"And then what happened... Mom?" My daughter's eyes were wide with excitement. "Dad must have chosen to marry you, right?"
"No, not at all." I laughed dryly. "Your father was as foolish as ever. After our conversation, he found a way to refuse the arranged marriage with the Uzumaki clan. The reason he gave was that all nine ladies were too good for him and he didn't deserve any of them. It was truly just an excuse to refuse. There was some conflict between the two sides, but just as the argument was escalating, the Senju clan sent a letter saying that the seven-clan alliance was attacking and the clan leader was required to return immediately. Hashirama left five chests of gold for the Uzumaki as a way to soothe their anger, then hurriedly boarded a ship from the Land of Whirlpools back to the Land of Fire."
"Seven... seven clans?" The child gasped in fear. "How...? What happened to our Senju clan that year, Mom?"
For some reason, seeing my daughter's horrified expression amused me. Perhaps because something had finally managed to scare this little imp? Thinking that, I gave a creepy smile and replied, "What do you think happened? Of course, we got our butts kicke..."
"Language!" The porcelain frog on the kitchen table—a bizarre invention of Senju Tobirama called the "Anti-Obscenity Device"—shouted loudly throughout the house. "Someone used violent language! Someone used violent language!"
"Getting our butts kicked is not violent language!" Feeling thoroughly annoyed, I yelled at the obnoxious frog.
"Again!" The porcelain frog blared mechanically. "Violent language! Avoid letting inappropriate words reach children's ears!"
That frog... so annoying! If it weren't for my respect for my brother-in-law Tobirama, I would have smashed it to silence it for good. And it's not my fault; it's because Hashirama is so careless. As soon as he comes home, he comfortably uses inappropriate words, causing our child to curse at classmates she doesn't like at the Ninja Academy as if it's a song, shocking the teachers. My strict brother-in-law made that frog to remind his older brother to watch his language because there are children in the house, which is entirely reasonable. But it's all Hashirama's fault, so why do I have to suffer along with him?
My daughter snorted. "You're really annoyed but can't do anything about it, right? Exactly, because both you and Dad are scared of Uncle like he's a tiger."
I turned to my clever daughter and quickly defended myself. "It's not fear, it's respect! Your dad is the one who's actually scared."
"Yes, yes..." She nodded. "Forget him, what happened next, mom..." Despite the frog's loud croaking, my little one still grabbed my arm, urging me to continue the story.
"What happened next, you ask..."
:
The Senju clan suffered a great defeat.
"That's truly my daughter," said my mother, who loved gambling, smiling with satisfaction as her cigarette smoke wafted into my hair. "Sharp vision, not paying much attention to the Senju from the start."
News reached Uzushio like a storm, sweeping away everyone's hopes for a strong alliance in the future.
The coalition of seven clans launched a surprise attack, and even though Hashirama's power was almost godlike, he couldn't withstand it. From a distance, the sky was just a patch of dark clouds. I leaned against the column, looking out at the small yard in front of the house where the tree swayed in the wind, its green mangoes beginning to ripen to yellow. I wondered if the great war in the land had been settled by now.
For hundreds of years, the two fierce tigers, Senju and Uchiha, fought to seize control of the world. Their power was unmatched, and few had the ability or the courage to interfere in their battle. They once held the fate of nations in their hands, manipulating the world, and from their lofty heights, they looked down on other clans. Their historical rivalries created epic clashes, but now, unexpectedly, one of these great tigers has fallen.
The remaining tiger is Uchiha.
The other snakes lying in wait are the small clans that the tigers once disregarded.
The Senju has been utterly defeated, writhing like a wounded beast, but still showing resilience and tenacity. They temporarily declared defeat to preserve their forces, retreating to their territory and erecting a miraculous barrier, which is said to prevent the seven clans from attacking.
"It has only been seven days," I sighed. "The Senju spent hundreds of years building a prosperous and glorious clan, only to vanish from the world in seven days."
After the Senju declared their defeat, their lord, Eastern Daimyo Tomiya, summoned Hashirama to the inner court to hold him accountable. It is said that he had Hashirama tied up and used by the warriors in a sword-testing ritual. The warriors, following the lord's orders, freely slashed at Hashirama, mainly to torment him for losing the battle, rather than to take his life. With his sage body, the wounds on the clan leader healed immediately, but the pain was immeasurable. The clan leader was captured, causing great alarm among the Senju. The deputy leader, Tobirama, who was seriously injured, walked for three days from the clan territory to the inner sanctum, wearing only a white kimono, barefoot, and without any guards or weapons. Upon arrival, the white-haired Senju dared to demand an honorable death, hoping the lord would grant him a dignified end.
"Senju Tobirama was insane?" I couldn't help but feel terrified. "What if he got caught by the seven clans…"
"But somehow, he managed to reach the inner sanctum gate unharmed," my mother told me with great interest.
"The inner sanctum was in chaos, and the lord had to summon him to ask why he wanted to die. Tobirama said that a few days ago, he saw a celestial phenomenon: the sun falling, the country lost, the clan destroyed, his father and brothers dead, leaving him with nothing. So, he wanted to end his life. The lord was furious, accusing Tobirama of speaking nonsense. He said the sun of the Land of Fire, him, was still alive, the country was not lost, and his older brother was still living. Believing that the white-haired was talking rubbish, the lord insisted on issuing an order to execute him immediately. But Tobirama declared that he had seen the near future: the lord would die in a few weeks, followed by rebels in the court tearing the country apart, only for it to be completely swallowed by foreign invaders. He even listed the events the lord would encounter in the coming days, stating that only the Senju could protect him. The lord didn't believe it at first, but events unfolded exactly as Tobirama had predicted, and fear began to take hold in his heart. Eventually, the lord, filled with anxiety, secretly accepted the words of the white-haired Senju and released Hashirama. This information was spread by insiders from within the court."
Hearing my mother say this, I whispered, "It's really absurd. If Senju Tobirama could truly predict the future, he would have foreseen the attack by the seven clans' alliance. But regardless of how it happened, thankfully... they managed to escape this time."
Thank goodness Hashirama is still safe, a voice echoed in my head. Thank heaven both of them are alive. Ever since meeting that man, I've always thought he shouldn't die too soon. A person like Hashirama is necessary for this rotten world.
"Rumors should only be half-believed," my mother shrugged. "The Uzumaki clan still hasn't given up on the marriage alliance with the Senju. Or perhaps they haven't just yet. But the higher-ups are starting to consider rejecting the marriage proposal."
That's right, there's no way Big Mother and Kashino-sama would let their beloved daughter marry into a clan that's slowly dying out.
While watching the stormy sky, I absentmindedly said to my mother, "The Senju haven't completely fallen yet, so why is the Uzumaki clan in such a hurry?"
But just as my mother and I predicted, no one could remain calm in the face of this storm. The majority of the clan opposed the marriage alliance with the Senju, while others argued that we should sever ties completely with those forest people. They even began teaching the younger generation to say that although the two clans are related by blood, the geographical distance has limited our interactions if anyone from outside asks.
The fiancée that the Uzumaki had enthusiastically proposed for Hashirama, Mikako, suddenly came down with smallpox, and all clan members were forbidden from approaching her.
"Did her mother come up with a plan for her to fake illness?" my mother wondered, noticing the main house door was tightly shut.
I swallowed nervously. "Big sister is really sick. I saw it with my own eyes."
Seeing my half-sister suffer from high fever and intense itching, I couldn't help but worry. Every day, I would go to the small shrine to pray for her recovery.
Hashirama sent a letter to the Land of Whirlpools, pleading for the Uzumaki clan to come to their aid and fulfill the agreement made by their ancestors, to support the Senju through this critical time. He promised that if the Senju could survive this calamity, they would surely repay the Uzumaki clan, and the potential benefits would be unimaginable. Uzumaki Ashina left the letter on the table, rubbed his forehead with a sigh, and hesitated, unsure of how to respond.
"I, Senju Hashirama, leader of the forest, accept the proposal of marriage to Lady Uzumaki Mikako of the Land of Whirlpools. May our alliance prosper for many years to come."
This is a high-stakes gamble, and we cannot afford to be reckless.
"I, Uzumaki Ashina, the great wave of the Land of Whirlpools' coast, regret to inform you that Lady Uzumaki Mikako has fallen critically ill with smallpox."
"Impossible, no way!" Outside the sealed room, my big mother angrily shouted. "Mikako will not marry into the Senju family! With the situation they're in now, sending my daughter there would mean she has no future!"
The letters from the Senju clan leader to the Uzumaki clan became increasingly frequent.
"Ashina-sama, Hashirama can marry any of your ladies."
"A marriage alliance will strengthen our relationship like never before. The Uzumaki and Senju are like trees growing from the same roots, blood brothers, two but as one, and must always support each other. We Senju have always followed the teachings of our predecessors, and over the years, we take pride in always being there in time to assist the Uzumaki."
"You will not be disappointed for placing your trust in the Senju."
None of the nine ladies in the Uzumaki main house are willing to marry Hashirama, and within the clan, there is increasing support for severing the previous ties with the Senju. The clan head Ashina began to suffer from migraines; whenever he saw letters from the Land of Fire, he would ask his clansmen to leave them all outside, refusing to read even a single word.
"You have a letter." The courier mumbled, gruffly shoving the envelope into my hand. "From the Land of Fire."
Sitting under the mango tree, I opened this unexpected letter, my heart stirred as I saw it addressed to the man I had met a month ago. Just a few lines, but they made my heart surge with an indescribable emotion.
"To Mito-dono,
You once said that we must be honest with each other. I have always kept that in my heart, and I thought I should also let you know my true feelings."
It was Hashirama.
"A very exciting adventure is calling, promising to free us from our chains. Are you willing to join me?"
He wrote a letter inviting me to be with him.
Join me...
Join... Senju Hashirama.
He proposed to me, in a strange way, but it was still a true vow.
I burned the letter in the candle flame.
He couldn't marry Mikako, so now he's thinking of me.
He has no other choice.
One day, I heard that Mikako was about to recover from smallpox, and Kashino and his wife then betrothed her to the Kimura clan—a powerful family in the western part of the Land of Whirlpools. Compared to the Senju, the Kimura are indeed a much better choice for her. Visiting Mikako, I sighed in relief as I placed the basket of fresh fruit on the table, feeling happy to see that the sores on her body were starting to scab over and that she no longer had a high fever. As soon as she saw me, her eyes widened with intense hatred, her burning gaze startling me. Then suddenly, Mikako screamed in anguish:
"You! You lowly wench! You're satisfied, aren't you?"
I was bewildered, stepping back from the normally gentle and calm woman who was now furious. "I-I don't understand..."
"You're taking revenge on me! You made me catch this horrible, grotesque disease!"
"I didn't do that!" I cried out, not understanding where Mikako got that idea. "Big sister, I would never...wait, what do you mean by revenge?"
My beloved sister, now consumed by resentment, screamed in anguish, no longer in her right mind: "You knew! You knew that furisode of yours that day...you knew it was me!"
Unable to listen to Mikako any longer, I bolted out of the room, sprinting frantically to the river outside the clan's territory. I ran until my cheeks were flushed, my heart pounding wildly, and my breath nearly giving out, but I still didn't stop—I just kept running and running...
Mikako was the one who harmed me, the sister I always respected...
Why? I suddenly wanted to turn back and confront her, to ask why...why she had to push her own sister to the brink. Why?
Was it because she was afraid I would steal her marriage, or did she simply enjoy seeing me humiliated and in pain before the Senju clan head?
"If there had been more, it could have been fatal." Hashirama's voice echoed in my mind.
No, it's simply because I am... just me.
If I had been born as big mother's daughter, would everything have been different?
Did she ever think that I could die if she had used a bit more poison? Did she ever think about that? Would my death have made her that happy?
Burying my face in my hands, I collapsed onto the ground, curling up like a question mark in the middle of the green field.
No one has ever been truly sincere with someone like me.
"Are you in pain, Mito-dono?"
But there is one person. One person I can't understand from beginning to end.
Senju Hashirama.
No one knew about my issue with the furisode except me and him.
If I didn't make Mikako fall ill with smallpox, then who else could it have been but him?
Tears welled up in the corners of my eyes.
Hashirama, what did you gain by doing this?
I can't explain it.
:
"I, Uzumaki Mito, will be the one to marry Senju Hashirama."
Standing in the main hall of the clan leader's residence, I made my declaration, my cold gaze sweeping the room to see who would dare to oppose me.
One second...
Two seconds...
Three...
Four, five, six, seven, eight...
No one.
Not a single sound.
Finally, Ashina was the first to speak, breaking the overwhelming silence: "Why do you think we would agree to this, child of a servant?"
That old fox always called me that. The child of a servant. The lowborn, the inferior one. He didn't even bother to remember my name. But I no longer cared about that.
"Because... you're hesitating, dear clan leader." I smiled slightly. "When faced with two paths, it's easier to discard something unimportant like me, isn't it?"
Ashina's eyes widened, as if he was about to say something, but then he remained silent, allowing me to continue.
"You hesitate because what we Uzumaki value most is the teachings of our ancestors," I smiled. "If we don't support the Senju now, our clan will be guilty of injustice. Secondly, and most importantly, you still believe that the Senju can recover, don't you?"
The Senju brothers may have lost the battle, but that doesn't mean they have no chance of striking back. The Senju are like trees that send their roots deep into the earth, drawing nutrients and continuously growing, tightening their grip and holding on in this ruthless world for hundreds of years. To bring them down completely is no easy task—more accurately, no one has ever succeeded. Anyone who underestimates the Senju because of their defeat might end up losing the entire game.
"The Senju haven't fallen yet, but if the Uzumaki switch sides too quickly, they might regret it later," I said. "But it's still a 50/50 chance, so I figure if the Uzumaki can send a servant's child like me for an alliance marriage, there's nothing to fear. Just secretly support the Senju and wait for the outcome without worrying too much. If the Senju win, the Uzumaki will become the most prestigious allies in the shinobi world for years to come. The profits the Senju have brought over the years... aren't you reluctant to lose that? And if the Senju lose, you can simply sever ties with me, erase my name, and no one will ever know about this alliance."
"A servant's child, practically invisible within the clan, nothing special, no ties, carrying nothing significant, like any of the secret sealing techniques." I shrugged. "And whatever I do will have no connection to the Uzumaki clan, from childhood until now."
I really wanted to say it straight to their faces: a bunch of bastards, none of you have ever truly considered me as a person who actually exists. I wasn't even allowed to attend school and had to teach myself from books at home, saving up money to buy each sealing scroll. Over the years, I've done all sorts of jobs and earned my meals from Kashino... as if we weren't father and child but more like a servant and her master, and the fact that he gave me meals felt like charity, a blessing.
I really wanted to say it straight to their faces: I love this place so much, I love the hometown mango tree, the waves crashing on the shore, and the red-haired people like me. I once tried to get close to my clansmen and tried to love them. I was always proud, deep down, to be an Uzumaki. I love the Land of Whirlpools with passion, urgency, and deep affection... but only when doing so would bring me some benefit.
They're the ones who taught me to live this way, to survive.
They made me unable to truly love anyone or anything.
I really wanted to tell them: even though they've ruined me, I am still an Uzumaki.
That's in my blood, and it can't be changed.
"Send a letter to Senju Hashirama," Ashina ordered his servant. "Ask him what percentage chance the Senju have of winning? The Uzumaki will increase that percentage. And we have decided on who will marry him. It will be Lady Uzumaki Mito."
One day, Ashina will have to remember my name, remember the name "Mito" as if it were etched into a nerve in his brain.
Uzumaki Kashino remained silent for a long time before finally speaking. "If he loses, you'll die along with him. As you said, the Uzumaki will immediately sever ties with you and the Senju. No clan will protect you anymore."
"Are you that worried? I'm touched, Lord-Father." I replied slowly, realizing this was the first time I had ever called Kashino 'Father,' ignoring the prying, pointing eyes of those around me. "Either way, I'm placing my bet. And it has nothing to do with you."
Kashino looked at me for a long, long time, as if he had only just discovered this daughter of his after hundreds of years. Suddenly, I found myself drowning in my father's gaze and wondered if I could ever be like Mikako, his beloved biological daughter. But I quickly snapped out of it and calmly declared to Kashino:
"Hashirama will win."
:
I lifted my skirt and dashed to the mango tree, ignoring the wet snow, eager to snatch the reply letter from the Land of Fire. The mailman grumbled and snapped for a bit, but eventually handed it over to me. From afar, I could see the Uzumaki shinobi approaching to deliver the news to the clan leader, so I quickly opened the letter and glanced over it.
Ha...
Ha...
My chest felt like it was shattering.
"He..." I bit my lip, trying to hold back the tears. "He..."
"Hey, miss?" The mailman, seeing the expression on my face, grew frantic. "Please... calm down!"
"He won, do you understand?" I stepped back from the man in front of me, tearing at my hair, pulling out strands of red in a frenzy. "He won, Hashirama won, the Senju won."
I wanted to scream, but the sound was stuck in my throat, unable to escape.
Throwing the letter back into the hands of the clan members who needed it, I dashed to the seashore, collapsing onto the sand, feeling the seawater rush in, soaking my neck, back, and hair.
I am alive.
I placed my bet.
I was ready to die.
And I am still alive.
According to the letter, Senju Hashirama had utterly defeated the coalition of seven clans and pushed back a part of the Uchiha forces. Most importantly, it turns out that Senju Tobirama didn't have any ability to predict the future at all. Instead, in a critical moment, he allied with a group of close eunuchs serving Lord Tomiya to orchestrate everything, causing the lord to encounter exactly what Tobirama had listed. As a result, the lord trusted the cunning white-haired man and spared no expense in supporting the Senju to protect him.
In the end, Tobirama pulled the strings, orchestrating the eunuchs to assassinate the lord, staging his death as a stroke, and placing the lord's ten-year-old son on the throne—of course, merely a puppet for him. The Senju officially took control of the eastern court of the Land of Fire, making the western side, where the Uchiha were stationed, burn with resentment.
With the additional support from the Uzumaki, the Senju had risen again, even stronger than before, striking fear into their enemies across the land.
Ashina, thrilled like a gambler who had won big, threw a feast for the entire clan to celebrate all night long.
The letters Hashirama sent to the Uzumaki contained nothing but...
me.
"You're really bold, like the heavens themselves," said the mother who had always toyed with my life. "But anyway, congratulations on getting what you wanted—freedom from this place and a step into a prestigious household."
My mother looked at me in my shiromaku, with a hint of moisture in the corner of her eye. I thought it might be the first tear I had ever seen from her. Or perhaps just dust in her eye, but is heaven really forbidding me from being sentimental at this moment?
"Go on," my mother said, turning away without a hint of hesitation. But her shoulders trembled slightly before returning to normal.
With my white hood on, I passed by my mother and continued down the long road ahead.
That was the last time I saw my mother.
Uzumaki Clan Leader Ashina greeted me at the gate, dressed more formally than usual. As he helped me into the palanquin, he whispered, "Do you know why Hashirama is so fond of you?"
"Is there anything you'd like to teach me, Clan Leader?" I asked coldly, tilting my head.
"He's collecting the Tailed Beasts."
"Oh," I replied with a bland smile. "Thanks for the reminder."
Ashina smiled. "Good luck on your next journey, Lady Mito."
:
:
The journey from the Land of Whirlpools to the Land of Fire was long and complicated, quickly exhausting our entire group. Stopping at a small inn, I temporarily removed my shiromaku with the help of my maidservant and sat down to eat a bowl of plain rice to regain my strength. Hashirama sent another letter inquiring about the progress of the wedding procession. This time, he wrote a longer letter, asking more specific questions, like whether I got seasick or had a stomachache.
"The fires of war still haven't ceased. I hope this battle ends soon, before you arrive here for the ceremony. I don't want to wear armor during our wedding and have blood stain your bridal gown.
The Uchiha are gradually losing ground. I have been repeatedly asking them to form an alliance and unite the two lords, but Madara has not responded. I am unsure if, under the control of his younger brother Izuna, my plea has even reached Madara's ears. However, all reports indicate that both brothers will lead their troops into battle at the foot of Black Mountain.
Tobirama is increasingly perfecting the Flying Thunder God technique. I fear that sooner or later, the boy will prevail in the fight against the Uchiha's second son. If Izuna dies at Tobirama's hands tomorrow, the balance of power will be shattered, and the Uchiha will surely be like a candle in the wind, with nothing able to stop the Senju. But the thing I want least is for Madara to lose his brother. I also realize that if Izuna is lost, Madara will never agree to an alliance. On the battlefield, I have tried several times to approach Izuna to persuade him, because I am well aware of the influence this person has on Madara and the Uchiha, as well as his unwavering, unyielding spirit. However, Madara never allows me to divert my attention from our personal battle. I intend to ask Tobirama to go easy on Izuna, but on the battlefield, even a moment of hesitation can cost one's life. In that case, it could be my own younger brother who dies first, and then I will lose everything.
My lady, what should I do to do the right thing?"
Hashirama sincerely shared these thoughts with me, without holding anything back.
So, without hesitation, I took up my pen and wrote:
"Dear Hashirama-dono,
If the truth is as you say, then this Uchiha Izuna is indeed someone who cannot be spared."
Too cruel. I'm writing strokes that decide a person's life, but in these times, is there any other way?
Blood, blood, blood.
Peace, peace, peace.
Blood, blood, blood.
That's the price to pay. Achieving peace, maintaining peace, all must be paved with blood.
"However, thinking about your innocent heart and your friendship with Uchiha Madara, perhaps such a cold-blooded decision is too difficult for Hashirama-dono.
I want to be honest with my future husband, that if I were Hashirama-dono, I would bet on Tobirama defeating Izuna, but only to make the second Uchiha brother suffer a little. And after that, I would bet on Madara's love for his brother giving me the chance to heal Izuna, gradually fostering peace and trust between the two clans. I would wager that by saving his life and with Madara's assistance in persuading him, the second brother, Izuna, might change his heart.
I hope you have a thorough conversation with Tobirama, because your younger brother is the one directly fighting Izuna. With Tobirama's intelligence, he would surely choose the same path as I would."
I've heard that Hashirama is a gambling addict, but this time in front of him is no longer a table with lifeless pieces, but a battlefield, with living people and their lives. Does he dare to place a bet?
After resting for two nights at the inn, I and the wedding procession continued our journey, but halfway through, news arrived that left me stunned.
Uchiha Izuna... is dead!
Tobirama indeed took the same path as I did, only striking Izuna once, leaving him wounded. Surely both he and Hashirama believed they had won the gamble—thinking that if they could go to Madara and persuade him to let them treat Izuna, peace would follow.
But what was unexpected was that Uchiha's second son gouged out his own eyes and gave them to Madara before rushing into the battlefield with empty sockets. Undaunted, he faced thousands of Hagoromo clan soldiers who had betrayed the Uchiha, driving them back with immense strength despite being blind. He fought bravely and died as a true shinobi, leaving his clan with a final wish: to place all their trust in his brother. Bringing his brother's body back to the clan, Madara completely lost his mind, destroying many small villages, using Susano'o to strike directly at the Hagoromo camp, massacring the clan so brutally that even demons would be horrified to witness it. Now, upon returning to the clan's territory, rumors spread that anyone who dares to get close to the Uchiha leader will lose their life.
Holding the letter from the front lines, my fingers trembled, and then I crumpled it up.
We all lost, lost to Uchiha Izuna.