"This is so annoying…"
Early in the morning, Tsunade lay on top of Raijin, feeling bored and dejected.
"What's wrong?"
Raijin rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked.
"We still have to wait so long before we can go on a trip… How about we just destroy Konohagakure instead?"
Tsunade suddenly lifted her head and looked at Raijin.
"Sure, if you want your grandpa to fight you to the death after he's revived."
Raijin shrugged, completely unfazed.
"Get up already! Great-Grandpa Hashirama and Sensei have been waiting for you two for ages!"
Suddenly, a voice came from outside the door. It was Tatsu. Raijin froze for a moment when he heard it, exchanged a glance with Tsunade, and the next second, both of them vanished from the room.
"You… you're back?"
Tsunade looked at Hashirama, who was sitting in the chair in front of her, and instinctively swallowed.
"Yeah, I'm back."
Hashirama stood up slowly when he saw Tsunade, smiling warmly.
"So, this is Uchiha Raijin? Tobirama has told me a lot about you!"
Hashirama took two steps forward and gave Raijin a heavy pat on the shoulder.
"Ah… is that so…"
Raijin let out an awkward chuckle. Honestly, meeting Senju Hashirama all of a sudden, he really had no idea what to say.
Hashirama nodded as if he was about to say something, but before he could, Madara's voice suddenly rang out.
"Yo! If it isn't Hashirama!"
Hashirama turned his head immediately and saw Madara, with Uchiha Izumi following behind him.
"Sorry!"
Madara's slightly mocking tone didn't make Hashirama angry at all.
On the contrary, Hashirama lowered his head slightly toward Madara and said loudly,
"No matter the reason, attacking a close friend from behind is wrong."
"Tch!"
Madara snorted dismissively and turned his head away.
"Hashirama, are you scared?"
Madara smirked, pressing his lips together slightly.
"Scared of what?"
Hashirama was caught off guard and looked at Uchiha Madara in confusion.
"The two strongest people in Konohagakure are both Uchiha. Your Wood Release won't do you much good now~"
Madara leaned in slightly, their faces almost touching, as he taunted Hashirama.
"*Cough, cough*… I don't know, I feel like… you might not be that strong either."
Tsunade suddenly covered her mouth and coughed lightly, pulling Raijin to stand behind Madara.
Seeing this, Ryuri quietly positioned himself behind Tsunade and Raijin as well.
Now, the only one left standing in the middle of the room was Uchiha Tatsu, looking completely stuck in the middle.
What did I do to deserve this?
Tatsu glanced at Madara, then at Tsunade, and as expected, both of them were staring right at him.
"Sensei, they really do seem pretty strong."
Tatsu pressed his lips together and spoke to Uchiha Madara.
"What did you just call him?"
Before Madara could respond, Hashirama suddenly spoke up, cutting in.
Tsunade… she really is unreliable.
Isn't this just putting the kid in a tough spot?
"Sensei…"
Tatsu was momentarily stunned but answered honestly.
Even though his strength had far surpassed Senju Hashirama at this point…
Standing in front of Hashirama still made him feel a bit pressured.
After all… this was his mother's grandfather.
That family ranking… was ridiculously high.
"Madara, this is my granddaughter's child. Don't you think you should…"
Senju Hashirama smiled a little awkwardly. He didn't finish his sentence, just looked at Uchiha Madara with a knowing smile.
"You just got revived. You don't want to get beaten up and embarrass yourself in front of your granddaughter, do you?"
Madara's face immediately fell as he looked at Senju Hashirama.
"Aww, come on, Madara-senpai…"
Seeing this, Raijin sighed helplessly. He couldn't just stand by and let Hashirama and Madara start fighting.
So, he stepped forward, positioned himself between them, and grabbed Madara's hand.
"Grandpa Hashirama, we haven't seen each other in so long. Now that we finally meet again, let's not bring up unhappy things."
Raijin then turned to Ryuri.
"Ryuri, go buy some food and sake."
"Alright."
Ryuri nodded and disappeared from Raijin's sight.
"Tatsu, go get your Grandpa Tobirama too. Let's all have a meal together."
Raijin then looked at Uchiha Tatsu.
"Got it."
Tatsu nodded, gave Madara a smile, and after getting a nod in return, vanished from the room.
"Come on, sit down. Let's have some tea first."
Raijin pulled both Madara and Hashirama down to sit at the table with him.
He knew that this kind of back-and-forth between Madara and Hashirama was pretty normal.
But at the same time, he also knew that if one of them got pushed too far…
They would actually start fighting.
That couldn't happen. No way.
So, he naturally took on the role of a peacemaker.
Meanwhile, Tsunade gestured for Izumi to sit down.
"Hashirama, you're wrong."
Taking the cup of tea Raijin handed him, Madara spoke seriously.
Hearing this, Raijin's face darkened, but he pretended not to hear and kept pouring tea for Hashirama.
"Peace can't be achieved through love alone."
Before Hashirama could say anything, Madara continued.
"Yes, I was wrong too. I never expected that just a few years after my death, the entire shinobi world would be thrown into war."
Hashirama's expression dimmed. He wasn't someone who refused to admit his mistakes.
And honestly, there was nothing to argue about—facts were facts.
It was his younger brother, Senju Tobirama, who led Konohagakure through those difficult times.
How could he possibly deny that?
"You weren't wrong. Love is an admirable thing, and your heart is something everyone should respect."
Raijin said to Hashirama.
"It's just that… most people in this world can't be like you."
Raijin continued.
"Hahaha!"
Hashirama was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter. This Uchiha kid… he sure knew how to talk.
"Uchiha Raijin, can you straighten your back when you talk? Did Hashirama give you some kind of reward?"
Madara's face twisted slightly.
"Ah… well, my grandpa did give me his granddaughter."
Raijin blinked and looked at Madara.
"You…"
Madara was momentarily speechless.
"And, even though I didn't live through that era, I truly believe that for the people of that time, having someone like Grandpa Hashirama in the shinobi world was the greatest fortune they could have."
Raijin added.
"Kindness isn't wrong. The real problem is human greed."
Finally, Raijin concluded.
"I'm different, though. If anyone comes after me, I'll actually kill them."
Then, he suddenly laughed.
"Isn't that how it should be?"
Madara chuckled and asked Raijin in return.
To be honest, Madara liked this about Raijin. If it had been Hashirama's child that Jigen targeted back then, Sunagakure and Iwagakure—the accomplices—would still be around today.
The reason was simple: they would apologize, and Hashirama would actually forgive them.
"Of course, there are people out there with the same qualities as Grandpa Hashirama, but the truth is, most people just want to gain more for themselves.
And people like Hashirama rarely have enough power to influence things. That's why, after his death, war was inevitable."
"Because in this world, there was no longer an absolute force strong enough to keep their greed in check."
"You're right. That's why I've been thinking… Maybe I really should've listened to Tobirama's advice and made sure there was only one village in the ninja world."
Hashirama sighed, feeling disappointed.
Realizing that everything he had believed in was wrong—how could he not feel discouraged?
"How can you say that?"
Just then, Tobirama's voice rang out, and everyone turned to look at him.
"If the ninja world only had one village, without an overwhelming force to keep things in order, it would still fall into chaos and eventually collapse."
Sitting beside Hashirama, Tobirama spoke to him.
"Is there really no way to achieve true peace?"
Hashirama pressed his lips together in frustration.
"That's why we need the Eye of the Moon Plan."
Madara smirked slightly and spoke in a quiet voice.
"Huh? You still haven't given up on that plan?"
Raijin was surprised and looked at Uchiha Madara in disbelief.
"Is the Eye of the Moon Plan really that unreasonable?"
Madara crossed his arms and looked at Uchiha Raijin.
"Otsutsuki Kaguya was supposed to be a guardian, but she betrayed the Otsutsuki clan. Don't you think she knew how strong Otsutsuki Momoshiki was? Don't you think she understood the consequences of betrayal?
She knew. That's why she used the God Tree to absorb people's life force and create living weapons in the ninja world.
What does that tell you? It means this method might actually work to stop the Otsutsuki invasion, doesn't it?"
"But if we sacrifice every life in the ninja world, even if we defeat the Otsutsuki, what then?"
Hashirama frowned and questioned Uchiha Madara.
"Who said we have to sacrifice everyone? We just need to leave behind enough survivors. In ten or twenty years, the ninja world will repopulate again."
Madara spoke seriously to Hashirama.
He wasn't joking—he genuinely believed in this idea.
"It's cruel, but it could work."
Tobirama pressed his lips together and spoke softly.
"This could be a last resort, only if we have no other choice."
Raijin nodded, acknowledging Madara's idea.
If things truly reached that point, they would have to use whatever means necessary.
"I think… if we called for volunteers, some people might actually be willing to go through with it."
Hashirama thought about that possibility and hesitated.
"Alright, we can make that a condition."
Raijin tapped the table lightly and spoke to Uchiha Madara.
"Wait, Uchiha Raijin, he just got revived, and you're already letting him influence you? Do you even hear yourself?"
Madara sighed and looked at Raijin with frustration.
He didn't care what Hashirama said. People could listen if they wanted, or ignore him if they didn't.
His words wouldn't change future plans.
But Raijin was different. No matter how crazy his ideas were, people would sit down and listen to him.
Just like they used to with Hashirama.
And if Raijin really turned into another Hashirama… Just thinking about it gave Madara a headache.
"Why not ask everyone for their opinion? The ninja world doesn't belong to you or me. It belongs to everyone who lives here."
Raijin looked at Uchiha Madara and spoke calmly.
"If things ever get that bad and no one steps up…"
He glanced around the room and said in a quiet voice,
"Then I'm sorry, but I don't really care whether this world survives or gets destroyed.
I might not be able to protect the entire world, but protecting my family? That won't be a problem at all."
Raijin leaned back in his chair and spoke to the shinobi.
Protect the world?
Yeah, right. But who's going to protect me?
"You..."
Madara smacked his lips in annoyance. This guy was really something...
There was no way he could become someone like Senju Hashirama. Did he even deserve to? But then again, if that day really came—if he had to protect the world while bearing all the hatred—Madara figured he wouldn't mind leaving with Izumi and Raijin.
At least they'd have company on the way.
"We'll go together when the time comes."
Madara pressed his lips together and spoke to Raijin.
"Alright, I'll call you when it's time."
Raijin nodded and looked at Uchiha Madara.
"We'll use the Flying Thunder God Technique to reach the moon first, then find another habitable planet."
Raijin explained.
"Plant some trees first. I want to eat the Divine Fruit too."
Madara nodded.
"Got it."
Raijin agreed without hesitation.
As long as you're not absorbing me, I don't care who you absorb.
"You guys..."
Senju Tobirama looked at Raijin and Madara, feeling a little helpless.
One of you dares to say it, and the other actually goes along with it.
"It's too early to talk about this. Eternal peace is a great ideal, but great power isn't something that can be achieved overnight."
Senju Tobirama paused and spoke softly.
No matter what, he had to bring the conversation back on track.
These two were getting more and more ridiculous.
"For now, the biggest threat is still the Otsutsuki clan. But that danger is still somewhat distant, so there's no need to panic just yet."
He paused again and turned to Raijin.
"Raijin, I know you've been exhausted all these years, but given the current situation..."
Senju Tobirama pursed his lips, then asked tentatively.
"How about staying in the village to train instead of going out?"
(End of Chapter)
Read +20 advanced chapters on my patreon
patreon.com/GustinaKamiya
---