"Where would you like to begin, Lord First?" Naoki Senju asked calmly.
A trace of approval flashed through Hashirama Senju's eyes as he watched Naoki Senju's calm, composed demeanor. He had to admit that Naoki Senju really resembled the stone-faced Tobirama. His appearance, his expressions, even the way he spoke were all so much like Tobirama that Hashirama Senju almost felt that the person sitting across from him was his cold, expressionless younger brother.
"Hmm... start from after I died. Oh, right, what year did my original body die? Haha..." Hashirama Senju scratched his head sheepishly, trying to cover his embarrassment with laughter.
Naoki Senju suddenly felt some sympathy for the easygoing ancestor before him, whose strength had towered over the Shinobi World. He had given everything for Konoha, including the Senju Clan, only for even his corpse to be divided among his greedy successors after his death. How tragic.
"Konoha never publicly announced your death, Lord First. It was considered one of Konoha's highest secrets. But Grandpa Tobirama succeeded you as Second Hokage in Konoha Year 14, so..." Naoki Senju paused and said no more.
Hashirama Senju nodded in acknowledgment. His smile remained, but inwardly, he felt some regret.
Only eight years...
After a moment of silence, Hashirama Senju spoke up. "Go on. It was a good thing that Tobirama became the Second Hokage. He must have done better than I did."
Naoki Senju nodded and continued recounting the rise and decline of a great shinobi village.
"After Grandpa Tobirama became the Second Hokage, he established the Ninja Academy to recruit and train civilian shinobi. He also created the Anbu, an organization directly under the Hokage. Policy after policy gradually brought prosperity to Konoha."
Hashirama Senju shared in that pride, his smile growing brighter. At the same time, he regretted not having witnessed Konoha's flourishing development.
"As I thought, Tobirama was better suited to the Hokage position than I was. Go on."
But as Naoki Senju continued his account, Hashirama Senju's expression grew increasingly grave, until not a trace of his smile remained.
"In Konoha Year 12, the first Five Kage, who belonged to your generation, died one after another during this period, Lord First. The Shinobi World officially entered the era of the second Five Kage. After twelve years of recuperation, the other four great shinobi villages had steadily grown stronger. Added to that, news of your death leaked out. Without the deterrent of your strength, the First Shinobi World War officially broke out."
Hashirama Senju fell silent, seemingly never having imagined this development. What about the tailed beasts distributed to the various nations? Had they offered no deterrence at all?
Seeing Hashirama Senju remain silent, Naoki Senju continued:
"The four great shinobi villages all chose Konoha as their first target because of Konoha's strength and the Land of Fire's wealth. So, early in the war, Grandpa Tobirama led Konoha's shinobi in decisively repelling the advance forces of all four villages."
"Seeing that Konoha remained powerful, Kirigakure and Iwagakure settled for their second choice and plundered the neighboring Land of Lightning. Later, an unequal division of the spoils reignited old grudges. The Second Tsuchikage and Second Mizukage fought a fierce battle and ultimately killed each other."
"Sunagakure was the weakest. Grandpa Tobirama personally led a force to defeat them, severely weakening them. In the end, they signed a surrender treaty with Konoha."
Hearing that Konoha had gained the upper hand in the war finally lifted Hashirama Senju's spirits somewhat. Though he disliked war, he was even less willing to see Konoha lose one.
But Naoki Senju's next words sent Hashirama plunging into the abyss.
"Iwagakure, Kirigakure, and Sunagakure suffered heavy losses and withdrew from the First Shinobi World War one after another. Only Kumogakure and Konoha remained. After several battles that left both sides badly hurt, the Second Hokage and Second Raikage decided to sign an armistice."
"But during the signing of the armistice in Kumogakure, warmongers including Kinkaku and Ginkaku launched a rebellion. They ambushed and killed the Second Raikage at the meeting, then led elite troops in pursuit of Grandpa Tobirama's unit. In the end, to protect the seeds of Konoha's future, Grandpa Tobirama chose to stay behind alone. He killed Ginkaku, severely wounded Kinkaku, and wiped out their elite troops, but in the end..."
Hashirama Senju looked as though the last of his strength had been drained away. His back, which had remained straight throughout, gradually bowed. He no longer resembled the spirited First Hokage.
At last, he murmured weakly:
"What happened afterward?"
"After Grandpa Tobirama died, the Third Raikage took the initiative to propose signing an armistice with Konoha. With that, the First Shinobi World War ended. After several years of peace and recuperation, Hiruzen Sarutobi became the Third Hokage."
"So it was Monkey..."
Hashirama Senju recalled Hiruzen Sarutobi. He was one of Tobirama's students, an outstanding member of the Sarutobi Clan's younger generation, and a worthy inheritor of the Will of Fire. "Having him succeed as Hokage might have been a good choice."
At those words, Naoki Senju sneered inwardly in disdain. Hiruzen Sarutobi was a worthy inheritor of the Will of Fire, a capable educator, and the Professor of Ninjutsu renowned throughout the Shinobi World. The one thing he was not was a competent Hokage.
Hiruzen Sarutobi was like those historical "benevolent rulers" who favored appeasement, stubbornly indulging the "eunuch" Danzo's interference in government and playing an excellent hand disastrously.
Weren't Hiruzen Sarutobi, Shimura Danzō, and the Uchiha Clan just like Emperor Gaozong of Song Zhao Gou, the eunuch Qin Hui, and Yue Fei, who had been driven into an ever-tighter corner? But the Uchiha Clan clearly weren't the type to believe, "When the sovereign orders a subject to die, the subject has no choice but to die."
Yet Shisui Uchiha and Uchiha Itachi of the Uchiha Clan were diehard loyalists to Konoha. In the end, the Uchiha Clan "hanged itself."
But the present Hashirama Senju was merely a lingering wisp of chakra. There was no longer any need to argue. Naoki Senju continued his calm account:
"After the Five Great Shinobi Villages recuperated for over a decade, the nations' economies recovered, and their accumulated strength reached a peak. Eventually, the Second Shinobi World War broke out, centered on the Land of Rain."
War again... Hashirama Senju clenched his fists, then slowly relaxed them. He had been unable to stop war completely while alive. What could he do now?
"During this war, three shinobi rose to prominence in Konoha. They earned the title of the Konoha Sannin and became renowned throughout the Shinobi World. Sister Tsunade was among them."
"Little Tsunade?"
Hashirama Senju looked up at Naoki Senju in surprise, seemingly seeking confirmation that he had heard correctly. Naoki Senju nodded affirmatively.
The gloom that had accumulated for so long vanished completely, and Hashirama Senju burst into laughter as though venting it all.
His hearty laughter echoed through the pure white mental space. Seeing how happy Sister Tsunade made Hashirama Senju, Naoki Senju chose to conceal the news of Senju Nawaki's death. That news would be far too heavy a blow for the man laughing heartily before him.
He only did this for Tsunade's sake. Otherwise, Naoki Senju would never have held back his words. Tragedy after tragedy would be enough to make Hashirama Senju increasingly disappointed in Konoha. Perhaps he might even get Hashirama Senju to clean house himself?
Just thinking about it was fun~