Naruto: Tobirama Reborn, Invincible in the Ninja World

Konohagakure

Nearly all shinobi on missions outside the village had returned, save for a few who were tied up with critical tasks. At the gates of Konoha, excited faces could often be seen as ninja returned one after another.

War was imminent.

...

Hokage's Office

Tobirama sat behind his desk, his brows furrowed in deep thought. He was focused on one pressing matter: how to secure Konoha's victory in the impending war with the smallest possible cost.

Thanks to Danzo Shimura's Root members, Konoha had a spy within Sunagakure. Through this network, Tobirama learned of a large-scale movement within Sunagakure—one so well-hidden that even their mole couldn't provide much information.

Still, the movements of Sunagakure's border forces didn't escape the watchful eyes of the shinobi world. It was clear they were withdrawing into the depths of the Land of Wind, likely to engage in guerrilla warfare on their home turf.

"Clever," Tobirama muttered.

Even if he personally intervened, capturing or neutralizing all the scattered Sunagakure forces across the Land of Wind in one swoop was nearly impossible. The Suna shinobi weren't fools, with their lack of high-level combatants, they would scatter and retreat the moment Tobirama appeared.

However, Tobirama wasn't overly concerned. Victory in this war was inevitable—what mattered to him was minimizing the losses on Konoha's side.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Enter," Tobirama said.

Shikaku stepped inside, his expression composed yet serious.

"Hokage-sama, emissaries from Hoshigakure request an audience with you," Shikaku reported.

Tobirama raised an eyebrow, curiosity flashing across his face.

"Hoshigakure? What do they want?"

"We're not sure yet," Shikaku replied. "But the lead emissary appears anxious. It's likely they've come to ask for help."

Understanding dawned on Tobirama as he recalled the details of Hoshigakure from the original timeline.

Hoshigakure, a small village in the Land of Bears, possessed a meteorite rumored to contain a fragment of the Ten-Tails' power. This meteorite allowed the Hoshi shinobi to develop a unique technique—the Peacock Method.

If he remembered correctly, Akahoshi, who styled himself as the Hoshikage, had once implanted the meteorite into his own body, mutating into a monstrous creature. In the original timeline, Uzumaki Naruto had defeated him.

But now? Naruto was under Tobirama's direct command in the ANBU, and Jiraiya had yet to take him as a pupil. Without Naruto, Hoshigakure wouldn't stand a chance against Akahoshi's monstrous transformation.

Tobirama's eyes narrowed. He already had an idea of what they would say.

"Let them in," he ordered.

A Few Minutes Later

Three shinobi from Hoshigakure entered the room. Their clothes were tattered, and they bore visible wounds, their faces etched with desperation.

The moment they stepped inside, all three knelt in unison, bowing their heads low.

"Hokage-sama!"

The leader, a man with tear-filled eyes, spoke in a trembling voice.

"Please, save Hoshigakure! We are facing a catastrophe beyond anything we can handle. If you don't help us, our village is doomed!"

Tobirama observed the scene with a calm demeanor, masking his initial surprise at their dramatic display. After a moment, he responded in a measured tone.

"I might consider helping. But what will you offer Konoha in return?"

The leader hesitated, his expression conflicted. After a long pause, he gritted his teeth and declared:

"If Hokage-sama saves Hoshigakure, we will offer the Peacock Method as tribute. Furthermore, our entire village will swear allegiance to Konoha. From now on, we will follow your command!"

Tobirama's eyes narrowed in thought.

"How many shinobi remain in your village?" he asked after a moment.

The leader faltered, clearly caught off guard by the question. After some deliberation, he replied:

"Hokage-sama, Hoshigakure originally had over a thousand shinobi. But many have been killed by Akahoshi's rampage. We're not sure how many remain."

Tobirama's gaze sharpened.

"And how many of your shinobi have mastered the Peacock Method to the extent of flight?"

This time, one of the younger shinobi behind the leader answered, his voice tinged with admiration.

"To achieve flight, one must be at least at jōnin-level strength. Our village has about forty such individuals."

Tobirama resisted the urge to scoff. In a small village like Hoshigakure, their definition of "jōnin" was likely inflated. Still, forty airborne shinobi could be a strategic asset, especially against Sunagakure's guerilla tactics.

A faint smile crossed Tobirama's face.

"I'll handle Hoshigakure's problem," he finally said. "Stay here in Konoha until it's resolved."

Before the stunned Hoshi emissaries could respond, Tobirama disappeared in a flash of movement, leaving behind only a faint ripple of chakra.

The three shinobi stared at the empty space in awe.

"So this is the Hokage's power… He moved so fast, I couldn't even see him!"

They whispered among themselves, their voices a mixture of admiration and hope.

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