It had been fifteen days since Yui and her family had arrived in Heiwa. She had quickly set about the necessary paperwork to join the army as a volunteer. Once her housing was secured, she was finally ready to begin her training.
Entering the quarters reserved for new recruits, she was surprised to see she wasn't the only woman. Though not in the majority, other women shared her desire to serve this new city that had taken them in.
Yui felt a bit different from her comrades. She knew she didn't fit the typical warrior profile. But she didn't let that discourage her. A few furtive glances and turned heads accompanied her, but nothing too disturbing. No one seemed to know each other, and she had little time to dwell on it as a commanding voice rang out: line up and be silent. Several men in combat attire stood before them.
The room fell silent immediately. A blond man with a hard, piercing gaze stepped forward. His imposing presence commanded respect.
He surveyed the assembly, scrutinizing each of them. Some lowered their heads, others met his gaze. Then he spoke, his voice strong and clear:
"I am Akihiko. For the next year, I will be responsible for your training and your lives. If you stay in this room after my speech, you belong to me. There will be no turning back."
Akihiko let a heavy silence settle over the room, increasing the tension among the recruits.
"You are here to defend this city, led by the Daimyō and the Heikage. You will form a unit, partners, friends, a family! You will learn to know and help each other. Together, you will succeed or fail. If any of you struggle, help them! Unity is strength, and building bonds of blind trust is essential to defending this city. You will notice there are also women among you... Any inappropriate gesture or remark will result in a month of imprisonment for insubordination! Sakura-sama has proven that women are just as capable as men."
Akihiko's aura of determination and discipline enveloped the room, and Yui felt a surge of fervor. She was ready to prove her worth, to fight for this city, and to forge unbreakable bonds with her comrades.
No one dared to speak in the face of this man's imposing charisma. His words were both reassuring and threatening, clarifying things with chilling precision.
"You will call me Sensei, and I do not want to know your names."
"Why, Sensei?" ventured a voice from the ranks.
"Because if you ever think of betraying this nation, Ta no Kuni, I will be the one to hunt you down and kill you!" Akihiko replied, unleashing a fraction of his killing intent. "Heiwa is my home, my life! Betray what Sakura-sama has fought for, and I will gut you like vermin!"
The man accompanying Akihiko then spoke, his authoritative voice cutting through the air:
"I am Matsuo. Along with Akihiko-san, we will determine in the coming days which training sessions you will join. If you demonstrate skills in the Shinobi arts, you will be moved to a specific training section. Now, I want all of you outside in one minute!" he ordered without further ceremony.
The following days were intense for everyone, Yui included. The recruits underwent rigorous training: endurance, weapon handling, combat tactics. Each was evaluated according to their abilities and affinities. Gradually, they were divided into specialized groups, some selected for advanced training due to their ability to use chakra.
Yui was placed in the archers' group, her build and preliminary test results designating her for this role. She quickly noticed the absence of preferential treatment. Some women were integrated into infantry units, demonstrating that everyone was assessed fairly.
Recruits were regularly mixed to enhance their hand-to-hand combat skills, with the more agile helping the less skilled. Akihiko never hesitated to lead by example, frequently demonstrating techniques and defenses. Initially, some trainees were reluctant to be trained by him, but they quickly discovered he was an exceptional fighter and a wise instructor. Their respect for him grew, respect he returned with equal consideration.
Sakura also came to observe the recruits. She was pleased to see that women were treated differently than when she arrived in the Sengoku era. Despite her concerns, she saw with satisfaction that mentalities were evolving.
After several attempts during training, Yui finally grasped what Akihiko had been explaining.
"Thank you so much, Sensei, for your patience!"
"It's my duty."
"Sensei..."
"Yes?"
"I have a somewhat indiscreet question to ask," Yui began, lowering her eyes slightly.
"Go ahead, I'm listening."
"What did Sakura-sama do for you?"
Akihiko hesitated for a moment, then replied:
"She allowed me to live my life."
He realized his life had never been as fulfilling since he arrived in Heiwa. He was no longer seen as a monster, but as a whole person. He had the respect of his peers, the admiration of his men, and he had even made friends.
"I would love to have her strength of character..."
"No, you wouldn't," Akihiko retorted, surprising Yui.
"Why not?"
"Because if you had her strength of character, it would mean you had gone through all the trials she faced. I observe all of you, and even though I don't know why you want to defend Heiwa, you remain innocent... and it would be a shame to lose that."
Yui remained silent, realizing Sakura must have seen many horrors in her life.
"We're moving on to archery exercises!" Akihiko shouted to the assembly, bringing Yui out of her thoughts.
When the exercises began, Yui proved to be the best of the new recruits. She had a gift for archery; her accuracy was phenomenal. Her sharp vision allowed her to hit all targets, even the most distant ones. Her movement was fluid, decisive, without trembling or hesitation. Akihiko, wanting to further test her skill, decided to evaluate her on a moving target.
"You can hit a static target, but what about a moving one?" he asked loudly, looking particularly at Yui.
He then instructed all the archers to aim at him without fear of injuring him, even mortally. Most recruits wondered if he was serious but didn't dare contradict him openly. Yui saw this as a perfect opportunity to prove her worth and impress both her Sensei and Sakura-sama, who was observing.
The archers took their positions, eyes fixed on Akihiko. Hearts beat in unison, but Yui focused, drawing her bowstring with determination. Akihiko began to run, his figure becoming a living challenge.
The exercise began, and every shot aimed at the blond was effortlessly dodged. Only Yui hadn't yet fired. She preferred to use her acute analytical sense, first observing the blond's movements as he perfectly dodged her teammates' shots. Was it because they were afraid of hitting Akihiko? Eventually, he stopped and grew irritated:
"Is this all you can do? At this rate, the city will already have been overrun by enemies, and we cannot accept that! Concentrate, damn it! What are you waiting for to take me down?"
Everyone trembled at the violent aura he exuded, as if he was truly going to unleash his fury on them. Some began to shake in the face of the murderous presence emanating from the man before them, while others realized with horror not only his monstrous power but also the truth in his words: they weren't there to pretend.
In a potential future, their lives would depend on it, as well as the safety of all the city's inhabitants. This thought gave them additional motivation, and the archers resumed their shooting with renewed diligence. Akihiko was not in difficulty, but he acknowledged that they were now putting more effort and intent into hitting him. Yui, however, had yet to fire a single arrow, analyzing the situation with her keen eyes. Suddenly, she noticed a pattern in the blond man's movements. She then grabbed an arrow and notched it to her bow. Slowly, with a fluid motion, she prepared her shot and, at the right moment, let the arrow fly.
Time seemed to stop as she followed her arrow with her gaze, watching it pass with millimeter precision between two others that missed their target. Akihiko dodged the first two arrows, but the movement required to do so didn't allow him to avoid the last one, which was heading straight for his head. He put his hand forward, and the arrow lodged into his palm before stopping.
He grimaced slightly in pain from the impact and stopped moving, looking at the arrow embedded right in his hand. Immediately, everyone ceased firing, searching for the author of the shot. Yui, stunned by her own precision, froze in place. But her reason returned when she realized she had injured the man. Instinctively, she cried out in fear:
"Sorry! Sorry..."
"No apologies, you succeeded in the exercise," the blond man exclaimed, breaking the arrow and pulling out the remaining wood from his palm. He should get it treated quickly, although the chakra from Son Goku could help him heal. The demon didn't miss the opportunity to mock him in his mind. *Boo-hoo, a frail woman managed to hit you... you're getting soft!*
"Yes, but I injured you! I didn't think I would manage it..." she said, sincerely sorry as their eyes met for the first time. The young woman was troubled for a fraction of a second. She had never noticed how pleasant this man's features were to look at. Her cheeks flushed as red chakra appeared around the Jinchuriki's hand for all to see. Under the gaze of everyone present, the wound on his hand healed and disappeared as if it had never been there.
At the same time, at the other end of the city of Heiwa, Madara was staring at his combat armor placed on a stand.
It had been almost a year since he last wore this armor that characterized him so much. This set of protections had spared him many scars and saved his life countless times.
He gently placed his hand on it, reminiscing about old memories through this simple contact
"Soon," Madara whispered to himself.
Soon, he could reveal himself to the world, soon the world would know he had returned... but not just yet. He had one last thing to accomplish, a final act to free his heart and settle his last debt, a final vendetta.
The dark-haired man had donned his famous brown kimono, the one that had made him a legend during the First Great Shinobi War. This outfit would be the last time he wore it. In a few days, it would belong to the past, and only those who deserved it would know the man behind this ensemble.
Madara cast a final look at his armor and his Gunbai before heading to the exit of his quarters. From that moment, his mind was focused on a single goal, which was reflected on his face: closed and cold. Seeing this, the servants stepped aside to let him pass. Madara walked to the great wall surrounding the city of Heiwa. He didn't particularly need to see the landscape to focus on his goal, but, in a way, being able to soak in the view and the progress of his peace project gave him the assurance needed to accomplish what he had left to do.
"Where are you going, Madara?" said a calm and steady voice close to him.
"To accomplish what I should have done long ago," Madara replied to Ashina, who was leaning against one of the stones of the wall.
The old Uzumaki remained silent at first, although he wanted to tell the Uchiha his true thoughts. Something held him back, though. He owed this man so much, and Ashina always had that bit of pride in him that prevented him from openly making his request. But the cycle of hatred was stronger, and Ashina overcame his pride. He had longed to exact his own revenge against those who had betrayed him and taken the person dearest to his heart.
"Do it for my daughter as well, please," said Ashina with a hardness in his voice that left no doubt about his desire to see his will accomplished. Then, he turned around and returned to his duties.
"It will be done, old man," Madara whispered as Ashina was already too far to hear.
Day 360
"So, are we in agreement? You withdraw your troops from Whirlpool Country and the areas neighboring Hi No Kuni, and you commit to paying war reparations for the coming year," Tobirama recited to the Raikage.
For nearly an hour, the two Kage had been negotiating a ceasefire between their nations. Kumo was on the losing side, and it fell to the Raikage to concede to the victor's demands. Tobirama wasn't going to let this opportunity slip by.
"We agree," reluctantly accepted the Raikage.
He was far from pleased, but he had no choice but to accept this ceasefire. War was bankrupting his country, and they were on the brink of famine. With great bitterness, the Raikage signed the peace treaty between Kaminari No Kuni and Hi No Kuni.
Internally, Tobirama sighed with satisfaction. The war was finally coming to an end, and he could focus on a more pressing issue: those responsible for the disappearance of Uzushio.
As the Kage of Kumo signed at the bottom of the scroll, Tobirama sensed a shift in the air, as if chakra was being used. He discreetly focused and barely had time to react before a ninja appeared behind the Raikage, weapon in hand. The man didn't have time to react before being decapitated in one swift motion, blood splattering over the freshly signed peace treaty.
At the same moment, Tobirama propelled himself backward to dodge the attack aimed at him. The weapon was evaded, but the chakra coating it cracked his shoulder armor.
"What the hell is this!?" demanded Tobirama, angered and on guard.
Before him stood two enormous men. They easily exceeded two meters in height and sported hair cascading to their mid-backs. The two individuals resembled each other, and Tobirama understood why he had been affected by the attack of one of them despite his evasion. He was facing the very famous Kinkaku and Ginkaku, the only two ninjas known to have survived after being swallowed by the Kyūbi. This explained why Tobirama had been affected by the weapon— it was imbued with the demonic chakra of the Nine-Tails.
"Alert!" shouted Ginkaku as his brother approached the Nidaime Hokage.
Tobirama didn't understand why these two men had tried to kill him, nor why they had cold-bloodedly murdered their own Kage. It was common knowledge that they were loyal to Kumo, but the Senju didn't hesitate when he sensed about fifteen chakra signatures approaching their position.
"Suiton: Suiryūdan no Jutsu!"
Tobirama needed only two hand seals. He used the ambient air to generate water and form a dragon that charged the two assassins, allowing him to escape.
"Chase him! He killed the Raikage!" shouted Ginkaku after enduring the Suiton attack with his brother.
The two brothers were traitors, not hesitating to pass off their crime as Tobirama's. Tobirama knew he couldn't linger here any longer. Thanks to his extraordinary sensory abilities, he slipped through the enemy troops without difficulty before speeding toward his men.
"Hokage-sama?" asked Hiruzen, concerned to see his master suddenly appear by their side. The meeting was supposed to last longer, and he wouldn't have appeared like this without urgent reason.
"Let's move! It was a trap!" ordered Tobirama. They all followed their leader without asking further questions.
Tobirama took the lead to guide them. They had to escape quickly from this capital city. In the distance, they could hear shouts and the bells ringing alarms. They now had little time to gain ground and avoid having to fight against Kumo's shinobi and military forces.
"Was it a trap set by the Raikage?" asked Danzo, leaping from rock to rock down the mountain where the hidden village lay.
"No, it was a trap set by his men... the Raikage is dead," explained Tobirama, half-focused on what he sensed.
"But... why?" Koharu asked in turn.
"I don't know what drives Kinkaku and Ginkaku, but they killed their leader and attempted the same with me. It seems some men disagree with the ceasefire."
"What do we do now?"
"We accelerate! They're catching up to us," Tobirama announced, sensing the demonic chakra of the two brothers and a squad of about fifteen Anbu.
The following hours were a race for survival. Leaf Village ninjas knew they would be finished if Kumo's army caught up with the pursuing troop. Therefore, they didn't stop to confront their pursuers.
After three hours of intense running, often separated by enemy jutsus, Tobirama ordered them to stop. They all caught their breath, assuming semi-defensive positions.
"Did we manage to shake them off?" asked Kagami Uchiha, crouched near his leader.
Tobirama had two fingers on the ground and his eyes closed, deeply focused.
"There are about twenty around us, likely equipped with sensory abilities to track us like this," Tobirama described.
"Even with you by our side, master, we're only seven," Homura said somewhat defeatist.
"Don't be so cowardly, Homura, pull yourself together. They haven't located us yet! The best move would be to ambush them and break through their line to escape," Koharu exclaimed.
"You can't be serious, Koharu. Even if it's a good plan, it means one of us sacrifices themselves as bait," Kagami remarked, surprised by his colleague's extremity.
"Like bait? Someone who wouldn't survive?" asked the Akimichi of the group, making sure he understood the proposed plan.
Kagami nodded. A heavy silence settled as Tobirama remained silent as well. His silence indicated he agreed with the plan and that one of them would have to sacrifice themselves. But who? All were excellent ninjas who had proven their worth during this world war. One of them volunteered for the role.
"Alright, I'll handle it!" said Sarutobi Hiruzen, surprising everyone.
"Think it through, Hiruzen. You know what it entails?" Kagami asked, to be sure.
"Don't worry about me, Kagami. I know what I'm doing and, unlike you all, I'll have a chance to make it out," Sarutobi reassured with humor. "Danzo... take care of the others for me, my friend."
"Stop playing the hero! I intended to sacrifice myself and die as a ninja like my grandfather and father, so spare me your speeches," Danzo snapped, angry at himself. He hadn't found the strength to volunteer first because he feared death.
"I appreciate your sense of duty, gentlemen, but I'll be the one to sacrifice myself. You are the heirs of the Will of Fire. Your role is to protect the village no matter what happens," Tobirama intervened, watching their enemies' movements.
"But master! You can't be serious? You're the Hokage, you can't sacrifice yourself, the village needs you," Danzo said.
"Danzo, for some time now, you've been competing with Sarutobi, and now more than ever we need cohesion. If I let you go in the state you're in, you'll only endanger your comrades... Danzo... Sarutobi, what I'm about to say applies to both of you, so remember it well. You're young, so don't be eager to die. Protect your own and the village," Tobirama announced before standing up to oversee all his students.
"Master?"
"Sarutobi, beware of these two figures who saved your students, and know that from tomorrow onwards, you will be the Third Hokage."
The announcement hit the group like a bombshell. Tobirama turned away from his men, beginning to channel chakra.
"Take care of Konoha, Sarutobi," Tobirama said one last time before disappearing from view.
"Let's move out!" ordered Hiruzen, while the Second Hokage created a diversion.
"Katsu!" Tobirama shouted, causing a large portion of the trees around him to explode. He needed to draw all the enemies to him to give his men a chance to escape. He was potentially facing a noble death defending what he had always fought for.
"Ah, the little worm finally crawled out of his hole," mocked Ginkaku, appearing swiftly followed by his entire squad.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why kill him?" Tobirama clarified.
"Oh, that... let's just say Ōnoki had some compelling arguments, and personally, this war amuses me!" Ginkaku burst into laughter.
Through this exchange, the Second Hokage realized they were truly mad sadists.
"Oh, this little brat, huh? I'll make sure to deal with that runt once I'm done with you," Tobirama asserted.
A ninja typically didn't engage in discussions; they acted and spoke as little as possible. But today, Tobirama was trying to buy as much time as he could. This remark caused the twin brothers to laugh even harder.
"You seem to forget who we are!"
"Suiton: Yari No Kakutoku!" Tobirama declared, forming a single seal with his hands.
Day 361
Tobirama prepared his next attack, one that would ensure he took these two monsters to the grave with him. If they were each alone, he could have easily subdued them. But two against one was nearly the equivalent of fighting a Bijū.
He had managed to eliminate the entire squad of Anbu accompanying the twin brothers, but their regenerative abilities, fueled by the Nine-Tails' chakra, made them incredibly resilient. They had been fighting for nearly two hours, and Tobirama was beginning to weaken, even though the day was barely over.
He knew his men were far away and safe. Thus, he could take these two beings with him to the grave. He channeled his chakra throughout his body, ready to transform it into a thousand explosive tags. He could have used his most dangerous technique and survived, but he didn't want to disturb his brother... he didn't want to use the Edo Tensei.
Suddenly, just as he was about to release his technique, chakra approached their position at a dizzying speed. Tobirama held back his technique a few moments longer before seeing a ninja in a brown kimono step between him and his adversaries. With a simple kick, the newcomer sent Ginkaku flying before turning to Kinkaku.
"Who are you!?" demanded Kinkaku, furious.
Seeing the attire of the figure before him, Tobirama understood it was one of the two figures everyone talked about. The one who had saved many civilians and caused many deaths... the one who had razed Uzushio. What did this man hope to achieve by saving him?
Tobirama focused more closely on the man, and something caught his eye. He had a strange sensation, as if crucial information was eluding him. Then, the answer came quickly: Genjutsu. The Second Hokage quickly channeled a small amount of chakra and expelled it into his brain to dispel the illusion.
And suddenly, everything became clear: Uchiha Madara.
"No...," Tobirama whispered, recognizing the chakra signature of the Uchiha clan leader. By breaking the barely perceptible Genjutsu, he immediately identified Madara's distinctive hair.
"Get out of my way!" ordered Madara in a cold voice. The two Kumo ninjas, determined to neutralize this new enemy, gathered to attack simultaneously. Madara immediately activated his Sharingan, followed by his Mangekyou Sharingan.
"You're dreaming!" yelled one of the brothers.
"He's mine!" shouted Madara, releasing his full killing intent. "Tsukuyomi!"
With this ultimate illusion technique, Madara turned the two Kumo ninjas into mere puppets, unable to distinguish illusion from reality. Then, he turned to Tobirama with a sadistic smile.
"Finally... you have no idea how long I've waited for this moment, how much I've dreamed of this, said Madara," fixing his gaze on the Senju with undisguised pleasure.
Seeing this man before him, still alive when he should have been in the realm of the dead for months, Tobirama knew he had no choice. He had to finish what his brother apparently hadn't been able to do. It was no longer about dying honorably to protect his own; it was about stopping this individual from continuing to persecute the world.
Tobirama canceled the channelling of his suicidal jutsu to perform the only technique capable of defeating Madara in his current state. The Senju began a series of hand seals that widened Madara's eyes. Madara immediately recognized the technique and propelled himself with all his might toward the Hokage.
"Edo Tensei... urg!" began to pronounce the Kage before being interrupted by Madara, who struck him squarely in the face with his right foot, propelling him several meters backward.
Madara was already standing over him, more serious.
"Oh no, Tobirama, leave your brother in the grave... today, it's just between you and me," announced the Uchiha, sharply planting a kunai in the palm of Tobirama's right hand, pinning him to the ground.
"Argh!" Tobirama exclaimed, pain piercing through his body. Despite being a seasoned ninja, the agony was real and impossible to ignore.
"What a delightful sound to my ears," whispered Madara, holding his adversary down.
"Fukumikuchi Hari!" Tobirama quickly pronounced, surpassing the pain. Three needles shot out of his mouth at lightning speed, but Madara, aided by his Sharingan, narrowly dodged them.
Madara immediately clamped his hand around the Senju's throat, forcing him to keep his mouth shut and preventing him from unleashing another technique.
"I always repay my debts," whispered Madara, leaning slowly towards his sworn enemy, his Sharingan gleaming in his eyes. Seeing that pupil, Tobirama immediately shut his eyes. "Oh no, look at me. Let me relish piercing you in my world. Let me see you writhe in pain, hear the sweet melody of your cries of agony... Grant me this pleasure, Tobirama. Allow me to savor your suffering!"
Madara savored every word, every moment of this long-awaited confrontation. He reveled in his opponent's palpable terror, in his desperate struggle.
"Go to hell!" grunted Tobirama, struggling despite Madara's implacable grip.
Madara delighted in seeing his adversary desperately trying to free himself. He pulled out another kunai and stabbed it into Tobirama's other hand, eliciting another groan of pain.
"If you insist, I have all the time in the world... One must appreciate the execution of the last living Senju," taunted Madara.
"Scum, because of you, Hi no Kuni is weaker than ever! Hashirama was a fool to believe there was any good in you!" Tobirama shouted, his throat freed. Yet, he didn't seize the opportunity to launch further deadly attacks, instead pouring out all the hatred he had harbored for the Uchiha clan. "I always thought it—Uchiha like you deserve only one thing: to be killed at birth. My only satisfaction will be killing your brother!"
"Shut up!" yelled Madara, striking the Senju's face with all his might. His hatred flared at Tobirama's words.
"AH! Looks like I struck a nerve, little Uchiha... So what are you going to do now? I killed the only person you cared about, you... urg... urgh..."
Tobirama couldn't continue. His thoughts blurred, disordered. Madara had placed his hand against his skull, seeming to draw out his life essence through this gesture. Tobirama felt his soul ready to leave his body.
"Open your eyes!" commanded Madara.
He controlled Tobirama's soul through one of the Rinnegan's powers, forcing him to open his eyes to see the swirling Mangekyou Sharingan.
"Tsukuyomi!"
During the next three seconds, the Second Hokage endured the equivalent of three days of torment in Madara's torturous world. No one could survive the treatment inflicted by the Uchiha. Once the time elapsed and the promise made to Izuna fulfilled, Madara withdrew his hand from the Senju's skull, tearing his soul from his body.
Tobirama Senju was dead.
[Thank you for your support and patience for this chapter.]