To prevent the Uchiha Clan from producing a second Madara, Tobirama strictly forbade the spread of any news about Madara.
To avoid taboo, the Uchiha Clan also did not tell the younger generation about the clan's history during the Warring States Period. Many past events could only be discussed privately during clan gatherings.
Ryou told Itachi: "During the Warring States Period, our clan was in extreme opposition to the Senju Clan."
"The Uchiha Clan possessed powerful chakra and the Sharingan, while the Senju Clan had endless Secret Techniques and superhuman physical prowess."
"Our two clans were the root cause of the chaos in the Shinobi World."
"If one country hired the Senju, then its enemy country would hire the Uchiha."
"They would inevitably meet in every battle, and when they met, it was a fight to the death."
Itachi listened with utmost seriousness as Ryou explained the history between their clan and the Senju Clan.
None of this could be learned from textbooks, nor was it something Fugaku or Mikoto would casually tell Itachi.
Ryou glanced at Itachi, who was listening attentively, and nodded. "This fateful conflict finally saw a turning point in the generation of Madara and Hashirama."
Growing a bit bored with his dry narration, Ryou asked Itachi, "Itachi, what kind of person do you think Madara was?"
Itachi rubbed his bald head. "Father said Uchiha Madara was a power supremacist. For the sake of power, he could abandon everything, including his own brother and clan."
Ryou shook his head. "No, Madara was not a power supremacist. He did not enjoy fighting in his life; he only sought to end fights."
"Madara was an extreme pacifist, because his younger brothers had all died due to war."
"Madara hated war, and thus the idea of ending all wars sprouted in his mind."
"He met Hashirama, who also despised war."
"As if by a twist of fate, Madara and Hashirama became close friends, a bond even deeper than that between brothers."
"But after their identities were exposed, the two broke off their friendship under the pressure of their opposing clans. On the day he lost Hashirama as a friend, Madara awakened his Sharingan."
"After that, Madara and Hashirama grew rapidly within their respective clans, becoming the leaders who guided their clans."
"Hashirama was strong. He developed the Senju Clan's unprecedented Wood Release, a Kekkei Genkai that suppressed Madara's Mangekyo."
"Tobirama was no weakling either. His talent in jutsu development was unmatched, and all the jutsu he created were specifically designed to counter the Uchiha Clan."
"The Senju Clan was also the true successor of Ninshu, with a large number of allies. Basically, all Shinobi Clans were led by the Senju Clan."
"Under the leadership of Hashirama and Tobirama, the Senju Clan won battle after battle on the battlefield, forcing the Uchiha to retreat again and again."
"By the end, there were even members of the Uchiha Clan who defected to the other side."
"In a war between the two sides, Tobirama killed Madara's younger brother, Izuna. From then on, Madara lost all his immediate family."
"After another defeat, Madara obtained even more powerful eyes. He wanted to settle things once and for all with Hashirama."
"But he was defeated again. Hashirama seemed to be an inescapable shadow over Madara's life, always suppressing him."
"Just as Tobirama was about to kill Madara, Hashirama stopped him."
"Hashirama wanted to end the thousand-year-old fateful opposition between the Uchiha and Senju Clans, and even more, he wanted to win back his fated friend, Madara."
"They shared the same ideal: to build a peaceful world where children would no longer have to go to the battlefield."
"Hashirama was a saint. At that time, if he had killed Madara, the Uchiha Clan would have become a soft persimmon for the Senju Clan, to be squeezed however they wished!"
"But Hashirama let Madara live!"
Itachi listened intently, feeling respect rising in his heart for Hashirama, who possessed such great love. This was the First Hokage, the one called the God of Shinobi.
You could question his conciliatory policies, but you could not question his character.
Ryou looked at Itachi and said, "Worldly affairs are like tangled threads—hard to cut, hard to sort out. If Tobirama had killed Madara back then, perhaps there wouldn't have been so much trouble later."
"Itachi, do you think if it happened again, and Hashirama knew about Madara's actions, would he still spare him?"
Itachi thought for a moment, then nodded. "Yes."
Ryou was puzzled. "Why?"
"Because he is Hashirama, the First Hokage of Konoha!"
Ryou smiled. "Yes! He is Hashirama. If it happened again, I think he would still spare Madara."
"Because people learn no lessons from the past. Their character determines their success, and also their tragedy."
"Hashirama is a single-celled organism. Simply put, he has no brains. He acts solely based on his feelings."
Shikkotsu Forest.
"Ah-choo!"
Hashirama, who was cultivating Yin-Yang Release, suddenly sneezed for no apparent reason.
The Slug Sage was somewhat puzzled. "What's wrong? Can dead people catch a cold?"
Hashirama shook his head, guessing, "Probably... someone is cursing me!"
The Slug Sage speculated, "Not many people in this era would dare to curse Lord Hashirama. Probably Madara!"
Hashirama shook his head again. "No, Madara wouldn't gossip about others behind their backs!"
"I bet it's Tobirama. I beat him up earlier and embarrassed him. He's definitely cursing me behind my back."
The Slug Sage said regretfully, "What a pity. Lord Tobirama has even greater talent in jutsu than Lord Hashirama. If only he could temper some of his gloominess, he could cultivate Sage Techniques."
Sage Techniques emphasize harmony between heaven and man, which is about state of mind. Sage Techniques stress being still and not letting thoughts run wild.
The smarter a person is, the harder it is for them to quiet their mind.
Hashirama rubbed his head and laughed. "No way. Tobirama has always prepared for the worst to deal with any sudden situation."
"He can't make himself be still!"
"Talking about this is useless now. Both Tobirama and I are already dead!"
"Sigh... These descendants are really something, causing so much trouble. Ryou is, Orochimaru is."
"And Madara even more so. A story that should have ended insists on continuing. Our story is over. The development of the world should be decided by the new generation."
Hashirama, having pacified the Warring States Period and founded Konoha, had already fulfilled his mission.
To say he could still contribute, for example, by helping the Daimyo unify the Five Great Nations and eliminate all opposition...
Hashirama could have done it.
But there was no foundation for unification among the Five Great Nations.
For example, centuries of mutual warfare had drained the lifeblood of each country. There was an urgent need for a First Emperor to end the chaotic era.
The Five Great Nations were the five major nations formed after a millennium of mutual warfare during the Warring States Period.
The authority of the Zhou royal family had declined, its power waning, and it could no longer effectively control the feudal lords under heaven.
Some powerful feudal states, in order to contend for supremacy under heaven, began intense wars for hegemony.
It was against this backdrop that Shinobi developed rapidly. Ninjutsu, which allowed for quick killing, became a weapon that replaced samurai.
Each country, relying on the power of Shinobi, formed alliances and launched campaigns east and west, eventually giving birth to the five largest feudal lords—the Five Great Nations.
To be precise, the Warring States Period had not yet ended.
Hashirama's historical task was to transition from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Warring States Period.
To take a world that was originally a chaotic mess—where a single Village was a small country, where crossing a border took only a few steps, where a loud argument could be heard by the neighboring country—
Where a war could start in the morning and soldiers would return home to eat by the afternoon.
That's what the Warring States Period before Hashirama was like, filled with chaotic small countries and factions everywhere.
Sanctioning a Village, blocking its entrance was equivalent to blockading the entire country, strangling its major economic artery.