The night air in Konoha was heavy with tension as ANBU operatives moved in perfect synchronization, their masks reflecting the pale moonlight. In the center of their formation, a battered and restrained Mizuki struggled, but the firm grip of the masked shinobi made escape impossible.
"Let me go!" Mizuki roared, his voice filled with desperation. "You don't understand! That brat—he—"
A swift chop to the back of his neck silenced him, rendering him unconscious. The ANBU exchanged glances before one of them turned to Sarutobi Hiruzen, who stood nearby, his expression unreadable.
"The traitor has been secured, Hokage-sama," the ANBU captain reported.
Hiruzen exhaled slowly, his old eyes shifting toward Naruto, Iruka, and the group of young genin standing nearby. The Scroll of Seals—one of Konoha's most guarded treasures—was safe once more, but the circumstances surrounding this incident were troubling. These children had taken it upon themselves to protect the scroll, acting outside the normal chain of command. That was both admirable and dangerous.
Naruto, however, had no concern for such things at the moment. His attention was entirely on the metal forehead protector Iruka held out to him.
"Naruto," Iruka said, his voice warm with pride. "For protecting the Scroll of Seals… you have earned this."
Naruto's hands trembled slightly as he took the protector, staring at it with wide eyes before tying it firmly around his forehead. A bright grin spread across his face.
"I did it!" he shouted. "I'm officially a ninja!"
The group of young shinobi surrounding him—Sasuke, Shikamaru, Kiba, and the others—exchanged small nods. The incident had forced them to work together in a way they never had before. Bonds had been formed, unspoken agreements made. Without realizing it, they had become something more than just classmates—they were a team.
Hiruzen watched this all unfold with a deep sense of unease. Unknowingly, the future generation of Konoha has gathered into a small group. I don't know whether this is a good thing or a bad thing…
He sighed. And for some reason, I always feel like these brats have some hidden agenda.
But what could they possibly do?
After all, they were just children.
Right?
As the group made their way to Sasuke's home, Shouta Kazuki walked slightly ahead, his mind preoccupied. While the others chatted, he remained silent, focused on a more important matter—his impending conversation with Senju Tobirama. His chakra condensed within the psychic space, his presence slowly connecting to the ethereal plane where the soul of the Second Hokage resided.
It was time to make another request.
If they wanted to become stronger quickly, they couldn't simply rely on self-study. Even with the Scroll of Seals in their possession, mastering its techniques required proper guidance. And there was no better teacher in all of Konoha's history than Senju Tobirama—the creator of many of the very techniques recorded in the scroll.
The problem was, Tobirama had always been unwilling to teach him. In the past, the Second Hokage had outright rejected the idea, refusing to trust a "naturally evil brat" like Shouta. But now that the training methods were in their hands, Tobirama had no reason to refuse. After all, whether he taught them or not, they would eventually learn these techniques.
With a smirk, Shouta activated his connection.
Inside the psychic space, Senju Tobirama sat at a long wooden table, calmly eating a bowl of steamed fish while flipping through an old scroll. The moment Shouta appeared, he let out an annoyed grunt.
"Hmph! The naturally evil brat again." Tobirama narrowed his sharp red eyes. "What are you doing here this time? Come to gloat? You have everything you need now, don't you? The training methods for all of Konoha's forbidden techniques. What use am I to you now? Are you planning to kill me off today?"
Shouta let out a chuckle, pulling out a chair and sitting across from the Second Hokage without hesitation.
"What are you saying, Second Hokage-sama? You are my senior and the Second Hokage of Konoha. How could I ever do something so disrespectful?" He leaned forward slightly. "Actually, I came here to ask for your help."
Tobirama raised an eyebrow. "Help?"
"Yes. I want you to teach my comrades and me."
Tobirama snorted, shaking his head. "Why should I? What can I possibly teach you that you can't already find in the Scroll of Seals?"
Shouta smiled knowingly. "Come now, Second Hokage-sama. You are the greatest expert on forbidden jutsu in Konoha's history. Even with the scroll, it would take years—decades—for us to fully master these techniques on our own. But with your guidance, we could learn them much faster."
Tobirama was silent for a moment, his expression unreadable. Though he had always rejected Shouta before, the situation had changed. His previous refusal was based on suspicion—that Shouta was an ambitious, dangerous individual, even more unpredictable than Uchiha Madara.
But now? The knowledge was already in Shouta's hands. Refusing to teach him would make little difference.
After a long pause, Tobirama finally spoke. "It's not impossible… but I have a condition."
Shouta's eyes narrowed. "Name it."
"In the future, you will use the Summoning: Reanimation Jutsu to bring back all the members of the Senju clan. I want the Senju to return to this world."
Shouta blinked. For a moment, he had expected Tobirama to make a more difficult demand. But this? This was practically nothing.
The Reanimation Jutsu was already one of the techniques recorded in the Scroll of Seals. Once he had the necessary resources, summoning and reviving the Senju clan wouldn't be a problem. At most, it would cost a few thousand ryo in necessary materials. And money? That would never be an issue.
As his power grew, wealth would come naturally. In fact, he couldn't help but wonder how much money Namikaze Minato and Uchiha Fugaku had accumulated by now.
With a confident grin, Shouta nodded. "Alright. I agree."
Tobirama exhaled, crossing his arms. "Then I'll teach you. But don't mistake this for trust, brat. If you ever do anything that endangers Konoha, I will destroy you myself, even if it costs me my very existence."
Shouta laughed. "Don't worry, Second Hokage-sama. You already know my goal, don't you?" His eyes burned with ambition. "I will become Hokage and lead Konoha to rule the entire ninja world."
Tobirama scoffed. "Tch. Evil brat. If you actually manage to do it, I won't stop you."
Before Shouta could respond, a loud voice interrupted them.
"Little Shouta!!!"
Senju Hashirama suddenly burst into the room, dragging along a clearly irritated Uchiha Madara. The First Hokage grinned widely, practically bouncing with excitement.
"I heard Tobirama is going out to teach a new generation! I want to go too! I can train these little guys in Konoha! And Madara can help as well!"
Bang!
A fist met Hashirama's head.
"Shut up, you idiot," Madara growled, rubbing his temples. "I have no interest in teaching brats." He shot Shouta a glare. "Dealing with this damn kid is already enough of a headache."
Shouta's grin widened. Oh? So does that mean he considers me his student now?
Madara's words weren't a rejection of Shouta himself—only of the idea of taking on additional students. And that, in itself, was an acknowledgment.
Shouta's gaze flickered with understanding. This was the first time Madara had admitted, even in his own roundabout way, that Shouta was his disciple.
This was getting interesting.