The battle over the child continued

"Shingetsu is my child."

The declaration sent the crowd into an uproar, their cries crashing like a tsunami. No one had imagined that the mother of this child, so clearly of mixed blood from both clans, would be the Senju Clan's third-in-command!

Senju Toka ranked below only the Senju brothers in both standing and strength within her clan. Even her recent transfer from the Hokage's personal guard to the Ninja Academy had done nothing to diminish her authority in the clan or the village.

Tōka was especially popular and influential among the younger female ninja. She had earned that prestige and commanding presence by risking her life on the battlefield. No one would question her loyalty to the Senju.

Her standing was far from ordinary, and this scandal was utterly earth-shattering!

The older men and women of the Senju Clan went livid, immediately glaring at Tōka as though she were a traitor.

The leading Senju elder's fingers trembled. His cloudy old eyes bulged, and his teeth ground together like files scraping iron. Just as everyone began wondering whether he might drop dead on the spot, he finally caught his breath and unleashed a torrent of abuse at Tōka:

"Senju Toka, how can you be so shameless! Where does this leave the Senju Clan?"

His words instantly ignited the tempers of the Old Coots behind the clan elder. They glared resentfully at the pale-faced Tōka, piling accusation upon accusation, as though they intended to drown this shameless traitor in their spit.

"The elder is right! This is absolutely disgraceful!"

"Alas, what a disgrace to our family..."

"Senju Toka, you carried on with someone from an enemy clan! Never call yourself a member of the Senju Clan again!"

"You didn't want the husband we chose for you, and we were considerate enough not to force you to marry. And you repaid us by carrying on with an Uchiha!"

"Exactly! If we'd known, we would have dragged you into the bridal chamber, even if we had to tie you up!"

All those vicious, vile accusations became a sharp knife, driving into Tōka's heart with a dull, crushing weight.

The thought that these people had once been the family she would sacrifice her life to protect on the battlefield sent waves of pain through Tōka's heart. It felt as though some tremendous force was pulling inside her, trying to tear both her heart and her faith from her body.

After one misfortune after another, Tōka gradually found it difficult to breathe, her vision darkening. She gripped Shingetsu's hand tightly as tears poured down her face, the despair accumulated deep within her threatening to overflow.

That was how harshly this era treated women.

In everyone's eyes, even a female ninja as powerful and influential as Tōka had no right to pursue her own desires or love.

Regardless of their strength or talent, female ninja were saddled with the duty of marrying the husbands their clans selected as soon as possible and bearing numerous children to bolster the clan's fighting strength. The mothers of both Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha had been forced into that same fate.

Yet that was precisely the fate Tōka deeply loathed and feared.

She had thought that once Konoha was founded, female clan ninja like her could finally escape that miserable obligation. But now, it seemed she was still trapped in the same fate.

"Fire Release: Dragon Flame Song Technique!"

Four fire dragons attacked the endlessly yammering Senju Old Coots from above, below, left, and right, striking just beside their feet and blasting four great craters into the ground!

Caught completely off guard, the old fossils were knocked down by the heat waves the dragons raised. Their fine clothes, graying hair, and beards caught fire and began burning in an instant, forcing them to douse one another with Water Release. Some even rolled on the ground.

In an instant, these Senju elders who cared so desperately about appearances went from dignified elders of a great clan to street beggars-and ridiculous bald beggars at that.

"You Old Coots! Say that again if you've got the guts!"

Uchiha Hōkaku stepped forward, his blood-red Sharingan glaring and his face twisted like a demon's. His roar struck like a vicious slap across the faces of these old bastards who only dared bully their own people.

He stood in front of Senju Toka, shielding her from everyone's hostile gazes with his body. His blood-red eyes fixed on anyone who dared look their way.

"Shingetsu is my child too! If you want to lay a hand on her, you'll have to get through me!"

"Uchiha Hōkaku? How could it be you!"

Despite their thorough humiliation, the Senju elders stared in disbelief at this "illicit lover" who had just confessed without being asked.

Their brains, which had rotted in the grave ahead of their bodies, simply could not comprehend the scene before them. The reason was simple: Uchiha Hōkaku was the sworn enemy Senju Toka had fought to the death on the battlefield!

How could anyone get together with their sworn enemy?!

The spectators' eyes swept across the scene, moving from Uchiha Hōkaku to Senju Toka, then from Senju Toka to Uchiha Shingetsu.

Well, hadn't both of the child's parents revealed themselves now?

Unlike the Senju Old Coots, who had begun questioning everything they knew, the spectators were quite supportive of the couple. The Senju Clan's third-in-command and the Uchiha Clan's third-in-command sounded rather well matched.

In a corner, the unnoticed Tobirama Senju nearly failed to catch his breath, coming close to choking himself to death.

Tobirama's chest felt like an aging boiler ready to explode on the spot, still furiously spitting sparks. On one hand, these old Senju bastards seemed determined to get themselves killed, provoking Madara Uchiha at every turn. On the other, Tōka was also driving him mad!

Looking at the pain in Uchiha Hōkaku's eyes, hearing his protective tone, and seeing a daughter already this grown, who would believe these two hadn't gotten together? Taking the child's age into account, he had good reason to suspect they had been together before Konoha was founded.

Senju Toka was his and Hashirama's first cousin. After her father died in battle, she had lived in their home and grown up alongside them. With a bond like that, calling her their own sister would be no exaggeration.

But how had this sweet little sister he'd watched grow up gotten together with Uchiha Hōkaku-and even brought a child into the world?!

Tobirama Senju tipped his head back toward the sky and, too, began questioning his life.

He thought of his dear older brother, who sided with outsiders, then his dear student, who did the same. Looking now at his dear little sister, who also sided with outsiders, he was filled with boundless desolation.

What on earth did the Uchiha dose you all with? Why do you insist on falling into this pit and refusing to climb out?

But right now, Tobirama clearly had many more questions he wanted to put to his dear little sister who sided with outsiders.

Fine, you got together with Uchiha Hōkaku, but why did you have to have a child?

Fine, you gave birth in secret, but why didn't you bring the child home afterward?

Fine, you didn't bring her home, but why did you send her to Madara Uchiha?!

With the way Madara Uchiha raises his student like his own daughter, how could we possibly get her back now?!

(Tōka: Isn't that all because of you?)

Why hasn't this damned world blown up already?!

His thoughts in knots, Tobirama cursed viciously to himself. But when he saw Tōka's trembling shoulders and his unconscious... uh, niece, he finally softened, despite still being furious.

"Enough. Stop arguing."

He coldly surveyed the tightly packed spectators and the Senju and Uchiha whose faces were filled with resentment and anger. With a displeased snort, he rebuked them in a low voice:

"What about your assignments? Have you stopped doing them? Get back to work!"

At the sight of Tobirama Senju's cold expression, most Konoha villagers who valued their lives obediently hurried back to the village. It wasn't that they didn't want to watch this earth-shattering scandal unfold; they simply needed the strength to survive doing so!

Unfortunately, people with that much self-awareness were still in the minority.

As the crowd receded like a tide, the Senju Clan's elder refused to leave. With him staying, the Senju clansmen stayed too. And if the Senju wouldn't leave, the Uchiha certainly wouldn't.

His head aching, Tobirama Senju wanted nothing more than to cut down this troublemaking Old Coot with a Flying Thunder God Slash. He had long disliked the old man's habit of throwing his seniority and authority around, and had only refrained from acting out of consideration for the clan. Yet the man lacked even a shred of self-awareness. He already had one foot in the grave, but still dared stir up trouble everywhere!

What a disgrace to the family!

"Name your price."

"What did you say?"

The Uchiha clansmen were dumbfounded. They all stared at the Senju elder who had apparently lost his mind, undisguised astonishment mingling in their blood-red eyes.

What on earth was this old man saying?

"How much will it cost for the Uchiha Clan to give us the child?"

At that moment, even "falling apart" could not begin to describe Tobirama Senju's state of mind. His bloodshot eyes glared viciously at the old man courting death. He wanted to strip the tendons and skin from this fossil who kept ruining everything and tear him into countless pieces.

An absolute liability! How could anyone be such a liability?! Sage of Six Paths, please, let an Uchiha cut this pig down for me!

"You Old Coot! You've got a death wish!"

Uchiha Hōkaku roared in fury, charged forward, and seized the suicidal Senju fossil by the throat. His nails dug straight into the flesh of the man's neck, his grip so powerful it might as well have been iron, utterly impossible to budge. Soon, the old man's eyes rolled back and foam spilled from his mouth, leaving him unable to utter another word.

Tobirama Senju glanced over and knew Hōkaku wasn't actually choking the Old Coot to death. Only after the man had suffered thoroughly did he leisurely make a show of asking Hōkaku to put him down.

Seeing their elder's miserable state, the older Senju men and women flushed with anger, but finally no longer dared shout at the enraged Uchiha.

Tobirama was very satisfied with these Old Coots who had finally learned their lesson and quieted down. If only they could be this quiet within the clan too.

Of course, Tobirama Senju understood what gave these old bastards the courage to run their mouths. Wasn't it simply that his older brother, Hashirama Senju, was there too?

Unfortunately, these old men clearly failed to understand just how deep Hashirama Senju's feelings for Madara Uchiha ran. Expecting Hashirama Senju to snatch the child back from Madara Uchiha was nothing but a fool's dream!

Madara Uchiha, who seemed to have entered a state of meditative stillness, naturally heard none of Tobirama Senju's inward slander. In fact, apart from the unconscious Shingetsu and her faint breathing, he could neither see nor hear anything around him. That, of course, was the Senju Clan's good fortune.

Had he taken in those words, he would surely have minced those Old Coots on the spot. Already on the brink of madness and rampage, he no longer cared about Konoha or the Senju. All that remained in his heart was an emptiness and agitation that yearned to destroy everything.

"Master..."

Under Hashirama's pouring of chakra into her, heedless of either cost or his own life, Shingetsu's tightly closed lashes finally fluttered. Beneath Madara Uchiha's delighted gaze, she struggled to open her eyes wide. Two Black Tomoe slowly revolved within her crimson irises, reflecting Madara Uchiha's withered figure.

"Shingetsu!"

Madara could not contain his joy. Light rekindled in his dull eyes as he tightly clasped Shingetsu's small hand, feeling its warmth finally return. At the same time, Tōka and Hōkaku gathered around in ecstatic relief.

"Mom, Father..."

Tōka could not help shedding tears again, but this time they were tears of relief and happiness. Hōkaku, who had been forcing himself to remain composed, instead broke down in that instant of relief and joy. He suddenly covered his face tightly with his hands and began sobbing aloud.

"Chinatsu... and everyone at the Orphanage... are they all right?"

After struggling to recognize the faces before her, Shingetsu blinked blankly twice. Recalling a little of what had happened before she lost consciousness, she turned toward Madara and anxiously asked about everyone.

"They're all fine. You protected them."

"Thank goodness..."

A weak smile had only just appeared on her lips when she remembered the promise she had made to Madara, and it vanished again. Looking at Madara Uchiha's anxious face, she spoke softly, filled with remorse:

"Master, I'm sorry..."

"You did nothing wrong. None of this was your fault. I failed to protect you... Shingetsu, I'm the one who should apologize."

Shingetsu shook her head gently, seemingly disagreeing with him.

An exhaustion that felt as though she might fall apart at any moment flooded her body. Shingetsu felt herself sinking, as though she were descending into a dark abyss. Before closing her eyes again, she used her last shred of strength to ask:

"I'm so sleepy... can we go home?"

"Yes. Let's go home."