The next day, after a night's sleep, Uzumaki Gamu was ready to discuss where they should go next with everyone!
But just then, Uzumaki Gamu and the others received some news-the Uzumaki Clan had broken away from the Land of Fire and founded its own nation!
Mito asked in surprise, "That fast?"
Uzumaki Gamu nodded. "Well... big brother and the others had already started preparing when we left... looks like things went pretty quickly!"
Mito asked, "What do we do next?"
"What else? Go home, of course~" Uzumaki Gamu shrugged-he couldn't exactly be away from home when they moved, could he?
Mito agreed-this wasn't the time to play around. As the clan leader's daughter (until she married, she was still a member of the Uzumaki Clan), how could she be out having fun when something so important was happening back home?
Uzumaki Gamu and Mito both thought they should return, which left the other two's opinions.
Lala would definitely go back with them, so the only person left to ask was Uchiha Hikari!
So Uzumaki Gamu asked, "Would you... like to come back to the Uzumaki Clan's homeland with us?"
Hikari thought for a moment, then answered, "...I don't have anywhere else to go, either. I'll stay with you... by the way, if I wanted to leave, would you stop me?"
"Yes! But if you insisted, I wouldn't hold you back~" Uzumaki Gamu answered. "I'm not the type to abduct women. If you really aren't interested, I won't force you to stay. Besides... it's not like we'd be dead. We'd still have chances to meet again~"
"You... really are a good person!" Hikari praised him sincerely-in the Shinobi World's thousands of years of history, ninja like Uzumaki Gamu were exceedingly rare. She couldn't help wondering what would have happened if someone like him had existed in her era.
Well, that era was already gone. There was no point dwelling on it.
And so their trip came to a premature end. Riding Uzumaki Gamu's Golden Sand Airship, they returned to the clan homeland in half a day. (Uzumaki Gamu: Flying really is fast!)
There, they found their clansmen busy at work.
When the clansmen saw that the Second Young Clan Leader and the princess had returned, they immediately welcomed them-well, Uzumaki Gamu and the others weren't in the mood for a welcome. After a few brief words, they went to see Ashina and Daigu!
When Ashina saw Uzumaki Gamu and Mito, he asked in surprise, "You two came back so quickly? Weren't you still over in the Land of Earth?"
"How could we keep wandering around after hearing our clan was founding a nation...? So what's the situation now?" Uzumaki Gamu asked.
Daigu answered, "Nothing particularly special. We found a suitable place and started the preparations for moving... you really didn't need to come back so quickly. Building a village at our new home will take a long time, after all."
"Well... we're already back, so there's no point dwelling on that~" Uzumaki Gamu shrugged-he couldn't exactly run off to keep having fun now, could he?
Ashina nodded. "Since you're back, let's leave it at that... anyway, what exactly were you two doing out there? Why are there such... outrageous rumors?"
"Outrageous rumors?" Uzumaki Gamu asked in confusion.
Daigu explained, "Fighting tailed beasts and so on... not just in the Land of Wind, but in the Land of Earth, too?"-hadn't that happened yesterday? The news had reached the Land of Fire awfully quickly!
"News travels fast... wasn't that just yesterday?" Uzumaki Gamu asked, puzzled.
"Well... someone came back specifically to deliver information to us~" Ashina smiled oddly.
Mito asked in confusion, "Father, why are you smiling like that?"-was there some special meaning behind this "someone"?
"Uncle Ashina, Big Brother Daigu! I heard Mito and Gamu returned to the Land of Fire. Are they back here?" Hashirama's voice came from outside the door-well, that made the messenger's identity perfectly clear!
Hearing Hashirama's voice, Ashina smiled and called through the door, "They are. They're sitting in my room right now!"
"Really? I'm coming in!" Hashirama said eagerly.
Then came Tobirama's exasperated, headache-ridden voice. "Big brother!! Manners!!! Manners!!"-big brother, you were a clan leader! What kind of clan leader barged straight into another clan leader's room?
Hashirama opened the door and walked right in, though he apparently had heard Tobirama. First, he respectfully bowed to Ashina.
Ashina waved a hand, indicating that he needn't stand on ceremony with them!
Hashirama nodded in acknowledgment, then turned to Uzumaki Gamu and gave him an enthusiastic hug. "I hear you're famous throughout the Five Great Nations now, kid. Pretty impressive~"
"What's so surprising about something that was bound to happen? Still, your information comes in pretty fast~ You knew yesterday about what happened in the Land of Earth yesterday?" Uzumaki Gamu asked curiously.
Hashirama boasted, "Hahaha, that's all thanks to Tobirama. A while back, he planted spies throughout the other great nations, so we get all kinds of firsthand information quickly!"-hmm? Tobirama had already started planting spies throughout the Five Great Nations?
"Big brother!! Is that something you should just blurt out?" Tobirama was practically about to have a stroke!
"It's fine, isn't it? None of us are strangers here," Hashirama said innocently.
"Then at least don't say it so loudly!!" What left Tobirama speechless was Hashirama's booming voice-these people could be trusted, but that didn't mean someone couldn't be listening through the walls!
"Mm... my mistake~" Hashirama looked thoroughly obedient, then immediately tossed the matter aside and turned to Mito!
At the sight of Mito, Hashirama turned into a bashful young man again. "Um... you weren't hurt, were you?"-wow, a secret-technique portrait~ Had she landed a finishing blow on him?
Mito smiled. "No."
"Hahaha, that's good, that's good..." With that, Hashirama froze awkwardly, unsure what to talk about next-there was no hiding it when you liked someone... well, you only needed to hide it when you liked two people!
Uzumaki Gamu was rather speechless at Hashirama's behavior... wasn't he usually pretty bold? Why was he just standing there now?
Well, there were probably too many people around... after all, plenty of things were hard to say in front of your future father-in-law!
So Uzumaki Gamu suggested, "Why don't... you two go outside and talk?"
"Mm... talk outside? Um... is that okay?" Hashirama looked at Mito, seeking her opinion.
"Yes, let's go!" Mito openly took Hashirama's hand and left Ashina's room!
Uzumaki Gamu couldn't help marveling inwardly, Girls really are more effective than guys when they take the initiative!
After Mito led Hashirama away, Tobirama came inside and began delivering a few formal remarks on his brother's behalf-cleaning up after his brother every day wasn't easy for Tobirama, the acting clan leader!
Ashina gave the customary responses, then... sent Uzumaki Gamu off to talk with Tobirama~
Uzumaki Gamu grumbled inwardly, Isn't this supposed to be your job?-still, on second thought, they didn't have much to say to Tobirama beyond exchanging pleasantries. They might as well let Uzumaki Gamu, who had more to discuss with him, do the talking.
So Uzumaki Gamu and Tobirama went outside and began chatting.
Uzumaki Gamu asked, "I heard your brother say you've started making arrangements abroad?"
Tobirama answered, "...With you, big brother, and that Madara Uchiha around, large-scale conflict is unlikely to break out in the Land of Fire again. In that case, there's no need to waste resources within our borders. I've begun investigating the other countries to prepare for the wars between ninja villages that will begin in the near future!"
"...You're certainly thinking far ahead," Uzumaki Gamu remarked.
Tobirama shook his head. "Big brother and the others are still too naïve. They think establishing a village will usher in an era of peace... admittedly, as long as big brother lives, in theory... no one besides you and Madara should dare cause trouble. But... big brother isn't immortal!"
Uzumaki Gamu agreed. "Exactly. Once the person keeping everyone in line is gone, opportunists will immediately start stirring up trouble. You can't rely on a single individual's strength to bring about an era of peace!"
At that, Tobirama glanced at Uzumaki Gamu. "If we establish a ninja village in the future, I think you're the most suitable person to lead it!"
"...Huh?" Uzumaki Gamu wore an expression that said he had to be joking-why was this guy suddenly siding with an outsider instead of his own brother?
Something was definitely wrong. Tobirama had to be plotting something... or was someone impersonating him? Either way, he should first check whether Tobirama had anti-air and rear hit detection!
Tobirama praised him. "You're more decisive than big brother and gentler than Madara. You can reconcile the two of them. If our ninja village turns out as planned-with all the Land of Fire's ninja clans joining-someone like you, who can harmonize everyone's relationships, especially between us Senju and the Uchiha, while possessing enough strength to deter everyone else... would make the perfect village leader."
Hearing that, Uzumaki Gamu drawled, "Uh... am I really as badass as you make me sound?"
Tobirama rejected his modesty. "What you did in the Land of Earth and the Land of Wind has already proven all of that. There's no need to be humble!"
Uzumaki Gamu said expressionlessly, "Though you think so highly of me, I personally... think exactly the same!! I really do have the makings of an emperor!! Hahaha~"-by the end, he was laughing aloud!
Tobirama: "..." Damn it, I shouldn't have praised him!-Tobirama regretted it now. Deeply!
"All right, jokes aside... having the ability doesn't mean I want to do it. I still have my dream of traveling the world and my mission to fight the Otsutsuki. I don't have time to be some village leader~" Uzumaki Gamu refused-being a village leader had left even Naruto drained. The job looked exhausting no matter how he viewed it. Let someone willing handle that hassle!
"...That answer was within my expectations!" Tobirama knew Uzumaki Gamu reasonably well-he had the ability but no sense of responsibility... or perhaps his sense of responsibility was so strong that he had begun avoiding it instead. It was perfectly normal for someone like that to refuse the position of village leader. So Tobirama changed his question. "Then, if you had to choose between big brother and Madara Uchiha as the village's leader, whom would you choose?"
Tobirama very much wanted to know Uzumaki Gamu's choice, so he could use it as a reference for his future plans!
"...Why choose? Can't they both do it?" Uzumaki Gamu gave an answer Tobirama hadn't anticipated at all!
"That's impossible!!" Tobirama rejected it. "A ship can't have two captains, or it won't be able to move forward at all!"-two captains meant two sets of ideas and two different courses. A ship couldn't sail in two directions, and in the end, they would inevitably fight!
"One could be chairman and the other premier. It's not impossible~" Uzumaki Gamu spread his hands.
"...What are you talking about?" Having never heard either term, Tobirama looked completely baffled!
"Well... just a passing thought. Don't worry about it~" Uzumaki Gamu waved a hand. "I think the ideal arrangement would be for Madara to handle the village's internal affairs and Hashirama to handle diplomacy. One inside, one outside, complementing each other-that would let our village develop steadily!"
"...Didn't you get their roles backward?" Tobirama asked, puzzled. "With big brother handling foreign affairs, wouldn't he keep making concessions to other countries? And with Madara handling internal affairs... wouldn't the village become his personal dictatorship?"
"No, it wouldn't!" Uzumaki Gamu disagreed. "Hashirama may make all kinds of compromises for peace, but he has firm principles. He certainly wouldn't compromise the village's stability. Besides, he treats people kindly, which would help us get along with the other great nations' ninja villages. On the other hand, what do you think would happen if Madara handled diplomacy?"
Madara's approach to diplomacy would probably look something like this-
Madara: "Fine, then! If he crosses the river, I'll cross it, too! If he dares attack my Konoha, I'll strike straight at his heartland and take his ninja village in one fell swoop!!"-he would be just like that swaggering Guan Yu from New Three Kingdoms!
Tobirama imagined it-if Madara handled diplomacy, they'd probably have to prepare for a Shinobi World war the very next day!
At that thought, Tobirama nodded. "That's true... but why can't we have big brother handle both internal and external affairs?"
"Come on, putting Madara in the Hokage's seat is also meant to tie him down!" Uzumaki Gamu rolled his eyes. "You know Madara, too. He's actually very protective of his own. Once he becomes village leader, the whole village will become his family. He'll risk everything for his family and would never turn against the village!"
"...True. The Uchiha Clan acts out of love. As long as Madara still sees the people in the village as his family, he'll never turn against it... so there's a way to handle him like this?" Tobirama said in sudden realization. "Brilliant!! Rather than isolate a ferocious beast in a separate area, give him shackles he can't bear to abandon!"
Uzumaki Gamu continued, "And if their opinions differ, just have your brother act cute with him. He'll immediately give in and obey, helplessly... rather like you, isn't it?"
Tobirama rolled his eyes. "Please don't remind me of painful memories. Thank you!"-whenever he tried to stop Hashirama from doing something stupid, his big brother would act cute with him, leaving Tobirama unable to refuse him outright. Then he would spend endless effort figuring out how to solve his brother's problems.
It had happened so often that Tobirama had developed a bit of PTSD!
"Well, you'll have plenty more hardships ahead. Keep working at it!" Uzumaki Gamu patted Tobirama's shoulder encouragingly.
Tobirama didn't want to discuss that, so he changed the subject. "Anyway... whoever we ultimately choose, it'll have to wait a while. And the final decision can't be made by just a few of us internally. We'll need to consider the opinions of all the ninja clans joining the village!"
Uzumaki Gamu thought for a moment, then answered, "Well... I think they should consider my opinion!"
Tobirama followed up, "Why?"
"Well, this fist the size of a sandbag will show them why!" Uzumaki Gamu raised his fist.
"..." Damn, so he means coercion by force! Tobirama was speechless-he rather wanted to take back his assessment of Uzumaki Gamu now... this guy was a brute, too!
Anyway, Tobirama didn't want to continue that discussion, so he asked, "I saw two black-haired women earlier. I heard they returned with you. Is the older one... an Uchiha?"
"Holy shit, you're that perceptive? Did you turn on your Uchiha radar?" Uzumaki Gamu asked in surprise-he hadn't even told Tobirama who she was, yet Tobirama had identified her as an Uchiha immediately... what kind of eye did he have?
"...I wouldn't call it radar, but that gloomy look of hers has the scent of an Uchiha," Tobirama said warily.
"Do you have a dog's nose?" Uzumaki Gamu quipped. "Yes, she's an Uchiha, but... she currently has a grudge against both the Uchiha and the Senju. Please don't show any hostility in front of her~ Or I'll beat you up~"
"...Why does she have a grudge against the Uchiha?" Tobirama didn't want to address the threat of a beating, so he asked that instead.
Uzumaki Gamu answered, "Before she was sealed, her fellow Uchiha used her as a weapon, and she lived a miserable life. Now that she's free, she naturally hates them."
"Hmph, treating even their own clansmen that way. That's just like the Uchiha... wait, she was sealed?" Tobirama noticed something off. Then inspiration struck, and he immediately asked, "Could she be... Uchiha Nanashi?"
Uzumaki Gamu said admiringly, "You should become a detective... you figured it out so easily."
"After all, we sealed her ourselves. Our clan's historical records contain accounts of her." Tobirama paused, then continued, "So it really is her... does that mean you broke her seal?"
"Yes, that's right!" Uzumaki Gamu admitted frankly.
"...Do you know what her ocular technique is?" Tobirama asked cautiously.
"Yachihoko~" Uzumaki Gamu answered-did he really think Uzumaki Gamu didn't know?
"...Since you know, I don't need to say any more~" Tobirama trusted Uzumaki Gamu's judgment. As long as he knew the details, there was no need to worry about anything happening to him. Still, Tobirama was curious about his motives, so he asked, "Why did you release her?"
Uzumaki Gamu raised his thumb. "I want to marry her!"
...I was wrong to suspect him of having grand ambitions!! Tobirama thought, covering his forehead.
Uzumaki Gamu asked, "By the way, you don't mind that I broke your Senju seal, do you?"
"How could big brother possibly mind anything you did?" Tobirama rolled his eyes in exasperation.
Uzumaki Gamu and Hashirama were so close that even Tobirama, his younger brother, felt a little jealous-if he asked, "Big brother, if Gamu and I fell into a river, whom would you save first?"
Hashirama: "Tobirama, you're a Water Release ninja. Falling into water shouldn't hurt you, right?"
Tobirama thought for a moment. "...My chakra's exhausted! And my arms and legs are broken!"
Hashirama hesitated. "...Then I'd save you?"
Tobirama asked delightedly, "Why?"
Hashirama answered, "Gamu wouldn't end up with his chakra exhausted and his arms and legs broken!"
Tobirama: So you think I suck, big brother?-well, although it made some sense, Tobirama wouldn't actually ask such a pointless question!
Returning to the subject, Tobirama continued answering the earlier question. "Besides, apart from people like me who've read all the clan's historical records, most of our clansmen have already forgotten that Uchiha girl from a hundred years ago. So releasing her doesn't really matter."
Uzumaki Gamu nodded in understanding!
Then Tobirama continued, "But there's one warning I need to give you up front."
"Oh~ Go ahead!" Uzumaki Gamu gestured for him to continue.
Tobirama said, "Although sealing a girl like her was wrong, her ability is far too dangerous! In their position, I would have done the same! If she bears a grudge against us Senju and tries to take revenge, I'll kill her without mercy!"
"Just like you to cover every angle. But don't worry. I won't let that happen!" Uzumaki Gamu said calmly.
Just then, Mito and Hashirama returned-something seemed off. Why was Hashirama so happy that his soul looked ready to fly away?
Seeing Hashirama's delighted expression, Tobirama said with some exasperation, "Big brother, calm down!"
"Hahaha, Tobirama, I'm getting married!" Hashirama chuckled.
Tobirama immediately turned to Uzumaki Gamu. "Did you know?"
Uzumaki Gamu tilted his head. "No, but... it was to be expected, wasn't it?"-Mito would fulfill her engagement to Hashirama after returning. Uzumaki Gamu had already discerned that from his younger sister's earlier behavior.
The only surprise was how quickly it had happened... but that was normal, too. Now that they were back, it was time to settle down and get to serious business.
Once Tobirama confirmed the news, he was happy for his brother, too. "Wonderful! Let's go discuss the wedding arrangements with Clan Leader Ashina right now!"-his big brother was finally getting married. For once, this guy lost his composure, too!
Then Mito told Ashina, and both Ashina and Daigu were delighted-next came a cheerful discussion of the wedding details!
After a series of discussions, everyone decided to hold the wedding on the day Hidden Whirlpool Village was completed-two major occasions celebrated together! They would hold a grand celebration unlike any before or after it!
Uzumaki Gamu grumbled inwardly, Huh? This sounds like a hassle. And doesn't building a village take a long time? Won't I have to wait until next year to see my little sister get married?
Just then, an electric current ran through the back of Uzumaki Gamu's hand, and a voice sounded beside his ear: The second round of missions has begun. Host, please enter the Instance Space to select the mission you wish to undertake!
It hasn't been that long since the last one... wait, what do "second round" and "select a mission" mean? Is there more than one world this time? New questions arose in Uzumaki Gamu's mind!
Before you continue