"Enough pleasantries. Tell me what you need to know," the Second Hokage said, his expression shifting to complete seriousness.
Having lived through decades of political intrigue and warfare, Tobirama could easily deduce what questions the Fourth Hokage would consider urgent enough to risk this dangerous conversation.
Minato nodded, his features darkening with the weight of implications that had been haunting him. "I need to know the truth about your final battle. Did you truly perish alongside the Gold and Silver Brothers' forces from the Cloud Village?"
While Minato had never personally witnessed the legendary strength of Ginkaku and Kinkaku, he understood their capabilities through historical analysis and intelligence reports.
These were the same warriors who had successfully assassinated the Second Raikage during what should have been a peaceful alliance ceremony between Konoha and Kumogakure. Such a feat spoke to power that transcended normal measurements.
Yet the Second Hokage possessed greater strength than the Second Raikage, not to mention his mastery of space-time ninjutsu that should have made him virtually untouchable in combat.
As someone who had also mastered similar techniques, Minato understood that proper utilization of space-time manipulation rendered a ninja nearly invincible under most circumstances.
Although Tobirama had been covering the retreat of the Third Hokage and other young subordinates, the final outcome—mutual destruction—suggested a battle of unprecedented intensity and complexity.
In conflicts of such magnitude, determining life and death typically required extended periods of grueling combat.
What truly puzzled Minato was why the Second Hokage hadn't used Flying Thunder God to escape once his subordinates were safely away. This question had been troubling him for more than twenty years.
Tobirama's eyes grew shadowed as he drew a deep breath before responding. "That is indeed what occurred. The Gold and Silver Brothers' forces weren't merely elite warriors—they possessed artifacts of the Sage of Six Paths himself, and both Ginkaku and Kinkaku had somehow acquired Nine-Tails chakra."
The weight of that revelation settled heavily between them. "In a direct confrontation, I might very well have been the one to fall."
His expression grew darker as he continued. "However, during that battle, someone had secretly established a barrier designed specifically to seal chakra flow."
The Second Hokage's gaze intensified as he fixed his attention on Minato. "The individual who orchestrated this manipulation is almost certainly connected to those who attacked the village today."
"I am virtually certain they belonged to the Uchiha clan."
At that time, only three bloodlines possessed sufficient knowledge to master advanced Uzumaki sealing techniques: the Uzumaki themselves, the Senju clan, and their historical rivals, the Uchiha.
Tobirama had absolute confidence that no member of the Uzumaki or Senju clans would have betrayed him in such a manner.
This left only the Uchiha—some faction within the clan that opposed his policies and sought his elimination through treachery.
"As I suspected," Minato murmured, his eyes flickering with grim understanding.
He had already begun forming theories about this historical conspiracy, and the Second Hokage's confirmation aligned perfectly with his growing suspicions.
Fixing Tobirama with an intense stare, Minato pressed forward with the question that truly mattered. "So tell me—did Uchiha Madara actually die in the Battle of the Valley of the End?"
When that legendary name passed Minato's lips, he noticed a flash of surprise cross the normally impassive features of the Second Hokage.
"Of course Madara is dead," Tobirama replied with absolute conviction. "There can be no doubt about that fact."
But Minato caught the subtle shift in the Second Hokage's expression and decided to probe deeper. "The Third Hokage informed me that you personally handled Uchiha Madara's remains. You are the only person who knows their exact location."
"Perceptive," Tobirama thought with grudging admiration.
He could clearly hear the implications hidden within Minato's carefully chosen words. The Fourth Hokage suspected that Tobirama had deliberately kept Madara's body secret for research purposes—a reasonable precaution that had perhaps been implemented with excessive secrecy.
Even if Uchiha Madara was truly dead, his corpse would represent an invaluable treasure trove for any ninja researcher. The legendary Sharingan, the unique physiology, the residual chakra patterns—all would provide unprecedented opportunities for advancement.
The Second Hokage had successfully developed numerous forbidden techniques including Edo Tensei and the Flying Thunder God. It would be entirely logical for him to seize such an opportunity for further research.
This would also explain his secretive actions at the time. While the First Hokage had defeated Madara in combat, to Hashirama, his opponent had also been a cherished friend and former ally. If the elder brother had learned about Tobirama's intentions, he would never have approved.
Tobirama was nothing if not thorough in his planning. He understood that even without explicit confirmation, the intelligent man before him had likely deduced the truth already.
Given Minato's urgency to confirm these details, he must have some critical plan that depended on this information.
"You are correct," the Second Hokage admitted with characteristic directness. "Rather than immediately destroying Madara's remains, I concealed them in Konoha's back mountains and conducted extensive research."
"However, I can definitively confirm that Madara was indeed killed by my elder brother during their final battle."
"Eventually, I did dispose of his body according to proper protocols."
Despite receiving personal confirmation from the Second Hokage himself, Minato's frown only deepened.
"Where exactly did you bury Madara's remains?" he asked with barely controlled urgency.
Although his request might seem disrespectful toward his predecessors, Minato couldn't find peace until the mystery of Madara's death was completely resolved.
Nagato's earlier words had planted seeds of doubt that continued to grow despite all logical evidence.
While Minato had definitely killed the masked man, the absence of physical remains left too many unanswered questions.
Tobirama's own expression grew troubled as he provided the specific coordinates where Madara's body had been interred.
Minato noted with dismay that the location fell within the area affected by Nagato's massive Shinra Tensei technique. Whether any useful evidence remained after such devastating destruction was highly questionable.
Still, any information was better than continued uncertainty, and everything he had learned from the Second Hokage today provided valuable insights into the larger conspiracy.
He felt that he was now only one step away from understanding both the truth of historical events and the ultimate objectives driving Nagato's actions.
"It seems my decisions from that era have created significant complications for future generations," Tobirama sighed with visible regret.
"You shouldn't burden yourself with such thoughts," Minato replied, offering what comfort he could. "It appears that certain individuals had been planning these events for decades, regardless of your actions."
"I have little time remaining in this world, and even with full knowledge of current circumstances, there is limited assistance I can provide," the Second Hokage observed with solemn acceptance.
His gaze fixed on Minato with the weight of absolute authority. "Fourth Hokage, the village now rests entirely in your hands."
"I don't know what trials brought you to your current level of power, but you have become a finer Hokage than even my elder brother achieved."
"The previous Hokage created this beautiful home for all of us," Minato replied with bitter humility, "but I have failed to protect it adequately. I cannot claim to have done well in my duties."
"Villages can be rebuilt even after complete destruction," Tobirama countered, crossing his arms with the wisdom of someone who had witnessed the rise and fall of entire civilizations. "But the ninja path itself is inherently filled with regret and loss. As Hokage, you must understand this fundamental truth."
Having lived through the brutal Warring States Period, the Second Hokage had watched countless brothers, comrades, and friends fall around him in endless cycles of violence.
The village system that he and Hashirama had created was born from their desperate desire to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
Yet Tobirama also understood that their efforts to establish peace had simultaneously created new forms of contradiction and conflict.
Like yin and yang, light and shadow—opposing forces would always exist in delicate balance.
"I will give everything I have to protect what we've built," Minato declared with solemn determination.
The Second Hokage nodded with evident satisfaction at this response.
At that moment, a soft luminescence began emanating from Tobirama's artificial body as cracks appeared along its surface.
Fragments of the Edo Tensei construct began flaking away like old paper, while the light of his departing soul surged upward with increasing intensity.
"I don't belong in this world any longer," he said with peaceful acceptance. "It's time for me to depart."
The Second Hokage's soul separated from its temporary vessel and began ascending along the column of light toward the Pure Land beyond.
Minato bowed respectfully one final time, honoring both the man and the legacy he represented.
As Tobirama's spirit rose toward its final destination, his gaze shifted to observe something behind Minato's position.
Whoosh!
Several approaching figures suddenly stopped in their tracks when they felt the weight of the Second Hokage's attention settling upon them, recognizing the presence of legend even in its departing moments.
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