Tobirama Senju smiled at those words, but just as he was about to respond, Mito Uzumaki suddenly pushed him aside and strode quickly back into the room.
Tobirama froze in place, the smile on his face stiffening mid-expression.
Not long after, Mito Uzumaki reappeared at the doorway.
This time, her face was full of urgency and hope.
Her gaze locked onto Hikaru's without hesitation. She quickly stepped up to him, grabbing his arms tightly, her voice full of pleading and anticipation:
"Little Hikaru, if even Tobirama can be revived, then what about Hashirama? Can you do it?"
Hikaru looked at Mito Uzumaki, momentarily stunned.
They'd known each other for years, yet he had never seen her lose composure like this.
Her eyes brimmed with anxiety and longing, as if she had pinned all her hopes on him.
Still, he understood how she felt.
So he gave her a confident smile and replied calmly:
"No problem. I can do it."
Hearing that, Mito's expression lit up with joy and gratitude.
Her eyes reddened, on the verge of tears.
Seeing this, Hikaru didn't delay. He formed hand seals and began to perform Edo Tensei.
With a soft command from Hikaru, faint ripples started to appear in the air.
At first, like the surface of a pond—but as time passed, the waves grew more intense, finally converging into a blurry human silhouette.
The figure's outline grew clearer, details gradually emerging until finally, a familiar face appeared before them.
It was Hashirama Senju.
Seeing this, Mito stepped forward instinctively.
Her face was filled with excitement and longing, as if she wanted to leap straight into his arms.
But just as she stood before Hashirama and raised a hand to touch him—his eyes suddenly shot open.
A flicker of shock and confusion flashed in them, and he shouted:
"Madara!!!"
The sudden outburst froze everyone in the room.
Mito's hand stopped midair, her hopeful expression slowly fading.
Hikaru gasped, taking two unconscious steps backward, afraid he might get caught in the bloodshed to come.
The others were quick to follow suit—those still in the room backed up a little, and even Tobirama, who had just returned, turned and walked out.
They all knew that if nothing unexpected happened next, something very unexpected was about to.
Hashirama, now fully conscious, looked at Mito and gave her a gentle smile.
"Oh, it's just Mito. Right, I was—"
He didn't get to finish before Mito moved.
BOOM!!
Golden chakra exploded from her body as she slammed her fist into his face.
The immense force launched him like a shooting star.
He smashed into the distant wall, punching a gaping hole through the ceiling.
Dust filled the air, obscuring the scene.
Everyone squinted toward the clouded space, barely making out a red-haired figure standing there.
It was Mito Uzumaki, her crimson hair whipping in the air like a vengeful spirit.
Her glowing red eyes were locked onto where Hashirama had flown.
The sight made everyone swallow hard and retreat a little further.
Hikaru saw it too—and to be honest, it made his scalp tingle.
He instinctively glanced at Tsunade, only to find a frightening gleam of excitement in her eyes.
This left him somewhat exasperated. He lightly tugged on Tsunade's sleeve, signaling her to come closer.
"That's not something you should learn, alright? Girls should be a little more gentle."
He whispered in her ear, voice filled with gentle persuasion.
Tsunade scoffed and rolled her eyes—clearly not taking his words too seriously.
But when she noticed Nonō Yakushi nodding beside her, she begrudgingly nodded too, indicating she understood Hikaru's point.
Unfortunately, their little exchange didn't go unnoticed—Mito's glowing red eyes now fixed directly on them.
The moment she looked over, cold sweat broke out on Hikaru's forehead.
To think someone like him—invincible across the land—was now recalling the fear of the Seven Wolves.
Thinking fast, he suddenly remembered his spatial control ability.
Taking a deep breath, he muttered in his mind:
'Sorry, First Lord.'
With that thought, the surrounding space warped slightly.
And just like that, Hashirama—who'd been launched by Mito's punch—reappeared right in front of them.
"Huh?!"
Hashirama blinked in confusion at the scene before him, completely lost as to what had just happened.
But before he could react, Mito had already charged at him again.
Seeing her come, Hashirama instinctively raised his arms to shield his face.
He knew Mito's temper—and he knew she wouldn't hesitate with that punch.
Sure enough, just as his arms came up, her fist slammed down hard on his face.
But unlike last time, he didn't go flying.
Instead, he wrapped his arms around Mito and let her vent her emotions in his embrace.
His arms clung to her tightly, as if wanting to merge her into himself.
Gradually, Mito's struggling weakened, replaced by soft sobs.
She held onto Hashirama with all her strength, as if pouring years of longing into that single embrace.
"Blockhead… I missed you so much."
Her voice was thick with sorrow and yearning.
Hearing that, Hashirama's grip tightened as if trying to offer more comfort.
He gently rested his chin on her head, voice warm and steady:
"I missed you too."
This scene left Hikaru silently shouting "Holy crap."
But he failed to notice that both Tsunade and Nonō were watching the pair with envy in their eyes.
Their gazes were full of longing, as if they too desired such a passionate embrace.
Then, they glanced at Hikaru with some disdain, as if blaming him for failing to notice their feelings.
At last, Tsunade and Nonō exchanged a glance, and each saw the same helplessness in the other's eyes.
They sighed deeply, as if trying to exhale all their envy.
After a while, Hashirama let go of Mito and turned to Hikaru.
"Mind telling me what's going on? If I'm not mistaken, this is Tobirama's Edo Tensei, right?"