“A ruthless political machine, aren’t they…”
Tsunade muttered under her breath. She actually thought their plan wasn’t bad, but childhood dislike of them still lingered.
Jiraiya nodded in agreement, which only made Hiruzen rub his temples in irritation.
“You two, stay quiet. Gen—what do you think?”
“Huh?”
Kitagawa Gen froze, glancing around before pointing at himself.
“Me?”
“Yes. Tell us your opinion.”
Hiruzen nodded. Kakashi and Guy seemed to realize what was happening. They patted Gen on the shoulder.
“Go on, let’s hear it. You’re already a jōnin—this kind of meeting will be part of your future.”
“That’s right. Do your best, Gen.”
“…You two…”
Gen could only smile helplessly. Of course he understood what Hiruzen was aiming at.
Sending him to deal with Deidara and Terumi Mei had already made that much clear.
Still, he felt this matter wasn’t urgent. Gaara had become Kazekage so young simply because Sunagakure had no one else left.
Konoha, on the other hand, was overflowing with talent.
“Honestly, I think this arrangement is fine as it is.”
Gen rubbed his chin, thought for a moment, then added:
“But I also have a few more ideas.”
“Oh? Let’s hear it.”
“I went to Sunagakure with Kakashi-sensei and Guy-sensei. They don’t have many strong shinobi left. That gives us room to maneuver.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean—what if we secretly supported one of their shinobi, gave him money and backing, and pushed him into becoming the Kazekage?”
“...”
“You’re saying… that way Sunagakure would follow our lead from then on?”
“…”
The moment Kitagawa Gen spoke, the eyes of Hiruzen and the others widened in shock.
His very first opinion in such a meeting—and he threw out something this big?
“It isn’t impossible, but the issue is funding—”
Yet before Hiruzen could finish, Utatane Koharu’s eyes flickered with interest, and even Mitokado Homura gave a nod.
“Extreme, yes, but favorable to Konoha. The cost, however, would be heavy—unless we waive the reparations.”
“How could we waive the reparations? That’s the compensation for fallen Konoha shinobi!”
Before the two could finish, Gen shook his head, cutting them off.
“If the Wind Daimyō isn’t willing to loosen his purse strings, then perhaps it’s time they found themselves a new daimyō.”
“???”
“After all, they already dislike their own daimyō. As long as the bloodline remains pure, it doesn’t matter who takes the seat.”
“…”
“I imagine they’d be more than happy about it.”
“…”
His words silenced everyone in the room.
Kakashi covered his forehead, refusing to look further. Guy glanced about in confusion.
Jiraiya leaned his head back against the bedframe, while Tsunade rolled her eyes.
As for Hiruzen and his two advisers, they exchanged silent glances. An odd sensation welled up inside them.
It was back.
That feeling from the past—back again.
Looking at Kitagawa Gen now, he gave them an unsettlingly familiar sense of extremity.
“Don’t spout nonsense. This isn’t something to play around with.”
At last Hiruzen broke the silence, his voice firm. He tapped the wall beside him in a measured rhythm.
At once, everyone in the room could sense the ANBU stationed outside withdrawing in unison.
“Once we act on something like this, the established rules will be broken. The balance of the shinobi world will be shattered. That would lead to consequences we don’t want.”
“But it’s not us doing it. It’d be the people of Sunagakure themselves.”
Gen spoke with nonchalance. But seeing Hiruzen’s eyelid twitch, he gave a faint laugh and shifted the subject.
“Alright, never mind that. I actually have another idea.”
“Let’s hear it.”
Before Hiruzen could stop him, Koharu and Homura spoke almost in unison.
“I was thinking—this time, should we have Sunagakure send us the remains of some of their stronger shinobi who’ve died?”
Gen rubbed his chin, voicing the thought uncertainly. But at once, Hiruzen realized what he meant.
“Hold it. You don’t mean that accursed technique—Impure World Reincarnation?”
“Eh? Hokage-sama, but I remember Orochimaru saying it was your sensei, the Second Hokage, who created it. Isn’t it a bit strange for you to say that—”
“…”
“And besides, I’m sure the Second Hokage only developed such a technique to better protect Konoha.”
“…”
“Think about it, Hokage-sama. If we made their own Kage turn against them, wouldn’t that strike them with an enormous blow?”
“…”
“With their morale shattered and unity broken, wouldn’t our own casualties be reduced?”
Hiruzen regretted it now—why had he ever let this boy speak?
Seeing his two old comrades exchange a glance and a nod behind him, his composure nearly collapsed altogether.
“What you say isn’t wrong in theory. But you’re being far too simplistic. Doing such a thing could just as easily spark their fury, uniting them in hatred against us."
"Gen, the hearts of people cannot be understood in such a narrow way. They are immensely complex. Actions like this don’t just affect our enemies—they affect our allies as well!”
Hiruzen spoke with earnest gravity, truly unwilling for Kitagawa Gen to take such reckless steps.
“That’s right. If someone were to desecrate our own Hokage in such a way, we’d be furious.”
Jiraiya nodded in agreement, while Kakashi patted Gen’s shoulder.
“And if other villages resorted to this technique, we would never be able to accept it either.”
“The mess Orochimaru caused with it still lingers. We need to find a way to resolve that, not worsen it.”
At last, Hiruzen gave his ruling.
“So—your intention is good, it is indeed for Konoha. But this path will only bring harm.”
“Oh.”
Gen gave a small nod. He admitted to himself that he had not thought things through fully—he had overlooked how others might feel.
Rubbing his chin, he seemed to fall into thought. That alone made Hiruzen breathe a little easier.
Truthfully, even he had felt a flicker of temptation just now.
But when weighing the broader consequences—and the grim requirements of Impure World Reincarnation—he had ultimately abandoned the notion.
Even so, he felt a headache coming on. At times, Kitagawa Gen’s way of thinking was simply too extreme.
“In that case, if we can’t use outsiders, then why not use people from within the village?”
Hiruzen had barely begun to feel relief when Gen spoke again.
“There should be plenty here slated for execution, right? Why not select some of the stronger ones among them?”
“…”
“Hokage-sama, think about it. They’re not afraid of death, they don’t need food or water, they don’t even need to rest. Perfect labor, isn’t it?”
“…”
“And besides, in life they committed countless crimes. Wouldn’t it be a waste to simply execute them?”
“…”
Hiruzen felt another tightness in his chest. It wasn’t the first time he’d sensed the failure of Konoha’s education system—
But this time, his eyes were truly opened.
Kitagawa Gen wasn’t just like his sensei… if Tobirama himself were here, even he might not compare to this boy!
He cast a glance at Kakashi, silent as a stone; at Jiraiya, head bowed and unwilling to speak; and at Tsunade, her brows drawn tight.
Hiruzen sighed. And when he saw Utatane Koharu and Mitokado Homura, the faint stirrings of interest flickering across their faces, he could only lament: if only everyone could be as simple-hearted as Guy.
But before he could speak, Kitagawa Gen cut in once more.
This time, though, his expression had turned more serious.
“Besides that, Hokage-sama—Orochimaru already has this technique. Who’s to say he won’t use it before we do?”
“!”
“If we take no action, who can say what Orochimaru might attempt first?”
“…”
At those words, the once-quiet hospital room instantly grew heavy with tension.
And what had seemed unacceptable only moments ago now began, imperceptibly, to waver.
No one noticed the glance Koharu and Homura exchanged—nor the quiet nod they gave each other.
This Kitagawa Gen truly was, just as Tsunade and Hiruzen had said—
He really is the one most like the sensei. But in some ways… he may already have surpassed him.
Kitagawa Gen’s theory was indeed practical—yet terrifying.
And judging from what Hiruzen and the others knew of Orochimaru, this was exactly the sort of thing that bastard would do.
“Third Hokage, we must make preparations as soon as possible.”
Turning to each other, Koharu and Homura exchanged glances, their expressions grave.
“What’s more, the experiments back then were led by him and Danzō. It’s entirely possible he had already prepared for this years ago.”
“You mean… he could actually summon my grandfather back?”
Tsunade’s fists were already clenched tight, and her mind was racing with other troubling possibilities.
“Not just them—even…”
“There’s a chance, yes. That’s why I think it’s necessary we strike first.”
Kitagawa Gen gave a small nod on the side. Hiruzen sank into long contemplation before he, too, finally nodded.
“There is indeed such a possibility. But let’s not become too agitated. Each revival requires a living person as a sacrifice. Beyond that, there is something you may not know.”
“What is it?”
“I’ve read my sensei’s manuscripts. In his notes, this technique still had flaws. Those summoned could hardly return to their peak strength. I’ve even crossed hands with Danzō, so…”
“But that’s no excuse! Are we just going to sit back and do nothing?”
Seeing Tsunade’s displeasure, Hiruzen knew they couldn’t simply ignore the matter. Otherwise, Orochimaru might really unleash a disaster.
After all, he understood Orochimaru all too well. That man wasn’t just gifted—his capacity for research was terrifying.
Otherwise, Danzō would never have sought him out all those years ago to jointly study the First Hokage’s cells.
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I will post some extra Chapters in Patreon, you can check it out. >> /TitoVillar
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