Ahem, brother, can you please act with some dignity?" Tobirama muttered, rubbing his forehead with a sigh as Hashirama's cheerful demeanor spiraled into absurdity.
"Oh, right, right." Hashirama blinked, suddenly realizing his behavior, and tried to straighten up, forcing a serious expression—which, given the situation, only made things more comical.
Hoshino Yota couldn't help but laugh, quickly turning his face away to hide it.
Hashirama, however, didn't seem to mind. With a playful grin still tugging at the corners of his mouth, he turned to little Hoshikawa Haru, crouched to his eye level, and spoke in a kind but earnest tone.
"Hey, little guy. Would you like to become my disciple?"
His eyes gleamed with anticipation, genuine and warm.
Hoshikawa Haru didn't hesitate. He dropped to his knees and bowed respectfully, his voice firm and loud.
"Disciple Hoshikawa Haru greets his teacher!"
Hearing the words he'd hoped for, Hashirama lit up like a child receiving a long-awaited gift.
"Good! From this moment forward, you are my disciple. I, Hashirama Senju..."
He paused briefly, then added with deliberate weight, "...will take no other. You will be my only disciple."
His tone left no room for argument. It was filled with an unmistakable sense of finality and authority, making it clear that this was a matter already decided.
Tobirama, though visibly displeased and likely harboring some internal objections, remained silent. He understood his brother well enough to know that once Hashirama made up his mind, no amount of reasoning would change it.
Hashirama gently patted Haru's head. "Come by my office tomorrow. I'll begin your training personally."
Haru nodded with excitement, then took his father's hand and the two exited the Hokage's office.
Once they were outside, Hoshino Yota exhaled deeply in relief.
"You're way too nervous, Dad," Haru teased with a smirk.
"What did you say, you little brat?!" Yota snapped, his face darkening in mock outrage. "That's the Hokage you're talking about—the Hokage!"
"Yeah, I know," Haru replied nonchalantly. "My teacher."
Yota looked like he was about to explode and promptly smacked the boy on the head with a fatherly "lesson," making sure Haru understood that the world wasn't quite his yet.
After his outburst, Yota sighed and looked noticeably more relaxed.
Sure enough, the happiness of parents really does come from disciplining their kids.
Meanwhile, Haru, now sporting a small bump on his head, made a silent vow of revenge. "A gentleman's revenge can wait ten years… or twenty," he muttered internally.
Just as he was stewing over this, Haru noticed a strange shimmer of light behind his father—like something ominous was about to happen. But after looking around carefully and spotting nothing unusual, he shrugged it off.
Yota, still walking, suddenly turned back and spoke with uncharacteristic seriousness.
"Remember to listen to Hokage-sama. Don't cause him any trouble."
He hesitated before continuing. "And… avoid Lord Tobirama if you can. Actually, never mind—you probably won't be able to."
Yota sighed. "Even though Hokage-sama leads the village, it's really Tobirama-sama who handles everything behind the scenes. Every decision, every movement—it all runs through him."
The furrowed brow and concern on Yota's face whenever he mentioned Tobirama was hard to miss. Haru noticed it and tilted his head thoughtfully.
Tobirama Senju—Konoha's future Second Hokage. Known for his fierce intellect and unshakable resolve.
Even setting aside his immense strength, he was arguably the most competent Hokage when it came to political and military matters. During his reign, Konoha experienced rapid development—founding various institutions and systems that still held strong.
He was a strategist, a visionary, and a pragmatic leader.
As these thoughts ran through Haru's head, admiration began to form.
In a time of chaos, Tobirama used ironclad discipline to stabilize the village—a true Hokage in every sense.
"Dad, do you have a grudge against Tobirama-sama?" Haru asked, raising an eyebrow with childlike curiosity.
Yota gave a bitter smile. He understood his son's suspicion, but after thinking for a moment, he answered slowly.
"No, I don't. What Tobirama-sama has done for Konoha is obvious to all. He handles every matter, big and small, with unwavering focus."
"Then why…" Haru looked even more confused.
Yota came to a halt and turned to glance back at the Hokage Building, its shadow long in the fading light. He let out a long, quiet sigh.
"Maybe it's because... I can't see things from his perspective."
Then he turned to Haru, ruffled his hair with a grin, and spoke in a more lighthearted tone.
"Anyway, don't worry about grown-up stuff. Just focus on tomorrow's training—it's not going to be easy."
Haru pouted, clearly unsatisfied with the vague answer. "You're seriously going to leave it at that? Now I'm just more curious!"
But deep down, he knew pushing further wouldn't help. Instead, he decided to shift gears.
"I get it," Haru mumbled, then casually stuck out his hand. "Now give me some money."
Yota blinked. "Money? I don't have any. Your mom handles all of it."
Haru gave a devilish grin.
"Come on, Dad. If you don't, I'll tell Mom where you hide your secret stash, and then..."
Before he could finish his threat, Yota's hand shot out like a blur, covering Haru's mouth.
"Shhh! You little rascal… fine. Take it!"
Between losing a few coins and enduring his wife's wrath, the choice was obvious.
But one thing kept gnawing at him—how the hell did this brat know where he hid it?
Haru beamed triumphantly as he took the money and dashed away. When he was a safe distance off, he turned around and flashed his father a smug grin.
"!!!"
"You little scammer!" Yota roared in frustration. But the deed was done, and he had no choice but to swallow his pride.
Watching his son bounce off in glee, Yota's angry facade melted into resignation.
"This kid seriously thinks he can outsmart me? He's still too green."
Meanwhile, Haru was happily roaming the streets of Konoha, now flush with cash and unstoppable enthusiasm.
"This… this... and this one too!"
"All of these are my favorites!" he exclaimed, eagerly grabbing snacks and treats from every stall.
Before long, his arms were overflowing with goodies and his mouth was smeared with oil. He looked like the happiest kid in the village.
Since the founding of Konoha, the village had experienced an economic boom, thanks in large part to Tobirama's foresight and planning.
Merchants from all corners of the land rushed in to set up shop, drawn by the promise of prosperity. A bustling commercial district formed almost overnight.
Although the selection of goods was still limited, it was more than enough for now.
And for Haru, it was paradise.
Of course, everything would be perfect... if not for trouble.
With so many people passing through the market daily, order had to be maintained, or things would descend into chaos.
Hashirama had called a village council meeting to address this, and it was decided that each clan would contribute personnel to keep things orderly—at least until a more permanent system was established.
The plan looked good on paper. On the surface, things seemed stable.
But no matter the rules, there were always arrogant individuals eager to flex their power and push around civilians just to feel superior.