Becomes a Rebel Ninja After Annihilating the Hyuga Clan

"Have you been spying on us?" Zabuza frowned, looking displeased at the newcomer.

Ignoring Zabuza's wary expression, Hashirama casually leaned against the sofa next to him, complaining, "Spying? That's a harsh word."

"There’s been a ninja with bandages on his face causing heavy fog near my Hidden Sword Village, sneaking in to steal information and copying several swordsmanship scrolls from the library. I was chasing him and happened to track him here."

"Yes, the ninja was carrying a sword like the one you have."

"Have you seen him around?"

As if sincerely inquiring, the masked Hashirama's pale eyes moved earnestly between the two of them.

Haku's lips curled slightly.

Zabuza's expression turned unpleasant, clearly indicating that his covert infiltration of Hidden Sword Village had been exposed.

If anyone broke the rules first, it was Zabuza.

Infiltrating Hidden Sword Village was risky, but Zabuza felt it was necessary to verify if Hashirama was truly on his side.

Seeing Zabuza’s embarrassment and anger, Haku spoke with a smile, turning to Hashirama:

"Since you overheard our conversation, Hashirama-san, how do you suggest we cooperate?"

To plant the "Tree of Peace" across the ninja world required not just strength but also wisdom, strategic planning, and the willingness of the populace to cooperate.

The best approach was to clear out the old, corrupt power structures under the banner of reform, creating space for Hashirama to take control of the major ninja villages.

In this process, collaborating with local opposition forces to overthrow the old rulers was a logical choice.

Instead of immediately sharing his thoughts, Hashirama asked, "What are your ideas?"

Zabuza frowned. They had just exchanged information and decided Hashirama could be trusted. It was too soon for detailed plans.

He was hoping Hashirama would provide some solutions.

After a brief pause, Haku said:

"We don’t have enough power. I’ve heard that the Fourth Mizukage has many opponents. Perhaps we can seek more potential allies under the names of Hashirama-san and Zabuza-san before taking action."

"Great idea, seeking more allies is crucial," Hashirama praised, then straightened up, speaking with a nostalgic tone, "Just like when I founded Konoha. Several clans, once enemies, united for the common goal of peace."

"Now, driven by the desire to end the chaos in Kirigakure, we can unite the majority of the Mizukage's ninjas to correct the village."

These words were noble and grand, making even the ruthless Zabuza get goosebumps. He couldn’t tell if Hashirama was genuine or not, so he frowned and asked:

"…So?"

"So, I plan to form an organization, gathering elite ninjas from various countries, including the Land of Water, to realize our shared ideals of correcting the world’s wrongs and maintaining peace." Hashirama adjusted his mask, revealing his plan.

Zabuza and Haku exchanged glances, the former frowning slightly. This seemed far-fetched. How many "like-minded" individuals could there be? For example, once Zabuza corrected Kirigakure’s "Bloody Mist," would he really help other members correct their countries' issues?

Regardless, that was a problem for the future. Zabuza nodded:

"Fine, I’ll join."

"Great, let’s name the organization. How about ‘Dawn'?" Hashirama proposed.

Zabuza didn’t catch the subtle irony in the name, thinking it symbolized the breaking of darkness and the arrival of dawn, fitting their upcoming actions against Kirigakure.

Haku, however, reminded softly, "There was an active mercenary group called ‘Akatsuki' in the Land of Rain…"

"Ah—what a coincidence." Hashirama’s voice under the mask sounded a bit resigned.

"Then let’s scrap that. How about ‘Ascending Light'?"

Hashirama looked at the ceiling’s bright lights, which illuminated the room, segmented by patterns on the walls, like steps of light.

Zabuza and Haku had no objections to the name. Hashirama smiled and continued:

"This organization will recruit elite ninjas from each country. With their help, correcting the major nations' errors will be much easier."

"Members will be recommended internally, judged only by strength and influence. As the leader of Ascending Light, I’ll make the final decision. Any objections?"

Zabuza, a former Kirigakure elite and one of the Seven Ninja Swordsmen, fit the criteria perfectly. As a member of Ascending Light, he would be part of the local force for the Land of Water.

"The ultimate goal of Ascending Light is to correct the wrongs of the entire ninja world, allowing everyone to control their destiny and planting the Tree of Peace worldwide."

"We bear the great mission of bringing reform to this world. To achieve this, Ascending Light will employ methods such as overthrowing, warfare, assassination, and kidnapping to meet our goals."

The room fell silent. Hashirama’s voice, calm yet commanding, seemed to drain the oxygen from the space, making Zabuza and Haku hold their breath, listening intently.

This guy… had planned this all along and had been selecting members for Ascending Light… Zabuza thought, slowly grinning.

Good.

Intelligent.

Wise.

Powerful.

Driven.

This Hashirama was not to be underestimated. Only a leader like him could make others believe they could truly achieve their goals.

"Any other questions?" Hashirama asked calmly.

"One," Zabuza suddenly spoke, staring at Hashirama, "Who exactly are you?"

"Does it matter?" Hashirama countered.

"If you were anyone else, it wouldn’t. But if you are really Hashirama Senju, it does matter," Zabuza reasoned.

The implication was clear: if Hashirama was someone with an ordinary name like Tobi or Obito, it wouldn’t matter. But claiming to be Hashirama Senju carried weight, as the Shinobi God’s reputation would greatly aid in recruiting allies in Kirigakure.

"This is the first and last time." He shook his head, slowly removing his wooden mask.

The pale eyes behind the mask reflected the shocked expressions of Zabuza and Haku.

Huh?

This… this person is…?

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