Hashirama's legacy

Within the Senju clan compound, little Tsunade, now a year old, sat across from Kazemori Masaki. She looked at the game laid out between them, clapping her hands and giggling happily.

What am I even doing, playing this kind of game with a little girl? Kazemori Masaki thought. Still, it was Hashirama who had led his granddaughter astray, teaching her to gamble with others at such a young age.

Watching Tsunade grin at him, Kazemori Masaki had a sudden impulse and reached out to gently pinch her chubby cheek. The little girl cried out and waved her hands in protest.

"Haha, looks like little Tsuna really likes you, Masaki," Hashirama said with a laugh from beside them.

"Does she?" Kazemori Masaki looked at Tsunade as she babbled a few simple words, expressing her displeasure.

"Of course. If someone was disliked by Little Tsunade, she would have started flailing her hands at them ages ago," Hashirama said. Apparently, someone had received that treatment before.

"Then I'm lucky indeed," Kazemori Masaki said with a smile. "Miss Tsunade is very cute, but from the looks of it, she might grow up to be a little headstrong."

Setting aside Tsunade's headstrong side, her features were undeniably lovely. Both her parents were good-looking, and their daughter had naturally inherited their best traits.

"Uh... headstrong, huh?" Hashirama folded his arms and frowned in thought. He had once believed Tsunade would become quieter as she grew, but she was only becoming more willful. His doting had much to do with that, yet even if he recognized it, he probably would not change his ways.

What was wrong with a man nearing the end of his life doting on his grandchild? Tsunade was only a little headstrong, after all; she was hardly going to become a bad person. At least, Hashirama trusted that even after he died, Mito could raise their granddaughter properly. There was no need to worry about her going astray.

"Anyway, let's stop the game here for now." Seeing Tsunade yawn, Kazemori Masaki tidied up and nodded to the maid at the door.

The maid picked Tsunade up, bowed to Hashirama and Kazemori Masaki, then left the room to take her to rest.

Watching his granddaughter leave, Hashirama sighed. "I really wish I could see what little Tsuna will be like when she grows up."

Kazemori Masaki remained silent. Lately, Hashirama's health had been growing steadily worse. Once, he had still been able to move about freely, but now he could only lie in bed, unable to walk around as he pleased. Anyone could see that his death was approaching.

To see the man known as the God of Shinobi weakened to this state was heartbreaking. Kazemori Masaki was deeply saddened too, but he had already prepared himself and did not lose his composure.

Instead of offering empty reassurance such as "You'll certainly live to see it," Kazemori Masaki said, "Miss Tsunade will surely grow up healthy. Please rest assured."

"That puts my mind at ease." Hashirama nodded slightly. "Masaki, if little Tsuna becomes a shinobi someday, I'm sorry for the trouble, but please look after her."

Hashirama had no sons, only two daughters. His elder daughter had married, and Tsunade was her child, while his younger daughter was only eleven. Perhaps out of consideration for their circumstances, Hashirama had not allowed either of them to become a shinobi. His elder daughter had accepted this gladly, but his younger daughter had other ideas. After his death, there was no telling whether Tsunade would want to become a shinobi, so he asked Kazemori Masaki in advance to look after her in the future.

Kazemori Masaki was just about to agree when Hashirama's next words left him a little stunned. "Hmm, actually, now that I think about it, you would be the perfect teacher for little Tsuna. She likes you quite a bit, doesn't she? Even if she gets headstrong later on, she shouldn't give you too much trouble."

No, no, that's not the point, is it? Kazemori Masaki smiled wryly to himself. If Tsunade becomes my student, what happens to the future Konoha Sannin? Will Hiruzen Sarutobi have to find someone else from who knows where? Well, with his teaching skills, he might well be able to train a "new Sannin."

Kazemori Masaki had no objection to taking Tsunade as his student. He simply felt a strange sense of dissonance at the thought of the Sannin from his memories being split up.

"Let's discuss it when the time comes. Miss Tsunade might not want that once she grows up," Kazemori Masaki said.

"I don't think that will happen." Hashirama smiled. "Masaki, I've watched you grow over these years, and I trust you deeply. I would have complete peace of mind leaving little Tsuna in your care!"

Hashirama had also instructed Tobirama's seven students, but he was closer to Zhenghui than to any of the others. The unique nature of Sage Art had given Hashirama a true successor. If one of those seven were to be chosen as his personal disciple, it would undoubtedly be Kazemori Masaki.

"You give me too much credit," Kazemori Masaki said hastily, not expecting Hashirama to say such a thing.

"There's no need to belittle yourself, Masaki. You truly are outstanding." Hashirama waved a hand. "I heard you gave Tobirama some advice about the threats surrounding our country."

"You heard about that?" Kazemori Masaki asked, a little surprised.

"Of course I did. I am the former Hokage, after all." Hashirama smiled bitterly. "The passing of the other countries' Kage, one after another, already saddened me. What I never expected was that their successors couldn't even wait a few years before starting preparations for war."

"That may not be what they truly want. There could be other reasons." Kazemori Masaki had wanted to say outright that the problem lay with the countries' Daimyo, but after some thought, he held his tongue.

"I hope so. Not everyone in the other shinobi villages loves war. There are people who love peace too," Hashirama said.

Perhaps there really are. But according to shinobi tradition, once the Daimyo gives an order, no matter how much they love peace, they still have to fight for the nobles, Kazemori Masaki thought. He dared not consider another possibility: how Hashirama should act if the Daimyo of the Land of Fire gave such an order.

"War will soon be upon us, but at least I preserved ten years of peace," Hashirama said. "For things to have reached this point, perhaps I made mistakes along the way. I had that feeling back when I killed Madara, but I could only keep going. Otherwise, everything we had sacrificed would have been for nothing. I can no longer turn back, but your generation still has possibilities, Masaki. I hope everything I've done can give you something new to think about, so you can find a better path to peace."

Hearing this, Kazemori Masaki said solemnly, "Lord Hashirama, please rest assured. I will find other ways to achieve peace and make your ideal world a reality. Even if our generation cannot accomplish it, we will leave our experience to the next, so they can build on our foundation and take another step forward."

"Well said, Masaki." Hashirama broke into a smile. "That is exactly what the Will of Fire I hoped to spread is all about."

(End of chapter)