"Go find Madara Uchiha."
Tobirama's calm voice made Hashirama, who had been completely at a loss, freeze.
Just like every other time Hashirama came up with a good idea. Even when he had thought it through, he always lacked the ability to put it into practice.
Tobirama would call him childish and scold him for his wild fantasies, but afterward, he would quietly handle the execution and push everything forward for him.
This time was no exception.
Besides, Tobirama Senju did not want the deaths of his two younger brothers to become the catalyst for founding the village.
When Kawarama and Itama died, he had not been unmoved. He had simply suppressed his emotions and used greater action to vent the same feelings Hashirama had shown openly.
"Go find Madara Uchiha and convince him to stop the war between the Uchiha and the Senju."
It was not that Hashirama had never thought of that, but...
Even knowing that everything had been Black Zetsu's scheme, would Madara really still found the village with him?
Young Hashirama wondered whether he should remind his future self that it would be best to look back at Father's expression.
Young Hashirama asked his future self curiously, "Who is Madara Uchiha?"
That was an excellent question. Hashirama Senju felt he could spend an entire day praising him without repeating himself.
Hashirama Senju, professional Madara fanboy, the fanboy himself:
"Madara is the revelation heaven gave me, the close friend who strengthened my resolve to establish a ninja village. He was my brother in a past life and my comrade-in-arms in this one! Although we chose different paths, I'm certain Madara is an extremely gentle person! Although he was trapped in the deception of the Infinite Tsukuyomi, his original intention was also peace for the ninja world..." The following three chapters' worth of words are omitted.
Tobirama Senju pressed a hand to his forehead and sighed. He was used to it. He really was.
Butsuma Senju quietly turned his head and asked his second son in a low voice, "Your brother, he..."
"Your daughter-in-law is the princess of the Uzumaki Clan, Mito Uzumaki."
"Oh, oh. That's good, then."
Tobirama Senju was utterly speechless.
The old father pretended to cough to hide his reaction.
Hashirama told his younger self about meeting Madara for the first time at the Naka River, and mentioned that Madara had originally been one of five brothers...
In his heart, he sighed, hoping that this time, Madara would also have the chance to save his other three brothers.
Just then, with a whoosh, a golden figure appeared beside them.
"Lord First, Lord Second."
Minato Namikaze greeted the two of them, then also nodded politely to the unfamiliar Butsuma Senju.
A young man with excellent manners and considerable ability.
That was Butsuma Senju's assessment of him after being revived by the mission scroll.
The three children, young Hashirama, Kawarama, and Itama, stayed highly alert at the blond man who had suddenly appeared. They had no idea when the Senju Forest had become a place outsiders could casually drop by.
Tobirama Senju was not surprised to see Minato Namikaze at all.
Long before the time travel, he and Minato Namikaze had exchanged Flying Thunder God Technique markings.
"What is it?"
He asked directly.
Minato said, "A new mission appeared on Naruto's mission scroll."
Regarding the thing that had brought them from another parallel world to this one, and had given them the chance to personally save Kawarama, Tobirama Senju, Hashirama Senju, and Butsuma Senju were all curious and did not dare take it lightly.
"What rank is the mission?"
"C-rank. But because the mission content says it needs to be carried out immediately, I apologize for interrupting your reunion with your family."
"No matter. Tell us the mission."
"Hashirama-sama and Madara Uchiha are to immediately head to the battlefield between the Senju and Uchiha and stop the two clans from continuing to fight."
[Mission Rank: C-rank]
[Mission Content: Hashirama Senju and Madara Uchiha are to immediately head to the battlefield between the Senju and Uchiha and stop the two clans from continuing to fight.]
Hashirama froze as soon as he heard it.
"Me and Madara?!"
Naruto's mission scroll had actually assigned a mission to him and Madara. That left Hashirama Senju rather shocked.
At the same time, young Hashirama grew even more curious about this legendary "Madara Uchiha."
Tobirama Senju said, "That doesn't depend on us. You should go find Madara Uchiha."
As for stopping the two clans from going to war, there was no need to even think about it. His foolish big brother would absolutely consider it his duty.
The real problem was that the mission also required Madara Uchiha to carry it out with him.
"There's no need to worry about that."
Kannabi Bridge Minato, who was leading Young Obito, Young Kakashi, and Rin, said, "Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha have already agreed to cooperate with Naruto and complete this mission."
Tobirama Senju and Hashirama Senju were visibly stunned.
That did not match their understanding of Madara Uchiha at all!
How could someone like Madara possibly be the type to listen to persuasion? Besides, there was no way Izuna Uchiha would agree to act with them and stop the war between the Uchiha and Senju, right?
Butsuma Senju said, "Based on my understanding of that fellow Tajima Uchiha, he would never agree to such a thing either."
"Yeah, I don't understand it." Hashirama tilted his head, completely unable to figure it out.
Minato Namikaze said, "In fact, senior Tajima didn't agree, but he didn't reject it either. In any case, the mission doesn't require his participation, so it isn't important."
"Even so, why would Madara and Izuna agree to take part?" Tobirama Senju noticed that Minato Namikaze had said earlier that both Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha had agreed to cooperate with Naruto on this mission.
Back then, when he and his brother had tried to persuade Madara Uchiha to form an alliance, the biggest obstacle had been Izuna.
And although the reward for a C-rank mission, as well as the absurd idea of someone inexplicably crossing over through time travel, was a concept they had never imagined before, such uncertain things clearly should not have held much appeal for Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha.
"We actually have Naruto and Sasuke to thank for this."
Minato Namikaze could not help marveling at the wonder of fate. Or perhaps the one controlling the mission scroll behind the scenes had known that Naruto would definitely choose to save people, and that was why they had been placed in this era.
"What happened?"
Minato Namikaze described what had happened on the other side to the two Hokage.
"After you all left, the rest of us, who weren't familiar with the Warring States Period, stayed behind. Among us were people from the Uzumaki Clan, the Uchiha Clan, and the Hatake Clan, so going to either the Senju or the Uchiha wasn't suitable."
"Mm."
Let alone them, even Hashirama Senju, Tobirama Senju, Butsuma Senju, as well as Madara Uchiha, Izuna Uchiha, Tajima Uchiha, and the others, had not openly returned to the Senju or Uchiha.
Even if they revealed their identities to their clansmen, no one would likely believe them right away.
"While we split up to search for an ordinary village unaffected by the ninja clan war, Naruto and Sasuke unexpectedly rescued three boys."
"Three boys?"
Hashirama and Tobirama exchanged a glance. Could it be...
"Are you saying those three boys are...?!"
Thinking of a certain possibility, Hashirama Senju's eyes widened, and he grabbed Kannabi Bridge Minato by the shoulders as he asked.
"Mm. They are the three younger brothers of Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha."
"!!!"
As expected!
What a coincidence!
That completely explained why Madara and Izuna had agreed to help with Naruto's mission!
Minato said, "The Warring States Period is indeed even crueler than we imagined. Madara Uchiha's three younger brothers were only eight or nine at the oldest, and the younger ones looked only five or six."
Young Hashirama wrapped his arms around his own two younger brothers, thinking that they were even younger than Kawarama and Itama.
Hashirama's mood sank. "In the Warring States Period, children had to do simple missions within the clan territory at four or five. After turning six, they had to leave the clan territory, and some were even sent directly to the battlefield to face adult ninjas in their teens and twenties…"
"It was a life-or-death elimination match. Surviving depended on strength, but also on luck."
Tobirama Senju said, "Where are Madara Uchiha and Izuna Uchiha?"
"At the Uchiha Clan's secret base on Hidden Mountain."
"We'll go there now."
With that, Tobirama Senju placed his hands on his father's and brother's shoulders, preparing to use the Flying Thunder God Mutually Instantaneous Revolving Technique with Kannabi Bridge Minato to bring everyone over.
"Wait!"
Young Hashirama grabbed his younger brother's sleeve.
"Take us with you too."
He stared at them, his eyes carrying the same stubborn refusal to back down that Hashirama Senju once had when he argued with his father over Kawarama's death.
"The 'Madara' you're talking about is there too, right? If, like you said, he also wants to protect his brothers and wants to end the war, then I want to meet him."
Seeing this version of himself, Hashirama sighed over the tangled fate between him and Madara, between Ashura and Indra.
It seemed that even if the course of fate had changed, he and Madara would still meet, come to know each other, understand each other, and begin with the same desire to protect their brothers. Together, they would end the chaos of the Warring States Period and light the flame of hope for peace.
"Take him with us, Tobirama."
Hashirama spoke with great resolve.
Tobirama sighed. Whenever his brother acted like this, it meant his mind was made up, and Tobirama could only do as he wished.
He had to admit, the Flying Thunder God Technique was convenient.
With a single flash, everyone instantly shifted back to the Uchiha's hidden mountain base.
The sudden addition of several more people made the Uchiha youths originally responsible for guarding the mountain bristle with alarm.
"Those brats!"
"They're Senju!"
"Wait! That man! He's older than when we saw him before, but it's definitely Butsuma Senju! The Clan Head of the Senju Clan, Butsuma Senju!!"
The young Uchiha ninjas drew their blades.
Young Hashirama quickly pushed his two younger brothers behind him to protect them.
Young Madara Uchiha did the same, blocking Myoko, Togakushi, and Kurohi behind him.
The two boys' eyes met. Under the influence of Indra and Ashura's chakra, both of them felt an indescribably subtle sense of compatibility from the other.
Madara Uchiha.
Hashirama Senju.
The two boys silently recited each other's names in their hearts.
Compared to them, the First Hokage from the mission scroll world was far more open.
"Madara!"
Madara Uchiha gave a reserved nod.
Izuna and his father Tajima were still beside him, so he had to restrain himself a little.
That made the excited Hashirama Senju look painfully one-sided in his enthusiasm.
Tobirama Senju could hardly bear to watch, and Butsuma Senju felt as though he had lost a round to his old rival. His face looked terrible.
Togakure and Kurohi, along with Kawarama and Itama, were meeting children from the opposing clan for the first time. Seeing children their own age made them curious about one another.
Naruto and the others were the same toward the younger brothers of the First and Second Hokage.
Staring at Kawarama, Naruto said in disbelief, "There's actually someone whose hair is half dark and half light?!! And the dark side lies flat, while the light side sticks up?!"
Looking at the First and Second Hokage, Naruto pointed at the two of them. "Did your younger brother inherit half from each of you?!"
Minato was so embarrassed he could die. As Naruto's father, he kept apologizing to Butsuma Senju.
It felt very much like getting an early taste of the Ninja Academy, when his son would cause trouble and he would be called in as a parent, bowing desperately to the other child's parents in apology.
"Pfft."
He laughed?
That guy actually laughed because of this?