"Good."
Tobirama's reply was quiet, but the approval in it cut like a blade's edge. Ever since Raizen vanished, a thought had been growing inside him — something cold, something necessary.
At first, it was barely a whisper.
But as weeks passed with no trace of Raizen and Hashirama buried under the weight of leadership, that whisper had become a conviction.
Konoha needed order.
And order required someone willing to operate where sunlight didn't reach.
So Tobirama gathered a small circle of Senju loyalists and carved a hidden chamber beneath the clan's outskirts — shielded, invisible, and close enough that even Hashirama wouldn't stumble across it.
A place for decisions the village wasn't ready to see.
Within weeks, he had shaped a covert force from Senju shinobi — handpicked, disciplined, silent.
He called it the Root.
Not a village unit.
Not approved.
Not recorded.
Just a seed planted in the dark.
A seed that would either save Konoha… or be branded treasonous if exposed.
He knew that risk. He accepted it.
"I'll speak to my brother eventually," Tobirama murmured, glancing down at the latest intelligence scroll.
Four characters stared back:
Not Found.
He exhaled slowly — not in frustration, but in satisfaction.
"Amamiya Raizen is gone. Permanently."
Hashirama clung to optimism. Madara clung to instinct. But Tobirama put his faith in data. And the strongest sensors in the Senju clan had returned with nothing. No chakra imprint. No residue. No battlefield corpses — not even the enemy's.
To Tobirama, that meant one thing:
Raizen was dead.
And with Raizen dead, Hashirama's temporary leadership would solidify into permanent authority.
Meaning Tobirama's plans could begin.
He stepped out of the hidden chamber, mind already assembling the next phase: expand Root, gain legitimacy, and secure support from neutral clans… quietly.
If the other clans joined him, Hashirama would have no choice but to approve Root publicly.
"Tell the Sarutobi, Hyūga, and Shimura patriarchs I'll be visiting them in the coming days."
"Yes, Tobirama-sama."
Once the messenger vanished, a thin smile touched Tobirama's lips.
"I don't believe those clans are so loyal to Amamiya Raizen. Offer them the right incentive, and they'll take the hand I extend."
His footsteps echoed out of the passage as messengers fanned across Konoha.
And the first clan on his list… was the Sarutobi.
A Visit to the Sarutobi
The Sarutobi patriarch was old enough to feel storms coming before they arrived. And this one smelled like politics.
"Tobirama-dono wishes to visit personally? What business could require that…?"
No answer came in time to settle him.
Moments later, Tobirama himself arrived at the gates, offering a polite smile that didn't reach his eyes.
"Patriarch Sarutobi," Tobirama greeted, "your hospitality honors the Senju."
"The honor is ours, Tobirama-dono. Please, sit."
They exchanged formalities, but both men knew this wasn't a social call.
After tea was poured, the patriarch spoke plainly.
"Tobirama-dono, for what reason have you come to the Sarutobi today?"
Tobirama's tone remained smooth, almost casual.
"I'm here on behalf of the Senju clan."
That froze the patriarch's blood.
"Regarding what?"
Tobirama leaned forward, voice dropping.
"What do you think about the disappearance of Hokage-sama?"
The patriarch's expression immediately tightened.
"Tobirama-dono… that is dangerous talk. If such words reach the wrong ear, accusations will fly. Anbu listens for this sort of thing."
And everyone knew the truth:
Raizen's Anbu answered to Raizen alone.
Hashirama had no sway over them.
It was exactly why Tobirama needed Root.
Tobirama waved the concern aside.
"It's only the two of us. Unless you plan to report yourself?"
The patriarch's tone hardened.
"Tobirama-dono, speak plainly. What is it you want?"
Tobirama stood, eyes sharp with ambition.
"Raizen is missing — likely dead. My brother will inevitably take full command of Konoha. I want the Sarutobi to support him openly."
The patriarch stiffened.
"In exchange," Tobirama continued, "I will take young Sarutobi Hiruzen as a disciple. This will bind our clans together moving forward."
And with that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Behind him, the Sarutobi patriarch's face twisted in conflict — anger, fear… and resignation.
He almost called for guards to detain Tobirama. Almost marched him straight to the Hokage's office.
But then he remembered the truth:
Raizen was gone.
Hashirama ruled.
And the Sarutobi clan could not afford to stand against a Senju-led future.
The patriarch exhaled, a long, tired breath.
"What a nightmare this village has become…"
...
Read up to 100 chapters ahead and access exclusive novels by joining my Patreon!
patreon.com/Zyxxar