A/N: The turning point =))
Tobirama adjusted the belt of his kimono, quickly donned the traditional dark green haori of the Senju clan, removed his happuri, and placed it on the table. The Senju clan leader's gaze fell upon the orange-brown scroll adorned with the character "Heart" by the side of the cushion: the gift he had prepared for the Sarutobi child a month ago. That was a special jutsu to aid Hiruzen in his journey to becoming a powerful shinobi. Before Sasuke insisted that he come, Tobirama hadn't planned on attending the birthday party. However, he intended to send this scroll for Sasuke to pass on to Hiruzen. After all, the clan leader had never forgotten to give a gift to that little monkey. Well-behaved children always deserved a reward, didn't they?
Speaking of well-behaved children, Tobirama sighed as he used Flying Thunder God Technique to appear on the grass behind the Senju compound and saw his nephew, Senju Shani, hanging upside down from a bar. Mito never listened to his advice regarding the child: she still punished him quite harshly. However, he had to admit that this time his sister-in-law had been more lenient, or at least she thought he had been punished enough. Shani had been hanging here for quite a while; his eyes were tightly closed, drenched in sweat, his heartbeat had slowed, and his arms hung down looking lifeless. Hearing the noise, the boy opened his eyes wide and mouthed, "Help... help..."
The white-haired man quickly untied the rope and supported Shani's upside-down body. In Tobirama's arms, the child clung to his haori and sobbed, "Ji-chan, I'm so glad you came! Hahaue..."
Running his fingers through Shani's red hair, he whispered, "Have you learned to be afraid now? You mustn't do things like this again. Today, your mother thought I had punished you enough, so she only hung you up. If you repeat this, even I won't be able to save you..."
Shani sobbed, "But I didn't do anything wrong?"
For fuck's sake.
"You still think so?"
The white-haired man rubbed his temples, holding back a sigh.
He was truly beyond cure. At this moment, he realized how fortunate Sasuke and Akane were. People always say "parents may be the ones who birth their children, but it's heaven who gives them their personality" (*), and the heavens favored them with a well-behaved and understanding Hiruzen, while his older brother and his sister-in-law ended up with this brat...
(*) A Vietnamese proverb.
Tobirama had always disliked comparing his family to others, so he was never fond of the phrases Mito often used, such as "no child from other families is as unruly as Shani," "no husband from other families would hide from his wife to gamble... alone," and even "no wife from other families would cheer her husband on at a gambling den like I do"—a way for his sister-in-law to reprimand herself. If Tobirama had also subscribed to the "elder brother from other families" theory, he probably wouldn't have been able to resist making himself the younger brother of the village fishmonger (who always grilled fish very well and treated his younger brother in a way that truly exemplified the ideal elder brother everyone dreamed of). Or another ideal "elder brother from other families" model... Uchiha Madara. Tobirama didn't understand why this man's name came to his mind, but his younger brother, Izuna, was always treated like a pampered young master, with great care and attentiveness. Madara cared for his younger brother from head to toe, much like how he now cared for Shani, perhaps even more so. There was even a time when Tobirama and Izuna had a fierce fight, and his explosive tags set the Uchiha's hair on fire. This young master became enraged like never before and swore to kill Tobirama for ruining the hairstyle Madara had styled for him that morning. Putting those matters aside, Tobirama always felt that his own family was his own family. He believed that distinguishing and comparing them was a waste of time compared to trying to find positive aspects in them to live together harmoniously. For example, aside from being unruly and noisy, Shani was a sensitive child who was always obedient to him, and Tobirama hoped that this obedience would extend to others. Similarly, while Hashirama might be very scatterbrained, he can also be exceptionally intelligent at times. And although Butsuma may not be a good father, he would make a great clan leader in times of chaos.
But now that things had come to this, Tobirama couldn't help but sigh: if only Shani had even a fraction of Hiruzen's obedience, it would save him so much trouble.
The child nodded. "If anyone hits you, I'll hit them back."
Tobirama's expression turned serious. "Shani. Madara is not someone you can mess with. I'm still thanking the heavens that he hasn't broken any of your limbs yet. Next time, please stay away from him. And Madara poses no threat to me. Stop harboring such thoughts about him."
"I'm not afraid. What are you afraid of?"
"The issue isn't whether I'm afraid or not," the white-haired man warned. "If you cause trouble with him again... you'll find out. If that day comes, don't call for me. I won't save you."
Shani bit his lip but did not argue. Perhaps he was indeed afraid of Madara.
"Remember my words."
He had been very clear with this stubborn nephew. Madara's unexpected mercy the first time had surprised Tobirama, and he knew there wouldn't be a second chance.
"Tobi-jichan, jichan... What is that orange-brown scroll?" Shani's eyes lit up when he saw the gift for Hiruzen in his hands.
"Today is Hiruzen's birthday. The Sarutobi family is holding a party for him," Tobirama explained, looking at the child with a hint of meaning. "Do you want to go? You two are classmates after all."
"I don't want to," Shani replied immediately, his face showing clear disgust.
"You don't like the noise?"
"No, I don't like Hiruzen."
"Why?" Tobirama's eyes slightly drooped.
"That boy is always showing off," the child muttered.
"Oh?" Tobirama smirked. "Is he that bothersome? Tell me, what do you mean by showing off?"
"He's always helping others," Shani bit his lip in frustration.
"Then that's kindness, not showing off," Tobirama said gently.
"Kindness? He just wants attention," the red-haired child shouted. "All those tricks... I'm not interested! Now, all the boys in class, and the girls, even the adults like the teachers and other shinobi... they all focus on Hiruzen. It's really annoying."
"I think it's you who wants attention," he said gently.
"Of course I do—" Shani trailed off for a moment but suddenly jumped up. "No, I don't—NO, argh! Tobirama!"
"Here's the thing..." The clan leader straightened the child up and brushed the dirt off his clothes. "The Sarutobi family has already sent an invitation for you. Now change your clothes and come with me to this party; it might be beneficial for you."
"Why? I already said I don't like it," Shani gritted his teeth.
"The whole village and the Land of Fire are focused on this party. It's the Hokage's son's birthday. Your mother and Mikatsuki are there. If you take advantage of this opportunity and perform well, maybe people will pay more attention to you."
"I don't care!"
Tobirama patted the boy's shoulder. "If you listen to me, not only will others notice you, but even your mother will change her opinion."
A moment of silence followed. He knew he was closer to winning the argument than ever before.
Shani stared at him, looking somewhat skeptical. "Really?"
Causing trouble everywhere, acting rebellious to attract adults' attention...
This child... he actually just wanted Mito to notice him a little.
"Yes. As long as you stay by my side, greet the adults politely... then go play with the other children. Don't set anything on fire, don't be mischievous or fight, and don't pour water on people's heads for fun. Be a well-behaved child at the party and make a good impression, and big sister-in-law will be very proud of you."
"Hahaue... proud?" Shani's eyes lit up.
Tobirama stroked his nephew's hair.
"Your mother is always looking for a chance to be proud of you, Senju Shani."
"Lady Mito... Lady Mito...?"
"Ah... I'm here... Where were we again?"
Uzumaki Mito told herself she had grown accustomed to the boredom. If, in the opulent palace of the Land of Whirlpools, the lessons on etiquette always made her drowsy with the monotonous voice of the attendants, then at the Sarutobi residence, Mito had to rub her thumbnail against the side of her thumb to keep from nodding off during the old stories told by the ladies.
She realized she had dug her thumbnail in too deeply; the skin was starting to tear. Looking up, she saw Sarutobi Akane's eager face. "What do you think of planting a maple tree in front of my house? Do you think it would be suitable?"
"Good, good. I think adding more trees to your house would be lovely," Sleepiness was weighing down her eyelids, Mito nodded enthusiastically.
Akane pouted. "Sister," the Sarutobi matriarch touched her hand. Mito felt the cold surface of the gold rings gliding over her skin. "You haven't been paying attention at all."
"Sorry, Akane. I didn't get enough sleep last night," Mito said with a wry smile, feeling she was letting down the enthusiasm of this woman. Sitting on the top mat and nearly dozing off, those below would see everything, and what might they think of her? She looked down, tilting her head slightly with demure grace. "Please excuse me."
The other women appeared somewhat alarmed. "Lady Mito... please don't do that, we'll lose our patience..."
"I was the one who acted inappropriately. I'll step outside to freshen up a bit; please continue your conversation." Slowly standing up, Mito tiptoed down the steps, holding her fan before her chest, and walked leisurely past the row of tables where the ladies were seated. The kimono made her feel stuffy; she wanted to find some cold water to splash on her face and cool the hot spots on her arms. As Mito passed by the last two tables to head toward the door, her gaze inadvertently fell upon a black-clad figure slumped over a table. The woman's hand still held a tea cup, but her entire body was limp, with the fan-shaped clan symbol, half red and half white, on her shoulder occasionally fluttering with her breaths. The noise and lively atmosphere seemed to have no effect on her.
Hikaku's wife, Uchiha Aoko, was also dozing off, but no one noticed because she was seated at the far end, behind a row of tables, and out of sight.
Mito found herself smiling involuntarily and whispered to the Sarutobi servant sitting neatly by the door, "There's no need to replace the tea for that lady later."
Upon stepping outside and walking along the engawa, Mito realized that the tea room inside was actually quieter. People were still celebrating around the Red Lake in the Sarutobi compound, and the sounds of laughter and conversation made her feel lighter. It was called the Red Lake because its natural water was red. Mito didn't understand how the water could be red, but the lake was indeed very large and beautiful, brightening the space with the vivid lanterns floating gently on the surface. Children chased each other around the lake, trying to grab toy animals or candy, while the adults joyfully chatted or gathered to watch a ninja perform a fire dance for entertainment. Old people were warmly guided by the servants to watch a water puppet show, middle-aged individuals laughed with their children, and there were a few light and shy hand-holdings from couples who both wanted to show their affection and keep it discreet... This was the scene of a prosperous and peaceful era, but if Hashirama were still alive, he would be unable to hold back tears of emotion for his village and would quickly take out his brush to capture these precious moments, whispering to her that he hoped next year's painting would be even more beautiful, even more so.
"Little sister! How adorable!" Sasuke's son, the charming and sociable six-year-old Sarutobi Hiruzen, was clapping non-stop beside the nurse Ganya. "Mikatsuki-chan, do you remember me? I'm Hiruzen! You look healthier than before!"
Mito could see her daughter looking at Hiruzen with a blank stare, but instead of crying or fussing like she usually did with strangers, her little mouth actually formed a smile.
Ganya was extremely pleased as she looked at Mikatsuki. "Young master Hiruzen, it seems my young lady really likes you. I've never seen her smile like that with anyone she's just met, except for Tobirama-sama."
The sparkling eyes of the Sarutobi boy looked up. "Really? Then we must be quite destined to meet. Mikatsuki-chan, lovely little sister..." Hiruzen gently took the little girl's small hand, looking very careful. "You like Senju-sama too, don't you? I do as well. We're just alike!"
Children couldn't think of much... Mito unconsciously drew a smile, and her daughter on the other side responded to Hiruzen with an even wider smile, her small hand gripping the young Sarutobi's fingertip.
"Can I hold the baby?" Hiruzen asked gently, with a lot of affection in his eyes.
"Well... young master, this...," Ganya said, hugging Mikatsuki more tightly, hesitating on how to respond.
Seeing this, Mito called out, "Ganya! Let him hold the baby."
The nurse looked up in surprise at the sound of Mito's voice. Hiruzen, also surprised, stammered, "L-Lady... Mito?"
"Hiruzen, it's rare for Mikatsuki to take to someone like this. Please take care of my daughter for a bit. Ganya, let him hold the baby," Mito said gently.
"Yes..." The nurse no longer hesitated and stood up, gently handing the little Senju girl to the boy. "Here, support her from the head..."
"Thank you, lady!" Hiruzen joyfully welcomed the child, his eyes filled with affection and cherishment. "These eyes... they really resemble those of Shodaime-sama. Do you like lanterns, Mikatsuki-chan? Would you like to see a water puppet show?"
Mito's smile widened as she watched Ganya and Hiruzen leave.
The Sarutobi clan... along with Hokage Sarutobi Sasuke, truly knew how to bring people together in the village. Almost no household seemed uninterested in peeking over at this clan's residence tonight. It wasn't the proud Uchihas, nor the prestigious Senjus—it was the Sarutobis, warm and gentle, with a touch of their own unique excitement.
Mito was lost in thought when suddenly she turned her gaze toward the entrance—a striking white head was appearing, approaching along with a patch of high moss-green and hair as bright red as hers. Tobirama? And her son too. It seemed Sasuke managed to invite this workaholic, but he also brought along the little brat Shani.
He was still being punished... Her eyes narrowed, feeling slightly annoyed.
"T-O-B-I!" A joyful shout rang out from across the lake. There was no mistaking it; it was Sasuke's voice. Today, the Hokage was dressed more formally than usual, wearing the traditional ceremonial outfit of the Sarutobi clan. However, the more elaborate and different clothing didn't dampen his usual lively spirit. "Over here! This way!"
Her brother-in-law passed by coldly as if he hadn't heard the Hokage's urgent calls. Sasuke's arm froze in mid-air, and the man's face fell into a state of depression. The servants around him began to chuckle softly.
"What are you laughing at!" Sasuke snarled through gritted teeth, but his deep sadness turned the angry words into a sense of helplessness. The servants fell silent but still covered their mouths to stifle their laughter. It seemed that the close friends Sarutobi why-don't-you-pay-attention-to-me Sasuke and Senju the-sound-of-mosquito-is-really-annoying Tobirama had become well-known in Konoha. They were all too used to seeing their clan leader being ignored.
Tobirama tilted his head in greeting to Mito. "Sister-in-law."
"You brought this brat?" Her face stiffened.
"I only did so after his punishment was over."
He explained, but Mito appeared displeased and cast a doubtful glance at her son.
"Tobirama..."
"I promise!" Shani quickly said earnestly from the side. "I promise I'll be good, hahaue!"
"Sister-in-law," Tobirama reassured her. "Shani understands now; he will be a good boy."
"Right, right!" The red-haired child nodded rapidly, but quickly looked down under Mito's sharp glare.
"You'll take responsibility." The red-haired woman tightened her grip on her fan, her voice firm. Sometimes, she couldn't understand what was going through Tobirama's clever mind.
Her white-haired brother-in-law gently smiled as she turned her back to return to her tea room. Mito had left the Sarutobi matriarch and the other ladies for too long; she thought she was increasingly breaking the taught rules and becoming less courteous.
"Senju-sama!" A servant cheerfully greeted Tobirama. "The gift counter for young master Hiruzen is over there."
"Thank you."
Shani hopped around his uncle. "You said that technique is very powerful, right? When will you give me a scroll like that?"
Tobirama placed the orange-brown scroll with the character for "Heart" on the counter. "When you've mastered the shadow clone technique like Hiruzen, this technique will help you enhance your strength…"
"OH NO—!"
A terrified scream pierced across the Red Lake, making Mito, who was leaving, freeze in place, while Tobirama and Shani hurriedly turned toward the left side of the lake. The lively crowd, who had been enjoying the festival, fell silent to listen to what was happening—the screams seemed to signal something terrible was unfolding...
"What's going on?" Mito hurriedly descended to the ground. "Over there is...?"
"YOUNG LADY!" The roar of the nurse Ganya echoed all the way over here, blasting into Mito's mind as if someone had thrown an explosive tag into her brain... Young lady... Ganya... her daughter...
Mikatsuki?
Her limbs momentarily lost control.
What happened to Mikatsuki?
"T-Tobirama…" Mito, in panic, looked around for her reliable brother-in-law but found that he had already gone, leaving Shani, who was horrified, running to the lake's edge. He was panting heavily, staring down at the water with a look of sheer terror. Throwing aside her geta, Mito frantically dashed to the left side of the lake, where she discovered a crowd gathered, blocking her path and causing such chaos that she couldn't reach the scene any faster.
"THERE'S A BABY IN THE LAKE! THERE'S A BABY IN THE LAKE!"
And they saw the host of the party—the six-year-old Sarutobi Hiruzen—standing on the stone platform as if he wanted to leap into the lake, his face pale and his whole body trembling, fearfully calling out, "Mi... Mikatsuki..."
"Hiruzen!" Akane rushed in from somewhere and hurriedly embraced her son. "What are you doing? Don't go down there; the lake is very deep, and you don't know how to swim…"
"Mom! Little sister fell into the lake!" The boy sobbed but refused to go down as his mother instructed; instead, he began removing his heavy clothes to jump in.
"Stop! Hiruzen!" Akane shouted angrily, trying to pull the boy down. "Don't do something foolish— they will rescue her; it's not up to you!"
The moss-green haori was hastily thrown onto the grass. Tobirama had likely already jumped into the water, along with the Hokage Sasuke and some other shinobis. It hadn't been long since she fell; the girl should be fine.
"But I... I caused her to..." Hiruzen bit his lip, tears welling up in his eyes. "It's my fault!"
"Young lady, young lady..." Ganya sobbed, kneeling by the lake. "It's my fault, it's my fault..."
The Senju baby still in diapers had sunk into the deep lake. It seemed unbelievable that such an accident could happen so suddenly...
"Hiruzen, what do you mean?" Akane grabbed her son's shoulders, her voice filled with panic. "Why are you saying it's your fault..."
"She... she... she seemed to like the floating lanterns, looking at them... so... I..." Hiruzen sobbed, struggling to speak, unable to look his mother in the eye. "I was going to get one from the water's edge for Mikatsuki-chan. I left her on the shore for the other kids to watch... I intended to get the lantern in just a moment, but then the kids... they... threw... threw her into the lake…"
"The other kids? Which kids?"
A cold, chilling voice that felt like a feverish shiver echoed, freezing everyone in place as if their limbs were paralyzed, unable to move. Hiruzen and Akane turned to see a splash of red hair spread out to the sides, eyes like molten iron—Uzumaki Mito and her unprecedented rage.
"L-Lady..." Ganya, filled with frustration, said. "Those wretched creatures... after harming the young lady, they ran away..."
"Sister... sister... Mito..." Akane stood in front of Hiruzen, her eyes showing clear worry. "Let's talk this over... don't scare the child."
Mito's face hardened as she looked at the mother and son. "We'll talk later. Stay away from here." As soon as she finished speaking, the Uzumaki woman quickly removed all her accessories, took off several outer layers of her kimono, and jumped into the lake.
Water splashed up, scattering everywhere.
The chaotic crowd watched as the wife of the First Hokage dived into the lake. They all looked down at the water, wondering what was happening and what would become of the child.
"How pitiful..." The onlookers murmured. "I heard that child has always been frail, born with a weak constitution. Even now, she's still sickly, and to fall into such a cold lake..."
A moment later, Sarutobi Sasuke's disheveled brown hair surfaced. The Hokage, with furrowed brows and a very displeased expression, called out to his subordinates. "Not found! We need a sensory type ninja down here."
Mito's red hair also floated in the water. "It's strange; this lake shouldn't be that difficult to search... My daughter... Sasuke, dive again..." she insisted.
The man leading Konoha immediately nodded.
"No need for that!" A deep voice cut across the Hokage's commands. At the same time, the white-haired head appeared, with sharp red eyes staring at everyone. He spoke calmly. "Look."
Everyone turned their eyes in the direction Tobirama pointed, and their eyes widened, very wide...
At that moment, something did indeed appear on the surface of the lake.
The crowd's pupils seemed ready to pop out.
That sound... what was it?
The little girl who had just fallen into the lake was lying in a wooden cradle, not crying or frightened, but laughing merrily, looking as cheerful as a flower, clapping her tiny hands as the branches began to emerge from the water...
Something supporting the cradle from underneath was emerging, causing the water to surge, lifting the cradle about a meter above the lake's surface.
"I understand now…" Sasuke gasped. "There are no trees in our lake... yet when I dove into the water earlier, I saw a large tree growing and expanding, it looked very strange…"
"Is it that Senju girl?"
The tree...
It was the trunk of the tree.
The trunk was growing in the middle of the Red Lake.
The wooden cradle...
"This... it resembles the First Hokage-sama."
"It's Wood Release!"
"Indeed! And such a large tree trunk…"
"I understand now; the young lady must have awakened Wood Release to protect herself when she was in danger…"
The crowd cheered and quickly shifted from shock and panic to awe and admiration. "Wood Release reappears! To what heights will the descendants of the Shinobi no Kami rise?"
In the first year of Sarutobi Sasuke's term as the Second Hokage, Senju Mikatsuki, the daughter of the First Hokage Senju Hashirama, demonstrated a talent for Wood Release due to an accident falling into the lake.
"T-Tobirama..." Sasuke, full of doubt, looked at the white-haired man swimming towards the wooden cradle. "Didn't you say that Wood Release isn't hereditary?"
When Shani arrived, everything had calmed down a bit: his uncle Tobirama was carrying his younger sister towards the shore, while the Hokage Sasuke was helping his exhausted red-haired mother up. Everyone stood in two solemn lines as the Senju man stepped away from the water, quickly taking a thick towel from the nurse Ganya to dry Mikatsuki, and then carefully using chakra to warm her limbs. Uzumaki Mito, with her disheveled hair and wet kimono, was about to leave the water when suddenly a figure appeared at the shore and extended a hand to her.
"Lady, please allow me." The soft, gentle yet firm voice made Mito, who was anxiously watching her daughter in Tobirama's arms, turn her head up. The beautiful, moon-like face of Uchiha Aoko appeared, her amber eyes glowing with kind warmth as they looked at her. For a moment of hesitation, the red-haired woman intended to tell her that she could get up by herself, but the friendly, warm smile made her instinctively reach out and take the other person's soft hand.
"Thank you." Mito smiled gently, lifting herself out of the water, her clothes wet and dirty from the mud at the bottom of the Red Lake. Seeing this, Aoko removed her haori and draped it over Mito, gently saying, "This way, Lady, you won't be cold."
And you won't lose your dignity, the amber eyes seemed to add.
"Th...thank you, Lady." Mito, slightly embarrassed, didn't understand why Aoko was being so considerate towards her. From the time of clan conflicts to the founding of the village until now, she had never met this Uchiha. They were neither acquainted nor had they interacted. Mito's first impression of Aoko, from the gate and the tea room, was that she was very aloof, unpredictable, and cold, not valuing the words of those around her. But she didn't expect this Uchiha to also have such a gentle and caring side.
Akane and the other ladies hurried over to her. "Sister, are you okay?"
"Don't worry, Akane. It's just a little water, nothing to a shinobi like us." Mito pulled Aoko's coat closer around her, moving away from the crowd surrounding her to approach Tobirama. At this moment, she saw Hiruzen standing nearby, looking sadly at her daughter in her brother-in-law's arms.
"I'm sorry..." The Sarutobi boy stared at Mikatsuki with deep regret. "Lady Mito entrusted you to my care, and yet I was negligent and took my eyes off you..."
Seeing this, Mito thought she had been a bit harsh with the obedient child earlier due to her worry for her daughter, so she gently said, "Hiruzen, don't blame yourself. Just tell me who threw Mikatsuki into the lake. And Ganya too..." She turned to the nurse. "What exactly happened?"
Ganya sobbed. "Young master Hiruzen was carrying young lady Mikatsuki just fine when a group of unidentified children—without any clan symbols, so I assumed they were just village kids—came to ask me to buy them some candy. At that moment, I wasn't on guard, and seeing that young master Hiruzen and young lady Mikatsuki were fine, I bent down to pick out some candy for them."
"I... I just wanted to get a lantern for little sister. Some kids I didn't know very well told me to just focus on getting it and to leave little sister by the shore with them. I thought it would only take a minute to get the lantern, and Mikatsuki-chan and the others were always right by the shore next to me... I just looked away for a moment and they took little sister... I'm truly sorry..." Hiruzen lowered his head, speaking in a muffled voice.
"Whoever their parents are!" Sarutobi Akane fumed with anger. "Throwing a baby just a few months old into such a deep lake, such cruelty is truly vicious."
To top it off, they had the heartlessness to ruin Hiruzen's birthday, making the boy incredibly sad. They truly deserved to be thrown into that lake themselves!
Hearing Akane's words, everyone looked down at their own children like machines, their eyes questioning whether they were involved in this incident. Things began to turn chaotic: some children resolutely shook their heads and stomped their feet, saying "no" in response to their parents' suspicions; some cried due to their parents' stern gazes; and some, upset, told their parents that they didn't want to go to festivals anymore, claiming that someone was sure to die if they did.
Tobirama handed his little niece to Ganya and calmly told Sasuke, "Let's not blow this out of proportion just yet. The main culprits probably fled right after committing the act. For now, I'll take Mikatsuki home and deal with the rest later."
The Hokage, with no other option, agreed. "Tobi, this happened at my son's birthday party, so I won't let it go."
Hearing Sarutobi Sasuke's resolute and determined words, those around felt a shiver of fear.
Whether it was a child's prank or a genuine criminal conspiracy didn't matter; what was important was that the victim was Hashirama's daughter, who also carried the Uzumaki bloodline. This would surely send a chilling wave through Konoha. Once those damned kids were caught, their entire families would be implicated.
"Shani..." Tobirama called his red-haired nephew, who was standing there in a daze. "It's okay..." He reassured him as he saw the boy's face as pale as a ghost. "Your sister is still fine."
The Senju boy was about to smile and respond to his uncle's words when a familiar, cold voice rang out: "If he had arrived any later, his sister might have been buried at the bottom of the lake!"
Shani froze, his mind spinning.
It was his mother speaking.
"Sister-in-law," Tobirama frowned. "How can this be blamed on Shani?"
Mito wrapped herself in the bath towel provided by the Sarutobi servants, her eyes reflecting deep exhaustion with no trace of vitality. "As the elder brother, he is still less reliable than a stranger like Hiruzen."
"Sister-in-law!"
"If Akane hadn't intervened, Hiruzen, despite not knowing how to swim, was ready to jump in to save Mikatsuki. Even when they got her to the shore, he remained worried and didn't leave her side." The red-haired woman said harshly, not even looking at her own son. "And you only stood by the lake and watched, not even checking on your sister until now."
Tobirama sighed. "I've told you countless times..."
"Admit it, this child has nothing of Hashi--"
"Sister-in-law, don't say that; he's only five years old!"
"At five years old, Hashirama was already on the battlefield, protecting his brothers and taking blows for me!"
"He's not--"
"Enough." A trembling child's voice interrupted the argument. Senju Shani clenched his pants and lowered his head, speaking softly. "I understood what hahaue is saying."
"Shani, calm down." Tobirama raised an eyebrow, having never seen the child speak to his mother this way before. He was always respectful and full of a longing for affection, gentle, not this cold, pained demeanor. As for Mito, she did not lower her cold, piercing gaze, sternly folding her arms as she looked at her small son.
"That's good if you understood."
How cruel.
Shani swallowed hard, looked up, and with tearful eyes, asked Tobirama, "Please take my sister and mom home. I... I'll go ahead."
He hurriedly turned away, not stopping despite his beloved uncle's calls. He remembered rushing away quickly, his steps like a summer storm, while his chest felt like it was being hammered—his organs ached, his heart hurt, and his whole body was in pain. Shani brushed past the crowd returning to the festival—old, middle-aged, and young people—all seemed like lifeless blocks surrounding him. Even the imposing monkey statues and the bright lanterns failed to attract him. There was no longer any vitality or excitement, no joy or desire; he felt as if the whole world had stopped turning with his mother's harsh words.
Why?
Mom, am I a disappointment to you?
"Look, it's the young master of the Senju clan."
"He really resembles Lady Mito. The eyes are definitely from the late First Hokage."
"How can you be so blind? I don't see any resemblance to either of them, except for the red hair."
Shani felt as if his head was going to explode.
"Such is life; no one can predict the unexpected. Young lady Mikatsuki has awakened her Wood Release, and she will be a crucial figure for Konoha in the future. Meanwhile, the Senju young master still shows no signs of ability. I heard that just the other day, he was even causing trouble in the advisor's office."
"No family is perfect... even in my household. The older child is as smart and capable as... I am, while the younger one... calling him the black sheep is putting it mildly."
"You guys are just joking... look, he's only a five-year-old. Who knows what the future holds."
"But at the same age, young master Hiruzen is completely different, isn't he?"
"Exactly! Young master Hiruzen is a one-of-a-kind genius; no one can compare! The Senju boy stands a world apart from someone like him."
"Hahahaah, speak quietly..."
Mom, you're right. I'm just a useless child.
In excruciating pain and with a mind no longer clear, Shani sprinted through the crowd, wanting to escape from this place. Perhaps everything he did would only make his mother despise him and be laughed at by others. It was the first time in his life that he felt as if he couldn't change anything.
Mom was strict, always judging him by the same standards as Dad. Shani understood. With someone like Senju Hashirama as her husband, she couldn't accept anyone else in her eyes; all her children must follow the example of her great late husband. But it still hurt.
Younger sister Mikatsuki was always ill, crying all night long, which kept him from sleeping. He hated her so much that he wished someone would silence her forever, but he also cared for her and didn't want her to suffer any more. Two conflicting trains of thought clashed like wild beasts, tearing at his mind. And now, she had surpassed him. She had Dad's Wood Release... Would he forever be in her shadow?
And then there was Tobirama ji-chan, who always willingly talked to him and took care of him, but perhaps he felt that he was a bit... bothersome. The way he looked at Hiruzen was completely different from how he looked at him, and he had a hundred other things to care about besides a child like him.
He... he had no one left.
"Ha..." Shani bit his lip until it bled. "Wake up, Senju Shani. What's the reason? It's simply that you're not strong enough."
If he were better, perhaps his mother would have given him some attention.
If he were better, he wouldn't be mocked by others.
If he were better, he wouldn't be in his sister's shadow.
If he were better and stronger...
Then Senju Shani saw Tobirama's orange-brown scroll lying on the gift counter. No one was paying attention. The scroll, labeled "Heart" seemed to be inviting and taunting him, while he stood frozen, unable to move, just rooted to the spot.
Taking someone else's gifts was the act of a spoiled child...
But...
"This technique will help you enhance your strength."
Tobirama's voice seemed like a spell, wrapping around his mind, causing his hands to touch the scroll without him realizing it.
Just this once...
Hiruzen, you were born a genius. Could you give this scroll to someone as useless as me?
Hiruzen, I want it.
Tobirama ji-chan, can you forgive me?
Just this once...
I want to become strong.
Mom...
Senju Shani quietly walked through the Sarutobi gate, with the scroll full of power that Tobirama had given to Hiruzen now in his cloth bag.
There was nothing to regret.
He didn't return to the Senju home, nor did he go to school or any other place. At this moment, he needed a private place to open the scroll.
What could be more suitable than the forest outside Konoha, where the crystal-clear Nakano River flows gently in waves...
Shani channeled his chakra and leaped over the cliff. In just a moment, he would reach the shores of the Nakano River, where he could examine the scroll's instructions more comfortably.
The moonlight tonight was beautiful. The full, round moon was bright and pure, soothing the child's heart.
However, the moonlight was soon broken as a swift figure leapt across the sky, landing by the Nakano River, standing silently and watching the dark water flow slowly.
Shani, hidden behind the bushes, was startled.
The spiky hair and the brilliant red armor...
That face, those eyes, that figure...
Madara...
Uchiha Madara!
What was he doing here?