"So I'm the coward…"
Tobirama's voice was low, tinged with bitterness. His eyes stared into the distance, unfocused. It wasn't a question. It was a self-inflicted wound that cut deeper the more he repeated it.
Kai stood with his hands folded behind his back, eyes calm, unreadable as ever.
"That's not the right word," he said. "You're not a coward. A coward runs from responsibility. You stood in front of death without hesitation."
Tobirama didn't respond, but his throat moved as he swallowed.
"But," Kai continued, "you were a Hokage who chose short-term preservation over long-term strength. And that choice came with a price."
Tobirama's lips tightened. "I was trying to prevent disaster. My death allowed Sarutobi and the others to survive and return to the village. I thought it was the best outcome at the time."
Kai didn't argue. He simply gestured toward the ground—toward the battlefield littered with the corpses of the Kinkaku Force.
"And yet, you killed nearly all of them alone."
Tobirama remained silent.
"If you'd fought with Sarutobi, Danzo, and the rest by your side, you likely could have wiped them out completely. But you left them a legacy of fear, not fire."
Tobirama winced.
"They survived, but they didn't thrive," Kai said. "They returned to the village carrying your death on their backs—and it broke them."
A long silence.
Then Tobirama said, voice barely audible, "Sarutobi looked so… small in that future. The will of fire was still in him, but it was smothered."
"Because his flame was born from yours," Kai replied. "And your flame was extinguished too soon."
The wind stirred through the trees.
Tobirama finally turned to face him.
"Is that why Konoha became so cautious? So passive? Is that why the Uchiha were isolated? Why the Hyūga were forced to sacrifice their own?"
Kai nodded. "It all started with fear. And that fear began the day you died."
Tobirama closed his eyes, brow furrowing in regret.
"I gave up too easily…"
"You made a hard call. But even hard calls can be the wrong ones. And sometimes, the consequences echo louder than the sacrifice itself."
"…Hmph." Tobirama looked at the scorched battlefield around them, as if searching for a new perspective among the ashes. "It's ironic. I stayed behind to protect Konoha, but that decision became the root of Konoha's decay."
Kai said nothing.
Tobirama's fingers flexed unconsciously. "If I could do it again…"
"You can," Kai interrupted, his voice cool but not unkind. "That's why I brought you to the future. Not just to show you what becomes of your village—but to give you a chance to prevent it."
Tobirama's eyes narrowed. "You want me to change history."
"I want you to build a better one," Kai replied. "This time, without dying."
The words struck something in Tobirama—a coiled spring buried in the core of his soul. His jaw tightened, and he looked away.
"I can't promise a perfect future," he said quietly. "But I'll fight to keep this village from losing itself again."
Kai smirked slightly. "That's all I ask."
Tobirama drew in a slow breath, exhaled, and nodded.
"Thank you, Kai."
"You're welcome, Second Hokage."
After a pause, Tobirama added, "Is there anything I can do in return? I doubt you've done all this out of kindness alone."
Kai arched a brow. "You're sharper than your brother."
Tobirama crossed his arms, a slight smirk tugging at his lips. "I'll take that as a compliment."
Kai turned slightly, facing the east. "I'm not looking for payment. I'm looking for leaders. In each of the seven fractured worlds I oversee, someone must unify the shinobi nations and maintain peace. Not for a year, or five, but for twenty."
Tobirama's eyes widened slightly. "Seven worlds?"
Kai nodded.
"You're the most qualified person in this timeline to lead the charge. If you succeed, the reward is simple: your world is saved."
Tobirama frowned in thought, then nodded slowly. "I see. In that case, I accept."
Kai extended a hand. "Then we have a pact."
They shook hands.
The moment their palms touched, a faint ripple passed through the air—like reality itself acknowledged the agreement.
Tobirama pulled back and sheathed his sword. "I'll catch up with Sarutobi and the others. Uchiha Kagami may still be alive. If I save him, I might prevent the tragedy that awaits the Uchiha clan in the future."
Kai said nothing, but the faint glint of approval was visible in his eyes.
"I don't intend to let my clan's name fade from the stone monuments," Tobirama added.
With that, he vanished in a blur, heading toward the last known direction of the Konoha survivors.
Kai watched him go, then raised a hand and activated [World Teleport].
The next moment, he reappeared inside the Hokage Office of [World No. 1].
Hashirama was in mid-sentence when Kai arrived.
"—and then I saw this amazing little baby with whisker marks! I think he's my great-grandson or something. Oh, and I saw the Rasengan—Minato's jutsu is incredible! And there was this terrifying red fox with nine tails—"
Kai gave him a look.
Hashirama turned sheepish. "Sorry, I was just explaining to my Tobirama. He was worried sick when I vanished."
The Tobirama of World No. 1 gave Kai a wary glance. "You're the one who took my brother?"
"I did," Kai replied flatly. "And I returned him unharmed. You're welcome."
"…Thanks, I suppose," Tobirama muttered, still suspicious.
Kai waved him off and turned back to Hashirama. "Your time in that timeline was cut short because you used too much power. You'll get more time on the next jump."
"Aw, I was just starting to like the Fourth Hokage," Hashirama pouted. "He's like a gentle, serious version of you, Tobirama!"
"Sounds like I'd get along with him," Tobirama said dryly.
Kai didn't wait for more banter. "I'm going to rest. Prepare yourselves. We move on another mission in three days."
"Got it!" Hashirama gave a thumbs-up.
Kai vanished again.
Elsewhere, back in [World No. 1], Hashirama stood at the entrance to the Uchiha Clan's Naka Shrine.
"Madara," he said as he stepped into the hidden chamber beneath the shrine, "we need to talk."
Madara stood with his back to him, eyes locked on the sacred stone tablet. The ancient Uchiha script glowed faintly under the firelight.
"You're late," Madara said.
"I had a… unique detour," Hashirama replied.
Madara didn't turn around. "The tablet speaks of balance. That peace is forged through opposing forces—yin and yang. But your village chooses suppression over cooperation."
"Not anymore."
Madara finally turned, eyes narrowing. "What do you mean?"
Hashirama stepped forward, his gaze steady.
"I've made my decision. You'll be the Second Hokage."
Madara's expression didn't change—at first. But then the slight twitch of his jaw betrayed the storm beneath the surface.
"…Say that again."
"You heard me."
Madara stared at him, unmoving. "You're serious."
"Yes."
"You would hand the reins of your dream to me?"
"I would hand it to the only person who can challenge it. That's how we balance each other."
Madara was silent.
For once, the man who always had an answer had none.