Chapter 222

"This is..."

"Did you create this using Yin-Yang Release?"

"He's actually alive?"

The moment he saw Black Absolute,

Nara Shagetsu's eyes lit up brightly,

as if he had spotted a rare treasure.

And when Black Absolute saw Nara Shagetsu's gaze,

he couldn't help but shudder violently!!

"If I could create such a lifeform using Yin-Yang Release, I wouldn't need to come to you."

Shaking his head, Hashirama Senju denied Nara Shagetsu's claim.

"What a miraculous creature..."

"Perfectly fused Yin and Yang Release, its body incredibly hard..."

"Yet it seems to possess no power at all, like an ordinary human."

Nara Shagetsu pressed his finger against Black Absolute's hardened body,

exclaiming in astonishment!!

Normally,

someone capable of creating a miraculous Yin-Yang Release lifeform like this,

should possess immense power within.

But Black Absolute, aside from this body,

seemed more like an ordinary person.

It was as if the one who created him ran out of time,

and could only leave him this single body!!

"Hmm... I'm not entirely clear on his origins."

"But his bodily structure is truly unique, so I brought him here specifically for you to examine."

"Study him—see if you can uncover the principles behind his construction..."

"If we could mass-produce lifeforms like him, it would greatly strengthen the Land of Fire."

Upon hearing this, Nara Shagetsu pondered for a moment before replying.

"I'll do my best..."

"The technique used in his Yin-Yang Release is extraordinarily refined..."

"It's less like a lifeform created by Yin-Yang Release, and more like Yin-Yang Release made manifest..."

Black Absolute, resting in Nara Shagetsu's hands, felt his heart sink to the lowest point.

Done!!

Everything is finished!!

All his years of planning have come to nothing!!

He would never fulfill his mother's expectations for him!!

He wasn't even sure if he'd survive to walk out of here!

【Jiraiya: Poor Black Absolute... look who you're dealing with—you dare deceive the First Hokage himself? You've got a death wish!!】

【Orochimaru: What a shame—such a perfect Yin-Yang Release lifeform, and I can't even study it myself...】

【Tobirama Senju: I thought the same thing, brother. This lifeform's body is extraordinarily resilient—even without power, if we could mass-produce it, it would be a massive deterrent to ordinary ninja!】

【Raikage: If not for this live-streaming system, I never would've known there were so many hidden secrets in the ninja world—this is unbelievable!】

【Daimaru: If their world has Black Absolute, then ours should too—where is he now?】

【Kakashi Hatake: Those with weak wills who encounter him are easily swayed and manipulated into serving him...】

【Madara Uchiha: Damn it!! So it seems our Uchiha clan was fooled by him—the things I saw on the stone tablet were all lies! Black Absolute tampered with the Uchiha clan's tablet!!】

【Hashirama Senju: I need to train harder—right now, I'm not strong enough to suppress these enemies. I must learn from the other me...】

"... I hope the people of the Land of Fire will lend their aid."

"The Land of Ghosts will forever be the Land of Fire's most steadfast ally!"

Not long passed,

Hashirama Senju finished reading the letter from the Land of Ghosts.

"Brother, you should go yourself."

"I don't know how strong these demons they describe really are—I can't be sure I'm a match for it."

Tobirama Senju looked skeptical,

uncertain whether the demon Mōryō described in the Land of Ghosts' letter

was truly as terrifying as they claimed.

"Besides, you've just become Emperor of the Land of Fire."

"As the highest-ranking figure in the Land of Fire, it would be fitting for you to establish direct contact with foreign leaders."

Tobirama Senju believed it would do no harm for Hashirama Senju to personally travel to the Land of Ghosts.

After all, he himself had never handled any official duties in the Land of Fire,

most matters were entrusted to Tobirama Senju,

to manage on his behalf!!

Therefore, for Tobirama Senju,

whether Hashirama Senju was in the Land of Fire or not made no difference!!

Moreover, besides him,

the Land of Fire now has Madara Uchiha,

along with the other nine Tailed Beasts,

Tobirama Senju did not believe any other country would dare to casually infringe upon theirs!!

"Hmm, if that's the case, then I leave the affairs of the Land of Fire to you."

"If you encounter anything you cannot handle, go to Madara for help…"

Upon hearing Madara Uchiha's name,

Tobirama Senju's face darkened with annoyance.

Sometimes even he himself felt

that he was the outsider,

while Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha were the true brothers!!

……

"It is such an honor that Your Majesty Hashirama has come personally to our Land of Ghosts…"

"We have long heard of your great name…"

"Only now, seeing you in person, do we realize Your Majesty Hashirama's presence surpasses even our wildest imaginings!!"

When the Chief Guard met Hashirama Senju at the palace gates,

he could not help but exclaim in admiration.

And deep in his eyes, there flashed an expression of profound shock!!

The Land of Ghosts has no ninja,

they are a nation that reveres the samurai tradition!

The entire country consists solely of shrine maidens and samurai,

the shrine maidens being the highest-ranked and most powerful individuals within the Land of Ghosts.

To some extent,

the shrine maidens hold a status higher than the daimyō of other nations!!

And those who become guardians of the shrine maiden's life,

the Chief Guard is among the very few warriors with the highest martial skill in the Land of Ghosts.

He reached this position

through countless battles fought for life and death!