Inside the Hokage's office.
"This is pure alarmism!"
After hearing his younger brother's analysis, Hashirama's face was full of indignation, and he was the first to jump up in protest.
In his view, the one-country-one-village system he advocated was meant to eliminate war and bring about permanent peace. It was, without a doubt, the best system in the world.
"Although what this white-haired guy says is unpleasant to hear, it's the truth."
Sharing a similar view to Tobirama, Madara lowered his head slightly and spoke to his slightly flustered friend.
As one of the founders of Konoha, Madara's desire for peace was no weaker than Hashirama's.
It was just that, at the moment, he hadn't found a path to peace that belonged to him.
Hmm… perhaps he hadn't read the stone tablet enough~
"In anything, don't speak so absolutely. I believe that as long as people can understand each other, peace will surely come."
Hashirama, feeling a bit deflated, pouted slightly at the two in front of him, his eyes filled with hope for a bright future.
"Heh."
Tobirama gave a "polite" chuckle, but the look he gave his brother was as if he were staring at a complete fool.
"Let's set this matter aside and observe for a while. The main issue at hand is how we deal with the tailed beasts."
Seeing the two about to start a fresh round of debate, Hashirama, knowing he couldn't out-talk either of them, quickly interrupted.
A confident light flickered in his eyes as he gave himself a silent pep talk:
Time will prove everything. By then, even if these two come crying to apologize, I won't forgive them so easily.
"Hmph! In any case, those tailed beasts absolutely cannot be handed over to the Uchiha."
Back on this topic, Tobirama's stubbornness returned, not giving Madara any face at all.
In his mind, the Uchiha clan's thinking was too extreme. But recalling his own outstanding, model-student disciple, Tobirama's eyes flickered with hesitation.
Well… except for the curly-haired one.
"Doesn't matter. If you don't care about Hashirama's health, then I have nothing more to say."
Madara, arms crossed, had no interest in arguing too much with Tobirama—such bickering was beneath him.
He glanced at Hashirama's pale face with concern and shook his head, making it clear he meant well, but if others opposed, he wouldn't press the issue.
"You!"
Tobirama hadn't expected him to play the retreat-to-advance card. That infuriated him—when had an Uchiha learned strategy?
In his anger, he shot a glare at the worried Madara, but couldn't find words for a moment.
"Thank you, Madara~"
"Sigh~ Hashirama, this is all I can do for you."
Seeing the two getting a bit too chummy, Tobirama gritted his teeth, but when he noticed the slight upward curve of Madara's lips, a sudden thought struck him.
"Brother, having the Uchiha help control the tailed beasts… might not be impossible."
"Huh, you've come around!"
Indeed, Tobirama was still as reasonable as ever—quick to accept Madara. Truly, his good younger brother.
"Madara, I'll leave it to you then~"
Hashirama happily turned his head to Madara, who looked stunned.
"Hold it!"
To their surprise, the same Tobirama who had just agreed suddenly changed his stance. Hashirama and Madara's smiles froze, irritation rising quickly.
"What now?"
Hashirama's teeth ached—his brother was great in most ways, but when it came to anything Uchiha-related, he became irrationally stubborn.
"I said the Uchiha clan could, but not Madara."
With a sly smile, Tobirama shook his head and explained.
"What do you mean by that?"
Clearly, Tobirama was up to no good.
"The tailed beasts can be entrusted to the Uchiha to manage, but you, Madara, can't be involved."
Now showing his true intentions, Tobirama laid the condition bare.
"Fine, then let Izuna do it."
Madara didn't care—whoever it was, the Uchiha stood united; there was no fear of division.
"No way!"
The words had barely left Madara's mouth before Tobirama rejected them outright. Let that brat handle it? Might as well sell the tailed beasts!
"If this one won't do and that one won't do, then you choose! Anyone—man, woman, young, or old."
Knowing well the history between the white-haired man and his own brother, Madara raised an eyebrow and tossed the problem back to Tobirama.
Hearing this, Tobirama's brow furrowed, then his eyes lit up. Looking straight at Madara, a smile creeping onto his lips, he slowly uttered a name:
"Uchiha Gin."
"No way!!!" in unison
The name instantly drew fierce opposition from both the others.
Madara's face turned cold, his Sharingan locking onto Tobirama with killing intent leaking out, the air around them dropping to freezing.
"Tobirama, don't be ridiculous. How could you send Big Brother Gin on such a dangerous task?"
Hashirama, thinking of other reasons, frantically tried to signal his brother. Had he forgotten what happened to Itama?
"What's with the big reaction? That guy's a three-tomoe Sharingan user, isn't he?"
Tobirama, surprised at their response, blinked in confusion.
In his mind, Gin could fight the elite captain-level Hyuga Tenyo to a standstill. Even if he wasn't quite at elder level, he should at least be at elite captain level.
Besides, in his simple tests, Gin's ability to suppress a tailed beast was not to be underestimated—even without a Mangekyo Sharingan.
Gin was a veteran Uchiha with decades of Sharingan experience. Surely he could handle a mere tailed beast?
"There's something I've never told you. Since we're talking about Big Brother Gin now, I'll share it."
Seeing that Tobirama wasn't intentionally making trouble, Madara's expression softened slightly. With a trace of hesitation, he began:
"Big Brother once died—at the hands of your Senju clan."
Closing his eyes, Madara seemed to recall a painful memory, his face twitching unnaturally. Then he opened them, his cold gaze sweeping over the baffled Senju brothers. His voice was as frigid as winter.
He had never wanted to bring this up before Hashirama. First, because it was many years ago, and the two clans had since made peace.
Second, because he didn't want to reopen his old wounds—the kind of grief that could awaken a Mangekyo Sharingan wasn't something to speak of lightly.
Back then, he had been too weak, able only to watch as his cousin was killed before his eyes. If his father hadn't arrived in time, neither he nor Izuna would be alive today.
"What? Big Brother Gin…"
The Senju brothers' pupils contracted in shock. In their minds surfaced the image from years ago—
Their father, wielding a monstrous punch of immense force, striking down a curly-haired young man protecting his younger brothers.
Both arms shattered instantly, his chest pierced through. He was on the verge of death, blood gushing from the wound and dyeing the entire Nanga River red.
"I'm sorry. That incident was our fault."
Realizing what Madara meant, Hashirama lowered his head in guilt.
Even if it was their father's doing, with Butsuma long dead, the blame would be his to bear as son.
"…Sorry."
Tobirama, recalling that the curly-haired man had once saved him, muttered an almost inaudible apology.
"…You should say those words to Big Brother Gin in person sometime."
For some reason, Madara felt a weight lift from his heart. Looking at the guilty Senju brothers, he decided to forgive them. After all, Big Brother Gin had lived.
"We will personally go to apologize!"
Hashirama straightened, tugging on Tobirama's sleeve, and gave a sincere promise.
"Back then, Big Brother Gin had suffered a fatal injury, his life signs gone. Just when we thought the funeral was coming, he miraculously revived."
Madara's tone softened further.
"Back from the dead? Was it some kind of forbidden jutsu?"
At the mention of dying and reviving, Tobirama's curiosity flared, his eyes gleaming with a hunger for knowledge—even if it was about a man he disliked.
"Remember the mark on his forehead?"
Instead of answering directly, Madara asked them.
"That black one? Wasn't it a tattoo?"
Both brothers suddenly remembered the purple diamond mark on their sister's forehead. They'd thought Gin was just setting a fashion trend—apparently not.
"Impossible. Who would tattoo something like that? That mark is a miraculous medical forbidden jutsu called the Yin Seal."
Madara rolled his eyes slightly and explained.
"You mean that forbidden jutsu can not only heal fatal injuries quickly, but also store chakra, and most importantly, extend life and preserve youth?"
Even well-traveled Tobirama was shocked.
The brothers exchanged a furtive, delighted glance—
Their sister would always be their sister~
"That's right. According to my father, that's exactly what it does. But…"
Madara's tone shifted, making the two tense again.
"But what?"
"It has side effects."
"Side effects?!"
"Relax—it's on Big Brother Gin, not you."
After a shared look, the brothers urged him to continue.
"My father told me it was developed by a relative of Big Brother's to improve his frail constitution. But because he didn't master it perfectly, and it activated when he was near death, it caused lasting side effects."
Madara sighed as he spoke.
"Although the Yin Seal saved his life and gave him ageless looks, his strength could never advance again."
Most of Gin's chakra was constantly siphoned into the mark to maintain his appearance, leaving him only enough for captain-level combat strength.
"And if it were perfected?"
"A perfected Yin Seal would have a purple mark and no side effects."
Confirming this eased the brothers' tension.
"So why isn't this jutsu taught widely in your clan, not even to you as clan head?"
Madara scratched his face awkwardly. "Because only women can learn it."
"…Huh?"
The brothers were dumbfounded.
"Wait, if only women can learn it, then that curly-haired guy—"
"Your eyes are rude. I told you, it was custom-made for him by a relative, allowing him to barely practice it."
"…So, Gin's strength is average, just with long life and youth?"
"You could say that, but he's not completely without merit~"
"What's his specialty?"
"Uh… he's kind-hearted!"
"…Right."
"In any case, choose someone else. If not, the Uchiha won't help with the tailed beasts."
"Then tell me—does your clan have any other Mangekyo?"
Madara's face darkened instantly. Clearly, Tobirama's real aim was to probe their secrets.
"What do you mean by that?"
The air grew heavy, Sharingan glowing faintly red.
Thud!
The tension shattered as Hashirama punched Tobirama into the wall.
"Who told you to speak that way to a comrade of the village?"
Pulling his head out of the wall, Tobirama's face was swollen, full of grievance.
"Brother, you hit me for him?"
"I hit you to wake you up. I've told you not to treat family like it's the Warring States era. Do it again and I'll make you do community service in the Uchiha district."
"Convenient timing—their public toilets are clogged," Madara added with a smirk.
Fuming, Tobirama tried to justify himself. "You misunderstand, brother. I only asked for Konoha's sake~"
"How so?"
"Madara, you've used the Sharingan to control tailed beasts, right?"
"So what?"
"What level of Sharingan does it take to perfectly control one—or several—tailed beasts?"
"Of course the Mangekyo—"
Madara froze mid-word, realizing Tobirama had led him into revealing information.
"Why are you asking that again?" Hashirama demanded.
"Since you're so curious, I'll tell you. Aside from Izuna and me, our clan has two more pairs of Mangekyo Sharingan."
(End of Chapter)
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