Chapter 48 - Dream

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One Month Later.

Senju First Training Ground.

"Sage Art - Lava Release - Rasenshuriken!"

Akio turned his head away—real men never look back at explosions…

Over the past month, Akio stabilized his appearance to that of a 53-year-old, finally putting his three disciples at ease.

He hadn't been entirely idle either. With nothing better to do, he spent some of his accumulated points. Defeating the Shinigami had earned him 80 Witness Points. He allocated 28 points to his Earth affinity, successfully unlocking Lava Release. Then, he added 20 points to his Yang affinity, further enhancing his Taijutsu skills and chakra reserves.

The remaining 32 points were kept in reserve—he planned to unlock Dust Release next time…

A gentle breeze brushed against his face as Tobirama suddenly appeared beside him with a Body Flicker.

"Second Grandfather, my elder brother called…" Tobirama began but suddenly stopped mid-sentence.

"Your elder brother called for me?" Akio asked, turning his head in confusion.

"Uh… What happened to your First Training Ground?" Tobirama asked, looking at the obliterated field, now nothing more than dust and debris due to Akio's Rasenshuriken.

"With power like this, I could probably break through Madara's Susano'o at the second stage… But by now, he likely has the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. I always feel like I'm a step behind…" Akio mused.

"I'm going to see your brother!" Akio declared, leaving behind a bewildered Tobirama standing amidst the ruins.

Upon arriving at the Senju Hall, he found Hashirama fully geared up and ready to go.

Akio hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Hashirama, are you leaving already? Alone?"

Hashirama nodded. "We've already delayed for a month. This matter should not be postponed any longer."

"Did you call me to join you?" Akio asked, puzzled.

"Uh…" Hashirama hesitated. "If you're willing to come, that would be great. It would show the stance of the Uzumaki Clan. But if you prefer not to, I just wanted to bid you farewell."

Akio considered for a moment before asking, "Which clan are you visiting first?"

"The Sarutobi Clan. We've cooperated in the past, so it should go smoothly," Hashirama replied.

"Sarutobi, huh…" Akio fell into thought, recalling the young Sarutobi Sasuke he had met nine years ago.

"By now, the future Third Hokage should have been born…" Akio muttered before nodding. "Alright, I'll go with you."

After a brief preparation, Akio and Hashirama set off, now accompanied by three additional little followers.

It was the first time Akio's three disciples had left the Uzumaki Clan, and they were reluctant to return, eager to explore the world with their teacher.

Upon arriving at the Sarutobi Clan, everything went even smoother than expected. The Sarutobi Clan had already changed leaders—22-year-old Sarutobi Sasuke had taken over as clan head.

He was regarded as the Sarutobi Clan's greatest hope, a peak-level Jōnin at just 22 years old. If he continued to grow stronger, he could elevate the Sarutobi Clan to a mid-sized powerhouse by becoming its first Kage-level ninja.

Sarutobi Sasuke showed great respect toward Akio, addressing him as "teacher." After hearing Hashirama's proposal, he hesitated briefly before agreeing and even offered to help persuade other smaller clans.

With the atmosphere lightening, Akio smirked and turned to his three disciples. "Come on, greet your senior disciple."

Then, pointing at Nanako, he introduced, "This is your second junior brother." He gestured toward Izuko, "This is your third junior brother."

Then, suppressing laughter, he pointed at Jitou. "And this… is Little White Dragon Horse."

"Pfft…" The group burst into laughter.

Rolling her eyes, Nanako turned to Sarutobi Sasuke. "Senior brother, don't mind him. Our teacher often says ridiculous things. Just ignore him."

After the lighthearted moment, Sarutobi Sasuke's expression turned serious. "Teacher, may I pass on the jutsu you taught me to someone else?"

"Who do you want to teach it to?" Akio asked. Although he no longer used the Rasengan much, he didn't want Naruto's signature jutsu to become too widespread.

"My son, Hiruzen," Sarutobi Sasuke said with a smile. "He's only four years old, but he recently had his chakra attributes tested. He naturally possesses all five chakra natures. One day, he'll surpass me and become an outstanding shinobi."

"The Third Hokage is already four, which means Konoha's founding is only five years away…" Akio murmured upon hearing the familiar name, lost in thought.

"Ah, sure! Of course!" Akio snapped back to reality, seeing Sarutobi Sasuke's disappointed look and quickly answered affirmatively.

The atmosphere grew even more optimistic as Hashirama passionately described his dream of building a village, painting a bright future.

Although Sarutobi Sasuke wasn't as much of an idealist as Hashirama, he was still moved. "Clan Leader Hashirama, I will do my best to persuade our allies. The Shimura Clan shouldn't be a problem, and I doubt the others will strongly oppose it. Survival in the Warring States period is not easy for smaller clans."

He then turned to Akio. "The current leader of the Shimura Clan is that brat Shimura Ken. He should agree."

Akio paused. "Don't tell me Shimura Ken has a son too…"

Sarutobi Sasuke looked surprised. "How did you know? He does have a son—his name is Shimura Danzo. He's the same age as Hiruzen, but his talent is far inferior, possessing only a Wind chakra nature."

He spoke with a hint of pride.

Akio sighed. "Both of your sons will become remarkable figures in the future…"

Sarutobi Sasuke beamed. "I'll take that as a blessing from you!"

Afterward, Sarutobi Sasuke and Hashirama carefully planned their next steps while Akio and his disciples listened idly from the sidelines.

Once the discussion concluded, Akio turned to Hashirama. "Hashirama, I'll take my three disciples back to the Uzumaki Clan. I won't be joining you for the rest."

Akio wasn't keen on following Hashirama as he rallied clan after clan. It wouldn't earn him many Witness Points, and he was starting to feel a sense of urgency. Madara had already gained the Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan. At his current level, Akio knew he stood no chance in a direct confrontation. With five years until Konoha's founding and at least four years until Madara's defeat, he needed to find a way to grow stronger before then.

Hashirama was visibly surprised by Akio's sudden decision. "Second Grandfather, is your health—"

Akio rolled his eyes. "My health is fine. Don't forget, I'm the Great Elder of the Uzumaki Clan. There are many matters I must attend to."

Hashirama didn't buy the excuse but didn't press further.

"Teacher, I hope the next time we meet, it will be in our shared village," Sarutobi Sasuke said.

Akio nodded and left with his reluctant disciples, heading back to the Uzumaki Clan.

As for the four-year-old Sarutobi Hiruzen, Akio had no intention of visiting him. In five years, he'd see enough of him anyway…

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