"Sarutobi Hiruzen... open your eyes."
Huh?
After arranging matters concerning the forbidden scroll, Sarutobi Hiruzen had gone home, scolded his rebellious son for staying out late again, and then gone to bed.
He hadn't expected to find himself in a dream like this—
"Teacher?"
Before him, a bonfire burned brightly. Illuminated by the orange glow sat a white-haired ninja—his ninjutsu instructor and the most influential teacher in his life, the Second Hokage, Senju Tobirama.
"Monkey, it's been years. How is Konoha?"
"I..."
What's going on? How am I seeing my teacher?
Could this place... be the Pure Land, the resting place of the dead?
Am I already dead?
Sarutobi Hiruzen sat up from the ground in front of the fire, eyes wide with shock.
Wait. Maybe not?
"Konoha is growing stronger, thanks to you."
Regaining some composure, Sarutobi Hiruzen fixed his eyes on Senju Tobirama and replied.
Then he cautiously asked,"Teacher... where is this?"
"It's a dream—but also my jutsu. You've still got a few months left before death."
Senju Tobirama saw through Sarutobi Hiruzen's thoughts in an instant.
"My jutsu time is limited. I summoned you here because..."
"This dream... it's your ninjutsu?"
A forbidden technique of his teacher—unsurprising. It sounded like him.
Even though Sarutobi still had doubts, he was 80% convinced. The person in front of him was just like Tobirama in tone and manner.
But if this dream truly was Tobirama-sensei's doing, then…
A few months left to live?
His thoughts raced.
"Enough nonsense. I won't dwell on how you and Danzo wiped out the Uchiha clan. But there's one thing I can't let go of, even after all these years."
"What is it, teacher?"
Even the destruction of the Uchiha? Is he still watching us from the afterlife?
Sarutobi Hiruzen's expression grew solemn.
"Unification of the ninja world."Senju Tobirama's words were slow and deliberate, shaking Sarutobi Hiruzen to his core.
"Unify the ninja world?"
He had once had such ambitions… but time had worn them down. And how could Konoha manage that now?
"I foresaw that you and Danzo wouldn't be capable. So before my death, I used a forbidden technique to predict the future. I recorded what I saw and buried it somewhere in Konoha."
Senju Tobirama's tone quickened, urgency bleeding into his words—as if the ninjutsu had a strict time limit.
"You'll know the location once you awaken. Use what I've left behind to fulfill my wish—let Konoha rise above the clouds! That's all. I hope we won't meet again too soon."
"Wait, teacher!"
It sounded insane—a forbidden technique to predict the future?
He actually did that?
Sarutobi Hiruzen tried to question him further, but Senju Tobirama vanished, and the world around him dissolved into emptiness.
He awoke, back in his bed, disoriented.
Was it a dream?
Or something more?
Sitting on his bed, Sarutobi Hiruzen stared at his aging hands.
"That should do it."
The one posing as Senju Tobirama in Sarutobi Hiruzen's dream was, of course, Uchiha Kage.
"I hope those two old relics, Sarutobi and Danzo, start focusing on things outside Konoha Village."
Even if Sarutobi doubted the dream, once he found the "future" buried by his own hand, it would be hard to ignore.
And if it didn't work… well, he could always plant another dream.
Still, even after burning two bond points, the dreamwalking duration was short. This ability had serious limitations.
But within the dream, it was highly effective. His transformation hadn't been seen through at all.
"As a wicked Uchiha, my job is to stir chaos in the ninja world."
Only through chaos could he collect high-quality ninja fragments to grow stronger.
Of course, that meant surviving the chaos too.
Now that Sarutobi's ambition had been reignited, Uchiha Kage needed to become stronger—fast.
"I've still got two action points. Time to hit the dungeon."
Clearing the dungeon with Kaguya and the Sage of Six Paths was unlikely, but even in failure, he could gather fragments of Naruto and Sasuke.
No loss there.
"Enter the dungeon!"
Once he restored his Mangekyō Sharingan by absorbing enough fragments, protecting himself would no longer be a problem.
"Father."
Click, click—bare, pale feet padded softly across the clean wooden floor. Delicate ankles peeked from beneath the edge of a training uniform.
Hinata had changed as soon as she got home, heading straight for the Hyuga clan's private dojo.
Inside, standing tall with his hands behind his back, was a dignified middle-aged man—her father, Hyuga Hiashi, head of the clan.
"I heard you defeated someone from the Uchiha today."
"No, I..."
Hinata instinctively touched her chest.
She honestly wasn't sure whether she had won or lost today.
"Winning is winning. Losing is losing. No point hesitating."
Hiashi looked at his daughter with his usual stern expression, though a faint warmth softened his eyes.
She trained diligently—but her talent was mediocre, far behind Neji.
Add to that her shy, passive nature...
She hardly seemed fit to inherit leadership of the Hyuga clan.
Still, Hiashi wanted to give her a chance.
"Come. Show me how much you've improved."
"Yes."
Hinata dropped into a stance, summoned her Gentle Fist technique, and charged.
"Sis… are you okay?"
No one knew how much time had passed when Hinata finally woke up, covered in bruises and lying in bed.
By her side sat her younger sister, Hinata Hanabi, looking at her with worried eyes.
"Hanabi?"
Hiss—Pain surged through her limbs. Flashes of memory returned: her relentless attacks, her father's unforgiving counterstrikes.
Even now, she could still hear his harsh words echoing in her head.
"I thought you'd improved. But you're worse than before! That pathetic Gentle Fist isn't worthy of the Hyuga name!"
I've let Father down again…
"What time is it?"
Pushing her father's disappointment aside, Hinata remembered her promise to Hanabi—that they'd play together after school.
It was already almost dark.
Grimacing through the pain, she forced herself out of bed.
"Dinner's almost ready. Why don't you rest a little longer?"
Hanabi's voice was full of concern as she looked at her sister's bruised hands.
"I'm fine."
Hinata shook her head gently and reached out for Hanabi's hand.
"I promised to play with you. Let's go out to the yard."
"Okay!"
Relieved by her sister's smile, Hanabi finally beamed.
Only—
Moments later, she found her sister fast asleep on the wooden steps of the veranda.
"...Sister?"