Ever since discovering that Shinichi had been born with all five chakra natures, Uchiha Raishin had upgraded his training plan yet again! And again! And again!
Shinichi's dreams of a lazy life were utterly shattered.
His previous hellish training had already left Shinichi groaning in misery. Now, Raishin threw himself wholeheartedly into Shinichi's "training program beyond all standards," practically itching to turn him straight into the Uchiha Clan's strongest fighter!
However, although Raishin was a powerful elite Jonin of the Uchiha Clan, the stock of ninjutsu he could teach Shinichi at home was nowhere near as extensive as one might imagine.
After all, the Uchiha Clan traditionally specialized in Fire Release, and Raishin's fighting style revolved around using his Three-Tomoe Sharingan in conjunction with lightning, fire, and earth.
Even as one of the clan's finest, he knew only a handful of advanced ninjutsu ranked B or higher.
And now came the problem—Shinichi had an affinity for all five chakra natures!
That meant the ninjutsu they already had at home simply could not meet the needs of Shinichi's all-round development.
Raishin was not discouraged. Decisive by nature, he immediately set about exchanging contributions for advanced ninjutsu from the clan and the village, particularly the Wind Release and Water Release Ninjutsu he had previously lacked.
Obtaining ninjutsu this way was no simple matter. Techniques ranked B or higher, in particular, usually required a substantial number of clan contribution points or Konoha mission credits.
Fortunately, Raishin was warm and generous, and had always maintained a good relationship with the village. He was not only well respected within the Uchiha Clan, but also on friendly terms with many of the village's ninja.
Using the mission credits he had accumulated over the years, Raishin soon obtained several wind- and water-nature techniques suitable for Shinichi to practice.
When he brought home a thick stack of ninjutsu scrolls, Shinichi stared at the timeworn rolls, his eyes going blank as utter despair filled his heart.
"Father... isn't this a little excessive?"
Raishin smiled with pride and declared firmly, "Shinichi, starting today, your goal is to master at least two B-rank ninjutsu of each nature! A genius with all five chakra natures can't let that potential go to waste!"
Shinichi's face instantly turned deathly pale, and he involuntarily edged half a step backward. "Father, I think strengthening my foundations is more important right now. Couldn't we take it a little easier...?"
But Raishin gave him no chance to argue. He simply shoved the scrolls into Shinichi's arms, a radiant smile on his face. "Don't worry. Your talent is more than enough!"
Shinichi looked down at the small mountain of ninjutsu scrolls in his arms, feeling as though his soul were leaving his body.
"I really... just wanted to laze around! Aaaaaah!!!!"
In Konoha Year 14, Uchiha Shinichi turned four.
Over the course of that year, Shinichi discovered the highest art of slacking off within the rules of survival in the shinobi world.
He quickly realized that openly giving up would not work, but "tactical slacking" could buy him plenty of leisure time!
So Shinichi began putting his "foreknowledge" as a transmigrator to work, cleverly navigating Raishin's hellish training plan with all sorts of airtight excuses.
—"Father, I'm still little. Learning too quickly is bad for my body!"
—"Father, I don't think I can remember this. Could you explain it again?"
—"Father, this uses too much chakra. I'm worried it'll affect my growth."
Although Raishin was an elite Jonin of the Uchiha Clan, the sight of his young son inevitably stirred his fatherly instinct to think, "He's still little. We should take things step by step."
And so, thanks to Shinichi's clever acting and excuses, the intensity of his training miraculously eased considerably.
Yet the truth was nothing like Raishin imagined!
—Shinichi's "poor memory"?
There was no such thing!
As a transmigrator, his mental strength far surpassed that of ordinary people. After merging with his Uchiha bloodline, his memory had become truly photographic!
He needed only to flip through a ninjutsu scroll once to memorize its entire contents, even retaining every detail of how the chakra circulated.
—His "slow learning"?
It was all an act!
If Shinichi wanted to, he could master B-rank or even A-Rank Ninjutsu in just a few days. But he knew full well that revealing such astonishing talent at this stage would only attract unnecessary attention, and what he wanted most right now...
Was a carefree childhood spent lazing around!
After all, the night of the Uchiha Clan Massacre was still decades away. He had no reason to hurry.
And so Shinichi spent that year in remarkable "leisure."
On the surface, he was a four-year-old Uchiha working hard at his studies. Although talented, his progress remained within the bounds of normal development, and he even seemed a little "clumsy" at times.
In reality, he had already memorized every ninjutsu scroll in the house and quietly worked out more efficient training methods. He simply could not be bothered to practice.
"Well, it won't be too late to get serious in a few years."
Perfectly content, Shinichi lay beneath the eaves of the Uchiha Residence with a lollipop in his mouth, basking in the warm sunshine and savoring those peaceful days.
—This was the life in the shinobi world he had always wanted!
Yet he had no idea that his carefully crafted "slacker plan" was about to face an enormous upheaval...
Konoha Year 8: the Battle of the Valley of the End, a clash at the pinnacle!
That year, the shinobi world shook and everything was upended as a battle capable of reshaping the era erupted before everyone's eyes—
Madara Uchiha versus Hashirama Senju!
This was not merely a duel between two supreme ninja, but an inevitable battle of destiny between former best friends.
Their battlefield was the place now known to all as the Valley of the End.
Gales howled and dark clouds churned. Killing intent filled the battlefield, leaving only two legendary warriors between heaven and earth.
Clad in blood-red armor and wielding a massive scythe, Madara Uchiha stood atop the Nine-Tails he controlled. Through his Eternal Mangekyō Sharingan, his cold gaze bore into the companion he had once trusted most, now his enemy.
Hashirama Senju stood upon a mountaintop, not a trace of a smile on his broad face. Conflict and helplessness filled his eyes, yet his grip on the Kusanagi Sword remained utterly firm.
The two stared at each other in a long silence. In the end, they severed the bond they had once shared and entered a fight to the death.
"Hashirama, only I can lead the shinobi world to true peace." Madara Uchiha's voice was cold and arrogant. Behind him, Susanoo towered between heaven and earth like a god of war, its blade flashing like thunder as it tore through the sky.
"Peace requires trust and hope, not rule through fear," Hashirama Senju replied gravely. He abruptly brought his palms together, unleashing an immense surge of chakra. Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands rose over the battlefield like a descended deity.
Majestic Attire: Susanoo crashed into Sage Art: Wood Release: True Several Thousand Hands. Deafening explosions thundered across the sky, flames scorched the earth, and Wood Release churned through the battlefield with overwhelming force, turning it into a scene of apocalypse!
Rampaging energy swept through heaven and earth. Mountains collapsed, rivers changed course, and the ground trembled ceaselessly beneath their battle.
Yet even after unleashing all his power, Madara Uchiha could not break through Hashirama Senju's command of the battlefield.
—In the end, Madara Uchiha fell.
His body was drenched in blood and his breathing labored, but defiance and fervor still burned in his eyes.
"Hashirama... you've won... but you'll never change the true nature of this world..." Madara Uchiha murmured, his figure gradually disappearing into endless darkness.
He had lost, but he had not truly died.
After that day, Madara Uchiha vanished entirely from the shinobi world.
And although Hashirama Senju had won, the battle cast an indelible shadow over his heart.
The greatest friendship in the shinobi world ended at the Valley of the End.
Six years later, Hashirama Senju reached the end of his life.
The man hailed by the world as the "God of Shinobi" could no longer withstand the ravages of time.
Despite possessing the strongest sage body, he had burned through too much of his vitality during the battle at the Valley of the End, causing his bodily functions to gradually decline.
On the top floor of Konoha's hospital, Hashirama Senju lay in a hospital bed, gazing out the window at the village.
The village he and Madara Uchiha had founded together had now grown strong enough. Its streets bustled with activity, ninja moved among the crowds, and children ran happily about. This was what he had worked toward his entire life.
But he could no longer continue protecting it.
"Tobirama... I'm leaving Konoha in your hands..." Hashirama's voice was soft and low. His gaze settled on his younger brother, Tobirama Senju, his eyes filled with trust.
Standing beside the bed, Tobirama Senju wore a solemn expression, a rare flicker of emotion crossing his eyes.
Although he had always held fast to calm and reason, at this moment he felt an indescribable weight.
"Brother, don't say that." Tobirama's voice was low, his fists tightening slightly.
Hashirama Senju merely smiled, his smile as warm and resolute as ever.
"Konoha has found its footing. It will keep growing..."
Sunlight streamed through the window and fell upon him, like the final glow of his life.
Just days later, Konoha's bells rang throughout the village, and the news spread across the entire shinobi world—
The God of Shinobi, Hashirama Senju, had fallen.
At that moment, Konoha sank into unprecedented grief. Countless ninja gathered before Hokage Rock to mourn the great hero.
The major nations of the shinobi world received the shocking news as well.
Upon learning of Hashirama Senju's passing, the Kage of Iwagakure, Sunagakure, Kirigakure, and Kumogakure all wore complicated expressions.
Some mourned his passing, holding the great ninja in deep reverence;
But others began to cast covetous eyes upon Konoha's future...
Hashirama Senju's death plunged the entire shinobi world into a new upheaval.
Could Konoha continue to maintain its position as the supreme power?
Would the nations of the shinobi world seize this opportunity to ignite another war?
"The dark age of the shinobi world... may soon be upon us," a ninja village leader murmured from atop a tall building, gazing toward distant Konoha.
Meanwhile, somewhere in Konoha, a young Uchiha silently watched the newly carved likeness of Hashirama Senju on Hokage Rock, an indescribable emotion flickering in his eyes.
A new era of the shinobi world was slowly beginning...
Konoha, beneath Hokage Rock, before the Memorial Stone.
Today, all of Konoha's ninja wore black mourning clothes as they gathered solemnly before the Memorial Stone.
The sky was overcast. A cold wind stirred the leaves, and heavy sorrow hung in the air.
A great many people were present. Beyond Konoha's ninja, numerous ordinary villagers had come of their own accord, wishing only to see the great Hokage off one final time.
"Lord First Hokage... really is gone..." a ninja murmured in the crowd.
Countless people stood before the Memorial Stone, gazing at the enormous monument newly erected there. Engraved upon it were Hashirama Senju's achievements throughout his life, commemorating his dedication and sacrifices for Konoha.
Tobirama Senju stood at the very front.
As Hashirama Senju's younger brother and the successor to the position of Second Hokage, his face remained as stern as ever, his white Hokage cloak fluttering in the wind.
At that moment, Tobirama slowly stepped forward. Facing the crowd, he spoke in a deep voice:
"My brother devoted his life to building Konoha. His wish was for all ninja to live peacefully on this land, rather than kill one another."
"Now he is gone, but Konoha's future must continue."
His voice was calm, yet his words shook their hearts like thunder.
At that moment, everyone understood that Konoha had entered a new era.
Members of the Uchiha Clan stood on the outskirts of the funeral.
Although the Uchiha and the Senju had once been enemies, under Hashirama's leadership, Konoha had indeed given the Uchiha a stable place to live.
Now that Hashirama had passed away, could the Uchiha's future in Konoha remain secure?
The Uchiha truly had no choice but to consider that question.
Among the crowd, Uchiha Setsuna's gaze was deep, a faint unease lurking in his eyes.
He knew very well that Hashirama Senju's death would cause enormous upheaval in Konoha's internal power structure.
Perhaps this would be an opportunity for the Uchiha to regain power...
But in the next instant, he felt a quiet gaze upon him.
Turning around, he saw Uchiha Shinichi standing silently in the crowd, his arms folded across his chest and a faint smile playing at the corners of his mouth.
That smile sent a chill through Uchiha Setsuna.
A small figure stood beside Mito Uzumaki in the crowd.
Tsunade stared fixedly at the coffin ahead, tears streaming down her face.
"Grandpa..." she choked out.
For the first time, she truly understood what death meant.
Her grandfather, Hashirama Senju, who had always doted on her, played with her, and given her sweets, really had... left her forever.
Shinichi stood in the crowd, watching Tsunade, and sighed inwardly.
He knew this blow would become a catalyst for her growth.
The future Tsunade, one of the Konoha Sannin and the Fifth Hokage, would become an unbreakable powerhouse through one loss after another.
Shinichi stood quietly at the back of the crowd, his gaze sweeping over everyone present.
Tobirama Senju, Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, Uchiha Raishin... each face bore a different emotion.
Konoha's era has changed completely, Shinichi thought.
Hashirama Senju's death was not merely the fall of one man, but a disruption of the entire shinobi world's balance.
Konoha would face more challenges, more wars, and more internal strife. His own future, too, would be swept into the raging current of this era.
As Hashirama Senju's coffin was slowly sealed beneath the earth, everyone bowed their heads to bid the great ninja a final farewell.
All of Konoha fell silent.
At that moment, even the sky seemed shrouded in grief. Heavy clouds blocked the sunlight, until Tobirama Senju's voice rang out once more:
"Hashirama Senju has entered his eternal rest."
"But Konoha's fire will never die."
Every Konoha ninja bowed their head in unison, paying their respects to the Memorial Stone.
The wind rose, stirring the Senju Clan's banners and brushing against the Uchiha Clan's crests.
At that moment, everyone understood.
The shinobi world had officially entered a new chapter.
Tobirama Senju formally took office as the Second Hokage and began introducing new policies for the ninja village.
Hiruzen Sarutobi and Shimura Danzō gradually entered the center of power, and the future Konoha High Command began to take shape.
The Uchiha Clan's position grew more delicate, and some clan members began to lose faith in Konoha.
Her grandfather's death planted a desire to grow stronger in Tsunade's heart, prompting her to begin researching Medical Ninjutsu and the Strength of a Hundred Technique ahead of time.
Shinichi, meanwhile, became even more committed to his plan—Konoha's future should not be left to the Konoha F4 faction. He had to put more pieces in place for the Uchiha!
Hashirama Senju's funeral marked the end of Konoha's golden age.
A new transfer of power had quietly begun, and the turmoil of the shinobi world was about to open a new chapter.
As the winds rose over Konoha, who would rule the shinobi world's future?
No one knew the answer, but everyone understood—
The future would be an era of even greater chaos and sweeping upheaval!
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