Tabletop Roleplaying and a Ponytail

Madara's first reaction was that Izuna was telling one of his whimsical, funny, and slightly terrifying little stories again.

But this time, it seems a little different.

He approached a little closer, without disturbing anyone, and simply stood quietly in the shade of a large, leafy tree.

Izuna held a shiny copper coin in his hand, a smile on his face.

He spoke to the children sitting around him.

"... So, brave Samurai, you've decided to swing your sword and slash at the giant skeletal soldier blocking the Miko's path, is that it?"

A little boy, who looked about seven or eight years old and had a shaved head, nodded vigorously, his face flushed with excitement. "Yes! I want to protect the Miko!"

"Very good!" Izuna tossed the copper coin high into the air, letting it trace an arc in the sunlight before catching it with a "snap" and pressing it onto the back of his hand.

The children immediately held their breath, staring intently at his hand that was covering the back of his hand.

Izuna slowly removed his hand.

The side of the coin facing up is engraved with a number pattern.

"Success!" Izuna announced, his voice tinged with laughter. "Your sword sliced through the skeletal soldier's hard breastplate. Although you didn't completely destroy it, you bought precious time for the Miko behind you! Well done, little Samurai!"

"Yay--!" The little boy cheered along with the other children, as if they had really won a battle.

"Well then, it's our 'little Ninja's ' turn next." Izuna looked at another little girl with pigtails. "The skeletal soldier's attention has been drawn to the Samurai, so now is the perfect opportunity for you to sneak behind it and destroy its core with Explosive Tags! Do you want to try?"

The little girl nervously clutched the hem of her clothes, but her eyes were resolute. "Yes! I want to help the Samurai brother!"

The copper coin was tossed up again and fell back down.

This time, the reverse side is facing up.

"Oh dear... what a pity." Izuna feigned regret. "You tripped over the scattered bone fragments on the ground. Although you managed to regain your balance and avoid falling, you've already missed your chance. The skeletal soldiers have sensed your approach!"

The little girl let out a soft "Ah," her face filled with disappointment, and the other children also let out a sigh of regret.

"Don't be discouraged!" Izuna immediately comforted him. "Although the sneak attack failed, your actions weren't entirely useless. Look, the Samurai found a new angle to attack because of your distraction! The opportunity is still there!"

The children's emotions were immediately stirred up again, and they began chattering excitedly about their next strategy.

Ban stood in the shade of the tree, watching this scene.

Is it a game?

A game hosted by Izuna, where the success of a child's role is determined by the random heads or tails of a copper coin.

It's quite interesting.

The children cheered with joy at times of "success" and sighed with frustration at times of "failure," but they would soon rekindle their fighting spirit under Izuna's guidance.

Their eyes sparkled, completely absorbed in this tiny adventure world built from coins and imagination.

Madara was also able to witness the scene that Hashirama had mentioned.

Ban's gaze swept around.

The tea shop Tavern Keeper was still dozing off, but a faint smile played on her lips.

Behind a tree not far away, half a piece of clothing peeked out, revealing a woman who was secretly peeking in their direction. Judging from her attire, she seemed to be the mother of some commoner child.

The window on the second floor of the shop across the street was slightly ajar.

Further along the edge of the rooftops, there seemed to be several figures who had concealed their presence.

Those were the children's parents, some civilians and some Ninjas.

They didn't approach to disturb them, but instead found their own secluded spots, watching the lively yet harmonious scene under the pergola with gentle or curious gazes.

Madara also noticed two young men standing not far away, dressed differently from the Konoha and behaving cautiously.

Judging from their attire, they were two of the noble servants who had come to Konoha with the Theatre Troupe.

They seemed to be drawn by the commotion as well, observing quietly with expressions of surprise.

Everyone.

Whether they are parents worried about their children or curious outsiders.

At this moment, everyone was drawn to the man surrounded by children as if by an invisible magnet, watching him use a simple copper coin and vivid language to lead them in an adventure story about Ninjas, Samurai, and Miko.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the pergola, falling on Izuna's smiling profile, on the children's focused, upturned faces, and on the onlookers, some in the light and some in the shadows.

Madara watched all this without stepping forward, simply standing quietly in the shade of the tree, watching Izuna interact with the children.

However, Izuna noticed his presence.

Those dark eyes, which had just been engrossed in the game, suddenly turned and precisely caught the dappled shadows under the trees. Then, a smile bloomed on her face, and she waved vigorously.

"Brother! This way! Come quickly and help!"

The children's eyes all turned to the direction Izuna was waving, and they saw the tall, handsome man standing in the shadows.

Madara was slightly taken aback, not expecting Izuna to call him over directly.

However, he did not hesitate and stepped out from under the shade of the tree to the edge of the pergola.

"Children, look!" Izuna clapped his hands, drawing the children's attention back, and pointed at Madara, saying in a tone that sounded like announcing great news, "This is my Big Brother! He's also the hero who's come to help!"

He cleared his throat and solemnly explained the rules, "As a hidden powerful ally, Brother Ban... cough cough, this hero has one chance to 'unconditionally use a powerful skill'! It can turn the tide of battle!"

The children's eyes lit up at first, but then they looked at each other, their little faces showing obvious confusion.

The little girl with pigtails was bolder; she raised her hand and asked, "Izuna, this isn't fair!"

"Hmm? What's unfair about it?" Izuna tilted his head.

"Why can this brave hero use skills unconditionally?" The little boy with the peach-shaped hairpin Yūki and chimed in, "We all have to toss coins, and if we fail, we can't use our skills..."

"Yeah, yeah!"

"This is not fair!"

The other children nodded in agreement. Although they were instinctively afraid of this seemingly formidable "brave warrior," their insistence on the fairness of the rules temporarily overcame their fear.

Izuna retorted confidently, "Hey, you little brats! I found you such a great helper, and you're still not happy? You're being picky even when someone's helping you!"

The children, however, just stared Dead-Fish Eyes, offering only a monotone denunciation. "No."

"Take it or leave it!"

"Cut--"

Seeing Izuna resorting to his adult privileges to cheat, his embarrassed state finally made Madara, who had been standing quietly to the side, chuckle softly.

The laughter was deep and melodious, like a warm current flowing beneath the ice.

His eyebrows relaxed, and the corners of his lips turned up. His originally cold and stern features instantly became soft and lively, as if the ice had melted and spring flowers were beginning to bloom.

The smile that suddenly bloomed on that strikingly handsome face was like a shooting star streaking across the night sky, dazzling and breathtakingly beautiful.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the pergola, falling on his smiling profile and illuminating the rare softness in his deep eyes.

At this moment, Madara Uchiha that it was almost impossible to look directly at him.

"Oh my God..." a young mother hiding behind a tree murmured unconsciously.

"That Asura of the Ninja World actually... laughed?" The Ninja behind the second-floor window across the street rubbed his eyes.

The two noble servants were dumbfounded, and they almost dropped their notebooks.

This... this is the legendary Asura, feared on the battlefield? That smile... it's too much...

Izuna was momentarily stunned by Madara's sudden smile, but he quickly realized what was happening.

He suddenly touched his chin and said, "Brother, I think... why don't you try tying your hair up?"

"Hmm?" Madara's smile hadn't completely faded when he heard this, and he looked at him with a hint of doubt.

"Look at your hairstyle, it's handsome, cool, and definitely intimidating on the battlefield. But right now... we're not going to the battlefield. If you comb your bangs back and show your whole face, your approachability will definitely double! Maybe the kids won't find you so distant anymore!"

As soon as he said this, the onlookers who had been quietly listening, whether adults or children, couldn't help but nod their heads in agreement!

Yes, yes! Lord Izuna is absolutely right!

Ban raised an eyebrow at his younger brother. "... Didn't you say before that having an outstanding appearance on the battlefield wouldn't be intimidating, and that's why you made me have this hairstyle?"

That was a long time ago, when Izuna was just Little Bean.

I once saw him wiping the sweat from his face after training; his bangs were wet and stuck to his forehead, revealing his smooth forehead and complete eyebrows and eyes.

Izuna stared at him for a long time, then said with a serious expression like a little adult, "Madara, you're too handsome. The enemy will easily underestimate you on the battlefield. Let your bangs down and cover half your face; you'll look fiercer!"

He remembered those words for a long time and has maintained that hairstyle ever since.

Izuna blinked, his face showing genuine bewilderment.

"Huh?"

Ah, did the original Izuna say something like that to Madara?

His gaze involuntarily fell back to Ban's face, carefully examining the face that was half-hidden by thick black hair.

Deep, sharp eyes, a high, straight nose, thin lips that appear particularly hard when tightly pursed, and a clearly defined jawline outlined by the shadow of long hair framing his forehead...

Even though most of it is covered, its outstanding bone structure is still undeniable.

If you were to sweep all that long, flowing black hair back, exposing your smooth, full forehead and arched eyebrows completely to the sunlight...

The sheer force of that impact sent chills down Izuna's spine just from imagining it.

On the battlefield, someone who is too beautiful or handsome may indeed be subconsciously underestimated by the opponent, and may even be mistaken for not being a threat enough.

In those days of constant uncertainty and life-or-death struggles, it was perfectly understandable for a younger brother to want his older brother to look fiercer.

He looked at Ban, the man in front of him, a powerful and ruthless figure in countless legends and in the eyes of the world, who had kept the same hairstyle for so many years because of a single sentence from his younger brother.

Damn it, my heart aches so much, but Izuna! Now that you've passed away, I'll take care of Madara from now on!

"... Ahem." Izuna cleared his throat.

"Did I? Did I say that? I don't remember!" He said matter-of-factly, "You must be mistaken, Brother Ban! Or maybe you just said it when you were a kid and didn't know any better, it doesn't count!"

He took two steps closer and pointed to Ban's bangs.

"Times have changed! Before, we were fighting wars; now we've built a village and we're focused on peaceful development. Look at Hashirama, always grinning from ear to ear, with those two cockroach antennae on his forehead—he's got quite the air of authority, isn't he!"

"Our Uchiha's face of the clan, the epitome of good looks, it's such a waste to keep him hidden! He should be shown off openly, dazzling... uh, warmly illuminating everyone in Konoha!"

The more he talked, the more convinced he became of his point, concluding, "In short! I think we can give it a try! Right now! I'll get it done for you!"

As Ban watched his younger brother's series of reactions, from initial bewilderment to thoughtfulness, and now to his somewhat mischievous yet enthusiastic demeanor, a hint of understanding flashed in his eyes, which were then covered by a deeper, gentle smile.

He knew.

The Izuna before us probably doesn't have that childhood memory of the hairstyle issue between the brothers.

But what does it matter?

Izuna was saying this for his own good.

That's enough.

"Alright." Madara didn't press further, his tone laced with indulgence. "Since you've put it that way..."

"That's right!" Izuna's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled a red hair tie from a hidden pocket in his wide sleeve.

He went around behind Madara, his movements not particularly skillful, and carefully gathered Madara's thick, smooth long hair.

He had combed all the bangs that used to obscure his vision back, revealing his smooth, full forehead and complete eyebrows and eyes.

Under the canopy, all the children held their breath and stared wide-eyed.

Those who were quietly watching also unconsciously leaned forward.

The two noble servants instinctively gripped their pens tighter, their eyes fixed intently.

As Izuna's fingers combed and gathered, the concealment was gradually removed.

When Izuna finally tied the hair tie tightly, and a simple and neat high ponytail appeared behind Madara's head, the whole scene seemed to fall silent for a moment.

The sunlight shone down on that face without obstruction.

Without the bangs and shadows, every line of that face was clearly and strikingly revealed.

His eyebrows slanted upwards towards his temples, his eyes were deep and unfathomable like a cold pool, his nose was high and straight like a peak, and his lips were clearly defined.

Having shed the somber feel of his hairstyle, his handsome features were like a drawn sword, its cold light sharp and its edge fully revealed.

That was pure beauty.

Especially when he tilted his head slightly, his gaze still carrying the gentle smile that hadn't completely faded as he looked at Izuna, the striking beauty of his fully exposed face, combined with the rare soft light in his eyes, created an absolute attraction.

"..." The little boy with the peach-shaped haircut opened his mouth wide and forgot to close it.

"... So... so beautiful..." the little girl with pigtails murmured, her face slightly flushed for some reason.

"Hiss--" A clear, sharp gasp came from somewhere.

Two noble servants frantically began scribbling in their notebooks, their pens almost tearing through the pages.

"Ah, I knew it!" Izuna took two steps back, crossed his arms, and looked me up and down, extremely satisfied. "Perfect! It's like I'm a completely different person! My handsomeness has even more depth!"

He was also somewhat amazed, he thought to himself.

With that look and that aura, if it weren't for his ridiculously strong Strength, he could easily distract the enemy on the battlefield.

But now...

"How are you feeling, Brother Ban?" he asked with a grin.

Ban raised his hand, his fingertips touching his smooth forehead, then stroking the ends of his hair tied back. A strange, refreshing feeling washed over him.

He looked up, his gaze sweeping over the children's bright eyes, now filled only with amazement and curiosity, no longer tinged with fear, and over the corners around him where, though they tried to hide it, their amazement still betrayed their astonishment.

Finally, his gaze returned to Izuna's smug smiling face.

"Hmm." A pleased smile slowly curved the corners of Madara's lips again. "Feels... good."

A gentle breeze swept through the shade, ruffling a few loose strands of hair that weren't properly tied up on his forehead.