[Hashirama Senju: "That kid named Oscar—does he have no manners at all?"]
[Madara Uchiha: "Peace makes people soft."]
[Ōnoki: "You brats are too young to grasp the God of Shinobi's true power."]
After a round of squabbling, the boys settled it the old-fashioned way—rock climbing.
Hashirama bolted first.
Madara shot after him.
The easy harmony between them made the onlookers smile despite themselves.
At the summit, they stared out over the ridgelines and talked dreams.
"Let's build a village here," Hashirama said, eyes shining. "And this mountain face—this will be the Hokage Rock."
Across modern Konoha, jaws dropped.
So this was the world before the village existed?
[Naruto Uzumaki: "Whoa… so that's what it looked like before Konoha was built!"]
[Boruto Uzumaki: "Question."]
[Itachi Uchiha: "Ask."]
[Boruto Uzumaki: "I don't see any giant crater here… so why was the village built in a big hole?"]
[Adult Naruto: "Ahem… you'll have to ask your Uncle Nagato about that."]
[Nagato: "???"]
Meanwhile, with Obito's Rinnegan-fueled mass revival finished, streets filled with the once-dead.
Itachi strolled with Sasuke through the Uchiha district, politely greeting clansmen along the way. This, too, was a form of atonement.
Having wrung himself dry using the Rinnegan, Obito dug out the eye and handed it to Itachi.
Itachi continued the work—Rinne Rebirth upon Rinne Rebirth—bringing people back.
With everyone breathing again, there wasn't much point in cursing Itachi anymore.
(This book keeps things peaceful—no "kill Itachi/Kill Obito" arcs. I said that from the start. If that's a dealbreaker, it's okay to skip.)
Back on the peak, the music softened.
"Let's build a village where kids won't need to kill each other," Hashirama said, getting more animated by the second. "We'll open a school, raise them right. Missions suited to skill, a proper rank system…"
Madara watched him talk and couldn't help the faint, grateful smile.
Days passed.
They still met at the river to skip stones—but their eyes were different now. Harder.
Both families had sniffed something out.
And both fathers decided the same thing:
Send the boys close. Then, when their guard is down—strike.
Tension rippled through the audience.
[Himawari Uzumaki: "Uh-oh… their 'secret romance' got exposed!"]
[Boruto Uzumaki: "Hima—seriously with that metaphor?"]
[Hashirama Senju: "I really do miss those days."]
[Madara Uchiha: "Idiot."]
As usual, the first stones flew—each a greeting, each a code.
Madara's stone read: "It's a trap. Run."
Hashirama's stone read: "Run!"
Their lips trembled. They raised their heads stiffly.
"Hashirama, I, uh… have to go." Madara threw a rigid wave.
"I—Is that so…" Hashirama nodded, woodenly.
They turned as if to leave—
and in that same heartbeat, both families burst from the treeline with their younger sons in tow.
They clashed at the water's edge.
Even if the two boys wanted to run, they couldn't.
Sworn enemies stood between them now—parents, brothers, clan.
Steel rang.
Fathers traded blows, sparks flying.
The little brothers drew short blades and crashed together with all the clumsy fury of kids forced to be soldiers.
The duel of equals above turned uglier below.
When neither father could gain an inch, both looked to the same solution:
Strike at the other man's child. Break his heart. End the fight.
Blades snapped toward the boys' skulls—
Two stones whistled out.
Two figures moved.
Hashirama and Madara caught the killing arcs, shielding their brothers.
And in that instant, the world inside Madara's chest twisted—
the vision in his eyes clicked—
The Sharingan bloomed, tomoe rotating like the birth of a storm.
"Hashirama… all those silly futures we dreamed up," Madara said hoarsely. "Maybe we'll never reach them."
"Madara, you—" Hashirama's lips shook.
"It was short. But I was… happy," Madara whispered.
"Three-on-three! What do you say? Can you handle it, Madara?" Tajima's voice was eager, cruel.
Madara shook his head. "No. He's stronger than me. If we go head-on, we lose."
Behind him, Izuna's eyes widened.
A kid stronger than his brother? Impossible… right?
[Mei Terumī: "I think I've noticed something…"]
[Shisui Uchiha: "What's that?"]
[Mei Terumī: "Uchiha men are all little-brother stans."]
[Deidara: "Mm. When you put it like that, un, it kinda tracks!"]
[Kisame Hoshigaki: "Itachi let a lot slide. You can tell how much he cared about Sasuke."]
[Kakashi Hatake: "Itachi fought very seriously. Arguably the most serious battle of his life."]
[Pain: "Because one wrong poke and he might've killed Sasuke by accident."]
[Sasuke Uchiha: "…"]
Sasuke stared at the chat, face tight.
Annoying as it was… they weren't exactly wrong.
The gap back then had been… large.
"Withdraw," Tajima ordered at last.
"Madara!" Hashirama called after the retreating back, voice cracking. "You haven't given up, have you? You still think like I do—"
"You're Senju. I'm Uchiha," Madara cut in, voice calm as a winter river. "If I had the choice, I'd wish we thought differently. Your brother died to the Uchiha. Mine died to the Senju."
"So there's no point being honest with each other. From now on… we meet on the battlefield, Hashirama Senju."
"I am—Uchiha Madara."
His eyes spun scarlet. Sharingan.
Across the world, Sasuke felt something crack in his pride.
Madara awakened his Sharingan just from the shock of being torn from Hashirama—
and Sasuke? He lost his entire clan before he managed single tomoe.
[Sasuke Uchiha: "Why are you all staring at me… I was a kid, okay? My chakra reserves were tiny."]
[Hagoromo Ōtsutsuki: "Mainly because you're Indra's reincarnate."]
[Tokuma Hyūga: "Clan head, didn't you say Hyūga are the strongest?"]
[Hiashi Hyūga: "…"]
(Anyone still reading? School might've started again, huh… (ó﹏ò｡) )
(No need for pricey gifts—if you're enjoying this, just read on and keep me powered by love. (ó﹏ò｡) )
(Next: Perfect Susanoo vs. Wood Dragon. Brace yourselves. (ó﹏ò｡) )
Hook:
On one ridge, a colossal wooden dragon uncoiled, leaves hissing like scales.
On the other, a midnight titan rose—Susanoo drawing a blade that split the clouds.
When the first strike falls, will the valley still be a valley… or a scar?
◇ I'll be dropping one bonus chapters for every 10 reviews.
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on P@treon if you're interested:
patreon.com/MugiwaraTL