War * Nation

The next day.

Sunlight streamed through the paper windowpanes, spreading a warm yellow glow on the floor. Birds chirped and chattered outside, their noise irritating.

Izuna opened his eyes.

I stared at the ceiling for three seconds, and my mind went completely blank.

Then he blinked, bewildered, wondering who he was, where he was, and what he was supposed to do today.

Oh right, we have to go to rehearsal today.

Izuna rolled over, buried her face in the blanket, and lingered there for another three seconds.

Then he got up and staggered Earth Flow the study.

Eye--

My eyes--

Izuna pushed open the study door and took the bottle containing the eyes from the shelf.

Open it, take it out, and put your glasses on in front of the bronze mirror on the wall.

After putting it on, he blinked at himself in the mirror to make sure everything was okay, then turned around and went to wash up.

When the cold water was splashed on his face, he finally woke up a little bit.

But only a little bit.

Izuna dried her face, hung up the towel, and then continued to stroll leisurely Earth Flow the bathroom.

The aroma of food wafted from the living room.

Izuna followed the aroma and saw Madara setting out bowls and chopsticks at a low table. There were two bowls of rice, two small dishes of side dishes, and a pot of steaming Miso Soup.

Ban's hair was still a little damp, probably from just washing his face. He was wearing a dark-colored casual shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing a section of his well-defined forearm.

Izuna wobbled over, walked behind Madara, and slumped onto his back.

Ban paused for a moment.

"Izuna?"

"... Um."

The head on its back rubbed against itself, found a comfortable spot to rest, and then stayed still.

Ban found it amusing.

He turned his head and caught a glimpse of his younger brother out of the corner of his eye. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he might fall asleep again at any moment. His hair was messy, with a few strands sticking up and swaying in the morning light.

"Are you up?" he asked.

"Um."

"Once you're up, don't go back to sleep."

"I'm not asleep," Izuna's voice was muffled. "Just for a little while."

Ban thought to herself, "Fine, you only cling to me when you're confused."

But you still need to eat.

This child, I don't know why, doesn't like to eat breakfast.

She was fine when she first came back, but now that we're closer, her true colors are showing.

Sometimes I'd get up, have a sip of tea, and say I was awake, then I'd try to sneak out.

I have to force him to eat Tenten.

Honestly, I don't know where I picked up this habit.

Madara put down the bowl in his hand, turned around, and gently lifted Izuna by placing his hands under her armpits.

He lifted Izuna up.

The moment his feet left the ground, Izuna's mind finally cleared.

"Eh--"

Ban lifted him to the low table and placed him steadily on the cushion.

"Sit still."

Izuna sat there and blinked.

Ban sat down opposite him, picked up his bowl, and began to eat.

"Eat."

Izuna looked down at the bowl in front of him. The rice was steaming, topped with a layer of smooth steamed egg custard, and there were two pieces of Pickled Radish on the side.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of Pickled Radish, and put it in his mouth.

The two ate breakfast quietly.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, casting a warm yellow glow on the low table. Wisps of steam rose from the Miso Soup, swirling in the morning light.

Izuna ate, his brain finally started working completely.

He swallowed the food in his mouth and looked up at Ban.

"By the way, Madara-kun, is the Uzumaki Clan meeting with Hashirama- kun today?"

Ban paused for a moment with his chopsticks.

"Yes. Morning."

"At the Hokage Building?"

"Right."

Izuna tilted his head. "Can I go take a look?"

Madara glanced at him. "That's Hashirama's business. It's not appropriate for us to get involved."

"What's wrong with it?" Izuna picked up a piece of steamed egg custard. "We're part of the leadership too. We've been involved in the Special Administrative Region's affairs. Isn't that exactly what the Uzumaki Clan wants to discuss?"

Ban didn't speak.

Izuna continued, his tone somewhat matter-of-fact.

"And to be honest, Hashirama and Tobirama probably wouldn't be able to handle it."

"Otherwise, Hashirama wouldn't have had that helpless attitude last night."

Ban put down his chopsticks and looked at him.

So you want to go and see it?

"Just sit in," Izuna winked. "I won't say anything, I'll just listen. If their talks break down, I can help smooth things over."

Ban was silent for a moment.

He looked at Izuna's face, his eyes gleaming with a hint of cunning, his expression utterly innocent.

He clearly just wanted to watch the excitement.

But Izuna's point also makes sense.

Hashirama is a good person in Hashirama way, except he's too easy to talk to. If someone says a few kind words to him, he'll practically rip his heart out to show them.

Tobirama is indeed difficult to talk to, but he's the kind of "difficult to talk to" that makes you want to punch him. Although he's a bit better than Tobirama, if his toughness were effective, Hashirama wouldn't be in such a difficult position.

Ban picked up the bowl and drank a mouthful of Miso Soup.

"Go if you want to."

Izuna's eyes lit up.

"Real?"

"Hmm." Ban put down his bowl. "But don't say anything out of line."

"I know, I know." Izuna nodded repeatedly, "I'll just listen in, I definitely won't interrupt."

Ban glanced at him.

That look clearly said: I don't believe you for a second.

Izuna pretended not to see and focused on eating her rice.

After finishing their meal, the two set off.

The sunlight was already quite dazzling.

There were many more people on the streets than in the morning. Some were rushing to the construction site, some were carrying tools and walking out of the village, and a few children were chasing and playing by the roadside.

The two brothers weren't in a hurry, and just walked slowly along the road.

We arrived at the Hokage Building quickly.

As I entered the gate, I heard footsteps echoing down the corridor.

They followed the sound and saw four red-haired men standing at the Meeting Room door.

The Uzumaki Clan.

Izuna narrowed his eyes, sizing up the four people.

The man in the lead was in his fifties, dressed in a dark straight-cut shirt, with a smile on his face.

Izuna called that kind of smile a "business-like fake smile."

Standing next to him was an old man with a serious expression, his brows furrowed so deeply they could trap a fly. His nose and mouth were turned upwards; he was clearly an old man.

Behind the old man were two young people.

One had a disdainful expression; he was a troublemaker. The other... well...

Izuna's gaze fell on the younger child.

He looked very young, with red hair, and a distinctly uneasy expression on his face. He stood at the back of the line, his eyes darting around as if searching for someone, or perhaps afraid of something.

Wow, these four people are all so easy to understand.

This looks like it'll be a relaxed meeting.

Sōsuke was standing in front of them, seemingly saying something. When he saw Madara and Izuna approaching, he nodded slightly.

"Lord Madara, Lord Izuna."

The four people turned their heads at the same time.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group maintained his smile and bowed slightly to them.

The old man frowned.

Why are the Uchiha Clan members here?

His voice was somewhat harsh, carrying obvious dissatisfaction.

"This is a conversation between us and Hashirama Senju. What are you all doing here?"

Oh, you're going to criticize me right off the bat? Well then, I won't hold back.

Izuna smiled and said, "Konoha isn't Hashirama Senju."

"Hashirama and I are part of Konoha's decision-making body. We certainly have the right to listen to what Hashirama wants to discuss with you. Old man, your mind isn't quite right, so why don't you go back and rest?"

The old man's face instantly turned bright red.

"You--"

"What?" Izuna's smile remained unchanged. "Or do you think that matters concerning Konoha can be discussed directly with Hashirama Senju, bypassing Konoha's decision-making body?"

The old man's words stuck in his throat; he opened his mouth, but couldn't say anything.

Izuna looked at his flushed face and laughed.

That broke through their defenses way too quickly.

The middle-aged man seemed to want to say something, but Izuna didn't give him a chance to regroup; he smiled at Sōsuke.

"Sōsuke, lead the way."

The middle-aged man's face darkened for a moment, but he quickly returned to his smiling expression.

Izuna glanced at him out of the corner of his eye. Hmm, this guy's a tough one.

Sōsuke's lips twitched slightly, then he nodded and pushed open the Meeting Room door.

Inside the doorway, the Hashirama and Tobirama were already seated.

Hashirama paused for a moment when he saw them enter.

"Madara? Izuna? What brings you here?"

Ban didn't say anything, but simply walked to a seat by the window and sat down.

Izuna sat down next to him and waved to Hashirama.

"Come and sit in on the proceedings."

Hashirama blinked and looked at Madara.

Ban stared back at him expressionlessly.

Hashirama then looked at Tobirama.

Tobirama remained expressionless.

Hashirama: "..."

Never mind.

Although in the past, Ban never intervened in matters between the two races.

But since we're here today, let's just leave it at that.

Hashirama withdrew his gaze and looked towards the doorway.

The four red-haired men were filing in.

The middle-aged man at the head of the group walked to the table and bowed slightly.

"Lord Hashirama, I've long admired you."

Hashirama stood up and returned the greeting with a smile.

"Lord Quhai, you've come from afar, you must be tired."

Quhai.

Izuna silently repeated the name in her mind, her gaze fixed on him.

He was in his fifties, well-dressed, and had a polite smile. The fact that the Uzumaki Clan sent someone like this showed that they truly valued this meeting.

But while they may value it, what they want to discuss is another matter entirely.

The old man followed him in, the redness on his face not yet completely faded. He walked to the table, but instead of sitting down, he stood there, looking down at the Hashirama.

"Lord Hashirama, I am Uzumaki Wataru. I've come to discuss the Special Administrative Region with you."

Hashirama's smile remained unchanged.

Please have a seat.

Hang paused for a moment, then finally sat down.

The two young men stood at the back, showing no intention of sitting down.

Izuna's gaze fell on the anxious child.

The child stood at the very back, head down, occasionally stealing a glance.

We're not looking at Hashirama, nor Madara, but...

Izuna followed his gaze.

Sōsuke was standing at the door, seemingly preparing to leave.

The child's gaze followed his retreating figure, carrying a hint of indescribable emotion.

Izuna raised an eyebrow.

Know?

The door closed gently behind Sōsuke.

The child looked away and continued to lower his head.

Izuna withdrew his gaze.

The Quhai.

"Lord Hashirama, we've come here for two reasons. First, to congratulate Konoha on obtaining the status of Special Administrative Region. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire offered such terms shows that he values Konoha far more than expected."

His tone was very gentle, as if he were talking about something very ordinary.

Secondly...

He paused, his smile deepening slightly.

"We'd like to ask, what are Konoha's plans going forward?"

Hashirama scratched his head, grinning innocently.

"My plans? Just to continue developing the village and live a good life."

Quhai's smile remained unchanged.

"That's all?"

"That's all," Hashirama nodded. "We built Konoha to give Ninjas a place to live. Now that we have one, let's make the most of it."

Quhai was silent for a moment.

Hang finally couldn't hold back any longer.

"Lord Hashirama!" His voice rang out again, "What do you mean by that? With these conditions, all you're thinking about is 'living a good life'?"

Hashirama blinked, looking confused.

"Otherwise what?"

"Lord Hashirama, do you know what you're wasting?"

Hashirama tilted his head.

"Waste?"

"Yes! What a waste!" Hang's voice grew louder and louder. "The fact that the Daimyo of the Land of Fire granted you Special Administrative Region shows that his dependence on you far exceeds his expectations! This is an opportunity! A tremendous opportunity!"

He stood up, placed his hands on the table, and looked down at Hashirama.

"You can absolutely fight for more! Greater autonomy! A more formal status! Even--"

Even what?

A soft voice came from the side.

Hang turned his head and met Ban's calm eyes.

There was no emotion in those eyes, but it was precisely this calmness that sent a chill down Hang's spine.

He opened his mouth, but the second half of the sentence got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't say it no matter what he did.

Madara looked at him and waited for three seconds.

Then he looked away.

"Are you done talking?"

Hang's face flushed red again.

But he didn't say anything more.

Quhai sighed softly beside him.

"Hang, sit down."

Hang held his breath and finally sat down.

Quhai looked at Hashirama, his smile still gentle, but his eyes held a hint of scrutiny.

"Lord Hashirama, we only care about the future of Konoha. You are the son-in-law of the Uzumaki Clan, Mito is a princess we've watched grow up. We're happy if Konoha prospers."

Hashirama nodded, smiling broadly.

"Thanks."

But Quhai wasn't impressed by his feigned ignorance.

"Lord Hashirama, we inquired about some things on our way here."

Hashirama blinked.

"What's up?"

"Your performance in Kyoto was wonderful," Quhai said. "We heard about it."

Hashirama's smile faltered for a moment.

"And those rebuilt streets," Quhai continued, "Those civilians you helped. Those who cried and begged you not to leave."

"And there's also that Daimyo of the Land of Fire, Yuan Yusheng no Yuuki. I heard his eyes were red when he saw you off."

Hashirama coughed lightly.

"That... it's excitement. Excitement."

Quhai ignored his interruption.

"Lord Hashirama, do you know what this means?"

Hashirama didn't speak; his smile vanished. He knew what Quhai was going to say.

"This means that Konoha's status in the hearts of the people of the Land of Fire is no longer just that of an ordinary 'Ninja gathering place'," Quhai's voice was calm. "You have won the hearts of the people. And the hearts of the people are the most valuable thing."

He leaned forward slightly.

"But, Lord Hashirama, have you ever considered this question?"

Hashirama looked displeased, his tone cold and hard, "What's the problem?"

What is Konoha's current status?

Hashirama didn't speak, so Quhai answered his question for him.

"It's a 'Special Administrative Region'," he said, enunciating clearly. "It sounds good—autonomy, land, status. But at the end of the day, you're still a 'military base'."

Tobirama frowned.

"You do not participate in the political affairs of the Land of Fire, nor in Land of Fire decision-making, taxation, or the lives of Land of Fire people. You simply reside there and await missions."

"When the Daimyo of the Land of Fire is in a good mood, he grants you autonomy. But what if he's not? What if the next Daimyo finds you an eyesore?"

"What does Lord Quhai want to say?"

"What I want to say is," Quhai, looking directly into Hashirama's eyes, "That now that we've taken this step, let's not stop."

"Weren't the things you did in Kyoto proof that 'Ninjas are human too'?"

"Then why not prove it politically as well?"

He paused, then lowered his voice even further.

"Tennin aren't part of the decision-making body, Tennin 'll forever be suppressed by Ordinary People. This isn't a matter of Strength, it's a matter of status. No matter how strong you are, in their eyes you're just 'useful people'."

"Now is a good time. The Daimyo of the Land of Fire trusts you, and the people like you. Take advantage of this opportunity to gain even more."

"Greater autonomy. A more formal status. Even--"

"Even what?" Tobirama spoke, his voice cold.

Quhai looked at him and smiled slightly.

"They even have a real place in the political structure of the Land of Fire."

The air in the Meeting Room fell silent for a moment.

Tobirama spoke up, "Lord Quhai, we established Konoha not to compete for fame and fortune."

Quhai raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? What's that for?"

"For a peaceful life," Tobirama said, his voice as cold and hard as iron, "To give the Ninjas a home. Not to fight for political status, not to scheme and plot against those people."

"What we want is peace, not power."

Quhai smiled.

"Shortsighted," he said.

Tobirama's expression changed.

"What did you say?"

I said, you are short-sighted.

"What do you think peace is? Is it something you can avoid by simply not wanting to fight?"

He looked at Tobirama with an unsettling scrutiny in his eyes.

What if other countries attack?

"We will not let that happen."

"You won't let that happen?" Quhai repeated, a hint of amusement in his voice, but the amusement didn't reach his eyes. "You underestimate people's desires."

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.

"I know what you're planning to do next. Collect the Tailed Beasts, right?"

Hashirama's pupils contracted slightly.

Seeing that reaction, Quhai nodded.

"Really."

He sighed.

"But so what if we have Tailed Beast?"

"This is no longer the era of Shinobi Clans; this is the era of nations."

"The Land of Wind, the Land of Lightning, the Land of Earth, the Land of Water —which country possesses resources like the Land of Fire?"

"The land is fertile, the water abundant, and the climate pleasant. And what about them? The Land of Wind is a vast desert, the Land of Lightning is a continuous mountain range, the Land of Earth is barren rock, and the Land of Water is an isolated island."

He looked at Hashirama.

"Lord Hashirama, do you think they'll be content with this?"

"They'll come and fight for this piece of meat sooner or later."

"Moreover, their people are not weak."

" In the Land of Earth, there's a user named Mu who can use Dust Release. That technique can turn everything into nothingness."

"The Land of Lightning powerful members of the Yotsuki Clan who can move at supersonic speeds and possess immense strength; their Lightning Release can even cause celestial phenomena."

"The Land of Water a genius Yuki, a Water Release user capable of triggering massive tsunamis."

" In the Land of Wind, there is a king of the desert who can create sandstorms that bury people alive."

He paused.

"Lord Hashirama, Lord Madara, you Strength all others. No one can deny that."

But will they come one by one?

"What if they unite? Or what if they attack separately? Can you hold off this one and that one? Can you be in two places at the same time?"

"The Tailed Beasts are very strong, but which of them can't defeat Tailed Beast?"

"The reason why no one has taken action yet is simply because there is still unrest at home, and other countries haven't reacted yet."

"By the time they realize what's happening, and even a group of Ninjas can only wield one sword, war will break out."

"What will you do then?"

The air in the Meeting Room seemed to freeze.

Tobirama's face was ashen, but he remained silent.

Because he knew that Quhai said was true.

He had heard of their Strength.

Although they never fought each other, someone who has survived from the Warring States Period to the present day and is considered a trump card by his own country is definitely not simple.

If the Four Great Nations were to truly unite, if those powerful figures were to act simultaneously...

Even if Hashirama and Madara were incredibly strong, there were only two of them.

Including him, Izuna Mito, there were five people, but the strength of five people was still limited. They were not a city wall that stretched for thousands of miles. As long as there was war, there would be sacrifices.

They couldn't protect everyone.

This is true.

Tobirama clenched his fists.

Quhai sighed softly as he observed their reactions.

"I know you don't want to hear this," he said.

"You want a peaceful life. So do I. I watched Mito grow up; now that she's married and come to Konoha, I hope she'll be happy."

"But reality won't let you off the hook just because you want a peaceful life."

He looked at Hashirama, his gaze carrying a complex meaning.

"Lord Hashirama, you can choose not to listen to me. You can continue to be your nice guy and continue to believe that those people will let you go."

"But by then..."

He paused.

"You Ninjas are the first to charge."

"At that time, you will know what the 'shackles of the sword' truly mean."

Just when everyone was silent.

A lazy voice came from the corner.

What are they saying in their gibberish?

Izuna rested his chin on his hand, tilted his head, and looked at Madara with a puzzled expression.

Ban was taken aback for a moment.

"... What?"

"I said," Izuna pointed at Quhai, then at himself, "Were they talking to us after all that?"

Ban looked at him, unsure how to respond.

Hashirama spoke up from the side, his tone a little hesitant. "Um... Izuna, you go first—"

"If I heard correctly," Izuna interrupted him, still tilting his head, his confusion deepening, "These people are pointing fingers at us, aren't they?"

The air in the Meeting Room fell silent for a moment.

Quhai's smile froze on his face.

Tobirama turned his head to look at Izuna, his brows furrowing slightly.

"This guy," Izuna pointed at Quhai, "is trying to persuade us to climb the ladder, right? To fight for greater autonomy, a more formal status, and a place in the political structure of the Land of Fire— "

He paused, then tilted his head to look at Quhai.

"Isn't this... interference in a country's internal affairs?"