[Hashirama Senju: "Madara, I still remember that scene as if it were yesterday…"]
[Madara Uchiha: "Mm. You even tried to stab yourself with a kunai back then…"]
[Adult Naruto Uzumaki: "Huh?! The First Hokage tried to… with a kunai?"]
Inside the Hokage's office, Naruto wore a perfectly confused face.
A kunai that small… the First Hokage wanted to use that to commit seppuku?
[Hashirama Senju: "Yeah, kid. What's the problem?"]
[Adult Naruto Uzumaki: "…No problem."]
"Give me a clean end, Hashirama," Madara said weakly.
"Dying by your hand… I can accept that."
"Don't grandstand," Hashirama shook his head. "If I kill you—the clan head—every young Uchiha who followed you will explode in rage."
"The Uchiha aren't that proud anymore…"
"They are. And even if they aren't today, they will be tomorrow," Hashirama said, eyes distant.
"Let's end this kind of fighting. Didn't we promise? Someday we'd build the village we dreamed of."
"Can't we go back to skipping stones? Just the two of us…" His voice nearly pleaded.
"That's not reality anymore… I'm not the same as you," Madara whispered.
People watching felt a faint ache.
Two boys who once shared the same dream—
grown into men forced apart by clan and creed. How cruel is that?
[Boruto Uzumaki: "Let me get this straight—how did Lord First convince Madara?"]
[Sarada Uchiha: "Good question. They're at each other's throats right now."]
[Itachi Uchiha: "…Could it be…"]
Itachi frowned at the sky-screen. He looked like he'd pieced something together.
So the village's origin had this… twist?
"I don't even have a brother anymore," Madara said. "I have nothing left to protect. And I don't trust you."
"Then how do I earn that trust?" Hashirama asked, brow tight.
Madara glanced at the open blue above.
"If you want honesty… kill your brother. Or kill yourself. Right here."
"Only then are we even—and only then can I believe your clan."
The Senju nearby scoffed.
What kind of ridiculous demand was that?
No wonder he lost.
"Kill my brother or myself?"
"Don't be absurd—" the clansmen bristled, ready to spit more fire—
Hashirama raised a hand. Silence fell.
"My opinion is the same. It's absurd," Tobirama said coldly, tightening his grip on his blade.
"So, brother? Kill me? Or kill yourself because this man said so?"
"This is idiocy. Ignore him, brother."
But Hashirama hesitated. He stood slowly and unbuckled his armor.
"Thank you, Madara… You really are a man of bonds."
The armor thudded to the ground.
He pulled a kunai from his robe.
"Listen, Tobirama. Take what I say as my dying words—and carve them into your heart."
"B-Brother…?" Tobirama went blank.
Inside, he muttered: That little kunai can't even scratch him.
[Itachi Uchiha: "His whole body is Hashirama Cells. He'd recover from a wound like that in no time."]
[Kakashi Hatake: "Be confident: that kunai isn't piercing Lord First's defense."]
[Deidara: "By the way—is it true, Kakuzu? Didn't you 'fight the First Hokage for 800 rounds'?"]
[Kakuzu: "Ahem… I may have said something… like that…"]
On a hospital bed, Kakuzu began to sweat.
It had been a throwaway brag—
and the clay-brain actually believed it!
Fight Lord First for 800 rounds?
Please. Hashirama simply spared him and let him run.
[Hidan: "I heard Kakuzu even beat the First Hokage. True?"]
[Pain: "Kakuzu… were you really that strong?"]
[Kakuzu: "Cough—ancient history! No need to bring it up!"]
[Hashirama Senju: "Wait… who's Kakuzu again?"]
In the Pure Land, Hashirama squinted at Kakuzu's avatar, confused.
Tobirama wiped cold sweat.
"Brother… that's the guy you spared when you were young."
He remembered clearly:
Kakuzu had fled into the forest, rolling and scrambling, tripping on a branch and face-planting, babbling, "As expected of Lord First's Wood Release!" as he ran.
Hashirama closed his eyes, face solemn.
"These are words I paid for with my life. Everyone—remember. If I die here—you are not to kill Madara.
From this day, Uchiha and Senju are forbidden to feud. Swear it in the names of your fathers—and the brothers you've yet to meet."
He finished… and a relieved smile touched his lips.
"Farewell."
Tears streaked his face.
Madara flashed back to their childhood—the river, the stones—
and just as Hashirama drove the kunai toward his own belly,
Madara's hand snapped out and caught his wrist.
The promise they'd tossed across the water finally reached the far shore.
Hashirama stared at Madara's grip, sweat beading at his brow, pupils tightening.
"That's enough… I understand."
Madara saw the sincerity and—at last—chose to believe.
Uchiha and Senju formed an alliance.
Through the efforts of both clan heads, Konohagakure came to life.
No more pointless sacrifices. No more children forced onto the battlefield.
Warm scenes flashed by, and the world watching felt the swell of emotion.
After so much blood… the village was finally born.
[Hashirama Senju: "Haha! Watching this reminds me—our Konoha 'Kage' is called 'Hokage' because of Madara's Fire Release!"]
[Madara Uchiha: "And I'm the one who named Konohagakure."]
[Hiruzen Sarutobi: "So much happened before Konoha's founding…"]
On Konoha's streets, Hiruzen—long retired, with Tsunade now in office—watched the screen and smiled softly.
"Peace is better," he murmured. "My teacher's era was too brutal."
He stroked his beard and looked at children playing in the sun, eyes gentle.
Hook:
The shot widened over newborn Konoha—streets like veins, roofs like leaves.
But beyond the treeline, a lone figure watched with eyes like burning coals.
Dreams were built today… and so were grudges.
Next: The Village Is Born—And So Is Doubt.
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