NOVEL NEXT Chapter 27: Chapter 27: A New Mission
Sunagakure – Suna Council
With the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa, dead and his body missing, the elders, led by Chiyo, were temporarily overseeing all matters in Sunagakure.
Chiyo stood straight, her tone brooking no argument as she declared:
"We'll set aside the matter of Orochimaru's attack on the Fourth Kazekage for now. We'll address it later."
"Right now, we must focus on the revival of Senju Tobirama. We joined forces with Orochimaru in the Konoha Crush Plan and failed, which will undoubtedly provoke Konoha's fierce retaliation."
"How should we handle this situation to quell Konoha's fury?"
As the widow of the First Kazekage, Reto, Chiyo had lived through the Warring States Era and multiple Shinobi World Wars. She was all too familiar with the terror Senju Tobirama could unleash.
"Without a Kazekage and with our jinchūriki still detained in Konoha, we are at a severe disadvantage. Meanwhile, Konoha has gained the immensely powerful Second Hokage. If this isn't resolved carefully, it could spell disaster for Sunagakure."
When Chiyo finished, her younger brother, Ebizō, rose to speak:
"At this point, we cannot afford to antagonize Konoha further. To avoid becoming Tobirama's next target, we must seek peace talks with Konoha."
"If we wish to negotiate, we'll have to pay whatever price they demand to secure the return of our detained shinobi and jinchūriki. But…" He hesitated, his voice heavy. "Our village is impoverished, with scarce resources. If Tobirama makes unreasonable demands…"
Before he could finish, one of Sunagakure's more radical elders interjected:
"Tobirama may be powerful, but Konoha doesn't have an endless supply of strong shinobi. If he oversteps, we can ally with Iwagakure, which also has grievances against Konoha, and pressure them. If it comes to it, we'll initiate the Fourth Shinobi World War!"
His meaning was clear: concessions were negotiable, but if Tobirama pushed too far, they would rally Iwagakure—and possibly the other great villages—and strike back against Konoha.
"I agree!"
"Seconded!"
"Motion approved."
The elder sat back down, his words stirring agreement among Sunagakure's council members.
...
Hokage's Office – Konoha
Tobirama stretched lazily after signing another document. While his reanimated body didn't tire, the mental strain of administrative work was another matter entirely.
"Being Hokage is such a chore," he muttered, gesturing toward the paperwork piled on his desk.
"Even missions about lost pets have to cross my desk for approval. From now on, don't bother me with these trivialities."
"Yes, Hokage-sama. It's true such matters shouldn't trouble you," Shikaku replied with a respectful nod.
"By the way, Gaara of the One Tail is still in custody, isn't he? Has Sunagakure made any moves?" Tobirama asked curiously.
"They have, Hokage-sama," Shikaku answered, flipping through his notes. "Counsellor Chiyo has requested to send emissaries to negotiate peace in two weeks. They've promised compensation that they believe will satisfy you in exchange for the return of their jinchūriki."
"Oh? To retrieve their jinchūriki…" Tobirama's lips curved into a faint, mischievous smile.
Previously, he might have considered returning Gaara under certain conditions. But now, with all nine tailed beasts, he could achieve resurrection and obtain the Sage's body. Sunagakure's request was unlikely to be entertained. Would they lash out in desperation?
"Shikaku, I'll leave the rest of this to you. I'm going out for a walk. I haven't had the chance to properly see the current Konoha since my revival."
Before Shikaku could react, Tobirama waved dismissively and walked straight out the door.
"Eh?" Shikaku sighed heavily, staring at the towering stack of paperwork. "With a Hokage like this, it's hard to say if Konoha is fortunate or cursed…"
...
Walking Through Konoha's Streets
As Tobirama strolled leisurely through the village, he observed the surroundings. The destruction caused by Sunagakure and Otogakure's joint assault had reduced much of the village to rubble, yet the reconstruction was proceeding remarkably fast. The streets and buildings were already restored to their former glory, thanks to the efficiency of Konoha's earth-release ninjutsu users.
Villagers greeted Tobirama warmly as he passed, and he responded with a faint, polite smile, further fueling the rumor that the Hokage was kind and approachable.
Amid the bustling streets, a familiar figure caught his eye—a boy with hands in his pockets, radiating arrogance.
"Sasuke Uchiha…"
Tobirama stopped in his tracks, his expression calm. He wasn't particularly interested in the boy at first, but a cold, mechanical voice suddenly echoed in his mind:
Mission: Prevent Sasuke Uchiha from defecting.
Reward: Sage Mode.
Tobirama's brows arched slightly. A new mission?
Both Naruto Uzumaki and Sasuke Uchiha had triggered new tasks for him. Coincidence? Or was it tied to Indra and Asura's reincarnations? Perhaps it was simply because they were the story's main characters?
Tobirama couldn't decipher the system's logic, but seeing the reward brought a pleased glint to his eyes.
Sage Mode… not bad.
Unlike Orochimaru, who had failed to achieve Sage Mode after a lifetime of effort, Tobirama could obtain it merely by ensuring Sasuke stayed put.
Sasuke wouldn't be running anywhere.
Saving the world? Leave such dangerous tasks to me, Senju Tobirama.
----------------
For every review, I'll add +1 more chapter. Once this story gets 10 reviews, I'll start posting 2 chapters per day!
+70 chapters on patreon.com/Jixo