The next day, Uzumaki Gamu set off for the Senju Clan Compound with the escort party.
Uzumaki Gamu's sister-in-law, Rena Senju-well, she should be called Rena Uzumaki now-sat in a special palanquin surrounded by guards, while Uzumaki Gamu and his older brother walked at the very front, leading the way!
Still, did a simple visit home really call for this much fanfare? They had even assembled an escort squad.
There was no helping it. This was the shinobi Warring States era, and enemies seeking revenge could appear at any moment... and highway robbers were everywhere, too. To travel safely in this age, you either needed serious skills or companions!
Although Uzumaki Gamu and Daigu were both highly capable, Hana Senju was not-she was just an ordinary Senju woman... oh, right, she should have changed her surname to Uzumaki after marrying into the clan. She was Rena Uzumaki now.
Of course, beyond the question of strength, this was mostly about appearances. The Uzumaki were a major clan, too. Sending only a handful of people along on the young clan heir and his wife's first visit to her family would have been terribly embarrassing.
Walking at the head of the procession, Uzumaki Gamu chatted with his brother. "How did you and your wife get together?"
"G-get together?" Daigu looked embarrassed. Uzumaki Gamu's choice of words and question made the grown man a little bashful. "Well... I just... fell for her."
From Daigu's halting account, Uzumaki Gamu pieced together how the two had met. Simply put, they had taken a liking to each other!
During a visit to the Senju Clan Compound to discuss the details of a joint mission, Daigu happened to meet Rena, and then... they fell in love at first sight! After that, the two began an innocent exchange of letters, and their feelings gradually deepened. Their different Ninja Clans prevented them from taking things further, but then an opportunity came along.
The Senju and Uzumaki decided to strengthen their cooperation. Ashina, who had long noticed his son's feelings, took the opportunity to propose a marriage alliance, and the two naturally became husband and wife.
A pure love story without a single twist... not much entertainment there, huh? Never mind. It's better if my own family's lives aren't entertaining. Simple and peaceful is best. Uzumaki Gamu grumbled inwardly, though he understood his brother's choice.
Daigu did not actually like fighting. He had become a shinobi purely out of his responsibility as the clan leader's son and his desire to protect everyone. Had he been born in peaceful times, he would probably have become a farmer... after all, he loved plants! Whenever he had free time, he spent it tinkering with all sorts of plants.
The journey was long, and Uzumaki Gamu and Daigu kept chatting. Following the conversation, Uzumaki Gamu began learning more about his sister-in-law. Hmm? Why was he only asking now?
Well, during their first meeting, Uzumaki Gamu had knocked his own brother unconscious. That awkward scene had left him too embarrassed to ask many questions, so he had waited until things felt less uncomfortable. Now was a good opportunity, so naturally, he asked along the way.
And with that topic to keep him occupied, Uzumaki Gamu endured the journey to the Senju Clan Compound.
After meeting up with the Senju sent to receive them, Uzumaki Gamu grumbled inwardly, I'm never joining one of these outings again. Traveling this slowly is just too boring! A tedious journey with nothing interesting to do really was dull.
As he complained to himself, they finally arrived at the Senju Clan Compound.
And Uzumaki Gamu saw the person he had wanted to see.
"Hashirama!!!" Uzumaki Gamu waved in greeting.
"Huh? Gamu?!" Hashirama, also a clan leader's eldest son, had come out to welcome Daigu. Instead, he spotted Uzumaki Gamu, whom he had not seen in ages, and immediately ran over to embrace him enthusiastically.
"Brother, you're supposed to be receiving our guests!" Tobirama, following behind Hashirama, was utterly exasperated. His older brother would suddenly do something ridiculous even while attending to serious business, sometimes leaving Tobirama completely speechless.
Still, Tobirama grew curious. Who was that Uzumaki? Why was his brother so excited to see him?
Uzumaki Gamu's older brother, Daigu, was curious, too... when had his younger brother become so close to the Senju clan leader's son?
The two simply ignored everyone else and started catching up.
Hashirama asked, "I was worried when I didn't hear anything about you for so long. I never expected you to be an Uzumaki." Madara's background had been easy to guess: shuriken throwing, swordsmanship, and Fire Release. He could hardly have been more obviously Uchiha!
Uzumaki Gamu's techniques, however, were so varied that he could have belonged to any Ninja Clan! Hashirama could not easily determine his background, which also made him reluctant to ask around about Uzumaki Gamu. If he belonged to an enemy Ninja Clan like Madara, that would create even more trouble. Better to wait for the right moment and let Uzumaki Gamu appear on his own!
Hashirama firmly believed that Uzumaki Gamu would never die so easily. They would meet again someday-and now that day had arrived!
Uzumaki Gamu replied, "Well, I've spent the past three years training at Mount Myōboku, so it's pretty normal that you haven't heard anything about me... you've changed quite a bit, though. Growing your hair out?" Hashirama's hair already reached his shoulders, and he had grown much taller than three years ago. He was looking increasingly like the long-haired beauty he would become-as long as he stood still. (He was fine until he spoke, at which point his goofy nature would reveal itself. Thus, he could only be a silent beauty!)
Not far away, Tobirama caught a key phrase. Three years? Could it be... He seemed to have figured something out.
Hashirama replied, "My looks aren't the only thing that's changed. I've gotten a lot stronger, too... but that Mount Myōboku place you went to... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere."
"Brother! It's one of the legendary Three Great Sage Lands!" Tobirama reminded him, exasperated.
"Right, that really legendary place!" Hashirama clapped his hands. "Since you actually found it, you must have gotten much stronger, too! How about a spar later, for old times' sake?"
"Sure!" Uzumaki Gamu agreed excitedly. Honestly, his own brother's strength was limited as a punching bag, whereas the fellow before him had considerable fighting power. He would make an excellent practice partner. (Daigu: Huh? Am I really weaker than a kid several years younger than me?)
"Brother! Receiving our guests comes first... Father and the others are still waiting in the reception room." Tobirama rolled his eyes. Normally, they would already have begun exchanging pleasantries inside, but Hashirama was still out here chatting away.
"Ah... right." Hashirama sounded a little disappointed. Etiquette between major clans still had to be observed. For now, he could only put aside his plans to spar with Uzumaki Gamu and escort the others to the reception room.
After that, everything followed the proper procedures. As both a Senju son-in-law and the Uzumaki clan heir, Daigu received the Senju's hospitality and held a cordial meeting with their current clan leader, Butsuma Senju. Hashirama, likewise a clan heir, sat in attendance.
Both parties issued a joint statement during the meeting!
Over the years, relations between the Senju and Uzumaki had undergone an extraordinary course of development. In the distant past, both parties had belonged to the same Ninja Clan. Following that Ninja Clan's dissolution, each had inherited part of its legacy and continued developing to the present day.
Both parties reaffirmed their willingness to develop Uzumaki-Senju relations on the basis of equality, mutual respect, and mutually beneficial cooperation. The cooperation agreement signed at the beginning of the year had laid a solid foundation for the continued comprehensive strengthening of relations between the Senju and Uzumaki. Their bilateral relationship had continued to advance, reaching the historic high of a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era following the marriage alliance.
Through the tireless efforts of both parties, Senju-Uzumaki relations had maintained healthy, stable development in accordance with the interests of both clans and the spirit of everlasting friendship and good-neighborliness.
Both parties noted that current Senju-Uzumaki relations transcended the military and political alliance model of the shinobi Warring States era. Their relationship was characterized by an everlasting alliance, no confrontation, and never targeting one another: though not one family, they were closer than family. Amid the gathering turbulence of the shinobi world, Senju-Uzumaki relations had withstood its changing tides, demonstrating stability and resilience, and were now at their best point in history.
Both parties emphasized that developing a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era served the fundamental interests of both great Ninja Clans and their peoples. It was not a temporary expedient, would not be affected by any single event, and possessed strong internal momentum and independent value. Both parties firmly defended their lawful rights and interests and opposed any attempts to obstruct the normal development of their relations, interfere in their internal affairs, or restrict their economic, technological, and shinobi-world spheres.
Both parties reaffirmed that the Senju and Uzumaki had always regarded each other as priority partners, upheld mutual respect, equal treatment, and mutually beneficial cooperation, and abided by the Land of Fire Daimyo Charter and the Basic Principles of Shinobi War Relations, becoming a model for relations between the great clans of today's shinobi world and between each other's largest neighboring clans.
Both parties were willing to further deepen comprehensive strategic coordination, firmly support each other on issues concerning core interests such as sovereignty, territorial integrity, security, and development, and make rational, effective use of their respective advantages to safeguard the security and stability of their respective countries and promote development and revitalization. Both parties would follow the principles established in the Senju-Uzumaki Cooperation Agreement signed at the beginning of the year, as well as other bilateral documents and declarations, to pursue high-quality, high-level, mutually beneficial cooperation across a broad range of fields. Together, they would realize the shinobi-world dream of the great rejuvenation of both clans!
All of the above... was something Uzumaki Gamu had made up in his head.
How could a bunch of country bumpkins who've never even gone to school write something like that? And I should've taken the civil service exam when I graduated instead of dreaming about starting a business on my own talent... you'd be thanking your lucky stars if even one in ten startups succeeded. Otherwise, I wouldn't have ended up delivering takeout and getting killed by a truck. Uzumaki Gamu lamented the foolish choices he had made in his previous life.
Of course, although most of the above had existed only in Uzumaki Gamu's imagination, some points were actually mentioned-mutually beneficial cooperation and such.
After listening to both sides discuss some dull everyday matters, Uzumaki Gamu decisively retreated from the reception room. It was too boring! Nothing but useless platitudes. Staying there was practically wasting his life!!!
Naturally, Uzumaki Gamu was not the only one to leave. Tobirama followed him out of the reception room. They could hardly let a guest wander around their Clan Homeland alone. Besides violating the principles of hospitality, it would be troublesome if anything happened.
Thus, as the corresponding second son of a clan leader, Tobirama automatically followed him out. (Tobirama: I have a bad feeling about this. Better follow him and see!)
Once outside, Uzumaki Gamu sidled up to Tobirama. "Hey, you're little Tobi, right?"
Little?? Little Tobi? What kind of name is that? Tobirama's brow twitched inwardly. Of course, being highly composed, he remained outwardly calm and told Uzumaki Gamu without a ripple of emotion, "My name is Tobirama Senju."
"I know. Your brother told me about you. Calling you little Tobi just makes us sound closer." Uzumaki Gamu casually reached for Tobirama's shoulder, as though they were already good friends.
Tobirama shifted slightly sideways, avoiding Uzumaki Gamu's embrace, then continued calmly, "You may call me Tobirama. There's no need for 'little.'"
"Well... your brother and I are sworn brothers. As his brother and peer, there's nothing wrong with calling you 'little.' Unless... you don't respect your older brother?" Uzumaki Gamu asked.
"..." Brother? You swore brotherhood with someone whose Ninja Clan you didn't even know? Tobirama was utterly speechless inside. He knew perfectly well that Hashirama was capable of such a thing, but... actually encountering it still left him at a loss for words.
And this fellow was rather annoying, latching onto that point and refusing to let go... as irritating as a gossiping busybody.
Calm down, Tobirama! As my brother's right-hand man, given his personality, I'll have to deal with situations like this all the time. If I can't handle this calmly now, what will I do later? Tobirama could only console himself that way.
Seeing that the blazing will of fury inside Tobirama seemed about to explode, Uzumaki Gamu immediately changed tack. "Just kidding. Don't take it to heart." As he spoke, he even patted Tobirama's shoulder.
It felt rather like an adult teasing a child.
That only annoyed Tobirama further.
"All right, enough of that." Uzumaki Gamu stopped joking. "Your brother told me you're a genius at developing ninjutsu. I know a little about ninjutsu myself. How about we exchange some ideas?"
Hearing that, Tobirama immediately adjusted his mood and replied seriously, "Oh? You want to discuss ninjutsu... certainly!" At that point, he understood why the other boy had been trying to get friendly with him. Apparently, he wanted to exchange techniques.
Still, judging by my brother's reaction earlier, he's no weaker than my brother. What ninjutsu will he demonstrate? Tobirama wondered curiously.
Uzumaki Gamu surveyed their surroundings. "This isn't a good place for a demonstration. Where's your training ground?"
Tobirama wasted no words and led the way.
The two arrived at the Senju Clan's private training ground.
"Since I suggested this, I'll demonstrate first!" Uzumaki Gamu began warming up.
Tobirama asked curiously, "What are you going to demonstrate?"
"The Water Dragon Bullet Technique!" Uzumaki Gamu replied.
Tobirama frowned. "The Water Dragon Bullet Technique? Spitting out a stream of water that forms a dragon to strike the enemy, or using nearby water to gather water from a lake into a dragon and attack? If that's the technique, there's no need to demonstrate it. I already know it!"
"Wow, no wonder Hashirama's so proud of his little brother. You're amazing!" Uzumaki Gamu said flatly. "Impressive as that is, I have my own insights into this technique. Watch first, then we'll talk! Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"
The moment Tobirama saw the Water Dragon Bullet Uzumaki Gamu unleashed, his eyes lit up.
"Only three hand seals?!" Tobirama exclaimed in surprise. To counter the Uchiha's Fire Release, he had devoted himself to studying Water Release. Although still young, he considered himself reasonably accomplished in it.
The Water Dragon Bullet Technique had decent power, but it required forty-four hand seals. Its windup was far too long, making its cost and payoff almost completely disproportionate.
Once released, it was only about as effective as the Uchiha's Great Fireball-or perhaps slightly stronger. But the Great Fireball only required six seals!
By the time you finished the Water Dragon Bullet's seals, the fireball would already be plastered across your face.
Yet Uzumaki Gamu had used the technique with only three seals. That meant Tobirama could plaster his Water Dragon Bullet across the other person's face instead.
"So? Pretty damn awesome improvement, right?" Uzumaki Gamu boasted, shamelessly claiming the copyright to Tobirama's work.
Uzumaki Gamu thought with righteous conviction, What do you mean, shameless! Sure, he improved it in the original world, but... aren't I teaching it to him? This way, he'll learn it sooner, greatly improving his chances of survival! Isn't that good? As for the copyright... I'm sure Tobirama won't mind!
Meanwhile, Tobirama hesitated inwardly. What should I do? I don't think I have any suitable ninjutsu to offer in exchange.
After seeing that technique, Tobirama knew he probably had nothing worthy to offer. There was a gap in their understanding of ninjutsu. The other boy would have no interest in his little tricks. (Uzumaki Gamu, owner of a complete pirated collection of Tobirama's ninjutsu: ...indeed, there was no need!)
Given time, Tobirama was confident he could create a technique comparable to this three-seal Water Dragon Bullet, but right now... that was impossible!
Guessing what Tobirama was thinking, Uzumaki Gamu suggested, "If you don't have a suitable technique to teach me, there's no rush. Once you create one you think is suitable, teach me then!" Uzumaki Gamu really had no interest in Tobirama's techniques... after all, he already knew most of them.
At present, there were only two techniques Uzumaki Gamu had been unable to recreate: Impure World Reincarnation, and... Flying Thunder God!
Uzumaki Gamu's kind nature left him disinclined to use Impure World Reincarnation, a technique that traded a living person for an undead one. But Flying Thunder God... who wouldn't want to use such a cool move?
Besides, once I learn it, I can get home quickly when I'm traveling... not having to waste time on the road would be wonderful. All right, Uzumaki Gamu's main reason for wanting this technique was to make his future sightseeing trips more convenient!
What a man-willing to use any means necessary to have a good time!
After hearing Uzumaki Gamu's answer, Tobirama nodded in agreement. He was no rigid stickler; in fact, he was exceptionally adept at adapting flexibly to the rules. Since Uzumaki Gamu was generous enough to teach him this trick, he naturally would not refuse. He was also a man of his word, and would certainly repay Uzumaki Gamu someday with a technique of equal or even greater value.
Thus, Uzumaki Gamu began instructing Tobirama in ninjutsu. Activating a technique was not simply a matter of forming the seals. The entire process required persistent training over time before the technique could be successfully executed. Uzumaki Gamu's job was to make Tobirama's body remember that sensation.
To be fair, there was nothing particularly wrong with Uzumaki Gamu claiming the copyright to this technique. After all, the anime had only taught him the hand seals. He had worked out everything else himself. Yes, during his three years of training at Mount Myōboku, Uzumaki Gamu had not merely practiced senjutsu and Mount Myōboku's ninjutsu. He had worked hard to develop every technique he knew of... whether he could actually recreate them was a technical matter.
In short, Uzumaki Gamu now felt confident calling himself the Professor of Ninjutsu. (Third Hokage: Um... has even my last remaining nickname been stolen?)
Under Uzumaki Gamu's guidance, Tobirama quickly learned to use the Water Dragon Bullet with three seals.
After casting it, Tobirama remarked, "You... really are impressive." Only after experiencing it himself could he appreciate the subtleties of this method. Anyone who could create it was unquestionably a first-rate genius... hmm? Why did that feel strange? Tobirama felt as though his own words had gotten him excited.
"No need to state the obvious." Uzumaki Gamu waved a hand. One little compliment, and he was already getting smug?
Tobirama thought speechlessly, He's very capable, but that personality... it feels like I've gained another annoying older brother.
"Looks like you two are getting along well!" Hashirama leaped over.
Seeing his older brother arrive, Tobirama asked, "Have you finished everything over there?"
"Yes. They're arranging accommodations for Brother Daigu and the others now... I came to find Uzumaki Gamu. Want to share my room tonight?" Hashirama asked.
"No problem. We can catch up on what's happened lately." Uzumaki Gamu nodded in agreement. "Speaking of which, should we make good on that promise from before we came inside?"
Understanding what Uzumaki Gamu meant, Hashirama asked, "You mean... fight here, right now?"
Uzumaki Gamu nodded. "Exactly. Opportunities don't come twice... besides, although we'll be staying at the Senju Clan Compound for a few days, wouldn't it be a shame if something unexpected happened later and we never got to fight?"
"What could happen?" Hashirama scratched his head.
"The Uchiha might attack?" Uzumaki Gamu thought for a moment and suggested the most likely possibility.
Hashirama rolled his eyes. "No way... the Uchiha aren't stupid enough to attack the Senju Clan Compound directly."
Tobirama suddenly said, "Brother, we can't let our guard down just because we're in our Clan Homeland! When the Uchiha go mad, they're capable of anything."
Hashirama wanted to say that would never happen with Madara around, but... mentioning Madara to his younger brother would be extremely troublesome. Better not!
Instead, Hashirama steered the conversation back to his spar with Uzumaki Gamu. "You're right. If you're not exhausted from the journey, let's have a fight right now!"
The two began warming up. Curious about Uzumaki Gamu's actual fighting ability, Tobirama stayed to watch!
Before you continue