Tales of Konoha: Hashirama's chronicles

by LaNuitaDesOreilles

In a world where violence reigns and children die, where war and strife are a shinobi's reality… a young girl intends to provoke a revolution! Her journey will take her through the Land of Fire, among tenacious friends and treacherous foes, in quest of powers beyond her understanding… or control! Her name is Hashirama Senju. This is her story. AU. Fem!Hashirama. Rated M.

15. Vendetta

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 II

Chapter Five: Vendetta

---

.

.

.

The man stopped.

Small pools of chakra and heat were approaching at a leisurely pace… Tainted, somehow, by an indescribable veil of danger and corruption…

This deep in the woods, on Aburame territory? Maybe - maybe - his quest was coming to an end…

Reacting to what his senses had perceived, the man suppressed his presence, smothering his chakra to the best of his ability while hiding against the nook of a tree.

The night was blemished with the small lights of a crescent moon, but it wouldn't be enough to expose him in the ambient area.

Darkness reigned absolutely here.

Peeking over to the side, the tracker observed the two individuals walking through the forest lazily.

Wearing scarlet robes, they were very different in stature. One was a man of generous build, with muscles visible through the fabric he wore, while the other one was of a much smaller size - a woman, or a teenager maybe.

Clothes were covering half of their faces, leaving only their eyes and a band of skin around them discernible.

And between them, rose the tattoo of an unmistakable symbol.

The cultists.

The duo he'd been tracking for months now, right under his thumb.

So, his quest was coming to an end…

Shibuya held off his breath.

Focus.

He needed to focus.

He'd have one shot at this - just one.

Messing up wasn't an option.

As the two cloaked individuals went deeper in the forest, the tracker slipped away in the trees above, shadowing every one of their steps, quietly waiting for his opportunity to come.

For it would come, either willingly or forcibly.

.

.

.

---

Madara stifled a yawn… He felt sore and cranky.

The journey back to the village had been treacherous.

Their little group of shinobis had to foil several attacks against the regular troops of their Daimyo.

Bloody skirmishes from minor clans that had led Madara to distinguish himself once more in front of Daymio Yoshimoto and his generals and had cemented once more his father's desire for him to take more responsibilities in the clan affairs and the conflicts at hand.

The last part of their journey back to Uchiha territory had been uneventful though.

The celebrations once they came back to the village had been quiet: despite all the accomplishments made, the Uchihas were still embroiled in constant warfare, especially against the Senjus, and it took a toll.

The stream of dead shinobis was never really interrupted…

Upon arrival, Tajima and Daichi had immediately vanished.

Madara, Izuna and Hikako had been left to their own devices and they had had the day to settle back and learn of the village's current affairs: the triumphs - theirs chief among them - and the defeats… and losses.

Madara's success was tarnished by the rooting of one of Daimyo Yoshimoto's retainers at Muraki in the northeast, a couple of days before their return.

It was said the Senjus had precipitated the fall of the castle into their own Daimyo's hands, the ferocity of their ninjutsu frightening the defenders into submission.

Furthermore, the Hagoromo clan had been crushed.

A swift response after the failed attempt from the Hagoromos to cleanse the Senju village from its vital elements: children and women had been targeted in the dead of summer, while most Senju forces were dispatched to fight their Daimyo's war near Kiyosu and Muraki.

The Senjus had managed to drive off their enemies, despite their inferiority.

Moreover, one of their younger ninja had been able to track the Hagoromos back to their home, a feat deemed impossible due to the vast underground network and maze-type environment the Hagoromos had designed in their caves for centuries…

After the fall of Kiyosu and Muraki Castles, the Senjus came back and, one night, in force, made an example out of the Hagoromos: only a tenth of their numbers had been able to escape either capture or onslaught and those few survivors had taken refuge in Uchiha territory, in a special location gifted by them.

All this had contributed to a sombre and tense atmosphere around the village.

The Senju Clan had showed once more they were the only ones able to defy the Uchihas in open warfare.

Madara wondered how much of this would transpire in the evening ceremony…

Said evening came quickly, with Madara preparing to head to the Naka shrine with his father Tajima. Dressed in a simple tunic and a wide kosode embroidered with the clan's blason on the back, Madara moved behind his father Tajima as they joined the gathering of Uchihas near the shrine, soon after the sun had settled.

Madara noticed there were mainly senior shinobis and elders in the procession.

Veterans.

Aside from him, there was only one other ninja indicted, the long-faced and stern son of one of those senior shinobis, Subaku.

And beside him…

"Cousin."

Madara bowed respectfully in front of the raven-haired woman standing in front of him.

"Rûta-san."

Hikako's older sister, Rûta, was one of the rare female shinobis who joined the battlefield whenever the Uchihas were operating outside their territory.

"It's been a while… I've been told of your exploits by Hikako. Quite impressive."

"Thank you, Rûta-san."

"Fancy a little spar tomorrow?" she asked, eyes twinkling. "I'm not due for a mission in the next two days."

Subaku next to her winced. Madara chuckled.

They both knew how brutal her taijutsu was, it seemed…

"I'll look forward to it, dear cousin..."

"Excellent. If Hikako can benefit from this, the better, I'll ask her to join us… I don't suppose you know Subaku-san well?"

Madara didn't know the older ninja at all, only that he had been involved in several fights against the Hyugas recently and had come out of them unscathed - which was proof enough of his skills.

"I've heard of your fights against the Pure Clan… You must be strong," stated Madara matter-of-factly.

"Our Sharingan is," simply said the man, turning his attention back to the shrine.

A man of little words then, concluded Madara inwardly. Strange.

Rûta had always been a very no-nonsense type of person, so it kind of made sense that she would have someone like Subaku in her circle, yet...

Madara briefly wondered how the two of them knew each other, before turning his head toward the shrine as well: the people were moving in it.

The mane of his father Tajima had just disappeared into the ground…

The ceremony was about to begin.

.

.

.

---

The moon had barely furthered its path across the night sky when Hashirama caught up with the fugitive priest, as he was crossing a small clearing.

"Tanobu-san!"

Her shout hung languidly in the air as the man slowed his run to a crawl.

"This is as far as you'll go."

The priest stopped under the shades of the trees, looking at Hashirama with both a frightened and desperate expression, eyes bulging almost out of their sockets.

"You… you have to… help me… Hashirama!"

He seemed to be struggling to even form words.

His appearance was shocking: his clothes were tattered and bloody, his face was gaunt and feverish with exhaustion…

He looked nothing like the man that was doing his duties only hours earlier…

"Tanobu-san, what -"

"I... am… not in… control… LOOK OUT!"

The priest lunged at her ferociously, but despite the initial shock of his appearance, Hashirama had been anticipating an attack and quickly blocked his hit, before sweeping him to the ground and holding him there with an armlock, using her body and feet planted in the ground to weigh him down.

"What do you mean?" asked the young Senju, still nervous. "Tanobu-san?"

But the priest wasn't listening anymore.

His eyes were fixed in front of him, and his skin turned even paler if that was possible.

A derisive clapping came from the forest, catching her off guard, and causing her to look up as well.

"Looks like we caught a small lamb" said an amused voice from the shadows. "At the hour of the Rat, no less! How appropriate..."

Two individuals emerged from the forest at a leisurely pace, a small shadow followed by a larger figure.

They were barely visible, wearing scarlet robes that seemed to turn them in prolongment of the night, and half their face was invisible - they were masked with large, black clothes.

The other half was as dark as the clothing they wore though, and their eyes were bright into the night, a reflection of vibrant grey and green full of malice.

Hashirama tensed - those two, their presence… she couldn't properly sense them.

The affinity she had with nature… Somehow, it dimmed in their vicinity, as if there was a void where their chakra signature should have been, a void that disrupted the natural order of things… Nature energy itself seemed to avoid them entirely.

How could it be?

Who were they?

The way they moved, their postures… they felt like shinobi-trained, and yet…?

"Are you the ones who did this to Tanobu-san?" asked Hashirama, eyeing the approaching figures warily. "Forced him to attack the other monks and steal the Silima?"

"In the flesh" cackled the one who had been clapping his way into the clearing.

"Good", said Hashirama, steeling her resolve.

Her hand was vigorous: she knocked out the monk with a chop to the neck mercilessly.

Nothing that would be harmful to him in the long run, but he would wake up with a severe migraine, that much was certain…

Grabbing the Silima from him, a jewel of dim light in the obscurity that vanished in her pouch, Hashirama got up, dusted off the earth from her armour and switched stance, closing in on the two strangers as well.

"This means I don't have to go easy on you", she stated simply.

The two strangers exchanged incredulous looks - they didn't seem accustomed to people menacing them, Hashirama realised.

They probably were the ones doing the menacing usually…

"Oh really?" finally said the jokester of the two, his grin a little bit forced this time. "That's a bold statement to make for a lone kunoichi… That stone, the one you just seized? It will be coming with us, you know…"

"Besides", interjected the smaller one for the first time, "what about him?"

A *pang!* resonated in the clearing as Hashirama felt something hard push against her armour… She pivoted reflexively - the weapon meant to stab her ripped on a metal plate instead, just as she back-handed her attacker in the same momentum.

It was the monk.

"Tanobu-san?!"

The monk, pushed back to the ground, lunged at her once more and this time, Hashirama forcefully grabbed his arm, before sending him flying in the air away from her.

Hashirama watched Tanobu slam into a tree violently, slump to the ground in a heap… before getting back up, the same expression of terror and confusion marring his face.

She didn't hesitate.

"Doton: Gancchûrô no jutsu!"

Several pillars of earth shot out of the ground and encased the screaming monk, stopping him from escaping.

For now.

The Senju teenager narrowed her eyes in worry.

The monks of the Fire Temple were much sturdier and stronger individuals than the standard commoner; some of them could even rival the shinobifolks in prowess…

But having lived alongside them for several months now, the girl knew the man before her shouldn't be able to shrug off the attacks of a shinobi like her so easily…

Something was amiss here… and she couldn't shake up the sinister feeling she had ever since she caught up to Tanobu-san earlier.

What he was going through… Was it the result of a jutsu?

Tanobu-san was beside himself, saying he wasn't in control, yelling… It had to be a technique, something different than simple genjutsu manipulation…

What kind of jutsu could do that to someone?

"I'll dispose of her, she's grating my nerves" declared the larger enemy, interrupting her train of thought. "Besides, I haven't done any offerings in four days, that's stretching it."

Offerings?

"Alright Tô-san, but be quick about it," said the other man, crossing his arms, and leaning back against a tree. "Her back-up can't be far behind, that stone is too important for the Fire monks to send only one person after us."

The denominated Tô seized her up and down, a cruel smile on his lips; Hashirama stood her ground, despite the feeling of sickening jitters creeping on her.

"Now, how should I proceed to dispose of you… quickly", he said in a mock tone.

Hashirama didn't raise the question, likely a rhetorical one.

She had to focus.

Those two enemies, she knew little of them, except for their ambition to steal the Silima and their ability to control the actions of others… somehow.

Being on her own… keeping her distances until she had properly assessed their respective abilities seemed prudent. She would rely on her ninjutsu as much as possible….

If they knew I was on my own here, this fight wouldn't be so casual to them… and offerings? What did he -?

She heard before she saw - the trees' leaves ruffled by something rushing their direction.

Something big.

Friend or foe?

A figure shot out of the trees and landed in the middle of the clearing, feet causing cracks to the ground where it landed.

"Bwahahaha! So this is where the party is going on, I see!"

Gasping, Hashirama looked at the giant figure that had emerged from her side of the forest…

A tall, humongous man boasting an arrogant grin.

Sasuke-san.

No way!

"Her back-up", grumbled the same enemy than earlier. "Predictable.".

"Sasuke-san! What are you doing here?" demanded Hashirama, still dumbfounded.

"What do you think, little birdie?" Sasuke taunted mysteriously. "Part of me wanted to see the fuckers that did a number on the congregation…"

But Hashirama could tell this was a bold-faced lie from the man: had he really been here to deal with the two enemies, he wouldn't have entered the clearing like this, instead of staying in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike them…

Furthermore, his arrival worried Hashirama a great deal: the two enemies had to be messing with her perception of natural energy… She wasn't an expert at sensing like Tobirama, but still, with her senjutsu chakra, she should have felt Sasuke coming from behind her miles before he actually arrived on the scene… Instead, it was the racket that he had been making in the trees that alerted her from his approach…

"In that case Sasuke-san," started the girl, collecting herself, "head back to the temple with the Silima… I retrieved it from Tanobu-san… You should be able to protect it from any enemy."

Sasuke eyed the struggling monk behind her doton release…

"And why would I do that exactly?" claimed the man lazily.

Hashirama was taken aback.

"You just said…"

"I said", Sasuke interrupted, " 'Part of me wanted to see the fuckers that did a number on the congregation' - that's all."

He smirked, his unibrow becoming even more pronounced as a result.

"Barring my curiosity, I'm not actually here for them…", he continued, now facing her, "I'm here for you."

Hashirama's heart missed a beat.

"Rules at the temple made it impossible to really spar on its ground… but out here? Ohhh, that's not the same at all, is it?" Sasuke said with a hungry expression.

He's insane! He came all the way here just to fight me?!

"Don't be foolish! Now is not the time for that kind of distraction…" tried arguing Hashirama. "The Silima…"

"I don't care about that relic", stopped Sasuke. "All I care about is to know how strong you really are…"

"Don't you dare interfere with my mission, Sasuke!" Hashirama menaced angrily. "Stay out of my way!"

"And what if I don't girlie?" taunted the man provocatively. "You're from the prestigious Senju clan, Hashirama… A powerful kunoichi with a good frame… With the current conflicts, I have to see your worth for myself."

That… PIG!

Seething with suppressed anger, Hashirama's eyes tracked the small movements of Sasuke-san.

For better or worse, the man seemed serious about fighting her now, despite the presence of real enemies…

Sasuke-san and the two attackers… Could she deal with all of them at the same time?

She knew Sasuke-san was a powerful ninja… but how powerful, really?

Either way, he was forcing her hand.

She had promised to bring back the Silima to the Fire Temple, and she would honour that promise, no matter the consequences… or the opposition.

"I will show you… how serious I am when it comes to dealing with the likes of you!" Hashirama stated sternly, drawing on her chakra. "You will swallow your words."

Sasuke grinned.

He couldn't have done a better job riling her up…

Good.

"More interference, huh?" cut in the larger enemy, turning toward Sasuke in annoyance. "You wanna die too, boorish-san?"

"Now, watch your tongue, freak!" retorted Sasuke, vexed. "You've got a death wish? "

"Funny you should be talking about death…", said the second man, humourlessly. "We'll kill the two of you in the name of the one true Kami! He'll take great pleasure in devouring your souls."

"As if you'll be able to do as you please…" stated Hashirama harshly.

"Watch me," said the man in a very final way.

The four shinobis stared at one another.

Black eyes into grey eyes.

Marron into green.

All confident in their respective skills… their respective strengths.

Indifferent to the sobbing and pleading of the imprisoned Tanobu, under the watchful stare of the crescent moon.

Somewhere in the canopy above them, a howl hooted.

.

.

.

---

The three swords sang as they met mid-air, clashing for dominance.

The pain was immediate - and violent. Rattling daggers under his skin…

His head was on fire - Tobirama didn't realise his hand had opened reflexively as he fought off the spasms seizing him.

His life would have ended right there and then if it weren't for Renji managing to push back their opponent's sword, allowing him to dodge the follow up hit intended for him.

Somehow, the enemy' sword was channelling potent raiton.

With his present repertoire, this was less than ideal, all things considered, thought Tobirama to himself as he tried to jog off the stirs in his arms and legs.

His eyes met those of Renji.

"Futon: Toppa!"

"Katon: Ensakkai!"

The months of training and understanding gave birth to a firestorm, emerging from the large orb of flames and the all-encompassing whirlwind.

The combination attack dove onto the enemy shinobi, obliterating everything on its path.

Something shifted in the air as the firestorm made landfall: a shunshin!

"Behind you!" Tobirama yelled to Renji as he bounded in the other direction.

The swing of lighting was brutal enough to cut the rocks behind both Senjus.

Had they not dodged, this would have been a swift end for them both…

"So even at a distance, that sword is dangerous…" Tobirama said sourly, landing on the ground. "What kind of craftsmanship went into its creation, I wonder… Renji-san, be very careful!"

"Aye."

A question kept nagging Tobirama's mind: how did this man and his companions manage to reach Uzushio's mainland?

To his knowledge, it was a first, something deemed impossible thanks to the Uzumaki's network of defences.

The whirlpools… this reeked of an inside job, complicity… or treachery.

"You shouldn't be here", declared Tobirama calmly.

"Yet here I am, fufufu…"

"How did you do it? Reached this deep in Uzushio?" insisted the Senju Heir.

The other looked at him with a cocky smile, unfazed.

"Wouldn't you like to know, huh? Boy."

The enemy shinobi started to play with the handle of his sword.

Tobirama had never seen anything like it.

So different from the tantô or katana shinobis usually wielded… and more dangerous.

Such a strange weapon…

"You know, it's a wonder - how is a child like you still alive?" the man asked in a mock tone. "In my country, shinobis your age have been dead and gone for a looong time…"

"Oh really? So that makes you what for surviving this long, an exception?" scathed Tobirama.

"Something like that, fufufu…"

The other shinobi looked at them gleefully, a dangerous smile on his lips, the tantalising song of his sword echoing in their ears.

"I don't like dragging out my battles… Here to resolve our current predicament quickly, fufu" chuckled Byakuren while going through mudras so fast his hands became a blur.

"Brace yourselves! Suiton: Suishoha!"

An explosive wave of water submerged the corridor in an instant, engulfing the two stunned Senjus helplessly.

Water…out of thin air?

Tobirama was swept under as he wondered how skilful in suiton their opponent had to be to pull this off. Then it was as if he was under fire, and he thought no more…

The pain…

He'd never felt such pain in his life. His body was twisted by the force of the jutsu, he couldn't breathe, was struggling to stop the water from forcing its way in his lungs, the pressure… so heavy… so dizzy…

He crashed.

Hard.

Expelling involuntarily a shout of pain, the water took advantage mercilessly to drown Tobirama even further.

Staying conscious became a battle of wills, between his and the water's. Pressuring every parcel of his body in an uninterrupted agony, it was a death' sentence.

He would die here… he would…

He wouldn't let it end here.

Chakra!

Diving into his network, he drove as much chakra as possible in his organism, fighting off the burning in his lungs, halving the pressure on his crushing head… an uncanny feat in such a maelstrom of water.

But this was too much.

The pressure was too much!

He felt the surge of pain once more - his head would split open in two…. Killing him. He couldn't allow it to spread, he couldn't!

And as he pushed more chakra in his head, his head pushed back pain onto him.

Who would break? Which part of him? He had seconds to live...

Suddenly, the pressure diminished, becoming easier to manage by the seconds and a calmness seized Tobirama's mind despite the raging waters engulfing him, torturing him...

His brain… he'd crossed the mountain and found himself on the other side - a tipping point.

The pain was no more…

He would be alright.

In this moment of perfect clarity, Tobirama forced chakra in his hands, latching onto the hard thing that was crushing him alive.

A calculated gamble...

Time froze.

Then, the pressure let up and coldness embraced him.

His hands planted in a wall of rocks, Tobirama breathed, loudly.

He was still among the living.

.

.

.

---

Tô felt the rush of adrenaline in his veins…

A familiar thrill whenever he was about to finish off a prey…

First, he would take out the big man with the unibrow: he looked the bigger threat and was seriously getting on his nerves. Then, he would deal with the girl, she'd be no match for his prowess!

He wouldn't allow Kurukai to interfere, those two were his targets! His!

He would be the one offering them to his mighty Lord, that would please him… much more than any ancient relic ever could.

*SHUNK!*

"... - eh?"

Why was he falling off all of a sudden? And - he couldn't feel his body… ?

Hashirama was the first to react to the shocking assault.

"Mokuton: Shichūrō no Jutsu!"

Roots around her responded to the sudden stimulation; they erupted from the ground all around the new arrival and enemy shinobis before clasping thunderously in the air.

Hashirama cursed.

The newcomer had skilfully dodged the wooden cage, using it as a support to prop himself up in the air.

So fast!

Hashirama didn't remember seeing someone moving around like this, she had barely caught the shinobi's twin blades movement that cut down the now downed big enemy…

Even his comrade had managed to dodge her improvised prison…

She definitely needed to improve on the speed of this particular Mokuton ability.

The dual-bladed warrior pelted forward, only to be stopped by Sasuke's punch, almost landing on him; instead, it clashed with the ground and broke it with ease.

The unknown man landed further away, still hidden in a large coat, a hood covering his face and sleeves hiding his hands - only parts of the blades he was holding were visible.

His gaze was focused on Hashirama and - to a lesser extent - on Sasuke now.

Wondering… if what he had just witnessed was reality or a simple trick of the mind.

The power to animate trees, and vegetal life?

It had to be a special ability, a kekkai genkai of some sort…

That girl… He recalled her: she radiated energy, just like she did when he saw her in Suwa, all these months ago…

A kunoichi of such power… and so young!

"Impressive… You seem to have some… unnatural talents yourself", said the remaining attacker of Tanobu, the smaller man of the pair. "How many more reinforcements should we expect?"

"He's not with us! countered Hashirama. "Besides, what's it to you? I'll stop you right here,"

Roots emerged faster than the first time, swirling around the enemy before closing abruptly, as in her peripheral vision, Sasuke and the strange shinobi clashed mid-air, in a tilting *klang!*.

But the log collapsing in the middle of her cage indicated the failure of her second attempt at capture.

Sasuke vaulted above her to dodge a series of shuriken and landed at the edge of the clearing.

"So, this is her power…", he muttered while glaring at her Mokuton. "Time to shake things up," declared the golgoth while going through a set of mudras at top speed. "But first Hashirama, let me see your guts!"

"Katon: Gōen no Jutsu!"

A powerful flame stream almost caught the Senju teenager off-guard, forcing her backward.

As the girl moved around, Sasuke kept pressing her with his jutsu, his gaze and expelling mouth following Hashirama in her trajectory, unrelenting.

The technique incensed the night, drowning the eerie spread of the moon under its blazing light, highlighting the frames of the warriors speeding in the pocket of space offered by the forest around them.

Shibuya dodged the flames, already rushing toward the other cultist at top speed.

And just in time too: the man had almost finished the preparation for his ritual.

"I won't let you do as you please" the shinobi said as his blades met his foe's pronged kunai head-on.

"You won't have a choice", retorted the other man, resisting the pressure.

"Won't I?" smirked Shibuya, as he channelled his chakra nature into his blades.

The other reacted but too late, as Shibuya's blades' sudden sharpness cut the kunai in half and sliced up its holder's upper arm before he could fully disengage.

Kurukai swore as a sudden stream of fire forced him further back.

"Tch!" snarled Hashirama as the flaming assault finally stopped; she had retreated further into the wood, using the trees to protect her from the flames and smother them where she could.

The clearing had been singed by the fire and, to his credit, Sasuke had stopped short from burning down the woods with his attack, begrudgingly impressing the girl with his accuracy and control.

Yet, she knew the surroundings wouldn't support a prolonged fire assault from the combatants here.

And of course, as a result, she had lost sight of the two other fighters.

They were facing off at some distance, surveying each other after the previous skirmish.

"You have yet to experience the terror of Jashin", stated the cultist named Kurukai, seizing a pair of modified sickles strapped under his robe.

Shibuya frowned.

These modifications… They were similar to the ones his clan used to bear in their arsenal…

Could it be…

"It was you… You are the one who attacked my village!" he exclaimed loudly.

"Hmm… I have attacked so many villages on my journeys…", taunted the other.

"Takenomi village!" spat Shibuya, showing for the first time signs of anger.

"Who knows? Maybe I am… so what?" Kurukai said tauntingly. "What are you going to do about it? Who the fuck are you anyway?"

Shibuya gritted his teeth.

His parents.

His clan…!

Kichi.

Their son…

He had lost everything that day…

"I am… Vengeance…" muttered the roaming shinobi, shaking with suppressed anger and malaxing chakra rapidly. "And you? You are dead."

Their faces… He could see them in his mind's eye… Scrutinising him… Judging.

"Sô-ryuken: Shikei Mikazuki!"

Kurukai saw the shinobi in front of him jump.

He saw the angle he took and how fast his rotation was.

He even knew how to dodge the blades and avoid their strike.

Yet…his body stood there, unable to move, the sickles lying to his side immobile, as the mesmerising descent of the mysterious shinobi came to an end.

His blades sank deep in the man's flesh, and beyond - Kurukai fell swiftly on the ground after that, as the echoes of another battle reached his ears.

"Get lost!" said Hashirama as she reached the ground, following another flaming assault from Sasuke who didn't left her unscathed.

"Bwahahaha, not bad at all" complimented the man, unrelenting in his pursuit. "Now, what will you do about this?"

"Katon: Karyū Endan!"

"Doton: Doryuheki!"

A giant maw of roaring flames erupted from Sasuke's mouth, crossing the distance instantly between the two of them, so powerful it tore the ground appart before clashing for dominance with her earth wall.

Such power! It won't hold! Hashirama realised with a start.

As if on cue, Sasuke increased the potency of his flames, so much that the creature of fire he had shaped became white, illuminating the area as if the sun itself had landed in their clearing.

Hashirama closed her eyes, blinded.

She had but seconds.

Once more, the Senju teenager called forth the brimming life under their feet as she faced this new struggle.

To help her.

To protect her.

Could she muster it?

"Mokuton: Jukai Heki!"

Hand clasped as if in a prayer, the forest responded to her call.

Roots and branches of engorged sizes erupted in front of her at high speed to form a shield, sturdier and wider than anything she could have mustered on her own.

Hashirama marvelled at the wooden wall that took the brunt of the fire assault once her Earth wall collapsed.

Her burnt hand didn't hurt anymore, healing faster than she anticipated…

What were the limits of her mokuton?

Could she push this ninjutsu even further?

With her breakthrough in senjutsu, it seemed other abilities in her repertoire had also benefitted from her development.

Sasuke grinned.

That girl…

Her powers were incredible.

This wood technique… He'd never seen something like it.

So versatile. So fast! And to withstand his Fire Dragon Flame technique, it had to be extremely durable too…

Hashirama Senju.

Only a teenage girl… but already a better prospect for his clan than any of the women he'd been proposed to in recent years.

The Senju clan was only rivalled by the Uchihas in the Land of Fire.

Even he could admit that…

But as the Heir of the Sarutobi clan, with the military might he could provide, an alliance would be seen as beneficial at the very least to the Senjus.

A bet, for it would mean the Sarutobis cut their ties with Lord Matsudarai in the war, one of Daimyo Yoshimoto top general… and necessarily put them in the crosshairs of the Uchihas…

But a Senju-Sarutobi alliance would crush anyone, even the Uchihas, he was certain of it!

And what better way to strike an alliance, than to join both concerned clans through a marriage?

Besides, with her powers and the Senju forces, Sasuke was sure they could finally break the hold of the Shimuras in the northern regions as well, maybe push them back for good out of their territories…

Speaking of enemies, the two others seemed to have ended their duel too, with the monk's remaining attacker lying on the ground in a sea of blood… The unknown shinobi seemed somewhat competent at least, Sasuke thought to himself…

That thought almost cost him his life.

A root had erupted out of the ground to form a spear which landed where he was at top speed.

The second one almost nailed him in the air; if it hadn't been for his reflexes…

"You are not messing around Hashirama, heh…" Sasuke said amusedly.

"Last chance! Drop this and let me focus on Tanobu-san's attackers!" parled the kunoichi.

"No can do, little bird!" countered Sasuke. "I have my reasons to test your strength, and this is the perfect opportunity to - "

Sasuke's words were cut as a weapon emerged through his abdomen.

"Sasuke-san!" cried Hashirama in shock.

"The perfect opportunity… to what? Pray tell…" murmured a voice in Sasuke's ears.

It was the first warrior.

The one that foreign shinobi had killed first… Not just killed.

Decapitated!

"Impossible…! That… other guy… axed you!" spat Sasuke, blood coming up his mouth.

"He did" said the man, amusement evident in his voice. "But I have to admit something… I don't work like you guys no more… And thanks to your death, Lord Jashin will keep favouring me… Oh, look at this! Here comes the cavalry."

*SHUNK*

Pain brutally erupted in Hashirama's chest.

She looked down, and was astonished by the sight of the metal protruding from her chest…

Red with blood.

Her blood.

Hashirama fell on her knees.

She had a hard time reconciling the pain caused by the tanto that pierced her own chest.

Breathing suddenly became a challenge.

She felt drowsy and nauseous, and the blood wouldn't stop…

"Wha- how…?"

The song of a clashing blade answered her final question.

The unknown shinobi had blocked the hit from the first one and pushed him back, as he took with him the gravely injured Hashirama.

Somehow, his opponent had survived his attack too and overcame its genjutsu-laced strike…

Two on one weren't good odds, but Shibuya could bet that the key to this fight would be the girl's wood techniques.

With her, maybe he'd be able to defeat the pair in front of him…

"I know you have healing powers, kunoichi… Time to use them!" stated Shibuya forcefully. "I can handle myself, but two cultists at the same time is a challenge, even for the likes of me."

"C-cultists?" blurted Hashirama, writhed with pain.

The ninja nodded.

"Those two… they are part of a death sect that worships a being they call 'Jashin'… They are extremely dangerous. Their rites revolve around the murder of the innocents."

"You are awfully well informed, foreigner," interjected the one named Kurukai.

It looked like he'd never been sliced by his swords, Shibuya noted grimly. An uncanny ability to recover from deadly injuries… They would be a mouthful to deal with!

"I've been tracking your movements for months", Shibuya stated, trying to buy time. "The families of your victims mandated me to find you and bring you to heel. My family… demand that I see that vendetta to the end."

"And I… need to end all you fuckers!"

Sasuke-san's chakra… it was building up, fast.

And strong.

Potent enough to radiate off of him… And the temperature… Hashirama felt like her skin was burning up.

Burning up from the outside… Discomfort seized her as air dried suddenly and became hot enough to render breathing impossible.

Was this the air around her that was changing? Or the injury she received playing tricks on her mind?

No.

No tricks.

From up close, she saw the discomfort settling on the face of her would-be saviour, and the sweat slowly pearling on his front… The temperature's atmosphere had spiked somehow.

The enemy shinobi who had attacked Sasuke-san was forced to retreat, cursing under his breath, as the molten blade he used dropped to the ground in a gleaming puddle, and the wound inflicted closed in hiss and smokes.

His comrade was astounded.

"What is this? What are you?"

"You're going to taste my true power" simply answered Sasuke-san, his whole body ablaze with blinding flames, eyes exploding with heat. "And the one of my clan."

Sasuke smirked, pointing a single finger toward the cultist, with his coat of flames seemingly drawn to that single point.

"Katon: Mizudeppö no jutsu!"

Hashirama barely saw the projectile.

Propelled through the air with tremendous force, only to squarely land on the shinobi.

A terrible crack followed by an inhuman yell came immediately from it, and the man collapsed under himself, unable to hold himself together as a roaring fire engulfed him…

"Let's see how you comeback from that," muttered Sasuke.

"Bastard!" yelled the remaining cultist. "You'll pay for this!"

Gritting her teeth, Hashirama took the opportunity to look at her wound.

To her amazement, there was no trace of it anymore, except for a scar and the blood that had tainted her armour. The unknown shinobi's had been right... Her healing ability was reaching new heights!

"How did you-"

"Your turn both!" cut Sasuke. "Hashirama, show me your power once more!"

Hashirama didn't think: she jumped as high as possible, avoiding the fire projectiles aimed at her.

It devastated a series of trees, leaving copious trails of destruction visible from far above.

"Bad move", commented Sasuke, following the drop of the Senju kunoichi through the air with his technique. "Now, you are mine!"

A blade came to cut his arm, causing the surprised warrior to hiss in pain…

"You are a problem that needs to be removed", detailed the unknown shinobi neutrally, forcing his blade deeper...It stopped at the bone.

"Your blades survived my Katon mode…", grunted Sasuke despite the pain and severe wound, "and you coated yourself in chakra… are you related to the Hyugas?"

"Do I look like one?" spat the ninja, realising his miscalculation.

Sasuke smirked.

"You look like a dead man to me!"

And, without hand signs or tells, the flames around him engulfed a stupefied Shibuya, forming a dome of fire around the two warriors.

The deflagration resonated kilometres around them.

.

.

.

---

Aching, Tobirama looked around, only to see the receding wave swirl around the cavern majestically, and a crumbling dome of earth where the remaining water was escaping.

There was no trace of Renji. And Shingo…?

"Unfocused brat!"

The young Senju jumped out reflexively from the wall he was encroaching on.

A beam of light met the space where his head should have been in a beautiful swirl…

Tobirama wondered how he didn't hear the weapon coming to life next to him.

He grunted as he landed on the ground., all his previous clarity now gone.

And his back…

The pain was coming back in full force after receding…It was dulling his mind…

His injuries would be soothed if he dulled the areas with chakra…

It was the only way he knew to overcome the struggle momentarily - he needed to remain functional at least until the battle was over... He didn't know how he had managed to suppress the pain with it earlier, but he'd be cursed if he didn't try to make it happen again.

Consciously pumping chakra in his network, Tobirama observed the man landing in front of him.

Using genjutsu on Shingo… Trying to paralyse them with his sword Vajra… and now, a Suiton jutsu powerful enough to roll them over…

Despite the smirks and the insults, this enemy seemed to approach every assault very deliberately, trying to incapacitate them in some way before striking a finishing blow.

Acute preparation and efficiency were at the cornerstone of his combat prowess.

He'd have to be careful not to fall into one of the man's traps or genjutsu…

"Thinking hard, are you? You seem a bit more focused than earlier…" said the man, changing stance. "So. You have noticed it, right?"

Tobirama tensed, watching him confusedly. What did he mean? The other smirked.

"You are in my territory now. Watch."

And emerging from the water on the ground… More enemies.

All similar to the man in front of him.

Clones.

No, not normal clones… Those had substances, made of water…

They were real!

Capable of harming him!

Tobirama cursed.

It was the first time he faced an opponent with such a large array of dangerous techniques, and the chakra reserves to match it.

Water clones…! He never thought it was possible to create clones out of real material…

Furthermore, the water around him represented a new hazard he had to be wary of, a malleable weapon for his opponent!

The clones lunged on him at once, all in a similar fashion.

Drawing a kunai alongside his katana, Tobirama met the first ones head-on.

*KLANG!*

His kunai blocked one of the clone attacks, while his katana slashed at him from the side, cutting him in half, exploding him in a geyser of water.

Two others came close to behead him - the Senju teenager had jumped backward just in time to dodge them. His kunai flew in one of the clone's heads and it too exploded in a small mass of water.

They are weak, thought Tobirama while trading blows with another one of them.

This… All of this… He's trying to distract me! I can't lose sight of him, or I'm done for.

As if on cue, the remaining clones rushed him all at once, a smirk on their face and their hands making a familiar seal… No way!

"Kai!"

The shouts echoed dozens of times in the cavern, but the sound was overcome by the repetitive explosions which shook the ground and blasted spikes of water at top speed, planting even in the rocks making-up the cavern.

Tobirama's eyes opened.

He was still alive it seemed…

A dome of rock was now surrounding him… Renji's technique.

His elder was looking tense and harboured a nasty cut on the chin but seemed unscathed otherwise.

"I have to admit, this was impeccable timing Renji-san…" Tobirama said breathlessly. "I knew you managed to survive," he added while looking around. "Shingo-san?"

"He's fine, I got him when the attack first hit", Renji said matter-of-factly. "I stashed him in the greater cavern… I'm sorry Lord Tobirama, my technique was too slow in protecting you."

"As long as I'm not dead, I don't mind", brushed away Tobirama. "Did you see an opening?"

Renji grimaced, uncharacteristically for him.

"At short range, he has this pesky sword that can paralyse you or worse… at long range? His ninjutsu is flawless and the water around us makes it more versatile and harder to read… If we are to prevail, we need to get rid of one of the two. And in that case, I'd say, let's combat fire with fire - though it would be poorly adapted to our context…"

So, taking out his long-range option, and snatching up the battlefield from his grasp…

It had a certain appeal, Tobirama admitted.

"What of his sword though? By using suiton, we expose ourselves to it… We'll need to occupy him long enough to disarm him."

"I'll provide an opening for that, my lord. You'll take care of the rest", assured Renji confidently.

Tobirama nodded.

"Very well. Let's do this."

Renji went through a set of mudras before slamming his hands on the dome.

"Doton: Tobi Tsubute!"

The rock dome exploded outward, sending shrapnel of rocks flying at top speed through the cavern, as the two Senjus emerged in an instant.

"You are quite the persistent lot" snapped the enemy shinobi, from the cover he just had had to take from their jutsu.

"You don't say…" said Tobirama, waving his hand signs quickly. "Suiton: Mizu Kamikiri!"

"Suiton: Suijinheki!"

Tobirama's stream of water raced through the ground at high speed, cleaving it in half, before clashing with the other's wall of defensive water. The two techniques annulled one another in a loud water explosion, which reverberated around the cavern.

Passing behind him, Renji struck the other shinobi.

His tantô went in without resistance and the other crumbled, turning into a puddle of water.

"A fake", snarled Renji, frustrated.

"A good one!", came a voice from above him. "Suiton: Suiro no jutsu!"

The water at his feet immediately latched at Renji, who cursed himself for his carelessness as the spherical trap closed on him.

"No more Doton technique for you, fufu… Let's see how long you'll last in here!"

A small tremor in the air was the only thing that allowed Byakuren to save his life. He felt the air fend itself as something tore through it and reacted instinctively, jumping sideways.

A crushing pain followed him as he landed near a wall of rock farther to the other Senju now facing him.

By… the kamis…

No way… NO… WAY…

Rage seized him, as his pain exploded.

"YOU… My eye… My fucking left eye… You… YOU will pay for this! Kh-!"

Blood was pouring from the open wound on his face as his hand came to rest on it desperately.

That kid had arrived at such an angle… he had been completely blindsided… and suppressing his presence to this extent…! He was a natural when it came to assassination techniques…

Byakuren cursed.

Chances were… his eye was definitely lost.

The pain was almost debilitating. He'd have to pull through this fight on grit alone…

"Maybe I will", responded Tobirama serenely. "But it won't be with that weapon."

And in one motion, he slashed open the water prison with…

"Vajra! You stole it… from me!"

"That I did", muttered Tobirama while checking on Renji.

A pulse.

Good.

His chakra had plummeted so quickly, Tobirama thought he was dying.

That water prison had to have been more than that… Maybe syphoning chakra off of the opponent was actually its main goal…?

Either way, Renji-san was out cold.

So, he'd have to carry the torch on his own regarding this enemy shinobi… or at least, until the other Uzumakis shinobis came here to his aid.

Gauging the handle of the blade, the young Senju turned his sight on his bleeding enemy.

The man was definitely incapacitated by the injury he gave him earlier.

Even if he was probably expecting it, attacking from his left side whenever it was possible should be his top priority - there's no way he would be able to defend properly against him while wielding that weapon.

Vajra, huh.

A strange name for a strange weapon… It seemed to activate when he poured chakra through it…

Very strange, yet very powerful…

Right now, he didn't need to master it though - just use it properly to pressure his opponent and exploit any opening given.

Tobirama charged, not dwelling on the idea any further.

Byakuren reacted immediately.

"Suiton: Sensatsu Suisho!"

The boy was pierced from all sides by hundreds of water needles shot from the various puddles of water on the ground, vanishing on the spot.

A clone!

Byakuren whirled around immediately, pushing as much raiton chakra as he could muster in the chokuto drawn in his hand.

"KZZINNT!"

Sparks flared where his weapon and Vajra met.

Despite the atrocious pain and dimmed vision he struggled with, he didn't miss the flash of surprise crossing the face of the teenager.

"Predictable" spat the older shinobi as his knee connected with the chin of the boy, and a follow-up kick sent him flying across the ground.

"Too predictable", added the man while going through mudras.

The most potent technique of his repertoire.

Now!

"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"

An insane amount of expelled water took shape in a monumental creature, darting toward the reeling Tobirama with thundering speed.

"Suiton: Suijinheki!"

Harnessing the water already present in the cavern to add it to his own, the teenager produced a giant wall to match the roaring dragon aimed at him.

It crashed into the defensive water, collapsing the two jutsus in a giant wave that engulfed them, and everything in the cavern, mercilessly.

.

.

.

---

"Those fools… I'll deal with them as soon as I dispose of you, girl."

Having dodged the fire bullets from the one named Sasuke, the larger and revived cultist, Tö, had met the teenage girl in the air, kunai in hand and hate in the heart.

He struck hard and Hashirama wondered once more how he came back to life after the deadly injuries he received…

Not that she was one to talk.

"Your life is potent, and your powers… You might be a great sacrifice, maybe the greatest! to our lord" commented Tô.

Hashirama gritted her teeth.

The wound she had received… It was a fatal one, she was sure of it.

But her body had overcome it, healing despite the pain, the damages, the blood loss… Just like on Okama's lake.

Yet, it had done it on its own, without her trying to harness natural energy… Was it due to her residual absorption of it? A by-product of that incident?

But now wasn't the time for those questions.

"What have you done… to Tanobu?" demanded Hashirama, still reeling from her survival. "And why make him steal the Silima?"

"This is none of your business, kunoichi!" said her opponent, launching himself at her.

They clashed several times, Hashirama maintaining him expertly at bay.

"You are not aiming for my vitals…" she finally realised. "You are stalling!"

"Close enough", the man said, a kick aiming at her chin that she dodged quickly.

Even quicker was the weapon under the man's foot that jolted toward her at full speed, grazing her neck.

To her surprise, the man jolted too, after his kunai, that he caught mid-air.

"Clever trick, using chakra to keep that kunai under wrap… but it missed," Hashirama said, catching her breath.

"Oh, did it?" said the man with a smirk, his tongue running the length of the kunai as he landed atop of a tree.

The Senju girl felt uncertain with his response… Was the kunai coated with poison?

But even if it was, surely with natural energy…

"Now… Your doom," finished the man, interrupting her train of thought.

BA-DUMP.

The strain was immense, stopping her in her tracks - it was as if someone had cut her legs off.

Ba-Dump.

Her senses seemed to fizzle out, dulling her perception…

"What -"

Ba-Dump. Ba-Dump. Ba-Dump…

Hashirama was on her knees, struggling to even breathe.

"Witness the power of Jashin… and despair!" gloated the cultist from above, as he radiated from chakra more and more...

She felt weak.

Sick beyond measure.

How was this possible?

What did he do to her?

Ba-Dump.

Her heart…It was in a frenzy.

While she could feel the enemy's reserves of chakra explode…

Somehow, some way… her opponent was syphoning her dry of chakra… had to be…

And at this pace… Hashirama realised she wouldn't survive. She had maybe seconds left…

So she did the one thing she could still do.

She abandoned her body to the Warmth and the Warmth took it.

Sasuke cursed.

That bastard!

A Doton technique that drove the enemy in the ground… Somehow, his enemy had escaped the onslaught of his flames to counterattack instantly… This pressure… He couldn't breathe …

Pain shot up as he tried to move his arms around - an impossibility that drove home more pain.

And his flames… The heat… They were struggling yet turning on him…?

Sasuke couldn't believe it…

It was the ground… the very earth was turning to bricks of molten rocks around him, a prison that was slowly cooking him alive…

Unless he released the Katon mode, allowing the molten earth to claim him for good…

That FUCKING bastard!

He was stuck… and suffocating… and the heat…The Katon mode was going to fade…

He had to pick his poison.

Fast…

He chose.

He wouldn't go down so easily.

"Katon: Taiyouka no jutsu!"

For a brief instant, Shibuya was blinded.

He shot out of the ground, his jutsu rendered useless, his instinct screaming for him to go away, away from the earth itself…

The detonation was phenomenal.

He landed atop a tree, seeing glass and a burning crater where once was a clearing, and horror gripped his heart.

Such power…

And at the centre of the deflagration stood the wild shinobi, his halo of fire dimmed but still surrounding him, watching him with a ferocity that almost overwhelmed Shibuya.

Almost.

"You won't get away with this", Shibuya murmured in his ears as he buried once more his sword in the man, deeply in his torso.

His displacement had been so fast, Sasuke didn't see it - only felt the steel piercing him again…

"Good", assured the wild shinobi, grabbing the piercing metal and pointing his hand at Shibuya. "You neither"

A flash of fire made the two fighters disappear.

.

.

.

---

The two shinobis both jumped on the giant wave, riding it and trading blows as it travelled to the greater cavern.

They landed on the ground there, panting.

He's stronger than I had anticipated, Byakuren realised, and that injury… I need to finish this quickly.

The boy had had the right idea.

Thanks to this battle, there was enough water in the area to do his special jutsu… Fufufu, that kid had it coming…

"Suiton: Kiri no Jutsu!"

A mist, thick with chakra, blossomed around them, in which Byakuren soon vanished.

Tobirama gritted his teeth.

His opponent trying to blind him meant only one thing: he'd have to be extra-vigilant, rely on his senses and be ready to react at once to any attack coming from this environment.

"This cavern will be your doom."

Somehow, the voice of his opponent came from everywhere, echoing throughout the wall of rocks…

A distraction.

He needed to focus on his ability to sense his opponent's chakra…

Closing his eyes, rendered useless, Tobirama searched for the closest well of chakra and focused on it.

Large and eerily cold, despite the muddiness of the fog… There!

The enemy was moving around, never staying in the same place for more than an instant, and he was doing so silently, the fog smothering even sounds.

With this unnatural mist, this combination was dangerous… was he an assassination specialist?

Tobirama's senses suddenly spiked.

"Suiton: Sensatsu Suisho!

Tobirama went to the ground fast, trying to make himself as flat as possible as the deadly water needles flew above him - then rolled sideways.

The blunt impact on the ground next to him made him realise this move had just saved him from certain death… and now, as he jumped back, his mudras were complete.

"Suiton: Suidan no Jutsu!"

Aimed in the direction of his attacker, the jet stream moved with Tobirama's head and tore through the mist in a wide, flexible arc, pulverising rocks somewhere further.

He'd missed!

"Even with one eye, I'm still the superior shinobi!" barked Byakuren as his kunai charged with Raiton tore through Tobirama's side easily.

His timing had been perfect.

Finally!

The boy blurted some blood, before crumbling to pieces on the ground, in a heap of rocks.

Byakuren jolted backward.

A substitution!?

"I've been fighting dojutsu practitioners my entire life…" came the boy's voice from right behind him. "When it comes to vision… one eye isn't going to be enough to overwhelm me."

Byakuren froze.

They were back-to-back?

Something odd was happening here… how did the boy manage to slip behind him?

With his injuries, this kind of movement shouldn't have been possible… And yet…

Byakuren could tell, he didn't seem to be suffering from his injuries anymore… To be able to blindside him twice in the same fight…! and this fake calmness…

The young Senju was fully aware of that.

The clarity he experienced… the effect of his chakra… his head…

He was starting to understand what had triggered everything.

It was a step in the unknown… but also, what allowed him to surpass his opponent in this instance.

I… won't last long this way, Tobirama realised plainly as he felt the enemy shinobi tense behind him. No matter what, this fight needs to end with this next move.

With the deep understanding that speed would be the key…

Tobirama smirked.

"Now, you are in my domain... Watch."

Byakuren pivoted immediately to try and stab him… but Tobirama was already gone.

Now standing a few metres from him, the young shinobi started to move around him, at a little pace first, before moving more and more rapidly, not allowing him to break through…

Soon, his movements became difficult to follow for the one-eyed Byakuren.

"Trying to exploit my blind spot, huh?" spat the older shinobi, gauging the option of escaping from above. "I'm aware of it, there's no chance of success for you there!"

"I know", said the Senju as he came from under his guard, "and I don't care."

Fast!

A beam of light swirled forth, cold water and sparks rained down briefly in the air, and the two shinobis jumped back, suddenly separated by the rest of the cavern.

Byakuren held his left side angrily.

What tremendous speed!

The boy's movements were completely different from before…

Despite his injuries, his strength was overwhelming! What kind of trick was this?

If it weren't for using a half-assed water clone to blunt the hit, that boy would have decked him for good…

Almost did anyway, his left side wasn't looking good… Between that and his trashed eye…

"Over here!" shouted the Senju boy suddenly. "One enemy left!"

Reinforcements?!

Just this instant, three other shinobis appeared, one landing next to Tobirama, as the two others positioned themselves immediately around the foreign shinobi to cut off his road.

"We'll take it from here", assured the older of the new arrivals, a shinobi with a stern look and a bald head, "Let's deal with this scum! Shosuke! Narou!"

"Ha, not happening", growled Byakuren while going through one-handed signs.

"Suiton: Daibakuha!"

A series of explosions shook the cavern, as all the water used and infused previously with chakra detonated, forcing the remaining shinobis to scatter around while disorienting them.

Tobirama took cover against the sowed chaos and projected debris.

Maoru Uzumaki was forced to cover as well, moving with Tobirama and opposite the two Uzumakis that were with him.

"He's escaping!" shouted one of them.

"Can you track him?" asked Maoru to the young Senju.

Tobirama tried to shut out the folly around him.

But as he dove in his senses, a new wave of fatigue hit him, forcing him to kneel for an instant.

A tribute, for the strength granted earlier, Tobirama thought to himself, as his breathing became laboured…

"... You're exhausted," grumbled Maoru. "Quickly, after him!" he barked at the two other Uzumaki.

Tobirama knew it was a pointless effort.

It was too late; the other shinobi had vanished...

Looking at the handle of the sword he held, Vajra, he breathed roughly, pondering on what he'd stumbled upon during this fight.

Something new.

Something… unexpected.

His chakra.

It was as if… as if he had unlocked something in him with it.

Something hidden.

A well of power he wasn't meant to access, and yet did... All that, from thrusting his chakra in the places he needed most at the time.

In his lungs.

And in his head.

The implications… He'd have to discuss this. To study this. Moreover…

"Maoru-san… we need to collect the others… and head back… to Uzushio", panted Tobirama. "I fear… of the consequences…"

Maoru Uzumaki eyed the young Senju Heir gravely, before nodding.

"We will."

.

.

.

---

Impossible!

But was it, really?

The world worked in mysterious ways, Tô was the first one to admit it.

If it weren't for Jashin, he wouldn't be here today, facing those shinobis in a burning forest…

But the power of his god was absolute.

That girl should have died the moment he had cursed her.

In fact, he was sure she was well on her way to be a new sacrifice, when a tumult of energy came through her, a green hue enveloping her and sending her wrestling to the ground, marking her skin, her face…

When she rose, the figure standing in front of him suddenly radiated power…

The power of nature itself.

For the first time since the beginning of their fight, the man felt a twinge of worry.

And his hate was triggered.

"... Who are you?"

"The one who will do what the monks of the temple cannot - protect what they cherish outside their walls, and stop you murderers, for good", stated Hashirama calmly. "You stole the Silima, a sacred artifact at the Fire Temple… That was your last mistake."

"... The Will of Fire", spat the man. "You are not like the other monks… You didn't renounce your life to embrace it… You are going to carry their message outside their walls."

"I only carry my own convictions and what I believe in. The temple was just… an eye-opener."

The other remained silent, while flashes of fires pierced the air not far from them.

They were aware of the fierce battle juxtaposing theirs.

Sasuke-san and the other shinobi were still clashing close to them.

They had to be careful, being aware of them as well as of the opponent in front of them was paramount to surviving this battle royale…

"We are natural enemies," concluded Tô, in a very serious tone for the first time. "Dealing with you takes precedence…"

"Try it", challenged Hashirama, clasping hands.

"Do or do not, there is no try…" smirked the man.

Hashirama blinked.

He was on her, weapon swirling in an arch-move.

As she dropped backward, her palm came out rapidly, deflecting the metal above, unbalancing the attacker.

She followed-up with her other hand hitting the ground while head standing, stimulating the roots within.

"Mokuton: Shichūrō no Jutsu!"

The roots came to her much faster than on her first attempt: the attacker managed to evade the first ones but had his leg caught by the erupting cage of wood - and soon, his entire body but his armed hand was immobilised.

That wasn't enough.

With a burst of strength and chakra, the man slashed up the mokuton holding him, and surged forward, plunging on Hashirama like a bird of prey.

The girl didn't know if she was more impressed by this display of supreme power, or by the sheer tenacity of her opponent…

In any case, he was putting the chakra he stole from her to good use, his movements were nothing like earlier.

As before, his weapon came close to cutting her in half, reinforced by the spurge in strength of its wielder - only thanks to her senjutsu enhancement did she manage to anticipate and react faster than her opponent's attack.

Despite his strengthening, she started to have a good read on his movements now - she even deflected the weapon once more, to the man's growing frustration.

Close to their battle, another man was subject to strong annoyance at his opponent.

"Not sure how you cockroach keeps surviving my attacks" snarled Sasuke as Shibuya appeared in a tree above him.

"Your attacks are boorish and crude - you won't overcome me this way" answered Shibuya calmly, eyeing him from above.

"And yours aren't putting a dent in me at all", countered Sasuke. "Guess you won't achieve anything either that way."

"I know," Shibuya said simply. "It's not an issue though. Not anymore, now that you can't move."

Sasuke started to scoff, then blemished.

He was right! His muscles… they weren't responding to his command!

"Genjutsu", he spat. "That won't hold me."

"I know that too", assured a voice in his ears. "But that will."

Sasuke realised he was restrained by ninja wire, a net extending all around him from his surroundings.

That was impossibly fast!

Unless…That bastard… all those times he had come close only to run away in the trees… he had been planting all of this!

And laced him with a subtle genjutsu to make him miss them in his environment…

And they were holding despite his flames! How…?

"I imbued the wires with chakra", detailed Shibuya when seeing Sasuke's expression. "It won't hold long though, so if I were you…"

Sasuke eyed the intricate lines all around him, marred with thin, marked papers...

"Explosive tags."

"Correct", answered Shibuya. "I suggest you power out of your Katon technique before the wires get inflamed: even your chakra cloaking wouldn't protect you from their explosions...

Having his hands forced like this incensed Sasuke - he had been sloppy, this guy knew perfectly what he was doing and adapted to his tactics without problem…

"Whoever you are… I won't forget what you did", snarled the Sarutobi Heir.

"I don't care", said Shibuya flippantly. "You were in my way, and now you aren't, that's all that matters."

Shibuya moved into the shadows.

He would have only moments before the two remaining fighters realised his combat with the fiery shinobi was over.

The girl was having the upper hand on her opponent, dodging, deflecting or countering his attacks with an ease that came more and more naturally to her.

The other cultist was laying on the ground, his corpse still burning from the earlier jutsu.

And the monk… The monk was watching him. A smile thick with malevolence.

What is the meaning of this? Shouldn't he have been released from the other's control?

This was an unexpected development.

He knew the cultists had access to a vast array of powers, but that those could last even beyond their death?

And that change in demeanour… This was worrisome.

Hashirama caught the wrist of her overextending opponent and, in a swift move, snapped the man's left wrist cleanly, as easily as if it was made of twigs.

Her foot came to rest on the man's jaw as a follow-up, shattering it.

The pain was difficult to manage, even for Tô, who struggled to stay up and conscious...

"So, this is your limit", stated Hashirama calmly. "I've been waiting for this moment; I knew the chakra you stole from me strengthened your powers - but only temporarily."

The other chuckled, despite the pain he felt.

"You had time to solve this mystery, huh…"

"Not quite," murmured Hashirama," but I have time to end this."

She could feel the trum of life at the ready, in the very ground she stood on.

Ready to be unleashed.

She would oblige.

"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kôtan!"

The clasped hands signalled the emergence of greatness.

In the ravaged clearing, suddenly, there were roots emerging at a fast pace, jutting out of earth and growing through rapid evolution and the gift of senjutsu chakra.

Hashirama gasped - it was the first time she felt the mokuton she created, the dense life force that was stimulated and taking shape.

It was as if the trees had become an extension of herself, new limbs that responded to her as her hands or feet would at the slightest of her inclinations.

It was exhilarating.

The remaining cultist stood no chance.

The trees seized him and took him to the sky, the same way they did her all those months ago on Okama's lake.

Hashirama asked them to stop when they were well above the canopy, their prisoner out of reach to anyone but her.

She turned.

The shinobi who had come to her help earlier stood there, weapons in hands and thick branches cut to pieces all around him.

Hashirama could feel his chakra coursing through his weapons - to be able to do that to her mokuton… their edge had to be unparalleled.

"You've recovered" stated the ninja crisply.

"Only thanks to your help earlier", said Hashirama. "And you… put an end to Sasuke's rampage it seems", she added while looking at the immobilised figure behind them. "So, I have to thank you twice."

The ninja bowed slightly, before turning to the imprisoned monk.

"Something is wrong with him, the jutsu didn't release after the caster's death."

Hashirama turned toward Tanobu-san, looking at him worriedly.

She stifled a gasp.

His chakra… it was gone. Gone!

A void had settled in its stead and the brief glance she exchanged with him confirmed her suspicion: something tragic had occurred to Tanobu.

For it wasn't Tanobu that looked back at her… but something else.

The monk felt the same way as those two cultists, Kakurai and Tô…

"He needs to be taken to his congregation at Fire Temple", she murmured. "Maybe… maybe they'll be able to break the hold of… whatever seized him."

The other shinobi stared at her.

"I see. And the artefact too, needs to go back there, I presume?"

"It does. Will that be an issue?" Hashirama warned.

"It won't… But you need to be aware that they'll come after this artefact again."

Hashirama looked at him, alarmed.

"What do you mean, "they"? Besides those two, there are others?!"

The ninja acquiesced, harbouring a sombre look as he looked at the twisted monk.

"There are. I'll explain as we make the journey back together to the Fire Temple… This way, you can suppress the other cultist while I'll keep an eye on the "monk"."

"Hmm. And Sasuke-san?"

The man didn't answer right away, examining the corpse of the cultist he killed, before snatching a scroll from under his cloak and making the body disappear in it, to Hashirama's astonishment.

"I hadn't expected to see Uzumaki scrolls this deep in Fire country", she commented.

"They are useful", simply said the man, putting back the scroll in his affairs. "As for the other shinobi… He's trapped. For now. A ninja of his talent will be able to escape eventually, but we'll be long gone by then. "

"I… see."

Hashirama refrained from asking too many questions.

The simple fact that stranger had such scrolls in his possession told her she had someone she could at least trust on a basic level: the Uzumakis kept careful eyes with whom they did business with. Besides, he had removed Sasuke-san from the vicinity…

She was fine not having him around her. More than fine…

"A journey you say? In that case, let us greet each other properly. My name is Hashirama!" said the Senju girl, bowing deeply. "And I thank you for your assistance in this battle."

"... Shibuya", simply nodded the other.

"Nice to meet you Shibuya-san", Hashirama said while recollecting the last cultist in his mokuton bind. "Shall we go?"

And as the ninja called Shibuya took for prisoner the former Tanobu, he answered simply.

"Aye. We shall."

.

.

.

---

Accessing the shrine itself was a quick affair.

Descending the stairs rapidly, people entered a modest chamber with a low roof and a permanent cold seeping through its walls.

The shrine was simply adorned, with little furniture save for a large stone tablet in its centre.

Madara caught the look of reverence several persons threw at the object before sitting.

So, the real treasure of the shrine was this stone tablet…

Before Madara could ponder further on it, the rest of the gathering started entering the room, following suit after him, forcing him to keep moving as they positioned themselves all around the room.

"Madara! How are you feeling?" asked Daichi-san as he approached the youngster.

The master-at-arms still looked worned out from the battles they had against the Akimichis… Some of his injuries would take time to heal, and it showed.

"I'm fine" answered the teenager. "This place is… simple."

"Yes, it's quite bare", admitted the older ninja. "No need for decorum here though, the messages themselves demand simplicity."

He eyed the stairs and Madara followed suit: the village's elders were there, all four of them: the tranquil Soiku, Teuchi - Daichi-san's older uncle, Tran, his wife and one of the sole kunoichi of her time… and Maïto Uchiha, his father's predecessor as Clan's Head.

"Ah… everyone is now here," said Daichi. "I'll see you later Madara."

And he moved next to Madara's father, Tajima, who was occupying one of the prime positions in the room, discussing with a couple of other senior shinobis, one of them, Madara suspected, being Subaku's father.

The elders waited for everyone in the room to settle as they came to the forefront of the gathered crowd, before Maïto, the oldest of them, moved forward.

Maïto Uchiha had been one of the most powerful shinobi of the clan for decades - and it showed.

Despite the years, he still stood straight, with the still large frame of someone who must have been formidably strong in his younger years…

Scars showed on the patches of skin that were exposed to their eyes, testimonies of the battles and suffering the Uchiha elder had endured.

His hairs were long gone, but a lengthy beard of white mingled with black seemed to compensate for their absence - a rarity in the clan, for very few men harboured one of those.

Or a vanity choice, Hikako's tongue would have probably whipped in Madara's ear had she been allowed there… Madara did his utmost to suppress the chuckle that suddenly menaced him.

Maïto's eyes came to rest on both Madara and Subaku who were seated in front of him, with their respective fathers behind them.

A passion was burning in them, that surprised even Madara.

It was enough to suppress the mirth that had taken him the instant before, and he stood to attention as the man started to address him.

"Madara-san, you overcame the filth from the South, crushing the Yamanaka-Akimichi alliance you were facing, and gifting Daimyo Yoshimoto with the Toi gold mine, an invaluable asset to his war effort. You showed true Uchiha mettle that day. Congratulation."

"Thank you, Maïto-sama", bowed Madara.

The elder nodded and turned his attention toward the other Uchiha warrior.

"Subaku-san, you overcame the filth from the Coast, securing the caravan transiting to Sora-ku from the greediness of the so-called "Pure Clan". This city will stand longer thanks to the prowess you displayed. You showed true Uchiha mettle that day. Congratulation."

"Thank you, Maïto-sama", said Subaku solemnly, bowing as well.

Maïto nodded before addressing the assembly.

"We are gathered today to welcome Madara-san and Subaku-san among us, as both true Uchihas. You both proved your values and the value of our clan to enemy shinobis. They shall tremble against you and the prowess of the Uchihas!"

"Aye!" chorused the crowd automatically.

"This marks the Oath of Dawn!" declared Maïto with surprising vigour.

He made a sign, and one of the other elders, Teuchi, advanced toward them, seizing both their hands. His were warm.

"Madara-san! Subaku-san! Do you swear to keep the secrets of the Uchiha Clan you will hear between these halls for yourselves, from here to the day you die?" barked the elder, his strictly tied hair contrasting with the sense of freedom they seemed to allude to.

"I, Subaku Uchiha, swear it."

"I, Madara Uchiha, swear it!"

"Uchihas, have you heard their words?" growled Teuchi.

"Aye!" cried the crowd as one voice.

Teuchi nodded toward Maïto, before letting the old kunoichi Tran Uchiha take his place.

"Tell us of the origin of our clan, Tran-san", said Maïto quietly.

The former kunoichi nodded, looking at the assembly, then at the two ninjas facing her.

"Are you familiar with the story of our forefather?" she started simply, her eyes brimming with kindness. "The story of Indra Otsutsuki, whose children went on to form our clan?"

Otsutsuki… A name Madara could swear he'd never heard of, yet a strong familiarity seemed to be attached to it…

"No", finally admitted Madara, still confused about the sensation.

"Tell us", immediately demanded Subaku.

Tran Uchiha complied.

"It's an old Uchiha myth", the elderly woman said. "Indra Otsutsuki was the eldest son of the Sage of Six Paths. He inherited the strength of his father, and, through his teachings, became an innovator, the creator of what we know today as ninjutsu. He's also the one who gave birth to the Sharingan, and went on to develop its dojutsu prowess."

Madara had heard of this story before, but only in bribes.

He knew Indra had founded their clan with his children, but that he was the son of the Sage of Six Paths? And had created ninjutsu? All that was new information to him.

"What happened to him?" asked Madara, interested.

Tran's eyes pierced his, as if she was determining whether or not he deserved to hear the rest of the story.

"Indra was bound to inherit the teachings of his father and lead it", she finally said. "But jealousy and distrust from his younger brother led to a split into their creed and, eventually, to fratricidal warfare. To this day, we uphold the ideals of Indra, whilst our enemies…host those of Asura's."

"The Senjus…" quietly spat Subaku.

"The Senjus", Tran nodded.

"So… we are fated to battle one another, aren't we?" murmured Madara.

In all these years since he had last seen Hashirama, that statement of his couldn't have been truer… Fighting for their respective Daimyo's, their clans clashed constantly.

The last great battle had been at Sora-ku, with the Uchihas defeating the Senjus and putting an end to their ambition on the city.

Madara had slain plenty of Senjus that day, but not one of them had been the girl he knew from his time as a young boy…

"Like day and night, our clans are fated to face each other", Tran said, voice chilling. "The Stone Tablet is the proof."

"And like Indra did, we will triumph over our enemies!" added Maïto with energy.

"Aye!" chorused the assembly of warriors.

"Now come forth children," beckoned Maïto as Tran joined the other elders behind him, "it is time for you to see the content of this Sacred Tablet for yourselves, the words of Indra's father, the Sage of Six Paths."

Impressed, Madara dutifully approached the stone monument, flanked by Subaku.

The tablet was ancient, reeking of old age.

And written upon it, a text, engraved… unreadable.

"Only through the power of your blood can you access the content of this text", indicated MaÏto, eyes flashing red for the briefest of moments. "As true Uchihas, show us the power of your blood!"

The two shinobis nodded, and soon their Sharingan flared in the semi-obscurity, dark crimson-eyes, looking at the Stone Tablet and, with bated breath, reading:

---

/

"Sons and daughters of Indra! Heed those words:

Through Loss comes Power.

Through Power comes Peace.

In one god's eyes lies the ultimate power, a Light to shape and unravel the Universe, guiding Nature's avatars themselves…

At dawn, it shines through the deepest of ravines.

At dusk, the Light fades until it is extinguished forever."

"Sons and daughters of Indra, heed those words and you shall be graced with the Truth forever."

/

"Sons and daughters of Indra! Heed those words:

You will find *******************************, so that ***************************.

You will find ***************************, so that ***************************."

"Sons and daughters of Indra, heed those words and you shall hold unlimited Power."

/

"Sons and daughters of Indra! Heed those words:

Seeking stability ***********************************.

And it is ********************************** that gives ******************************.

It is through ************************************************* that comes ************************.

"Sons and daughters of Indra, heed those words and you shall be Free."

/

"Sons and daughters of Indra! Heed those words:

When *******************************************************************************************************************************.

It is the path to **************************************************************** end all conflicts forever."

"Sons and daughters of Indra, heed those words and you shall know Peace."

/

---

Madara stood in silence.

The air around him was suddenly difficult to breathe… His skin felt crispy and electrified…

It took him a moment to realise that he was in shock… in shock and… brimming with excitement as well.

Nature's avatars… The power to shape the universe… How much further could his Sharingan go? Where were its limits?

This Stone Tablet… He had no idea… no idea… that it could hold the answers he sought to further his prowess. It was the key to reaching a higher level of power…

Madara was so deep in his thoughts that he barely noticed when the last elder, Soiku, started to address them again.

"This marks the Oath of Dusk…Sons of Indra, now that Knowledge has been gifted to you, that you've been made witness of the history of our clan and its secrets… Do you swear to protect the legacy of the Uchihas, from this day until you die?"

"From this day until I die, I will", breathed Madara, collecting himself.

"From this day until I die, I will!" stated Subaku, showing signs of excitement for the first time.

"Let this be heard and recognised by all those present here, then," Soiku said, turning to the assembly.

"We hear you, sons of Indra, and welcome you as our brethren, true shinobis of the Uchihas!" chanted the assembled Uchihas.

Madara met the searching eyes of his father. He was proud.

"Aye!" chanted Madara in response, with Subaku.

"This ceremony is now concluded", said Maïto simply. "Go. Do your duties for the clan. Make us proud!"

The people started to head back out of the room in quiet fashion.

Madara followed his father mechanically as they took the volley of stairs, shaking a few hands along the way.

When they set foot outside, the sun was gone, and the night had settled.

People saluted each other before going their separate ways ("See you tomorrow, cousin!" repeated Rûta as she left with Subaku). Tajima led them back to their home in silence, quietly observing his son as he was deep in thought, absorbed by the revelations he had witnessed.

Finally, once they were home and settled, the Uchiha patriarch turned his attention back to him.

"So, you've been eerily quiet, son", Tajima said as they sat companionably drinking tea. "Any thoughts you want to share?"

Many, thought Madara.

In his opinion, the ceremony had been uselessly grandiloquent and much longer than necessary.

He understood the need for symbols and ceremonies to cement the unity of the clan - he just didn't care for them on principle.

The Tablet itself however… What a mystery! Large parts of it were indescribable, unreadable… but what could be read spoke of power, and the path to follow in order to achieve it…

'Through loss comes power'...

In that, he already had lost much. Brothers that had been gone long ago…

A mother that had disappeared one day, captured during a raid from enemy shinobis near the Naka River, never to be seen again… Cousins and uncles lost to conflicts in his infancy…

Madara was familiar with loss, and the feeling of powerlessness that came with it.

The losses had forged his will to get stronger, enough to protect what remained for him: his father, his surviving brother.

The message was clear in its darkness, though… The losses should be ones of his own doings - not others.

In it laid the means to triumph, Madara was sure of it: not only against the Senjus, but anyone who would stand against his clan. But the price to pay for that…!

The necessary strength to ensure Izuna's future, couldn't be acquired like this, by sacrificing his own family.

As if reading his thoughts, Tajima spoke.

"Now you understand the conundrum that has been plaguing our clan for generations... To acquire the power to protect our own, we must be willing to sacrifice them."

"I won't." declared Madara. "Never."

"And if it's to protect the whole clan? Would you do it?" countered his father shrewdly.

"I would find another way to protect them, another path to power", said Madara mulishly.

Tajima sighed.

He had expected such reactions from his eldest. He had the kindness of his mother…

"You're being naive my son…" cut Tajima. "It's only once they've been through this ceremony that our clansmen and women are considered as Uchihas in the truest sense of the word: we are those willing to sacrifice that which we love in order to protect the clan. Every Uchiha understands that truth and every last one of them is willing to shoulder it after reading the Tablet. As the future leader of this clan, you - more than anyone! - have to be aware of it"

"...Aye father."

Oh, he was aware of it.

Verily.

Somewhere above, the light snores of Izuna reminded him clearly why he would never tread that path though.

He would not risk him… even for their clan.

He would find his own way to power.

.

.

.

---

Author's note: Hashirama and Tobirama's battles came to a conclusion…? And Madara has discovered some truths about his clan… We'll see what awaits them in the next installment!

Thank you, dear readers, for reading the fifth chapter of season two of Hashirama's journey as a shinobi!

Three months in the making.

Simply put, I was extremely ambitious regarding the confrontations in this chapter. And it showed! Between the rewritings, the research and life simply taking over part of my summer… Here we are with the biggest chapter I ever wrote with the longest of time to do it...

Enjoy it, in the coming weeks it's gonna be back to bread-and-butter chapters, I tell you! :P

Hopefully you all had a good read, dear readers! See you next time!