As Shion's words fell, the turbulent wind swept across the treetops, scattering leaves through the air. A single character—[Truth]—hovered in the air for a brief moment before dissolving into nothingness.
Silence lingered.
At last, Senju Hashirama chuckled, clicking his tongue as he asked,"Can you tell me… what exactly made you interested in me?"
Shion shook his head slightly, thought for a moment, then replied,"If you really want to know, then both your information and Madara's can be used for trade. If you take them together, I'll even give you a discount—two pieces of information for the price of one."
Hashirama considered for a moment, then shook his head firmly."I only need Madara's information. And I will only pay one price for it—just one. Whether you want Mokuton or my vast chakra reserves, you must choose one of the two."
His spectral face grew solemn."The Uzumaki clan has already been wiped out. So, take my Mokuton—or my body's constitution—as compensation for your loss."
Shion smiled faintly."The Hero of the Warring States, the God of Shinobi, the First Hokage… With so many titles under your name, it's true—one piece of information from you isn't something any ordinary shinobi could compare to."
"Then… as you wish, the information on Uchiha Madara as he is now. Contract."
A parchment materialized out of thin air. Hashirama gave it a single glance before agreeing without hesitation.
"I don't know what you mean by 'as he is now,'" Hashirama said, smiling faintly. "But the future has never been certain. To play word games in front of someone who lived through the Warring States… you're quite the cunning little Uzumaki."
Even as a spirit, the confidence in his own power was evident in his eyes.
The contract sealed. The trade began.
"Uchiha Madara is dead."
"...???"
As the words landed, the God of Shinobi froze, dumbfounded. Shion barely suppressed his laughter at Hashirama's expression.
Tilting his head, Hashirama leaned closer, his tone a half-serious threat."Boy, don't joke about such things—you could get yourself killed. You know the Nine-Tails, don't you? I once smacked that fox with a wooden construct so hard it couldn't even move."
Shion stepped back two paces, widening the distance between himself and Hashirama's face.
"A god who sought stability once divided yin and yang into two poles. Opposites working together, producing all things in the world. This is a universal truth—two opposing forces, when balanced, can bring true peace."
Shion glanced at Hashirama.
These were the very words Madara had spoken to him at the Uchiha clan compound. They were also carved onto the clan's hidden stone tablet.
"At that time, Madara told you about that stone tablet. But what he didn't share was his interpretation of it."
"Two opposing powers—Senju and Uchiha. 'Working together' could also mean fusion. At the Valley of the End, in the final moment, Madara bit off a piece of your flesh."
"Through the power of Izanagi, Madara survived. And his interpretation wasn't wrong. By combining Uchiha and Senju power—or rather, by combining the two of you—he gained the power of the Sage of Six Paths."
"Above the Mangekyō Sharingan lies the eyes once held by the Sage himself— the Rinnegan."
Hashirama frowned."Then why did Madara die? With the Rinnegan, without me and my Mokuton, there's no way Konoha could've stopped him."
Shion shook his head slightly."The power of the Sage isn't obtained so easily. Because of the difficulty in merging the two forces, Madara didn't awaken the Rinnegan until near the end of his life, when he was already old and close to death."
Hashirama tilted his head, eyes narrowing at Shion, his expression radiating disbelief.
Shion could clearly read the thought behind that look:
Really? That's it? That's what you think is worth one piece of information?An old man, dead of natural causes, whose soul has already passed on to the Pure Land—how could such a man threaten Konoha?
But then—
Hashirama suddenly recalled the Nine-Tails' attack. An event that should have happened in history. The fact that space itself had offered no sign of falsehood meant this was no lie.
Which meant—
"The Outer Path. The Rinne Rebirth Technique. The Rinnegan has the power to bring someone back from the dead—at the cost of the user's life."
Shion continued calmly,"To resurrect someone, Madara would need to find a vessel capable of bearing the Rinnegan. And in the shinobi world, the ones famous for being able to contain tailed beasts… were the Uzumaki."
"He left behind a fragment of his will, manipulating the younger generation of Uchiha from the shadows. Uchiha Madara is waiting for the final step of his plan. When that time comes, not only Konoha—but the entire shinobi world—will be drowned in silence."
"That is all the information on Madara—for now."
Hashirama's gaze grew heavy. He sighed, floating upward, his eyes falling on Konoha sprawled below the Hokage Rock.
This was the village that embodied his dream of peace.
For peace, he had cast aside every ounce of pride as the strongest shinobi.For peace, he had driven a blade into his own heart.For peace, he had killed his dearest friend.
And yet… even now, the world had not moved in the direction he had once hoped.
"If we set the timeline in the present, then there must still be much more information about the future. If Madara's will continues to manipulate things, his plan may not be as simple as he thinks."
"I am already dead—my soul returned to the Pure Land, yet unable to find rest. If I am to be called back through Impure World Reincarnation, then who knows how long I must wait, or what state of awareness I will have when summoned."
Shion sighed quietly at Hashirama's words.
It had to be admitted—some people were born with an extraordinary charisma. Compared to even Naruto, the First Hokage's words carried an undeniable weight.
But still—
"First Hokage, decades have passed, and time has proven that your way was flawed."
Hashirama looked over. Shion continued,
"From the founding of Konoha to the end of the Third Great Shinobi War, not even fifty years had passed. And yet three large-scale wars broke out across the shinobi world."
"The creation of shinobi villages—gathering clans and common shinobi alike—only escalated the scale of war. And all of it happened after your death. Do you know why?"
Hashirama shook his head slightly.
"Because of your power. Mokuton shaped the entire shinobi world. Your title as the God of Shinobi made everyone too afraid to act recklessly. Because Senju Hashirama wanted peace, no one in the shinobi world dared to start a war."
As his words fell, Hashirama fell silent.
Only after a breeze passed over did he finally lift his head."Absolute power breeds absolute darkness. The longer such overwhelming authority is held, the greater the shadows it will cast. Perhaps I truly was wrong. But as for the path ahead… I am only a soul in the Pure Land. I can only warn, not guide."
He floated closer to Shion, smiling faintly."Madara was always a fool. From your words, I can already tell—he must have been used by someone else."
"A world of death and silence—I do not wish for such a thing. And someone like you, who can speak of dreams like that… surely, you do not wish for it either. Then…"
Please, don't let that future come to pass.