Shinju no longer hesitated.
His consciousness, within the summoning interface, locked firmly onto the name [Tobirama Senju].
A dialog box popped up, displaying the number of Correction Points required for the summoning.
The figure was enormous—second only to Hashirama Senju, and far above any other Kage-class powerhouse.
As expected, the stronger the figure he wished to obtain, the greater the price he had to pay.
And this price was anything but small.
He confirmed the command.
A vast amount of Correction Points was sucked away in an instant.
Even for him, it stung a little.
After all, there were still quite a few targets he had not yet begun to call back.
At the core of the Heroic Spirit Hall, there were no dramatic changes, only a faint fluctuation of energy.
Shinju's consciousness returned to reality.
He stood in the central hall of headquarters, quietly waiting.
The moisture in the air began to gather.
A figure slowly took shape in midair, as though formed by the precise assembly of countless water molecules.
Short white hair.
Crimson eyes.
Three bright red, paint-like markings on his cheeks.
Layered blue armor over his body.
The man appeared with a firm gaze, swiftly scanning his surroundings.
He received and analyzed all the information around him at high speed.
Finally, his eyes settled on Shinju.
All information regarding the [Divine Court], the Heroic Spirit Hall, and the current era had already flooded into his mind the moment the summoning was completed.
The synchronization was basically done.
"The son of Namikaze Minato… no, I should say, Namikaze Shinju.
Brat, we meet again."
Senju Tobirama's tone was flat.
"Tobirama-dono." Shinju dipped his head slightly in greeting.
"Welcome to a brand-new era."
"Brand-new…" Tobirama repeated the word once, then said,
"Looks like big brother was mistaken. You really do have the ability to drag us back from the Pure Land into the living world.
I saw it.
Konoha's destruction,
the extermination of the Uchiha,
and my Edo Tensei (Impure World Reincarnation) being so wantonly abused by later generations."
His voice still sounded calm as still water, but Shinju could feel it—beneath that calm, a repressed anger was quietly burning.
Not anger directed at any particular person,
but at "errors" themselves.
"I warned Monkey long ago that the Uchiha had to be strictly restrained.
The Uchiha are a clan of evil—they possess a cursed power.
Once they're controlled by their emotions, they become the greatest threat to the village."
His words were cold as steel.
He did not criticize Shinju's conquest.
To a complete pragmatist, the process was irrelevant.
Only results mattered.
To a certain extent, he even agreed with many of Shinju's actions.
Since the old Konoha no longer existed, and the old order had already collapsed, there was no meaning in clinging to the past.
What mattered was what to do now.
Tobirama's gaze focused on Shinju again.
"You must have had a reason for summoning me back.
So then—what exactly are you planning to do next?
Create a new Konoha?
Or is your ambition bigger than that?"
"My goal is probably much grander.
To create a unified order that covers the entire ninja world."
Shinju answered without the slightest concealment.
In front of Senju Tobirama, any hypocritical rhetoric or lofty slogans were useless.
Tobirama only believed in systems and rules that could actually be seen and touched.
He was, in every sense, a pure pragmatist—a master of "take it if it works."
"A unified order?
You think the other ninja villages will accept that?"
Tobirama raised an eyebrow, seemingly intrigued by the statement.
"Fine. Let's hear the concrete plan."
"Abolish the ninja village system.
Erase national borders.
Establish a single central authority—namely, the [Divine Court].
The Divine Court will centrally allocate all resources, enact all laws, and manage all armed forces."
"A massive empire of highly centralized efficiency."
Tobirama instantly grasped Shinju's core idea and pierced through to the heart of it with a single statement.
"High centralization inevitably brings two problems:
First, how do you ensure orders from the top are accurately delivered and executed at the bottom?
Second, how do you prevent corruption and abuse of power?"
He never asked, "Who do you think you are to do this?"
Instead, he directly began analyzing the feasibility of this system and its potential risks.
This was Senju Tobirama.
"That is precisely why I summoned you, Tobirama-dono."
Shinju's tone grew solemn.
"I need you to design this entire system for me.
From the most basic household registration system, all the way up to the highest power structure.
From the educational framework for children, to the legal standards for adults.
I need a complete framework that can support the operation of this enormous empire for hundreds of years…
even thousands."
At last, something stirred in Tobirama—like a petrified tree putting out blossoms after a thousand years.
It was the excitement and focus of a chess master encountering a peerless game,
of a scholar confronting the ultimate problem.
All his life, he had been devoted to creating a stable and efficient system.
Everything he had designed for Konoha had, for various reasons, never been fully realized.
It was one of the great regrets of his life.
Then, on top of that, there was the mission where he encountered Kinkaku and Ginkaku's ambush…
His brother's idealism,
the hidden danger of the Uchiha,
Hiruzen's weakness…
All of it had warped the execution of his systems.
And now, an unprecedented opportunity was laid out in front of him.
A supreme ruler who possessed absolute power,
and was willing to use that original authority to implement his designs to the fullest.
And a stage that covered the entire world,
on which he could unleash his political genius and administrative talent without restraint.
"A challenge as fascinating as it gets," Tobirama murmured.
He took two steps forward and stood directly before Shinju.
"The power you possess is the foundation for achieving all of this.
But with power alone, all you will build is a vast prison.
The moment your power disappears, that prison will collapse in an instant."
His gaze swept over the giant map of the ninja world hanging on the hall's wall.
"To build a world that can operate for a long time, what you need is a set of rules that sink into the very bones.
These rules must flow through the body of every citizen of your empire like blood.
They must clearly define the rights and obligations of every person.
They must set clear standards for rewards and punishments.
They must create channels of upward mobility—and seal off every back door for decay."
Shinju listened in silence.
He knew he had found the right man.
"So then, Tobirama-dono," Shinju asked,
"as the chief architect of this new order, where do you intend to begin?"
Tobirama turned and pointed at Shinju.
"From you."
Then his hand moved, pointing at the Heroic Spirits standing in various parts of the hall.
"From them."
"The Divine Court, as it is now, is nothing more than a purely military organization.
Its structure was born for war.
But in times of peace, this structure must be completely broken and rebuilt."
Tobirama's voice was cold and clear.
"My first task is to carry out a total reorganization of the [Divine Court].
Divide departments.
Clarify responsibilities.
Draft the statutes.
I want a complete list of every Heroic Spirit's abilities.
Based on their specialties, I will assign each of them to the most suitable position."
He didn't even need to pause and ponder; a preliminary framework was already falling from his lips.
"As for you," he said at last, looking back at Shinju,
"as the supreme leader, you can no longer personally handle everything.
What you must learn is how to delegate."
"Give me all personnel files of the Divine Court, the full organizational chart, and every current regulation."
"In three days, I will give you a complete reorganization plan."
"No need to rush. We have plenty of time, Second-dono.
How about we take a look around first?"
Shinju replied lightly.
(End of Chapter)
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