“Big Brother, you must be extra careful this time when you leave.”
At the Konoha Village gate, Senju Tobirama couldn't help but remind him.
Actually, he didn't want his big brother to leave Konoha at all.
What if his big brother encountered danger?
But he couldn't resist his big brother's persistence, so he finally had to agree.
Although he knew that in the current Ninja World, there was almost no one who could threaten his big brother, he was still very worried.
Now his big brother's body wasn't what it used to be.
What if he really encountered danger?
It's just that the probability of this happening is extremely slim…
Senju Tobirama hadn't found a specific solution for his big brother's physical condition.
This wasn't just a physical reason; to a large extent, it was a psychological one.
He had asked his big brother more than once, but he only received ambiguous answers.
Tobirama was also helpless about this; his big brother seemed unwilling to tell him…
“Got it, Tobirama.” Senju Hashirama waved his hand, “You should go back quickly, Little Renye is here.”
Renye: “…”
Senju Tobirama looked at Renye, “Kid, take good care of your Uncle Hashirama, and if anything happens, come back and tell me right away.”
“Understood, Uncle.” Renye nodded.
He wanted to say that Senju Tobirama’s worries were unnecessary; how could Senju Hashirama possibly encounter danger?
It’s not like someone would be foolish enough to try to assassinate the Ninja God, right?
Renye only regarded this outing as a trip in addition to his mission…
After all, with the Ninja God by his side, it was when he felt the safest.
After Senju Tobirama finished instructing Renye, he turned back to Hashirama, “Big Brother, you must be extra careful.”
He paused, then added, “The Village cannot lose you…”
This statement was clearly a bit heavy.
“I understand, Tobirama.” Senju Hashirama’s expression was serious.
But he quickly returned to his cheerful self and said,
“No need to see us off, Little Renye and I are leaving.”
With that, he called Renye and they left together.
“Uncle, where are we going?”
“I don’t know, just wandering around.”
Senju Tobirama stood at the main gate, watching the two figures gradually walk away until they disappeared from sight.
“Big Brother, you must hold on…”
— — — — — — — —
Senju Hashirama and Renye walked side by side on a winding path.
They left the hustle and bustle of Konoha Village and entered a silent, desolate area.
Along the way, Hashirama didn't say much, seemingly lost in thought.
Renye, on the other hand, curiously observed his surroundings.
He felt that Uncle Hashirama wasn't walking aimlessly, but was deliberately heading in this direction.
When a stretch of ruined walls appeared before them, Hashirama's steps suddenly halted.
Here, weeds grew rampant, and broken stones littered the ground.
The former glory had long been mercilessly eroded by time.
Among the broken bricks and tiles, a few tenacious wild grasses grew freely, swaying in the wind, seemingly narrating stories of the past.
The tilted murals were already blurred beyond recognition, leaving only a few indistinguishable patches of color.
Renye gazed at the patterns on the wall; if he wasn't mistaken, what was carved on it should be the emblem of a certain clan, but unfortunately, it was now unclear.
He didn’t understand why Uncle Hashirama brought him to such a place.
Just as he was feeling puzzled, Senju Hashirama explained, “This is the Senju Clan’s ancestral land from the Warring States Period.”
Upon hearing this, Renye suddenly understood.
He looked at the dilapidated buildings all around, finding it hard to associate them with the Senju Clan.
Hashirama slowly walked forward, reaching out to gently touch a damaged wall; a rough and cold sensation came from his palm.
Memories surged like a tide.
At that time, this place was bustling with people, full of life and vitality.
A young Hashirama would run and play in the streets of the clan land, chasing and wrestling with his younger brothers.
Clan members busily moved through it, some training diligently on the practice grounds, others meticulously tending to flowers and plants in the courtyards…
Every corner of the clan reverberated with joyful laughter.
These were also some of his few happy times.
Later, the conflict between the Senju Clan and the Uchiha Clan intensified.
This ancestral land also became a brutal battlefield.
War raged, smoke filled the air, and the once beautiful buildings collapsed in the flames of war, while clan members lost their lives in the slaughter.
Hashirama remembered it was a bloody night; the Uchiha suddenly launched an attack, and the clan members fought back fiercely, with shouts and screams echoing throughout the night.
He fought alongside his younger brother Tobirama, wielding weapons and battling fiercely.
But the Uchiha's offensive was too fierce, and the ancestral land suffered severe damage, with many familiar faces disappearing forever that night.
Renye stood quietly to the side, watching Senju Hashirama, who was lost in thought.
He could feel the heaviness and sorrow in Hashirama's heart; it was an unforgettable memory, bearing too much suffering and sacrifice.
He couldn't help but feel fortunate to have been born in the early days of Konoha's establishment; if he had been born during the Warring States Period, that would have been true despair…
The Warring States Period was characterized by wars between clans, and it was common for some mid-sized clans to be annihilated overnight.
As major clans, the Uchiha and Senju's battles were particularly brutal.
It was even common for children who weren't even Genin to go to the battlefield.
“At that time, for survival, and to protect our clan members and homeland, we had no choice but to take up arms and fight to the death against our enemies.” Hashirama slowly began, “But war only brings pain and hatred; countless lives perished, and countless families were broken.”
His voice gradually choked, as if he had returned to that era filled with war.
Renye came to Hashirama’s side and softly said, “Uncle Hashirama, is this your original intention for establishing Konoha?”
“The original intention of establishing the Village…” Hashirama looked up at the sky, lost in thought, “That was a promise with Madara…”
He recounted everything from meeting Madara to finally ending the war and establishing the Village.
Renye listened attentively.
Although he knew the general plot, he was unaware of the details.
Listening to the firsthand account of his personal experiences was very immersive.
Hashirama sat among the ruins, his voice low:
“We saw so much death together, and we swore in a sea of blood and corpses to end the war…”
He suddenly gave a bitter laugh, a very desolate one.
“Madara said that power alone could bring order, that we had to crush all nations under absolute power.” Hashirama looked up at the gradually darkening sky, “He always said I was too naive, that such a method couldn’t achieve peace.”
Hashirama’s nails dug deep into his palm, his eyes bloodshot, “I considered Madara my closest friend, but that day in the Valley of the End, for the safety of the Village, I had no choice but to kill him…”
The atmosphere fell silent, and Renye had no intention of disturbing Hashirama.
He knew that sometimes, speaking one's mind helps.
It wasn’t until dusk completely enveloped the ruins that Hashirama stood up and brushed the dust from his clothes, “Renye…”
He looked back in the direction of Konoha Village, then suddenly smiled,
“I know that peace is not the normal state of the Ninja World, but someone has to be the first to stand up and plant the ideal into a towering tree.”
Upon hearing this, Renye stared blankly at Senju Hashirama.
So, Uncle Hashirama always knew that this wouldn't achieve true peace.
But he still went ahead and did it without hesitation…
