led by Sumiyoshi. Including Tsunade, that made nine people in total.

---

While they waited, Shikaku noticed Tsunade was absent.

“Tsunade won’t be joining us?” he asked.

“She said her only concern is medical matters, and that she’s staying in the village strictly as a medical ninja, not for anything else,” Shikaku replied with a sigh. His usual intelligence didn’t help much with Tsunade, who had made up her mind. As she wasn’t an enemy, he couldn’t use any aggressive tactics on her.

“Tell her if she doesn’t want to create more trouble by not showing up, she’d best come,” Torifu replied calmly.

“Yes, understood,” Shikaku answered quickly.

He knew what this implied, but he didn’t dare to say it outright. He wouldn’t want to risk Tsunade’s wrath—her punches were no joke.

Anbu found Tsunade in a tavern, nursing a drink. Being daytime, the bar was mostly empty; evenings were prime drinking hours. Tsunade, having lost all her money gambling that morning, had nowhere else to go and was killing time with drinks.

“What now? I already said I’m not coming!” Tsunade snapped at the Anbu with a bear-face mask who approached her.

“Lord Hokage asked me to deliver a message: If you don’t want to cause more trouble by not showing up, it’s best you come along,” the Anbu replied crisply.

“Are you threatening me?” she asked.

“I’m merely the messenger. How you interpret it is up to you.”

“... More trouble? Damn it. I should’ve just left with Jiraiya,” Tsunade muttered, connecting the dots. She’d recently joked with Jiraiya about the Uchiha clan possibly producing the next Hokage. Slamming her fist on the table, she rose abruptly.

“Shizune, let’s go.”

“Yes, ma’am,” replied Shizune, nervously glancing at the bartender. She was broke and worried about being held accountable—it would be beyond embarrassing.

“Oh, and… hey, you,” Tsunade addressed the Anbu, “don’t run off just yet. Pay my tab and get it reimbursed from Shikaku later.” She slapped the bill into his hand and strode out with Shizune.

The bartender and the Anbu, who wore a bear-face mask, shared an awkward look. After a moment of silence, the Anbu grunted, “How much?”

The bartender blurted out an amount, and the Anbu hesitated before asking, “Do you accept explosive tags as payment?”

It seems that even the Anbu with the bear mask isn’t doing so well financially.

“Tsunade! Long time no see!”

“Is that you, Kudou?”

“It’s me. What’s wrong? Don’t recognize me?”

“You’ve... changed a lot.”

At the entrance of the Akimichi household, Tsunade met an old friend, Mokume Kudou, one of Konoha's two senior advisors. He was once her teammate, working alongside Tsunade, Dan Katō, Orochimaru, and Jiraiya on missions—a formidable, skilled shinobi.

Tsunade looked at Kudou’s slender, graying figure, struggling to reconcile it with the strong, towering man she remembered—like a guardian spirit. If not for his face, which still bore a hint of the man she once knew, she’d scarcely believe this was the same comrade who used to send rock ninjas flying like baseballs.

“What happened to you?”

“Haha! We’ve gotten old, that’s what!”

Kudou laughed heartily.

He was a bit older than Tsunade and Jiraiya, already fifty-eight years old.

“Still... you don’t look much different from back then. Just as beautiful as ever. If Jiraiya saw you now, he’d probably be drooling all over the place,” Kudou teased, feeling freer to speak now that he was older—with grandchildren of his own.

“What’s with bringing up that idiot?” Tsunade muttered, though her mood brightened. Despite the strange circumstances that brought her here, seeing an old friend after so long made her genuinely happy.

Since returning to Konoha, she hadn’t actively sought out old friends. Aside from tending to Akimichi Torifu, she had only visited the Hokage’s office and the police department for the matter with Hiruko, spending the rest of her time in the village's casinos and taverns.

To be fair, Kudou and the others weren’t sure if it was appropriate to see Tsunade, considering she had cut ties with them years ago.

Thus, even though she had been back for some time, this was their first reunion.

“Forget about that annoying idiot. What about you, Kudou? You seem to be doing well!” Tsunade observed her old comrade, noting that though Kudou looked thinner and older, he seemed in good spirits.

“I never expected to one day become an advisor,” Kudou said, sighing.

“You’re more than qualified for that role.”

Tsunade kept her thoughts brief, avoiding any mention of their old teacher, Sarutobi. In the past, Sarutobi and the other elders tightly controlled the village’s power, holding onto their positions for decades. If they hadn’t been ousted, Kudou might never have had his chance.

“Oh, right, Kudou, do you know why we’ve all been called here?”

Tsunade changed the subject.

As they talked, they followed an Akimichi clan member to Torifu’s garden, where familiar and unfamiliar figures gathered in a spacious room. Sitting on the tatami, Uchiha Sougen was sipping tea, exuding a calm demeanor.

“The Anbu didn’t specify, but I can guess... By the way, Tsunade, you…”

Kudou’s words were interrupted.

“Tsunade, Kudou! Come in—just waiting on you two,” Torifu called out, his hearing now even sharper with age.

“Is everyone here?” Kudou glanced around, spotting the Hokage’s assistant, the other advisor, and various department heads. He stopped talking, quickening his pace to join the group, sitting with Tsunade in the remaining seats.

Once everyone was settled, Torifu cleared his throat.

“Everyone, thank you for coming. I apologize for not being able to meet elsewhere, but I’m limited to this space. Though, I suppose it’s not exactly a meeting since I can’t see you. Nevertheless, this assembly is necessary.”

“I am stepping down.”

Without waiting for any response, Torifu went straight to the point.

“My eyesight is failing. Konoha can’t have a blind Hokage—it would harm the village’s reputation. Therefore, we need to elect the Sixth Hokage. Please feel free to suggest suitable candidates.”

“Lord Hokage, your health…” Anbu Chief Yamanaka Mashiro began.

“There’s no need to discuss my situation further. Even if my eyesight were restored, I’d still feel less capable with each passing day. It’s time for Konoha to be led by someone young and capable.”

“Now, let’s focus on the Sixth Hokage candidates. Once I officially announce my resignation, the election should begin promptly.”

Torifu’s firm tone left no doubt of his decision to retire.

Yamanaka fell silent.

But for a moment, no one else spoke up.

“What? Not a single candidate to propose?” Torifu pressed.

“If the Hokage is set on stepping down, then… I nominate the Hokage’s assistant, Uchiha Sougen, to succeed as the Sixth Hokage.” The other senior advisor, Hyūga Masayuki, was the first to speak, having received instructions from the clan leader. The Hyūga and Uchiha clans had grown quite close, almost inseparable.

The Hyūga clan even entertained the idea of one day producing a Hokage themselves, believing that a Uchiha Hokage would break the unspoken rule of the position being passed down within the same circle of Sarutobi’s lineage.

The Third Hokage was the student of the First and Second Hokages, the Fourth was the Third’s disciple, and even Torifu, the Fifth, was technically connected to the Second. Over five generations, the Hokage title had remained within the same tight-knit group, with the Uchiha and Hyūga clans largely excluded.

But now, the only real competitor for Uchiha Sougen’s bid seemed to be Tsunade. If she were to enter the race, she might pose an even greater challenge than Jiraiya would have.

At that moment, Kudou spoke up.

“I nominate Tsunade to succeed as the Sixth Hokage.”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter 320: The Sole Candidate

When Tsunade was nominated, no one seemed particularly surprised. As soon as she appeared, everyone started speculating whether she intended to vie for the position of the Sixth Hokage. So when Moku Me Kōtō brought it up, it was simply expected.

Even Tsunade wasn’t surprised.

However—

It wasn’t surprising, but it was a headache! Akimichi Choza’s message wasn’t a threat but a reality check; her old comrades genuinely wanted to nominate her as Hokage. Fortunately, she came in person. Otherwise, she might have found herself forcibly put forth as a candidate and then stuck with the hassle of trying to step down.

“Kōtō!”

Tsunade turned to him. “Sorry, I have no interest in succeeding as the Sixth Hokage. You’ll have to choose someone else.”

“But—”

“No ‘but.’ As I said, I’m not interested. My only reason for staying in the village is out of duty as a medical ninja. Otherwise, I would’ve left long ago. Let someone who actually wants to be Hokage take the position!”

Tsunade made her stance clear and direct.

Moku Me Kōtō paused for two seconds, gave a helpless smile, and shook his head. “I misread things.”

“Tsunade, are you formally withdrawing?” Akimichi Choza asked to confirm.

“Indeed. I have absolutely no intention of succeeding as the Sixth Hokage. Do not consider me a candidate,” Tsunade replied resolutely.

“So as of now, Uchiha Sougen is the only candidate… Is there anyone else to nominate?”

This time, no one responded.

Konoha had talented up-and-comers, but setting the Uchiha aside, the only noteworthy candidates were Kakashi Hatake and Might Guy, among a few others. Of these, Kakashi was undoubtedly the best. But still… how could Kakashi compare with Uchiha Sougen? In strength, influence, or reputation—

Currently, in Konoha, the only ones who could rival Sougen were the old guard, the Legendary Sannin. However, with both Jiraiya and Tsunade explicitly uninterested in the Hokage role, no one could suggest a new candidate to compete against Sougen.

“No one else?” Akimichi Choza wasn’t surprised.

One could say it was expected.

“If there are no other candidates, then with the approval of the Council of Elders and the Fire Daimyo, Uchiha Sougen will assume the position of Sixth Hokage… I’ll ask one last time: If anyone has objections, speak now. Once the decision is made, any disagreements will be irrelevant.”

Strictly speaking, Konoha had no official succession protocol for the Hokage.

The role of Hokage has always been passed down in a fairly organic way.

The Second Hokage succeeded without any formal procedures or ceremonies; it was simply natural. The Third inherited the position based on the Second’s dying wish, and the succession ceremony was said to be grand. The Fourth Hokage was chosen by election between Minato Namikaze and Orochimaru, with Orochimaru losing due to his poor reputation. The Fifth Hokage then stepped up from the acting Hokage position.

In short, each previous Hokage’s succession was unique.

There were no fixed rules.

This doesn’t mean the Hokage selection was arbitrary, though. Despite no explicit regulations, Konoha’s half-century history had built a coherent system. The focus for selecting the Hokage has always been on support rather than formalities.

This support isn’t just from the villagers but from the influential ninja clans and individual ninjas.

The Council of Elders, usually low-profile, plays a crucial role in Hokage succession because it includes members from prominent clans like the Uchiha, Hyuga, and Aburame. Recently, it has also gained representatives from non-clan ninjas.

Thus, if someone gains over half the Council’s support, they’re effectively chosen as Hokage. As for the Fire Daimyo, he seldom has any say; as long as Konoha makes a decision, he simply endorses it.

After waiting three full minutes following his statement, Akimichi Choza said, “Then it’s settled: Uchiha Sougen is confirmed as the sole candidate for Sixth Hokage. Are there any objections?”

“No.”

The response was unified.

Seeing the decision was final, no one would disrupt the proceedings for themselves.

“Then it’s decided. Next, we’ll submit the meeting’s outcome for the Council of Elders’ review. Once approved, everyone can start preparing for the Sixth Hokage’s inauguration ceremony.” Akimichi Choza exhaled deeply as he finished.

The pressure lifted suddenly from his shoulders.

Becoming Hokage had been his dream since childhood, but dreams carry weight! The grander the dream, the heavier the burden. Bearing this unimaginable weight over the years had taken a toll on his health, largely due to the stress.

That was Tsunade’s diagnosis.

With the weight lifted, he might just live a few years longer.

Sougen remained silent throughout, quietly sipping tea.

There was no need to say anything. This preparation took years, and there was no need to make any last-minute moves. If Tsunade and Jiraiya had competed, he might’ve had to remain vigilant. But with their withdrawal, if any issues arose now—

He might as well retreat to his clan and reflect in solitude!

---

When the Akimichi household meeting concluded, everyone departed with mixed feelings. Sougen, as the candidate for Sixth Hokage, didn’t linger to make connections or trade favors. Instead, he went alone to the police department’s dungeon.

“Chief!”

“Advisor!”

“Minister!”

A chorus of greetings rang out.

Sougen waved, dismissing the guards watching over Ibiki Morino. As Konoha’s most notorious criminal, Morino had been receiving “24/7 attention.” Despite presenting a cooperative front to Jiraiya and Tsunade, even Sougen couldn’t be entirely certain of Morino’s sincerity.

To ensure safety,

The police department formed a special watch team, diverting resources to keep a constant eye on Morino.

“You’re here.”

Suspended in the air in a spread-eagle posture, Morino looked at Sougen through the bars before lowering his head.

By now, he was used to it.

Since meeting with Jiraiya and Tsunade, the young Uchiha clan leader had been coming to the dungeon every few days. He rarely spoke, only staring at him from outside the cell. At first, Hiruko felt strange about it, but he soon grew indifferent.

“If nothing unexpected happens, I’ll soon become the Sixth Hokage.”

Unexpectedly, Uchiha Sougen spoke to him today.

“...Should I congratulate you?”

Hiruko looked up in confusion, wondering why Sougen was telling him this.

“Your congratulations mean nothing to me. I’m telling you so you can mentally prepare yourself. Once I become the Sixth Hokage, you’ll have to start atoning for your crimes. I hope you’re ready to begin working when the time comes.”

“...Aren't you worried I might escape?”

Hiruko looked at Sougen in disbelief. Was he seriously giving him a chance to atone?

“No.”

Sougen responded firmly.

Sasori had managed to escape because he had perfect timing, and because he was no longer valuable enough for Sougen to waste resources chasing him. As long as Sasori didn’t come back to cause trouble, Sougen had no reason to care about his fate. But Hiruko, unless he too was used up, wouldn’t be able to escape, even with a similar opportunity.

Sougen's decisive attitude stunned Hiruko for a couple of seconds. “Well… fine, whatever. So, what will atonement look like?”

“Whatever you used to do, you’ll likely be doing that in the future as well.”

This time, Hiruko’s expression changed.

“You…”

“We’ll leave it at that for today. Just be mentally prepared.”

With that, Sougen fell silent and focused on observing Hiruko’s form. Thanks to the Chimera Technique, which had fused four Kekkei Genkai, including Wood Release, Hiruko had become an interesting subject of study.

Sougen had a gut feeling that the key to unlocking the Rinnegan might lie with Hiruko.

As for Naruto and Sasuke… the power of Asura and Indra lurking within them was so deeply hidden that Sougen’s attempts to observe them had yielded no results without employing less-than-friendly methods.

But with Hiruko, there were no such concerns; Sougen could experiment on him as needed.

In the Hyuga clan grounds.

After hearing the meeting’s outcomes from Hyuga Masayuki, Hiashi Hyuga remained silent for a long time. “It seems Konoha is truly going to have a Uchiha as the Hokage.”

“It’s almost certain now,” Masayuki agreed.

“Hokage…” Hiashi gazed at the Hyuga clan emblem carved on the wall of the dojo, murmuring, “I wonder when the Hyuga clan will produce a Hokage. Do you think Sougen would agree if I asked him to take Hanabi as a student?”

“What? But Hinata is the heir…”

Masayuki, feeling awkward, voiced his objection.

Asking the Hokage’s assistant to take on another student shouldn't be difficult; after all, Sougen already had two. With the Hyuga clan’s support, adding one more student shouldn’t be an issue. However, Hanabi was the younger daughter, and as such, she was from the branch family.

If a branch family member became a future Hokage’s student, Sougen might refuse to have her marked with the Caged Bird Seal, which could bring challenges within the Hyuga clan.

By tradition, branch family members would have the Caged Bird Seal placed on their foreheads when the main family’s eldest son turned three, or when the eldest child had an heir, preventing the main family bloodline from being cut off.

The Caged Bird Seal doesn’t pass on to descendants, but the bloodline of the branch family members affected by it is weakened from birth.

The origin of the Caged Bird Seal is uncertain, though vague accounts attribute it to the Hyuga clan’s founding ancestor. Unfortunately, due to lost documents from the Warring States period, the clan has limited knowledge of its own texts.

However, it’s clear the Caged Bird Seal is an exceptionally advanced jutsu.

They know that Danzo had once secretly attempted to break the Caged Bird Seal but ultimately failed, so none of the Hyuga have ever been part of the Root.

“Hinata’s performance has been underwhelming. If only Neji were in the main family; with his talent, the idea of him as the Seventh Hokage would not be out of reach,” Hiashi sighed as he watched his younger daughter, Hanabi, practicing Gentle Fist diligently in the dojo.

It was a pity. If only Neji’s talents had been born into the main family.

Ultimately, the clan’s division rules had stifled countless Hyuga talents.

“If the goal is the Seventh Hokage… honestly, Hanabi could be a good candidate. Don’t forget that our Hokage assistant is only in his early twenties! If things go as expected, he might lead Konoha longer than the Third Hokage did!” Masayuki assumed Hiashi was considering transferring the main family status to young Hanabi and making the elder Hinata part of the branch.

While not conventional, this would be within the clan elders’ acceptable boundaries as long as the main family lineage remained intact.

“I suppose that’s true,” Hiashi nodded.

In the dojo, the young girl Hanabi continued practicing the family’s Gentle Fist technique diligently, unaware that her father was considering having the future Hokage take her as a student—a possible chance to break the outdated and restrictive rules of the Hyuga clan.

Even if it didn’t work out, at least neither Hinata nor Hanabi would be forced to bear the Caged Bird Seal.

As clan leader, Hiashi hoped to pave a brighter future for his family while also finding a kinder path for his children. His brother Hizashi’s death left a wound that would never heal, and he didn’t want his children to endure the same heart-wrenching pain he had.

He sincerely hoped that Uchiha Sougen would become the Sixth Hokage.

Similar conversations occurred throughout Konoha among families like the Aburame, Inuzuka, Kurama, and the Yamanaka-Nara-Akimichi trio. By midday, news of the Fifth Hokage’s impending retirement and the selection of a Sixth Hokage had spread to every corner of the village.