Time's gears turned for another year, lubricated by hatred.
The border skirmishes never truly stopped. Small-scale bloodshed became an unhealing ulcer, steadily draining both clans' strength. Uchiha Madara and Izuna grew ever more powerful. Madara in particular gained increasingly precise control over his Mangekyou. The terrifying Dojutsu Power that occasionally leaked out during his practice sessions made every clan member who sensed it shudder. They were like tigers lying in wait, honing their claws and fangs as they waited for the perfect moment to tear their enemies apart.
In the Senju Clan, Hashirama spent nearly all his time in the forest behind the Senju Clan Compound. The woods, born of his power, grew ever more lush and vibrant. They had even begun to subtly alter the surrounding environment, making the land around the Senju Clan Compound more fertile and slightly improving the wounded's recovery. Hashirama spent his days among the trees, trying to communicate with them and sense the vast yet gentle Natural Energy flowing within them.
He had no idea what "Senjutsu" was. He simply instinctively felt that the forest was part of his power, a place where his longing for peace took root.
That day, as usual, Hashirama pressed his palm against the thickest ancient tree and closed his eyes, concentrating as he tried to sense it more deeply.
Gradually, he entered a wondrous state. His Chakra slowly mingled with the trees' vitality, and his thoughts seemed to sink into the earth, spreading along the tangled roots.
He "heard" water moving through the soil, "heard" the leaves photosynthesizing, "heard" insects rustling beneath the bark...
A vast, ancient, gentle consciousness flowed slowly through the depths of the forest, like a sleeping giant. It was the sum of Natural Energy, silently nourishing all things.
Hashirama's mind was drawn to it, and he tried to touch and understand it.
Just as his consciousness was about to merge more deeply with that boundless energy—
That familiar, subtle ripple appeared again!
It was as if an unseen hand had given him the gentlest push from behind, parting the last veil and placing a key insight in his mind: stillness! Stillness within motion! Body and mind as one, merging with nature!
A sudden flash of understanding came to Hashirama. He immediately abandoned all attempts to guide or control the energy, letting his body and mind relax completely. His consciousness became a drop of water, merging entirely into the vast sea of nature.
Buzz—!
The aura around him changed abruptly!
Drawn by his pure vitality and unique constitution, the mighty Natural Energy began to gather around him of its own accord, slowly and tentatively blending with his own Chakra!
Faint red markings appeared beneath his eyes, barely visible. His senses expanded several times over, and he could clearly "see" countless motes of Natural Energy all around him!
Sage Mode! A rudimentary, unstable form that was difficult to maintain!
Hashirama's eyes flew open. Feeling the unprecedented warm current of vitality and power coursing through him, he stared in shock and delight. He still didn't understand what it meant, but he knew he had touched the threshold of a more powerful force, one deeply connected to the forest!
Once again, the world's "favor" had pointed him in the right direction at just the right moment.
Meanwhile, Uchiha Sou had just finished a day of patrol at the Uchiha Clan Compound.
He maintained his faint state of resonance with "life" as usual while walking back to his quarters. After more than a year of constant practice, the state had become almost instinctive. Though it had brought only a slight improvement, those small gains had added up. His basic physique, Chakra quality, and mental resilience were all far beyond those of other shinobi at his level. He simply kept his progress hidden.
Suddenly, he sensed something and looked sharply toward the Senju Clan.
In his perception, "nature" in that direction seemed to stir! It was as if a pebble had fallen into a still lake, sending out an invisible ripple. Though extremely faint, it carried a vast breath of life that left him feeling refreshed!
This sensation... came from the same source as the "life" he had been trying to resonate with, but it was more than a hundred times stronger and clearer!
"Hashirama Senju..." Uchiha Sou immediately understood. The man favored by the world had clearly made another major breakthrough.
A complicated mix of emotions rose within him: envy, wariness, and a deep sense of helplessness. It was as if the other man were walking a bright road already laid out before him, while Sou could only feel his way through darkness and thorns.
At that moment, a chilling, violent Chakra brimming with oppressive force erupted from the center of the compound, like a demon's eye opening in the night. It instantly snuffed out the faint sense of vitality in Sou's mind!
It was Uchiha Madara! He seemed to have been startled by the unusual disturbance on Hashirama's side and released his power instinctively, as both a response and a warning.
Two utterly opposed forces collided from afar. The clash made no sound, but it weighed heavily on the hearts of any shinobi with keen senses.
Uchiha Sou sighed, knowing their brief calm was likely coming to an end. Madara would never allow Hashirama to grow stronger. Retaliation could come at any moment.
That night, the moon was dark and the wind was strong.
Uchiha Sou was summoned to the council chamber in secret.
Only Madara and Izuna were inside. Madara sat in the seat of honor, most of his body cloaked in shadow. Only his Mangekyou shone with a dim red light in the darkness, sending a chill through anyone who saw it. Izuna stood beside him, his expression grave.
"Sou, you're here." Madara's voice was low and hoarse. "Though you have only Two-Tomoe, few in the clan match your powers of observation and your keen grasp of the details of battle. Especially when facing surprise attacks at Tobirama's speed, you always seem to have a way to deal with them."
Uchiha Sou's heart skipped a beat, but he kept his composure. "Lord Madara, you flatter me. I only do my best."
"There's no need to be modest." Madara waved a hand. "I summoned you here to entrust you with an important mission."
He paused and fixed Sou with his Mangekyou, bearing down on him with immense pressure. "We've received reliable information that in three days, Tobirama Senju will lead an elite squad to escort a shipment of vital supplies to a secret meeting place, where they'll rendezvous with a close confidant of the Land of Fire's daimyo. This is a perfect opportunity to deal a heavy blow to the Senju, seize the supplies, and perhaps even drive a wedge between them and the daimyo."
Izuna cut in. "My brother will lead the main assault himself. But Tobirama is cunning and suspicious. It could be a trap, or he may have prepared countermeasures against the Mangekyou. We need someone with sharp eyes and a cool head, hidden in the shadows to observe the whole situation. If you spot anything unusual, sound the alarm immediately. If necessary... interfere with Tobirama's actions and create a chance for my brother to strike a killing blow."
Uchiha Sou's heart sank. They wanted him to act as bait—or, more accurately, as a high-ranking cannon fodder. If he got caught in a direct clash between Madara, who wielded the Mangekyou, and the wily Tobirama, even the slightest misstep could leave him dead and buried!
"Your mission is critical, and dangerous." Madara's eyes betrayed no emotion. "Are you willing to take on this responsibility for the Uchiha?"
Silence filled the council chamber.
Uchiha Sou could feel Madara and Izuna's gazes pressing down on him like physical weight. This wasn't a discussion; it was an order. The consequences of refusing were unthinkable.
He took a deep breath, his mind racing.
Taking part in a battle of this scale carried an extreme risk of death. But it was also an opportunity: a chance to witness a clash between the Mangekyou and the strongest fighters at close range, and perhaps to gain more information—or even some advantage—in the chaos.
More importantly, he had a vague feeling that this mission might be yet another "trial" or "opportunity" arranged by that "biased" world for Hashirama Senju. Was he going to become another stepping stone in the script of fate?
No.
He quietly clenched his fist inside his sleeve.
He refused to follow the script laid out for him.
He lifted his head and met Madara's deep, terrifying Mangekyou. His voice was calm but firm. "For the future of the Uchiha, Sou would gladly die a thousand deaths."
"Good." The corner of Madara's mouth seemed to twitch upward ever so slightly, then went still. "Go and prepare. Izuna will tell you the details of the plan."
Uchiha Sou bowed and left the oppressive council chamber.
The cold night wind brushed his face, clearing his head.
He knew he had stepped onto an extremely dangerous tightrope.
In three days, he would no longer be a bystander. He would be stepping into the heart of the storm of hatred.
The enemies he faced would not be his only threat. There might also be... the "malice" of the world itself.
But he had no choice.
He returned to his quarters and didn't rest. Instead, he entered that state of "resonance" once more. This time, he stopped seeking the aspect of "life." He focused his entire mind on sensing, predicting, and calculating all the possibilities that might unfold three days from now.
In this biased game of chess, he would pry loose a tiny... variable for himself.
The night was still young, and the storm was about to break.
Before you continue