Airhead with Social Skills on Max

The illusory hall was empty and silent, with soft light falling from an unknown source, bathing every inch of space in a hazy, silvery-white hue, somewhere between a dream and reality.

Hashirama Senju stopped, looked around, and lowered his voice to confirm with his younger brother beside him, "Is this the place? The administrator of the Pure Land... the Ninja from later generations who was even stronger than the Sage of Six Paths, is here?"

Tobirama Senju did not answer. He didn't even glance at Hashirama, but stared straight ahead expressionlessly, his jawline taut.

Tobirama was trying hard to control himself and not to lose his temper with his older brother here, in front of so many outsiders.

Just now, that talking Tyrannosaurus Rex looked down at them for a while with an expression as if they were idiots, and then slowly, word by word, uttered the truth.

"... What hell? I'm just ordered to take you to see my master."

At that moment, the thin-skinned Tobirama Senju felt that all the shame he had ever felt in his life, and even after his death, exploded in that instant.

Meanwhile, the culprit was obliviously looking around, a carefree, bright smile on his face that seemed to say, "Oh, it was all a misunderstanding, thank goodness."

Tobirama a deep breath and forcibly added this debt to his to-do list to be settled slowly once things calmed down.

His gaze swept into the depths of the hall; they weren't alone there.

On the other side of the hall, several figures were gathered in twos and threes, maintaining a subtle distance from each other.

The lingering chakra aura around them, and the oppressive, dignified presence that only "Shadows" possess.

"The shadows of future generations, huh?" Tobirama murmured to himself.

He recognized two of them: the blond man with a mustache and a high-necked trench coat, and the figure wrapped in bandages like a mummy, the Second Mizukage, Hozuki Gengetsu, and the Second Tsuchikage, Mu.

A little further away, a burly man with muscles bulging like a mountain, who still exuded a fierce and ruthless aura even in death, stood silently with his arms crossed at the edge of the shadows.

The Third Raikage... the one who fought against thousands single-handedly, and died from exhaustion.

Tobirama subtly withdrew his gaze.

Hashirama clearly noticed these unfamiliar faces as well. His eyes lit up, and his enthusiasm for making friends almost overflowed from them. He took a step forward.

A hand reached out from behind and precisely grasped his cuff.

With a blank expression and irresistible force, Tobirama Senju pulled his older brother back. He really didn't want to see Hashirama humiliated again.

Hashirama turned back, looking aggrieved, his eyes conveying, "I just wanted to say hello." Tobirama returned the look with a retort that seemed to say, "Your silence and standing still is the greatest contribution you can make."

Meanwhile, those figures from later generations indeed showed no intention of approaching to speak.

It was neither indifference nor arrogance.

Instead, their gazes, unanimously and with barely concealed apprehension and suspicion, passed over the Senju Clan brothers' shoulders and landed on the silent figure standing not far behind them.

Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Izuna, of course, they only paid attention to Uchiha Madara.

That simple, ancient-style red Warring States armor, that wild, flowing long hair, those Rinnegan that, even when concealed, still commanded respect.

And—the glaring scarlet number above his head.

[8.2]

They were not far removed from Madara's era. The legend of the "Asura of the Ninja World," how he co-founded Konoha with the First Hokage, how he broke with him and defected, and how he was ultimately "killed" by his own hands at the Valley of the End —these were etched deep in their memories, the most vivid and significant chapter of the previous era.

8.2...

Tobirama Senju the number, not particularly surprised. As expected, this was the inherently evil Uchiha Clan.

Just as he lowered his eyes, Hashirama Senju sighed and took a step forward. This time, Tobirama did not pull him back.

Because the direction he was stepping towards was Uchiha Madara.

"Spot..."

Hashirama stood before Madara, his earlier elation gone, replaced by a deep, apologetic sadness. He looked at the glaring 8.2 above Madara's head, then at the clean 0.00 above his own, and his throat bobbed.

"Before you died..." He paused, carefully choosing his words, "Don't give up."

"Now that the number of sins has been clearly defined, there must be a way to atone for them. I believe that since this Pure Land has such rules, it must give people a chance to reform."

He gazed intently at Madara's cold, indifferent Rinnegan.

"I will stay with you."

"..."

Uchi looked at the man before him, who remained unchanged even after death, and at the glaringly clean zero on his head.

Looking into his eyes, I saw a genuine, almost foolish, concern that was completely unreserved.

Then, Madara slowly spoke, "I remember, I was going to destroy Konoha with my own hands when I was alive. I thought you were the last person who would forgive me."

"Forgive?"

Hashirama paused for a moment, then shook his head. "No, Madara... I've never hated you."

His eyes didn't dart away, and his tone was unwavering. "Never."

"Death means we can no longer interfere with the present world; the past... wars, ruptures, all are things of the past."

He took a small step forward, closing the final distance between himself and Ban. "We're here. In this afterlife, so—I'll be with you, to start anew."

"..." Uchiha Madara was silent for a moment.

"Roll."

"--!!!"

Hashirama Senju's shoulders slumped visibly. He lowered his head, looking like a large canine drenched in a downpour, radiating a low-pressure aura.

Tobirama Senju closed his eyes and took a deep, forceful breath of air that wasn't actually there.

"Everyone, thank you for waiting."

Suddenly, a peaceful voice gently entered the perception of every soul present.

Ripples spread across the void in the center of the hall, and two figures slowly emerged. The first to appear was a blond-haired, blue-eyed youth.

He was dressed in a simple and neat Ninja outfit, with a natural and gentle smile on his face. Half a step behind him, another figure stood quietly.

Her long, black hair cascaded down her shoulders, her face was as cold as frost. She had changed out of those strange clothes and was now wearing a Ninja uniform, exuding an aura of aloofness that said "keep away."

Uzumaki Naruto.

Uchiha Satsuki.

... I can't see through it.

Tobirama Senju's pupils contracted slightly. His senses instinctively reached out towards the blond youth. However, the tendrils of chakra barely touched the other's outline... and he couldn't sense anything.

It wasn't powerful to the point of being immeasurable, nor as profound as the vast ocean; rather, it was utterly utterly imperceptible, like probing into nothingness.

Even stronger than the Sage of Six Paths... it seems that's not an exaggeration.

Then, Tobirama Senju's senses swept over the black-haired woman half a step behind that person—it was the annoying, cold Yin Release Chakra.

Tobirama Senju's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. Could it be the Uchiha Clan...? He hadn't had time to analyze it further.

"This Sharingan aura—are you from the Uchiha Clan?"

A loud, penetrating voice suddenly rang out, making Feijian 'Tobirama temples throb.

Hashirama Senju had somehow managed to dart to the front, his eyes gleaming as he stared at Satsuki with a radiant smile, causing Satsuki to pause slightly.

She looked at the smiling, unpretentious man before her. That face—as far back as she could remember, had been displayed in the most conspicuous place in Hidden Leaf Village day and night.

The First Hokage, Hashirama Senju.

"...Hmm." Satsuki's voice remained cold, yet she still responded, "I am from the Uchiha Clan."

"Oh--!" Hashirama became even more interested. He looked at Satsuki, then at Naruto, his gaze shifting back and forth between the two. "In that case... could it be that you are both Konoha Ninja?"

His gaze finally settled on Naruto, filled with a natural anticipation. "Could it be—you're the current Hokage? How's the village doing? Is it peaceful? Is everyone doing well?"

A barrage of questions poured out like a floodgate being opened, and Hashirama's eyes shone with genuine, unadulterated concern.

Naruto always held this pioneer, who ended the Warring States period and personally created the "Ninja Village Era," in high esteem.

Even now, with power surpassing that of the Six Paths, his respect for his elders has never diminished in the slightest. Does having power mean he can look down on everyone? Naruto is far from that.

"I am indeed Ninja from Konoha." His tone was calm and neither humble nor arrogant. "But you misunderstand. I am not the Hokage. The current Hokage of Konoha is the Fifth Hokage."

"Really?!" Hashirama's eyes brightened even more, filled with the joy and pride of hearing that the family had many descendants and was thriving. "They've reached the fifth generation... It seems the village is truly peaceful."

He pressed on impatiently, "So, who is the Fifth Generation leader?"

"He's my teacher," Naruto replied, "Jiraiya, one of the Sannin."

"Jiraiya...?"

Hashirama paused for a moment. He earnestly and forcefully searched for the name in his memory three times.

"... Uh, who is that?" He scratched the back of his head, genuine confusion on his face. "The Sannin... what's that?"

Naruto blinked. Then, his expression became somewhat subtle—right, the First Hokage in front of him had a granddaughter who was just a little girl with twin ponytails when he passed away, so of course he didn't know about the legendary Sannin.

Naruto cleared his throat and explained as simply and clearly as possible, "She is your granddaughter Princess Tsunade's teammate and admirer. Currently, the two of them are governing Konoha Village together."