During this period, the Senju Clan and the Hagoromo Clan fell into conflict over a mission. With numerous factions fanning the flames, the rift between the two clans grew deeper and deeper. Their grievances had been festering for a long time, and what had started as a minor clash finally escalated into war.
Many young ninja from the Senju Clan and the Hagoromo Clan were forced onto the battlefield. Senju Kyogawa had not yet turned five, so he was not selected to go to war.
But as a "mature" ninja over the age of seven, all four of Senju Kyogawa's older brothers had to go to the battlefield.
Senju Kawarama was an excellent ninja. He was skilled with a blade, well-versed in ninjutsu, and experienced in combat. He completed missions superbly, obeyed orders, and always put the interests of the Senju Clan first. He couldn't have been a better Senju ninja.
And yet this excellent, earnest Senju ninja had sacrificed himself in the war against the Hagoromo Clan, drawing the enemy away alone to protect his teammates...
Senju Kawarama had fallen in battle, killed by the blades of the Hagoromo Clan...
When he heard the terrible news, Senju Kyogawa had been practicing his sword swings, following the method his brother Kawarama had taught him.
Even as he stood before Senju Kawarama's coffin, Senju Kyogawa still couldn't quite believe it was real.
Inside the coffin were Senju Kawarama's... remains.
His teammates had gathered them from the battlefield...
And Senju Kawarama wasn't the only one in a coffin at the funeral. Every clan member who had fallen in the battle against the Hagoromo Clan would be buried that day.
Before Senju Kyogawa stood hundreds of coffins, soon to be buried. Most held only remains. Many ninja hadn't even left any remains behind... Their coffins held only the clothes they had worn.
The sky was blue that day. It was a fine day, a rare one.
It had rained here just the day before. The rain had fallen on and off for three days, stopping only that morning. The air was fresh, and if you paid attention, you could smell the clean scent of the earth.
Senju Kyogawa had always loved the smell of grass after the rain mingling with the scent of soil.
Great heaps of loose earth were dug up, then piled over the tops of the coffins.
Earthworms poked their heads up from the freshly turned soil.
Senju Kyogawa watched as his third brother Kawarama's coffin was completely buried.
Maybe I hate this smell now.
His gentle, considerate brother Kawarama had been buried in a pile of stinking dirt, where disgusting bugs would even gnaw on his remains...
It was utterly absurd...
Brother Kawarama said he'd take me out to buy konpeito when he got back... Senju Kyogawa thought at an inopportune moment.
Senju Kawarama had been a genius.
"Waaah..." Senju Kyogawa's fourth brother, Senju Itama, wept beside him. He had always been closest to Brother Kawarama. He must be the saddest of all now.
The hand he held kept trembling. Senju Kyogawa couldn't tell whether it was from grief or fear.
Senju Kyogawa's teeth began to chatter too. Was he just too cold?
He clenched his teeth hard.
Their father, Senju Butsuma, watched the burial ceremony with his brows furrowed. Perhaps he was mourning the souls of those who had made the ultimate sacrifice.
"Ninja aren't allowed to cry!" Senju Butsuma suddenly barked. "We ninja were born to die on the battlefield!"
We ninja were born to die on the battlefield? What kind of bullshit is that...? Senju Kyogawa's thoughts wandered, and he couldn't help arguing with Senju Butsuma in his mind.
"We should be grateful we managed to recover some of the bodies! The Hagoromo Clan wasn't the only one fighting this time. The Uchiha were there too..."
"They've always been ruthless..."
The Uchiha?
Senju Kyogawa couldn't help thinking of the boy named Izuna, who might have been from the Uchiha Clan. Had any of his clanmates died in this war? Was he, too, drowning in grief over the loss of his siblings?
Senju Kyogawa recalled that his brothers had said the Uchiha were an evil clan. But why?
If the Uchiha's loved ones were killed and they wanted revenge, what made them an evil clan?
Senju Hashirama gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut.
When he opened them again, he shouted:
"But Kawarama was only seven!"
"When will this... this war ever end!"
Senju Hashirama shouted his question, trying to vent all the dissatisfaction and resentment in his heart. He hated this war-torn world, this world that had stolen his younger brother's life.
If another war broke out, who would be the next to die? Him? Tobirama? Itama? Or the youngest, Kyogawa?
The long shadow cast by the deaths of clan members had completely engulfed his heart. He didn't want to see another one of his younger brothers die, especially not in some ridiculous war.
Senju Butsuma answered, his tone firm and unquestionable:
"Until every last enemy is wiped out."
Every last enemy? How could they possibly wipe out all their enemies?!
Even without the Hagoromo Clan, there might still be the Kaguya Clan. Even if the Uchiha Clan were gone, there might still be the Hyuga Clan...
Human conflict could never end. Wherever there were people, there would be interests; wherever there were interests, there would be conflict. It was the result of humanity's innate pursuit of profit.
Besides, ninja were nothing more than tools used by the daimyo to wage war and seize territory!
If they wanted conflict to end, they might as well leave only one person alive in the entire world and let everyone else die!
Senju Kyogawa couldn't help giving a scornful laugh.
"...Creating a world without war will be a difficult process." Senju Butsuma continued speaking to himself, paying no heed to the children's reactions.
Senju Kyogawa saw Senju Hashirama lower his head and ask, his expression unreadable:
"Even if it means sacrificing children?"
At Hashirama's words, Senju Butsuma's eyes immediately turned fierce. The moment Hashirama finished speaking, Senju Butsuma suddenly raised his hand and punched him. He moved too fast for Senju Kyogawa and the others to react.
Hashirama was knocked straight to the ground.
"Brother Hashirama!" Senju Kyogawa cried out in alarm.
"Dad, you..."
Senju Tobirama, who was closest, immediately stepped in front of Senju Hashirama to protect him. Kyogawa and Senju Itama hurried forward too, checking on Hashirama.
Senju Hashirama's lip was bleeding, and his cheek had swollen badly.
Senju Butsuma had clearly put real force behind that punch. Senju Hashirama saw stars and sat on the ground for a long while before he could recover.
Senju Butsuma had hit the brothers before, but it had always been an affectionate pat or a disciplinary smack. He had never hit them this hard. This was a real punch!
Senju Butsuma looked genuinely furious.
At that moment, Senju Kyogawa admired his eldest brother Hashirama. Before, he had respected him. But when he saw Hashirama speak up as a real, compassionate person for the children who had fallen in battle, he began to truly admire him.
Senju Hashirama deserved everyone's respect.
Perhaps the sight of Senju Kyogawa and the others surrounding Hashirama made it hard for Senju Butsuma to continue, or perhaps he thought one punch was enough to cow the children. In any case, he didn't hit him again. He only shouted at Senju Hashirama:
"I won't let you insult Kawarama!"
"He died an honorable death as a capable ninja! He wasn't a child!"
Wasn't a child?
But Brother Kawarama was only seven!
Senju Hashirama was heartbroken over his younger brother's death... Senju Butsuma was worse than even Senju Kyogawa.
Senju Kyogawa was completely consumed by Kawarama's death. Kawarama had indeed died an honorable death as a ninja, but he was only a seven-year-old child...
Everyone had considered him a genius...
Without war, Senju Kawarama would surely have grown into a truly excellent, mature ninja!
Senju Kyogawa didn't know what his brothers were thinking, but Senju Butsuma's words had made him furious.
Seven-year-old Senju Kawarama was a child, as far as he was concerned.
In the world he'd lived in before, Senju Kawarama would only just have started elementary school! He wouldn't have died in some war!
Screw the so-called honor of being a ninja!
Senju Kyogawa ground his teeth, wishing he could take Senju Hashirama's place and beat Senju Butsuma up.
Unfortunately, he wasn't strong enough.
Senju Hashirama covered his swollen, red cheek and glared at Senju Butsuma with hateful eyes.
Before Senju Hashirama could say another word, Senju Kyogawa couldn't hold back any longer.
He stood up and shouted at Senju Butsuma:
"Brother Kawarama was a ninja... but he was also a child!"
"My brother Senju Kawarama... he was only a child who had just turned seven!"
Just as Senju Kyogawa expected, Senju Butsuma flew into a rage. He glared at him and raised his hand as if to strike.
Senju Kyogawa closed his eyes, bracing himself for the slap.
"Father!"
"Dad!"
Perhaps because his brothers were shielding Senju Kyogawa so fiercely, Senju Butsuma didn't bring his hand down. He lowered it, then turned and walked away.
Senju Kyogawa opened his eyes and saw him walking off. He couldn't help calling after him again, his voice hoarse:
"This Ninja World—there's something fundamentally wrong with it!"
Senju Butsuma's steps paused. Senju Kyogawa saw his hand clench into a fist, but he paid Kyogawa no further attention.
"Brother Hashirama, are you all right?" Once it was clear Senju Butsuma wasn't going to turn back, Senju Itama anxiously asked Senju Hashirama how he was.
"Don't you know what happens when you defy Father?" Senju Tobirama warned sternly. Then he turned and glared at Senju Kyogawa. "You too, Kyogawa! That was too reckless!"
Senju Kyogawa casually glanced around, clearly paying no attention to Senju Tobirama's warning.
Senju Hashirama, however, was clearly in a poor mood. His gaze was resolute.
"I..."
"Itama... Tobirama... and Kyogawa..."
"I just don't want you to throw your lives away too."
"What love for the Senju Clan!"
"What capable ninja!"
"Wasn't this just a group of adults forcing a child to his death?"
"How are we any different from the Uchiha?"
Senju Hashirama abruptly stood and angrily challenged Senju Butsuma, who was about to leave.
"This is respect for the enemy. Even an infant must be treated as an enemy if he's holding a weapon... And raising children to become capable ninja is a parent's love!" Senju Butsuma turned his head to the side, his tone firm.
Love?
What kind of love was that?
Senju Kyogawa couldn't understand that kind of love—
Just as he couldn't understand this twisted Ninja World...
Before you continue