Within the pure-white mental space, Hashirama Senju and Naoki Senju sat facing each other. Hashirama's expression grew calmer and calmer, while his body grew increasingly insubstantial. Perhaps before long, this wisp of chakra would dissipate completely.
"Besides the Konoha Sannin, many other powerful shinobi rose to prominence in Konoha during the Second Shinobi World War, such as the White Fang of Konoha, Hatake Sakumo. At the Third Hokage's direction, Hatake Sakumo followed Grandpa Tobirama's example and led a surprise attack on Sunagakure, severely injuring most of its leadership. Kumogakure also avenged its defeat in the first war, invading the Land of Earth and fucking Iwagakure in the ass."
"Because of its limited national strength, Amegakure could only announce its withdrawal from the war. Kirigakure couldn't even defeat Amegakure and retreated to the Land of Water to lick its wounds. With that, the Second Shinobi World War officially ended."
Hashirama Senju sighed helplessly. He understood that the "Tailed Beast deterrence" plan he had devised back then had failed completely. The Tailed Beasts distributed among the major shinobi villages had not ended war; instead, they would only make it even more intense.
Although Konoha had emerged victorious in both Shinobi World Wars, the price it paid certainly could not have been small. Even Tobirama had died in the first war...
Hashirama Senju glanced at Naoki and asked casually, as though joking:
"Go on. Surely there couldn't have been a third war after that?"
Not only a third, but a fourth as well... Naoki Senju answered inwardly.
At the same time, under Hashirama Senju's incredulous gaze, he slowly nodded and continued:
"After the second war ended, the Third Hokage expanded the Ninja Academy Grandpa Tobirama founded and began a period of recovery, preparing for any potential wars. And sure enough, the Third Shinobi World War broke out..."
As Naoki Senju spoke, Hashirama Senju felt that no words could describe his feelings anymore. Establishing shinobi villages, distributing the Tailed Beasts, bringing the major shinobi clans together... these were all policies he had proposed.
The original intent behind all these policies had clearly been to limit war, yet the outcome had gone off course. Rather than being restrained, war had only intensified, its scale even surpassing that of the chaotic Warring States Period.
And the events Naoki Senju recounted next were each more "explosive" than the last.
The White Fang of Konoha committed seppuku.
The Konoha Sannin left one after another.
The Yellow Flash-Minato Namikaze-fell on the night of the Nine-Tails' rampage, shortly after succeeding to the position of Fourth Hokage.
Hashirama Senju beat his chest and stamped his feet, filled with some regret and some disbelief. The Nine-Tails he had casually captured back then had actually become part of what crushed Konoha!
Naoki Senju paid no attention to the First Hokage's violently fluctuating emotions. His eyes remained fixed on some unknown point.
"The Uchiha were wiped out."
The news was like a bomb, blasting away every trace of the First Hokage's turbulent emotions, leaving only the sound of his heavy breathing.
"How could that be? With the Uchiha Clan's strength, who could wipe them out?"
Hashirama Senju found it hard to believe. How could the clan that truly deserved to be called the strongest in the Shinobi World have been wiped out?
Naoki offered no explanation, merely dropping another bombshell in a calm voice:
"Grandpa Tobirama ordered our branch to change our names and live in the Land of Fire's capital, staying out of the Shinobi World's affairs. But after the Uchiha were wiped out, the Senju Clan wasn't spared either. Of the entire clan, I was the only one Sister Tsunade saved."
All that lengthy groundwork had been for this moment. The First Hokage was a true "saint," willing to devote himself to Konoha, even to sacrifice the Senju Clan without hesitation. Anyone who endangered Konoha was his enemy-friends, relatives, clansmen, even Madara Uchiha was no exception.
Before using Izanagi, Madara Uchiha had never imagined that Hashirama Senju had already resolved to kill him!
Thus, simply saying "the Senju Clan was wiped out" would not be enough to erase Hashirama Senju's love for Konoha. It might even lead Hashirama to turn around and lecture and brainwash him with the so-called "Will of Fire."
Like Uchiha Itachi, Hashirama Senju was someone who would not hesitate to turn a butcher's blade on his own clansmen for the village.
Fortunately, Naoki Senju's groundwork had worked. Hashirama Senju did not loudly rebuke him for his "treasonous" thoughts.
Instead, he clutched his chest in pain and said incredulously:
"So... you suspect Konoha?"
Naoki Senju no longer wanted to pretend either. He tore away his false disguise, his expression utterly cold. Beneath that icy exterior, fury surged.
"I don't suspect Konoha. Konoha is the only possible culprit!"
Hashirama Senju's "heart" hurt even more, just as it had when Madara Uchiha, after defecting from Konoha, returned with the Nine-Tails and declared that he would destroy the village.
How did it come to this...?
But after glancing at his increasingly insubstantial body, Hashirama Senju unclenched his fists, and his voice grew much weaker.
"Then how do you intend to take revenge on Konoha?"
Hashirama Senju's question seemed like a compromise, but inwardly, he had made up his mind. If Naoki Senju thought as Madara did and wanted to destroy Konoha completely, then... he could only wrong Tobirama, even if this was Tobirama's last remaining bloodline, or even the Senju Clan's last remaining bloodline.
"Take revenge on Konoha? Heh..."
Naoki Senju's soft chuckle instantly put Hashirama Senju on edge. He had little chakra left now, and he could not use Wood Release ninjutsu within the mental space.
But if Naoki Senju insisted on destroying Konoha, he would have no choice but to act, because only a Wood Release shinobi could absorb the senjutsu chakra he had left behind, and Konoha had no way to stand against a fully developed Wood Release shinobi.
It would be a one-sided massacre!
Naoki Senju did not know what Hashirama Senju was thinking. Perhaps even if he did, he would not care much. Only a portion of his mental power had entered the mental space. Even if it were erased, his mental power would merely suffer damage, and he could recover after resting for a little over a month.
If this were Hashirama Senju himself, he certainly would not dare court death like this. But what stood before him was only a wisp of chakra, posing no threat whatsoever.
"Taking revenge on Konoha would only give them what they want. Don't they want power? Then I'll help Sister Tsunade become the Fifth Hokage, take back all their authority, and then cripple their strength, leaving them to die as ordinary people, unreconciled to their fate."
Although Naoki Senju's revenge plan was ruthless and bound to set off a bloody coup, Hashirama Senju breathed a sigh of relief. What he protected was Konoha, not particular individuals within it.
"Lord First, Konoha is no longer the Konoha you founded. This great tree has been gnawed full of holes by pests. It needs a thorough revolution to cleanse it of these pests and burdens. Perhaps, in the future, I'll need your help as well."
Naoki Senju bowed sincerely, but Hashirama Senju did not answer immediately. Several breaths later, Hashirama Senju's hearty laughter once again echoed through the mental space.
"Hahaha, no need to be so formal. Just call me Grandpa from now on. You and Little Tsunade are so close. If she finds out I bullied you, she won't let me off."