Chapter 16: Tobirama's Visit

"Earth Style: Rock Fist — Added Weight Rock Technique!"

Mū dropped from the sky and drove a solid punch straight into Gengetsu Hōzuki's giant clam.

Crack!

The creature splintered on impact and vanished, forcibly dispelled back to the summoning realm.

"Had enough?"

Mū's real body emerged soundlessly behind Gengetsu, his tone calm.

Gengetsu scowled. He hadn't anticipated the battle ending this swiftly.

"Alright, mustache boy, I don't have time to keep playing games with you. I've already unraveled all your tricks. Times are different now. For the village's sake, maybe you should quit bouncing around and act your age."

There was a flicker of satisfaction in Mū's eyes.

Thanks to the memory orb, he'd precisely located the mustached man's vulnerability. Without the clam acting as support, Gengetsu Hōzuki's strength had dropped by more than half.

"Tch! Then why didn't you use Dust Style just now?"

Gengetsu wasn't ready to let it go. His voice held a sharp edge, clearly unconvinced.

He couldn't understand why Mū had passed up such a clean opportunity. With Dust Style, he might have been killed right then and there.

Behind his facial wrappings, Mū's expression turned rigid. Could he admit that his clone didn't have access to Dust Style?

"Hmph. I was going easy on you. If I hadn't, you'd already be gone."

Mū folded his arms, his voice steady and cold.

"Bakayarō! Don't act so high and mighty, you arrogant bastard!"

Gengetsu clenched his fists, fury simmering beneath his skin.

In a blink, the two shinobi flickered back to Iwagakure's entrance. The thick mist that had shrouded the area was gone. To the crowd nearby, it was as though the pair had simply vanished and then returned just as suddenly.

Right at that moment, the delegation from Konohagakure arrived, led by Tobirama Senju.

"Greetings, Mū-dono."

Tobirama was the first to step forward, extending his hand in greeting, but then his eyes drifted curiously to Gengetsu.

"This is Gengetsu Hōzuki-dono from Kirigakure. Since both of your delegations showed up together, I figured I'd host you both at once."

Mū's voice was calm, his words carefully measured.

Tobirama nodded slightly, keeping his response brief.

All three were practical men. They exchanged only a few polite words before cutting to the matter at hand.

As they stepped into the heart of the village, Tobirama's eyes gleamed with subtle surprise.

The Iwagakure he remembered had been rugged, utilitarian, and plain. But what lay before him now was strikingly different.

The village pulsed with vitality. Shops lined both sides of the street, colorful signs fluttered in the breeze, and the sheer array of goods on display was dazzling.

Civilians and shinobi moved through the streets in harmony, their expressions calm and at ease.

Tobirama couldn't help but comment.

"Mū-dono, Iwagakure has transformed so much. You must have poured in a lot of effort to achieve this."

Mū allowed a small smile.

"Over the years, we've made significant investments in trade and focused on building connections with nearby cities. That's how it evolved into what you see today."

Their conversation flowed easily as they unknowingly made their way toward the center of the village.

Here, the buildings grew even more imposing. The Tsuchikage Building loomed ahead, a towering symbol of power and stability.

Tobirama took it all in with a silent nod, a newfound respect for Iwagakure settling in his heart.

While Konohagakure was known far and wide for its military prowess, Iwagakure was clearly no slouch in other domains. In fact, in certain ways, it demonstrated a stronger sense of unity. In Konoha, inter-clan tensions still ran deep, often complicating internal affairs. But here, such divisions were nearly nonexistent.

Mū led both Tobirama and Gengetsu on a thorough tour of the shinobi academy. The structure and organization of the academy immediately caught their attention.

Mū saw no reason to hide anything. Sooner or later, the system would be revealed to the world. He might as well gain a reputation for transparency.

"The academy is split into lower and upper divisions. It's a five-year curriculum. Students typically graduate around age ten, after which they're assigned to three-man squads, each supervised by a jōnin responsible for overseeing their missions."

His tone was steady and deliberate. The more Tobirama listened, the more astonished he became.

It wasn't just that their systems were compatible. The squad formation was nearly identical to the structure he had envisioned for Konoha. Could Mū actually be a version of himself, shaped by a different path?

"Mū-dono, if I may, where did these concepts originate?" Tobirama asked as he stroked his chin, curiosity clearly getting the better of him.

Mū scratched his head and joked, "The Sage of Six Paths came to me in a dream."

Gengetsu immediately burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! If you didn't want to answer, you could've just said so. No need to drag the Sage of Six Paths into your excuse!"

Tobirama gave a small, awkward laugh as well and chose not to push further.

"Mū-dono, what I'm more curious about is how you've organized your Anbu division," Tobirama said plainly.

Gengetsu perked up at that too, eager to hear more.

"That section is classified. I can't share any details," Mū replied without the slightest hesitation.

What do they take me for, an idiot? Why on earth would I show off our most secretive unit? If I actually let them see it, the word classified would lose all meaning.

Once the academy tour wrapped up, the banquet began.

During the gathering, Mū used the opportunity to fish for information about Konohagakure, trying to pinpoint the exact place in the timeline they were operating within.

"Tobirama-dono, how are Hashirama-dono and Madara-dono doing these days?" Mū asked with apparent concern, his tone light.

Tobirama didn't find the question suspicious and assumed it was just polite conversation.

"The Hokage is in excellent health," he replied. "As for Madara Uchiha… better left unmentioned."

His words were curt.

"Oh? Sounds like you and Madara-dono don't exactly see eye to eye," Mū said, feigning mild confusion.

Tobirama waved a hand dismissively. "That's an internal issue within Konoha. No need for Iwagakure to concern itself."

But Mū wasn't planning to drop it that easily.

As far as Mū was concerned, the more disordered Konoha became, the better it was for Iwagakure. His role was to discreetly stir the pot, to nudge things further into unrest.

"Although it's not my place to meddle in Konoha's internal matters, since you've honored us with your visit to Iwagakure, allow me to offer a word of friendly caution."

Mū raised his finger.

"Konoha's real threat isn't from the outside. It comes from within. If you're not careful, the Uchiha clan could become your village's most dangerous problem."

He delivered the warning with a polished tone of concern, as if it were pure goodwill.

As he anticipated, the moment he mentioned the Uchiha, Tobirama's hand froze halfway through lifting a bite, and his expression darkened with gravity.

"What did you say?"

Tobirama's eyes narrowed sharply, his attention locked in. There was genuine interest in his gaze now. He hadn't expected to meet someone who mirrored his own suspicions so precisely.

Tobirama, too, had always harbored doubts about the Uchiha. He believed they were a potential threat if left unchecked, though he'd never dared to voice those concerns openly, not with his older brother Hashirama so deeply trusting of them.

"It's simple. From what I've learned, the Uchiha are driven by powerful emotions. When they get fixated on something, they tend to take it to the extreme. You, of all people, should understand how unstable they can become under pressure."

Mū smirked behind his mask.

"Do you really believe handing Konoha's future to someone so emotionally unbalanced would benefit the village, Tobirama-dono?"

Mū's gaze narrowed ever so slightly, his voice calm and firm.

Tobirama slipped into silence, sinking deep into thought.

He hadn't expected Mū to see through Konoha's vulnerabilities so clearly. The level of insight this man possessed was unsettling. And it wasn't just observation. He had a precise, strategic grasp of power dynamics and danger.

Tobirama's view of Mū shifted once more.

This wasn't just a military tactician. This was someone who understood politics, psychology, and manipulation.

At the same time, Tobirama couldn't help but sigh inwardly at the thought of his brother. Even outsiders were aware of the risks Konoha faced. And yet Hashirama still clung to his belief that the Uchiha could be trusted and integrated without issue.

"Mū-dono, you're perceptive, I'll give you that. But you don't grasp the full extent of the situation in our village. I want to address the Uchiha issue too, but the resistance is overwhelming."

Tobirama lifted his cup and took a slow sip of sake, his tone level but weary.

(OG AN: At this stage in the timeline, the village had only just been founded. Tobirama was still fresh from the Warring States period, and the ideals of the Will of Fire hadn't fully taken root in him yet. His suspicion toward the Uchiha remained strong, tinged with the trauma of countless years of conflict.)

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