Across the Shinobi World, the winds of change raged.
The brief, fragile peace had been utterly torn apart. That single sheet of peace agreement had become a joke in the face of temptation and profit, like a hard slap across Hashirama's face, leaving it burning with pain.
Thus, over the past few days, Hashirama had remained deeply despondent. He stood alone atop the Hokage Building, silently watching the village bustle endlessly in preparation for war, his expression dim.
"Hashirama."
A gentle voice sounded from behind him. Long crimson hair danced in the wind. Hearing it, Hashirama turned his head slightly and saw the confidante who had accompanied him through nearly twenty years of his life.
During the Warring States Period, the average lifespan of a shinobi was only around thirty years, so shinobi generally married early. Hashirama and Mito had met through their clans when they were barely ten years old. In a sense, they could be considered childhood sweethearts.
Though there had been an element of political marriage involved, affection had grown over time, and it was not as though their feelings had been one-sided. Unlike the three unmarried brothers of the Uchiha Clan, Hashirama and Mito's children were already nearing marriageable age. Yet their feelings had not faded with time; they had instead grown ever deeper.
Hashirama suppressed his emotions and revealed a faint smile. "Mito? What brings you here?"
Uzumaki Mito smiled and shook her head, gently taking Hashirama's large hand in hers. She simply stood quietly beside her husband.
A warm, peaceful atmosphere softly enveloped them both...
"Mito, do you think... I'm really foolish?"
"Of course not." Mito turned to look at Hashirama's profile and said softly, "You're just too kind."
"But... I've done many things wrong."
"That wasn't your fault." Mito tightened her grip around