The Village's Early Days

Izuna looked down at that face and thought: No way, is he really asleep?

He tried to move his legs slightly.

No response.

It moved again.

Still no response.

Izuna: "..."

She really did fall asleep.

He sighed, closed the Local Gazetteer, and placed it aside. Then, he carefully reached out, cradled Ban's head, and tried to move him to the side.

As soon as he moved a little, Ban's brows furrowed slightly.

Izuna immediately stopped what he was doing and held his breath.

After waiting a while, Ban's brows relaxed and his breathing became even.

Izuna breathed a sigh of relief and continued to move carefully.

Little by little.

Finally, Ban's head left his legs and landed steadily on the cushion.

Izuna let out a long breath and stood up quietly.

He looked down at his older brother's unguarded sleeping face and suddenly felt a little dazed.

Madara Uchiha.

That man who struck fear into the hearts of many on the battlefield.

He's lying on the floor right now, sleeping like a child.

Izuna's lips curled slightly as he helplessly put his hands on his hips.

How tired must this person be to fall asleep here?

I've been so busy lately. Things about the Special Administrative Region, the Appointment Ceremony, and things at the school... I have to worry about everything.

Izuna himself would slack off whenever he could, but Madara wouldn't.

Madara was one of the core figures of Konoha, Hashirama Senju's most trusted partner, and the pillar of the Uchiha Clan in Konoha.

He has to hold on.

Izuna bent down and gently brushed aside a few stray strands of hair that had fallen across Madara's forehead.

That face appeared exceptionally soft in the dim light.

Izuna withdrew his hand, turned around, and went into the inner room.

He took out the bedding from the closet and spread it out. Then he took out a pillow, patted it, and placed it on the bedside table.

Then he went back to the living room, stood next to Ban, bent down, and put his hands under Ban's armpits and knees.

Rise.

He lifted Ban's body steadily into his arms.

Izuna silently thanked himself for being a Ninja.

Otherwise, he might not have been able to lift his own brother up today.

Ban's head rested on his shoulder, still fast asleep. His breathing was warm and deep, right beside his ear.

Izuna carried him into the inner room, walked to the bedsheets that had been laid out, bent down, and gently put him down.

The movements were very light and slow, as if they were placing something fragile.

The moment Ban's body touched the bedding, his brow furrowed slightly, but quickly relaxed again.

Izuna the blanket over him, carefully tucking the corners in.

He knelt beside the bed, looked at that face, and whispered, "Goodnight, Brother Ban."

Izuna stood up and tiptoed out of the room.

The door closed gently behind him.

Izuna returned to the living room, put away the cushions, and returned the Local Gazetteer to the bookshelf.

After washing up, he took out his glasses and put them in the study. After taking care of everything, he blew out the lamp.

Moonlight streamed in through the window, casting a silvery-white glow on the floor.

Izuna snuggled into bed and closed her eyes.

And Ban opened his eyes.

The room was dark, with only moonlight streaming in through the window, spreading a silvery white across the floor.

He lay there, staring at the ceiling, motionless.

Actually, I wasn't asleep from the very beginning.

When he rested his head on Izuna's lap, he truly relaxed. The fatigue that had accumulated over the past few days surged up like a tidal wave in that instant, engulfing him completely.

But asleep? No.

He simply closed his eyes, feeling his brother's warmth and listening to the sound of him turning the pages of a book.

Later, Izuna picked him up, but he still didn't open his eyes.

When those hands slipped under his armpits and behind his knees, Ban's body stiffened for a moment.

It's instinctive; the moment someone picks you up, your body tenses up instinctively.

But he held back.

His head rested on his younger brother's shoulder, enjoying his brother's care; at that moment, he felt incredibly happy.

A slight smile curved the corners of Ban's mouth.

Then the curve gradually flattened out.

He recalled what had happened with the Uzumaki Clan earlier that day.

They reminded Ban of some unpleasant things.

When Konoha was first established.

When the various families joined.

The Senju and Uchiha had just reconciled when the other clans arrived.

Hyuga, Akimichi, Yamanaka, Nara, Sarutobi, Shimura... one after another.

He and Hashirama were both very happy, because this showed that everyone hoped for peace to come.

The day when children no longer have to go to the battlefield and adults can take on missions based on their own Strength seems to be just around the corner, within easy reach.

But those families came with their own pride and their own demands.

Back then, we had meetings Tenten, and we argued Tenten.

Today, Hyuga said that the Uchiha people have taken over the Training Ground on the east side, which is our territory.

Tomorrow, Yamanaka said that the people from Shimura borrowed our family's secret medicine and haven't returned it yet.

The day after tomorrow, someone will say, "My child was beaten up on the street by someone who's Senju. Are you going to do anything about it?"

Ban was extremely annoyed at the time.

On one occasion, the Clan Head of Shimura slammed his fist on the table during a meeting and said, "The Uchiha people are too arrogant. They must give us an explanation."

Without saying a word, Ban stood up and walked out.

"Where are you going?" Hashirama called out to him.

"Go to the Shimura," he said. "Give him an explanation."

That day, he defeated all of Shimura's Jonin. One by one, swiftly and decisively, without any mercy.

After the beating, he stood at the entrance of the Shimura compound, looking at the people lying on the ground, and said, "Who else wants to confess?"

No one dared to speak.

Later, the Clan Head of the Shimura Clan came to apologize in person, saying that what happened before was wrong and that they would not mention it again.

Spot nodded, and that was the end of it.

But then what?

Then the village fell silent.

It was unnaturally quiet.

During the meeting, no one banged on the table anymore.

The Clan Heads of the Shimura and Sarutobi Clans kept their heads down and remained silent throughout. The Clan Head of the Akimichi only spoke when asked a question. The Clan Head of the Nara clan simply began to doze off.

They no longer fight over those things they used to fight over.

The Training Ground? You can use it.

The secret medicine? No need to return it.

The child got hit? Oh well, it's normal for kids to fight and roughhouse.

Everything went very smoothly.

But Ban felt something was off.

He later discovered that it wasn't those people who had figured it out.

Those people are afraid to speak.

They were afraid of him. They were afraid of his Strength, his temper, and that he would rush to their doorstep and beat them all down at the slightest provocation.

Therefore, they remain silent, do not express their opinions, and do not participate.

Build the village? You build it. Decide on the village? You decide. Contribute manpower and labor? We have other things to do.

Ultimately, only the Senju Clan and Uchiha Clans truly put in the hard work and effort.

Ban didn't pay much attention at the time. He thought that as long as you don't cause trouble, we'll handle the rest ourselves.

But now that I think about it, that "quiet" was more terrifying than the open arguments.

The fact that they are arguing openly at least shows that they are still willing to speak up, still willing to fight for their rights, and still consider themselves part of the village.

And that quiet...

That silence showed that they no longer considered themselves part of the group.

They just live here, nothing more.

At that time, Hashirama went to great lengths to persuade those people to do their work.

Madara remembers that during that time, Hashirama would visit different clan territories every day. One Hyuga Clan Akimichi Clan, and the day after to the Yamanaka Clan. He would always come back looking exhausted, but he would cheer up and go again the next day.

It's useless.

Those people smiled and agreed, politely seeing him out, and then... that was it.

No one was sent to participate in the construction.

No one opened a shop in the village's public areas.

Nobody wanted to put in the effort to cut down trees and build houses.

Everything was being done by the Senju and Uchiha.

Madara stood at the window of the Hokage Building, looking down at the construction site. The Senju were moving timber, Uchiha were laying roads. Occasionally, a few members of other clans would pass by, glance at the site, and then leave.

Hashirama persisted.

"It's okay," he said. "Take your time, they'll understand."

Ban didn't believe it.

He knows those people too well. It's not that they don't understand, it's that they don't want to understand.

They live here because they fear his and Hashirama's Strength.

But they don't consider themselves part of this village.

In their eyes, this place was only a temporary refuge. If he and Hashirama disappeared, they wouldn't stay here for even a second longer.

Coincidentally, he doesn't need them either.

This village only needs the Uchiha and Senju.

That evening, Hashirama went to persuade them again.

Madara didn't go with them. He stood in the Hokage Building, watching the sun slowly set, feeling indifferent, but for Hashirama's sake, if this didn't work, he would have to take matters into his own hands.

Let those people see what the price of "unwillingness" is.

The next morning, when Hashirama returned, his knees were covered in dust, and he walked with a slight limp.

"What's wrong with you?"

"It's nothing," Hashirama smiled. "I just tripped and fell."

Ban didn't believe it.

But he didn't ask.

Then he saw several more members of the Sarutobi Clan at the construction site.

Hashirama was curious about how Hashirama had persuaded them, so he secretly followed them.

It turned out that Hashirama walked to the entrance of the human family's estate and knelt down.

He knelt upright, his hands resting on his knees, his head bowed.

Mito stood silently to the side, bowing and waiting.

Standing opposite them were the Hyuga Clan Head and several elders, their expressions complex.

Ban's heart clenched suddenly.

He wanted to rush over, to pull Hashirama, to question him about why he was kneeling.

But he didn't move.

Because he saw Hashirama raise his head and, addressing those people, say, word by word:

Please treat this place as your home.

The voice wasn't loud, but in the quiet night, every word clearly reached Ban's ears.

Please, I beg you.

Ban's fingers tightened suddenly, his nails almost digging into his palm.

Hashirama was pleading with them.

The man who could single-handedly change the course of the battle, the man known to all as the "God of the Shinobi World," was now kneeling on the ground, pleading with those who were less than a fraction of his power, "Please, I beg you."

Ban didn't understand.

He simply couldn't understand it.

Hashirama is so strong. If he just speaks, if he just shows the slightest dissatisfaction, those people will definitely obey him.

No threats or physical violence are needed; simply letting them know that "Hashirama Senju is unhappy" is enough.

Why kneel?

Why should we pray?

Trampling on your own dignity like this will only make others look down on you.

But he saw it.

The former Clan Head of the Hyuga Clan remained silent for a long time before bending down and helping Hashirama up.

The old man's face had an indescribable expression.

It was as if he felt ashamed, as if he was moved.

He remembered that night, Hashirama went to many places.

Akimichi Clan, Yamanaka Clan, Nara Clan, Inuzuka Clan, Shimura Clan.

He knelt at the door of each house, saying the same things.

Please treat this place like a home. I beg you.

Some people helped him up, some nodded silently, and some turned their faces away with red eyes.

Beside him, Mito Uzumaki quietly shed tears a few times, but quickly wiped them away and continued to stand by his side.

Just like him, I followed behind him, watching from afar.

We can only watch from afar.

The next day, everything changed.

The Hyuga Clan sent people, saying they could help pave the road to the west.

Akimichi Clan suggested opening a restaurant in the center of the village.

The Yamanaka Clan said they were willing to provide Medicinal Herbs for the medical team's use.

The Nara Clan said they could help design the village's layout.

Other Shinobi Clans also sent people one after another.

The village suddenly became lively.

Madara stood at the window of the Hokage Building, watching the crowds coming and going below, but he felt no joy.

He remembered Hashirama kneeling on the ground.

"Why?" he asked, "Why are you kneeling?"

"Because they need a reason."

What's the reason?

"The reason I'm convincing myself," Hashirama said calmly, "Is that they don't want to help, they're afraid. You're too strong, they're afraid of you. So they're holding back, waiting to see how long we can hold out. I have to let them know I'm serious."

"Don't you think..." Madara began, his voice slightly hoarse, "... ashamed?"

Hashirama paused for a moment, then smiled.

There was no bitterness in that smile, only a gentle warmth that the freckles couldn't decipher.

"Shameful?" He repeated the word, then shook his head. "Ban, what do you think is shameful?"

Ban didn't speak.

"When I was kneeling there, some people did look at me like that," Hashirama said softly, as if he were talking about something very ordinary. "But I didn't care. Because I wasn't kneeling to them, I was kneeling to my village."

He looked at Ban, and there was a light in his eyes that was impossible to look directly at.

"If kneeling alone could convince those people that this is their home, a place worth their effort to build."

"Then I'll kneel a hundred times."

Ban closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and gazed silently at the spot where the moonlight was shining.

The people sent by the Uzumaki clan were indeed as Hashirama said—they knew nothing.

They don't understand what Hashirama sacrificed.

I don't understand how Konoha was founded.

I don't understand why Konoha has gotten to this point.

They only see the results.

Hashirama Senju is about to become the de facto leader of the Special Administrative Region, and the Ninjas have their own territory.

Then they wanted to "go further".

Ban chuckled softly.

He wondered what those people would think if they saw Hashirama kneeling on the ground.

Would you think he's weak?

Do you think he doesn't deserve the title of God of Shinobi?

But what they didn't know was that it was precisely those "weaknesses" they looked down upon that enabled the village to be built.

It was Hashirama who finally convinced those people that this was a place worth their effort.