In the dining room of Hashirama Senju's home, the table was laden with a lavish breakfast, and the family sat together enjoying the food. Biwako was especially excited today, her cheeks slightly flushed and her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Yesterday, Tsubasa had promised to accompany her to the Ninja Academy's first graduation ceremony today, and she had slept poorly all night because of it.
"Little Tsubasa, hurry up and eat! Don't make me late!" Biwako urged him, gently tapping his bowl with her hand. Her eyes were full of impatience, and she leaned forward without realizing it, as though that would make him eat faster.
Mito Uzumaki couldn't help laughing at how anxious Biwako looked. "Don't worry, there's plenty of time," she said gently. "Your Uncle Tobirama will come pick you up in a little while." She reached out and gently stroked Biwako's head, trying to calm her down.
Biwako finally breathed a sigh of relief and patted her chest. "That's good." Then she turned back to Tsubasa with a proud smile. "Tsubasa, my classmates are all really curious about you. They say there can't possibly be anyone as perfect as you in this world, and that I'm bragging."
Tsubasa's lips curved into a charming smile. "Senior sister, what did you tell them about me?"
Biwako immediately grew animated. "I told them you were handsome and strong. Oh, but I wasn't bragging! Everything I said was true." She nodded emphatically, as though stressing every word to Ten'i.
Tsubasa shook his head with a wry smile. "Then won't I become everyone's target when I go to your school?"
Biwako waved a dismissive hand and said confidently, "Are you scared? I also told them that only someone who defeats you is qualified to pursue me. And let me tell you, lots of my classmates said they wanted to challenge you. You have to help me defeat every last one of them." She planted her hands on her hips, wearing an expression that said he had better not disappoint her.
Tsubasa sighed helplessly. You've made all your classmates hate me.
Just then, someone came in through the door. It was Tobirama Senju. He wore a faint smile, but there was an inscrutable sharpness in his eyes. Smiling, he said, "I've made some people hate you too. Studying under me all this time has long since made many clans wary of you. I'd say the heads of the major clans already have your information in their hands. A lot of clans even want to assassinate you."
Hashirama Senju smiled helplessly and teased, "You two really are good at making enemies for him! But with Tsubasa's current strength, assassinating him won't be so easy."
A worried look appeared on Mito Uzumaki's face. She gripped Tsubasa's hand tightly and said cautiously, "Even so, we should be careful. We have to send more people to protect Tsubasa. We mustn't let him be exposed to danger. Lately, I've sensed many eyes watching outside the Senju ancestral residence. There are spies from every side."
Tobirama Senju's expression grew serious. "Don't worry, sister-in-law. I've already arranged for the Takiichi Squad and the Orochi Squad, eight Elite Jonin in all, to protect Tsubasa from the shadows. Nothing can possibly go wrong. Ten'i is making a public appearance at the Ninja Academy this time to lure those rats out of the gutter. Then we'll catch them all in one sweep, so no one dares spy on the Senju Clan again."
Hashirama Senju sighed softly, his eyes full of helplessness and reluctance. "We're all from the same village. Why must we fight each other? I truly don't want to see a civil war in Konoha. Tobirama, isn't there some way to resolve this peacefully?"
Tobirama Senju frowned. "Big brother, how long are you going to keep being so merciful? The more merciful you are, the more outrageous they become. If we don't hurt them, they won't be afraid. The Senju Clan lost several more people last month."
Tsubasa said seriously, "Master, I think Uncle Tobirama is right. Since I started studying under him, I've read quite a few documents and discovered that the shinobi who survived the Warring States period are cruel and bloodthirsty by nature. The blood feuds between the clans haven't disappeared, either. Everyone fears you, Master, so they've buried those grudges in their hearts. Although there's peace on the surface now, everyone is full of hostility. They're all willing to sacrifice their lives for their own interests. Now my appearance has made them feel that they might be suppressed again, and that they'll never be able to turn things around in their lifetimes. So they're all thinking of taking desperate risks to secure a future for their descendants."
Tobirama Senju looked at Tsubasa with satisfaction and smiled in gratification. "Little Tsubasa, you really are exceptionally gifted. You're so young, yet you already think like a Hokage. Last night, we devised a plan that can temporarily resolve Konoha's internal conflicts."
Hashirama Senju's eyes lit up, and he hurriedly asked, "What kind of plan?"
Hearing about such dark matters for the first time, Biwako looked at Uncle Tobirama with some fear and instinctively edged closer to Mito Uzumaki.
Mito Uzumaki gently patted Biwako on the shoulder to comfort her. "Tobirama, tell us about your plan."
Tobirama Senju's lips curved in a barely perceptible, cold smile as he slowly said, "First, Tsubasa will appear weak to the enemy. He'll lose to a Ninja Academy graduate, and then he won't be the greatest threat to Konoha's shinobi clans anymore. Then the disappointed Tsubasa will go somewhere remote to lure the enemy into attacking. Finally, I'll come out and eliminate the assassins as a warning to the others."
Hashirama Senju scratched his head in confusion. "What good will that do?"
Tobirama patiently explained, "First, it will dispel the rumor that Tsubasa will become the God of Shinobi. He'll be just an ordinary genius! He won't dominate an era as you have, big brother, so there won't be a need to kill him at all costs. Second, it'll get the enemy to make a move, giving me an excuse to wipe out one or two clans. Everyone in Konoha will know that the Senju heir is not to be touched lightly. An attack on him will force the Senju Clan to wage a war of extermination."
Hashirama Senju was still somewhat reluctant. Frowning, he said, "Can't we just get rid of the assassins? Surely we don't have to go so far as to wipe out their clans?"
Mito Uzumaki wasn't concerned about whether the clans were wiped out. She cared more about Tsubasa's physical and emotional well-being. Holding his hand, she said sympathetically, "Won't being defeated by an outsider upset you? Don't force yourself to suffer for this."
Seeing how concerned his master's wife was, Tsubasa felt warmth in his heart and assured her he was fine. He cared about Konoha's affairs and felt that his master was still too merciful. He said seriously, "Master, one decisive punch can spare you a hundred more. Only when our enemies are afraid will they rein in their hostility and refrain from attacking and murdering the geniuses of other clans without restraint. Otherwise, Konoha's major clans could resort to the underhanded tactic of killing each other's geniuses at any time. Today you kill one or two of my geniuses, and tomorrow I kill one or two of yours, and Konoha will be finished. This must be stopped at the root. We have to make every clan in Konoha understand that any person or clan that attacks another clan's genius like that doesn't deserve to live in this world."
Tobirama Senju's expression was serious, and his eyes were resolute. "Some clans don't deserve to live in this world. The things they've done have enraged both heaven and man. I already selected a few clans that have committed every kind of evil. They had a hand in the deaths of our clansmen, but there's no direct evidence. This time, we'll start with them."
Hashirama Senju hesitated, but finally nodded. "All right, then. You must exercise restraint. Everything has to remain under control."
Tobirama Senju said confidently, "Don't worry, big brother. I'll exercise restraint. This time, I'll crush all the delusions of certain ambitious people and restore clear skies to Konoha."