Naruto: Systematic Shinobi Chapter 309 309: A Day In The Life Of A Hokage - 19

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"I must concede, your healing jutsu is truly remarkable."

Daiki's gaze shifted from the deeply sleeping Rock Lee to Tsunade, who was idly perusing a chart behind him.

She met his look with a shake of her head. "It's outright cheating, allowing a complete novice like yourself in medical training to mend even the most lethal of injuries," the blonde Senju stated, a mix of annoyance and admiration in her voice. "Is there no chance I can learn it from you?"

"The acquisition isn't the issue," he replied with a shrug. "The difficulty lies in its requirement of pure life force converted into the jutsu. So, unless you wish to wither away into an old prune, it's not something you'd desire."

Tsunade grimaced. "Lovely," she huffed. "I suppose that's beyond my reach unless I become a Jinchuuriki or something." Or something.

Honestly, Tsunade possessed sufficient chakra to accomplish it. She already amassed chakra daily within the seal on her forehead.

Admittedly, without his eyes, she would need to manually convert chakra into life force, making it significantly more arduous. However, it remained within the realm of possibility. He, on the other hand, was disinclined to impart the Mythical Palm Jutsu indiscriminately.

It stood as one of the most potent healing techniques in existence. Should she master it, she might decipher the conversion of chakra to life force.

Moreover, she had a seal capable of storing it, much like his Heavenly Star Seal. If she were to achieve this, little could prevent her from attempting to depart Konoha once more.

Her continued presence was solely due to him being her sole means of preserving her youth and preventing the onset of aging.

Well, that and the veiled threats of him branding her a missing-nin. But if she were to figure it out, he was uncertain how audacious she might become.

And he truly did not wish to end her.

To be fair, in her position, he wouldn't hold it against her. At least concerning remaining under someone's authority. He himself had harbored little affection for the village initially.

Were it not for the initial responsibility of needing to grow strong enough to survive and avert global destruction, and subsequently becoming Hokage… he would have long since departed.

Nowadays, he wouldn't even need to remain on this planet. Or even this dimension. Between his eyes and Isobu's knowledge and experience from traversing other dimensions, such as hell, coupled with the contract for the Rashomon gates… he could forsake this world at any moment.

Alas, that chapter was behind him now. Perhaps one day in the future, when he passed on the mantle himself, when Konoha reigned supreme above all others, he might indulge in such a pursuit.

But for the present, it was not within his plans.

'Well, weren't you contemplating conquering hell and subjugating its demons?' Isobu mused.

…Indeed. He had intended to deal with the demon Moryo in the Land of Demons and seize control of his spectral army. Following that, he would pursue the demons in their own domain. Then, he would employ them to patrol the Land of Wind and the Land of Rivers once they were under his dominion.

It would take a considerable amount of time, after all, before the Leaf's human population could independently manage such territories. Even after integrating the people of the Land of Wind into the Land of Fire.

He had, however, deferred this plan because he now fully possessed the Wood Style and could manifest Wood Golems. The full-scale versions were capable of wrestling bijuu.

This reminded him. He needed to make a point of addressing Black Shadow. That was another lingering demon, situated within the Land of Fire.

It possessed a curious array of abilities. For instance, it could harvest the souls of those it killed and summon them as shadow warriors to fight for it, at least partially. The greater portion of their souls proceeded to the Pure Lands. However, it still gained a shade of anyone it eliminated with that particular ability.

…There was a certain familiarity to that. But he dismissed it; Black Shadow posed no threat to him. It was a foolish beast. He could handle it alone with ease, as it was nowhere near his level.

"Speaking of which," Tsunade sighed, settling down beside him, "are you truly set on reclaiming the Bijuu?"

"Yes," Daiki responded without hesitation. "Beyond the reasons I've stated about them being used against us. They are the siblings of the Sanbi, and since he has my support, I will reciprocate. I intend to free all his siblings eventually."

Her lips curved slightly as she observed him, studying him intently. "You truly don't care for my grandfather, do you?"

"I think he was an absolute imbecile," Daiki stated plainly, his aversion for the man evident. "An outrageously, ridiculously strong imbecile. But an imbecile nonetheless."

"…Goodness, he would be truly wounded to hear that. One of his successors thinking so little of him," Tsunade murmured, shaking her head. "Try not to be overly harsh. My grandfather was an unusual man, deeply scarred from the loss of so many kin during the Warring Clans Era. He detested conflict; he was a proponent of peace. His sole desire was for tranquility."

You know what? Daiki found himself growing weary of naive individuals and their pronouncements of peace. "That's commendable," Daiki retorted, rolling his eyes. "But he was afforded the luxury of his compassion and peaceful methods solely because of his might. Compassion is the privilege of the powerful. He was the supreme being of his era. Arguably, eclipsing even the Sage of Six Paths. At least, until my arrival."

"You possess an exceedingly high opinion of yourself, young one?" Tsunade scoffed. "…I concede, you are remarkably powerful. I am not entirely pleased you restrained yourself during our spar, but it was likely for the best. Had you unleashed your full power, you would have easily leveled that entire town."

The voluptuous blonde shook her head as she uttered this, then pointed a finger at him. "However, you are underestimating my grandfather," she declared candidly. "You have not yet reached his level."

It was his turn to shake his head. "Indeed, I am not on his level," he concurred. "I am far beyond it."

Her lips parted, undoubtedly intending to berate him for such a claim. To admonish him for his arrogance, or some similar sentiment. It was understandable; to assert he had surpassed Hashirama Senju was akin to claiming he had surpassed the Sage of Six Paths. Such was the absurdity of the notion.

But he interrupted her. "Still, my surpassing that pacifist is neither here nor there," Daiki stated, shrugging. "Hashirama Senju failed to comprehend people. He harbored a noble dream, and I will forever laud him for founding Konoha and respect him as the First Hokage. But as an individual, he was a simpleton who understood nothing. Because of his foolishness and wide-eyed innocence, the people of Konoha, my people, have endured the envy, malice, and hatred of all other villages for decades."

He met her gaze directly. "There will be no more Dan or Nawaki deaths far from home, their lives as superior Konoha citizens squandered," the Hokage told her with stark honesty, silencing any retort she might have had. "When my grand design is realized, there will only be Konoha. This entire world will become Konoha."

She let out a sigh and averted her eyes. "That is hardly fair, kid."

"I am a ninja; I do not deal in fairness." Daiki scoffed, a smirk playing on his lips. It was as good as an acceptance; he had won the point.