Senju Tobirama.
Yayoi roughly knew the deeds of this future Second Hokage of Konoha.
Many of Konoha's important facilities and institutions were established under his direction.
For example, the Ninja Academy, which opened a path for civilians. The Anbu organization, which strengthened central authority and stabilized the Hokage's position. Even the Police Force duties he later assigned to the Uchiha clan indirectly became one of the fuses that led to the Uchiha clan's eventual destruction.
In short, even after his death in the future, he would remain one of Konoha's founding pillars, influencing the village's fate in every direction.
Leaving aside his strength, his political instincts and ability to execute policy were both extremely impressive.
"To visit so late at night is rather presumptuous. I hope I have not disturbed your rest."
Although Tobirama tried to soften his tone, that cold, hard air about him still made people feel somewhat uncomfortable.
His eyes remained fixed on Yayoi and Kichō the entire time, as if he were observing, calculating, and confirming something.
"Not at all. If anything, I am honored. Tobirama-sama, famed for your godlike speed, I have long heard of your name as well."
Yayoi smiled faintly and responded without revealing anything.
Kichō also smiled and quietly sat beside Yayoi, calmly pouring tea for him.
"Mm. The work during the day is very busy. Only around this time can I spare a little free time."
Tobirama nodded and withdrew his observing gaze.
Originally, testing the Shogun of the Land of Night should have been handled the same way as the envoys from the Land of Wind and Land of Earth, by having someone from the Land of Fire daimyo's side come over.
But considering the special nature of the Land of Night, Tobirama decided it was better for him to personally make the visit.
Because this shogun of the Land of Night was not merely the head of a country. He was also a powerful ninja in his own right.
A top-tier puppet master of the current era, someone who had swept away the resistance of the Land of Waterfall and the Land of Iron with absolute force, then used that as a stepping stone to establish the Land of Night.
There were far too many rumors about this man. Even Tobirama, who had been in the Land of Fire, had paid some attention to him.
It was just that there had been no conflict of interests between the Senju and the Land of Night. On top of that, the Senju had an enemy like the Uchiha to deal with. So before this, both sides had had no real contact.
"I will skip the pleasantries. I came to visit you this time, Shogun-sama, because I have a business proposal I would like to discuss with you."
Tobirama went straight to the point.
His time was valuable, and there was no need to drag things out. This shogun did not look like someone who enjoyed wasting words either. Like Tobirama, he seemed to value efficiency when dealing with important matters.
"Please speak."
Yayoi's expression grew much more serious.
Tobirama did not hesitate and directly said, "As far as I know, the eastern region of the Land of Night has several mining areas that produce many high-quality minerals. They can be forged into various types of chakra metal."
The eastern region of the Land of Night had originally been the Land of Iron, the country of samurai.
At the same time, it was also a mineral-rich region, producing many ores that could be forged into excellent chakra metal, an important strategic resource.
In the past, the samurai of the Land of Iron had relied on those abundant mineral resources to forge large numbers of armor and blades, making them the foundation of their country.
Of course, the Land of Fire also had similar mineral resources for forging chakra metal. But because the categories were different, the chakra metals forged from them had huge differences in properties.
Some qualities possessed by the Land of Night's metal ores were not available in the Land of Fire.
"In other words, you want mutual exchange of resources? If that is the case..."
Yayoi thought about it. This kind of trade was acceptable.
"No. Rather than raw materials, I hope to purchase a batch of finished chakra metal."
Tobirama shook his head and stated his goal.
Although chakra metals differed from one another, those differences were mainly in property tendencies. In terms of quality, the finished products forged by the Land of Night were clearly superior to those of the Land of Fire, judging only by the portion circulating on the market.
As a puppet master, this shogun of the Land of Night was himself a top-tier craftsman.
Tobirama suspected that the Land of Night's ability to produce large quantities of excellent chakra metal in recent years had a great deal to do with Yayoi himself.
With this top-class craft, chakra metal manufacturing had already become one of the Land of Night's pillar industries, bringing the country enormous profits every year.
The problem was that the amount of finished chakra metal flowing out of the Land of Night was still too small.
"It seems the amount of finished chakra metal you need is not small, Tobirama-sama. How much are we talking about exactly?"
"Roughly one thousand tons."
"..."
The corner of Yayoi's mouth twitched.
Was Konoha planning to fight a ninja world war?
Did Tobirama know how many ninja could be armed with that scale of chakra metal?
This future Second Hokage really knew how to ask for the sky.
Chakra metal was not the same as ordinary steel.
By mixing even a small amount of chakra metal into iron weapons, their performance could be multiplied.
After all, ninja fought using chakra. If a weapon could not conduct chakra well, then in a ninja's eyes, it was no different from scrap metal and could not effectively harm another ninja.
Ordinary weapons could also conduct chakra to some extent, but their conductivity was far too poor, and their killing power was insufficient. From the beginning, they were not even considered an option for ninja weapons.
Therefore, the ninja tools used by ninja, including kunai and shuriken, were all mixed with a certain proportion of chakra metal, granting them proper chakra conductivity.
This was also why ninja, despite possessing physiques far beyond ordinary people, could still be killed by a small kunai. Ninja weapons were not forged from ordinary metal at all.
It was said that certain special chakra metals were even more expensive than gold. For example, Kichō's spiritual blade Spider-Cutter was forged entirely from special chakra metal, and its value was worth more than a dozen of Sarutobi Asuma's bounties.
Another example was Senju Hashirama's necklace. Similar to special chakra metal, it had been made from an extremely rare chakra crystal and could restrain tailed beasts. Its value was equivalent to three mountains.
Most of the chakra metal produced by the Land of Night fell within the standard category. Its superiority lay in the field of synthesis craftsmanship.
Stolen story; please report.
But one thousand tons of chakra metal that met the proper standard? Even if the Land of Night operated at full capacity, it would be difficult to synthesize that much in a year.
And even if they produced it, it would be impossible to sell all of it to Konoha.
Many facilities in the Land of Night also required large amounts of chakra metal.
"You must be joking, Tobirama-sama."
"Then... five hundred tons?"
"Two hundred tons at most."
Yayoi's brow began to throb as he helplessly gave a number.
This amount was already considerable. Used sparingly, it was enough for the current Konoha.
As long as the ninja tools were not made entirely from chakra metal, but instead had a certain proportion of chakra metal fused into iron weapons, two hundred tons of chakra metal could produce at least a combined total of one million standard ninja tools such as kunai and shuriken.
And unless they were ninja who specialized in ninja tool use, the average ninja carried a very limited number of kunai, shuriken, ninja blades, and other tools.
Therefore, this batch of chakra metal could arm at least ten thousand ninja.
Konoha's ninja at present all came from ninja clans. No matter how one counted, there was no way the village had ten thousand ninja.
Not to mention, ninja tools were different from ordinary cold weapons. They could be recovered, reforged, and reused. If maintained properly in ordinary times, they could be used for a very long time.
"Deal."
Tobirama answered readily.
Yayoi suddenly felt that perhaps he had offered too much.
Fortunately, two hundred tons of standard chakra metal was not a heavy burden for the Land of Night. Besides, it was not as if he would sell this much every year.
In the warehouse of his Shogun's Residence alone, he still had more than a thousand tons of chakra metal stored. However, that was an important strategic reserve the Land of Night had accumulated over several years of saving, and it absolutely could not be sold.
◎
In the following days, Yayoi mostly stayed indoors.
The people he needed to visit had already been visited, and the trade agreements with various countries were basically settled.
After that, he only needed to attend the inauguration ceremony of the First Hokage, then he could return to the Land of Night.
However, the fact that his side had quieted down did not mean the other countries would be equally quiet.
For example, the envoys from several other great nations, the Land of Lightning and the Land of Water, arrived one after another.
Perhaps because of some personal grudge, the moment the envoys from the Land of Water and the Land of Earth ran into each other, they began arguing fiercely. The accompanying ninja nearly fought in earnest as well. If the Senju and Uchiha ninja had not stepped in afterward, there was a good chance it would have turned into a fierce battle.
Yayoi watched the entire conflict between these two countries from the side.
The head guard of the Land of Earth's envoy group was a tall, thin ninja named Mū. He remained expressionless throughout, making it impossible to read his thoughts.
The head guard of the Land of Water's envoy group was Hōzuki Gengetsu of the Hōzuki clan, the clan head of the Hōzuki clan in the Land of Water. He was a ninja with a small mustache and no eyebrows.
Among the ninja who clashed on both sides, these two fought the most fiercely.
It could be seen that both of them restrained themselves while fighting and did not use their full strength, so in the end, neither side won.
"What a sophisticated invisibility ninjutsu. Even the Byakugan can only vaguely see the flow of his chakra. If I am not careful, I will lose track of him. And he can fly too."
Kichō watched the battlefield with her Byakugan.
Mū of the Land of Earth used a strange invisibility ninjutsu. Only the Byakugan and powerful sensory ninja could vaguely sense his position.
Moreover, after using Earth Style, he could remain suspended in the air and fly. He was an extremely rare flying ninja in the ninja world.
As for Gengetsu of the Land of Water, he only displayed his Water Style ninjutsu. Even in a place without water, casually releasing high-level Water Style was something he could do with a wave of his hand.
He did not show his other abilities, but judging from Mū's cautious attitude, he definitely had stronger trump cards he had not used.
"Dust Release, a kekkei tōta, along with invisibility and flight. This man's jutsus are rather dangerous."
Setting aside Gengetsu, who had not revealed more dangerous abilities, Mū of the Land of Earth was the one Yayoi considered more dangerous.
Dust Release.
This was the kekkei tōta ninjutsu used by the Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki during the Five Kage Summit in the original story.
It fused three chakra natures, wind, earth, and fire, and released a translucent barrier of changing shape to envelop the enemy. Once caught inside, the target would be broken down into an atomic state and reduced to nothing.
Of course, Mū had not displayed this jutsu in the earlier battle, but his reputation as a Dust Release ninja had long since spread through the Land of Earth.
Combined with the invisibility and flight he had shown now, being targeted by this man would be extremely troublesome.
Could he be the future Second Tsuchikage of Iwagakure?
Yayoi guessed so.
Kekkei tōta did not possess hereditary properties, so the future Third Tsuchikage Ōnoki must have mastered Dust Release through training.
As for why he guessed Mū was Iwagakure's Second Tsuchikage, that was because the strongest ninja in the Land of Earth was currently a ninja named Ishikawa.
According to the intelligence Yayoi had obtained, Mū was Ishikawa's follower.
Therefore, Ishikawa was most likely the First Tsuchikage of Iwagakure.
"Hmph. We will stop here today. Next time, I will boil you into a mummy. Remember that!"
With the mediation of the Senju and Uchiha ninja, Gengetsu ended his fight with Mū. But before leaving, he still threw out a harsh threat.
"That is my line. I will use Dust Release to erase you from existence, you eyebrowless little mustache."
Mū was also enraged. His expression darkened, and his voice was filled with killing intent.
The corner of Gengetsu's mouth twitched, and his signature little mustache trembled as well, revealing just how unsettled he was inside.
"My husband, do those two have some kind of grudge?"
Kichō tilted her head. Anyone could see that those two were utterly incompatible.
"No, I am not too sure. Judging from the look of it, they most likely have some personal grudge from the past. We do not need to interfere in the affairs of other countries."
Yayoi shook his head.
His understanding of Mū and Hōzuki Gengetsu was only based on intelligence. He roughly knew their ninjutsu and combat styles.
As for their specific personal histories, he had not been able to investigate them.
Aside from the Land of Earth and the Land of Water, the other countries also had some personal grievances between them to varying degrees. Fortunately, everyone remained relatively restrained, and no major disturbance broke out.
In this tense yet controlled atmosphere, the day finally arrived for Senju Hashirama to assume office as the First Hokage.
One ninja clan head after another from Konoha attended the ceremony as high-level representatives of the village, all wearing relatively formal clothing.
These clan heads were led by Uchiha Madara, followed by the clan heads of the Sarutobi, Yamanaka, Akimichi, Nara, and other ninja clans.
Aside from Uchiha Madara, who was beyond normal standards, the strength of the other clan heads was also not to be underestimated. The sight of them gathered together made the representatives from every country who had come to observe the ceremony feel an unprecedented pressure.
These people came from different clans, and in the strongest nation, the Land of Fire, they were all famous ninja who could shake a region. Now they were gathered around Senju Hashirama.
"From this moment on, I am the First Hokage who will lead this village. I thank all of you for coming, and..."
On top of the tall building engraved with the character for "Fire," the head of the Senju clan, Senju Hashirama, wore a white ceremonial haori and a hat bearing the character for "Shadow." With an extremely solemn tone, he delivered the declaration of the Hokage.
From this moment onward, he would lead and protect this newborn ninja village, Konoha, as the First Hokage.
However, in Yayoi's view, this moment did not need any words.
Nor did it need any elaborate phrasing.
Senju Hashirama merely had to stand there, and that alone meant that a new era would carry an unstoppable tide forward and completely crush the old Warring States era.
Because clans that had never united before were now formally joining together.
They had common interests.
They had a common leader.
They would grind against each other, compromise with each other, and closely interact with one another in this village called Konoha, finally and gradually forming a single whole.
That was a force capable of forcibly changing the direction of the era.
"Ha... ha... This has to be a joke. Something like this... It is simply..."
"Unbelievable. Is a new era truly coming?"
"Can our countries and clans really continue to exist in this new era?"
"One nation, one village... Damn the Land of Fire. Damn Konoha... Why did they have to bring about an era like this? The ninja world should not be like this..."
The ninja who had come to observe, even existences on the level of Mū and Hōzuki Gengetsu, unconsciously began trembling. Their faces were covered in cold sweat born from fear. The pressure was so suffocating that their breathing nearly stopped, and even their words carried unconcealable dread.
Some yearned for it.
Some feared it.
Some were wary.
Some were furious.
Some ground their teeth in hatred.
Every representative from every country who had come here to witness the ceremony had an expression that was complicated to the extreme.
They saw Senju Hashirama, after finishing his declaration, wearing the white ceremonial haori that symbolized the Hokage as he raised high the hat engraved with the character for "Fire."
The entire venue instantly fell silent.
At this moment, everyone confirmed one fact.
A village.
A ninja village.
Since the Land of Fire possessed such a thing, the other countries had to possess it as well.
Without a ninja village, they would inevitably be abandoned by the future.
They roared unwillingly in their hearts.
They had to create ninja villages belonging to their own countries.
Ninja clans had to merge. This was no longer the Warring States era, where each fought alone.
What would take the stage next was the union of a nation's ninja, launching the contest and collision between countries.
This was not merely the inauguration ceremony of the First Hokage.
Through the ninja village of Konoha, it was the announcement that a new era had officially arrived.
"This situation... can only be described as terrifying."
In the audience seating reserved for national leaders, Kichō sat to Yayoi's left, while Irori stood to his right as his guard.
Yayoi subconsciously pressed his lips together, his voice hoarse as he spoke those words. At the same time, he instinctively lowered his gaze.
Setting aside Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara, those clan heads were also all veterans of countless battles, and one or two of them had auras so deep they could not be measured.
The other clan heads were slightly weaker, but overall, they all maintained an extremely high standard.
After the brutal competition of the Warring States era, those who had survived and made a name for themselves were almost all elites among elites.
Not to mention, these were entire clans. The powerful ones were not only the clan heads. Each of their clans also contained large numbers of capable ninja.
The ceremony was simple, efficient, and not dragged out in the slightest.
After a standardized declaration, Senju Hashirama smoothly completed the Hokage inauguration ceremony.
The title of First Hokage was officially confirmed at this moment.
Only now was the village called Konoha truly born, entering its first year.
The Land of Fire.
Konoha.
The one nation, one village contract.
A new era that made everyone feel lost and unable to suppress fear had arrived. Whether they admitted it or not, it was there, pressing equally down upon the head of every person in the ninja world.