The territory of the Kaguya Clan lay on the outskirts of the Hidden Mist Village. The atmosphere there was always intense, as if the air itself carried the fierce spirit of battle that the clan was famous for.
On this day, Uchiha Setsuna arrived at the clan's main gate with several Uchiha clansmen following behind him. Every member of the group possessed the distinctive red eyes of the Sharingan, and their presence naturally created a sense of pressure.
Setsuna walked forward with an arrogant swagger, stopping directly in front of the gate.
"Hey!"
He pointed at the guard stationed there.
"What's your name? And where is your clan leader?"
"Go call him out immediately. I have important matters to discuss with him."
The Kaguya clansman guarding the entrance looked slightly startled by the aggressive tone, but he quickly composed himself and replied loudly.
"My name is Kaguya Kengo, a Special Jonin of the Hidden Mist Village."
"Our clan leader is currently gathering the entire clan."
Setsuna raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"The entire clan is being gathered?"
Before he could respond further, Uchiha En, who stood beside him, reacted with visible alarm.
"The entire clan is mobilizing?!"
His voice rose in shock.
"Are they planning a coup or rebellion?!"
Considering the Kaguya Clan's notorious reputation for recklessness and their lack of political awareness, En immediately assumed the worst.
His instincts kicked in.
Almost subconsciously, his Sharingan activated, the crimson tomoe spinning slightly as he scanned the surroundings.
Uchiha Setsuna frowned.
Unlike the others, he had recently gained access to the Six-Tails' chakra, and tailed beasts naturally possessed a powerful ability to sense emotions such as hostility or malice.
He closed his eyes briefly and focused his senses.
After a moment, he reopened them.
There was no strong malice inside the Kaguya Clan territory.
The situation did not resemble a rebellion at all.
"Relax," Setsuna said calmly.
"This isn't a rebellion."
At that moment, the guard Kaguya Kengo hurriedly waved his hands in panic.
"It's a misunderstanding! A misunderstanding!"
He looked horrified that things had escalated so quickly.
"The clan leader returned only half an hour ago!"
"He said that the Fourth Ninja World War might begin soon."
"He told us this was the perfect opportunity for the Kaguya Clan to prove our strength and bring glory to the clan."
"So he gathered everyone together for training!"
Uchiha En's face turned slightly red.
Clearly, he had misunderstood the situation.
Just then, a young boy walked out from inside the clan compound.
This was Kaguya Takuma.
He spoke respectfully to Setsuna.
"We will probably not bring the very young members to the battlefield."
"In the end, maybe sixty to seventy percent of the clan will be able to participate."
Setsuna looked at the boy with interest.
"You're quite young."
"Are you also planning to go to the battlefield?"
Takuma hesitated slightly before asking quietly,
"I heard from my uncle… will the Young Lord also go to the battlefield?"
Setsuna nodded.
"That's right."
"When the war begins, the Young Lord will personally lead troops to the battlefield."
"Only by leading from the front can a leader truly earn the trust of others."
The boy's expression became serious.
"If the Young Lord is going to the battlefield…"
"Then I cannot remain behind."
His voice was firm despite his young age.
"I once swore that I would protect the Young Lord with my life."
"So I will follow him onto the battlefield."
Setsuna couldn't help but smile.
He liked this child even more now.
Loyalty was something the Uchiha valued greatly.
"Good spirit," Setsuna said.
He allowed Takuma to guide them through the clan territory.
As they walked through the compound, Setsuna noticed that almost every Kaguya ninja was training.
Some were sparring with taijutsu.
Others were practicing techniques related to the Shikotsumyaku Kekkei Genkai, manipulating their bones as weapons.
The entire clan was filled with intense determination.
However, Setsuna soon noticed something strange.
He did not see any elderly members.
After thinking for a moment, he understood.
This was the price of the Shikotsumyaku bloodline.
While the Kekkei Genkai granted immense combat ability, it also caused serious physical deterioration over time.
Many members of the Kaguya Clan simply did not live long enough to grow old.
Minazuki Clan Territory
After leaving the Kaguya territory, Setsuna and his group continued to their next destination.
The Minazuki Clan.
Their territory was located near a beautiful lake, surrounded by mist-covered trees.
Compared to the fierce atmosphere of the Kaguya Clan, the Minazuki Clan appeared much more balanced.
There were elderly members.
Children could be seen playing in the distance.
And the clan compound felt more like a community than a battlefield.
However, even here, preparations for war were underway.
Almost all the young and middle-aged adults had been gathered together.
Men and women alike stood in organized groups, waiting for instructions.
Standing before them was the clan leader, Minazuki Mirei.
She stepped forward as Setsuna arrived.
"This time," she said calmly, "our clan can provide approximately one hundred ninjas."
"These are nearly all the young and middle-aged adults in our family."
Her gaze moved slowly across the gathered warriors.
There was a faint sadness in her eyes.
Most of them were filled with excitement.
They believed they had been chosen to participate in a glorious battle.
But Mirei knew the reality of war.
The battlefield was nothing more than a massive meat grinder.
How many of these people would return alive?
No one could say.
Setsuna crossed his arms and began calculating.
"The Kaguya Clan has mobilized about seventy to eighty percent of their clan."
"That's roughly two hundred people."
Then he glanced at the Minazuki warriors.
"Your hundred…"
He seemed about to criticize them.
But at that moment, Mirei's cold glare fell upon him like a blade.
Setsuna paused for a moment.
"…is barely acceptable," he finished awkwardly.
Mirei narrowed her eyes slightly.
After a moment of silence, she spoke quietly.
"I just hope…"
"These young people do not end up as disposable cannon fodder."
"Or become targets for enemy Fire Release techniques."
She looked directly at Setsuna.
Perhaps she hoped he could provide some reassurance.
But Setsuna merely shrugged.
"That cannot be guaranteed."
His tone was blunt.
"You lived through the Warring States Period."
"You should understand the cruelty of war better than anyone."
"Once someone steps onto the battlefield…"
"Anyone can become a sacrifice."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Even me."
"I am the Six-Tails Jinchuriki, yet I still cannot guarantee my own survival."
Silence filled the air.
Then Setsuna added calmly,
"Instead of worrying about the future…"
"You should focus on improving your strength right now."
"War will not wait for anyone."
With that, Setsuna turned and continued toward the next clan on his list.
Konoha — Year 19, Early November
Far away from the Hidden Mist Village, in the Hidden Leaf Village, another story was quietly reaching its conclusion.
Senju Hashirama, the First Hokage, had regained consciousness two days earlier.
However, everyone could sense that his life was nearing its end.
During these final days, Hashirama no longer concerned himself with the affairs of the village.
Instead, he spent his remaining time enjoying the company of his family.
Especially his granddaughter.
"Little Tsunade!"
Hashirama laughed loudly.
"You lost again!"
They were sitting on tatami mats, playing a simple gambling game.
Across from him, Tsunade puffed out her cheeks in frustration.
Hashirama loved gambling.
Unfortunately, both his luck and his skill were terrible.
But luckily for him, Tsunade's luck was even worse.
"Don't worry!"
Hashirama said cheerfully.
"Grandpa will lend you some money."
"Interest-free!"
He grabbed a stack of bills.
Before he could even finish speaking, Tsunade snatched the money away and began counting it happily.
Nearby, Senju Tobirama stood silently watching the scene.
His expression was calm.
But deep inside, he knew the truth.
His elder brother did not have much time left.
"...Tobirama."
Hashirama suddenly called out softly.
"Brother."
Tobirama stepped forward.
Hashirama didn't speak immediately.
Instead, he asked his son and daughter-in-law to take Tsunade away.
After they left, he spoke again.
"Come with me."
"Let's take one last look at Konoha."
The strongest man who had once suppressed the entire ninja world now spoke with a quiet, almost pleading tone.
Tobirama felt his throat tighten.
"…Alright."
He nodded heavily.
Together, the two brothers walked slowly through the village.
Eventually they reached the back mountain, where they could see the great stone faces carved into the cliff.
The Hokage Monument.
Hashirama's own face was rough and simple.
Tobirama's face was carved more carefully and in greater detail.
Hashirama chuckled.
"Tobirama…"
"Your statue looks much better than mine."
Tobirama replied calmly.
"When your statue was carved, the village had only just been founded."
"Everything was still primitive."
"Even the craftsmen who carved the statues lacked experience."
Hashirama nodded.
"Yes… time really flies."
"But fortunately…"
"Everything is moving in the right direction."
He looked down at the village below.
After nearly twenty years of development, Konoha had grown tremendously.
It no longer resembled a simple ninja settlement.
Instead, it had begun to look like a true city-state.
Because the environment was stable and prosperous, many ordinary people had come to settle here.
The village had become lively and full of life.
Hashirama looked up at the sky.
The sunlight was bright.
The weather was perfect.
"What a beautiful day."
He smiled gently.
"A perfect day… to close one's eyes."
His voice became softer.
Behind him, Tobirama listened silently.
"...Tobirama."
Hashirama called again.
"Yes, brother. I'm listening."
Hashirama smiled peacefully.
"I'm leaving Konoha to you."
"I'm really… a bit tired now."
"I want to sleep."
Tobirama's expression slowly filled with sorrow.
He could feel his brother's chakra fading.
Growing weaker.
Weaker.
Until finally…
It disappeared completely.
In early November of Konoha Year 19, the First Hokage, Senju Hashirama, passed away peacefully.
The era of the God of Shinobi had come to an end.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)