Naka River

Chapter 24: Naka River

Uchiha Shin walked along the forest path heading south, his goal set firmly on the Naka River, strolling along with a leisurely air.

The Naka River is a miraculous waterway. This river, which runs from east to west, serves not only as the natural boundary line or frontier between the spheres of influence of the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan.

It is also the place where Madara and Hashirama first met in the original Naruto story, and likewise, the place where their war, born from love turned to hate, finally came to an end.

As for the Valley of the End, formed by the violent destruction of the terrain during the great battle between Madara and Hashirama, it is, to be precise, located at a certain point in the lower reaches of the Naka River.

Therefore, along the northern and southern banks of the Naka River, ninja squads from the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan patrol the border line from time to time.

It could be said that the northern and southern banks of the Naka River are effectively the first layer of natural barriers on the periphery for both the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan.

Hidden within the forests on both banks of the Naka River are even forward observation posts belonging to both the Uchiha and Senju clans.

However, the strength of the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan is evenly matched; neither can do anything to the other.

Although the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan often fight until their brains are splattered on the battlefield, both sides remain very restrained along this natural boundary of the Naka River, and large-scale battles rarely occur.

Unless one side is incompetent and the disparity in strength is too great, forcing the enemy to strike at their very doorstep.

Otherwise, few ninja clans are willing to ignite the flames of war within their own sphere of influence.

After all, war means destruction and ruin; construction takes a long time, but destruction and ruin often happen in an instant.

Therefore, in the ninja world, if two adjacent ninja clans are of similar strength.

Both sides will basically maintain restraint, especially along the border between the two families, where large-scale battles will generally not occur unless there are special circumstances or a third-party force joins in.

Otherwise, if you come to my house to cause destruction today, you start the fire.

Tomorrow, I can go to your house to bring ruin, and return the favor.

But vigilance must be maintained, and patrols must be conducted; one cannot afford to be without a defensive heart.

He did not know how long he had been walking, but Uchiha Shin felt that it had been quite a long time.

"Splash!"

"Splash!"

The sound of the Naka River flowing from west to east, one wave after another, reached Uchiha Shin's ears.

Naturally, he was about to reach the natural boundary between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan. Although Uchiha Shin appeared leisurely, he did not dare to be careless in his heart.

Therefore, while walking along the way, Uchiha Shin had long since pushed his sensory perception to the maximum.

What if a passing Senju Clan ninja was shameless and wanted to slaughter a Uchiha Clan cub to vent their anger? Wouldn't he be delivering himself into the tiger's den?

As Uchiha Shin's sensory perception extended, he naturally discovered the specific location of the forward post, or observation point, belonging to the Uchiha Clan hidden in the forest on the north bank of the Naka River.

Moreover, based on the chakra source reaction coming from the post, Uchiha Shin was certain that a ninja squad should be stationed inside.

If there were danger by the Naka River later, and the disparity in strength between the enemy and himself was too great, Uchiha Shin's first choice would definitely be to lead the enemy toward his own forward post.

Afterward, Uchiha Shin would choose to flee or fight based on the situation on the ground.

"Eh?"

"There is actually a weak chakra reaction source in the forest on the south bank of the Naka River?"

"What is going on?"

Uchiha Shin frowned and immediately stopped in his tracks.

"Should I go to the riverbank?"

Uchiha Shin hesitated for a moment...

"Maybe I should go take a look."

"Just stay on the north bank of the Naka River and observe carefully first?"

As the saying goes, curiosity killed the cat.

However, Uchiha Shin was a bit curious at this moment.

Thus, spurred by curiosity, Uchiha Shin once again took steps forward toward the Naka River.

Uchiha Shin walked cautiously, looking around at the surrounding environment to his left, right, front, and back, while simultaneously planning the best escape route in his mind.

By the time Uchiha Shin reached the bank of the Naka River, he sensed that the weak chakra reaction source in the forest on the south bank of the Naka River was also slowly moving toward the direction of the Naka River.

While pretending to pick up stones by the river, Uchiha Shin secretly began to gather chakra at the soles of his feet.

Because Uchiha Shin was wearing casual clothes today and not his Uchiha Clan combat armor, combined with the fact that he was only five, nearly six years old.

Uchiha Shin felt that he should not expose his Uchiha Clan identity.

"It's coming..."

Following the probe of his sensory perception, the moment this weak chakra reaction source stepped out of the south bank forest...

He stood up very naturally and turned his head to look at the opposite bank of the Naka River.

"About a meter tall..."

"That unique bowl cut hairstyle..."

"An unremarkable appearance..."

"And that air of dejection seeping from his very bones."

"Could this guy be a four-year-old Senju Hashirama?"

Uchiha Shin looked at the appearance of the person on the other side of the river and instantly deduced the newcomer's identity.

However, being highly vigilant, Uchiha Shin still felt uneasy and spread his sensory power outward, centering it on the guy across the way.

What if that guy had a Senju Clan chunin or jonin hiding behind him?

Wouldn't Uchiha Shin be walking straight into a trap?

"Nothing?"

After carefully scanning the area with his sensory power, Uchiha Shin finally breathed a sigh of relief in secret, confirming that there were indeed no Senju Clan chunin or jonin following or hiding near Senju Hashirama.

Yet, what Uchiha Shin found strange was, was Senju Butsuma, the head of the Senju Clan, really this reckless?

To let his own cub come out alone to the banks of the Naka River, which was the border line between the Uchiha Clan and the Senju Clan.

Was Senju Butsuma not at all worried that his cub might be casually slaughtered by a passing Uchiha Clan ninja?

Feeling a bit puzzled, Uchiha Shin subconsciously scratched his head.

Even so, Uchiha Shin maintained a state of high alert, his sensory power continuously extending into the forest on the south bank of the Naka River.

The reason why four-year-old Senju Hashirama had come to the Naka River alone today was actually quite simple...

This morning, one of Senju Hashirama's cousins had died in battle.

Senju Hashirama's cousin was only eight years old this year.

Because he was particularly fond of Senju Hashirama, the cousin would often play with him whenever he wasn't on a mission.

Therefore, Senju Hashirama and this cousin shared a deep bond and a very close relationship.

To his surprise, as soon as Senju Hashirama woke up this morning, he heard the news that his cousin had been killed in action.

When he rushed to the Senju Clan cemetery, that cousin, who usually loved to smile, was already lying there cold, his body covered by a white cloth.

Senju Hashirama was incredibly heartbroken and cried for a long time.

It wasn't until after the bodies of the Senju Clan ninjas who had died in battle were buried that he heard from his father, Senju Butsuma...

His cousin had encountered ninjas from the Hagoromo Clan while on a mission and had been killed by them.

The passing of a loved one made four-year-old Senju Hashirama experience the cruelty of war for the first time.

Why must there be war?

For the first time, four-year-old Senju Hashirama began to think about this question independently.

Because Senju Butsuma was usually too strict, four-year-old Senju Hashirama did not dare to voice this question to his father.

And so, feeling sad and upset, Senju Hashirama walked aimlessly out of the Senju Clan compound, following the path through the forest until he arrived at the banks of the Naka River.

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