Naruto: Tobirama Reborn, Invincible in the Ninja World

"This marks the end of one of the hidden masterminds in the shinobi world. At least things should get a little less troublesome from now on," Tobirama remarked with a faint sigh.

His choice of words—"a little less troublesome"—was deliberate. He didn't claim that all disputes would cease entirely. Black Zetsu and Obito might no longer stir trouble from the shadows, but Tobirama himself would have to take action openly.

The shinobi world had always been divided among feudal lords, with each carving out their territories. This mindset had ingrained itself into the very worldview of both commoners and shinobi. At best, the villages had added another layer to this system.

For Tobirama to unite the entire shinobi world under one banner and erase the deeply rooted concepts of villages and nations would undoubtedly ignite even fiercer opposition than Hashirama and Madara had faced when ending the Warring States Era.

Such a feat would inevitably be soaked in rivers of blood.

Madara, noticing Tobirama lost in thought, immediately saw through his intentions.

"You brat, you're scheming about uniting the shinobi world, aren't you?"

"Well, it's only natural. Since Infinite Tsukuyomi is no longer an option, the only way to erase the grudges among shinobi is through a long and arduous process," Madara mused.

"We'll decide on that later..." Tobirama said as he flexed his stiff and cold limbs. "Once the Three-Tails revives."

"You still intend to collect the Tailed Beasts?" Madara asked in surprise. He had assumed Tobirama only sought to prevent Black Zetsu from resurrecting Kaguya Ōtsutsuki, but it seemed there was more to his plans.

"Of course. The Tailed Beasts are fragments of the Ten-Tails, which itself is the seed of an extraterrestrial entity."

"They... cannot handle such power," Tobirama said with a sly smile.

Madara paused, momentarily caught off guard, before responding, "Then I suppose I have no choice but to support you, 'Hokage-sama.'"

After all, he couldn't defeat Tobirama. Moreover, they had come to an agreement, and Tobirama had promised to revive Izuna.

"Can you control these White Zetsu?" Tobirama asked, glancing at the mass of pale figures standing behind Madara.

"Of course!" Madara affirmed, looking back at the crowd of White Zetsu.

"Madara, have them infiltrate the shinobi world and gather intelligence for us. I need them to find a person—or rather, an organization."

For the first time since his resurrection, Madara saw Tobirama wear such a grave expression. Even during their battles, he had never looked this serious.

"Who?"

"Jigen... and Kara."

...

Land of Lightning, Kumogakure

With the final White Zetsu crushed under A's fist, the battle in the heart of Kumogakure finally came to an end.

The approximately eight thousand White Zetsu had been swiftly surrounded and annihilated by shinobi rushing in from all directions.

However, the battlefield was littered with the corpses of fallen Kumo shinobi, the ground was torn apart by jutsu, and the devastated buildings bore testament to the immense damage the White Zetsu had inflicted.

Their perfect transformation technique had cost Kumogakure dearly.

"Raikage-sama!"

Mabui and a group of Kumo shinobi rushed forward to support the panting Fourth Raikage, who was kneeling on one knee.

The pile of White Zetsu corpses at his feet was a testament to his fury.

"Damn it!" A roared, his anger boiling over.

Even without Tobirama personally acting, his village had suffered devastating damage. A couldn't contain his rage.

"Mabui, assess the village's losses," A ordered, his voice steadying as he rose to his feet. "And contact B and Yugito—confirm if Turtle Island has been attacked."

"To the rest of you, secure the area!" he commanded, a burst of lightning crackling around him as he burned away the sticky white residue clinging to his body.

"Yes!" Mabui acknowledged, relaying orders to a nearby shinobi.

As A surveyed the busy scene in the village, his expression remained grim. An inexplicable sense of dread gnawed at him, his heart racing with unease.

Something was going to happen—he could feel it.

His eyes narrowed as a shadow appeared on the ground, steadily moving.

Following the shadow's path, A looked skyward.

Hovering mid-air with wings spread wide was Senju Tobirama. Their eyes met, and Tobirama offered a pointed look.

"SENJU TOBIRAMA!" A bellowed, lightning surging from his body in a storm of crackling energy.

"What?!"

"Where?!"

"There! In the sky!"

The Raikage's roar immediately drew everyone's attention. Gazes turned upward, and the shinobi saw the figure suspended in the air.

"This is all your doing, old man!" A growled, his fists clenching tightly.

Though his anger was palpable, his sharp eyes betrayed a calculated calm as he discreetly signaled Darui to his left.

Darui, ever vigilant as the Raikage's right-hand man, caught the signal. But his eyes widened in disbelief.

The Raikage wanted him to gather the village's future and flee!

That's right—this was A's first instinct upon seeing Tobirama.

Even Iwagakure had fallen to this man. A wasn't foolish enough to think Kumogakure could withstand him. Ensuring the survival of the village's legacy was the best course of action.

Moments later, several figures darted out from the crowd, disappearing in different directions.

From his vantage point, Tobirama saw everything clearly but made no move to stop them. Instead, he chuckled softly.

After surveying the village below, he descended to the roof of the Raikage's office.

"What are you planning, Tobirama?!" A demanded, glaring upward at the figure above.

For now, he could only stall for time to allow Darui and the others to escape with as many survivors as possible.

"My intentions should already be clear from before," Tobirama said, tapping the tiles beneath his feet, the sound crisp and deliberate.

"A, even though I've already taken your jinchūriki, the two choices I presented remain valid."

"One—take your own life, and Kumogakure will be annexed into Konoha."

"Or two—refuse, and I'll destroy Kumogakure."

The cold indifference in Tobirama's voice sent chills through the assembled shinobi.

"Never!"

"Raikage-sama, don't agree!"

"Senju Tobirama, I'll kill you myself!"

The crowd erupted in protest, their shouts echoing in Tobirama's ears.

Tobirama frowned slightly, and the shinobi who had cursed him exploded into a bloody mist, silencing the crowd instantly.

A fell into deep thought.

When Tobirama mentioned that Killer B and Yugito had already been captured, A's heart sank for a brief moment.

If his death could guarantee the safety of the village… then...