Disclaimer: All my love for this saga won't change the fact that I do not own Naruto.
English not being my native language, please forgive me for the eventual errors I might do, I'll do my best to avoid doing them in the first place or remove them after the fact.
Summary: A story of Hashirama Senju, the one who revolutionized the Shinobi world. AU.
Season I
Chapter Eight: Confrontations
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The Naka River was streaming dutifully.
The sun was shining high above in the sky, the water below reflecting here and there its light.
It gave the river an aspect even clearer than usual, with small pockets of glistening gold on its surface.
The illusion was only broken from time to time by the various fishes that were enjoying the temperature and looking for opportunities to prey on at the river' surface.
It was a good day, thought Hashirama as she stood on one side of the riverbank. A day she should have been thoroughly enjoying… but wouldn't be here.
Madara stood there, on the other side of the river.
Watching her in silence.
Hashirama couldn't blame him for that: she found herself unable to speak, as if she had cotton stuck in her mouth…
She could only watch him gravely, and he watched her back.
If Madara had picked up on her uneasiness, he wasn't currently showing it.
"I know it's soon… but are you fine with us exchanging our rocks right off?"
His words cut off a tension the girl hadn't realised had been building up.
Once more, Hashirama thanked Madara internally for giving her a solution to escape from her current predicament.
She was fine with that, more than fine with that actually - his own escape route depended on that trade after all…
"Yes", said Hashirama, picking up her rock inside her haori.
Mimicking her on the other shore, Madara did the same.
The rocks were thrown with speed, both children holding the same stance and doing the same arc-like movement with their throwing arms.
Both rocks crossed the river at the same time.
Both rocks were caught instantly.
Watching each other silently, a form of determination marring their faces, both children glanced at the respective rocks they had received from the other….
A flash of surprise and understanding seized them both.
*Run*
*Escape, it's a trap*
Madara gritted his teeth, looking back at the girl on the other shore who still looked at her rock in disbelief.
Wondering where around them could be hiding his wannabe killers… and realising he only had moments to stop the situation from escalating with hers…
"You know Hashirama, I'm sorry to say I won't be able to stay today" Madara waved her with a somewhat forced smile. "I kind of forgot I had some errands to deal with today. See you!"
That smile was so fake, realised Hashirama worriedly.
It was a hard sell even for her… but at least Madara had grasped the situation with her written warning and addressed it immediately.
She had to follow his lead, for if he was right, she too was under the enemy' scrutiny.
"Well fine, in that case I should go back too!" she fakely smiled as well, as she too waved Madara. "See you around!"
They had no margin for error, no time to dwell on things…
Gathering chakra in their legs, they both escaped the shores with a burst of tremendous speed.
Astonishing! Such speed from a boy this age? observed Butsuma as he leaned in from his position behind one of the forest's giant trees.
That Uchiha boy seemed to be the real deal… All the more a reason to deal with him now, before he grew too much.
"No escape for you", murmured Butsuma as he traced the boy's movement on the other shore.
He would deal with his daughter's obvious betrayal later on, as she raced to the forest as well. What was she thinking alerting the boy like this?
That was unforgivable.
"Let's go, Tobirama!" Butsuma ordered.
"Yes Father!"
The duo darted out of their hiding spot at a velocity just as impressive, Tobirama already having a hand on his katana behind his back, ready to unsheathe it at all times.
Madara was confident about his speed, into being able to get out of harm's way the same way Hashirama would be.
She had to! He didn't take the risk of alerting her so she could die at the hands of…
A blur rushed past the boy, causing his heart to sink into the depths of shock.
No!
They were attacking!
Turning on the spot to look back, he saw four figures facing one another where the middle of the river should be.
His father Tajima, his brother Izuna, and what he knew to be the Senjus' leader, clad in his characteristic red armour.
Next to him, a white-haired boy was also standing, hand on a katana in his back.
Hashirama's family.
His eyes crossed those of the girl on the other side; she too had stopped in her daring escape, harbouring a horrified expression.
It was their worst nightmare.
Both their families were now facing off, ready for a fight.
The Uchiha patriarch chuckled.
Of course, Butsuma Senju was here… He should have known the man was involved in all this, his mind was working too much like his own…
"We thought the same, didn't we? Senju Butsuma" smirked Tajima, a hand on his chokutô, Sharingan searching for any sign of a possible hidden trap laid by the Senju and his brat.
Next to him, Izuna was focused on both enemy warriors, but he knew his attention had to be more important on the boy who looked his age, seizing him up.
Good.
There was room to use that focus to his advantage.
Although, he couldn't exclude that Butsuma bastard from being reasoning along those lines as well…
His boy had his katana resting up above his shoulders, while calmly assessing Izuna from his crouching stance…
Next to him, Butsuma seemed to have the same calculating stare he probably harboured himself right this moment…
"Looks like we did, Uchiha Tajima" acknowledged the Senjus' leader.
The situation was less ideal than what Butsuma had originally been planning, but on the other end…
The Uchiha boy had been trailed by his father, none other than the clan's leader himself! Not only that, but he had come accompanied with his second son, just like them.
But contrary to them, their entire line was here.
Butsuma knew Tajima had lost all his other sons, whilst he still had Itama back at the village…
This was an opportunity to wipe out the head of the Uchihas and his dangerous progeny once and for all…
The Senjus would be in a good place, even if they ended up trading their dead today…
The Kamis might still be smiling upon them and their clan…
Tajima Uchiha saw it as an opportunity to deal a significant blow at the enemy clan as well.
He had recognized Butsuma's eldest from the reports he had received from various incidents in the last couple of months.
That kid was involved in the death of three of his clan members, and the maiming of another…
The Hagoromos themselves wanted the head of that youngling for their own killed warriors.
To think this was a kunoichi was astounding to Tajima.
Kidnapping the girl had been the privileged option from the beginning once Madara had admitted the truth, but with Butsuma's presence and that of his heir, the new priority had to be wiping them out - the girl included since she was bound to get in the way…
An acceptable loss if the Kamis favoured them with victory…
The stand-off between the two shinobis and their children stretched out.
From numerous past confrontations, the two Clan's leaders knew they were just as deadly, just as equal in strength…
As a result…
Butsuma was entirely focused on Tajima.
Tajima was entirely focused on Butsuma.
No angle of attack would be ignored. No opportunity to strike would be given. They were committed to one another's fate, weapons appearing in their respective hands.
And their two younger sons?
"What is your name?" asked the white-haired one to his dark-haired counterpart.
"Izuna. Yours?
"Tobirama."
None other words were exchanged, the both of them looking at each other defiantly, a mutual dislike slowly taking root in their heart.
Izuna found the Senjus's Happuri and its proud clannish display offensive; Tobirama found ridicule the way the Uchiha's boy held his scabbard along his chokutô.
They would make a point to punish the other one for these perceived sins…
The four shinobis had forgotten all about the world around them. Their only connections remaining to it being the air they were breathing and the water they were standing on…
Even the heat of the day had been dulled by their focus.
The weight of their light armours was being ignored to plan their opponent's demise.
The two causes of their presence forgotten, left on their respective shores writhing with anguish.
A small breeze carried between them a small leaf. It danced before their uncaring eyes, barely troubling the water' surface as it made contact with it softly…
Four sets of legs exploded into action immediately!
Two shouts echoed one another across the Naka River, powerless to stop the events from unfolding…
One will uniting the warriors rushing at one another: to kill their direct enemy...
The two youngest propelled themselves even faster than the adults; their swords clashing the first on the river, followed up by Butsuma's kunai meeting Tajima's chokutô in a contest of strength.
Tajima' Sharingan flared into action: an unusual mistake from his opponent to not guard his eyes against his… a deadly one!
He plunged the Senju's leader into a nightmare where he was being immobilised by the dead bodies of his fellow clansmen and women, waiting to be pierced by a thousand arrows falling from the sky above… Soon, they would connect, rupturing the psyche of Butsuma Senju as Tajima would slit his throat…
Butsuma smirked.
"Has it really been this long? Uchiha, I don't work like that anymore… Now catch."
Still reeling from the shock of his genjutsu being thrown off so easily, Tajima barely registered the high velocity projectiles Butsuma Senju spat at him.
Senbons!
Reacting at inhuman speed, Tajima dropped his head to the side, dodging by an inch the flying weapons, just as his Sharingan also registered the left leg of his opponent aiming at it dangerously!
Tch!
Somersaulting backward, the Uchiha leader escaped the incoming blow and landed on his feet… just in time to parry the kunai coming from above in the hand of Butsuma. Once more, they were struggling against one another.
"Still relying on yokel tricks, I see…" jeered Tajima, looking for a way to rile up his adversary. "Still afraid of my dojutsu eh?"
Butsuma smirked in turn.
"And like any harlot, you still are more bark than bite, Uchiha…" mocked Butsuma, planning his next set of moves.
True, he had mastered his chakra's network so much that he was able to prevent genjutsu from taking hold of him almost instantly, by neutralising the infecting chakra beforehand… But the Sharingan remained a huge advantage in favour of his enemy, even if its genjutsu was now useless.
Whether by piercing those eyes or crushing those eyes, he would jump at any opportunity to take them out of the picture, if it wasn't possible to directly kill the Uchiha…
The both of them registered their children grunting under the efforts next to them, their swords struggling against one another.
Overriding both their train of thoughts.
Use his child against him!
Strike his brat now!
Taking the information at the same time, their eyes met again barely an instant later.
And they knew.
They knew they were too much alike.
They knew they were planning to do the exact same thing.
They were shinobis, trained to stay focused and committed during battle, regardless of what was happening on the battlefield - for the slightest distraction could be the difference between one living and one dying…
But they also were fathers, having their children currently meddled into a deadly struggle…
They knew there was a small, existing chance, that killing the other's child under his eyes could possibly offer an opening to them - an opening to strike decisively.
They knew it because they themselves dreaded their own reaction under their cold resolve…
The other was the same.
So now, only speed and the kamis would decide who would win this fight…
Jumping backward to gain some space, they both jumped up at the same time, high in the air, with the specific objective to strike the enemy's child at such an angle they would not see their demise coming, let alone react to it…
Shifting their hold over their weapons, they observed for a mere instant their respective child push each other's back on the Naka River.
Now!
Strike!
A chokutô flew downward at high speed, ready to pierce the white-haired Senju boy.
A kunai did the same, on a direct collision course with the black-haired Uchiha vitals.
"So is the life of a true shinobi. Fighting and dying for the future of your clan is the greatest of honour! Do not dishonour the memory of your brother Hashirama!"
The words of her father surged in Hashirama's memory as a slap in the face.
Because they had been pronounced for her little brother Kawarama only a couple of months ago, after his death at the hand of the Uchihas… and now an Uchiha was aiming to kill another one of her brothers!
She wouldn't allow it!
Never again!
Arched like the string of a bow, her arm whipped the rock in her hand automatically, hundreds of hours spent in shurikenjutsu, bukijutsu and stone skipping coming to fruition in this one instant…
*KLING!*
*KATINK!*
A perfect throw.
Two perfect saves.
Four shinobis astonished.
The chokutô turned upside down in the air, flip-flopping a couple of seconds before falling into the river with a dull *splash*, alongside her father's kunai and two rocks instead of one…
Hashirama's eyes searched on the other shore…
Madara mirrored her stance, looking both tremendously focused and badly pressed.
And as their father landed respectively behind their two youngest sons, the eldest immediately took points in front of them, their instinct to protect those they loved taking over.
Madara eyed Hashirama.
Hashirama eyed Madara.
"I won't allow anyone to hurt my brother… no matter what!" the Uchiha eldest declared ferociously.
"Same here!" retorted Hashirama determinedly.
Madara knew his friend was sincere: the fire to protect her family that animated her was the same as the one flowing in his own vein…
Hashirama would fight tough and nail to defend her little brother, even if it was against him, and she probably felt the same way as he did right now…
Another small breeze past, taking to the sky more wandering leaves, playing with the hairs of all those presents.
Such a beautiful day… wasted on pointless fighting… thought Madara with melancholy.
He wished things hadn't gone this way.
He wished none of the events today had happened…
He wished it was just Hashirama and him, training and dreaming, on this river today…
He wished things wouldn't end like this between them…
If only…
"Hashirama," hailed Madara.
"What?" asked the Senju girl cautiously.
Madara looked at her intensely, taking a mental picture of that girl, that sweet boyish-girl that had understood him better than anyone ever did before, that felt like him about their rotten world and called him her brother from another clan… He took stock of the one who became his best friend, one last time.
"Looks like we won't be able to make it our reality… your dream."
His gravity threw Hashirama off. What did he mean by it? Why so -
"It's unreachable."
No! He didn't mean that, she knew it!
"Madara, you can't -" Hashirama started protesting.
But the boy stopped her simply, then and there, with the smile she liked, the one that suited him so much…
"It didn't last long, but I'm glad I was able to get to know you… Hashirama", Madara declared genuinely.
Hashirama blemished. Why did Madara's words sounded so final all of a sudden?
"Three on three action, huh? Tell me, son, what should we be doing?" interrupted Tajima rhetorically.
He knew the girl was very strong, possibly on par with his eldest son… but he needed to have direct confirmation of what his gut instinct was telling him.
Madara's expression became cold, calculating… He looked very much like his father now.
"We can't attack", stated Madara simply. "Hashirama… She is stronger than me."
"Wow, really brother?" commented a surprised Izuna, eyeing Hashirama curiously. "Someone stronger than you exist?"
"Aye. If we keep fighting, we'll lose to them eventually... We should fall back somewhere safe."
Tajima grunted in agreement.
No point in pursuing this endeavour then. The opportunity laid in killing Butsuma and his progeny… not die pointlessly to them in an asymmetrical fight.
"Farewell," Madara said to Hashirama before turning his back on her to walk away.
"Listen, Madara… Surely, you didn't mean it earlier, right? about achieving our dream?"
Stopping in his tracks, the boy remained silent.
"You and I are so much alike Madara!" Hashirama pleaded, hand gripping her heart, trying to resist the emotions that were now rising in her. "We found each other, finally! Someone who can understand what lies in our heart for the first time… It's such a precious gift... ! Please, tell me you aren't renouncing what I know we are able to achieve together…"
Madara didn't answer right away, seemingly mulling over her words to him.
"You are a Senju", finally stated Madara. "I wish things would have been different between the two of us. Truly. But the Senjus are the ones who killed my brothers. And now I know that your own brother died at the hands of my fellow clansmen, the Uchihas."
Kawarama's grin flashed for a fleeting instant in Hashirama's mind.
"This is why, we won't ever need to see what lies in each other's gut… for the next time we'll see each other, I'll be your natural enemy and you? You'll be mine."
Deeply hurt, Hashirama pushed back the tears that were menacing to overcome her.
"Hashirama Senju… My name is Madara Uchiha", stated Madara while turning to eye her above his shoulder. "I'm the one who will kill you and your clan for what you've done to us."
The Sharingan!
"Look, Father!" exulted Izuna. "Madara's eyes!"
Tajima Uchiha smirked.
"Well well well… Not what we were willing to gain from the Senjus, but at the very least we obtained something valuable out of this whole mess… That's excellent."
His reaction contrasted with the one of Butsuma Senju.
That Uchiha boy had just awakened the bloodline limit of his clan, making him even deadlier than he already was…
He would be a definite danger to his clan in the years to come…
In him, anger disputed it with wariness - how long before more Senju blood would be spilled by that Madara Uchiha?
All that… because his daughter didn't obey his orders.
Breathing hard as he watched the three Uchiha figures scatter in the forest's foliage on the other shore, Butsuma turned to Hashirama, barely restraining himself from clapping her on the spot.
"You… you were ready to betray us," he spat, seething.
Hashirama remained silent, tears scintillating in her eyes. She dropped her face, ashamed and unable to defend herself.
"Because of you, the Uchiha boy is bound to be a severe problem for our clan now… Meaning, any casualties he will cause on our side will be on your head…! Are you satisfied now? Answer me."
"No, father."
She remained silent, as her father was glaring at her angrily.
"Father, let's head back to the village…", intervened Tobirama. "Just in case. This area is not safe."
And whose fault was that Hashirama thought bitterly as they jumped up in the trees.
And this time, she was unable to stop the tears.
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"This is UNACCEPTABLE!"
The voice of Tolerama boomed into the small room, filling it instantly until it caused Hashirama's ears to ring.
Due to the sensitive nature of the topic, the Elder's Council was meeting them in one of the more discretionary parts of the Council Hall, in a closed session, not really wanting it to spread to the entire village…
Hashirama was sitting in the middle of a loose circle made up of ten people, with in front of her the three Elders that were usually counselling her father into dealing with the village's affairs.
The elderly Tolerama.
The subtle Akanji.
The smiling Kojirama.
They all were flanked with their respective Hands, the ones observing but not allowed to intervene unless they were invited to by the Elders.
They had their ears and were meant to take their seat on this Council one day, once their time would come.
Rambuto, Kojirama's eldest and her mother's brother.
Tenma, Tolerama's eldest son, and her father's cousin.
Aderama, Akanji's eldest son and another of her father's cousins…
As their leader, Butsuma was supposed to sit alongside his Council, with Tobirama his future heir, being alongside him most of the time, like the Hands were alongside the Elders - but not this time.
This time, he was the one being subjected to the Council' scrutiny, he and his eldest children…
And as a result, he was sitting next to her with Tobirama, remaining silent after Tolerama's outburst.
On the other end of the circle, were the witnesses, Hashirama's remaining village's tutors: elder Bô and Lady Rukia.
Both silent and dutifully observing the proceedings…
All faces in that room were known by Hashirama, one way or another.
All faces were watching her sternly.
And all faces were growing tired of the intense debate.
For the last half-hour, her father had been reporting on her action concerning Madara, to the growing dismay of everyone in the room and despite hiding the real purpose behind said actions…
Seeing the look of disappointment in the eyes of her uncle Rambuto had been the hardest part for Hashirama…
He'd always been so fond of her, so strong a support…But it seemed like he wouldn't count as one today…
"Lord Butsuma", Kojirama-san faintly smiled. " Though I do not wish to react the way my cousin has… I admit sharing his opinion in the… recklessness of your initiative.
The village's defences and interests need to be reinforced - yet you and your entire line go to face off against the Uchihas?"
"My last son was safely secured in the village… Besides, this was an opportunity to decapitate the Uchihas' leadership, so I was willing to put our lives on the line to make it happen, yes. There's no regret to be had", surmised Butsuma, provoking an angry cough from Tolerama…
"You're being presumptuous, Lord Butsuma," stated the man, rudely glaring at him. "Suppose they'd set up a proper ambush with reinforcements… What then?
You'd be dead, and your children fodder to the Uchihas' ambitions, alongside our own!"
Akanji quietly nodded next to him, an indecipherable expression on his face as his son Aderama crouched next to him to tell something in his ear.
Butsuma ignored them both.
"Again, this was an opportunity to strike deeply the Uchihas", reiterated Butsuma. " Tajima Uchiha's heir will be a mouthful to handle if he's allowed to grow into adulthood… As the leader of this clan, I chose the best course of action regarding this issue! Or have you forgotten what we are up against?
"We haven't, of course, my Lord…", Akanji softly acquiesced. "But at the same time, having our Leader dangerously exposed in that area to the Uchihas is a poor signal to send… After yesterday, we can't afford to look rattled by our enemies, and by being there and failing in your initiative, that is exactly what you've provoked."
"What does he mean by that?" murmured Hashirama to her little brother discreetly, who responded with his own discreet shrug as well.
Her confused tone must have shown, or her face was too easily readable and not discreet enough; be that as it may, Akanji-san picked up on her question and answered it with a neutral expression, before Tobirama could usher any formal response.
"While you were spending your time with that Madara boy yesterday… one of the farmers who was supposed to meet with the Council didn't show up.
A small platoon went to his village only to find everyone there either dead or under the slip of potent genjutsu.
Several other villages have been hit in the area…
As it turns out, the Uchihas have received a mandate from one of the northern daimyo to seize control of Nakasendo Way and pacify it for the armies of the one missioning them."
Hashirama exchanged a stunned glance with Tobirama.
"This means war, doesn't it?" asked a shocked Hashirama.
Butsuma looked at her sombrely.
"We still are under the contract we have with our regional daimyo, so yes, my daughter, this means war with the Uchihas, once more!"
War.
The word echoed in the anxious mind of Hashirama.
It's unreachable, Madara had stated the day before, and his words echoed even more final knowing now they were trailed by the spectre of war...
"What is to be done with your daughter, Lord Butsuma?" cut in Tolerama angrily. "As a council, I think we all agree that she shouldn't have taken that initiative of approaching the Uchiha boy alone… That was stupidly reckless, especially in this time of crisis… She needs to be punished! To think we were considering having her on away missions…"
"The Uzumakis are coming, I doubt the general schedule will be compatible with any form of punishment for her…" stated Kojirama while eyeing Hashirama.
"Besides, strict instructions will be given to her escort, they'll make sure such an incident isn't possible again in Uzushio…"
…what?
"Aye. Though I wonder… At the very least, is she reliable?" agreed Akanji-san. "The Uzumakis sent word indeed, they will be arriving by the end of the week with their convoy… We can't send someone to them that is insubordinate, and unreliable, you do realise Butsuma..."
… what?!
"I do. And she's reliable, the future of our clan rests on her supporting Tobirama's leadership! He's ten, she's eleven, as my children it was grand time for them anyway…"
"Time for what?" interrupted Hashirama, hints of panic in her voice.
"Time to meet our allied clan, the Uzumakis", stated Butsuma flatly. "You're going to spend time with our cousins from Uzushio. Yes. You and your brother.
It's already decided. Your uncle Rambuto volunteered as an escort and liaison to your time with them over there."
… WHAT.
"But… Why?" blurted out the girl, almost jumping on her feet.
"Because the Uzumakis are our natural partners, and we will need their support now more than ever with a direct war with the Uchihas coming" stated Tobirama.
"And as Heir of the clan and future Hand, spending time to acclimate with the Uzumakis and their future leadership will foster that alliance… cement it", the young boy added sharply.
"As expected from the future Head of this clan", complimented Akanji, eyes twinkling wickedly. "Furthermore, we'll be expecting you to pick up a few useful tools we are currently lacking amidst our clan…"
"Tools we'll be needing for our efforts against the Uchihas", grumbled Tolerama, still glaring at all of them in the middle of the circle.
Tobirama bowed his head toward the elder, as Hashirama felt wrong-footed. If her uncle needed to be detached from his responsibilities in the village to go with them to some distant land… while the rest of the clan would be warring the Uchiha…
"How long - how long will that commitment be?" Hashirama asked warily.
The elders exchanged a knowing look with Butsuma, before the tanned man turned to his daughter, answering her.
"Three seasons will have come and gone before we assess your respective progresses. Then, you'll join the rest of the clan in the war effort."
Three. YEARS.
Three years away from her people, her village!
Reeling from that second piece of information, Hashirama was almost reduced to a mourning silence.
Almost.
"I can be useful in the effort here and now! Why would you send me away at such a critical time? Besides, Tobirama is the heir of the clan, he can't be outside our borders this long, to such a distant land at that", she tried to argue awkwardly. "His value…"
The sentence was left hanging in the air, everyone understanding.
"Precisely", Butsuma indicated. "That's a strong signal to send to our enemies, if they know we are strengthening our bonds with the Uzumakis this much…
They are a strong clan. We are investing in both of you developing into strong enough shinobis to make a real impact here, on the war, once you're done with your time there…"
"That, or it can be perceived as an act of cowardice, hiding our youngest shinobis…" remarked Tolerama's perfidiously.
Butsuma ignored him.
"Your brother Itama will remain here, at Lord Butsuma' side", completed Kojirama, throwing an annoyed glare at Tolerama. "It'll be just the two of you, your uncle Rambuto, and an aide for your day-to-day needs."
A small inclination from his head allowed Rambuto to speak.
Tall and tanned like their father, he distinctly lacked the stern look Butsuma had accustomed them to. Though, he currently made a remarkable effort in somewhat emulating it.
"I volunteered to be the one going to Uzushio with you", the man reiterated matter-of-factly. "We'll go with Uzushio's convoy once they arrive here and have linked up with us. As a result, we don't want to be caught in a full-scale battle with the Uchihas until then", he added grimacing.
Butsuma nodded, the council of Elders too in front of him.
"Agreed," said Butsuma, looking at them all. "The Uchihas will scale up their operations pretty soon in the region, we have little time to make that trip to Uzushio possible for you."
Deciding the session with the Elders had gone long enough, Butsuma put an end to their discussion, to the three elders' glowing irritation.
"Tobirama, Hashirama, the decision has been made and you have been notified by the council," the Senju's leader stated, indifferent to the sour and angry faces the three Elders were making behind him. "This is confidential information; you will not be talking about what transpired here with anyone in the village until further notice.
Lady Rukia will be helping you prepare what you'll need to prosper in Uzushio, she has experience with that village... The three of you can go now, we still need to discuss with Bô-san. You are dismissed."
The two children and their instructor bowed in front of Butsuma and the council before exiting the room swiftly.
Butsuma could have sworn the last look on his daughter's face was meant to convey a single idea to him…
I won't forget this, Father.
Good.
She needed to never forget this in his eyes…
And as he turned to Bô-san, alongside the councilmen, he swore he would never forget what this event had cost the clan either.
.
.
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Author's note: And so, end the time between Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha… Time as friends, that is.
Thank you for reading the eighth chapter of Hashirama's journey as a shinobi!
Only two chapters left before the end of this first season, things are getting into position for the end of this part of Hashirama's life... and the beginning of another!
As usual, next chapter is scheduled for next week!
Hopefully you all had a good read, dear readers! See you next time!