"Tobirama, are you really not plotting anything?"
Hashirama, who had been happily eating strawberries, immediately stopped when he heard Tobirama's words. He knew his younger brother all too well. There was no doubt he was cooking up another scheme, and this time, Shingetsu had to be his target.
Keeping his little brother alive and out of Madara's clutches had left Hashirama wracking his brains and suffering no end of grief. Whenever he thought about how long those two might keep fighting over Shingetsu, and how much he would suffer caught between them, he could not help sighing.
At that thought, Hashirama folded his arms across his chest and imitated Tobirama's posture and tone as he warned him:
"Whatever you're planning, give it up. If you lay a hand on Shingetsu, Madara will twist your head off."
"..."
Tobirama said nothing. Only after a long while did he turn his gaze toward the green plant inside the apparatus, his expression unreadable.
Hashirama paid no mind to his brother's silent resistance. After all, their years as brothers had not been for nothing. Around Tobirama, his skin had long since grown thicker than a city wall. Seeing that Tobirama had no intention of answering him, Hashirama simply kept rambling:
"Shingetsu is our niece. As her uncle, you really should stop calling her an inherently evil Uchiha brat. That's hurtful."
"Then can you get her to change her surname to Senju?"
"How could I possibly do that?!"
The outrageous idea nearly made Hashirama leap on the spot. His eyes widened as he stared at Tobirama in horror.
"If I dared do that, Madara would twist my head off too!"
"Heh."
Tobirama gave a soft snort, his crimson eyes brimming with contempt and mockery. Not to be outdone, Hashirama glared right back. The brothers stared each other down for so long that the corners of their eyes grew dry, as childish as if they were still little boys.
As with every other squabble between the brothers over the years, Hashirama finally surrendered.
Generally speaking, as long as the Uchiha Clan and Madara Uchiha were not involved, Hashirama usually listened to Tobirama, no matter how strongly they disagreed.
"Fine, fine. I'll talk to Madara about teaching Shingetsu Wood Release. But Madara will definitely be watching you! If he beats you up, don't expect me to help!"
After a series of troublesome, complicated negotiations involving countless competing interests and conflicts, along with Hashirama's relentless pleading, Madara finally agreed to let Hashirama teach Shingetsu Wood Release.
Shingetsu, who had stayed home so long she was practically growing mold, felt both excited and a little worried. But Madara would be staying beside her this time too, and that made her feel safe.
Before they left to see Hashirama, Madara handed Shingetsu a small box.
Inside was a silver bangle set with a red gemstone and engraved with exquisite lotus-like patterns. Its small size fit snugly around Shingetsu's arm, keeping it from slipping off and interfering with her movements.
"Master, you've already given me lots of jewelry."
Looking at the beautifully crafted bangle, Shingetsu frowned a little in distress. Ever since Madara had bought her jewelry on the street that first time, it was as though a whole new world had opened up to him. He often hunted down pretty clothes and jewelry to give her.
Shingetsu now had a large wardrobe full of jewelry and beautiful clothes. But a Shinobi's clothing needed to be as simple as possible to allow easy movement. For convenience during training, she normally wore only her clan robe, leaving all those lovely clothes and accessories as nothing more than a collection stored in the wardrobe.
Considering how quickly she was growing at her age, those beautiful clothes would only end up gathering dust or being given away. It was such a waste.
"This one is different."
Madara took the bangle from its box and slipped it onto Shingetsu's arm. The artisan's precise workmanship allowed the custom-made bangle to fit perfectly around her slender forearm.
Madara had paid Takumi Village a hefty sum to forge this bracelet from chakra metal. Madara Uchiha himself had shaped the gemstone set into it with Earth Release, filling it with his chakra.
"Keep it on, and I'll know where you are."
The custom bracelet was designed specifically for tracking and protection. As long as she wore it, Madara could sense Shingetsu's approximate location through the chakra inside it.
Seeing Shingetsu nod obediently, Madara smiled for the first time in a while. He picked her up and headed toward their agreed meeting place.
Along the way, passersby once again stared at the conspicuous master and disciple, their whispers impossible to ignore. Though Shingetsu had expected this, she still disliked being watched that way. She silently buried her face in Madara's chest, shutting out those irritating looks and murmurs.
"Shingetsu, Madara, you're here!"
The Senju brothers had arrived early at their agreed meeting place. Seeing Madara approaching with a dark expression and Shingetsu in his arms, Hashirama hurriedly waved to him.
"Hashirama, couldn't you have picked somewhere more secluded?"
"Hehe, hasn't it been ages since Shingetsu came out for a walk around the village?"
Hashirama merely smiled at Madara's complaint, reached out to take Shingetsu from his arms, and carefully set her down.
"Madara, you can't keep Shingetsu shut up in the clan compound forever. People will grow mold if they stay in the same place all the time."
"Hmph."
Madara gave a displeased snort at Hashirama's suggestion.
"And stop carrying her everywhere. You indulge her too much. You're spoiling her."
Standing nearby, Tobirama glanced at the bracelet on Shingetsu's wrist and added that remark. Madara Uchiha's expression darkened at his advice, and he immediately answered with a demonic glare.
"Get lost!"
In an open space near the village center, supposedly designated to become the Public Training Ground, Hashirama officially began Shingetsu's Wood Release training under Madara's and Tobirama's watchful eyes.
"First, just form a Snake Hand Seal, then activate the chakra inside your body directly, and then..."
"All I need is a Snake Hand Seal?"
Tilting her head, Shingetsu copied Hashirama and formed a Snake Hand Seal. But when he failed to explain the next step, she had to prompt him.
"And then?"
"And then the technique is complete!"
Hashirama spoke with perfect conviction, as though his explanation really made sense. If sweat had not begun to bead on his forehead and his face had not started turning red, he might actually have fooled someone.
"There's no need to think too much. Intuition and instinct are all you need!"
"..." ×3
For a moment, the other three fell silent. Three distinctly unfriendly gazes fixed themselves on the sweating Hashirama Senju, leaving the atmosphere painfully awkward.
The corners of Shingetsu's mouth twitched twice. If she could, she would have pried open Hashirama's skull to see what on earth he had stuffed inside his brain.
How is that remotely enough, you cheating bastard?!
Deeply shaken by this abstract teaching method, Madara Uchiha and Tobirama Senju both felt their facial muscles begin to twitch.
Madara Uchiha was already regretting entrusting Shingetsu to Hashirama. Meanwhile, Tobirama Senju cursed his older brother inwardly, worrying both about whether Madara Uchiha would let Shingetsu continue learning Wood Release from Hashirama after witnessing this lesson, and whether Hashirama had properly taught the children at the Ninja Academy.
He could not help viciously cursing his hopeless older brother. Madara and Shingetsu were thinking exactly the same thing:
This guy is utterly unreliable!
"Ahem. Anyway, Ninjutsu only becomes second nature through repeated practice, and Wood Release is no exception."
Knowing full well how unreliable his teaching had been, Hashirama turned as red as a cooked shrimp. But Tobirama was right: he really had no clear idea what he was doing, because he used Wood Release through intuition and instinct. With no other option and desperate to recover his dignity, he could only hurry Shingetsu into practicing.
"Imagine trees growing freely. Oh, and make sure they're covered in fruit!"
"...Will that really work?"
Shingetsu was even more speechless at instructions that sounded suspicious no matter how she looked at them. Still, she obediently copied Hashirama, picturing trees covered in all kinds of fruit as she slowly formed a Snake Hand Seal. The chakra inside her surged, pouring toward the open ground before her.
The ground before them trembled. Roots churned beneath the earth like waves, bursting through the soil in the blink of an eye and growing into towering trees.
And that was not all. Tiny fruits appeared on their branches, and soon, all kinds of plump fruit hung in heavy clusters from the supple boughs, proclaiming the joy of ripeness to the earth below.
In an instant, the once-empty clearing became an orchard ripe for an autumn harvest.
"Wonderful! Now everyone in Konoha can come here to eat fruit!"
Hashirama cheered in delight. His eyes lit up at the strange fruits among the trees, fresh and lovely despite being impossible to name. He eagerly pulled Shingetsu into the grove and began gathering one fruit after another into his arms.
"This is incredible, Shingetsu! This is the kind of power that can truly bring happiness to everyone!"
It had nothing to do with killing, only creation. To Hashirama, this was what he had wanted most after awakening Wood Release. It had also been the simplest dream of that bowl-cut boy before he ever awakened it.
"Ugh, I'm a little dizzy..."
Shingetsu could not take in any of Hashirama's lavish praise. Although she had not used much chakra, she still felt terribly dizzy, as though creating those fruit trees had consumed something else inside her body.
After the brief spell of dizziness passed, Shingetsu suddenly realized something was wrong. Looking at Hashirama happily picking fruit, she found herself puzzled.
"Wait, can you actually eat Wood Release Fruit?"
"Yes. The fruit from your Wood Release is edible, Shingetsu."
Then why did you make me throw up those strawberries back then?
Remembering that miserable experience, when she had nearly vomited herself to death, Shingetsu felt a vein bulge. Her cheeks nearly puffed up with anger.
This guy is utterly unreliable!
While Shingetsu was still nursing her grudge over the strawberry incident, Hashirama picked a bright yellow fruit from a tree and curiously sniffed it. Catching its fresh, fruity scent, he unsuspectingly popped it into his mouth.
Shingetsu happened to catch sight of this and hurriedly tried to stop him.
"Don't eat that!"
Unfortunately, the warning was clearly too late. Hashirama had already bitten down with a loud crunch.
"That one's really sour..."
Watching Hashirama eat a lemon plain made Shingetsu's teeth ache in sharp waves, as though she were the one eating it. But on second thought, she suddenly felt deeply satisfied.
Hmph, this is heaven's punishment for that unreliable idiot!
"It's so soooour!!!"
Before you continue