Suggestion * Father and son

When Hashirama bid farewell to Tobirama and returned home, it was already late at night.

The mansion was brightly lit.

His wife, Mito Uzumaki, was sitting under the lamp in the hall looking at the scroll, but it was clear at a glance that she was distracted.

Hearing footsteps, the woman looked up, a worried expression on her face.

"Hashirama, you're back." Mito put down the scroll and stood up to greet her. She was wearing an elegant kimono, her red hair flowing like flames under the lamplight, and her face was beautiful and serene.

"What's wrong, Mito?" Hashirama keenly sensed his wife's unusual mood, put his arm around her shoulder, and asked with concern, "Is something wrong in the village? Or are you feeling unwell?"

Mito shook her head, her gaze fixed on the path leading to the inner courtyard, her voice low. "It's Yūki... that child, he hasn't been quite right ever since he came back from Kyoto."

Hashirama's heart skipped a beat. "Yūki? What happened to him?"

"It's been all day," Mito said worriedly. "From morning until now, except for meals, he's been training non-stop in the backyard. Practicing Taijutsu, Ninjutsu, swinging his sword at the wooden stake... I told him to rest, but he just said it wasn't enough, and his eyes looked a little scary."

Mito was silent for a moment, then looked at Hashirama. "Hashirama, has something happened in the Capital City?"

"I'll go check." Hashirama released his wife and strode towards the backyard.

Before we even got close, we could already hear the dull thud of the wooden stake being struck.

The Training Ground was specially set aside in the backyard.

Senju Yūki was only wearing a thin training uniform, which was completely soaked with sweat and clung tightly to his body, outlining the budding muscle lines of the young man.

He was facing a wooden stake, punching and kicking it repeatedly, the sound of the wind whistling through the air as he slammed into it.

The wooden stake groaned under the weight, its surface riddled with cracks and deep dents.

Yūki's face was expressionless, only showing an almost numb focus.

Each strike was delivered with all its might, as if it were meant to shatter something unseen.

The Hashirama stood under the eaves, watching quietly.

He did not immediately speak up to stop it.

He knew that stopping his Yūki now was pointless.

He recalled the performance, the role that Izuna gave Yūki.

Taira no Koremori.

That tragic nobleman, born into a prominent family and achieving fame at a young age, suffered a series of misfortunes, including the early death of his father, the decline of his family, and defeats on the battlefield. Unable to bear the pressure, he eventually became a monk and committed suicide by drowning.

Koremori's life was filled with feelings of powerlessness and collapse.

His son, Yūki, briefly adopted Koremori's mindset on stage, at Izuna's Suggestion.

This nearly caused him to lose his composure on stage.

After the Suggestion ended, Yūki seemed to be in good spirits, chatting and laughing with his friends, and was also very active in the street repair work.

It seems that Yūki hasn't been enough to overcome this hurdle.

Hashirama's gaze fell on the edge of the Training Ground.

There was another person sitting there.

It is Senju Ichiyo.

The child who played the Guardian Ninja "Higa Shintarō" in the drama.

Ichiyo, holding a water bottle and a towel, her brows slightly furrowed, watching with concern the seemingly tireless Yūki in the arena.

Clearly, the fact that Yūki was able to train normally here without collapsing from exhaustion is largely thanks to this new friend.

The protection and concern shown in the play seem to have continued into real life, becoming a bond between the young people.

Hashirama watched for a while longer, until Yūki stumbled and almost fell due to a sudden movement, before slowly walking forward.

"Yūki." His voice wasn't loud, but it made Yūki freeze abruptly.

He maintained his fist-pumping posture, his back to Hashirama, sweat dripping down his soaked black hair, his shoulders heaving slightly as he panted heavily.

Several seconds passed before he slowly turned around.

Upon seeing Hashirama, Yūki a lump in his throat and almost burst into tears, but he held it back.

"Father." He lowered his head, his voice a little hoarse.

Ichiyo immediately stood up and bowed respectfully. "Lord Hashirama."

Hashirama nodded to Ichiyo, then turned his gaze back to his son.

He walked up to the Yūki, reached out, and gently pressed his hand on the boy's still slightly trembling shoulder.

It was sweaty and scalding hot to the touch.

"Rest when you're tired," Hashirama said calmly. "That's not how you train."

Yūki lowered his head, biting his lip, and remained silent. But Hashirama could feel the taut muscles beneath his hand on his son's shoulder trembling slightly.

Yūki responded sullenly, "I understand, Father."

Then, he silently bent down, took off his training shoes covered in mud and sawdust, and walked barefoot into the house.

He didn't greet Ichiyo or pay attention to Mito was approaching.

Hashirama watched his son's figure disappear behind the Veranda, then exchanged a glance with Mito.

Mito's eyes reflected the same worry and confusion as his.

What should we do?

They were no ordinary parents. Hashirama was the God of Shinobi, Mito was the princess of the Uzumaki Clan, a powerful Sealing Jutsu master.

They had faced countless powerful enemies and dealt with complex political negotiations, but at this moment, facing their son's closed heart, they felt an unprecedented sense of difficulty.

What is this child afraid of? Is it just the role they're playing on stage? Or is it something else they don't know?

Senju Ichiyo also looked worriedly in the direction Yūki had left. This usually lazy and carefree child's face was now filled with concern for her friend.

But he knew this was a family matter for Lord Hashirama, and he couldn't stay any longer, so he could only bow to Hashirama and Mito again.

"Lord Hashirama, Mito, I shall take my leave now."

"Yes, Ichiyo, thank you for keeping me company with my Yūki," Mito said gently.

Ichiyo shook his head, said nothing, and left.

The empty backyard was now empty except for the Hashirama couple.

Hashirama let out a long sigh, feeling even more exhausted than after a heated debate with Daimyo.

When facing an enemy, he knows whether to throw a punch or form a hand seal.

Faced with his son's silent resistance and fear, he had all the strength in him, but didn't know what to do.

"I'll go see him," Mito said softly, perhaps knowing that as a mother, she could more easily break down her son's defenses.

Hashirama nodded.

Mito entered Yūki's room.

The boy had changed into clean clothes and was sitting on the tatami mat, his back to the door, gazing absently at the night view outside the window. He didn't turn around when he heard footsteps.

Mito didn't rush to ask any more questions. She walked over to Yūki and sat down beside him, gently pulling him into her arms just like she had when she was a child, when she would put him to sleep.

"Yūki," her voice was gentle and calm, "Tell Mom what you're afraid of, okay?"

Feeling his mother's familiar warmth and presence, Yūki's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.

He lowered his head and spoke in a low voice.

"Mother... when I was playing Koremori, Uncle Izuna gave me a Suggestion... that made me feel... Father, he..." He paused for a long time, seemingly searching for the right words, and finally uttered the word with difficulty, "... is gone."

Mito's heart sank.

Of course she knew about that scene, and she knew that Izuna had used some tricks to achieve the desired effect. Izuna hadn't told Hashirama, but he had specifically asked Mito to tell her.

Mito thought it was just acting, and merely Suggestion. Yūki was a strong child, and his father was watching him from below; such a Suggestion couldn't possibly shake a Ninja's resolve.

But she hadn't expected that this Suggestion would have such a direct and profound impact on her Yūki.

"That feeling... so empty, so cold..." Yūki's voice trailed off, tinged with lingering fear. "Even though I knew it was fake, knew my father was watching from below... but in that instant, I felt... everything was over. Family, village, future... everything lost its meaning."

"Later, the Suggestion dissipated, and I knew my father was alright. But... that feeling lingered." He raised his hand, clenched his fist, and his knuckles turned white. "I couldn't help but think, what if... what if one day it really happened? What if my father, or my mother, or anyone else, were really gone?"

"I'm too weak." Yūki's tone was filled with self-loathing. "If my father were in danger, there would be nothing I could do. Just like Koremori in the play, all I could do was collapse and run away..."

"I don't want to become like that! So I want to become strong! Very, very strong! Strong enough to protect everyone and make sure that such a thing never happens!"

He finally revealed his deepest fear—the fear of losing his loved ones, and the anger and panic that followed from feeling powerless.

Mito listened, her heart breaking.

She understood. This wasn't just post-stage syndrome.

This is her child. After experiencing a brief but incredibly real loss, he glimpsed the cruel side of Ninja's fate, which caused him immense anxiety and stress.

He wanted to fill that fear with crazy training, and fight against the imagined loss with the obsession with becoming stronger.

Mito hugged her son tightly, trying to dispel the chill in his words with the warmth of her embrace.

"Silly child..." she whispered, her voice trembling slightly, "No one can guarantee they'll never lose anything. But... we live to cherish the present, to protect everything we can protect right now, not to let the fear of the future crush us in the present."

Although she said these words, she knew that these principles were very abstract and might not have much effect on the boy who was trapped in fear.

Sure enough, Yūki remained silent in her arms, his body still tense.

Mito patted his back soothingly until his breathing gradually calmed down and he seemed to fall asleep, then gently laid him down and covered him with the blanket.

She left the room and went into the hall.

Hashirama was waiting there, his brow furrowed.

"I got it." Mito repeated Yūki's words, her beautiful face showing deep weariness and helplessness. "He's afraid of losing, afraid of being powerless to protect... He was frightened by Izuna's Suggestion and got stuck in a rut."

Hashirama remained silent for a long time.

He understood his son's feelings.

That fear was a shadow that had once lingered deep within him, but he transformed it into the motivation to build the village and safeguard peace.

But he lacks Yūki and his mind is not yet settled. If he doesn't handle this sudden shock properly, it could really ruin him.

"Should I go talk to Izuna?" Hashirama asked hesitantly.

The saying "the one who tied the knot must untie it" Suggestion it was Izuna who caused it, and perhaps he also has a way to resolve it?

Mito shook his head. "Don't rush. He probably doesn't even realize the consequences of his Suggestion will be so serious. Moreover, it's not just a matter of Suggestion; it's about Yūki can overcome this hurdle in his own mind. External force may not be effective."

This woman, who had always been strong and intelligent, felt helpless at this moment.

She could seal powerful Tailed Beasts and handle complex clan affairs, but she didn't know how to erase the shadow in her son's heart.

"What should we do?" Hashirama scratched his head, somewhat anxious. "We can't just watch him torture himself like this forever."

Neither Hashirama nor Mito knew what to do.

The environment in which they grew up did not allow them to dwell on these emotions for too long. They had to pull themselves together, shoulder the burden, and keep moving forward. If they couldn't get through it, it would mean death.

But how could parents want their children to go through what their parents went through? Especially now that we're in a time of peace, neither Hashirama nor Mito wanted to oppress their children like their parents did.

How can someone who has never had their own emotional issues resolved know how to resolve someone else's?

The two discussed it for a long time but still couldn't come up with a solution.