Uzushio Village and Konoha Village

Many years later, standing before the familiar small bed in his own room, Rikusei would still recall that morning when Madara woke him up with a smile.

Rikusei walked down the main street of the clan grounds feeling refreshed, wolfing down the dango in his hand before wiping the stains from the corners of his mouth and catching up to Madara's pace.

Looking at the bustling street, Rikusei knew what day it was.

The day the first allied nation of Konoha was born.

Passing through the Uchiha clan grounds into the interior of the village, red silk was draped everywhere, and colorful ribbons and streamers of various shapes fluttered freely in the Summer Wind.

The posters plastered everywhere were filled with patterns representing Konoha and Uzushio Village.

In Rikusei's mind, the most iconic green tactical vest of the Konoha ninja from his previous life emerged, along with the red swirl pattern on the shoulders and back.

It was a pity that by that time, few Konoha ninja could even recognize it, and they hadn't even managed to protect the Land of Whirlpools, which was so close at hand.

The brilliant glow of the sunset spilled across the earth, and passersby nodded and greeted Madara with timid respect.

Sensing a hint of restraint from his teacher, Rikusei smiled silently and returned the greetings alongside him.

Gazing at the Hokage Building in the center of the village, draped in red and colorful decorations, he saw busy figures below moving various props.

Ever since Hashirama became Hokage, Madara had logically become an elder.

Although he did not sit in the Hokage's seat, Madara, sitting in the best position for political commentary, could offer unique suggestions with his own personal flair regarding the various affairs of the village.

Most of these were rejected by the Senju brothers, yet he remained tireless in his suggestions, wanting to contribute his own strength to the newly born Konoha.

Rikusei could feel the genuine joy radiating from the man beside him and probed, "Has Teacher's ocular power increased?"

"The text behind the Stone Tablet can be seen more clearly now." Madara, wearing his Konoha Headband, nodded and replied, "Do you remember what Teacher told you? I have new insights."

"Is it not about Yin-Yang Release?" Rikusei asked, knowing what was happening.

"That is merely the literal meaning; it could also be an allusion to people or other things. After all, the things left behind by the Sage certainly wouldn't be that simple." Knowing more of the inside story, Madara pinched his chin and pondered.

"Teacher makes a good point. Could it be referring to the clan?"

Knowing the entire content, Rikusei wanted to test just how far Madara had been misled by the Stone Tablet altered by Black Zetsu.

"It shouldn't be." Seeing that there were few people left as they approached the building, Madara revealed the new content he had seen to Rikusei, his expression filled with confusion.

"The one who possesses."

Rikusei repeated it softly, silently completing the phrase in his heart: The one who possesses can attain true happiness.

"You will know sooner or later, so Teacher doesn't need to give yourself a headache." Lacking the height, Rikusei reached up and tugged on his sleeve in a sympathetic, comforting gesture.

After parting at the intersection, Madara stood in place, watching the gradually disappearing figure as he muttered, "That's right, rather than being troubled, it is better to get the next things done."

The afterglow of the setting sun passed through the transparent glass, spilling onto the top floor of the building. Madara, having worked all day, looked with annoyance at the endless pile of documents.

Suddenly realizing he hadn't seen a certain annoying guy all day, he asked, "Why haven't I seen Tobirama today?"

Stopping his pen, Hashirama stood up and walked to the window, looking at the lively scene of the village as the lights began to flicker on. "Tobirama went to check on the progress of the Artisan Ninja; he should be communicating with the various clans in the village now."

"Lord Hokage!" A ninja who had arrived via Body Flicker interrupted their discussion. "The delegation from the Land of Whirlpools will arrive in ten minutes. Lord Tobirama says it is time to go to the village entrance to welcome them."

Seeing the ninja vanish from where he stood, Madara, who was sitting in his chair, picked up the Hokage hat from the table, stood up, and handed it to Hashirama before they walked downstairs together.

Sitting in the carriage, Uzumaki Kaimi looked at the sky where dusk and twilight converged. Unlike the colorful fantasy of the seaside, the bright yellow canvas of the sky was filled with clouds set ablaze, soothing his weary heart after the long journey.

In the distance, the orange-yellow lights of Konoha blended together like a necklace strung with yellow gemstones, worn upon the land of the Land of Fire.

Uzumaki Ashina, at the very front of the convoy, jumped off his carriage and reminded the long, dragon-like procession to tidy their appearance, warning them not to lose face for Uzushio Village.

The giant torches burning on the massive wooden gates of Konoha illuminated everything in the vicinity.

Ashina, who had been walking alongside the carriages, gazed with excitement at the many figures lit by the torchlight.

The Konoha Headband was worn uniformly on their heads, and they looked back at them with equally fervent gazes.

The scene he had feared—a cold and empty welcoming crowd—did not happen; instead, the level of enthusiasm exceeded his imagination.

At the very front of the crowded throng stood a man wearing a hat, whom he recognized at a glance: Senju Hashirama.

Beside him, the red-haired woman's flickering eyes shone with an orange glow, and tears of longing flowed uncontrollably from her eye sockets.

Ashina blinked his eyes, feeling a bit unmanly, but the sight of white hair in his peripheral vision made him feign strength as he turned to signal the long, dragon-like convoy.

Hashirama gently let Mito lean on his shoulder, wiped away her tears, and looking at her wearing the golden crown, he couldn't help but think of the convoy that had also come as a dowry from the Land of Whirlpools.

Mito wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes hard, only to find she couldn't wipe them away. The hot tears of longing for her homeland, held back for years, finally broke through the dam of her eyelids the moment her clansmen stepped forward, gradually blurring her vision.

Clansmen wearing the same ceremonial robes as her, possessing the same fire-red hair, watched her with smiles in the night, though the old man at the very front of the line seemed a few years older than in her memories.

Ashina, with his head full of gray hair, took a handkerchief from his pocket and dotingly wiped away the tears flowing from the corners of her eyes.

Tobirama nudged Hashirama's arm, signaling that it was time to say something. Hashirama, filled with excitement as he surveyed the ninja of the two nations reunited, said loudly, "Welcome, ninja of Uzushio Village, to Konoha!"

As Hashirama's powerful words fell, the ninja of Konoha erupted into earth-shattering cheers.

The grand welcoming ceremony took place under the starry sky.

Uzumaki Kaimi followed the crowd, slowly advancing into Konoha.

The scale of Konoha left him feeling shocked; the bright lights everywhere were like daylight, and the orange firelight converged into a river flowing straight toward the tallest building in the village.

Looking at the faces of the people around him shining like lamplight, he felt dizzy and mesmerized. His heartbeat drummed wildly against his chest, and his boiling blood rushed to his head, leaving his spirit swaying in the excitement.

"Is tonight still the inauguration ceremony for the Hokage?" Kaimi gazed somewhat mesmerized at the fluttering colorful flags, softly reciting the characters dancing in the wind within his heart.

Such a double celebration was surely suggested by Rikusei.

After welcoming the ninjas from the Land of Whirlpools at the bustling main gate, he learned an unexpected piece of good news from Kagami.

The Dango Shop next door was having a fifty percent off sale!

While he sighed inwardly at how business-savvy the owner was, he was still drawn in by the discount.

Fifty percent off!

After joyfully locking eyes with Naori amidst the crowd, the longing in their gazes could not be hidden from one another, and with a graceful Body Flicker Technique, they vanished from Kagami's field of vision.