Naruto: Tobirama Reborn, Invincible in the Ninja World

"Creak!"

The wooden door emitted a sharp groan as it swung open, followed by the entry of several figures into the meeting room.

At the sight of the newcomers, both Chōjūrō and Darui rose to their feet simultaneously, bowing deeply toward the doorway.

"Greetings, Hokage-sama!"

The two spoke in unison, their tone filled with respect.

The aides accompanying them scrambled up from their chairs in a clumsy attempt to mimic the gesture, though their movements were less polished.

"Oh?"

Raising an eyebrow in mild surprise, Tobirama allowed a faint smile to grace his lips.

Are they afraid?

Tobirama strode confidently to the seat of honor at the head of the long table. Crossing his hands under his chin, he cast an amused yet calculating gaze toward Chōjūrō and Darui, seated on either side.

Behind him, Tsunade, Jiraiya, Uchiha Itachi, and Nara Shikaku stood like an impenetrable wall, their expressions serious. The faint but undeniable aura of strength radiating from these elite shinobi made it nearly impossible for the others in the room to breathe easily.

Chōjūrō gritted his teeth, suppressing the suffocating pressure as he took the lead in addressing the Hokage.

"Hokage-sama, greetings! I am Chōjūrō, the representative of Kirigakure for this delegation."

"We apologize for the sudden intrusion. Might we have a moment of your time to explain the purpose of our visit?"

He managed to squeeze out a smile that looked more like a grimace, his eyes filled with a pleading hope as they met Tobirama's.

"Not bad, your attitude is decent enough."

Tobirama raised an eyebrow, giving a slight nod as if acknowledging Chōjūrō's earnestness.

Darui's face, however, twisted with mixed emotions, as if silently screaming, Why'd you get to speak first?!

Chōjūrō exhaled in relief, turning to signal the accompanying Kirigakure shinobi. Taking a deep breath, he continued.

"Hokage-sama, Kirigakure has come to Konoha this time to propose an alliance between our two villages!"

The moment those words fell, Darui's eyes widened in shock, and even Tobirama momentarily froze. Behind him, the others exchanged startled glances.

"Kirigakure joined Iwagakure's ninja coalition, didn't they? And now that Iwagakure's been destroyed, they're scrambling to cut ties?"

Shouldn't they stage a noble battle against Konoha first? Declaring an alliance this fast… are they even keeping their jinchūriki?

Darui's thoughts raced wildly, regret bubbling up inside him for having agreed to join this trip to Konoha.

Kirigakure's apparent capitulation left him seething. Among the Five Great Shinobi Villages, Kumogakure was the last one unwilling to surrender their jinchūriki. How will this play out now?

Beads of sweat trickled down Darui's forehead as his frown deepened.

"Oh? Kirigakure wants an alliance with Konoha?"

Tobirama's tone was calm but probing, his sharp gaze locking onto Chōjūrō.

"However, as far as I know, the Fifth Mizukage participated in the Ninja World Alliance Meeting convened by Ōnoki, even joining the ninja coalition they formed."

"Wouldn't that imply hostility toward Konoha, Chōjūrō?"

Tobirama's words weren't accusatory, but the underlying hostility was unmistakable.

"No, no! That's not it, Hokage-sama!"

Chōjūrō waved his hands in panic, his mind racing as he recalled the instructions given by both the Mizukage and the elder Yagura. He stammered before finally blurting out:

"Hokage-sama, have you heard of Kirigakure's Blood Mist policy?"

"Somewhat," Tobirama replied, nodding slightly.

The Blood Mist policy referred to a series of harsh and brutal measures once implemented in Kirigakure. Under Uchiha Obito's control of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, these policies were taken to an extreme.

In that era, students in Kirigakure's ninja academy were required to engage in deadly battles with their classmates to graduate, with only the survivor earning the title of shinobi. The policy also targeted clans with kekkei genkai, leading to the extermination of the Kaguya and Yuki clans.

The policy served Obito's agenda: weakening Kirigakure to make it easier to control. It was also born of personal vendetta, given the role the village played in the death of Rin Nohara.

"Hokage-sama, Kirigakure's participation in the Ninja World Alliance was a move born of necessity."

Chōjūrō's voice softened, his gaze earnest.

"When the Fifth Mizukage began investigating the Blood Mist policy's origins, she discovered anomalies in the Fourth Mizukage's behavior. Our sensory ninja eventually confirmed that he had been under genjutsu, controlled by… the Sharingan."

Pausing, Chōjūrō glanced nervously at Tobirama, then continued hesitantly.

"Specifically, the Sharingan of… the Uchiha Clan."

At the mention of the Sharingan, Uchiha Itachi's eyes narrowed, a flicker of tension crossing his face.

"Could it be Madara?" Itachi muttered, recalling the masked man who had approached him on the night of the Uchiha massacre—the one who claimed to be Uchiha Madara and later invited him to join the Akatsuki.

"So, you suspect someone from Konoha used the Sharingan to control the Fourth Mizukage, and for that reason, you joined the Ninja World Alliance?" Tobirama asked calmly.

"But let me make one thing clear: whoever used the Sharingan to manipulate the Fourth Mizukage has nothing to do with Konoha—or me."

Hearing this, Chōjūrō's face lit up with relief. He quickly bowed deeply and said, "Thank you, Hokage-sama! This has all been a misunderstanding! The Mizukage was merely concerned… concerned that Konoha might be involved. Our actions were only meant as a precaution."

Tobirama's sharp gaze didn't waver.

"And your jinchūriki? Does Kirigakure have no objections to my collection of the tailed beasts?"

Chōjūrō straightened, his face resolute.

"Hokage-sama!"

"We fully support your initiative to collect the tailed beasts! The tailed beasts are too volatile and dangerous. Kirigakure lacks the means to control them effectively. It would be far safer if Konoha, under your strong leadership, takes charge of safeguarding them. This would benefit both Kirigakure and the peace of the shinobi world!"

With those words, Chōjūrō bowed deeply once more, his sincerity unmistakable.

"!!!"

Even Darui, usually laid-back and unruffled, felt an overwhelming urge to leap from his chair.

Kirigakure, you're still one of the Five Great Shinobi Villages! Where's your backbone? Handing over your jinchūriki without a fight and proposing an alliance with the enemy?

And wait—if you ally with them, who's supposed to be your enemy now?

A chill ran down Darui's spine as an unsettling thought crossed his mind, leaving him drenched in sweat.

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Pls Drop some Power Stones

Fanfic finished on Patreon (Last chap 162.)

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