Naruto: The Hyuga Mastermind

Chapter 156: Uchiha Madara: It Was All Senju Tobirama's Plot

When Senju Tobirama left with Hyuga Fuji, Konoha had no choice but to treat the situation with silence.

The current Konoha couldn't afford the fallout of both the Second Hokage and the Hokage's advisor defecting together.

Such an event would make the shinobi under them question whether Tsunade and her administration had done something wrong.

Now, the actions of the older generation were clearly aimed at cementing the narrative that Senju Tobirama had left out of disappointment in Konoha.

In the future, this might even be used as leverage to launch a public opinion campaign against the Land of Fire.

At this moment, Hyuga Yuki could clearly sense it—this was war.

Hyuga Fuji glanced at Tobirama, who was walking ahead, his expression unreadable, and spoke to Yuki in a calm tone: "He's well aware."

When Tobirama had walked away with him in full view of everyone, forcing Tsunade to officially classify him as a missing-nin, he had already prepared for the consequences.

The conflict had begun from that very moment.

Regardless of Tobirama's personal intent, the moment he chose to leave with Fuji, his identity became the perfect weapon to undermine Konoha.

Taking a deep breath, Yuki nodded solemnly. "I understand."

He still had much to learn.

Tobirama, catching snippets of their conversation from Fuji's deliberately unlowered voice, snorted lightly but said nothing as the three walked out of the castle's keep.

Standing in the open courtyard, watching the snowflakes drift from the sky, Fuji suddenly smiled and asked, "Tobirama-senpai, how do you think Madara views me now?"

Tobirama paused, confused by the abrupt question.

"What a strange question..."

"Thanks to you, I think he's less wary of me for now," Fuji said with a faint smile, glancing at Tobirama's puzzled face.

…

Before meeting with Madara, Black Zetsu had imagined many scenarios, but he hadn't expected Madara's questions to be so incisive.

In the damp, shadowy cave surrounded by massive intertwining roots, Madara sat in a chair carved from the wood and asked Black Zetsu:

"Did you see Senju Tobirama when you were with Hyuga Fuji?"

"…I did."

"What did Fuji show you before letting you leave?"

How does he know Fuji would show me something before I left? Could White Zetsu have infiltrated Fuji's forces?

Hearing the question, Black Zetsu briefly reconsidered his earlier decision to hide the historical record and decided to speak more openly.

"He showed me something called the Historical Record. It's similar to the Uchiha tablet, but its contents can only be read with the Byakugan and yin-yang release. I couldn't make sense of it."

Before returning, Black Zetsu had also gathered intelligence on Fuji's actions. Knowing how difficult Fuji was to corner, he was confident Madara wouldn't gain access to the record anytime soon.

Satisfied with his own reasoning, Black Zetsu focused on keeping himself out of trouble.

However, as Black Zetsu finished speaking, Madara suddenly let out a low chuckle.

"Hmph. So that's it. Everything has been Senju Tobirama's plan!"

Black Zetsu was stunned, staring at Madara in confusion, unsure what kind of conclusion his "master" had just jumped to.

Madara, still chuckling darkly, closed his eyes to organize his thoughts.

During the latter stages of the Third Great Ninja War, an unknown figure had manipulated events to reveal that two individuals were aware of his survival.

One was now clear: Mount Myōboku.

The second person had remained a mystery, despite Madara sending White Zetsu to investigate.

When Fuji defected from Konoha, Madara had briefly suspected him. Leading so many Konoha ninjas away was no small feat, and Fuji's abilities were undeniably extraordinary.

But then White Zetsu delivered critical information:

Senju Tobirama had been resurrected and had left Konoha with Fuji.

And it wasn't an Edo Tensei resurrection—it was a true revival.

Like Tsunade, Madara immediately assumed that Tobirama had resurrected himself using a forbidden technique of his own creation.

That alone was worth considering carefully.

When did Tobirama revive? And why would he leave with Fuji?

To find answers, Madara had sent White Zetsu to investigate Tobirama's grave and Konoha while also tracking Fuji's group.

Eventually, he received the following key pieces of information:

1. Tobirama's body was still in his grave, meaning he had first been summoned through Edo Tensei and then fully resurrected using a forbidden technique.

2. White Zetsu located Fuji's group in the Land of Snow, where rumors suggested that the recent political shakeups in Konoha—the Third Hokage stepping down, the Fourth Hokage ascending, and Danzō and the advisors losing power—had been orchestrated by Fuji and Tobirama working together.

This suggested that Tobirama had likely been resurrected a year ago.

But why would Tobirama need Fuji's help to deal with his own disciples?

He wouldn't.

Which meant the political changes in Konoha were likely entirely Tobirama's doing.

Madara's lips curled into a cold smile.

Unlike Tsunade and others, Madara knew that Fuji had learned Edo Tensei from Orochimaru.

The sequence of events must have gone like this:

Orochimaru taught Fuji Edo Tensei. Fuji used it to summon Tobirama but couldn't control him. Tobirama then developed a true resurrection technique and brought himself fully back to life.

And since he was resurrected a year ago, it was you who plotted against me back then, wasn't it?

"Senju Tobirama!"

Madara's expression darkened.

Mount Myōboku had its prophecy to foresee him, but what about this second individual?

He had hidden himself so well, faking his death in the eyes of the world.

The only clues were the similarities between the Jinchūriki of the Mist at the time and a perfect Jinchūriki, which might have been a bit too conspicuous.

But who would have suspected that Uchiha Madara was controlling two tailed beasts from behind the scenes?

Only someone deeply familiar with the Mangekyō Sharingan would have thought to connect the dots.

There were three possible suspects: Orochimaru, Hyuga Fuji, and Senju Tobirama.

When these three names were laid out before him, the answer became obvious.

It had to be Senju Tobirama!

Hearing Madara's conclusion, Black Zetsu couldn't help but ask in confusion:

"Lord Madara, why are you so certain?"

"Because Tobirama is now with Fuji, while Fuji handed over Edo Tensei to me."

A faint smile appeared on Madara's lips.

"Tobirama has surpassed the boundaries of life and death and fully resurrected himself. He clearly doesn't fear Fuji. And knowing Tobirama, he would never allow me to return. So why would Fuji give me Edo Tensei, complete with instructions for selecting sacrifices? What does that suggest about their relationship?"

The stronger the sacrifice, the stronger the resurrected shinobi—a fact Fuji's instructions had confirmed through White Zetsu's experiments.

Black Zetsu followed Madara's logic. "So Fuji is wary of Tobirama?"

"More accurately, Fuji is Tobirama's puppet, trying to free himself from Tobirama's control," Madara said, a glimmer of light flashing in his eyes.

"Fuji may have impressed Orochimaru enough to be taught Edo Tensei, but his actions as the Hokage's advisor—his role in dismantling the one-nation-one-village system—are far too advanced for someone of his age and experience.

"Unless... he had the Second Hokage, the creator of most of Konoha's institutions, guiding him from the shadows!"

(End of Chapter)

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