Hashirama Senju's Test! Fooling the First Hokage with Master-Level Acting!

A day's plan began in the morning.

Uchiha Linhai rolled out of bed and stretched.

He lightly leaped onto the rooftop, then bounded several times toward the small lake outside the village.

"Dragon—Ox—Rabbit, Water Release: Water Turbulence!"

A torrent shot from Linhai's mouth and smashed fiercely into the lake, sending water splashing everywhere.

Watching the water flow disperse, Linhai shook his head and sighed.

"My chakra is still far too limited.

Even with perfect control, I can only cast three to five ninjutsu in a row at most.

If I factor in the consumption of taijutsu during actual combat, two or three would be the limit.

I'm still too weak. I have to find a way to solve the problem of my chakra reserves."

"That's because this six-year-old body of yours limits your chakra capacity, little brat of the Uchiha clan."

An unfamiliar voice suddenly came from behind him.

Who?!

Alarm bells rang in Linhai's mind. He spun around and instantly assumed a defensive stance.

Once he saw who it was, he froze, quickly lowered his guard, and bowed ninety degrees. "Good morning, First Hokage."

Hashirama Senju scratched his head and gave an awkward chuckle.

"It's only five in the morning. That's a bit too early.

I was sleeping soundly, but I got up bright and early just to find you.

Why do you get up so early every day, kid?

You need to exercise in moderation. Don't forget, you're only six.

Kids should enjoy their childhoods. Come on, accompany me for a gamble!"

Looking at the First Hokage before him, who carried none of the airs of a leader, Linhai felt utterly helpless.

So he really has been watching me! He even knows exactly when I leave every day!

"What's going on in that head of yours, kid? Tell me. I won't tell anyone." Hashirama instantly leaned close to Linhai like a curious child.

The corner of Linhai's eye twitched, and he said nothing.

Tell you?

Tell you I'm actually a forty-year-old transmigrator?

Tell you I don't want to be Madara Uchiha's grandson at all?

Seeing Linhai remain silent, his face full of vigilance, Hashirama sighed.

This child's caution was nothing like that of an ordinary six-year-old.

"Sit down." Hashirama sat cross-legged on the grass and patted the spot beside him. "I'll tell you a story. You spend every day buried in the library, so you should be able to understand it."

Linhai obediently sat down.

Hashirama began slowly:

"Long ago, in the warring era before ninja villages were established, there was a monk known as the 'Savior.'

He founded Ninshu and wished to bring peace to the world.

He had two sons. The elder inherited the Sage's eyes and chakra, believing that peace required 'power' to maintain.

The younger inherited the Sage's body, believing that peace required 'love' to sustain."

"Before the monk died, he chose the younger brother as his successor.

The elder brother could not accept this outcome, and so the two brothers went to war.

That war has continued to this day."

Hashirama paused for a moment and turned to look at Linhai.

"If it were you, would you choose power or love?"

Linhai lowered his head.

What kind of choice is that? It's practically a death sentence!

A moment later, he raised his head, his tone firm. "I choose love."

Hashirama was stunned, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes. "Why?"

Linhai took a deep breath and began putting on a performance.

"I don't understand. I don't understand why my father forced me to learn ninjutsu. I don't understand why the villagers always looked at me with such wariness. They said I carried cursed blood, so I desperately read books, trying to find an answer."

"Later, I understood. It was because my grandfather wanted to destroy Konoha, and you killed him to protect the village. I used to hate you, and I hated the looks people gave me. So I learned ninjutsu to prove myself to them."

"I learned the ninjutsu written on the scrolls and became the genius everyone talked about. But I wasn't happy. What I really wanted was to sleep until I woke naturally every day, to watch children my age playing in the streets, to ask my parents for snacks and toys. But Father said geniuses didn't need things meant for the weak."

Linhai lifted his head, his eyes clear and innocent.

"I think Father is wrong. I don't want to use power to prove anything. I want to be the younger brother in the story. Because if you love others, others will love you too. Right?"

His words were heartfelt and sincere, perfectly fitting the persona of a war-weary child prodigy.

Anyway, I can just dump the blame on my cheap father. It's not like Hashirama would go confront him about it.

Hashirama stared at the six-year-old child before him in shock, then broke into a hearty laugh.

Madara, you were wrong. Konoha has gained another true protector!

Hashirama's smile faded, and his expression turned solemn. "My name is Hashirama Senju. Founder of Konoha and the First Hokage. Now, I formally accept you as my disciple. Are you willing?"

Linhai was dumbfounded.

Seriously?

The First Hokage wants to take Madara Uchiha's grandson as his disciple?

That's way too bold! If I had even the slightest evil intentions, wouldn't Konoha be finished?

How could he know that Hashirama firmly believed children spoke without restraint and would never imagine that a worldly forty-year-old soul was hidden inside that six-year-old body?

After two seconds of stunned silence, Linhai decisively dropped to both knees and shouted, "Greetings, Teacher!"

Anyone who doesn't cling to a powerful backer is an idiot!

Hokage Building.

"What?! You took that kid as your disciple?!"

Tobirama Senju slammed his hand on the table and rose to his feet, glaring at Hashirama.

"Big Brother, have you lost your mind?!

He's Madara Uchiha's biological grandson!

He's still young, so we can't see any signs yet.

But once he grows up, if he seeks revenge against Konoha, who could stop him?!"

Watching his younger brother fly into a rage, Hashirama awkwardly scratched his head.

"When I heard his answer, I got carried away and accepted him... He's so talented. I only wanted to cultivate a protector for Konoha. Tobirama, it's not as bad as you think."

Hashirama's smile vanished, and his gaze became incomparably serious.

"I've observed him. He... is Konoha's future."

Seeing the certainty on his elder brother's face, Tobirama gritted his teeth and could only nod helplessly.

That lucky Uchiha brat... Becoming Big Brother's disciple, will it be a blessing or a curse for Konoha?

We can only take it one step at a time!