Chapter 177: Make Tobirama Senju's Mind Completely Take My Shape — I Must Truly Control Him!
Uchiha Makoto's dream was to become the ruler of the entire world — a goal fraught with countless obstacles.
Especially in the Land of Fire, where the Akatsuki Village first had to handle its relationship with Konoha.
And right now, the true power behind Konoha was none other than that naturally wicked old ghost of the Senju clan — Tobirama Senju.
This made Makoto's relationship with Tobirama rather delicate.
Emotionally speaking, Makoto saw himself as brilliant and farsighted, but he never underestimated any hero of the world.
And Tobirama Senju was his most dangerous hidden threat.
He'd already schemed against Tobirama several times.
Makoto could guess with his toes that Tobirama probably dreamed every night about setting him up in return — trying to reclaim his lost pride.
But one can't be a thief forever; there's no such thing as eternal vigilance against one. Makoto always worried that someday Tobirama would finally trip him up from the shadows.
That was why Makoto wanted to send Tobirama straight to the Pure Land to meet the Sage of Six Paths — right now.
Not later. Not even after one more second.
He wanted to physically erase this threat from existence.
As long as that evil old ghost of the Senju clan remained in Konoha, Makoto could never sleep peacefully.
However, rationally speaking…
He knew that killing Tobirama was almost impossible.
Extremely difficult.
Tobirama had mastered numerous forbidden techniques of great power and unknown effects — and possessed the Flying Thunder God Technique, a space-time ninjutsu.
Everyone knew how sinister and unpredictable space-time techniques were — impossible to guard against, able to both attack and escape.
Obito Uchiha had shaken the entire shinobi world with just his Kamui.
Tobirama was no different.
Unless he was instantly killed, Tobirama's mastery of space-time ninjutsu made him nearly invincible in battle — and even Madara Uchiha couldn't do that to him.
In the original story, Tobirama's death while protecting his student against the Kinkaku brothers was nothing but a contrived plot kill by the author.
Normally, he'd have escaped faster than anyone.
As a Kage, he knew just how dangerous it was to appoint Sarutobi Hiruzen as Third Hokage right before dying.
The war hadn't even ended yet.
The Uchiha clan was watching the Hokage position like hawks, praying day and night that someone from their clan would take that title.
The Senju clan was the same — after all, the First and Second Hokage were both Senju. The Third's glory should rightfully belong to them as well.
Just a mere Sarutobi Hiruzen — if Tobirama were alive, fine. But once he died, who would even recognize the Sarutobi name?
Konoha could easily erupt into civil war over this.
The plot was absurd — Makoto couldn't even look at it — but that's how the author wrote it.
The curse of all shōnen manga.
But for Makoto, this was reality.
And in reality, treating it like a hot-blooded manga was the fastest way to die.
Now that the story had already diverged somewhat, the entire Hidden Cloud Village dreamed every night of killing him, Uchiha Makoto.
So waiting for Cloud to eliminate Tobirama? Makoto no longer had such hopes.
That meant he had to coexist with Tobirama for a long time.
He had to both use Konoha's Uchiha clan to keep chipping away at Tobirama's influence — distracting him — while also working with him, giving him small benefits now and then, making sure he didn't lash out in desperation.
Because if that man was ever cornered, if he decided to destroy the Akatsuki's plans out of spite — Makoto's ambitions would crumble to dust.
That's why ideology was critical.
Makoto's approach to Konoha had always been consistent: never confront it head-on. Always use a soft knife to bleed it dry — never giving Tobirama an excuse to attack Akatsuki directly.
But when it came to the parasites of the Fire Nation — hit them hard!
He always bullied the weak, never the strong — squeezing the softest targets.
Still… those "parasites" had the money and influence to suppress Akatsuki's movements through Konoha.
So Makoto had to keep "brainwashing" Tobirama — making him believe that everything Makoto did was for the good of the world, that his actions improved ninja life and status, ultimately reducing war and chaos.
Until one day, Tobirama himself would quietly cover for him — even lend hidden support to Akatsuki's operations.
This delicate relationship felt to Makoto like he was playing a bizarre dating-sim game… without a progress bar.
At this point, Tobirama remained silent, looking like he didn't want to keep talking.
"Any technology that existed when I was born feels natural.Any technology invented when I was 15 to 35 feels revolutionary.Any technology invented after I'm 35 feels unnatural and heretical."
So it was with technology — and with ideas.
— Ninja tools truly have corrupted minds.
Even Tobirama had been deeply influenced by them.
And Makoto, being a Uchiha, was the worst possible messenger.
Normally, if any random Uchiha had said such blasphemous things in front of Tobirama, he'd have cut them off immediately —"You evil-born Uchiha brat, how dare you—!"You could guess the rest.
But now, Tobirama stayed silent.
Makoto wasn't impatient. Getting Tobirama to abandon his lifelong bias against Uchiha and break free from decades of "ninja tool theory" would be an uphill battle.
"But… I like that!"
"That's what makes it challenging — worth the effort!"
The weak fear difficulty and run.
But strong men like Uchiha Makoto? They get excited — they rise to meet the challenge.
The fiercer the horse, the greater the thrill for the rider.
And silence, in this case, was progress. At least Tobirama was thinking about his ideas seriously now.
Makoto analyzed the situation carefully.
Right now, Tobirama's mind was confused — his reasoning cloudy — so this was the perfect time to press the advantage.
So Makoto spoke again:
"Tobirama, I know what you're worried about — the nobles' wealth and power, and the chains society places on ninja.But my students carry my ideals. With their talents, they'll never see the battlefield — instead, they'll integrate into the Fire Nation's economy and spread my way of the ninja through its foundations.Slowly but surely, they'll sow my beliefs across the entire country."
"This will take time. I don't want chaos — but there will be conflicts, and sometimes I'll have to do things that others… would rather not see happen."
"You understand what I mean, don't you?"
Makoto leaned in closer.
He needed to secure Akatsuki more freedom of movement.
Ever since the massacre of the noble Qinghua family, Konoha's scrutiny had been intense. Tobirama didn't want to see another bloodbath like that.
And lately, the Fire Nation's actions had been perfectly timed.
Makoto admitted — those divide-and-conquer tactics were effective.
After all, Konoha's ninja had their pride.
When that pride was trampled by outsiders, resentment would naturally build.
Akatsuki was a perfect scapegoat — a big enough target to absorb all that rage.
But strength was still essential.
The Fire Nation elites had no real military power — just schemes.
Akatsuki, on the other hand, was poised to seize the moment of change.
The propaganda wave would fuel Konoha's anger for now — but if Akatsuki truly delivered on its promises?
"If a simple meal in Akatsuki Village is better than a Konoha family's New Year feast" — outrageous, yes.But if data showed Akatsuki's wages had three to four times the purchasing power of Konoha's?Then it would become reality.
All that resentment would transform into envy — and aspiration — helping Makoto ideologically conquer Konoha's lower classes.
Of course, that would take time.
The Fire Nation's recent moves were clever — because of perspective differences.
Ordinary people didn't know what Konoha's leadership knew.
Tobirama had far more information than the masses.
When Makoto wiped out the Qinghua family, the Fire Nation leadership launched a loyalty test against Konoha — evidence be damned, they wanted to make Akatsuki taste defeat.
"The Fire Nation leaders aren't fools," Makoto thought. "If they can't find evidence, they'll make an example anyway."
In the end, Tobirama pretended ignorance — throwing all the blame on the Hidden Waterfall Village.
Konoha failed the test completely.
And then came the Fire Nation's revenge and manipulation campaign.
The public backlash against Konoha was orchestrated by the Fire Nation itself.
Outwardly, Tobirama forbade Makoto from interfering, preferring to negotiate peacefully.
Admit mistakes, promise improvement — and smile.
Even a Hokage sometimes had to grovel before his country's financiers.
But deep down?
Tobirama hadn't forgotten the time he'd received ten gold command tokens a day from the daimyo's office.
True, this entire mess had started because of Makoto — but Tobirama already considered him a villain.
Makoto had the advantage of a bad reputation.
The Fire Nation's high-ups, though — they were supposed to be his allies.
He'd tried to be their loyal servant — and they repaid him with humiliation.
Hashirama's complacent kindness had made things worse.
They feared Makoto's ruthlessness more than they respected Tobirama's loyalty — they didn't dare provoke the "evil little Uchiha."
Loyalty earned betrayal; cruelty earned fear.
How could Tobirama not feel resentment?
He endured it — as a lawful man, as his brother's mirror — but that anger still simmered.
After a moment of dry silence, Tobirama finally spoke:
"Don't go too far.Do it cleanly. Leave no evidence."
"Relax," Makoto grinned. "I never leave a trace."
He understood perfectly.
If it wasn't discovered, it didn't count as done.
If no one found out, it didn't exist.
That meant Tobirama would turn a blind eye when it mattered.
Unlike last time —
Back then, Tobirama had snarled,
"Try one more stunt, and I'll have Konoha's ninjas tear your life apart. Evidence or no, we'll make something up! Don't expect me to cover for you, evil Uchiha brat!"
Now this was progress.
Makoto could almost see the next step — to test how far Tobirama's bottom line went.
"If the Fire Daimyo himself goes to see the First Hokage… will you help me—?"
"Uchiha Makoto, don't even think about it! I'll never deceive my brother!"
"If my brother decides to investigate you, you're on your own! Don't be fooled by his goofy face — when he gets serious, even I…"
Tobirama didn't hesitate at all.
When it came to Hashirama, there was no debate — he'd always stand by his brother, one hundred percent.
If Makoto ever caused chaos big enough to drag Hashirama into it, Tobirama would crush him without mercy.
For while Hashirama seemed naive, when serious, his intuition was razor sharp — and Tobirama would carry out his brother's will to the letter.
Because family is family. Not some distant cousin — a real brother.
How could he help an outsider deceive his brother?
Especially this outsider — this "naturally evil" Uchiha brat!
And to think he'd just compromised again — and Makoto still pushed his luck!
Truly, insufferable!
"Hahaha, just joking!"
Makoto laughed it off, unsurprised by Tobirama's reaction.
After all, they were blood brothers — and Hashirama had even bewitched Madara like some kind of succubus. Competing with that charm was impossible.
But one day… he'd try again.
Someday soon, he'd make Tobirama Senju's entire mind take on his shape.
Makoto thought this silently to himself.
(End of Chapter)