Tobirama: How Dare This Brat Bully Me Like This

Konoha New Year's Eve.

The village's central square was festooned with lights and decorations, with red lanterns hanging all along both sides of the stage.

Konoha's Five Elders—Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, Uchiha Yan, Senju Hashirama, and Senju Tobirama—sat in the front row of the stands.

After the Hokage finished his opening remarks, Konoha's New Year gala officially began.

For this gala, the relevant Konoha departments had held open auditions throughout the village to select hosts. In the end, four contestants stood out: Senju Momona, Uchiha Tekka, Hyuga Rin, and Nara Masao.

Sarutobi Sasuke had spent a hefty sum inviting some of the more famous singers and stars from the ninja world. It was Konoha's first time seeing those big-name celebrities in person, and everyone watched with rapt attention, applause coming in wave after wave.

At first, Senju Tobirama was fairly absorbed in the show. Only on New Year's Eve could he truly relax.

This year, his real battles against the Uchiha on the battlefield had turned into political struggles against them within the village. Unfortunately, the Senju Clan had been completely suppressed. Konoha's public opinion and political correctness had already elevated the Uchiha onto a pedestal.

Even the pure ground of the academy had not escaped that vile Uchiha Yan. Konoha Publishing House's textbooks were stuffed with Uchiha propaganda, preaching day after day that the Uchiha were a ninja clan possessed of great love.

As for the Senju Clan, his naive older brother cared about nothing. His sister-in-law Mito was no help either. The Senju Clan could only rely on him alone to hold things together with difficulty.

Onstage, one performance followed another. Singing and dancing, instrumental performances, plays, and acrobatics—beneath the New Year atmosphere, Konoha's people cast off a year's worth of hardship and exhaustion.

The four hosts took turns introducing the acts.

Senju Momona: "Thank you to the previous group of performers for that wonderful presentation."

Uchiha Mie: "During the Warring States era of the ninja world, flames of war raged everywhere. Clans great and small fought year after year, and countless lives suffered beneath the chaos of war. The peace and stability we enjoy today did not come easily."

Hyuga Rin: "The Senju and Uchiha were bound by a thousand years of misunderstanding and pain. Fortunately, hatred would eventually reach its end, and understanding would ultimately arrive."

Nara Masao: "The next performance will recreate the moment when the two clans cast aside their past grievances and joined hands, interpreting the true meaning of the Will of Fire."

Everyone: "Please welcome the performers!"

The stage lights dimmed, then brightened again. A group of students dressed as Senju and Uchiha stepped onto the stage and began performing a historical play.

Then came the sight Senju Tobirama least wanted to see in his entire life.

A group of students began reenacting that day's war between the Senju and Uchiha. Tobirama's actor, Mitokado Homura, appeared for only a second—before Shimura Danzo, playing Uchiha Yan, kicked him flying. After that, he lay on the ground for the entire performance, not even showing his face.

The plot that followed had Uchiha Madara, Uchiha Izuna, and Uchiha Yan join forces to besiege Senju Hashirama. Senju Hashirama was then defeated, and Sarutobi Hiruzen, playing Uchiha Madara, walked toward the Senju Clan and extended a hand to Senju Hashirama, seeking peace through a handshake.

Then came the famous scene of Uchiha Madara proving his resolve through death, with Senju Hashirama stepping forward to stop him.

When Utatane Koharu, playing Senju Hashirama, shouted, "Madara, I promise you," it marked the reconciliation of the two strongest clans of the Warring States era.

At last, the two clans joined forces, and Konoha was founded.

Thunderous applause erupted below the stage.

Senju Tobirama's face turned livid.

How dare these brats humiliate me like this? Damn Uchiha Yan.

He felt as though he had been publicly executed before everyone. The more earnestly those students acted, the uglier his expression became.

Tobirama felt that his reputation in Konoha was finished. The looks the clan heads of the Mitokado and Utatane clans had just given him were clearly off.

Tobirama turned to look at his older brother.

Senju Hashirama did not care in the slightest. Instead, he was leading the applause.

Tobirama withdrew his gaze and silently watched the stage.

"Alas." He sighed inwardly. "My whole life, I've walked on thin ice. Can I truly lead my clansmen to the other shore?"

Onstage, host Nara Masao stepped forward once more, his voice rich and resonant.

"Peace did not come easily, and nothing comforts the heart like the warmth of everyday life. A bowl of ramen gathers all of Konoha's tenderness and worldly warmth. Next, please enjoy the performance, Let's Eat Ramen Together."

As the ninja world's national dish, ramen had an extremely broad audience. The moment many people below the stage heard the title, their spirits rose.

The set onstage was simple—a small house, a low table, and two sets of bowls and chopsticks.

A man dressed in Konoha ninja attire pushed open the door and entered, covered in dust from the road. He set down his ninja tool bag, took off his mud-caked shoes, walked inside, and called out, "Honey, I'm home."

Then a woman came out of the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of ramen and placed it on the table.

"Happy New Year, dear," the woman said. "I've been waiting for you to come home so we could eat."

The man sat down at the table, picked up the bowl, and lowered his head to take a bite.

He looked up and said with a smile, "Nothing beats the taste of home. It isn't truly New Year until I've finished this bowl of ramen."

The ninja audience below the stage fell silent.

Many lowered their heads and quietly wiped away their tears. They were usually too busy with missions and neglected their families. Some ninjas had not returned home for months, while others were still rushing about outside even on New Year's Eve. That bowl of ramen onstage struck the softest place in their hearts.

Teuchi Ichiraku, seated among the audience, watched with particular focus.

He was still a student. He had no talent for being a ninja, his grades at school were mediocre, and he had even failed several subjects. When the academy teachers asked the other students what their dreams were, and everyone else said they dreamed of becoming Hokage, he did not know what his own dream was. He wanted to bring happiness to others too, but he knew—he could not become a ninja, much less Hokage.

But today, Teuchi Ichiraku felt that he had found his dream.

So ramen could make people happy too.

He made up his mind. After graduating, he would go learn how to make ramen. Teacher Yan had once said: whether one was Hokage or an ordinary citizen, as long as they could bring happiness to people, they were carrying on the Will of Fire.

Happy times always passed too quickly.

Konoha's village gala welcomed its final act—the students' choir performance of "Konoha Family."

The children stood in several rows on the stage, dressed in matching school uniforms. The lead singer was a girl with twin ponytails, her voice clear and youthful.

Young voices rose in song, singing of peace, hope, freedom, and equality.

At first, only the children sang. Then the audience below began to hum along. The sound grew louder and more unified.

When the song ended, the applause and cheers continued for a long time.

And so, Konoha's first village gala came to a perfect close.