After arriving at the Senju Clan compound, Uchiha Hikaru briefly explained to Tobirama and the Hashirama couple about the impending threat from Urashiki Ōtsutsuki.
Upon hearing this, Tobirama fell into deep thought.
"People… from outer space?"
"…Looks like I'll need to start working on some new jutsu in the coming days."
"Oh, right—Hikaru, let me place a Flying Thunder God seal on your clothes."
"When Urashiki attacks, we might be able to catch him off guard."
Uchiha Hikaru didn't object. The Flying Thunder God Technique was indeed an incredibly convenient jutsu in battle.
As Mito and Tobirama considered possible strategies for handling Urashiki in combat, Hashirama stood nearby, repeatedly sighing.
Normally, this wasn't like Hashirama at all. Every deep sigh he let out was disrupting Mito's thoughts, and after the fifth or sixth time, her irritation exploded.
"Senju Hashirama! Everyone else is already dead! What the hell are you sighing so much for!?"
"If you sigh again, take it outside!"
Uchiha Hikaru listened to these familiar words and could only marvel—she really was Tsunade's grandmother. Even her temper and phrasing when angry were identical.
Fortunately, he thought, my place in the household is definitely better than that of this uncle…
Hashirama scratched his head, then raised a hand and waved weakly.
"Alright, alright. No more sighing."
"I was just thinking…"
Hearing his brother's explanation, Tobirama became curious. For someone like Hashirama, an eternal optimist, to look so down? That wasn't normal.
"Brother, what is it? Are you worried we won't be able to defeat Urashiki?"
"Because if that's the case, I've already devised seventeen viable combat plans…"
Hashirama looked helpless under the weight of his younger brother's logic-driven brain.
"No, that's not it. I was just feeling a bit sentimental…"
"I didn't expect there to be such powerful enemies outside the shinobi world."
"If Madara were still in Konoha… he'd definitely be excited."
Before Hashirama could even finish that sentence, Tobirama raised a finger and subtly pointed toward Uchiha Hikaru—an unspoken cue, like: I'm dipping out now out of respect… also, prepare to collect my brother's corpse.
Uchiha Hikaru immediately sensed that something was wrong. Sure enough, Grandma Mito's long red hair, usually tied neatly behind her head, began to rise in the air like a fox's tail. Her blank expression was frozen in cold rage, a tic-tac-toe vein bulging on her forehead. She slowly stood up, clenched her fist, and spoke through gritted teeth.
"Sen!ju! Ha!shi!ma!!!"
"I swear, do you want to die!?"
"How many times have I told you not to bring that man up in front of me!?"
"I'm starting to seriously wonder if you're gay for him!"
"If you miss him so much, then go find him—and live with him!!!"
Hashirama instinctively began backing up until his back was literally against the wall. He raised his hands in surrender and forced a guilty smile.
"W-wait… Dear, you know you're the one I love the most."
"There's nothing between me and Madara! We were just comrades—brothers-in-arms—who once shared the same dream!"
"You have to believe me. Really."
"When he tried to destroy the village, I—"
As he spoke, Hashirama placed his hands in front of himself like he was holding an invisible ninja blade and mimed stabbing it forward.
That finally seemed to cool Mito's rage. Her expression softened, and her floating red hair gradually settled behind her shoulders under the control of chakra. She turned and sat down in a chair beside her.
Hashirama exhaled in relief. Whew… barely made it out alive.
"What are you just standing there for? Get over here," Mito snapped.
Hashirama quickly ran behind her, gently lifted her hair, and began tying it back into place with practiced hands. His movements were smooth and careful—clearly, he'd done this many times before.
A warm smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
"It's been a long time since I've done your hair."
"But looks like I've still got it, huh?"
"It's just like the old days. O(n_n)O haha~"
Mito rolled her eyes but couldn't help softening her tone.
"Sweet talker."
"Hikaru, go get me a mirror."
Uchiha Hikaru observed the surprisingly warm scene in front of him, picked up a round mirror from a nearby shelf, and held it up in front of Mito.
"Uncle's handiwork is impressive—look at that," he said with a teasing grin. "Not a single stray hair, and the red looks as vibrant as ever. Smooth, silky, flawless. Like a living sculpture."
Mito turned her head slightly, examining her reflection from the side. A subtle smile crept to her lips.
"You're just like your generation—always full of flattery. I bet you've said twice as many sweet things to Tsunade."
"As if this Impure World Reincarnation body could even have split ends."
"…By the way, Hikaru, did you tell Tsunade about Urashiki?"
Uchiha Hikaru shook his head slightly.
"I don't plan to tell her. She's been under enough pressure as Hokage lately. Let me handle something like this."
"After all, I'm her man. When it comes to something that could end in bloodshed or death… that's my burden to carry."
"Besides—I'm confident I can defeat Urashiki."
Mito nodded, clearly pleased with his response.
"Good. Honestly, Tsunade-chan's fighting style is… crude. All brute force and massive chakra output—just like Hashirama, but with less punch."
"Against someone who can steal chakra directly, that kind of approach is useless. It's better if she doesn't even know about this."
Uchiha Hikaru agreed wholeheartedly.
Yeah—if you wanted to put it nicely, Hashirama's fighting style was a combination of sheer strength, Wood Release, Sage Mode, and overwhelming chakra. He was like a walking natural disaster—impossible to match through conventional means.
Put bluntly? It was all brute force. A slap here, a shout there, and reality bent around his will. There was no finesse, only raw power. Beautiful in a purely destructive way.
Tsunade had awakened Wood Release through her transplant of Hashirama's cells, but she didn't inherit his Sage Body. Her chakra reserves had increased slightly, but not enough to turn the tide in a battle like this.
If she were forced to fight, there was a high chance that her stored chakra in the Yin Seal would be drained—leaving her and the village in danger.
Mito clearly understood that, which is why she refused to let Tsunade get involved.
Not long after, Tsunade and Shizune returned—with Sakura following closely behind.
Uchiha Hikaru soon learned that Sakura had passed Tsunade's test and officially become her apprentice. Tsunade even asked Mito to help mentor Sakura in advanced medical ninjutsu when she had time.
Mito nodded approvingly, her gaze falling softly on Sakura. Her eyes gleamed with warmth—she could tell right away that this girl had natural talent in the healing arts.
She had what you might call an innate healing chakra affinity… or in Mito's words, a natural-born medical saint body.
—
To be continued…
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