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[Tobirama Senju]: And what would happen?
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: The result is obvious.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: …I might not be able to suppress him.
[Tobirama Senju]: Eh?!
[Tobirama Senju]: Big Brother, you can't suppress him?
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: If it were my original body, I wouldn't be worried.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: But as you said, the power of the Edo Tensei body isn't equal to the original.
[Tobirama Senju]: So you're saying…
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Under equal conditions, I could defeat Madara—but with his new powers, I probably can't win.
[Tobirama Senju]: How could this be…
[Minato Namikaze]: Then Kaede's actions this time were actually…
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: Probably to protect my old heart.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: As the First Hokage, not only did I leave behind a huge mess for my descendants, I also… can't even contribute anymore…
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: I probably would've shut myself off.
[Tobirama Senju]: …
[Minato Namikaze]: Uh…
Though Hashirama said that, Minato thought it over carefully and realized—it might really be true.
Both Hokage brothers had been depressed in the group chat before. But back then, they were disconnected from the real world. Unlike Tobirama now, who not only interacted but was stabbed by Madara's black rods—he must be feeling terrible.
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: I see.
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: Since Kaede has the Rinnegan, he's not afraid of Madara's.
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: …
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: …
So their original assumption was correct.
Kitahara Kaede's strength and potential didn't lose to the First Hokage.
And so…
During his era, being the Tsuchikage would be more difficult than ever.
Because…
There's no room for resistance. You can't beat him, and you shouldn't even try.
Outside the group chat—
"Kitahara-kun."
Kakashi pulled out the black rods from Tobirama's Edo body. Thanks to Edo Tensei's properties, his body instantly regenerated.
Tobirama stretched a bit and looked outside—seeing Cloud shinobi breathing sighs of relief after a devastating disaster.
So Tobirama walked up to Kitahara Kaede.
"That person who fought Madara earlier…"
"Wood Clone," Kaede replied casually.
"I was originally preparing to guard against Shinra Tensei or Chibaku Tensei from Madara—but he never used them."
Which meant, as expected, this version of Madara was created by Black Zetsu.
His goal was Hizuki.
So Madara was simply completing a mission.
Of course, it was also possible that because his current body was Edo Tensei, he couldn't use the full power of the Rinnegan.
"…" Tobirama stayed silent.
Because just like his brother said—it had been Kaede all along using a Wood Clone to perfectly impersonate the reanimated First Hokage.
"Then what about the hair you asked me to retrieve for reanimation…" Tobirama asked quickly.
He had even been ordered to publicly bring back one hundred million ryo worth of Hashirama's hair.
"Just to fool Madara," Kaede answered calmly.
That made sense.
If spending a hundred million ryo could scare off Uchiha Madara—it was absolutely worth it. Just like how the Hidden Cloud would probably be willing to pay five hundred million ryo to get back their Raikage and Eight Tails.
"But…" Tobirama added. "It's a bit of a shame Madara escaped."
"…" Kaede.
Well… not necessarily.
Because Madara had finished his mission quite efficiently, his retreat likely wasn't just for himself—it was to protect the Rinnegan.
His body was Edo Tensei, but the eyes were real.
And after the battle, his Edo body was falling apart.
So Madara fled—to avoid losing the Rinnegan.
Meanwhile—
Obito snapped out of his daze as the battle ended. Only then did he remember—
Madara had fled.
Right…
Now Madara had an Edo body and was running off with the Rinnegan.
And considering his earlier comment, he wouldn't last much longer.
So…
He was probably going back to Nagato.
Which meant if Obito went now and ambushed him, he might be able to steal the Rinnegan.
"…"
Had this been the old Obito, he would've done everything to obtain those eyes.
But now…
After watching the battle between the Senju brothers and Uchiha Madara—
He gave up.
How the hell do you fight that?!
First Hokage. Uchiha Madara. Both strong like mythical beings.
A single sword swing cleaved a mountain.
And the First's True Several Thousand Hands?
Could actually make someone die from sheer pressure.
It was too broken.
In other words, Obito hadn't recovered from witnessing that divine-level clash.
"Ugh… Who am I… Where am I…"
Meanwhile, the Eight Tails had finally recovered. But—
"Ah… what happened to me? These wounds… Uchiha Madara…"
It had nearly roasted itself with its own Tailed Beast Bomb. It had just woken up.
Hearing its voice, Obito snapped out of it—and immediately teleported away.
Watching all this, Tobirama remembered Minato's earlier comment from the chat.
Now that the fight was over—it was time to start dividing the spoils of the Hidden Cloud Village.
He glanced toward [Edo Hashirama].
Kitahara Kaede hadn't dispelled the Wood Clone, obviously using the appearance of the "God of Shinobi who just defeated Madara" to intimidate the field.
Even Obito was stunned—what more the common Cloud shinobi, who had just lost their leader?
Under the words of the "God of Shinobi", every Hidden Cloud ninja—from shinobi to civilians—gathered at the site where Madara's Susanoo had once stood.
Behind them loomed the 200-meter True Several Thousand Hands statue.
You could say they were scared straight into obedience.
[Big Dumb - Hashirama]: This Cloud Village might actually be the top ninja village now.
[Tobirama Senju]: Hmm…
[Tobirama Senju]: I didn't expect them to have over 40,000 people.
[Tobirama Senju]: That's insane.
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: …
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: …
[Tobirama Senju]: Mizukage, what's wrong?
[Fifth Mizukage - Mei Terumi]: Envious. My Hidden Mist Village has fewer than 7,000 people total—including villagers and shinobi.
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: …
[Cowardly - Ōnoki]: …
Ōnoki glanced at Mei.
Suddenly, he thought—
Damn, this Mizukage really knows how to play the game.
She made herself sound so pathetic… no one would even consider targeting her now.
[Minato Namikaze]: By the numbers, Cloud has about 14,000 shinobi.
[Minato Namikaze]: But only 3,000 faced Uchiha Madara directly.
[Minato Namikaze]: Yes, some were evacuating villagers…
[Minato Namikaze]: But in the end, only 3,000 actually fought. That's kind of…
[Tobirama Senju]: So basically… tons of cowards?
[Kakashi Hatake]: So what now—wait, what the hell?!
[Minato Namikaze]: ???
[Kakashi Hatake]: Listen!
Everyone instantly quieted down to hear.
"Since the Second Raikage, the Hidden Cloud has always operated under one principle—"
"If we don't have it, we take it from other villages."
"As the First Hokage of the Hidden Leaf, I once bowed to the other four Kage during a Five Kage Summit."
"I begged them all to work together to create peace."
"But after my death, war swept across the ninja world."
"And the Cloud Village has always been the most aggressive of all."
"So now…"
"It's time for me to take back those bows I gave you."
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