Uchiha Madara.
The very name sent a chill through Black Zetsu's mind. This was someone he had never imagined would appear here. Compared to Emiya Shihara, Madara was a chess piece Black Zetsu had long planned to abandon. Yet, somehow, he had come.
It seemed strange… impossible, even. Uchiha Madara shouldn't have known about either Black Zetsu or Emiya Shihara. So why was he here now?
Theoretically, Madara had no reason to appear. Practically… he had his own reasons.
---
Earlier, Uchiha Madara had secretly visited Konoha Hospital, where Senju Hashirama was recovering from serious injuries. While Hashirama rested alone in a hospital bed, his wife, Uzumaki Mito, sat quietly beside him. The couple's relationship radiated harmony, trust, and mutual respect.
Hashirama could not hide his awakening from Mito. Tobirama, aware of his elder brother's condition, had also respected Mito deeply. Once Hashirama regained consciousness, he informed her, trusting that she could manage both her duties and her concern for him.
Mito, ever loyal and vigilant, had been guarding the Nine-Tails in the mountains behind Konoha. She had anticipated Hashirama's awakening and rushed to the hospital to ensure nothing went wrong, putting aside her exhaustion.
To this moment, everything appeared normal. Mito had always respected and understood her husband. She knew of his deep friendship with Uchiha Madara, and she had always held a favorable opinion of him.
As the couple conversed, Hashirama expressed the resolve he had forged during his life-or-death struggle with Madara.
"At that moment," he said softly, "I knew I had to protect Konoha at all costs… even if it meant sacrificing my friends, my brothers, even my own children. That was my resolve."
"Compared to the village, my friendship with Madara was irrelevant. He could never understand the weight of my duty to protect Konoha."
Outside the hospital room, Uchiha Madara listened quietly, his expression cold and unreadable. Inside, Mito felt unease stir within her. Though exhausted from guarding the Nine-Tails and attending to Hashirama, she could not ignore the moral weight of her husband's words.
"Sacrificing everything to protect the village?" Mito thought. She knew her husband had agonized over the absence of his friend, Madara, during these difficult times. To protect the village, Hashirama had made countless difficult decisions, some bordering on cruelty.
---
Hashirama had argued with his younger brother Tobirama countless times over matters of life and death. In their childhood, they had refrained from harming Madara despite their disagreements. Now, however, to protect Konoha, Hashirama had accepted a burden heavier than ever. He had chosen the village's safety over personal relationships, over the lives of those he cherished.
Mito's thoughts raced. The village's ideals demanded protection, but at what cost? What if the cost became unbearable? Could they justify such sacrifices?
Hashirama's resolve weighed heavily. He had even killed Uchiha Madara to protect the village when the Nine-Tails was unleashed—a decision more painful than risking his own life.
"A terrible price," Hashirama admitted, bowing his head. "If it is to protect Konoha, no price is too high."
Mito realized the depth of this horror. The cost of protecting the village was unimaginable, potentially requiring the ultimate sacrifice—not only of oneself, but of friends, family, and loved ones.
---
Someone might give their life to protect Konoha, earning admiration and heroism. But then the price would grow. Perhaps one day, someone would kill a companion to ensure the village's survival. Even if Konoha was safe, could they ever wash the blood from their hands?
In this world, even during the Warring States Period, ninjas fought to protect loved ones, not to destroy them. Such acts of ultimate betrayal were almost impossible. Yet Hashirama's decision was precisely that—a necessary cruelty, wrought by circumstance and duty.
Mito, exhausted from her long vigil, allowed herself a small sigh. Perhaps I am overthinking, she thought. Perhaps the cost is necessary… and unavoidable.
---
Still, her concern for the Nine-Tails was real. Hashirama, seeing the strain on his wife, asked gently about the fox's condition.
"It's behaving… mostly," Mito replied, recalling the Nine-Tails' mischievous and unpredictable nature. She knew the village could not keep the beast sealed behind the mountains forever. Its power was too great, its potential for chaos too high.
"If we insist on sealing the Nine-Tails, only by placing it within me can it be truly contained," she admitted, her voice low but resolute. "My chakra, our Uzumaki heritage, is the key to keeping it sealed."
Hashirama felt a pang of guilt. "With the Nine-Tails inside you, the villagers may see you as dangerous. Yet it is the only way to protect Konoha."
Mito nodded quietly. "I'll try to remain hidden from the village, for the good of everyone."
Inside the ward, the couple's harmony persisted, but outside, Uchiha Madara remained a silent observer. Long estranged from personal ties, he had found their conversation tedious—until a mention of a mysterious doctor caught his attention.
"The doctor Tobirama found is… unusual. His skills are superb, yet his identity is concealed. If he disappears, chaos will follow."
This revelation piqued Madara's interest. A doctor aware of Hashirama's condition could disrupt Konoha's secrets. Eliminating or controlling this figure would not only serve his plans but also ensure Konoha remained vulnerable.
Thus, Madara quietly left, forming a new strategy. He would need this doctor to perform essential surgeries on Hashirama while ensuring the village remained oblivious. If handled correctly, it would kill two birds with one stone.
Now, standing outside Emiya Shihara's residence, Madara observed the flickering candlelight. A sneer formed on his lips.
"Hashirama… our friendship is irrelevant. I have made my choice. I will kill you to achieve my goal."
In the wider world, Jiraiya and Tsunade were both fifty years old. According to the historical timeline of Konoha, Tsunade would eventually be born to one of Hashirama's children about ten years after the village's founding, making her Hashirama and Mito's granddaughter.
The stage was set. The chess pieces moved. Uchiha Madara's path was clear, his intentions ruthless, and the story of Konoha's future hung in delicate balance.
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