(Early Access) Arc 2 Chapter 6 Part 2- Age: 10.01, Year: 14.01

...

"Well?" I questioned as I idly rapped three fingers on the table that echoed around the room, repeating into a consistent rhythm. Tobirama's gaze was trying and failing to find something in mine, the slight hint of wariness was accompanied by an almost desperate thirst for the knowledge he knew was out of his reach.

He tried to hide his interest in it, but I knew the man was hooked the moment I mentioned spiritual pressure and its requirements.

Figuring out how to bring back a pseudo soul of the dead was one thing but knowing how to weaponise the souls of the living was another. It was the equivalent of creating a shadow clone, to creating an actual clone of someone.

The man's sigh quickly broke me out of my musing as I focused back on him, his gaze tired and somewhat aged as he stared at me. "A year ago, I would've accepted your cone of silence with ease," He remarked warily. "Today, I am not sure I want to delve into that matter any further than I already have,"

"Researching how to bring back the dead would have that effect on people, I imagine," I responded idly as I continued rhythmically attacking the table and almost missed the widened eyes he gave me in return for my words.

For a brief moment, he looked about to deny the accusation before to my surprise he let out another sigh and accepted my knowledge of his little secret.

"...Did my brother tell you about that?" He questioned humorlessly.

"Nope."

His eyes narrowed ever so slightly at that- Evidently, he was more than willing to accept his brother tattling on him for some reason. "Do you make a habit of spying on me then?"

I snorted at his own accusation. "Not unless it's for a prank," I remarked, a tad cheekily before putting on what I hoped was a serious enough face. "My uh knowledge of a lot of things is a long story in truth- And no I won't be sharing that with you as well. Traumatising one Senju with it was enough,"

He frowned at that, quickly picking up- Frankly he'd have to be an idiot not to pick up on my meaning in truth.

"And if I insisted you told me anyway?"

I shrugged at him. "I don't think it'd matter all that much- Even if I did, the only thing you'd be concerned about is probably the end result, which doesn't matter anymore and that all changed the moment I was born. And everything you're researching isn't exactly groundbreaking, so telling you the end result of that is just as pointless."

He processed all of that with the same frown on his face, his questioning look not budging the slightest bit except for the slight need to know growing even more. "I thought you were going to be more upfront-"

I rolled my eyes at him and cut him off. "Though I am actually not, I might as well be from the future," I deadpanned.

He crossed his arms at that, his expression oddly unsurprised as he leaned back into his seat. "So you're telling me the only possible explanation for your existence, is wrong?"

I blinked at that. "Are you suggesting you would've accepted the time-traveller answer?" I tilted my head at him.

"I am suggesting you're impossible and that time-travel would've at least explained some of that away." He pointed out.

Huh.

Maybe the original me was onto something with that- Talk about a broken clock being right in two different universes.

"Time-travels impossible," I felt the need to point out just in case he decided to test that little theory out.

"My point stands," He deadpanned towards me. "That makes you impossible."

"...That aside, " I shrugged after a moment. "I just happen to know a lot of shady background shit on people," A beat passed. "And even shadier shit on all of their quote-on-quote forbidden techniques."

He mulled that over for a moment before a more neutral expression filled his face, "Figuring out two of my techniques doesn't mean I'll just accept you knowing about-"

"Your flying thunder god's terribly inefficient."

He rolled his eyes at me that time. "That's hardly a secret,"

"What? That it's inefficient or that it's one of your techniques?" I questioned cheekily.

"...The latter." He idly reached for the untouched cup of water on his side of the table, and just as he was about to open his mouth following his gulp of said cup, the door between us and Hashirama promptly opened up, both of our gazes quickly swivelling towards the two shinobi that walked through.

Hashirama seemed to be relatively satisfied with the little interrogation while Kakuzu just looked as bewildered as when he'd gone in.

"He good?" I questioned getting up from my seat, my hands landing on the table as I leaned slightly against it.

Hashirama nodded at that, the same satisfied look on his face not budging. "Once he's been debriefed, I'll him set up-"

"Nope." I cut the man off, to Kakuzu's surprise and Tobirama's annoyance. "You can debrief him if you want, but all of his missions go through me." I clarified to a quizzical look on Hashirama's face. Reaching into a pocket I pulled out a scroll filled with instructions and promptly threw it towards the surprised Kakuzu. "While you're waiting for the debrief I want you to get started on that."

Besides raising an eyebrow Hashirama just fixated his brother with a knowing look for a moment before roaming back towards Kakuzu. I watched as the man in question slowly opened up the scroll I handed him and slowly widened his eyes, a hint of wariness and fear coursing through him as his gaze rapidly swept towards me.

Hashirama for a brief moment looked about to reach for the scroll I'd given the former missing ninja before I let out a cough and got his attention. "That's uh- I wouldn't recommend looking into that." I snorted. "Not unless you want more paperwork."

Hashirama blinked at that with a frown as he watched Kakuzu's slow-growing concern as the man went down the list of what I wanted him to do. "He's not telling you to kill anyone is he?" The man questioned, a slightly resigned expression on his face.

Kakuzu blinked at that and focused back on the Hokage and slowly shook his head. "Not... exactly..."

Hashirama to Kakuzu's concerned shock let out a sigh of relief and gave the freaked out a ninja a smile. "You have my permission!"

Kakuzu blinked at that while Tobirama slowly made his way beside me and leaned against the table, his hands crossed and eyes narrowed. "...Are you sure?" Kakuzu questioned slowly.

Hashirama nodded again. "As long as you're not killing anyone you shouldn't be killing, Danzo-kun's got my vote of confidence!" A beat passed as bewilderment rapidly filled Kakuzu's face. "Still, if Danzo-kun's got you working this early, it's probably for the best I get you set up someplace now,"

"Put him up with the Kaguyas," I idly remarked to Kakuzu's just as bewildered look though I imagine he was still processing the Hokage's lack of care regarding me.

"...That's not a bad idea actually..." Hashirama responded quickly, slapping a fist to his palm.

"Got it memorised?" I directed the question towards the confused man with five hearts, my words bringing him out of his slight stupor as he turned towards me and nodded slowly- Without missing a beat, I promptly put up a hand sign and disintegrated the scroll.

Hashirama watched that play out with a slight hint of curiosity. "Are you sure he's not asking you to kill anyone?"

"...Pretty sure the brat would've done it himself," Kakuzu slowly said towards the Hokage.

"Oh yeah, good point." Hashirama nodded again, slightly relieved, which definitely didn't help Kakuzu's sanity judging by the look on his face. "Well come on then," The man remarked with a grin before slapping the other on the shoulder a little too hard judging by the wince on Kakuzu's face.

It was either in response to that or the fact the head of Konoha's leadership seemed to lack any survival instinct.

Not that they needed it- What Kakuzu failed to realise was that I was by far the biggest danger to anything in this reality.

As the two left the room, I promptly felt Tobirama's attention on me, suspicion and concern oozing out of him.

Looking up towards him, I found the man warring with himself over whether he should push his luck in asking me regarding the pushing of my own one.

For all that Tobirama tended to do things without his brother's approval, he wasn't one to directly go over the man's head.

Hashirama had given me his blessing regarding my plans which meant Tobirama shouldn't have any issues with it.

I let out a snort and shook my head slightly. "I am creating an underworld network, Tobirama-sensei. That scroll is the instructions for it."

The man processed that for a longer time than I'd expected before to my further surprise, he let out a... nod?

Huh.

"...You're more pragmatic than I expected," The man eventually said. "Though I would refrain from calling it as such- The last one's splinter left deep wounds across the nation."

I tilted my head at him.

"I'll admit, I am surprised. I thought you'd have more issue with it." I admitted.

The man let out a tired sigh at that. "While I'd certainly rather such a thing didn't exist- I've spent the past decade watching it splinter into newer forms with every death I gave it." He shook his head. "If it insists on existing, then at the very least we should have some control over it."

Some? I was planning to have all control over it!

"You were right not to let my brother concern himself with it," Tobirama remarked, a hint of approval and... appreciation in his voice.

"I probably could've convinced him," I pointed out to the man. "Though I don't think he would've slept very well knowing about it," I snorted. "Kinda gotta get your hands dirty if you want a clean house and all."

The man nodded slowly at that. "...Dealing with you is... admittedly hard, but not impossible." He waited for a beat as his gaze slowly roamed towards the exit. "His inclusion at the very least makes more sense," The man added on, presumably more to himself than anyone else. "Should it go poorly, at the very least the attention can be directed elsewhere, and should it go well, the myths surrounding him will keep it stable."

"...Yup... That's exactly why I chose him." I deadpanned.

Talk about luck!

I chose the fuck 'cos I thought his technique was pretty cool! Also 'cos I kinda felt bad about pinning him with all the shit I did- Not that I wouldn't do it again but, you know, still feel bad and all!

Tobirama, thankfully, didn't pick up on that as he let out a slight nod and turned back towards me. "Now, as for your cone of silence..."

Oh boy, here I go breaking another Senju's belief!

The man promptly whisked the two of us towards what I assumed was one of his secret research labs.

...

I took in the lab with an appreciative hum.

Split into four different sections, each one starting at a corner with a designation on top of it.

'Weapons' held a stand with varying different ways to slice open someone's head, each one with an inscribed seal on it.

The kunais held the smallest seals from what I could see- From lines down to single words written directly onto them. they didn't look to be for use, given the unstable chakra that oozed out of the ones with more than a word slapped onto them, while the singular words that ranged from the basic elements to the more esoteric spiritual and physical had a pull echoing out of them.

On the table itself, I saw either the man's most recent work, or his most dangerous ones considering a majority of the chakra in the corner seemed to come out of them in particular.

One of the kunais on said bench, the one with the largest inscribed seal on it had a particularly strange aura oozing out. Peering closer at it, I was surprised to note that some of the chakra was heavily reminiscent of a type I'd felt from a few Yamanakas.

What kind of mind-cutting bullshit was the man trying to create here!?

There weren't as many variants of the other brand of weapons, aside from the hilts he held in the stands locked to the walls and unless I wasn't mistaken, the bloody guy was trying to create pseudo lightsabers given the pull that came out of said hilts.

I was starting to understand why most of his arsenal was considered forbidden- A lot of Tobirama's research heavily depended on excellent chakra control as well as reserves.

The man was effectively making weapons and jutsus solely designed for use by his own clan.

The other corners while they held their own designations, didn't seem to have as much work put into them. The 'Sealing' corner for one had far too few scrolls for what I know the fucker had access to, while the 'Chakra' one had piled on Genjutsus on it covering the books it held- few as they were.

This was likely a very new lab, all things considered, one Tobirama was steadily moving some of his other work towards slowly.

I wasn't sure why he was moving things here, and slowly nor was I all that interested in truth.

No.

I was more interested in the last corner solely designated as 'Danzo Shimura.'

"You're not planning to string me up are you?" I questioned jokingly as I turned towards the man.

He gave me a blank unamused look in return. "That corner is yours." He remarked idly. "All the work here is incomplete." He added on with a sigh. "No matter how I come at them, I can't seem to solve the main problem regarding it."

"Chakra control?" I questioned, seeing some of the things in a newer light.

He nodded at that, albeit somewhat annoyed at the truth of it. "As much as I might not like to admit it, I don't have the necessary... expertise to truly test them out. And while I am sure I could work my way around that to make them usable at my and anyone else's level... It defeats the true purpose of the research in the first place." He turned his full attention to me. "You understand my meaning I hope?"

I rolled my eyes at him. "You wanna see just how far you can make things tick."

"In so many words," He admitted with a somewhat sardonic smile.

"Well, first things first..." I pocketed my hands. "I take it you're not interested in my little cone of silence offer?"

"Jumping headfirst into the deep end of the river, while may lead me to whatever twisted-" I gave him a look almost on instinct at that insult. "-even if true-" He added on with a snort. "-enlightenment you wish to share, will not satisfy my want to learn the basics first." He remarked genuinely.

He was effectively a scientist stuck in a war- Well, a patriotic, homicidal one at any rate.

"While I am sure learning about the stars and their secrets is certainly an experience I ought to enjoy, I would much rather learn about the world and all of its vices first."

I hummed at that before letting out a shrug. "I mean I guess I get it." I was admittedly a little disappointed. "It's just... most of this is kind of... worthless." I snorted.

He blinked at that. "I got most of these ideas from those stories of yours," He deadpanned.

"Exactly. It's worthless." I repeated myself. "Why the fuck would I share dangerous ass secrets with the entire freakin' world- That shits a paycheck at best. All the real shit's up here," I pointed towards my head.

"I see." He let out a genuine chuckle.

I tilted my head at him as I actually processed his earlier words. "Hold up, you read my books!?"

"I believe we have work to do."

"I believe you have two other fucking students too."

"They're on a mission." The man remarked utterly unfazed.

"What? Cleaning cat shit off roads and saving dogs from trees?"

I checked.

They were.

They'd wound up having one poor fuck of a Chunin on an E rank supervise the D ranks they needed under their belt.

Truly, there was nothing more evil than the twisted E Rank system in this fucked up world.

"I believe you have those two mixed up," The man responded idly. "They are currently cleaning dogshit off roads and saving cats from trees."

"And you don't see how that is a complete and utter waste of the ninja resource?"

"I am more concerned that you consider your own friends and teammates a resource, Shimura."

"I'd blame the academy for the indoctrination on that one, but I am not sure you'll take any credit for it," I remarked to a fucking a snort out of the motherfucker.

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