After a long time, Hashirama slowly exhaled, his voice filled with a heavy sense of exhaustion and confusion:
"Let's wait until the report of the battle between Naruto and Kusagakure comes in."
This is both a delay and a buffer.
In other words, he wanted to see how Naruto would implement his plan and what the results would be before making his own judgment.
Tobirama looked at his brother's appearance and understood.
He knew that the elder brother needed time, facts, and a reason to convince himself.
Of course, a stubborn eldest brother may still be stubborn.
He didn't press any further and just sighed softly.
In that sigh, there was helplessness at his brother's stubbornness, and also regret at not being able to implement the most efficient plan immediately.
"I understand."
Tobirama nodded, carefully rolled up the map, and put away the house rules, as if the strategic deduction just now had never happened.
He picked up the unfinished files on the table, turned around and left Hokage's Office, leaving this space and the heavy decision to Hashirama Senju alone.
Office fell into silence again, except for the occasional slight snore from Big Yellow.
Hashirama leaned on the back of the chair, looking up at the ceiling, his eyes empty.
Could it be that his decision was really wrong?
This thought was like a curse, beating his mind repeatedly.
His best friends, his brothers, and his valued descendants all chose the war of unification.
Unification war...
Use force to forcefully knead the entire Shinobi World...
This is really the only path to peace.
Or at least the least bad option?
Just when Hashirama was feeling uneasy and almost pulled into the abyss of distress by self-doubt, Hokage's Office's door was pushed open silently.
There was no knock on the door, no announcement, but the unique Chakra aura made Hashirama instantly know who was coming.
Mito Uzumaki, his wife.
Mito walked in slowly.
Her steps were light, her posture was graceful, and her face had the same peaceful smile that could soothe everything.
She looked around this Office, which was unfamiliar to her.
It's strange because, whether it was when Hashirama was working as Hokage, or later when Tobirama, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, she had almost never set foot here on her own initiative.
This is the rule she has set for herself.
She is well aware of the sensitivity of her identity, First Hokage's wife, Nine-Tails Jinchuriki.
Either of these two identities is enough for Hokage to value her opinion when facing her.
She didn't want her presence to affect any judgment made by Hokage based on the interests of the village, even if it was just the slightest possibility.
She chose to support behind the scenes and protect Hashirama and Konoha in her own way.
But today, Tobirama found her and told her brother's inner struggle.
So, she came.
Mito walked to Hashirama, first stretched out his hand, and gently picked up Big Yellow who was lying on Hashirama's lap.
Big Yellow was snoozing comfortably when he was suddenly picked up. He let out a dissatisfied "Woo~", but when he looked up and saw that it was Mito, he immediately wagged his tail to please her and let her put him on the large desk. He changed into a comfortable position and continued to lie down.
Then, Mito walked behind Hashirama, leaned down, stretched out his arms and hugged her husband's neck from behind.
She gently pressed her cheek against his temple, silently conveying her support.
"Are you thinking wildly again?"
Hashirama's body stiffened slightly, then relaxed and leaned back, feeling the familiar scent of his wife.
He smiled bitterly and said dullly, "I'm not thinking nonsense, I'm thinking about something very important."
"Okay, okay."
Mito's voice was as soft as the spring breeze. She raised a finger and gently pressed it against Hashirama's lips, interrupting his defense.
"Tobirama told me everything."
Hashirama was stunned.
Mito kept hugging him and continued to whisper in his ear, "Listen, Hashirama.
No matter what your thoughts are, whether you support or oppose the use of force to unify Shinobi World, I will always support you!"
"Huh?"
Hashirama unexpectedly turned his head and looked at his wife's side face, which was close at hand.
"You... you're not here to persuade me?"
He thought that Tobirama asked Mito to convince himself.
Mito smiled and shook his head, "Tobirama really wants me to persuade you, and I hope I can convince you to support their plan.
But, I am your wife!"
She straightened up slightly, still putting her hands on Hashirama's shoulders, and looked at Konoha outside the window.
"What I want to tell you is, Hashirama, your decision at that time was in line with that era.
And their current decision is also in line with this era."
Hashirama's body was shocked.
"History rarely gives a force a second chance."
Mito said slowly, as if he was telling an eternal truth.
"Whether it is the establishment of Konoha or the Shinobi World Unification that you are arguing about now."
Her eyes became profound. "Their realization is all based on absolute force."
"Without your absolute force that swept through the Warring States Period and was unmatched by anyone, it would have been impossible to subdue the feud between the Senju and Uchiha clans that has been accumulated for countless generations.
It was even less able to deter other families who were eyeing her, which ultimately led to the birth of Konoha."
"Similarly, now, without the absolute force displayed by that child Naruto, which is enough to make the entire Shinobi World tremble, and the power gathered around him, the so-called 'Unification' would only be a castle in the air, an unattainable dream."
Mito looked at Hashirama again, his eyes gentle but firm. "So, Hashirama, how to choose and whether to participate is always in your hands."
"You don't need to blame yourself for the alternative path that may have existed in the past, and you don't need to worry too much about whether to follow the current trend.
You have completed from zero to one, which is already amazing!"
Her last words, like drums in the evening and bells in the morning, struck Hashirama's heart:
"Now your participation or not is not decisive for the entire Shinobi World."
"In their eyes, the ultimate goal has become a reality that can be touched with force."
After Mito finished speaking, he stopped talking and just quietly hugged his husband, giving him silent comfort and strength.
Hashirama closed his eyes.
His wife's words opened the most tangled lock in his heart.
Times have changed, the balance of power is different, and the possibilities are also different.
His choice back then was not wrong, it was the optimal solution based on the conditions at the time.
But now, what lies before us are new choices based on new conditions.
He still doesn't like war or the use of force.
But perhaps, as Mito said, at certain turning points in history, "absolute force" is indeed the most direct tool to leverage stubborn structures.
And how to use this force and minimize the pain it causes, maybe... is what he can think about and participate in now.
Hashirama Senju and Mito Uzumaki