Sarutobi Sasuke's visit to Konoha this time was not solely to discuss the Sarutobi clan's collective relocation.
He had another goal.
He wanted to formally introduce his son—Sarutobi Hiruzen—to Senju Tobirama.
If possible, he even hoped Tobirama would accept Hiruzen as a disciple.
This decision was not made lightly.
Some time earlier, Sarutobi Sasuke had personally visited Konoha to inspect the village.
Its strength needed no explanation—it was founded jointly by the Senju and Uchiha clans.
That much was common knowledge.
But more importantly, Sasuke had already identified a crucial issue concerning the Sarutobi clan's future.
Once the Sarutobi clan relocated to Konoha—
Who should they align themselves with?
Where should they stand?
Align with whom?
Naturally—with the one who truly held power.
Stand where?
Naturally—on the side of the one who made the decisions.
Following the second-in-command and surviving on scraps was not an option.
So who was the real authority in the village?
On the surface, it was undoubtedly Senju Hashirama.
But in reality—
The one holding true power was the man before him: Senju Tobirama.
Tobirama was nominally an assistant, but in practice—
He governed.
When it came to Konoha's development, his word was final.
Sarutobi Sasuke had personally witnessed a legendary scene:
The famous Senju Hashirama—renowned throughout the shinobi world—being scolded by Tobirama until he squatted in a corner drawing circles.
And after that?
Hashirama bowed repeatedly, begging Tobirama not to be angry.
After witnessing that—
Sasuke fully understood just how terrifying Tobirama's authority within the village truly was.
If the Sarutobi clan wished to secure resources and long-term development in Konoha, they had to build ties with Tobirama.
In the shinobi world—
Beyond blood relations, the closest bond was that of master and disciple.
If Hiruzen could become Tobirama's student, the Sarutobi clan would gain a solid pillar of support.
At the same time, it would serve as their pledge of loyalty.
"Tobirama-sama, please leave this task to me!"
"I'm already capable of handling matters independently!"
At his father's subtle prompting, Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, voice loud and confident.
"Tobirama-sama—I can do the same."
A moment later, Shimura Danzō stepped forward as well, just slightly slower.
"…I see."
Tobirama raised his gaze, studying Hiruzen and Danzō.
Though neither had reached adulthood—both appeared to be around fourteen or fifteen—in this brutal shinobi world, surviving to that age already qualified one as a capable ninja.
After all—
Tobirama himself had been fighting alongside his father on the battlefield at seven or eight years old, exterminating innately dangerous Uchiha.
"Tobirama-sama, please entrust this to Hiruzen."
"I was planning to have him oversee the procurement for this operation anyway. As my son, he'll one day shoulder the Sarutobi clan's responsibilities."
"Delivering a letter would just be incidental."
Sarutobi Sasuke spoke smoothly, naturally elevating his son's capabilities.
"I was thinking the same," Shimura Shima added.
"Danzō is also at the age where—"
Both men shared the same goal.
For the sake of their clans' futures, they hoped Tobirama would accept their sons as disciples.
"…Very well."
Tobirama nodded.
It was only a letter to the Fire Daimyō.
Hiruzen and Danzō would also be purchasing supplies along the way.
What could possibly go wrong?
Seeing Tobirama agree, both boys' faces lit up with excitement.
The letter was merely an excuse.
The real prize was the chance to spend time with Tobirama himself.
What followed was effectively their audition.
To ensure the mission's reliability, Hiruzen began describing his proficiency in Fire Release, while Danzō followed by extolling his Wind Release techniques.
Tobirama played along—
and casually pointed out flaws in their understanding of ninjutsu while doing so.
At this point, Tobirama could already guess the intentions of Sarutobi Sasuke and Shimura Shima.
Accepting disciples wasn't impossible.
The downside was obvious—teaching students consumed valuable time.
But aside from that?
Everything else was a benefit.
With the Sarutobi and Shimura clans backing him, Tobirama's grip on the village would become even more secure.
And more importantly—
They wouldn't be swayed or corrupted by the innately dangerous Uchiha.
After some back-and-forth—
The two clan heads finally revealed their second purpose for the visit.
"Tobirama-sama, as expected of a powerful shinobi—your knowledge is profound. Guiding these two required no effort at all."
"We were wondering… would you be willing to accept Hiruzen / Danzō as your disciple?"
"Taking disciples, hm…"
"That's not impossible."
"But my standards are not low."
Tobirama spoke calmly.
Though he fully intended to accept both boys, he couldn't simply agree outright.
Good things require refinement.
There would need to be trials.
And besides—
He was Senju Tobirama. He couldn't accept useless students. He had his pride.
Necessary evaluations could not be skipped.
Hiruzen and Danzō, meanwhile, were barely containing their excitement.
In that brief exchange alone, Tobirama had already corrected flaws their own fathers couldn't identify.
Even setting clan interests aside—
For the sake of becoming stronger, they had to seize this opportunity.
"Once you return from the Fire Country," Tobirama said,
"I will test you."
"If you earn my approval, I'll accept you as disciples."
"We won't disappoint you, Tobirama-sama!"
×2
The two shouted in unison.
With intentions aligned, Tobirama returned to practical matters.
They discussed procurement lists, clan relocation logistics, and village planning.
Hiruzen and Danzō listened quietly, already thinking about how to prove themselves upon returning.
"Then it's settled."
"The village also needs supplies. Please purchase them together—it'll reduce costs."
The Sarutobi and Shimura clans would each contribute roughly two hundred million ryō toward supplies.
The village would subsidize fifty million ryō for each clan, and additionally allocate three hundred million ryō of its own.
Total procurement: eight hundred million ryō.
With purchases on that scale, prices could be reduced by about five percent.
Five percent might sound small—
But at this scale, it was a massive sum.
The saved money doesn't need to enter the public accounts, Tobirama mused.
I'll keep it aside… for scientific equipment.
Heh. The rewards of intelligence.
How delightful.
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