After Shizuka Sarutobi had been captured, they eventually sent her back, and she was already pregnant. Tobirama Senju had nearly gone mad at the time and had even tried to abort the child.
For a long time afterward, Tobirama Senju remained furious. Whenever he saw Shizuka Sarutobi, his expression turned frighteningly dark.
Then, one day, after drinking too much, Tobirama Senju and Shizuka Sarutobi shared a bed. On February 8, seven years ago, she gave birth to a baby boy.
But Tobirama Senju refused to acknowledge the child as a member of the Senju Clan. With no other choice, Shizuka Sarutobi lied to her father, saying the boy had been adopted into the Sarutobi Clan. She adopted him into her older brother Sasuke Sarutobi's family.
All of Sasuke Sarutobi's children had died in the war, and the war had also left him unable to have more.
His younger sister Shizuka Sarutobi had adopted a child for him, and he never questioned it. He was deeply grateful to her, took the boy into the Sarutobi Clan, and named him Hiruzen Sarutobi.
"Enough, Big Brother. I understand. I already killed that man, so there's no need to bring this up again."
Seeing Hashirama Senju's expression, Tobirama Senju quickly waved a hand and replied coldly. Then he turned and left.
"Ah...!"
Watching Tobirama Senju walk away, Hashirama Senju let out a long sigh.
"Dad, what's going on with Second Uncle? Did something happen in the past?"
Seeing how strange their conversation had been, Senju Fujima asked nosily.
"Back then, we...!"
"That's why your Second Uncle hates the Uchiha Clan so much."
"Now that we're talking about making peace with the Uchiha Clan, it's only natural that he feels a little sad."
Hashirama Senju then told Senju Fujima what had happened, explaining everything from beginning to end.
"Pfft...!"
"Dad, what did you say? Little Monkey is actually Second Uncle's son?"
Senju Fujima nearly spat out blood when he heard Hashirama Senju. This was earth-shattering news!
Little Monkey was Hiruzen Sarutobi. He often visited the Senju Clan, and the two of them were close. Senju Fujima had never imagined that his little friend was actually his younger brother.
Who was Hiruzen Sarutobi? The future Third Hokage! No wonder he could become the Third Hokage. So that was the reason—what a complicated relationship!
"Yeah. Don't mention it in front of your Second Uncle. He still hasn't gotten over it, and your Second Aunt is a poor woman."
"But there's nothing I can do to change what happened. As his older brother, I've truly failed him."
"Ah...!"
Hashirama Senju looked at Senju Fujima and slowly nodded. He also warned him not to bring it up in front of Tobirama Senju.
"I understand, Dad."
Senju Fujima quickly nodded.
"Then I'll be off. Hehe!"
"Call me tomorrow when the battle starts."
Seeing that there was nothing else to do, Senju Fujima quickly said his farewells to Hashirama Senju.
"All right, go on."
Hashirama Senju smiled faintly and nodded.
Senju Fujima then left the conference hall and headed for his room.
"I can't believe the Third Hokage is actually my younger brother. That completely turns my whole worldview upside down!"
"I wonder how much more of history I don't know. One shocking revelation after another."
As he walked, Senju Fujima kept thinking about how Hiruzen Sarutobi was his younger brother. It had completely overturned his worldview.
"Hm?"
"Second Uncle?"
"What's he doing standing there?"
As Senju Fujima passed the gate, he saw his Second Uncle standing silently by the river, not far from the clan grounds, lost in thought.
"Ding! The host has been meddling in other people's business. The God Selection System is now active."
[Option One: The Second Hokage is feeling down. Go rub salt in his wounds and make him suffer even more. Only by going mad can one become a Buddha. Mission reward: Tobirama Senju's full combo ultimate technique. It'll be like taking a bath—pure bliss.]
[Option Two: Sympathize with the Second Hokage's experience and suggest bringing Little Monkey back and giving him his Senju name again. You might earn the Second Hokage's favor. Mission reward: Sasuke Sarutobi's murderous intent.]
[Option Three: Comfort the Second Hokage and gradually help him let go of his hatred and accept the truth. What's done is done, and there's no changing it, so he might as well lie back and enjoy it. Mission reward: Space-Time Ninjutsu—Flying Thunder God Technique.]
Perhaps it was fate—or perhaps the system had arranged it—but now it was sending him to provoke his Second Uncle. A screen appeared in front of him at once.
"Rub salt in his wounds? How could you even think of that? A full combo ultimate from Second Uncle would finish me off."
"And Little Monkey has already been adopted into the Sarutobi family. There's no way he'll change back to his original name. He's their only boy. If I suggested it, Sasuke Sarutobi would probably chase me down and beat me up."
"The last option is pretty good, though! But if I want to learn it, Second Uncle would teach me anyway...!"
"So, System, aren't you just messing with me? Is there any difference between these rewards and getting nothing?"
Senju Fujima frowned as he looked at the three options. If the system were a person, he would have beaten it up hundreds of times by now. He spoke in frustration.
The third option seemed pretty good, but if he wanted to learn the technique, Tobirama Senju would teach him anyway. The system was just offering something for nothing, probably just messing with him for the fun of it.
"Forget it. Second Uncle and Second Aunt are both pitiful. If this were modern times, it might be a little easier to accept. After all, a lot of women aren't exactly still in their original packaging."
"Some probably wouldn't even dare go for a premarital checkup, would they? But they still carry on regardless."
"In this era, it really is hard to accept."
"After all, she was his fiancée. If it were me, I'd be so furious I'd destroy the entire Ninja World."
Senju Fujima thought it over and decided to help his Second Uncle. He just didn't know if it would work. Not everyone could accept something like this.
This wasn't modern times, when people were so open-minded. If someone got cheated on now, they'd probably want to kill. And in the Warring States period, killing was commonplace.
"Fate can be so cruel. Why does there have to be war? If there had never been a war, would Shizuka have been spared this?"
"My pride is higher than the heavens. I can't stand seeing my wife treated like that. If we hadn't already formed an alliance with the Sarutobi Clan, and Big Brother hadn't forbidden me from divorcing her, I would have divorced her long ago."
"Maybe fate is just cruel."
"If I'd discovered the Uchiha Clan's plan back then, maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way."
"Little Monkey, will you blame your father?"
Tobirama Senju stared blankly at the fish swimming happily through the river. His mind was a jumble of emotions.
The memory of what had happened back then was like a thorn in his heart, one he could never get rid of.
"Second Uncle."
A clear voice suddenly snapped Tobirama Senju out of his thoughts. He turned and saw Senju Fujima walking over, then managed a weak smile.
"Fujima, what brings you here?"
Tobirama Senju treated Senju Fujima like his own child. He was so conflicted about Hiruzen Sarutobi that he had poured all his affection into Senju Fujima instead.
"Second Uncle, what are you thinking about, standing here by yourself?"
Senju Fujima looked at Tobirama Senju. Instead of asking him directly, he made some casual small talk.
"Hm?"
"Nothing. We're negotiating tomorrow, aren't we? I was thinking about how to keep the clan safe."
Tobirama Senju looked at Senju Fujima. He felt that his nephew was becoming more and more mature, though he wasn't sure if that was just his imagination. He answered quietly.
"Is that so? We'll be there tomorrow, so nothing will go wrong. Even if we end up fighting, I'll use Wood Release to restrain every member of the Uchiha Clan."
Senju Fujima pursed his lips. Who are you trying to fool? But he didn't say it aloud. He just smiled at Tobirama Senju.
"Yeah. I'm not worried about your strength."
Tobirama Senju clearly wasn't in the mood to talk. He gave a faint nod.
"Second Uncle, I hardly ever see you with Second Aunt. Are you two having problems?"
"Or do you not like her? Second Aunt is quite pretty. Why don't you like her?"
Senju Fujima had no idea how to comfort Tobirama Senju, so he threw caution to the wind and said whatever came to mind.
At his words, Tobirama Senju's body visibly shuddered, but he didn't respond.
"Second Uncle, tell me. Is loving someone painful?"
"If she isn't by your side, and she gets hurt while you're powerless to help, what should you do?"
"Should you keep shutting her out and make her even more miserable, or should you stand by her and protect her?"
Senju Fujima looked out at the river instead of at Tobirama Senju and spoke quietly.
He was talking about his Second Aunt, a poor woman who had been abducted on her wedding day and then mistreated after she returned.
It wasn't physical abuse, but it was still a form of emotional abuse. A woman like that...
"Then who do you think is more pitiful: her, or the person who loves her?"
Tobirama Senju was so clever that he already knew what Senju Fujima meant. He was trying to plead her case. Tobirama Senju asked quietly.
"I think they're both pitiful, but they shouldn't keep hurting each other."
"But what's done is done. We can only face it bravely instead of being cowards. Don't you think so, Second Uncle?"
Senju Fujima fixed his gaze on Tobirama Senju.
"A coward? A coward? A coward?"
At Senju Fujima's words, a voice suddenly rang out in Tobirama Senju's mind, calling him a coward again and again. He lowered his head, stared at his right hand, and murmured to himself.
"Exactly. Only cowards run away from the truth. If neither of you loves the other, then you can simply part ways."
"But if you truly have feelings for each other, then you should cast aside society's judgment. She didn't do it on purpose. She was forced into it—it wasn't her fault."
"If anyone is to blame, it's the war. This happened because of the war."
"That's why Dad and I hope the entire Ninja World can live in peace. Then things like this won't happen again. Don't you agree?"
Seeing that Tobirama Senju was moved, Senju Fujima quickly continued.
Before you continue