Chapter 31
The days grew tense. Hashirama and Madara's conflict reached a fever pitch, even as their secret friendship deepened. Itama, now ten, looked every bit the frail, intelligent younger brother. He spent more time with Hashirama, listening to his dreams, and with Tobirama, refining seals.
He secretly embedded his conceptual blueprints for the village, his social frameworks, and the principles of his abilities (written in a cypher only Tobirama could unravel) into a sealed scroll. He gave it to Tobirama. "For when the dream is born," he said. "A younger brother's thoughts for the future."
Tobirama took it, his expression grave. He understood it was a farewell.