Konoha.
At the village's center, the once plain two-story temporary office had been replaced by a brand-new Hokage building. Bright red tiles crowned the roof, with a round plaque inlaid with a large "Fire" character. Standing atop the rooftop terrace, one could get a perfect 360° view of the entire village.
In the office on the top floor, a pale-faced Hashirama sat across from Madara, each holding a cup of steaming fragrant tea. The rich aroma made everyone present feel relaxed and at ease.
Hashirama took a cautious sip, his face showing utter satisfaction. Half-closing his eyes in bliss, he looked at the expressionless Madara and couldn't help but ask,
"Madara, why aren't you drinking? This is rare tea—I had to beg it off Tobirama."
Madara raised an eyebrow, recognizing the familiar scent. A faintly amused glint passed through his black eyes.
Since when did Tobirama get in touch with my cousin?
"Tch~ It's all right, I guess."
He took a sip, smacked his lips, and commented. His home had plenty of this tea—it was a gift from his eldest cousin to his father long ago. Madara wasn't much of a tea connoisseur anyway; at best, he only knew the basics.
Catching a glimpse of the scorching sunlight streaming through the window, Madara inwardly curled his lip. In his opinion, no matter how good the tea was, it couldn't beat one of Gin's freshly made hand-beaten lemon teas.
"Hey, hey, hey! How long are you two going to slack off?"
Their peaceful tea break was interrupted by an irritable voice.
"Ah, Tobirama, it's just your tea's so fragrant. Got any more? Give me a few pounds~"
Hashirama, grinning broadly, didn't take his younger brother's jab seriously. He looked over at Tobirama, who was diligently covering his duties at the Hokage desk, and asked after another sip.
"No. That's all I have."
Tobirama's expression darkened. This tea was precious—he only had one box, given by their sister who pitied her older brother.
"Brother, you've rested enough. Back to work!"
"Eh? No word from the clone yet?"
Not wanting to return to work, Hashirama quickly changed the topic.
"Work!"
"Come on, we're brothers—it doesn't matter who does it. Tomorrow I'll cover for you and train your disciples~"
Hashirama patted his brother's shoulder reassuringly.
"I saw that bunch of kids you took on—they're all very talented. Future pillars of Konoha, I'm sure! Especially that black-haired kid with the, ah… impressive hips—boundless potential~"
"Hmph!"
Tobirama didn't believe his brother's nonsense. This was the same man who'd sweet-talked Madara into working here for free—and even wrangled funding for the new Hokage building.
That was the only reason Tobirama tolerated Madara's presence: paid labor was a rare find.
"You've got to believe me—huh?"
Hashirama froze mid-sentence. A faint blush touched his pale face, and his expression shifted as a flood of memories returned to him.
"What is it?"
Tobirama, frowning, sensed something unusual. If this was clone feedback, why hadn't his clone returned yet?
"Madara, who exactly is Uchiha Hikari?"
After taking in the memories, Hashirama ignored Tobirama's question and instead turned to Madara.
"Hikari… I don't know much. What do you want to know?"
"She's about the same age as Gin, right? So calling her 'big sister' wouldn't be wrong?"
"…What's with that look? I got bisected once, you know! Doesn't that count?"
Hashirama grumbled at Madara's skeptical expression.
"I only know she's my cousin's childhood friend. That's it."
"Then calling her big sister is fine, right?"
"Tch, you're married, yet you're still this naïve. Hikari and my cousin are… y'know~"
Madara made a suggestive gesture.
"Ah?"
Realizing this crucial detail had been missing from his intel, Hashirama felt a surge of regret.
"Matte! That curly-haired brat and Hikari are that close?"
Off to the side, Tobirama's eyes widened at the gesture, his voice urgent.
"Of course—why else would she have lived at my cousin's place for over ten years?"
Madara, puzzled by Tobirama's reaction, began to suspect something. His eyes narrowed.
"Tobirama! I won't allow you to target my family!"
Too vicious—no wonder this white-haired loner had no scandals at his age.
Tobirama, equally cold, retorted, "You should thank the current peace. Otherwise, I'd have taken your most important brother long ago."
Madara inhaled sharply. "I knew it! You really do have bad intentions!"
"Enough! Sit down and talk this out."
Hashirama tried to mediate, though he still had no idea what they were even fighting about.
Before it could escalate, Tobirama froze mid-sentence, his eyes flashing with a ripple of light. His clone had returned information.
"Brother, this is simpler than we thought."
"…Huh?"
Hashirama was confused, but Tobirama's gaze turned on Madara, cold.
"Your clan hides its methods well."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Come on—we're going to check the results."
"What results?"
"Tailed beasts."
Without another word, Tobirama leapt out the window toward the forest, and Hashirama quickly followed.
"…I'm coming too!"
At the forest site, Gin—belly full and ignoring Itama's accusing glare—walked to the Amber Purification Bottle.
"Chiri, Hikari—once I let them out, you take control."
"Got it, Gin-sensei."
A moment later, the battle began—or at least, Gin's theatrical version of it. He called out beasts dramatically, pretending to have deep bonds, only for Chiri and Hikari to casually subdue them one after another. Even his "ace," Son Gokū, was swiftly taken down.
Gin sighed over his failed "Tailed Beast Master" journey but was interrupted by the incoming chakra signatures of three familiar people.
"They're here."
Moments later, Hashirama, Tobirama, and Madara landed nearby.
"You all right, Gin?" Hashirama asked, eyes fixed on the docile beasts.
"Thanks to Chiri and Hikari."
"You didn't fight?" Tobirama's gaze narrowed.
"I'm just an ordinary three-tomoe; how could I?" Gin said innocently.
But Tobirama's eyes soon went sharp. "Gin, why are all their tails shorter?"
"Battle damage. They'll grow back. If not, I'll make gold replacements."
"…Promise?"
"Absolutely, bro."
Satisfied, Tobirama issued a warning about the beasts' destructive potential. Madara scoffed, until Hashirama—full of lies—insisted even he had barely contained the Kyūbi. Madara eagerly noted this "weakness," unaware Gin was rolling his eyes.
Then Madara's expression shifted, and Gin's sense of dread spiked.
"Cousin, don't get mad, but… I borrowed some craftsmen and materials from the Land of Waves in your name to build the new Hokage building."
"…How much?"
"Not much—just over a billion or so~" Madara said with forced nonchalance, patting Gin's shoulder.
Gin's face went cold.
"Sir, do I know you? Why are you touching me? We're meeting for the first time, aren't we?"
(End of Chapter)
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