Rustle, rustle—the quiet classroom was suddenly filled with the sound of heavy textbooks being pulled from backpacks, pages flipping crisply in the silence.
Uchiha Ruri glanced at the mountain of theory books stacked on his desk and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The Will of Fire: First Hokage Edition, The Konoha Chronicles, The New Era Will of Fire, On the Will of Fire: Annotated by Hiruzen Sarutobi...
Ruri stared at the pile with a complicated expression that looked like a pie chart—
a third frustration, a third exhaustion, and the last third sheer indifference toward all this theory.
It felt just like reading a dense essay in school, only for the teacher to demand an "insightful" 800-word reflection on it.
And Hiruzen Sarutobi's annotations? Those were another level of suffering.
It was like being forced to read someone else's reflection and then write a reflection on that reflection.
Ruri sighed silently. The whole thing felt far too abstract for his taste.
At the same time, Junshiro Miyagi had already picked up the textbook and begun the lesson in earnest.
"In our last class, we discussed how the Second Hokage founded the Ninja Academy..."
His voice rose and fell with practiced rhythm as chalk scratched tree diagrams across the blackboard.
The students sat up straight, scribbling notes diligently, afraid to miss even a single detail.
Uchiha Ruri rested his chin on one hand, fingers idly rubbing the hem of his sleeve, his gaze wandering.
He stifled a yawn and turned his attention inward—toward the Senju Hashirama sealed within him.
Senju Hashirama, the legendary First Hokage, was listening intently to Junshiro Miyagi's lecture with almost childlike focus.
Judging by his blank expression, it was clear he hadn't really understood anything.
"Lord Hashirama, are you even listening?"
Hashirama scratched his head awkwardly. "Has the Will of Fire gotten this complicated since I died?"
"If we say the Will of Fire you established was version 1.0, we're now running on 3.0—so it's totally fair if you can't follow."
Hashirama looked even more confused. "What's all this one-point-oh, three-point-oh? You sound even more complicated than the teacher."
Feeling a bit bored, Ruri decided to change the topic with Hashirama.
"Lord Hashirama, why don't you tell me about your era?"
Ruri snapped his fingers, conjuring up two wide, plush sofas, and plopped down on one of them.
"Back in our day..." Hashirama leaned back on the sofa, his eyes reflecting memories of a painful past.
"The training fields always reeked of blood. A comrade laughing today might be a corpse tomorrow. War—that was the song of our era."
Ruri knew exactly what era Hashirama was referring to—the Warring States Period.
The battles between ninja clans never ceased. Every day was either a war—or preparation for one.
"It was during that time that you met Madara Uchiha, right?" Ruri asked softly.
When he heard Madara's name, Hashirama fell silent for a long time.
A flicker of complicated emotion passed through his eyes, as if he were recalling a past full of both friendship and conflict.
"If there had been no war, Madara and I might have been lifelong friends. We once shared the same dream—to build a peaceful shinobi world, where ninja wouldn't have to kill each other over clan hatred."
"But there was no helping it. I was a Senju, and he was a Uchiha. There was too much blood from each other's clans on our hands."
"Every time we met on the battlefield, I was prepared to die."
"I know Madara felt the same."
Hashirama paused at this point.
"Fortunately, I was lucky enough to survive the war—and together with Madara, we founded Konoha"
"Back then, we thought we had finally achieved our dream of peace."
Ruri rested his chin on his hand, a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"But the book says that Uchiha Madara is a traitor to the village. Not only did he leave Konohagakure, but he also became an enemy of the village."
Hashirama's expression grew complicated. He rubbed his head, as if trying to sort out his thoughts.
"Back then, Tobirama never agreed with my idea of coexisting peacefully with the Uchiha. He repeatedly said that the Uchiha were inherently evil. Eventually, Madara heard those words."
"Madara realized that mutual suspicion had already taken root in both our hearts."
Senju Hashirama continued, 'He realized that even though we once shared a common ideal, those ideals seemed so fragile in the face of family hatred and suspicion. So, one night, he left Konohagakure alone.
At this point, Hashirama's gaze once again fell upon Uchiha Ruri.
He studied the young man carefully, as if seeing a familiar shadow in him.
"So similar... it's uncanny. Sometimes, I even feel like you're Madara himself."
Ruri burst into a coughing fit. "So that's why you tried to crush me with a Wood Style technique, Lord Hashirama?"
Hashirama's old face flushed red. "A misunderstanding! It was all just a misunderstanding!"
Then a bold idea suddenly struck Hashirama.
"Ruri...is it possible that you might actually be Madara's descendant?"
Ruri was completely dumbfounded. Was Hashirama trying to make himself his honorary grandfather?
"I have no idea. My parents never spoke of the past. I only found out my mother was a member of the Senju clan from the belongings she left behind."
Hashirama didn't press the matter any further.
The lessons on the Will of Fire at the ninja academy today had stirred many memories in him.
"Ruri, you carry the blood of both Senju and Uchiha. You are destined to become a protector of Konoha."
"Protecting Konoha? Uchiha Ruri pondered those four words repeatedly."
"If it weren't for those troublemakers, Konoha would have soared long ago. There wouldn't be a need for anyone to protect it."
Senju Hashirama continued, "I've always believed that the Uchiha clan is not inherently evil; it's just a matter of differing ideologies."
"True..."
At that moment, Junshiro Miyagi closed his textbook.
"Class dismissed."
"Yay!"
The half-asleep students shuffled out, but they were immediately startled by Junshiro Miyagi's next words.
"Ten-minute break, then return to prepare for the Fire Will test."
At this announcement, complaints filled the classroom.
Junshiro Miyagi then casually added, "The results of this Fire Will test will be submitted to the Hokage."
"The results of this Fire Will exam will be reported to Lord Hokage."
Uchiha Ruri smirked, wondering if Hiruzen Sarutobi was just bored, having to grade the papers himself.
Amidst the murmurs, the exam began.
As we come to the end of this chapter, we are reminded of the depth and complexity of the Will of Fire, as well as the internal struggles and dreams of those who lived through it. Hashirama's reflections on his past and his bond with Madara show us that the history of Konoha was shaped by both friendship and conflict, and how ideals can often be overshadowed by the burdens of family legacies and old wounds.
I hope this chapter has not only sparked your curiosity about the hidden layers of the past but also deepened your understanding of the intricate relationships that have shaped Konoha's future. Thank you so much for your continued support and attention. It truly means a lot, and I look forward to sharing more of this story with you in the future!
If you enjoyed this, please remember to comment, like, and favorite—it really helps and motivates me to bring you even more content. I'm thrilled to continue sharing this journey with you in the future!
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