Time flows like a river, never turning back, always moving forward.
This river runs through Konohagakure, past the Uchiha clan's land, and originates from the Naka Shrine—witnessing the changes and growth of the ninja world, both in the original timeline and now.
Unlike their last meeting, which led to a fight without a word, this time, Senju Hashirama guided the conversation. And even though Uchiha Madara knew he was being led, he didn't resist. The two of them walked along the familiar river, one in front of the other.
Though time had passed, washing away the traces of the Warring States period, and the river was no longer as wide, the person beside him hadn't changed.
"Do you remember what we talked about here?"
They didn't try to see who could pee farther this time. Grown men should act their age, after all. Hashirama, being old enough to be a grandfather, knew what was appropriate and what wasn't.
Bringing Madara here was just an excuse to have a proper conversation with his old friend.
"Konohagakure…"
Madara's tone was distant, and a hint of nostalgia flickered in his eyes. Back then, they had dreamed of the future, hoping to use their power to protect their clans and loved ones from war.
They had succeeded. And yet, they had failed.
Humans are selfish creatures. People like Hashirama, who could truly put others before themselves and understand them, were rare.
Madara had tried to trust others, to understand them, but in the end, he failed. The moment he overheard Hashirama and his brother Tobirama arguing fiercely over the Hokage position, he understood how foolish Hashirama's ideals were.
Tobirama kept insisting that everyone agreed Hashirama should be Hokage, but if it were Madara, no one would accept it.
That was the moment he knew—Hashirama's vision was nothing but a joke.
"We both failed."
Hashirama let out a self-deprecating chuckle. He understood what Madara was thinking. He had been too naive. The fact that a great war erupted right after his death proved that human ambition would only keep growing.
He was never a god. Changing the ninja world's structure had already been a miracle.
But at this point, it didn't matter whether founding the ninja villages was right or wrong.
"At least my grandson-in-law succeeded!"
With a sudden laugh, Hashirama lay back on the ground, staring up at the sky. The blue sky, white clouds, and the earthy scent of the soil—this was what it meant to be alive, the feeling of peace.
He liked this kind of ninja world. He even found a new hobby. Contributing to its development was a good thing. If the world ever needed him again, he would return as a ninja. That was his way of thinking.
"Success is only temporary."
Madara sat cross-legged, his gaze unreadable as he looked at Hashirama.
"People make mistakes. I don't believe Hyuga Hitoshi can stay the way he is forever, nor do I believe the Sun God Kingdom will always govern the ninja world flawlessly. Over time, uneven resource distribution will fuel human ambition. And if Hyuga Hitoshi himself starts to falter… what happens then?"
As expected—so long as people exist, true peace will never be achieved. They will either wage war against outsiders or fight among themselves. Even Madara didn't know what kind of future this ninja world would have.
"So? What are you planning to do?"
Hashirama looked at his old friend with curiosity.
What was he planning?
If even Hyuga Hitoshi couldn't fix things, what could he do?
Pursue an illusionary dream world and put everyone to sleep forever?
Madara wasn't a fool, nor was he ignorant. He was just like Obito—he had lost all hope in the ninja world, which was why he clung to the dream of the Infinite Tsukuyomi. But now, he didn't even need to worry about that.
Black Zetsu had already informed him that the plan for the Infinite Tsukuyomi would be set in motion after the ninja world tournament.
That sense of having no role to play…
It felt empty.
And yet, it also made him realize something.
Why would Hyuga Hitoshi, knowing that Infinite Tsukuyomi was just an illusion, still go through with it?
A simple analysis showed that a genjutsu on a global scale must have some hidden agenda behind it. So what had he been chasing all this time?
This sudden feeling of wanting to do nothing… just lying down and giving up…
"You're overthinking things again, Madara."
One of the rarest things in life is having a friend who truly understands you.
Especially when your family is gone, yet that friend is still by your side.
Even though Madara didn't respond, Hashirama could tell he was feeling lost.
"We don't actually need to do anything."
Hashirama patted Madara on the shoulder.
"Trying to carry the entire world's peace and stability on your own shoulders… that kind of pressure will crush you. It'll drive you mad. We're just people, not gods. Relying on others isn't something to be ashamed of."
After their last fight, the next time Hashirama heard news about Madara, he found out that the guy had become the second squad leader on a construction site in the Sun God Kingdom.
What's more, he was working for free.
Using the Wood Style he had obtained from Hashirama, he kept building and expanding the ninja world's territory.
That alone told Hashirama everything—his friend hadn't changed.
Madara still longed for peace and was still working toward the future of the ninja world.
That's why Hashirama was in no hurry.
That's why he could sit here and talk about the past and the future with Madara.
"But isn't Hyuga Hitoshi also doing everything on his own—"
"You're wrong, Madara."
Hashirama shook his head before Madara could finish. "He doesn't do everything himself. Tsunade told me about it—my grandson-in-law is actually living quite the easy life.
All he does is set the general direction. If he has an idea, he lets his team record it, and professionals take care of the research and testing.
From a single base, the system spreads across the entire ninja world.
The Sun God Kingdom now has a fully functioning system.
Honestly, I think you don't need to keep working on construction sites. You'd be much more useful as a government official.
You're worried that Hyuga Hitoshi might go astray one day?
Then why not get a position by his side?
That way, if there's ever a problem, you can talk to him directly."
Hashirama sighed.
"He's not the kind of guy who ignores advice."
The end of the universe is bureaucracy.
Damn it, that's not just a joke. Senju Hashirama sincerely wished all those trying to get a government job the best of luck.
"But to be fair, if you've really made up your mind, you should have a proper talk with Nagato when the time comes. At the very least, you were the one who first brought him pain. That's a debt you need to repay."
It's all for the sake of harmony within the system.
Of course, whether Nagato will actually forgive Madara—that's something Hashirama can't guarantee. After all, neither Madara nor Obito showed him any mercy when they made their move.
But this time, Hashirama wasn't going to start lecturing Nagato about understanding Madara or spouting strange lines about letting go of hatred.
"We'll deal with it when the time comes."
Madara shook his head and slowly stood up, as if he wasn't quite ready to face Nagato just yet.
"Let's go. We've rested long enough. Who knows what's going on with Izuna and Sasuke now?"
You really are impossible.
Hashirama scratched his head helplessly.
"If you miss Izuna so much, why don't you just keep racking up achievements and save up points to trade for a resurrection slot? You could bring him back."
Bring Izuna back?
A flicker of light flashed in Madara's eyes, but it only lasted a moment before he dismissed the thought.
How should he put it?
When someone who's been dead for decades suddenly appears in a future they don't recognize, their first reaction isn't joy—it's fear. They'd have to relearn everything from scratch, to understand and accept this new world.
If Izuna were still alive…
Madara glanced at Hashirama, then thought about Hashirama's annoying younger brother, and finally, about the current state of the Uchiha.
He knew his brother well enough.
Forget it. That's something to think about later.
"This isn't what he would have wanted."
Turning away with a wave of his hand, Madara left Hashirama with nothing but his back.
The reunion was over.
Still a little uneasy, Hashirama followed after him.
At the same time…
On a tree-lined path in the Land of Fire…
Kakashi led Team 7 as they traveled at a leisurely pace.
"Before the founding of the Sun God Kingdom, the Land of Waves was a poor, isolated island nation with only a single bridge connecting it to the outside world."
"They didn't have their own ninja village. Instead, the place was overrun with rogue ninja from different villages, making it pretty chaotic. Things only started to change after they joined the Sun God Alliance. Their economy also improved thanks to the development of the surrounding seas."
As they walked, Kakashi, as their leader, shared intel on their mission.
"But what their country is most famous for is our mission target this time—the master bridge builder, Tazuna. The Sun God Kingdom values talents like him highly, providing project support and even designing architectural Ninjutsu based on blueprints given by master builders. They include them in Ninjutsu research and development."
With the world's progress, Ninjutsu had to keep up with the times. In a way, with the help of scientific ninja tools, researchers might even develop something like a "Wood Style: Three-Bedroom Apartment" technique. It might even be more effective than Hashirama's creations, with better data to back it up.
"That being said, bridge builders like him usually don't become targets."
Kakashi glanced at his three students.
He was indirectly warning them—this mission wasn't as simple as it seemed.
Tazuna was indeed a skilled craftsman, but that alone shouldn't attract too much attention. There were plenty of master builders in the ninja world. His sudden disappearance, combined with the unusual movements in the Land of Waves, made it all seem like a setup.
"Kakashi-sensei, are all unknown-level missions always this exciting?"
Years had passed, and the once hot-tempered girl had grown up. But this time, her attention wasn't on Sasuke—it was on Sasuke's father. She had already decided to participate in Konohagakure's upcoming maid selection exam, aiming to join the Sun God's personal maid squad.
"This is an exception, but unknown-level missions are never below B-rank. The chance of encountering enemy ninja is almost 100%."
Kakashi explained patiently.
Fate was unpredictable.
With the Hyuga clan gone, the original "Konoha 12" had essentially fallen apart. The recent Ninja World Conference had also led to discussions about reforming the three-man team system. The proposal had already been submitted, and soon, the traditional three-person squads would become a thing of the past. Future team assignments would be more scientifically structured.
After all, no matter how you looked at it, a three-man team always had one person playing the fool. It wasn't an ideal setup—especially with two boys and one girl, which created unnecessary competition. That kind of arrangement only added pressure and could even backfire during missions. There was no reason to keep such an outdated tradition.
Which meant...
Kakashi's team was likely the last traditionally assigned squad in Konohagakure.
"I'm already looking forward to it."
Next to him, Naruto clenched his fists, his face full of excitement. But amidst that excitement, he sneaked a glance at Sakura. His thoughts were practically written all over his face, making Kakashi sigh.
Nothing he could do about it.
He could teach Naruto how to be a person with dignity.
He could teach him to fight back against bullying with his fists and show him that dignity wasn't given by others—it was earned through strength.
He could ensure that, under his training, Naruto was never again called "demon fox brat."
But when it came to personal relationships...
Well, considering that he himself had been single for so many years and had to rely on *Icha Icha Paradise* for "training" in the middle of the night... He really wasn't qualified to give Naruto advice.
So, before Team 7 was even formed, he had already noticed something ironic—people had once debated whether every three-man team inevitably had a "clown" in it.
And sure enough, in his team, it had happened.
Some things never changed.
Even without Asura's influence, some emotions just couldn't be avoided.
The good news was, unlike in the original story, where Sakura often took advantage of Naruto's feelings to make him do things for her, in this timeline, things were different.
This Sakura had made a pact with Ino and their upperclassman Tenten. They had all agreed to participate in the upcoming maid selection exam. So, when she noticed Naruto showing interest, she immediately shot him down—telling him straight to his face that she had no interest in him and only had eyes for Sasuke's dad.
But Naruto was still Naruto.
If nothing else, the original protagonist had one defining trait—stubbornness.
He didn't keep pestering her after being rejected, but deep down, he was secretly hoping she'd fail the maid selection exam.
He planned to act like a caring guy to comfort her, not realizing that so-called "caring guys" ranked even lower than desperate simps. Meanwhile, Sakura and Ino had agreed to keep participating in the maid selection process until they turned thirty-five. If they still failed by then, they'd just spend the rest of their lives alone together.
So from the very start, it seemed like the clown of the team had already been decided. This made Kakashi admire the foresight of Lord Yang. If this pattern of two boys and one girl in a three-person squad continued, every generation would produce more clowns and simps. If this went on forever, what would happen to the shinobi world?
It was like how all the massage therapists started live-streaming instead. If no one returned to the real business, what would happen to the bathhouses? What about all the single guys? This whole thing was just some kind of mystical nonsense.
Still, Kakashi believed that Minato-sensei's son would eventually come to his senses, learn from this experience, and grow into a great ninja.
As for Sasuke…
That guy was surprisingly mature—especially after Sakura made it clear she was entering the maid selection. His attitude toward her became even more respectful. If Sakura hadn't told him they could just go their separate ways, he probably would've ended up treating her like a stepmother.
Overall, though, even though the atmosphere in Team 7 was a little weird, it was still manageable. Naruto kept bringing up topics along the way, but Sakura was too busy studying her maid textbooks to respond more than a few times. Meanwhile, Sasuke stayed alert, carefully watching their surroundings instead of joining the conversation. He seemed to take this mission very seriously.
Eventually, they crossed the bridge leading to the Land of Waves. Their peaceful journey was over—now the real mission was about to begin.
With a quiet signal, Sasuke, suppressing his "stepmom energy," activated his Byakugan. Instantly, the four of them shifted into a more cautious formation.
Originally, Team 7 had no scouting abilities, but thanks to the overwhelming trauma from his brother, Sasuke had awakened a special Byakugan during the massacre night, covering this weakness. Meanwhile, Naruto, relying on the healing power of the Nine-Tails' chakra and the Uzumaki clan's natural durability, took the front as a tank.
Sakura had already put on her gloves, ready to deliver a crushing blow at any moment. As one of the top students in the academy's theory classes, she had both medical-nin potential and monstrous strength. Her unique Haruno family traits made her an anomaly, and she had even been personally taught by Tsunade.
But unlike in the original story, where she spent the whole time waiting to be saved, this Sakura had systematically learned the difference between ordinary ninjas and those with Kekkei Genkai. She wouldn't try to fight head-on.
Caw~
Caw~
A group of black crows suddenly scattered. Their harsh cries made Sasuke pause for a moment. The next second, as the crows gathered, a figure slowly appeared ahead. The sight was both familiar and unfamiliar, making Sasuke open his mouth slightly in surprise.
But in the next moment, as a warm sensation spread across his forehead, the entire scene around him shattered.
Genjutsu again!
My stupid brother never knows how to say hello in a normal way.
The Sun God Seal released a gentle energy as Sasuke clenched his fist and let out a low sound. A moment later, both Naruto and Sakura snapped out of the Genjutsu.
Kakashi, on the other hand, hadn't been affected at all. He didn't even need Sasuke's help—he simply turned his gaze toward the position behind them.
At some point, another familiar figure had appeared there.
Destiny had brought them face to face once again.
Without hesitation, Kakashi lifted his headband, coldly locking eyes with Obito, who was now shrouded in darkness. Naruto and the others turned toward Uchiha Itachi.
"My foolish brother."
Sasuke took a deep breath, his expression complicated as he looked at Itachi.
Itachi, in turn, looked at Sasuke with a hint of bitterness in his eyes.
This was a mess.
He had already sent intelligence to the village—yet Konoha still sent people to investigate. And to make things worse, they had sent his own brother!
This was ridiculous!
What frustrated him even more was that he had planned to pass on information through Genjutsu, but before he could say a word, his excellent little brother had already broken free.
Now what?
Obito was right there. Having witnessed Obito's power firsthand, Itachi found himself in a dilemma.
At that moment, his troublesome little brother hit him with a soul-crushing question.
"My foolish brother, just how far have those eyes of yours seen?"
Moving like the wind, Sasuke had already closed the distance. Before Itachi could fully process it, Sasuke was right in front of him, swinging a fist powerful enough to shatter Susano'o.
At this range, a Body Flicker should be enough to dodge it.
But for some reason… why did life suddenly feel so exhausting?
In the end, even though he had gone undercover, it seemed like nothing had changed. All his efforts felt meaningless. It was as if every decision he had ever made was a mistake.
This uncomfortable thought made Itachi slowly lower his hand.
Maybe… just letting Sasuke's fist land wasn't such a bad idea?
The punch got closer.
But in the next second, to Itachi's surprise, a burst of searing flames shot past him instead, slamming into something behind him.
Boom!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of blows landing and a furious shout rang out from behind. Turning around, Itachi saw Sasuke locked in combat with a massive man—over two meters tall, with a strange appearance and horns on his forehead.
Wait… that punch wasn't meant for him?
And that guy… wasn't he one of the servants of those so-called "Otsutsuki" who referred to them as lowly peasants?
Why was he here?
And…
A wave of frustration washed over Itachi.
Seeing Sasuke's calm and unsurprised expression, Itachi realized something.
His little brother… hadn't even considered him an opponent from the start.
Think about that line: "How far can your eyes see now?"
Isn't that ironic?
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