Naka River (4)

Watching Senju Hashirama successfully skip a stone and run over to show off with joy.

Uchiha Shin smiled as he hopped down from the large boulder, then gave his shoulder an encouraging pat.

"I told you, you little brat, you actually have quite a talent for this!"

"I believe in you!"

Hearing Uchiha Shin's encouragement, the smile on four-year-old Senju Hashirama's face grew even more radiant.

Perhaps Senju Butsuma rarely praised Senju Hashirama.

Because of this, Uchiha Shin only had to put on a slight act to make such a brilliant smile bloom on Senju Hashirama's face.

From this, it was clear that deep down, four-year-old Senju Hashirama actually craved the encouragement and praise of his father, Senju Butsuma.

Just as Senju Butsuma said to Senju Hashirama in the original Naruto, the only thing parents can do is successfully raise their child into an independent ninja.

Much like in Uchiha Shin's past life, the view of most parents was essentially: look at how well that child studies, how early that child got married, how good that child's job is, how successful they are—why can't you be like them?

I've spent the money I should have spent on you, I've given what I should have given, so why aren't you as promising as other people's children?

Parents who can truly sit down, have a heart-to-heart with their child, and treat them as an equal—like a friend—are few and far between.

Most parents in Uchiha Shin's past life were like that, let alone the parents in this Warring States Period.

Furthermore, since Uchiha Shin could be an actor, why couldn't Senju Hashirama be one too?

First of all, Senju Hashirama is the reincarnation of Asura...

Therefore, Asura's subconscious must also be subtly influencing Senju Hashirama's own personality.

Unless Senju Hashirama, at some point, encounters certain events and certain people that lead him to a sudden realization, allowing him to break through his own self.

Only when Senju Hashirama completely understands himself can he possibly cast off the influence of Asura's subconscious.

Otherwise, as Senju Hashirama grows, he will only become another version of Asura.

Aside from not possessing Asura's original memories, he would essentially be the same as the original Asura.

This situation could also be considered an alternative rebirth of Asura.

Combining the above speculations, Uchiha Shin dared to conclude that the Senju Hashirama before him was definitely not an actor.

Of course, this excludes the possibility that Senju Hashirama is also a transmigrator.

After all, if Uchiha Shin could transmigrate, it's not impossible to imagine Senju Hashirama doing the same.

Haha, you have to know that a transmigrator might lack a cheat, a system, or a wise old mentor, but the one thing they must possess is a spirit of skepticism.

"Gurgle..."

"Gurgle..."

Just at that moment, Senju Hashirama's stomach suddenly growled with hunger.

Looking at the smiling Uchiha Shin, four-year-old Senju Hashirama felt a sudden sense of embarrassment and awkwardness.

"Hungry, are you..."

"Haha, no need to be embarrassed."

"Birth, aging, sickness, death, eating, and pooping."

"That is what a living human being is!"

Uchiha Shin chuckled and waved his hand, signaling that there was no need to feel ashamed.

"I have rice balls and water here; if you don't mind, would you like some?"

Uchiha Shin smiled, then, as if performing a magic trick, pulled a cloth bundle and a bamboo tube from his robes and placed them on the large boulder nearby.

To show that it was perfectly safe, Uchiha Shin first untied the bundle, grabbed a rice ball, and took a large bite.

After swallowing the rice ball, he pulled the stopper from the bamboo tube and took a long, hearty gulp of water.

The reason Uchiha Shin did this was, in fact, to test Senju Hashirama.

Although the two had been chatting happily, they were, after all, meeting for the first time; they didn't even know each other's names, surnames, or clans.

It would be no exaggeration to say that Uchiha Shin and Senju Hashirama were complete strangers to one another.

What if the other party had poisoned the food or water?

After all, this world was currently filled with slaughter and chaos everywhere.

Therefore, maintaining a certain level of vigilance when facing strangers was the standard operating procedure in this ninja world.

Looking at the rice balls and water on the boulder, Senju Hashirama hesitated for a moment.

But when Senju Hashirama saw the warm, sunny smile on Uchiha Shin's face and the sincere look in his eyes.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul; a big brother with such sincere eyes and such a sunny smile would surely never deceive him.

If I refuse, I bet this big brother will be very sad.

Thinking of this, the still-kindhearted Senju Hashirama felt not a shred of hesitation left in his heart.

Anyway, I'm hungry, so I might as well eat.

"Itadakimasu."

Senju Hashirama first closed his eyes and pressed his palms together slightly. After saying those words, he grabbed the rice ball placed on the large rock and began to eat it in big bites.

Uchiha Shin didn't feel comfortable staring straight at Senju Hashirama while he ate.

So, Uchiha Shin turned and walked a few steps, heading straight to the very edge of the Naka River, where he picked up a pebble and tossed it into the water.

Watching the Naka River flow quietly, Uchiha Shin stood there motionless, and for some reason, his entire being settled into a profound stillness.

I don't know why, but looking at the surface of the quietly flowing Naka River, Uchiha Shin suddenly remembered the theme song of Romance of the Three Kingdoms from his past life.

The rolling Yangtze River flows eastward, Its waves washing away all heroes.

Success and failure turn to emptiness in a blink.

The green mountains remain, As the sun sets in red time and again.

White-haired fishermen and woodcutters on the river islets, Accustomed to the autumn moon and spring breeze.

A pot of cloudy wine brings joy to their reunion.

How many events of the past and present, Are all cast into idle chatter.

Heh, thinking back to my past life—school, work, buying a house, getting married—how much bitterness and exhaustion I endured just to live like a human being.

Now that I've transmigrated into this world of ninja, I do it to survive, to live well, and so that one day in the future, I can control my own destiny.

I've started the internal competition within the Uchiha Clan early, preemptively removing Madara from the position of clan heir, and later acting as an actor to deceive Senju Hashirama into trusting me. Perhaps I will do many more bad things in the future.

"Sigh...!"

Thinking of this, Uchiha Shin let out a soft sigh. It seems that no matter which world it is, living—living well—is quite a struggle.

Having eaten his fill, Senju Hashirama wiped his mouth with his sleeve, then looked up at Uchiha Shin's back, a strange yet familiar feeling suddenly surfacing in his heart.

Why was he able to talk so happily with this stranger of an older brother?

Why did he lower his guard and eat the food and water offered by a stranger?

After pondering for a moment, Senju Hashirama finally understood what this strange and familiar feeling was.

Perhaps this stranger of an older brother was similar in some ways to his cousin who had died in battle.

They both liked to play with him, both cared for him, and both treated him as an equal.

Hearing the movement behind him, Uchiha Shin first looked up at the sky; it was getting late, and it was time to go back.

After all, the establishment of trust is a process that takes time.

Let's leave it at this for today. It's time to go back and check on the training progress of Madara, Izuna, and Hana.

Thinking of this, Uchiha Shin turned around and looked at Senju Hashirama behind him with a smile, preparing to say goodbye.

"It's getting late, I'm heading back."

"You should go home early too, so your family doesn't worry."

Uchiha Shin did not ask for Senju Hashirama's name.

Because he knew that if Senju Hashirama wanted to, he would tell him eventually.

After speaking, Uchiha Shin turned around, waved his hand with his back to Senju Hashirama, and prepared to walk across the water.

"Big Brother, my name is Hashirama."

"As for my surname..."

"Not telling the other party your surname is the rule of a ninja."

Just as Uchiha Shin was about to leave, Senju Hashirama called out to him, frankly revealing his identity as a ninja and generously telling Uchiha Shin his name.

"My name is Shin."

"You can call me Big Brother Shin from now on."

"As for my surname?"

"Not telling the other party your surname is the rule of a ninja."

Uchiha Shin looked back at Senju Hashirama and told him his own name as well.

"Big Brother Shin, will we have a chance to skip stones together again next time?"

There was a hint of reluctance in Senju Hashirama's eyes.

"There will be a chance, provided that I am still alive when we meet again."

Uchiha Shin forced a bitter smile onto his face.

"I see..."

Hearing this answer, four-year-old Senju Hashirama's mood suddenly grew heavy.

His cousin had just died in battle; could it be that this big brother he had just met would also die in battle?

For some reason, at this moment, Senju Hashirama felt an increasing sense of disgust and hatred toward war.

"Hey, Big Brother Shin!"

"When will this war truly come to an end?"

As they were about to part ways, four-year-old Senju Hashirama subconsciously blurted out this question.

Could it be that this guy, Senju Hashirama, had already started thinking about how to end the war?

Was this the butterfly effect?

Uchiha Shin decided to feed this guy, Senju Hashirama, another dose of toxic chicken soup.

Uchiha Shin pretended to ponder for a moment.

Then, maintaining an extremely warm and sunny smile on his face, he looked at Senju Hashirama with utmost sincerity and replied, "Perhaps, if we just fill this world with love, it will be enough!"

After saying this, Uchiha Shin stepped onto the water and left.

"Fill the world with love?"

Hearing these words, the previously heavy-hearted Senju Hashirama's eyes suddenly lit up.

In this moment, four-year-old Senju Hashirama finally realized what he wanted to do in the future.

PS: Seeking collections, recommendations, monthly tickets, and investments.