As night fell over the Senju Clan compound.
"Fujima, what's your dream?"
A man with long black hair, clad in a black fitted combat suit beneath layered red armor, wore red metal bracers on his wrists and a white headband embroidered with the Senju Clan crest. Looking at the child beside him, who strongly resembled him, he asked, "What's your dream?"
"Dad, my dream? I don't really have one. I just want to eat, drink, play, and sleep every day, and live a comfortable life. Hehe!"
The child was dressed much like the man, though he wore a white robe with a spiral emblem on the back. He looked at the black-haired man and smiled.
His name was Senju Fujima. In his previous life, he'd been an ordinary modern wage earner. One moment he'd been scrolling through a short-video app, and the next he'd suddenly dropped dead. When he woke up, he'd found himself in the war-torn Ninja World—and as Hashirama Senju's newborn son.
"Oh?"
"Didn't you used to say you wanted to become a powerful shinobi and help me achieve my dream?"
Hashirama Senju looked at his son, puzzled.
Senju Fujima had often said he wanted to become an unrivaled powerhouse and help his father achieve his dream. But Hashirama had always assumed he was too young to mean it.
Hashirama asked Fujima about his dream every year. He wanted to see his son hold on to the same dream he had, because that would give him even more motivation. That was the Will of Fire.
"Dad, you're already strong enough. If you wanted to, there wouldn't be anyone in the Ninja World who could stand against you."
"I hate war, too, so I know you'll bring it to an end soon. Then everyone will be able to live in peace and prosperity, and the world will finally be at peace."
Senju Fujima tilted his head toward Hashirama, smiling with narrowed eyes.
"Hehe. You're already ten, and even though I'm strong, I can't stay by your side and protect you forever. You still need to work hard to improve your strength."
"World peace won't come easily, but I'll do my best to make sure you can live the kind of life you want."
Hashirama looked at his son and smiled. He reached out and patted Fujima's head.
He'd lived long enough to grow accustomed to death. One by one, his brothers had died, until only his second brother, Tobirama Senju, remained.
Losing his family had made him vow to end the era of chaos, and he'd been working toward that goal ever since.
Now he had a wife and child to protect, along with his clan. More than ever, he needed a peaceful, stable world. It was the best choice for everyone.
"I know, Dad. I'm not someone people can just bully, either. I may only be ten, but an ordinary jonin is no match for me. Hehe!"
Senju Fujima grinned at his father. Being the son of the future First was something to be proud of, after all. His father was the God of Shinobi.
"Is that so? Then I'll put your strength to the test today."
"Come on! Let me see what you can do."
Hashirama looked at Senju Fujima, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.
"Maybe not, Dad. You're way too strong. Fighting you would just mean getting beaten up, wouldn't it?"
"I'm not that stupid. You never hold back when you fight, and I've learned that the hard way before. I'm leaving. I'm not talking to you anymore."
Seeing how eager Hashirama looked to fight, Senju Fujima's expression fell. He pursed his lips, then took off running.
Three years earlier...
"Dad, I challenge you to a duel!"
Seven-year-old Senju Fujima had gone up to Hashirama and provoked him, hoping to boast about it later—that he'd become the one who beat the God of Shinobi at the age of seven.
"Oh?"
Hashirama saw Fujima appear before him and declare his challenge. He froze for a moment, then vanished in a flash.
"Huh? Where'd he go?"
Senju Fujima saw Hashirama disappear and hurriedly looked around, but couldn't find his father anywhere.
"Wham...!"
Just then, an enormous wooden fist appeared above Fujima's head and struck him straight into the ground, leaving only half his head above the surface.
"Ow!"
A burst of pain shot through his head. Fujima cried out, and a lump the size of a duck egg popped up on his scalp.
After that, Senju Fujima never challenged Hashirama again.
"Heh, that kid..."
Hashirama watched Senju Fujima scurry away, then shook his head with a rueful smile. Left alone, he gazed into the distance and fell into thought.
Good thing I ran fast. Otherwise, Dad would've caught me and beaten me up again.
Senju Fujima returned to his room, the corners of his mouth lifting in relief.
"I've been in this world for ten years now. Konoha will probably be founded in a few years."
"But I just don't understand why Hashirama Senju's son never appeared. He didn't show up even once in the original story."
"He was only mentioned once, when Tsunade said her father was even stronger than her grandfather."
"So how did someone like him just disappear without a trace? Who could have killed him?"
"Or do I have some hidden enemy, just waiting for a chance to take my life?"
Lying in bed, Senju Fujima recalled the Naruto anime, where he hadn't appeared at all, and fell into thought.
After all, Senju Fujima had inherited the strongest traits of both the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan. He was bound to be incredibly powerful.
Just imagine: if he awakened Wood Release, combined with the enormous chakra reserves of the Uzumaki Clan and the Senju Clan, his chakra would be even greater than a Tailed Beast's.
Yet someone like him had vanished without a trace. Even Impure World Reincarnation had never brought him back. It was as if Tsunade had simply sprung from a crack in the rocks.
"Ding! Detecting the host's doubts. God Selection System activating. Would you like to bind the system?"
As Senju Fujima wondered why he hadn't appeared in the Naruto anime, a mechanical voice sounded in his mind.
"What? A system? My cheat has arrived?"
"But I've already awakened Wood Release. As long as I'm alive, I'll be invincible. By the time those protagonists show up, I'll already be dead. What good is a system now?"
Senju Fujima was stunned that he'd come with a cheat system—and that it had only activated when he was ten. If he hadn't awakened Wood Release, he'd have been thrilled.
But he'd already awakened Wood Release. What did he need a system for? At best, it would be the icing on the cake.
"Ding! The host has not made a selection. The system will bind automatically in ten seconds."
"10, 9, 8... 2, 1."
"Ding! System binding complete. The God Selection System is at your service."
While Senju Fujima was still thinking that his cheat had arrived too late, ten seconds passed—and the system had bound itself to him?
"You're not even following the usual rules. If you can force the binding, why ask me? Tch."
The system's abrupt move left Senju Fujima utterly dumbfounded. It had forced itself on him—so why even bother asking? What a pointless question.
"Ding! Congratulations, host, on binding the God Selection System for the first time. The system is now active. Please choose one of the following."
As the system spoke, an electronic screen appeared in front of Senju Fujima, with three options, just like a driving test.
[Option One: Take off your clothes and go to bed. A good child should get into the habit of going to bed early and rising early. Mission reward: a "Good boy" from Mito Uzumaki, and a kiss from the fattest beauty in the Senju Clan.]
[Option Two: Tell your mother you want to sleep with her tonight. Good children should cling to their mothers. Mission reward: a sound beating from Hashirama Senju.]
[Option Three: Go challenge Hashirama Senju right now, and don't stop until you've used up all your chakra. Mission reward: Shikkotsu Forest Summoning Contract.]
"Ding! Please make a selection as soon as possible. If you don't choose within one day, you'll be punished. This time, the punishment is that your height will be permanently fixed."
Senju Fujima looked at the screen in front of him and shuddered. He nearly cursed.
"System, are you messing with me? No matter what I choose, I'm getting beaten up, aren't I?"
"My height will be fixed? Fix this, you...! I'm only about five foot two right now. You want me to stay a shorty? Damn it...!"
"You, you, you...!"
"Fine. You win."
There was nothing he could do. The system even had a punishment, forcing him to choose whether he liked it or not.
For the sake of growing to the perfect height and attracting girls, he swallowed his anger, sprang out of bed, and raced back to where he'd been earlier.
"Hashirama, what are you still looking at?"
"It's getting late. Let's go back to bed."
Just then, a woman in a white cheongsam walked over and spoke softly to Hashirama.
She had long red hair tied into two buns, a golden crown on her head, a purple diamond-shaped mark on her forehead, and a talisman hanging beside each ear. She was Hashirama's wife and Senju Fujima's mother, Mito Uzumaki.
"Hehe, Mito, what are you doing out here? I was just about to head back."
Hashirama saw Mito come out and smiled warmly as he took her hand.
After years of marriage, Hashirama and Mito had treated each other with respect and had lived happily. They also had their son, Senju Fujima. Being born in such an era and having a family was already a blessing.
"Dad, let's fight! I'm going to beat you...!"
Just then, Senju Fujima appeared in front of Hashirama and Mito. He pointed at Hashirama with his right hand and shouted.
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