Senju Tobirama's Approval

— — — — — — — 

"Damn Uchiha! I hate them!!!"

Danzo let out a sorrowful roar, his voice echoing through the training ground, as he was overwhelmed by the grinning Uchiha attackers charging at him from all sides.

Feeling the power within him sealed, his movements slowed and his resistance faltered, leaving him defenseless.

In moments, he was quickly swallowed by the merciless Uchiha onslaught. Thus began his tragic, inhumane path of desperate survival, a journey born from sheer desperation and rage.

And this was only the start of his life's misfortune, the first step into a dark and unforgiving fate.

— — —

Meanwhile, In the Hokage's office....

As soon as Tobirama Senju arrived, he couldn't hold back and said, "You brat, you actually managed to learn my Flying Thunder God Technique?"

"And your mastery of it seems to be quite high too? Did someone teach you this?"

He didn't believe for a second it was the monkeys—Sarutobi and the others. If not them, then it could only be...

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but glance at his sister-in-law.

The level of proficiency this brat showed was something impossible to achieve without considerable time and effort.

"It was indeed me," Uzumaki Mito admitted when she felt his gaze. She spread her hands and explained, "It was part of a deal to restore my vitality and extend my life."

"What? Do you find it unacceptable? Or do you think I'm not qualified to do this?"

"No, no!" Tobirama quickly shook his head, denying it vehemently.

"Who else would be more qualified? Sister-in-law, you must be joking!"

"This deal was an excellent choice!"

If she hadn't made the deal and passed away, the Senju Clan would've completely fallen by now.

But still, this brat had managed to master his signature technique to such an extent—it left Tobirama feeling a bit unsettled.

This wasn't just any jutsu; it was the ultimate technique he had specifically developed to counter the Uchiha! After all, it was the very technique he used to kill Uchiha Izuna back in the day.

"Is there a reason you brought us here?" Uchiha Madara asked bluntly, his face as stoic as ever.

The others also turned their attention to Kaito.

Kaito shrugged and replied, "No big reason. I just thought, since you're all revived now, it'd be a good opportunity to discuss Konoha's first Five-Year Plan."

"We've already gone through several rounds of discussions with the village leadership and jonin representatives. I believe it's quite thorough."

"Still, an outsider's perspective is valuable, so I wanted to hear your input!"

Saying this, Kaito picked up a document from the desk and handed it to Madara and the others.

"Oh? The First Five-Year Plan?"

Madara and Tobirama both seemed intrigued and reached out to grab the document.

But as each of them tugged at one end, they both paused and turned expressionless gazes at each other. The tug-of-war was so amusing.

"Alright, alright! I'll make another copy for you!" Kaito, exasperated, smacked his forehead and grabbed another document to hand over.

Tobirama immediately relaxed, only to have the file in his hands snatched away by Madara.

Madara walked over to a nearby sofa, sat down, and began flipping through it with Hashirama.

The sight made Tobirama grit his teeth in frustration.

"Damn!" Madara was bad enough, but even his own brother was acting like this? Anyone watching might think the two were actual siblings!

Despite his annoyance, Tobirama was used to this behavior and decided to ignore them entirely. He took the second document from Kaito and began reading.

After a long while, Tobirama finally finished reading. He took a sharp breath and looked at Kaito in shock.

"Kid! This plan of yours is pretty bold!"

"Just the expansion of the ninja academy alone is already on this scale!"

"Your ambitions aren't just about developing Konoha, are they? You're aiming to unify the ninja world—and perhaps even take control of the daimyo's authority in the future?"

While none of this was explicitly stated in the document, Tobirama could see the hints everywhere.

The expansion of the academy and the addition of targeted courses—especially ideological education and governance training—stood out.

There were even plans for schools for civilians.

All of this screamed preparation for a larger, unified structure.

Moreover, the plan clearly outlined Konoha's future industrial and commercial development, aiming for self-sufficiency.

Military, economic, and political development—all integrated and progressing together.

This was entirely different from Konoha's traditional positioning.

Additionally, the reconstruction and expansion plan indicated Kaito's intent to attract a massive influx of external population, drastically increasing Konoha's demographic base.

If everything went according to plan, Konoha's population would balloon to at least three million in five years.

"Eh? Does it really say that? I don't see anything like that in the document. How did you figure that out?" Hashirama, curious, turned to Tobirama.

Madara, watching from the side, looked exasperated. As expected, Hashirama's sensitivity to such matters was still painfully low.

"Oh?"

Kaito raised an eyebrow at Tobirama. "You figured it out that quickly?"

Tobirama smirked coldly. "It's obvious. Practically every line screams your intentions. How could I not see it?"

"Still, I'm surprised you're willing to decentralize the Hokage's power—delegating administrative and mission-related responsibilities. That takes guts."

"I'll admit, I had major doubts about you being Hokage."

"It wasn't just because you're from the Uchiha clan, but also because you're only ten years old. I thought that no matter how talented you were, you'd still lack the maturity and strategic mindset needed for leadership."

"But now, I see I was shallow and underestimated you!"

"Just based on this plan, you're more than qualified to be Hokage—possibly even more qualified than I ever was!"

"So, I officially acknowledge you as the Fourth Hokage!"

"I'm looking forward to seeing what you'll accomplish next!"

Senju Tobirama's words were heartfelt and sincere.

The plan presented by Kaito covered many aspects that even seasoned strategists hadn't considered in the past.

Tobirama was confident that if this plan could be executed firmly and successfully, within five years, Konoha Village would be unbeatable in the ninja world—a true foundation for unifying it entirely.

"Haha, thanks for the compliment!" Kaito chuckled. "But for now, let's focus. Does anyone have any opinions on this plan?"

"Making improvements while we still have time is crucial," he added with a calm smile.

Tobirama's acknowledgment didn't hold much sway for Kaito personally. But he couldn't deny that it was rare for someone like Tobirama—who harbored a deep dislike for the Uchiha clan—to recognize him, a not-yet-official Hokage. It was a rare and pleasant feeling.

"Of course..." Tobirama replied, and they immediately delved into discussing the finer details of the plan.

Soon, others joined in the discussion, including Uzumaki Mito, Uchiha Madara, Senju Hashirama, and even more key figures. Together, they refined the plan.

Although the plan was already quite comprehensive, every now and then, Tobirama and the others proposed constructive suggestions, further perfecting it.

— — —

Three days later.

Tsunade and the returning forces finally marched back victorious.

Kaito and his group personally greeted them at the village gates to celebrate their triumphant return.

At the same time, it was announced that the next day, Kaito would officially assume the role of Hokage, with a ceremony to mark the occasion.

"Ah! We're finally back!" Tsunade stretched her arms lazily on their way to the Hokage's office. "Can I finally relax now?"

"You wish!" Orochimaru teased with a sly smile. "Tomorrow is Kaito's day. After that, Konoha will officially start its reforms under his leadership."

"Reforms will surely include the Ninja Hospital, so you, as the village's top medical ninja, better not slack off! What are you even thinking?"

"Ugh, no way!" Tsunade groaned, her face instantly souring. "I think the hospital is perfectly fine as it is. Why mess with it?"

"Don't complain to me about it," Orochimaru replied, shaking his head in amusement.

"Take it up with Kaito and try to convince him—though I doubt you'll succeed!"

"You've admitted yourself, haven't you? When it comes to medical expertise, Kaito might even surpass you!"

"If he thinks reforms are necessary, then they are. We'll just have to follow along."

Orochimaru's eyes gleamed mischievously as he added, "By the way, I noticed something interesting earlier. Lord Tobirama seems to have been revived."

"Looks like my research division will be gaining a legendary new member. Can't wait!"

Tobirama, a master of forbidden techniques, in his research division

Orochimaru couldn't contain his excitement, imagining the breakthroughs they could achieve.

Kaito was incredibly considerate, wasn't he?

"Huh? Really?" Tsunade stopped mid-thought, recalling Orochimaru's words.

"Now that you mention it, he was there! Weird, though. With my granduncle's temper and his hatred for the Uchiha, I can't believe he didn't oppose Kaito becoming Hokage!"

"Seems like we missed a lot while we were away!" she mused aloud, half-amazed, half-relieved.

"If even my granduncle is convinced, Kaito must've pulled off something amazing."

Not that she was complaining. She already thought Kaito was the perfect choice for the Fourth Hokage. If Tobirama was on board, all the better. She'd been worried he'd cause trouble, but that wasn't the case.

Nearby, Jiraiya looked pensive after hearing about Tobirama's revival.

"If Lord Tobirama's back, then he must know about all the crimes Sensei and Danzo committed over the years. He's also likely aware of the village's decisions about them. And if he hasn't opposed any of it, it means... they have no chance of redemption, huh?"

"I just hope Kaito spares Sensei's life," Jiraiya muttered quietly, his expression heavy.

After all, despite everything, Hiruzen had done a lot for the village in his time—keeping it together after Tobirama's death, and pushing back enemy villages. Jiraiya couldn't ignore those contributions.

Tsunade and Orochimaru exchanged glances, both momentarily silent.

"Guess we'll find out soon enough," Tsunade replied nonchalantly. "Kaito already announced the public trial for the day after tomorrow. He even revived Danzo specifically for it."

"Don't get your hopes up, though," she added with a wry smirk. "If it were up to me, I'd say the old man should just be executed. Clean and simple."

"Otherwise, living might be worse for him than dying—more humiliating, at least. Kaito has no mercy for his enemies."

"That guy's ruthless when it comes to revenge."

Her words hung in the air, chilling yet confident.

.

.

.