Naruto: Becomes a Rebel Ninja After Annihilating the Hyuga Clan - Chapter 107

At the critical moment when Jiraiya’s reinforcements and Akatsuki’s mercenaries had not yet arrived, the situation in Konoha reversed as Danzo led numerous deceased Konoha spirits into battle. The Kumogakure ninja were evidently inexperienced in dealing with such enemies, and the Edo Tensei technique would soon echo throughout the ninja world, marked by the corpses and blood of Kumogakure ninja left in Konoha.

This was Danzo’s true trump card for ascending to the Hokage position.

It was also the largest-scale debut of Orochimaru’s perfected Edo Tensei in the history of the ninja world.

Before this, no one believed that seeing the deceased reappear was truly a resurrection. They thought it was merely the remains of the deceased refusing to decay.

Especially for Obito, who had lived with Madara Uchiha and received his teachings. He had deeply realized the terrifying power that this world harbored and the grand abilities one could possess by pushing a ninja’s potential to its limits.

The more he learned, the more he revered the chakra-based ninja system.

But even so, Obito had thought that maintaining youth and power over a hundred years was extremely difficult. Not even Madara, who stood at the pinnacle of the ninja world, could avoid aging and death. How could anyone else escape it?
However, seeing the masked man who could effortlessly use Wood Release techniques, constructing powerful structures with dry Wood Release that instantly suppressed the fully transformed Yagura, Obito almost immediately believed it.

There was no doubt.

This masked man was indeed the real Hashirama Senju.

If such an immortal ability existed, it could only be wielded by Hashirama Senju, who possessed the ultimate life force and was slightly stronger than Madara. Obito couldn’t think of any other possibility.

Even Orochimaru, the ninja scientist obsessed with achieving immortality, was merely exploring this path. Orochimaru’s biennial body transfers were excruciating, and Obito doubted his success. There was no other reason but the forthcoming Moon’s Eye Plan by the Akatsuki, which would shatter all current arrangements. Everyone would fall into an illusion, and Orochimaru would be no exception.

“The battle is over,” Black Zetsu’s raspy voice said. “Yagura has failed.”

In the distance, the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, had reverted from his beast form to human, falling to the ground with his life uncertain after the Wood Dragon disappeared.

“Hey? Those two… seem to be confronting each other?” White Zetsu’s curious voice sounded.

Obito saw it too. Hashirama Senju and that Neiki from Kengakure appeared to be arguing about something.

“Can you eavesdrop?” Obito asked.

White Zetsu glanced at Obito.

Eavesdrop using Wood Release in front of Hashirama?
They couldn’t even escape Neiki’s Byakugan!
“It’s risky… but let’s try. I’m curious about their conversation too,” White Zetsu chuckled.

The Mayfly Technique began to shift to a closer tree.

Can’t beat him, but can’t outrun him?
Though Hashirama’s Wood Release was formidable, Obito’s abilities allowed him to deal with any physical attack. However, his resistance to genjutsu was weaker, and he wasn’t a match for Hashirama in combat experience.

But can’t beat him, can’t outrun him?

Whether through the Mayfly Technique or Obito’s Kamui, both were top-tier escape jutsus.

The Mayfly Technique crept closer, and as they approached a certain distance, Obito and Zetsu overheard Hashirama’s upright voice:
“My granddaughter Tsunade, where did you take her?”

Obito and Zetsu were stunned.

Tsunade was captured by Neiki?

“If it weren’t for that woman, you would have already attacked me…” Neiki chuckled.

“Hmph—” Hashirama was about to speak when he suddenly turned towards Obito and Zetsu’s direction and scolded, “Who’s there?”

With a clap of his hands, Zetsu felt the surrounding tree space becoming as sticky as glue, growing more viscous.

“Indeed… he can restrict my movements…”

But at the last moment, Zetsu broke through the restriction, using the Mayfly Technique to quickly transfer out.

Mayfly Technique might not excel in other areas, but its mobility was unparalleled in the ninja world, an advantage even Hashirama couldn’t negate. Anywhere with plants, White Zetsu could go.

In a safe spot, they emerged from the ground, looking at the two blurry figures on the mountainside, speechless.

“We overheard critical information,” Black Zetsu said softly.

“Their relationship is poor, on the brink of conflict, but still connected…” Obito calmly analyzed. Once a connection was made, many inferences could be drawn from various scenarios.

For example, was Neiki’s rebellion in Konoha influenced by this Hashirama in the shadows?
And since Hashirama cared about Tsunade’s life, why did he turn a blind eye to Neiki’s rebellion and not stop Kumogakure’s invasion during Konoha’s crisis? What was he plotting in Kirigakure instead?

And more questions.

How did Hashirama live until now?
What caused his attitude towards Konoha to change?

What is his goal?
What is Neiki’s relationship with Hashirama?
Neiki once asked to join Akatsuki, but at that time, Obito hadn’t publicly joined. How did Neiki know about his connection with Akatsuki?
Were Neiki’s seemingly prescient actions and details during the Konoha rebellion due to Hashirama’s secret guidance?

The information on the God of Shinobi was severely lacking. Moreover, Hashirama showed restraint against Zetsu’s Yin-Yang Release techniques, demonstrating his mastery as the ultimate ruler of Wood Release. Even Zetsu would be outclassed in using Wood Release before Hashirama.

This could explain why the Grass Zetsu, monitoring information for years, had never heard of Hashirama. His understanding of Wood Release had reached such a peak that Zetsu couldn’t infiltrate the Land of Waves. In the foreseeable future, Grass Zetsu’s top-tier information-gathering abilities would be ineffective against Hashirama.

To gather information on this person, the Akatsuki might have to rely on indirect methods and third-party sources.

“Neiki and Hashirama seem to be fighting. They’ve started exchanging blows,” White Zetsu exclaimed.

Obito quickly looked up.

The next moment, a towering fifty-meter-tall, menacing Thousand-Armed Buddha was summoned, its fists relentlessly pummeling a specific spot.

### Chapter 109: Transformation

A hundred meters of dust soared into the air, shaking the heavens and the earth.

Obito and Zetsu felt the ground split beneath them, momentarily dazed.

“It’s True Several Thousand Hands, Top Transformed Buddha…” Black Zetsu’s voice broke the silence.

Only the real Hashirama Senju could wield such powerful Wood Release jutsu.

But what had Neiki done to provoke Hashirama into such a fierce attack?

“How did Neiki respond?” Obito asked curiously.

“Neiki didn’t fight back. He used the Flying Thunder God Technique to escape…”
This was not a power to be faced head-on. Running away was the absolute best strategy.

Obito pondered for a moment.

“Follow him!”

The best third-party source to understand Hashirama’s information was clearly Neiki from Kengakure.

…

The next day, the entire Kirigakure village was abuzz with the news of the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura’s, downfall.

During this turbulent time, the elder of Kirigakure, Master Gen, stepped forward to act as Mizukage, stabilizing the increasingly chaotic situation in the village. He dispatched the Anbu to investigate the truth behind Yagura’s downfall.

The Anbu quickly brought back the truth.

“It was Hashirama Senju! He intervened!”

“Initially, Mizukage-sama was chasing down the Konoha rogue ninja, Neiki, who had sneaked into our village. But during their fight, the masked Hashirama Senju appeared suddenly, using Wood Release to trap Mizukage-sama. He then attacked Neiki, forcing him to flee.”

This explanation was given by a loyal ninja of the Mizukage during interrogation with Master Gen.

Master Gen, the oldest in Kirigakure and a contemporary of Hashirama, was naturally familiar with the God of Shinobi’s reputation. He was puzzled, leaning on his staff, he slowly said, “… Hashirama-sama was known for his benevolence. When he distributed the tailed beasts among the Five Great Nations, it was under his guidance. The first Mizukage spoke highly of him upon his return. Why would he suddenly do something against our Mizukage?”

“I don’t know…”

“And isn’t Hashirama-sama supposed to have been dead for a long time?”

“I don’t know…”

“The person you saw, was he really Hashirama Senju?”

“He wore a mask… I don’t know. We believe that no one else could perform such powerful Wood Release techniques, and I personally heard Neiki address him as ‘Hashirama-sama.'” The loyal ninja shook his head, genuinely unsure.

With so many uncertainties, Master Gen shook his head, tapping his staff on the ground.

The interrogator, Fuguki Suikazan, grinned menacingly, thrusting ten heated silver needles into the ninja’s body, casually warning, “With Yagura-sama down, you, his loyal followers, are still alive. That’s negligence on your part… by convention, you should be treated as traitors… but!”

But after Mei Terumi’s recent defeat, which cost the village over two hundred ninja, Kirigakure’s strength had been significantly reduced, making it impossible to kill indiscriminately.

This, of course, wasn’t something to tell the person in front of him.

“But! Master Gen is willing to give you a chance. Tell us everything that happened, and he will guarantee your life!”

“Yes, yes!” The loyal ninja endured the pain, expressing his gratitude.

Thus, the entire story unfolded intermittently.

Fuguki Suikazan compiled the information gathered from interrogating these loyalists and the intel from the returning ninja from the Land of Waves, presenting it to Master Gen. This pieced together a preliminary network of the entire incident concerning Hashirama Senju in the Land of Waves.

Master Gen was so old that his vision was failing, so someone else read the report to him. Although his hearing was also not great, the report was read with some difficulty.

After listening for a long time, Master Gen fell into a deep silence, but he grasped two key words from the content:
“Transformation…”

Master Gen was a witness to the establishment of Kirigakure, a key figure from one of the ninja clans, and someone with a good relationship with the First Mizukage.

From the First Mizukage onwards, he joined the council of Kirigakure due to his extensive background and knowledge. As the other founding elders passed away, he became the last remaining elder, deeply respected by all in Kirigakure.

Even the radical Second Mizukage, Gengetsu Hozuki, who brought significant changes to the typically insular Kirigakure, although frustrated by Gen’s conservative views, only sidelined him from policymaking.

From the Third Mizukage onwards, Kirigakure reverted to its insular state, and by the time the Fourth Mizukage, Yagura, rose to power, the conservative faction regained control, further elevating Gen’s authority.

Especially now, with Yagura missing, he became the undisputed leader of Kirigakure. Though aged and vision impaired, time had granted him invaluable wisdom. He had the clearest understanding of Kirigakure’s overall situation.

“Kirigakure… is in trouble.” He said tremblingly.

He understood deeply that if Hashirama Senju, or someone with Hashirama’s power, decided to act, it would be unstoppable, formidable beyond measure.

This wasn’t a mere change like that of Gengetsu Hozuki.

This was true transformation.

This was an upheaval that would turn Kirigakure upside down.

“Why?” The ninja responsible for reading the report couldn’t help but ask.

The report didn’t mention Kirigakure being in trouble.
He flipped back to the section Gen repeatedly asked him to read.

There, it was only a brief introduction to the establishment of Kenkakure in the Land of Waves and a recount of Hashirama’s words.

“If I’m not mistaken… Mei Terumi, she should still be alive…” He kept shaking his head.

“Transformation… transformation…”

Gen muttered. As an unquestionable conservative, he despised Mei Terumi, just as he despised the word “transformation.” Mei Terumi, determined to lead Kirigakure out of isolation, was not welcome in Gen’s eyes.

This was the primary reason why, in the original story, despite Yagura’s death for years, it wasn’t until the Five Kage Summit that he passed the position of Fifth Mizukage to Mei Terumi.

With trembling hands, he reached out, and the nearby person quickly supported him.

“Any instructions, Master Gen?”

“Summon Utakata and Ameyuri…”

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