Senju Mori's actions were always decisive, never dragging his feet.
Just over ten minutes later, he had changed into battle attire and appeared in the forest outside Konoha Village.
At this time, Senju Mori was clad in dark red armor, wore a Konoha forehead protector, and carried a long ninja sword on his back.
This appearance, combined with his natural black hair and black eyes, made him look quite similar to the First Hokage Senju Hashirama from a distance.
However, unlike the First Hokage, who always wore a gentle smile and seemed very approachable, Senju Mori's gaze was exceptionally sharp, and his facial features were much colder and harder.
Therefore, in terms of demeanor, he was more like the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama.
Before him, besides Senju Tao who had left first, there was another red-haired figure.
While Hiruzen Sarutobi had a team carefully selected for him by the Second Hokage Senju Tobirama, Senju Mori also had his own friends.
Like Senju Mori, this person's attire still retained a strong Sengoku style, with a black inner layer covered by a light gray armor, and a particularly conspicuous large scroll on his back.
The spiral symbol on his clothing and forehead protector subtly indicated his identity.
This was a member of Uzumaki Clan from Uzushiogakure.
"Chizawa, long time no see."
Seeing this person, Senju Mori couldn't help but smile, greeting him first and then warmly stepping forward to give him a hug.
Uzumaki Chizawa, however, showed a helpless expression and said, half-jokingly:
"I say, Big Brother Mori, what's so mysterious that Tao had to bring me in stealthily from the Land of Fire's border? Isn't your Clan Head the Hokage of Konoha?"
Tao was Senju Tao's nickname; even within the Senju Clan, only close individuals would typically address him that way.
"Not for long," Senju Mori said calmly.
"What do you mean?"
Hearing this, Uzumaki Chizawa immediately shed his helpless expression and asked with a solemn face.
For the Uzumaki Clan, who were allies, the change in Konoha's Hokage was no small matter; it even concerned the survival of the Uzumaki Clan and the entire Land of Whirlpools.
"Time is short, let's talk on the way."
Then, Senju Mori turned and instructed:
"You go back, Tao. Everything according to plan. Yu still needs your strength."
Senju Tao nodded in response, but knowing Senju Mori's destination, his eyes couldn't help but reveal a hint of worry.
"You must be careful, Big Brother Mori."
"Stop overthinking. Don't you know my strength?"
Senju Mori laughed and scolded, slapping Senju Tao on the head. The next moment, he and Uzumaki Chizawa vanished from the spot... For Senju Mori, this was a rare opportunity.
The Second Hokage Senju Tobirama was only in his forties, in the prime of his life. Considering the Senju Clan's naturally superior physique, his peak period could even last until around sixty years old.
This meant that if Senju Tobirama didn't die prematurely, he could rule for at least another twenty years.
In these twenty years, he would have ample time to completely dismantle the Senju Clan and transition the Hokage position and all its powers to Hiruzen Sarutobi with great ease.
This also meant that Senju Mori was destined to have no chance of seizing the Hokage position, and even because of his Senju Clan identity and outstanding strength, he was very likely to arouse the apprehension of Hiruzen Sarutobi after he became Hokage.
By then, his best outcome would be to deliberately suffer some injury, then hole up in the Village and spend the rest of his life feigning illness.
If Hiruzen Sarutobi ever felt like visiting him, he would still have to act grateful and show his boundless loyalty to the Lord Third Hokage...
That situation, just thinking about it, sent shivers down his spine.
Fortunately!
Fortunately, ever since Senju Hashirama's death, a Ninja World War broke out as soon as Senju Tobirama officially took office, and before the war had completely ended, Senju Tobirama's life came to an end.
Thanks to the Gold and Silver Brothers, who rebelled at the cost of their lives, Senju Mori had this precious opportunity.
He had to snatch the Third Hokage position from Hiruzen Sarutobi!
He absolutely could not let the selfless Gold and Silver Brothers sacrifice themselves in vain!
...A gentle breeze blew, tree shadows swayed, and two figures moved through the Land of Fire's forest, leaping across the treetops of giant trees.
"Perceive this Uchiha and Lord Tobirama's whereabouts?! Who is this guy?"
Uzumaki Chizawa held a photo of Uchiha Kagami and asked with a look of surprise.
"Uchiha Kagami, a current member of the Shadow Guard Squad, and one of Clan Head Tobirama's disciples."
Senju Mori's face showed a brilliant smile, but his gaze was utterly cold.
The reason he specifically sought Uzumaki Chizawa's help was partly because the latter was one of the few people he could fully trust, and partly because of his excellent sensory abilities.
As a skilled Uzumaki Clan member, Uzumaki Chizawa had mastered "Kagura Mind's Eye," a special sensory secret technique that required the cooperation of the Uzumaki Clan's bloodline.
And his first step was to assassinate Uchiha Kagami... Among Senju Tobirama's six disciples, Hiruzen Sarutobi was the most outstanding, and also the virtually designated next Hokage.
In later generations, Danzo always believed that he missed out on the coveted Hokage position because he spoke a second too late, and he resented this for the rest of his life.
But what he didn't know was that Hiruzen Sarutobi becoming the Third Hokage was not a temporary decision by Senju Tobirama, but something that had been decided long ago when Senju Hashirama was still alive.
If Danzo had indeed spoken first to offer to stay behind, Senju Tobirama would probably have just praised him with great satisfaction, and then told him to go back and assist Hiruzen Sarutobi well or something similar...
Of course, it's also possible he might have responded with, "Good! I knew I didn't misjudge you. Then you shall stay behind with me!"
In short, Danzo shouldn't even dream of earning the Hokage position based on this one performance.
Getting back to the main topic,
In Senju Tobirama's heart, besides Hiruzen Sarutobi being the next Hokage, what were the roles of the other disciples?
In Senju Mori's view, the roles of the others were to ensure Hiruzen Sarutobi's stable position as Hokage.
The Sarutobi, Shimura, Mitokado Clan, and Mito Clan were not major Ninja Clans to begin with.
If the Sarutobi Clan could barely boast Sarutobi Sasuke as a known figure, then the other Clans were completely insignificant at the founding of Konoha Village.
Thus, even for their own interests and status, the four would surely stick together tightly.
Akimichi Torifu, representing Ino–Shika–Chō, and Uchiha Kagami, representing the Uchiha Clan, were both major Ninja Clans with considerable influence.
The role of these two was to serve as a link, making the forces behind them willing to support Hiruzen Sarutobi's ascension.
Actually, logically speaking, Hiruzen Sarutobi would also need a "classmate" from the Senju and Hyuga Clans to help him completely stabilize the situation.
But Senju Tobirama probably considered that if he took a Senju Clan member as a disciple, it might send certain wrong political signals to the Clan members, and thus he always had reservations.
And the problem with the Hyuga Clan was also obvious: main family members could not risk losing their Byakugan by following Tobirama or Hiruzen Sarutobi on various missions.
Taking a branch family member as a disciple would be meaningless, as it wouldn't affect the Hyuga Clan's stance at all.
It was a dilemma.
Senju Tobirama must have thought it over and over, and finally probably concluded that since the Hyuga Clan was always relatively well-behaved, he believed that even without making them take sides beforehand, they would likely not be the ones to openly oppose Hiruzen Sarutobi in the end.
After all, aren't honest people destined to be bullied?