Chapter 124: Madara Bound in Seals – The Ninja World's Asura Bleeds Again

"Oh, really! That's just like Tobirama!" Hashirama Senju sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "He could never let go of his old hatred and prejudice against the Uchiha clan. I tried to talk him out of it for years, but it was mostly in vain."

He smiled helplessly, shaking his head in resignation. His expression clearly conveyed: Tobirama is incorrigible. The irony, of course, was that Hashirama himself could be just as stubborn—though he never quite realized it.

Hikari chuckled, shifting the mood with a teasing tone as she looked knowingly at Gin. "I see you've delegated most of the administrative work—not just for balanced governance, but because you're lazy, right? Don't think I don't know you! You hate tedious tasks and love to slack off! Hmph!"

How could a mother not know her own son? Fortunately, when it came to training and his desire for strength, Gin was deeply diligent and relentless. Otherwise…

"Oh?" Uzumaki Mito and Hashirama raised their brows with interest, both now looking at Gin.

"Heh-heh…" Gin scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I figured I couldn't hide it from you, Mom! That is one of the reasons… but I still think I'm right!"

"Spending precious time on endless minutiae is just a waste of life," Gin said simply. "As Hokage, isn't it enough to guide the village's overall development and grow strong enough to protect it?"

"The details can be trusted to capable subordinates. That's what they're there for. Under my rule, the competent will rise—and the mediocre will fall. There's no need to micromanage."

"The key is to grasp the big picture and not get lost in the weeds."

"Fair enough," Hikari smiled, nodding in agreement.

They resumed discussing Gin's five-year plan, correcting inconsistencies and refining weak points. With input from the seasoned elders, the blueprint became increasingly comprehensive and rational.

The conversation carried on until noon. Even lunch didn't interrupt them—they simply pulled out food from the space-time gate and ate while working.

Hashirama stared hungrily at the steaming platters—thick cuts of Sea King and ferocious beast meat, radiating vitality and rich aroma. "Hey! Why don't I get food? I wanna try it too!"

"What kind of meat is this? Why's it bursting with vitality and nutrients?!"

"You're a reanimated corpse," Mito rolled her eyes. "Why would you need food? You'll just waste it. Sit still! Wait until Gin masters a proper resurrection technique. This food is too valuable in the Ninja World to waste."

Hashirama: "…"

He gave Mito a pitiful look, as though love had abandoned him.

"Oh, fine! Give him a little," Hikari relented with a soft laugh, retrieving a bowl and portion of meat for him. "We're not being stingy, just practical. But go ahead—have a taste."

After all, thanks to the Pirates World, they had abundant supply now. Daily hunts for Sea Kings and dangerous beasts not only sustained their forces, but also fueled their pill manufacturing factories. As demand rose, production needed to scale too.

Luckily, the Pirates World was vast—full of endless seas and wild territories. No risk of overharvesting for now.

"Thank you! Heh-heh!" Hashirama beamed like a child, bowing to Hikari before eagerly digging in. He clutched his chopsticks and shoveled food into his mouth with childlike delight.

"Mmm… Delicious! Amazing…"

He wasn't exaggerating—the flavors and vitality far surpassed anything he'd tasted in life. Especially the Sea King meat—so rich it practically pulsed with energy.

Pity he couldn't absorb much of it—his undead body lacked proper digestion.

Mid-meal, Hashirama looked at Gin with a slight frown. "When will you finish your resurrection method? I'm tired of being half-dead. I'd rather return to the Pure Land than stay hungry forever."

"Hold tight!" Gin waved him off. "Give me a year and a half. I'll crack I_freedom by then."

That would be more than enough to max out Hashirama's favorability. In truth, it wouldn't take that long—since Hashirama saw Gin's reforms, his favorability had climbed to 76. Only a few more points to go—ten days, maybe.

I wonder what happens if I use the Wicked World Resurrection on someone who's already been revived… Would the contract still hold? Gin mused.

"A year and a half? That's a bit much…" Hashirama grumbled.

"Don't worry!" Gin smirked. "I'll find you a friend with the same predicament. You won't be lonely."

"You're not talking about…" Hashirama trailed off, his eyes narrowing.

Gin nodded. "I've already revived Uchiha Madara."

Shock swept the room.

Hikari's expression turned grim. "He's already been revived? Where is he? Are you sure he's under control?"

Even with full faith in her son, this was Uchiha Madara. Carelessness wasn't an option.

"As I mentioned, I didn't use White Zetsu as a sacrifice," Gin explained calmly. "I used one of the rogue ninja from Iwa we captured at the front lines. As it stands, Madara's strength is capped—somewhere between high jonin and low Kage."

"More importantly, I haven't activated him yet. I only summoned his soul and reconstructed his body using the Edo Tensei technique. I wanted your help—Mom, Lady Mito—to engrave powerful, multi-layered seals on him to restrict his actions and chakra output. Only after that will I bring him to life—to keep Hashirama company."

"Hmm… we should catch Black Zetsu first," Mito said, frowning.

"Or, at the very least, make sure Madara absolutely can't escape," Hikari added.

"Don't worry!" both women agreed, waving their hands. "We'll help you seal him thoroughly."

"Perfect."

The meal wrapped up after half an hour, and discussions resumed. This time, Gin invited Konoha's interim leadership and key clan representatives.

Upon seeing the plan's contents, many were stunned. Naturally, the clans were most pleased with Gin's decentralization approach.

After all, the Third Hokage had spent decades consolidating power—suppressing the clans and redirecting resources to secure his control. His rule was marked by surveillance, secrecy, and distrust.

Gin was the opposite. His reforms empowered capable leaders, expanded clan autonomy, and returned oversight to multiple departments.

The plan was ambitious—too much to finalize in one day. In the end, it took five full days to polish and ratify everything.

Gin finally exhaled in relief. The blueprint was set, and key appointments confirmed. His ascension to Hokage would proceed smoothly, clearing the path for sweeping reforms.

During those days, Gin, with help from Mito and Hikari, completed the sealing system on Madara's body. Layer after layer of binding techniques were etched—ensuring absolute control.

Madara's strength could now be dialed from full paralysis to average Kage level.

He was forbidden from harming others, and any attempt to leave the designated perimeter would immediately activate failsafes—full chakra suppression and instantaneous teleportation to either Uchiha Clan's secure prison or a suspended-time cell inside the I_freedom gate.

Only after setting up this meticulous fail-safe system did Gin activate Madara.

He handed the revived legend to Hashirama—hoping that only his old friend could redirect the fallen titan toward redemption.

"Where… am I?"

Madara opened his eyes, blinking against the light. He saw Hashirama, Gin, and others standing nearby. In an instant, his instincts kicked in—he sprang up, battle-ready, his gaze deadly.

But before he could move—crack!

His entire body was wrapped in chakra-binding seals. He collapsed, locked down by force.

"What's going on?! Where is my power?! Edo Tensei? You brought me back… and did something to me?"

His eyes blazed with fury. He stared at Gin with raw hatred, practically seething.

"Don't resist," Gin said casually. "It's pointless. We've taken every precaution. You can't run. You can't hurt anyone in Konoha."

Gin calmly outlined the restrictions—though he smartly withheld the full list.

"You… you…" Madara's vision swam with rage, his hand trembling with suppressed fury. "You tricked me…"

Humiliation washed over him like acid.

If looks could kill, Gin and the rest would've been reduced to ash.

"How cunning… how despicably cautious…" Madara fumed.

To be continued...