Kinjutsu and Uchiha Madara!

Hibari was naturally delighted to see that Hiruzen had actually completed and used the theoretical 'mini-hydrogen bomb jutsu' he had conceptualized.

"We had an agreement before, you haven't forgotten, have you?" Hibari asked with a smile.

Hiruzen replied forthrightly, "Would I go back on something I've promised? Don't worry, this jutsu was your creation. I merely followed your ideas and brought it to fruition. And I won't spread this jutsu to others unless I have the approval of the Senju clan."

"That's good then. When I go back, I can brag to Tobirama-jiisan that the two of us jointly developed an S-rank Collaboration Ninjutsu..." Hibari said enthusiastically.

Hiruzen nodded, then added, "But don't get too excited yet. I estimate that given Tobirama-sensei's thinking, he'll definitely classify this 'S-rank Collaboration Ninjutsu' as a kinjutsu!"

"Huh? A jutsu I researched, to be classified as a kinjutsu? Why?" Hibari asked, surprised.

He had been looking forward to this jutsu becoming widely known, spreading his good name as Senju Hibari. How could it be 'forbidden' right after its creation? That's harsh!

"Why? It's all your fault! You're just too monstrous, creating such a bizarre collaboration ninjutsu. Think about it, what's the prerequisite for casting this jutsu? It's not high at all! As long as one can simultaneously master C-rank Water Release, Fire Release, Wind Release, and Lightning Release, they can use this jutsu! It's low cost and high power; it could easily cause immeasurable disasters. If someone, in a moment of madness, used this jutsu during a duel in the village, wouldn't that be terrible?" Hiruzen said with a serious tone.

"That's true, but even a shinobi who possesses two elemental natures simultaneously is considered good. There aren't many who possess four or even five. Do you think everyone's a genius like us?" Hibari chuckled, rebutting him.

"I have five. Perhaps I'm even more of a genius than you, hahahahaha," Hiruzen said with a hearty laugh.

He then paused, and before Hibari could retort, he continued, "But even so, the structure of this jutsu is too simple, and its power is truly immense. Think about it, as long as four shinobi with single elemental natures coordinate perfectly, they can use this powerful ninjutsu. Doesn't that send chills down your spine?"

Hearing this, Hibari finally grasped the terrifying potential of this collaboration ninjutsu. Imagine, on the battlefield, four C-rank genin who have mastered single elemental natures, if they coordinate perfectly, could use this immensely powerful ninjutsu and casually blow up unsuspecting jonin. That indeed was terrifying.

Moreover, the combination of this jutsu was incredibly simple. If someone carelessly figured out its intricacies, it could even spread on a large scale, much like the Shadow Clone Jutsu. At that point, it would be akin to nuclear proliferation—everyone holding an atomic bomb, and who knows when they'd all be wiped out!

"Thinking about it that way, this jutsu really should be classified as a kinjutsu. It shouldn't be casually spread..." Hibari nodded in agreement.

"Exactly. This kind of jutsu, we can use it ourselves, but don't spread it carelessly, or it'll cause huge trouble," Hiruzen said, nodding in satisfaction, seeing Hibari being so sensible.

He was afraid that Hibari, being young and impetuous, would want to show off and spread this jutsu despite objections. That would truly be a headache.

Hibari and Hiruzen were about to continue their discussion, but little Tsunade, who was with them, couldn't understand these complex matters. Seeing the two of them standing there endlessly chatting, her expression slowly turned aggrieved again.

"Hibari-nii!" Tsunade angrily kicked Hibari's shin, then complained, "You were supposed to be playing with me today!!!"

"Hahahaha, alright, alright, our Tsunade-hime is angry again, huh? Okay, then just as your Hiruzen-jisan said, let's go find that den of bear cubs and go back to stew ten or eight bear paws to eat!" Hibari said with a laugh, then scooped up little Tsunade.

"Good, then let's talk about these matters when we get back. First, let's find the bear cubs for Tsuna..." Hiruzen also said with a chuckle.

Meanwhile, in the Hokage Residence of Konohagakure, Tobirama was explaining his ideas to Hashirama and Sarutobi Sasuke.

"In the long run, the powerful prominent clans will grow stronger, while the civilians will gradually be restricted from avenues of becoming stronger. At that time, the village will lose much of its vitality and won't be conducive to development. Therefore, establishing a comprehensive ninja training system is very necessary, and the ninja academy that my brother just mentioned... I think it's an excellent testing ground!" Tobirama said, his eyes gleaming.

Hashirama, having proposed establishing a school himself, naturally had no objections. In fact, he felt that Tobirama's words made perfect sense.

However, Sasuke was frowning, lost in thought. Seeing this, Tobirama didn't rush him but sat quietly, picked up his teacup, and drank his tea.

"Tobirama, you've really given me a difficult task. If I agree to this, how will I explain it to the elders of my clan when I go back?" Sasuke didn't hide his worries. He sat down next to Tobirama, picked up his teacup, and took a sip.

Hashirama chuckled and said, "It's all for the long-term benefit of the village. I think they should be able to understand."

"Understand? You're thinking too positively about them, Hokage-sama!" Sasuke smiled helplessly.

Tobirama then said, "That's why this is just a pilot program. The school doesn't need to be huge; it can accept twenty people or so. We'll start small, and when everyone understands its importance in the future, we can continue our progress."

"Indeed, you're right. This matter is greatly beneficial to the village's development..." Sasuke nodded in agreement, but his tone still held some hesitation.

The choice between clan interests and village interests was indeed not easy to make. Although he was willing to stand with Tobirama and the Hokage, even as the clan head of the Sarutobi, he didn't have absolute authority over everyone.

Seeing Sasuke so hesitant, Tobirama understood the immense resistance involved. So, he thought for a moment and said, "How about this: we each take a step back. I suggest that the secret jutsu passed down through generations in each clan, and their representative ninjutsu, won't be made mandatory. Then, if a teacher likes a certain student and is interested, they can teach it to them. How does that sound?"

Tobirama had previously proposed that when establishing the shinobi system, the ninjutsu of various clans should be made public to the entire village. People could exchange them for jutsu they were interested in based on their achievements and other factors.

At the same time, shinobi academy teachers should try to teach more ninjutsu to children, and squad leaders after graduation should bear this heavy responsibility.

This was what truly affected the interests of the various clans. To take the first step in establishing this system, Tobirama was willing to compromise further.

Hearing this, Sasuke gritted his teeth, slammed the table, and said, "Ugh, you two really know how to cause me trouble. Since you, Tobirama, have put it this way, for the sake of the village, I'll go all out this once! If anyone tries to trip me up on this matter when I get back, I'll send them back to their hometown to retire!"

When Sasuke said this, he no longer held back due to Tobirama's and Hashirama's status. His words were somewhat coarse, but surprisingly, neither Tobirama nor Hashirama felt angry; instead, they were very pleased.

This was because Sasuke's words indicated that in this reform, he would firmly stand with his two friends!

"Hahahaha, that's the spirit! Let's show the same resolve we had when we first founded this village and get this done!" Hashirama said with a hearty laugh.

At the same time, he extended one hand. Tobirama and Sasuke looked at the scene, exchanged smiles, and placed their hands on Hashirama's hand. Then, the three of them said in unison, "With united hearts, we will prosper Konoha!"

Just as these three like-minded individuals, intent on building a better Konohagakure, were pledging their oaths in the Hokage Residence of Konohagakure, Uchiha Madara, who had once collaborated closely with the Senju clan and shared the same ideals as Hashirama, found his 'prey' in a distant, unknown location!

In an unknown valley, Madara stood imposingly atop an ancient tree. He wore clothing similar to the red layered armor Hashirama often wore, carried the 'Uchiha War Fan' passed down through generations of the Uchiha clan on his back, and had a katana at his waist. His eyes, full of spirit, stared at a massive orange-red figure in the valley.

"I finally found you... Kurama... Nine-Tails!" Madara murmured softly.

As his words fell, his originally black pupils underwent a miraculous transformation... He activated his Eternal Mangekyo Sharingan.

"Hashirama, you still don't understand. The peace born from mutual understanding that you seek will never arrive. I, however, will create eternal peace through another method. Just wait, Hashirama! I will fulfill both our shared dreams!" A smile played on Madara Uchiha's lips as he spoke softly.

Hashirama pursued peace, seeking mutual understanding and empathy between shinobi. But having experienced too much darkness, Madara, his once like-minded partner, could no longer believe in such things.

He would use his own method to forge a different path. He would use his own method to usher in an eternal peace, to prove to Hashirama that the path he walked was the correct one!

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