Uzumaki Mito stepped between the two brothers with the gentle firmness unique to her. For years she had been the stabilizing force of the Senju household—managing everything from family affairs to handling the villagers' matters while Hashirama ran around either settling disputes, signing treaties, or chasing after Madara.
Even if Hashirama often forgot to come home, even if he spent more time with Uchiha Madara than with his own wife, one thing never wavered:
Hashirama respected Uzumaki Mito deeply.
She was his wife, the mother of his children, and the person who grounded him.
So when Mito appeared and quietly said, "Hashirama, calm down first," the First Hokage took a deep breath and forced himself to stop interrogating his younger brother.
Instead, after a moment of contemplation, Hashirama came up with what he believed was a "perfectly reasonable solution."
First, he turned to Tobirama with the solemn dignity befitting Konoha's First Hokage.
"Tobirama," he said, "you must deeply reflect on your actions today. If you can understand your mistakes and sincerely admit them, then Elder Brother is willing to forgive you. As long as you are willing to correct yourself, you will always be my good younger brother!"
Tobirama's eyebrow twitched.
But Hashirama continued as if he didn't notice the growing storm in his brother's expression.
"Second," Hashirama said, "you must release the villagers detained in ANBU and publicly apologize to them. They are innocent civilians. Even if they acted rashly, your response was too harsh."
He nodded firmly, convinced his plan was brilliant.
"With both reflection and apology, everything will return to normal. The villagers will trust Konoha again, and they'll greet me—us—with the same warmth as before!"
He looked proud of himself.
Uzumaki Mito sighed quietly.
Senju Tobirama felt a headache explode behind his eyes.
This… this was beyond absurd.
Reflect? Admit wrongdoing? Apologize?!
For what exactly?
He hadn't done anything wrong.
He had acted to protect his brother and the village. Yet Big Brother wanted him to bow to a mob of unruly villagers who tried to storm the Hokage building?
Tobirama suppressed the urge to spit blood.
Apologize for your twisted dough, Hashirama!
He was the Shadow Hokage, Konoha's Kyūsennansai.
Besides Madara, who in the entire village didn't show him respect? Even the clan leaders bowed to him.
And now Big Brother wanted him to kneel and beg forgiveness from a crowd of angry villagers?
How would the Uchiha Clan view him?
How would the Senju Clan view him?
How would Konoha's clans view him?
How would he ever live this down?
It would be a political stain that followed him forever. The ANBU, the clans, even the children of Konoha would laugh every time his name was mentioned.
And that arrogant Uchiha Setsuna from this afternoon?
Tobirama could already hear the man laughing himself into an early grave.
Absolutely impossible.
Not in this lifetime.
Not even if Hashirama hung him upside down from Hokage Rock.
If he apologized now, his dream of becoming Second Hokage—
—or Third, if Hashirama pulled that ridiculous "Madara is the chosen one" again—
—would instantly collapse.
Tobirama gritted his teeth.
"Big Brother," he said firmly, "I was not wrong."
"I refuse to admit wrongdoing, and I will not apologize. Besides—"
He gestured toward the desk.
"Those villagers have already repented. These letters are all written by them the moment they entered ANBU."
Hundreds of repentance letters lay piled on the desk, each one stating:
> "I was wrong."
"I lost my composure."
"I should respect Hokage-sama."
"I apologize for causing trouble to Lord Tobirama."
Hashirama blinked in shock.
He rushed over, grabbed a handful of letters, and began reading with increasing disbelief.
"T–Tobirama… you… you didn't use Genjutsu on them, right? Or some strange jutsu?!"
Otherwise, how could hundreds of villagers suddenly repent on cue?
Tobirama's eyes widened in righteous fury.
"Big Brother! How can you think so poorly of me?! Do you think I am like those inherently evil Uchiha who casually manipulate others with Genjutsu?"
He couldn't help adding that last part.
"I have dedicated my entire life to Konoha! Everything I did was for the village! These letters are the result of proper ideological education!"
He pointed at the ANBU members outside.
"If you don't believe me, ask ANBU. Ask the Yamanaka Clan to verify their memories. I have done nothing wrong!"
Strictly speaking… none of what he said was false.
He hadn't used Genjutsu.
He hadn't used any psychological manipulation jutsu.
He simply gave the villagers "stick education" with ANBU proper procedures.
Villagers who had never even seen ANBU up close were naturally terrified when dragged in by masked elites wielding weapons.
The moment they were handed paper and told to "reflect," they wrote repentance letters faster than Chūnin wrote mission reports.
Still—
Hashirama wasn't convinced.
"Tobirama… they must have been scared by your ANBU. The villagers are ordinary civilians."
He sighed sadly.
"I cannot accept these repentance letters. What you did frightened the people too much. Therefore, you must still apologize."
Tobirama felt something inside him snap.
Social death.
His own brother wanted him to die socially.
This wasn't just asking him to bow his head.
This was Hashirama personally pushing him into a pit and putting a sign on him that said:
> "Laugh at me forever."
Tobirama nearly choked on his own rage.
He had done all the hard, dirty, political work for Hashirama.
He maintained security, dealt with clan disputes, and cleaned up his brother's messes.
He worked behind Hashirama's radiant smile, ensuring Konoha functioned.
And what was his reward?
A forced public apology to a mob?!
Hashirama never needed to deal with these matters. He basked in sunlight, surrounded by cheering villagers, while Tobirama was always the stern hand in the shadows.
Now Hashirama wanted to throw him to the wolves.
And the worst part?
Hashirama looked genuinely sad, as if he were the one suffering.
Tobirama wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake some sense into him.
"Big Brother," Tobirama said tightly, "I will not apologize."
He stood his ground like a stone pillar.
This matter was about his reputation, his authority, his political future.
This was not something he could compromise on.
Hashirama stared at him for a long moment, face filled with conflict and disappointment.
"Tobirama… you…"
His voice was soft, almost trembling.
Mito watched quietly, her expression unreadable. She could see both sides clearly—but even she couldn't resolve the deep difference in how the two brothers thought.
One was a man who loved all people.
The other was a man who protected them—whether they liked it or not.
The two stood facing each other, all warmth drained from the room.
And for a long moment, neither spoke.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)