"Shingetsu!"
Watching Shingetsu wail, Madara Uchiha clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. He was clearly furious.
In his anger, he grabbed Shingetsu by the collar and hauled her off the bed, raising his fist to teach her a lesson. But when his gaze landed on her adorable little face and her large, watery eyes, a gentle breeze seemed to blow away the flames of his anger.
Madara Uchiha took a deep breath. He slowly lowered his fist, then reached out with his large hand and gave Shingetsu's ear a vicious tug instead.
A sharp pain immediately shot through Shingetsu's ear, scrunching up her little face. Before she could wheedle or protest, she heard Madara Uchiha snap:
"All your training this month is doubled!"
"Waaah! No!"
At the mention of doubled training, Shingetsu felt as though a huge needle had stabbed her heart, and her eyes instantly filled with tears. Hearing her cries, Hashirama, who already had one black eye, hurriedly dumped Hiruzen Sarutobi off his back and rushed over.
The sight of Madara practically bristling with rage made his heart tighten with fear. Still, seeing Shingetsu teary-eyed with her ear pinched, he summoned his courage and strode up to Madara. Stretching out his sturdy arms like a mother hen shielding her chick, he bravely blocked Madara's path.
"Madara, you can't blame Shingetsu for this! This child works from morning till night every day and doesn't even get to sleep. Of course she's sleepy. Forgive her just this once!"
"Yes, yes! Exactly!"
Seeing Hashirama come to her rescue again, Shingetsu reached out her slender arms as though she had found her savior, trying to hide in his embrace. But just as she was about to throw herself into Hashirama's arms, Madara Uchiha caught the back of her collar and