The funeral began.
A light rain had started just then, leaving the road to the Memorial Stone thick with mud.
A staggering number of people attended the funeral, the black-clad procession looming like a dark mountain.
Tobirama Senju stood in an inconspicuous corner, dressed in black.
In early autumn, the Daimyo's Palace had sent Tsunade to Konoha, along with news of Yoya and Amame's deaths.
Hashirama and Mito were devastated to have outlived their children.
Konoha still held considerable power, so there was no way it would swallow this humiliation.
As Hokage, Tobirama Senju had sent a letter demanding an explanation.
He had no idea what methods the current daimyo of the Land of Fire had used, but clearly, the daimyo controlled a power they knew nothing about.
However, just as Tobirama Senju was preparing to investigate the truth through his own means, the daimyo suddenly sent people to return Amame and Yoya's remains.
Once the remains arrived, a funeral had to be held, putting the matter on hold for the time being.
Looking at the crowd gathered around the Memorial Stone, Tobirama Senju actually found himself thinking that perhaps he would receive the same treatment after his death. Having someone recover his body would already be something to be grateful for.
Yet even that thought did nothing to soothe the grief suffocating him. He still felt riddled with wounds.
Whenever he closed his eyes, the first thing Tobirama Senju saw was Yoya and Amame in death. Their expressions were peaceful, but painful for anyone else to behold.
The village's priests performed rites for the dead.
Their chanting mingled with the cries of autumn cicadas and the chime of a wind chime someone had brought.
There were as many as ten coffins awaiting burial, surrounded and all but buried by