In the forest on the north bank of the Naka River, inside a hollow tree, a bear timidly poked its head out. With its huge, round eyes wide open, it cautiously observed the outside.
"Scary..."
Just thinking about that terrifying scene made the bear's scalp tingle. It began to tremble inside the hollow tree.
As usual, after Bear-Bear's mother told him to watch the den, she turned and went into the forest to forage.
As the sun moved across the sky, Bear-Bear waited for a long time, but his mother still hadn't returned.
Unable to wait any longer, Bear-Bear clambered out of the hidden hollow tree and followed the scent his mother had left in the forest, heading toward where she was.
"Mother's scent..."
Bear-Bear lowered his head and sniffed the ground. His mother's scent was growing stronger.
His huge, round eyes lit up. He knew his mother had to be nearby.
Before he could go look for her, a piercing roar suddenly rang out from the forest not far ahead.
"Mother's voice!"
Bear-Bear knew that piercing roar well.
Had his mother encountered a powerful opponent?
Worried sick, Bear-Bear hurried toward the sound, running on all fours.
"Pant..."
"Pant..."
Bear-Bear panted heavily as he ran...
Through a gap in the trees, he could already make out his mother's shape in the distance.
"Something's wrong..."
"Why is Mother fighting a human?"
"Wasn't Mother afraid of humans?"
Bear-Bear tilted his head, confused.
Just as he was about to rush over and help his mother...
A terrifying sight made him skid to a halt.
The human child suddenly multiplied, as if by magic, becoming five identical copies.
Then the five identical human children spat fireballs at his mother.
In an instant, Mother, a mighty bear, was surrounded by scorching flames.
She screamed in agony as the flames burned her...
A moment later, Bear-Bear heard a heavy "thud." His towering, powerful mother had collapsed to the ground, her fate unknown.
Seeing his mother in such a terrible state not far away, Bear-Bear's eyes instantly turned red.
He knew the place where she had fallen. It was the secret backup den he and his mother had made.
When they built it, his mother had told him, "Even a cunning rabbit has three burrows. The world is so dangerous now, we bears should prepare a few extra tree hollows to hide in."
Staring at the human child who had killed his mother, the one wearing clothes marked with the Uchiha Clan Crest, Bear-Bear bared his teeth, eyes blazing with anger. He wanted to run over and avenge her.
But before he could take a step, the human child in the Uchiha Clan Crest clothes seemed to sense him and turned to look in his direction.
The moment that gaze fell on him, Bear-Bear's animal instincts shot to their peak.
An inexplicable terror seized him, and he began trembling uncontrollably.
"Humans are so scary..."
"If I go over there, I'll die..."
Bear-Bear lay trembling on the ground, covering his eyes with his paws. He didn't even dare look at the human child.
He certainly didn't dare risk his life by attacking the human child wearing the Uchiha Clan Crest.
He didn't know how long he lay there...
When he could no longer feel that chilling gaze...
Bear-Bear finally moved his thick paws away from his eyes and cautiously looked in that direction.
The place was empty...
Bear-Bear froze.
Once he was sure the dangerous human child had left, he put a paw to his chest and quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Then he quickly turned around and ran home on all fours.
Thinking of his mother's tragic death, and how he hadn't even had the courage to face the one who killed her...
"Damn it!"
"I'm such a cowardly bear!"
As he ran, thinking of his mother's horrible death and how uncertain his future was...
Bear-Bear sobbed in misery. Tears as big as beans rolled down his cheeks, dripping onto the forest floor.
It was a sight to make anyone who saw it weep and anyone who heard it grieve.
After fleeing in fear all the way back to the hollow tree, Bear-Bear's anxious heart finally settled a little.
Perhaps because he was exhausted, hungry, and scared, he soon couldn't resist falling asleep.
He slept until the next day.
The growling of his stomach woke him...
"Mother's gone now."
"I have to go out and find food myself."
"But what if that vicious human child is still in the forest?"
"Won't I lose my bear life?"
"Not good, not good..."
Bear-Bear had just stood up to go forage when he seemed to think of something. Without hesitation, he lay back down.
His stomach was painfully empty, but he didn't dare go out for food. With no other choice, Bear-Bear sadly licked his plump paws to tide himself over.
Day one...
Bear-Bear didn't dare go out.
Day two...
Bear-Bear still didn't dare go out.
Day three...
Bear-Bear still didn't dare leave the den.
By the tenth day, Bear-Bear couldn't take it anymore.
For the sake of his safety, he decided it would be best to move.
"Hmph, you awful human child."
"I'm moving to District NA. I refuse to believe you'll follow me, too!"
If he couldn't win, he could at least hide.
With the idea of moving in mind, Bear-Bear clambered out of the hollow tree and prepared to cross the Naka River and settle in the forest on the south bank.
"Hmph..."
"I'm such a clever bear!"
With no belongings to pack, Bear-Bear set off alone and began his journey to a new home.
"Whoa!"
"That river looks deep!"
Standing by the Naka River, Bear-Bear gazed toward the forest on the south bank, his eyes full of longing.
"Just a river, and you think you can stop me from moving!"
"That's impossible! Good thing I can swim!"
With a smug look, Bear-Bear stepped into the water.
Sometimes, learning one more skill could save your life someday.
Bear-Bear was proud of his many talents.
Actually, the Naka River's current wasn't very strong... and it wasn't very wide.
He could make it across if he swam slowly.
But for a bear that hadn't eaten in over ten days, it was obviously a bit difficult.
Bear-Bear had apparently forgotten he hadn't eaten for ten days, and swimming took a lot of energy.
So when he reached the middle of the river, he was completely out of strength...
In his panic, Bear-Bear's leg suddenly cramped.
"Gurgle, gurgle!"
After struggling for a while, Bear-Bear sank beneath the water, swallowing several mouthfuls of river water.
Luckily, a huge rock stood in the middle of the Naka River.
Seeing the rock, Bear-Bear thought he'd found a chance to survive and struggled toward it.
By the time he climbed onto the rock, he was completely out of strength.
"Waaah..."
"Waaah..."
Bear-Bear lay on the rock, wailing in agony.
"Huh?"
"Why is there a bear in the river?"
Four-year-old Senju Hashirama had just come out of the residential compound to get some fresh air. When he reached the riverbank, he heard the pained cries of a bear cub coming from the water.
That day, four-year-old Senju Hashirama had come to the Naka River to try his luck and see if he could meet again the big brother who had recently taught him to skip stones.
He had so much he wanted to say to that nice big brother.
Before you continue