“I plan to seal the forbidden jutsu Tobirama has been researching, and destroy the lab along with it.
That way, he won’t get any bad ideas in the future.” “But a lot of the equipment in there looks expensive.
Destroying it all would be such a waste.” Hashirama looked at the two of them.
“Toji, Naori, go take inventory.
Anything the hospital or ninja academy can use, move it out.
I’ll destroy the rest afterward.” “Yes!” Corpse collectors?
No.
More like professional cleanup crew.
Toji and Naori stepped into the laboratory, and a cold, decaying stench rushed at them.
Naori instinctively held her breath.
“If someone stays in a place like this for too long, they’ll probably end up falling into darkness.” The environment can change a person.
Toji nodded in agreement.
“That’s true.” His own underground lab, aside from not having any dead bodies yet, was just as gloomy and oppressive as this place.
Luckily, he wouldn’t be changed by his surroundings.
Because he himself was already the worst kind of fallen.
* * * Even though what they were doing now wasn’t exactly dignified, it really felt like mice falling into a grain store.
Naori picked out quite a few basic instruments.
Toji, on the other hand, went straight for the high-end equipment he could never afford, even after skimming funds from the hospital.
‘Tobirama really lives up to being the greatest inventor in the ninja world.
He’s loaded.’ Toji carried away each piece of equipment he liked.
As he walked, he reached a workbench and immediately spotted a corpse that hadn’t been dealt with yet.
Toji’s gaze sharpened.
He noticed the summoning jutsu markings still left on the surface of the body.
Hashirama hadn’t explained what forbidden jutsu Tobirama was researching, but based on what Toji knew about him, among all the forbidden jutsus he would develop in the future, only one required human experimentation during its creation.
Edo Tensei.
At its core, it was a summoning jutsu.
However, in Toji’s memory, the completed version wouldn’t leave behind any visible markings.
The fact that such clear traces remained meant it was still in its early stage.
Hashirama hadn’t destroyed these markings.
Maybe he was careless.
Or maybe he trusted Toji too much.
And Toji, of course, wouldn’t betray that trust.
‘What a pleasant surprise.’ Thanks to his enhanced Yin Release, Toji’s memory far surpassed that of ordinary people.
It was almost photographic.
Without drawing attention, he memorized the entire set of summoning markings.
After the research notes were destroyed, even Tobirama himself, the original creator, might not remember this prototype jutsu as clearly as he did.
Toji stood by the workbench and began studying it.
These summoning markings formed the underlying framework of Edo Tensei.
As long as one could figure out the logic connecting it to the Pure Land, it would be possible to summon the dead to fight.
The theory wasn’t complicated, but actually developing it was far from easy.
The key lay in “space-time talent,” the ability to sense the existence of the Pure Land.
Toji thought about how similar abilities often appeared in other animes.
The closest comparison to Edo Tensei would probably be the “Heroic Spirit Summoning” from the Type-Moon series.
Heroic Spirits correspond to the dead.
The Throne of Heroes corresponds to the Pure Land.
‘Could incantations replace hand seals?’ ‘Cross the Ring of Deterrence and appear, Guardian of Konoha.’ Toji smirked slightly at his own joke.
Still, it could be a possible direction for development.
Who knows, maybe the Sage of Six Paths might even hear such a summoning chant.
Because of his interference, Tobirama’s research into Edo Tensei had been forcibly halted, and all related experimental data would be completely destroyed by Hashirama.
With the prototype summoning jutsu in his hands, he now stood, at least in theory, at the very forefront of its development.
A forbidden jutsu that would take three generations, Tobirama, Orochimaru, and Kabuto, to finally perfect.
How far could he go with it alone?
What kind of brilliance could he bring out of it?
‘Edo Tensei…’ Toji stared at the corpse in front of him, the light in his eyes flickering unpredictably.
* * * Outside the lab.
Hashirama asked, “Have you finished moving everything?” Toji reported, “Yeah.
All usable equipment has been taken.
The high-end instruments were sent to the Gospel Hospital, and the basic ones were sent to the Ninja Academy as teaching tools.” “Good.” Hashirama let out a bitter sigh before continuing, “This way, Tobirama didn’t completely do something wrong.
At least his mistakes can help patients and students.” Then his tone turned serious.
“You two, step back.” Having already seen his strength, Toji immediately pulled Naori far away.
Hashirama clapped his hands.
“Wood Style: Wood Golem Jutsu!” The surrounding trees grew wildly, forming a small wooden golem.
Its size rivaled the first stage of Susanoo, and a ferocious wooden dragon coiled around it.
Under Hashirama’s control, the golem entered the underground lab and began destroying everything without discrimination.
Moments later, seeing that most of it had been torn apart, Hashirama clapped again.
“Wood Style: Deep Forest Emergence!” The ground trembled as countless roots burst upward and twisted violently.
In an instant, the entire underground lab was crushed into pieces.
Above it, the land turned into a lush forest park.
The level of secrecy was like grinding everything into dust, then burning it to nothing.
In short, Tobirama’s laboratory completely disappeared from this land.
Toji watched Hashirama’s back and buried the desire deep within his heart.
The God of Shinobi’s Wood Release… it was truly captivating.
“With this, it’s over.” Hashirama sighed, then turned to them.
“Thank you both for your hard work today.” “Please don’t spread word of what happened today.
Tobirama has gone down the wrong path.
I will properly teach him when we return.
I’m asking this as his older brother.” After speaking, he bowed deeply.
“Yes, Hokage-sama!” Naori was moved by his sincerity.
As for Toji… he was basically moved too.
Hashirama really had put all his talent into combat.
His political sense was almost zero.
If he truly didn’t want outsiders like them to know about this, he shouldn’t have brought them here in the first place.
But still, the “simple” people of Konoha were easily swayed by his sincerity.
Just like how they also accepted Toji’s own sincerity and kindness.
The group parted ways.
Hashirama returned to the clan to deal with his younger brother.
Naori went back to the academy to distribute the equipment.
Toji returned to the Zenin underground lab to set up the newly acquired high-end instruments.
* * * Dusk.
Confined within the clan grounds by Hashirama, Tobirama gazed at the setting sun with a distant look.
Toka didn’t know what he had gone through.
She simply stayed quietly by his side.
He glanced at her, then gently pulled her into his arms.
The two stood in silence, watching the sun sink below the horizon.
With someone important beside him, something to lean on, Tobirama’s thoughts slowly settled.
On the way back, he had thought about many things.
Was he really wrong?
Even after being beaten by his older brother and having his childhood memories stirred up, deep down, he didn’t believe he was wrong.
Tobirama didn’t resent Hashirama either.
He understood that their original intentions were the same.
Both wanted to protect the people around them, to protect this newly built village.
They had simply chosen different paths.
His brother walked in the light.
He, however, had to sink into the darkness, to build an unseen line of defense for Konoha.
For that goal, sacrificing the lives of a few criminals was necessary.
After sorting out his thoughts, Tobirama felt clarity wash over him.
He made a firm decision in his heart.
‘The development of Edo Tensei must continue.’ ** ** ** Thank you for reading!