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Danzo, pinned to the ground by Tobirama Senju, snarled like a rabid dog. "Tobirama Senju, listen carefully! I've placed curse seals on all the ANBU ninjas under my command. If I die, they'll all die with me!"
Tobirama's eyes widened in shock, and the kunai in his hand hesitated, unable to strike. Danzo's words had struck a nerve—his threat was too grave to ignore.
Seeing this, Danzo quickly signaled to the ANBU ninjas around him. "Stick out your tongues! Let the Second Hokage take a good look!"
The ANBU ninjas obediently stuck out their tongues, revealing the black curse seals etched onto them. Tobirama's heart sank as he realized the gravity of the situation.
In truth, Danzo was bluffing. The curse seals on their tongues were real, but they served a different purpose—they were designed to control the ANBU members' lives. Should Danzo die, the seals would lose their effect, and the ANBU members would be freed. However, Tobirama didn't know this.
Taking advantage of Tobirama's hesitation, Danzo pressed on. "Tobirama Senju! Think about it! Right now, Hiruzen's ANBU has been utterly decimated by Madara Uchiha. Only my ANBU remains! After we drive Madara away, who will protect Konoha from the shadows? Only my ANBU!"
"If you insist on killing me and taking all of ANBU with me, then Konoha will be left defenseless!" Danzo's voice dripped with calculated manipulation.
Tobirama's fury boiled over. "Danzo, you've strayed so far from Konoha's ideals that there's no turning back! Even if I let you go now, you'd just betray the village and lead ANBU against us!"
"Not at all! After dealing with Madara, you and Hashirama can stay in the village for a while. You can even keep an eye on me until Hiruzen's ANBU recovers. How does that sound?"
Tobirama fell silent. Though the proposal seemed reasonable on the surface, he knew better than to trust Danzo. It wouldn't be that simple.
Hashirama Senju, resurrected through Edo Tensei alongside Tobirama, couldn't remain in the living world forever. Eventually, they would have to leave. Once they were gone, what would become of Konoha? How could they deal with Danzo and ANBU, who had already deviated so far from the village's principles?
Eradicating ANBU would mean another devastating conflict—one Konoha couldn't afford after such turmoil. Yet leaving ANBU intact was akin to harboring a ticking time bomb within the village. Tobirama couldn't bring himself to accept that.
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Tobirama felt a suffocating mix of frustration and anger. It was a deadlock. Danzo, the traitorous disciple, had not only defied his mentors but also dared to openly threaten him. Tobirama cursed himself for ever taking Danzo as a student.
Regret weighed heavily on Tobirama's heart as he glared at Danzo, struggling to make a decision. At that moment, Hashirama, who had been standing behind Tobirama and silently confronting Madara, finally spoke up.
"Futaba, now isn't the time to resolve this issue. First, we must deal with Madara Uchiha."
Hashirama's words snapped Tobirama out of his dilemma, reminding him of the bigger picture. With a cold expression, Tobirama released Danzo's neck, sheathed his kunai, and gave Danzo one last glare filled with killing intent before returning to Hashirama's side.
Danzo, drenched in cold sweat, scrambled to his feet. Brushing the dust off himself, he quickly ordered the ANBU ninjas to surround and protect him, unwilling to let his guard down for even a second.
Although Danzo had narrowly escaped Tobirama's wrath thanks to his quick thinking, he was now universally despised—a rat scurrying through the streets, hunted by all. He had no choice but to prioritize his own safety.
On Konoha's side, Hiruzen Sarutobi and Sakumo Hatake, both injured, were finally helped to their feet. Their fellow shinobi glared at Danzo with undisguised hatred. However, Danzo was merely a minor irritation compared to the looming threat of Madara Uchiha. All eyes turned toward the standoff between Madara and the two Hokages.
Seeing Tobirama return, Madara Uchiha, who had been observing the spectacle as its true puppet master, sneered mockingly. "Tobirama Senju! So, the internal strife of your rotting Konoha has finally been resolved… or should I say, temporarily suppressed?"
Tobirama's face darkened. Already hostile toward Madara, he now found himself the subject of ridicule. Madara's words cut deep, striking at his most vulnerable spot. His expression grew increasingly agitated, but he remained silent, unsure of how to respond.
However, Madara wasn't done taunting him. "Oh, and by the way, you two should thank me! After all, it was my Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan that shattered the curse seals in your brains and freed you from Danzo's control!"
Tobirama was at a loss for words. For the first time, he felt a surge of humiliation and anger toward Madara. Yet, he had no counterargument—Madara was telling the truth. Without Madara's intervention, they would still be under Danzo's control.
Tobirama felt a bitter lump in his throat.
What he hadn't expected, however, was Hashirama's surprising camaraderie with Madara. Hashirama began reminiscing as if they were old friends. "You're right, Madara. I never imagined we'd meet again like this after my death!"
Hearing Hashirama's familiar tone, memories stirred deep within Madara. A fierce grin spread across his face as he stomped his foot, cracking the ground beneath him. "Finally, I've found you, Hashirama!"
"Wait! Question time!" Hashirama suddenly raised his hand, his expression serious. Pointing at Madara, he asked, "First, Madara Uchiha, how are you still alive!?"
He then gestured toward Kurama, the Nine-Tails, bound helplessly by Wood Release. "Second, what's going on with the Nine-Tails? Who used Wood Release to bind him!?"
Finally, Hashirama drew a circle in the air, pointing at Tobirama beside him. "And third, wait… so you're dead too?"
The entire battlefield nearly collapsed in disbelief. No one had expected the legendary First Hokage to start things off with such absurd questions.
The Konoha shinobi stared, their eyes nearly popping out of their sockets. They had never imagined their wise and noble First Hokage to be so… oblivious!
Tobirama sighed in exasperation, covering his face with his hand as he struggled to process the situation.
Even Madara stumbled slightly, steadying himself before muttering under his breath, "Indeed… I just can't get along with this guy."