Chapter 38

【Naruto Uzumaki: Damn it!!! The sages of Myōboku Mountain have no ill intentions!!! They only want to make this world more peaceful—is that wrong?】

【Orochimaru: It seems the First Hokage from another world still holds to his own beliefs and has not been swayed by outsiders.】

"Although I don't quite agree with your Myōboku Mountain philosophy…"

"But I respect your views."

"Forget this 'Child of Prophecy' title—I don't believe I have the capacity to bear it."

"However, if Myōboku Mountain wishes to form an alliance with my Senju clan, I can agree to that."

"After all, we share the same goal: to end this chaotic era and establish an orderly system, so this world is no longer filled with war and disorder…"

????????

For a moment, even the sage Shinjaku's mind failed to react.

After Hashirama Senju's attitude was revealed,

he himself never thought he could convince Hashirama Senju to ally with Myōboku Mountain.

He persisted here

only for that sliver of hope.

But no matter what,

if Hashirama Senju is willing to ally with Myōboku Mountain,

then his goal for this visit has already been achieved.

Though the process differed somewhat from his expectations.

The Senju clan, though currently a giant among ninja clans,

still has several others nearly equal in overall strength.

As for true top-tier experts,

the Senju clan,

aside from him, has very few.

So after a brief moment of thought,

Hashirama Senju changed his mind!!!

Though he himself had no use for Myōboku Mountain,

his behind-the-scenes Senju clan could benefit from Myōboku Mountain.

After all, Myōboku Mountain has been passed down for so long,

its depth of heritage must surpass that of the Senju clan.

"But since we're allies, you should be able to help me with some things."

"The Senju clan are born with strong physiques and a natural affinity for nature."

"If they train in senjutsu… they'll progress far more easily than ordinary people."

"So… this matter of training in senjutsu… I entrust it to you, Myōboku Mountain."

"I'm sure you, as my ally, won't refuse me."

"If you can't even help me with something this small, then I should reconsider whether to ally with you at all…"

Seeing Shinjaku still hesitating,

Hashirama Senju decided to drop another bombshell.

"Hmm… speaking of which, recently the sages of Ryūchi Cave came to see me."

"The conditions they offered… I found quite tempting…"

Upon hearing the words "Ryūchi Cave,"

Shinjaku's expression changed instantly.

"Those damn snakes!!!"

"Whatever they offer you, Myōboku Mountain can offer you too."

"I accept your demand!!! Myōboku Mountain will help your Senju clan train in senjutsu."

Shinjaku was lost in his own rage,

completely unaware of the strange smile tugging at Hashirama Senju's lips,

or else he would have realized it immediately.

34. The Three Sacred Sites? All of you, come work for me!

【The correct answer this time is C.】

【Now settling rewards.】

【No one answered this question correctly.】

【Tobirama Senju: …I feel like this older brother is so cunning… Compared to him, my own older brother is way too naive…】

【Madara Uchiha: I agree with you, but this Hashirama… he seems quite like you—always scheming against others!!!】

【Tsunade: No wonder he's the First Hokage! Even if he doesn't accept these toads of Myōboku Mountain, even if he despises them, he still finds a way to use them to further his ambitions!!! I've learned something!】

【Fourth Raikage: Can we really expect anything else from Konoha? So disgusting—no one masters these filthy political machinations like you Konoha people.】

【Hiruzen Sarutobi: Hehe… Fourth Raikage, you're being excessive. In war, deception is acceptable—that's the strategy of a Kage!!!】

【Orochimaru: Enough. Stop arguing. What's there to discuss? Among those present, who dares claim their hands are clean?】

【Tsunade: My grandfather is great in every way… powerful, strategic—but his only flaw is that life is too boring for him. He has no hobbies beyond training—not even gambling, the finest of pleasures!!!】

【Shizune: Cough… Lady Tsunade, please be careful—everyone in the live stream can see your words, and some might even be our creditors.】

Shinjaku himself hadn't expected

that those damn snakes of Ryūchi Cave were so cunning and deceitful.

They had actually gotten ahead of Mount Myōboku,

coming early to form an alliance with the current reincarnation of the Asura.

Fortunately, Hashirama Senju had not yet agreed to ally with them.

Looking at the indignant expression on Sage Fukasaku's face,

Hashirama Senju knew he had played his hand right.

In the ancient records,

among the three great sanctuaries, the Slug Sage was the most neutral of the sages,

and his relations with the leaders of the other two great sanctuaries were lukewarm at best.

As for the two sages of Mount Myōboku and Ryūchi Cave,

the relationship between them was like fire and water — utterly incompatible!!!

So this was a provocation tactic of Hashirama Senju's,

he deliberately threw out a smoke bomb,

telling Sage Fukasaku,

that the people of Ryūchi Cave had come to see him ahead of time!!!!

And Sage Fukasaku, thinking exactly as he had expected, took the bait immediately.

"I agree to your request."

"I'll head back right now and discuss the specific details of the alliance properly with the Great Toad Sage."

"As for those stinking snakes of Ryūchi Cave, I suggest you stay as far away from them as possible."

"They are not nearly as easy to talk to as we of Mount Myōboku."

"This is the location of our Mount Myōboku; if you need to, you can contact us through this."

After Sage Fukasaku tossed out a scroll,

with a bang he turned into a puff of white smoke,

and then vanished before Hashirama Senju's eyes.

Gazing at the starry sky outside the window,

Hashirama Senju smiled faintly.

He felt he was one step closer to his dream and ambition.

Allying with Mount Myōboku was only his first move,

Ryūchi Cave, Shikkotsu Forest — not one of these two great sanctuaries could escape!!!