Tsubasa was overjoyed. He tried to look calm, but he couldn't hide the smile tugging at his lips. He secretly pinched himself. Ow, that hurt! So it wasn't a dream. He really had become a disciple of Hashirama Senju, the God of Shinobi, and it had all gone so smoothly! He had long heard that Hashirama Senju was kind and open-minded, and now that they had met, he had lived up to his reputation.
A gentle smile on his face, Hashirama Senju reached out and helped Tsubasa to his feet, his movements gentle but firm. "You and I both have Perfect Sage Bodies. I suspect heaven arranged for us to become master and disciple long ago. Over the next few years, I'll teach you everything I've learned in my life without holding anything back. How much you master will depend on your own effort."
Tsubasa was both moved and regretful. He was moved that a master like Hashirama would teach him everything he knew, but regretted that he knew Hashirama had been gravely injured after his battle with Madara Uchiha in the original story and had only a few years left to live. At the thought, Tsubasa's eyes reddened slightly, and he said firmly, "Master, rest assured, I'll train diligently and never let your efforts go to waste!"
Hashirama Senju nodded in satisfaction and gently patted Tsubasa on the shoulder. "Good disciple! Go home and pack today, and say a proper goodbye to your parents and family. Tomorrow, move into the Senju ancestral residence. For the next three years, I won't go easy on you, so be ready for hardship!"
Tsubasa straightened his back and bowed respectfully. "Yes, Master!" He knew the next three years would surely be hellish training, enough to scare an ordinary person to death. But he had been tempered by the energy of heaven and earth every day and had endured more than six years of hell. Why would he be afraid of this? He quietly clenched his fists, his gaze full of resolve.
Senju Yasuhei grinned from ear to ear. He stepped forward and cupped his fists. "Congratulations on gaining such a fine disciple, Lord Hashirama! I'll leave my Matsu entirely in your care. If this boy is afraid of hardship or doesn't take his studies seriously, don't hold back. Give him a thorough lesson! Just leave him breathing!"
Senju Tenpuku chimed in with a sheepish grin. "That's right! If the boy doesn't treasure this opportunity and study hard, I won't let him off either! Becoming Lord Hashirama's disciple is a blessing he earned over eight lifetimes!"
Hashirama Senju burst into hearty laughter, the sound echoing through the air. "Uncle Yasuhei, Brother Tenpuku, leave him to me! With such a promising young shinobi in my hands, I'll make sure he grows into a pillar of Konoha!"
Hashirama Senju swept out a hand and said eagerly, "Come on, let's go to the training grounds and get a good look at what this boy can do!" Everyone immediately followed him, making their way to the training grounds in a lively group.
As soon as they arrived, Hashirama Senju got to work. First, he had Tsubasa take a strength test. Tsubasa took a deep breath and slammed his fist into the strength-testing stone. Boom! The stone cracked all over in an instant, and the reading shot straight off the scale. "Good heavens!" Hashirama Senju exclaimed, his eyes wide. "That strength is absolutely top-tier talent. He's probably stronger than plenty of Jonin!"
Next came the reaction-speed test. Hashirama Senju formed hand seals in rapid succession, sending countless kunai flying at Tsubasa like a torrential downpour. Tsubasa moved nimbly, dodging left and right and avoiding every kunai with precision. His movements flowed smoothly, without a moment's delay. Hashirama Senju nodded repeatedly as he watched, his face full of pleasant surprise. "That reaction speed is astonishing!"
Next, Hashirama Senju decided to test Tsubasa's ability to withstand blows. He gathered his chakra and threw a fierce punch at Tsubasa with Jonin-level strength. The powerful blow sent Tsubasa flying through the air in an arc before he crashed heavily to the ground. But before anyone could react, something miraculous happened: the bruises on Tsubasa's body began healing at a speed visible to the naked eye. Hashirama Senju's jaw nearly dropped. "That recovery ability is monstrous!" he murmured. "His ability to withstand blows is the best of the best, too!"
After testing his body, Hashirama Senju decided to test the strength of Tsubasa's soul using genjutsu. Although he didn't specialize in genjutsu, as the God of Shinobi, his skill in it was still at the Jonin level. A glimmer flashed in his eyes as he activated the genjutsu. But Tsubasa stood there looking bewildered, completely unaffected. Hashirama Senju was utterly stunned. He rubbed his eyes in disbelief. "That soul strength and willpower are terrifying!"
Hashirama Senju's thoughts drifted involuntarily back to his final battle with Madara Uchiha. The battle had been brutal beyond measure. Madara had ultimately died, but Hashirama hadn't come out much better. His soul had suffered severe damage, and if his Sage Body hadn't nourished it, he would have succumbed long ago. Remembering how he had only managed to kill Madara by relying on his Sage Body's regenerative ability to hold on, he felt a pang of regret.
While Hashirama Senju was lost in his memories, Senju Yasuhei's excited voice brought him back to reality. "Lord Hashirama, is Tsubasa's talent really that terrifying?" Hashirama Senju came back to his senses and smiled. "More than terrifying. In nearly a thousand years, his talent could be called the greatest! Put it this way: his talent is like mine and Madara's combined. What do you think?"
"Gasp-" Senju Tenpuku drew a sharp breath, his face full of shock. "Doesn't that mean our Senju Clan will have another God of Shinobi in ten years?" Hashirama Senju looked toward the boy in the distance, whose dust-covered body Mito Uzumaki was wiping clean, and shook his head with a wry smile. "He may well become someone even stronger than the God of Shinobi. I truly hope he can bring genuine peace to this war-torn Shinobi World."
In a meeting room in the Sarutobi Clan Compound in Konoha, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt almost tangible. More than a dozen powerful figures in Jonin flak jackets sat around the conference table, each wearing a grave expression as though bearing an immense burden. At their head, the elderly Sasuke Sarutobi puffed away at his pipe, filling the already oppressive room with smoke and making it even more stifling.
"Sasuke Sarutobi, could you stop puffing on that damned pipe?" Dansuke Shimura, the current head of the Shimura Clan, sprang to his feet and slammed both hands on the table. His face was full of anger, and his eyes were as wide as saucers. "Aren't you afraid your son will pick up the habit from you someday? We're here to discuss our clans' plans for the next hundred years, and before we've even discussed anything, you've filled the room with smoke. Do you think that's appropriate?"
The sudden shout startled Sasuke Sarutobi so badly that he nearly dropped his pipe. He hastily waved a hand, an awkward smile on his face. "Dansuke, calm down. You know I like a few puffs when I'm thinking. Since you don't like it, I'll stop, I'll stop." He reluctantly set his pipe aside, a trace of lingering longing in his eyes.
"Now, Madara Uchiha is dead, and Hashirama Senju hasn't shown himself in over a month. He was probably gravely injured too." Sasuke Sarutobi's expression grew grave again. He frowned slightly, concern in his eyes. "We've gathered here today to discuss the new Hokage. In my view, the Second Hokage will certainly be Tobirama Senju. But what about after that? The Third, the Fourth... Does every Hokage have to come from the Senju Clan? We joined Konoha and formed an alliance, but not so Konoha could become the Senju Clan's private property!" With that, Sasuke Sarutobi sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair, his eyes full of worry.
A fat old man stood up. He was Chozan Akimichi, the current head of the Akimichi Clan. He folded his arms across his chest, his belly jutting out, and gave a mocking sneer. "When Hashirama invited us to join Konoha, he solemnly promised that we would all gather in Konoha for peace in the Shinobi World, that we'd take turns being Hokage, and that the most capable would take the position. And now? The Senju Clan has taken the Hokage position again. What's the meaning of this? Are they making fools of us? My Akimichi Clan will be the first to refuse!" Chozan Akimichi waved his arms heatedly as he spoke, the fat on his face jiggling.
"And what can we do if we refuse?" Momiji Yamanaka, head of the Yamanaka Clan, stroked his goatee and shook his head helplessly, his face full of bitterness. "The Senju Clan is too powerful now. Hashirama Senju alone can defeat every one of us. Madara Uchiha used to be able to stand against him, but now? Who can withstand his Wood Release?" When he finished, Momiji Yamanaka sank heavily back into his chair, his eyes full of helplessness.
Dressed entirely in white, Natsuki Gekko, head of the Gekko Clan, rose slowly to his feet and put his hands behind his back, his expression serious. "Even without Hashirama Senju, we can't stand against the Senju Clan. According to the figures, the Senju Clan has over a thousand Jonin alone, twice as many as the Uchiha Clan, and more than thirty people with strength at the clan-head level. There are also the Nine-Tails Jinchuriki Mito Uzumaki, forbidden jutsu master Tobirama Senju, and hidden weapons grandmaster Senju Yasuhei, all above the clan-head level. Tell me, what do we have to fight them with?" Natsuki Gekko's voice was low and calm, but his words struck everyone's heart like a hammer.
Kenshin Uzuki, head of the Uzuki Clan, hurriedly raised his hand, looking somewhat fearful. "My Uzuki Clan doesn't want to gamble with our clansmen's lives." He stole a glance at the people around him, his eyes full of unease.
Masao Yuhi, head of the Yūhi Clan, raised his hand as well, his voice trembling slightly. "My clan won't take part either." He drew in his neck, as though afraid of being dragged into something dangerous.
"Bunch of cowards!" Kazuo Yamamoto, head of the Yamamoto Clan, slammed the table and stood up, his face full of disdain and anger. "My clan will resist to the bitter end. We'll never compromise!" He thrust out his neck, his eyes flashing with determination, looking as though he feared nothing.
"What resolve, Clan Head Yamamoto!" Kazuo Shinozuka, head of the Shinozuka Clan, also stood up and roared with laughter, the sound echoing through the meeting room. "My Shinozuka Family isn't afraid of the Senju Clan either. Konoha must never become a Konoha dominated by the Senju Clan alone. If they insist on throwing their weight around, they'll have to see how sharp the Shinozuka Clan's blades are first!" As he spoke, he drew the sword at his waist and waved it in his hand, its blade flashing as though in defiance of the Senju Clan.
The heads of the Sato Clan, the Utatane Clan, and the Mito Clan also declared their positions: they would never compromise, and at worst, they would fight. The room was full of heated voices, as though a great battle might break out at any moment.
Seeing that Shikaboshi Nara, the head of the Nara Clan known as a wise man, had remained silent, Sasuke Sarutobi cleared his throat. "Ahem, Clan Head Shikaboshi Nara, you're known as a wise man. Why haven't you said a word?" He narrowed his eyes slightly, a hint of anticipation in his gaze.