The Young Sannin

"I don't care who he is!" Tsunade cut Tobirama Senju off without backing down. Her clear voice rang through the meeting room. "Big Brother Kagami is a hero who killed Ginkaku! If it weren't for him, even you, Grandpa, might have..."

Her voice caught. Tears welled in her large eyes as she looked at Tobirama, full of hurt and concern, as though she might cry at any moment.

Tobirama stared at his granddaughter's aggrieved face and reddening eyes. His normally stern expression froze.

He opened his mouth, but the reprimand on his lips stuck in his throat. Looking into Tsunade's tear-filled eyes, he felt something soft strike him square in the chest.

She was his precious granddaughter!

He took a deep breath and forced down the complicated feeling that someone was stealing his little girl away. At last, the chill in his red eyes gave way to a helpless sigh.

He raised a hand and awkwardly rubbed Tsunade's head. His tone remained stern, but its edge was gone, replaced by an indulgence he himself failed to notice. "...Fine."

After all, his elder brother had been just as absurdly obsessed with Madara Uchiha!

Uchiha! Always an Uchiha!

Jiraiya and Orochimaru stared at the scene, stunned into silence.

Was this really the Tsunade they knew? To Jiraiya, she had always been nothing more than a bossy, flat-chested brat.

She could make that face in front of a man? Jiraiya rubbed his eyes.

As if she had sensed his thoughts, Tsunade, who had been on the verge of tears a moment ago, shot him a cutting glare.

Of course. She was faking it! That's the Tsunade I know. Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief.

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, glancing between Tsunade and Kagami Uchiha. An amused smile touched his lips. "Interesting... It seems this Uchiha senior means quite a lot to Tsunade."

Kagami stood still, looking at the small but stubborn figure shielding him. A faint smile flickered in his eyes. He lowered his head slightly and said in a warm, clear voice, "Tsunade, Lord Hokage is only worried about you."

"Hmph!" Tsunade turned to him, lifted her chin, and muttered, "I'm not scared. Grandpa dotes on me the most. He can't bear to scold me."

Tobirama Senju: "..."

Seeing his granddaughter look so certain of herself, Tobirama felt his blood pressure rise.

Then he fixed Kagami with a glare so fierce it was almost tangible. "Kagami Uchiha, what have you done to my granddaughter?!"

Kagami ignored the resentment radiating from Tobirama behind him.

His expression remained gentle and composed. He merely raised his eyes and quietly glanced at the three children standing nearby.

He had already gotten to know Tsunade. For now, the future Fifth Hokage was just an ordinary little girl who teared up at a few harsh words from an elder and had a proud, willful streak.

As for Jiraiya, there was no sign yet of the legendary hero who would one day shake the Shinobi World. At ten, he scratched at his head and looked everywhere but straight ahead, a restless boy who could not sit still.

Orochimaru stood quietly in the shadows. He looked well-behaved, but his narrow eyes held a gloom far beyond his years.

Kagami's gaze lingered on Orochimaru a moment longer.

With his knowledge of what lay ahead, he knew all too well what a terrifying figure this seemingly quiet ten-year-old boy would become.

For now, Orochimaru had not yet been consumed by his fear of death. He had not set foot on his obsessive path toward immortality, much less descended into the near-madness of later years.

Looking at the future Sannin, none of whom had yet been fully shaped by cruel fate, Kagami lowered his eyes and tucked those thoughts away.

The commotion in the Hokage Office did not last long. As the atmosphere settled, they finally turned to business.

Tsunade and the other two had only recently graduated from the Ninja Academy. They had come to the Hokage Office today simply to take on a mission.

Konoha did not yet have the strict six-year school system it would adopt in the future. Students could apply to graduate once they had mastered the basic Three Body Technique.

Looking at the three children, Kagami considered their circumstances.

Tsunade wanted for nothing. As the cherished princess of the Senju Clan, with Mito Uzumaki and Tobirama Senju still serving as Konoha's pillars, she would never have to endure the slightest grievance in the village if she did not wish to.

Jiraiya, on the other hand, was still an unremarkable shinobi from an ordinary family. His greatest advantage was his Chakra reserves, which far exceeded those of his peers.

As for Orochimaru, Hiruzen Sarutobi had called him "a ninjutsu genius seen only once in ten years." Even now, at ten years old, he had perfected the basic Three Body Technique and mastered quite a few other jutsu. He was already solidly at Genin level.

Kagami withdrew his gaze from the three children who were destined to one day shake the Shinobi World.

He bowed slightly to Tobirama. "Lord Hokage, if you have no further orders, I'll take my leave."

"Go." Tobirama waved a hand. His tone was even, but his red eyes lingered on Kagami for a moment, as though issuing a silent warning.

Kagami straightened with a gentle smile and turned toward the door.

"Tsunade, here's the C-Rank mission you three have been asking for."

Just as Kagami was about to cross the threshold, Hiruzen Sarutobi came over with a mission scroll and held it out to Tsunade.

"Yes! No more D-Rank missions!" Jiraiya leaped up in excitement.

Orochimaru quietly took the scroll and read it carefully.

Tsunade, however, made no move to accept it. She blinked her large eyes, then stepped forward and planted herself in Kagami's path.

Lifting her face, she declared to Tobirama, "Grandpa, I want Big Brother Kagami to lead us on this C-Rank mission!"

The meeting room fell silent for a moment.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru were stunned. Even Hiruzen paused before trying to persuade her. "Tsunade, it's only a C-Rank mission. Kagami is a Jonin, and he's busy. He can't spend every day playing with you three..."

"I don't care!" Tsunade pouted, cutting Hiruzen off. She turned to Tobirama with her usual willful insistence. "Big Brother Kagami just did Konoha a huge favor. He must need a chance to rest and relax! Besides, with him there, the mission will be completely safe. Please approve it, Grandpa!"

With that, she turned to Kagami and gave him a pitiful look.

Kagami looked at the sweet, spirited girl, a helpless smile flashing in his eyes.

He turned and nodded to Tobirama and Hiruzen. "Lord Hokage, Hiruzen, I don't have any urgent assignments at the moment. Since Tsunade asked for me, I'll take them. It'll be a good chance to guide these three new Genin."

Tobirama Senju: "..."

He drew a deep breath. The triumphant little look on his granddaughter's face left him feeling stifled. They had not even left the village, and she had already taken the Uchiha's side completely.

In the end, he ground out a single word through clenched teeth. "...Approved."

"Thank you, Grandpa! Thank you, Teacher Sarutobi!"

Tsunade beamed, grabbed Kagami's sleeve, and tugged him toward the door.

"Come on, let's get ready!"

Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, stretching their shadows across the floor.

Jiraiya and Orochimaru remained where they were. Watching Tsunade's cheerful retreat, they sighed together.

Jiraiya scratched his head and muttered glumly, "Hey, Orochimaru... what does that make us?"

Orochimaru narrowed his eyes, an inscrutable smile touching his lips. "We carry out the mission as usual."

Half an hour later, at Konoha's main gate.

The four-person squad had gathered on time.

It was already evening. The setting sun stained the sky a deep orange-red and edged the towering wooden gatehouse with gold.

The Chunin on registration duty handed over a scroll bearing the Hokage's seal. "Lord Kagami, here's your C-Rank mission scroll. A band of raiders has appeared along the eastern border of the Land of Fire. With the war just over, they've been robbing merchant caravans and harassing civilians. Lord Tobirama wants you to wipe them out and restore peace to the border."

"Understood." Kagami took the scroll with one hand and slipped it into his ninja tool pouch, his expression calm.

The three children behind him were another story.

"This is great! We're finally leaving the village!" Jiraiya's face flushed with excitement, and his eyes shone as though he could already see himself defeating every enemy and rescuing a beautiful woman.

Orochimaru remained outwardly quiet, but he could not hide the anticipation in his narrow eyes. At ten, he longed for a real fight to test what he had learned at the Ninja Academy.

Even Tsunade, who was usually afraid of nothing, clenched her fists and took a deep breath. This was her first mission as a shinobi with Big Brother Kagami, and she could not keep her heart from racing.

Kagami turned to face the future Sannin, all three eager to get going.

A warm smile appeared on his face, but his voice took on the sternness of a Jonin leading a squad.

"Stay sharp. Don't let your guard down just because they're a handful of petty raiders. The war only just ended, and these people have spilled blood. If it comes to a fight, they'll do anything to survive."

He paused, looking at each of them in turn before settling on Tsunade. His voice softened a little. "Remember, once we reach the border, you follow my orders. I'll keep you safe, but I don't want any of you getting hurt because you were careless."

"Yes!" All three straightened and answered loudly, determination filling their eyes.

"Good. Let's go."

Kagami turned and led them out through Konoha's gate into the evening breeze.

The Mountain Graveyard.

The place was remote and desolate. Barren rock walls rose like enormous tombstones against the dark red sky. Apart from the wind, there was no sign of life.

In a vast stone chamber, the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path lurked in the shadows like a hideous ancient demon.

Madara Uchiha sat cross-legged on a stone platform, his white hair hanging behind him like withered grass. Now past sixty, he bore the marks of age on his face, and his frame had grown much thinner.

Yet his back remained straight, and his brow had lost none of its commanding arrogance. In the darkness, only his crimson Sharingan gleamed with a chilling light.

"Lord Madara..."

A featureless, deathly pale creature emerged from the earth and knelt before Madara on one knee, its voice hoarse.

"Tobirama Senju didn't die at the hands of Kinkaku and Ginkaku. He returned safely to Konoha."

"Instead, the Uchiha Clan has produced a shinobi named Kagami Uchiha. He used Susanoo to kill Ginkaku. He must have awakened the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"A few days ago, Kumogakure's newly appointed Third Raikage went to Konoha in person. It seems the two sides have reached an agreement and signed a ceasefire treaty."

Madara opened his eyes slightly, a mocking smile curling his withered lips. "That schemer Tobirama Senju survived after all? Still, he must have suffered serious injuries. I doubt he has many years left."

He paused and looked toward the enormous Demonic Statue of the Outer Path deep within the chamber, his gaze steady with confidence.

"With Konoha and Kumogakure at peace, there won't be much upheaval in the Shinobi World for a while. Turn your attention to Kirigakure next."

"Yes, Lord Madara." White Zetsu answered respectfully, then sank back into the earth and vanished.

Kagami... Madara repeated the name to himself, a faint ripple stirring deep in his eyes. Now that you've awakened those eyes, have you also learned the truth of this world from the stone tablet? What will you choose?

Madara closed his eyes again and felt the steady stream of life force flowing from the Demonic Statue of the Outer Path.

Yet his mind drifted to a dusk many years ago in the Valley of the End, and to the man who was always talking about the "village" and "peace."

When two opposing forces unite, they give rise to All Creation... Madara silently recited the words inscribed on the stone tablet.

"Soon... the Rinnegan... the power of the legendary Sage of Six Paths..." He slowly opened his eyes, their gleam colder than ever in the darkness.

"The world we dreamed of is almost here, Hashirama..."