“Little Renye, long time no see…”
A few months later, Renye had just returned home from a mission when he saw Senju Hashirama sitting in the courtyard, smiling and greeting him.
“Uncle Hashirama, why are you here?” Renye was a little surprised.
It was well known that the Hokage of Konoha Village, with the exception of the Fourth Hokage, were all very busy.
For Senju Hashirama to come personally, something must have happened during the time he was out on his mission.
Senju Hashirama sighed and explained, “I don’t know why, but lately I’ve been feeling strange, and I don’t even have an appetite for food.”
During this time, he would occasionally feel a palpitation in his heart.
It was as if an invisible hand was quietly tightening the threads of fate.
This feeling made him very uncomfortable.
Uzumaki Mito noticed Hashirama’s change; she thought her husband had anorexia due to overwork, so she suggested Hashirama eat a meal made by Renye.
After understanding the situation, Renye smiled and said, “So that’s it, Uncle Hashirama, I’ll go cook for you later.”
“Haha, thank you, little Renye.” Senju Hashirama forced a smile.
Renye didn’t think much of it, assuming it was caused by Hashirama’s lack of appetite.
He planned to cook a few of Uncle Hashirama’s favorite dishes to see if they could stimulate his appetite.
If not, he would be out of ideas.
Renye looked puzzled: “Speaking of which, can a powerhouse of Uncle Hashirama’s caliber really suffer from anorexia?”
This might not be anorexia,
but a heart ailment…
After Senju Hashirama left, he did not return home, but instead came alone to Hokage Rock.
Below, the smoke from Konoha’s chimneys curled upwards, and the shouts of vendors and the laughter of children chasing each other pierced through the thin mist, weaving a vivid tapestry of human life.
His wooden clogs crunched over the fine gravel on the rock’s summit, and the feeling under his feet suddenly became familiar—the indented patterns, the protruding stone ridges, were exactly like a scene from his memory.
Images from many years ago flooded back like a tide: he had stood right here with Madara, planning the future of the Village.
Back then, Madara had stood in the same spot, pointing at the barren land below the mountain and saying, “This place must be filled with white flowers, symbolizing peace.”
Now, Konoha’s cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, but the pink and white petals made him pause.
The wind carried the sounds of vendors and children past his ears, and he suddenly reached out to touch the void, as if trying to grasp his closest friend.
“Madara…” Senju Hashirama’s expression was complex.
He didn’t understand why his friend chose to leave; wasn’t this the Village they built together?
He stood quietly on Hokage Rock, lost in thought.
It wasn’t until night fell that Senju Hashirama finally came back to his senses, looking out into the distance, “Madara, what are you doing right now?”
Senju Hashirama’s residence.
“Sister-in-law, why hasn’t Big Brother returned yet?” Senju Tobirama swallowed, looking at the dishes on the table.
These foods were not only Big Brother’s favorites, but his too.
If this weren’t Big Brother’s house, he would have already started feasting.
Uzumaki Mito couldn’t help but frown: “Hashirama really is something, making so many people wait for him…”
Ever since Hashirama left in the morning, he hadn’t returned home, and she didn’t know where he had gone.
Renye was a little confused; what exactly was Senju Hashirama doing?
He had come here in the afternoon to cook.
But after he finished, he found that Uncle Hashirama wasn’t home.
Renye thought Senju Hashirama would return soon, but he waited all afternoon and didn’t see him.
He had already reheated the dishes on the table countless times.
After a long wait, Senju Hashirama finally arrived, tardy.
“Hahaha, sorry for making you all wait.”
“Where have you been all this time?” Uzumaki Mito went forward and grabbed Hashirama’s ear, questioning him.
“Ow, ow, ow, Mito, let go quickly.” Senju Hashirama quickly begged for mercy.
Uzumaki Mito snorted coldly before releasing her hand.
Senju Hashirama rubbed his reddened ear and explained, “I went to Hokage Rock to enjoy the scenery and accidentally lost track of time.”
Uzumaki Mito rolled her eyes in exasperation; she didn’t know what to say about her husband.
Renye and Senju Tobirama’s mouths twitched.
They had thought Uncle/Big Brother was dealing with official business, but it turned out he got lost in the scenery.
This was indeed something Senju Hashirama would do.
“Little Renye, please reheat the dishes again,” Uzumaki Mito said softly.
“Okay, Aunt Mito.”
Renye picked up the dishes and went to the kitchen.
Soon, he had reheated the dishes.
Senju Hashirama sat at the head of the table, looking at the fragrant and tempting dishes, but he had no appetite.
He held his chopsticks suspended above the miso soup for a long time, the steaming heat blurring his vision.
His favorite tempura, usually so appealing, lay before him, its golden, crispy shell failing to stir even a hint of appetite.
“Is this really anorexia?” Senju Hashirama murmured softly.
“Big Brother, why aren’t you eating?” Tobirama noticed his Big Brother’s change and asked, puzzled.
“I don’t have an appetite,” Hashirama sighed.
Renye watched silently from the side, not speaking.
His intuition told him that something extraordinary was about to happen…
Renye fell into thought: What could happen during this time period?
Just then, a faint rumble of thunder echoed from afar, startling the wind chimes under the eaves into a chaotic clatter.
Senju Hashirama suddenly felt a tight, uncomfortable sensation in his throat, and even his breathing became heavy.
He stood up, went to the door, and looked at the dark clouds in the sky, softly saying, “Could it be you, Madara…?”
His intuition told him that this matter was related to Madara.
Hearing this, Renye’s body stiffened, and he suddenly understood.
If something were to happen during this time period…
Then it could only be the Valley of the End battle.
Somewhere in the Ninja World.
“Beast, I finally found you!”
As lightning split the dark clouds, Uchiha Madara’s long hair whipped wildly in the wind, his crimson Sharingan glowing like two blood moons in the darkness.
The Nine-Tailed’s roar shattered the sky, and its nine massive tails swept across like mountain ranges, cracking rocks in their path, carrying violent Chakra in the shattered debris, tracing red arcs in the air.
Uchiha Madara’s figure flickered, easily dodging the tail attacks.
He looked at the gigantic Nine-Tailed, nodding in satisfaction.
“Excellent, you’ll make a perfect pet!”
Hearing this, the Nine-Tailed was instantly enraged; it wanted to tear the human in front of it to shreds!
Facing the furious Nine-Tailed, Madara’s lips curved into a cruel arc, his Three-Tomoe Sharingan spinning wildly, finally forming the shape of a Mangekyo.
He used the Mangekyo’s genjutsu on the Nine-Tailed,
“Beast, submit to me!”
Madara’s Chakra surged into the Nine-Tailed’s body like a tide.
The Nine-Tailed struggled, roaring in anger, but could only watch helplessly as its body gradually became uncontrollable.
Three-Tomoe Sharingan appeared in its eyes.
The Nine-Tailed was completely controlled by Uchiha Madara.
Madara stood on the Nine-Tailed’s head, looking into the distance.
“Phase one of the plan is complete.”
“Now, to execute phase two.”