"The space between life and death..." Tobirama's face changed, a question sparking in his mind. "What kind of place is that? Besides the Pure Land or the Shinigami's stomach, where else can a soul go?"
"It is the crack between the underworld and the living world," Shirou explained softly. "Souls end up there because they have lingering attachments that keep them from finding liberation. It is a more desolate existence than the Pure Land."
Tobirama frowned, lost in thought. As the creator of the Impure World Reincarnation, he vaguely understood the concept.
A soul lost, unable to be liberated. It seemed the Pure Land was the only true destination for the dead. The space between was worse. If a soul's attachment couldn't be resolved, it would be like a perpetual state of hunger, a constant, gnawing pain. That must be a place even his jutsu couldn't reach, since it only summoned souls from the underworld.
"The space between life and death," Shirou's gaze fell on Hashirama, "is also the space where the Sage of Six Paths exists."
"If I can see the Sage, that would be very interesting," a smile appeared on Hashirama's face. He'd made his decision, completely unconcerned about his soul being lost. "I really want to go and seek an audience with him."
"I must remind you," Shirou said earnestly, "if the plan fails, your soul will be trapped there forever. That place seems to be connected to both worlds, but it's an isolated island. No time, no space, no past, no future. You won't even know what you're doing."
"Your soul will have only one thought: to satisfy the lingering attachment you had at the time of death. Only when that attachment is resolved will your soul awaken and be able to return to the underworld."
"Brother!" Tobirama suddenly felt a pang of regret. "If it's the space between life and death, even my jutsu might not be able to summon your soul."
Hashirama didn't seem to hear him. He was lost in thought, trying to figure out what his own greatest lingering attachment would be. "My lingering attachment... it should be Madara, right?"
Tobirama's face contorted.
Brother, what nonsense are you spouting?
You're on your deathbed, and you're still thinking about Madara Uchiha?
Weren't ten years of chasing him enough to make you hate the guy?
That being said, the trouble with Madara was indeed very big. He could understand his brother's feelings. A living Madara was his only unresolved issue.
"So," Hashirama said, still not quite getting it, but knowing what he had to do, "right now, I just need to walk towards death with my lingering attachment to Madara?"
"That's right," Shirou nodded. "Letting the will of your soul appear in the underworld after death is the easiest way to contact the Sage. Before that, before your life has ended, I will put your body on the border between life and death, and make your consciousness appear in that space."
"To put it simply, you might die, or you might live. Your life will be in a strange, vegetative state. This time will be very short. Your body is already at its end. If the Sage doesn't choose to intervene, your body will truly die within a few minutes. We will wait for your soul to return within those few minutes."
"So it's just a few minutes less of life," Hashirama laughed lightly, lying down with a surprising lack of concern. "I hope my luck will be a little better."
"Then walk towards death with your lingering attachment to Madara," Shirou's eyes narrowed slightly. His palm landed on Hashirama's body, feeling his life slipping away. "Die with this attachment, and pray that you can see a god on the edge of life and death. Say a few words, because this might be the last chance."
The chakra in his palm pierced into Hashirama's body like sharp thorns.
"I understand," Hashirama nodded. His gaze fell on the still-sleeping Tsunade, a smile on his lips, before he looked up at Shirou. "Thank you, Lord Emiya. You've really gone to a lot of trouble these years."
His voice became weak. His gaze finally rested on his brother. "Tobirama, the future of Konoha... I'll have to leave it to you."
"I know, brother," Tobirama nodded, his expression heavy. He had already been elected as the Second Hokage and was prepared to take on this responsibility.
"That's good... that's good," Hashirama's eyelids slowly closed. His chakra seemed to be peeling away. His lips murmured the name of the best friend he had chased all his life. "Madara..."
Tobirama's expression was no longer angry, just dim. The room fell silent. Hashirama's body lay still, green chakra threads barely maintaining a sliver of his life.
"Is it a success? Or a failure?" Tobirama's gaze quickly shifted to Shirou. "Lord Emiya, when can we judge if it succeeded? When can we judge if it failed?"
"Perhaps it failed," Shirou shook his head, his voice quiet. "If the Sage was willing to intervene, he would have done so at the moment his life was on the edge. We can only know the result after his body has completely died."
He reached out and picked up the sleeping Tsunade. "We should prepare for Hashirama's funeral in advance."
Tobirama's face turned ugly. The last hope was shattered. "Why wouldn't the Sage intervene?" he asked softly, looking at his brother's body. "Is it really as you said, that the era of peace we established is worthless to that high and mighty god?"
"To him," Shirou said calmly, adjusting Tsunade in his arms, "perhaps this era really doesn't have any figures worth paying attention to. Not your brother, not Madara Uchiha. Before a god whose light shines like the sun and moon, they are but a candlelight illuminating a single room. For a god, this little bit of light is just a flash, not worth a second glance."
Even myself, he thought.
This was not bad news for him. His test had yielded a result.
Just as he was about to leave, Hashirama's eyes suddenly opened.
He was awake!
"Brother!" Tobirama's face lit up with joy. "Lord Emiya, my brother is awake!"
Shirou's heart tensed. This could only mean one thing. The Sage of Six Paths was finally choosing to interfere.
"Sorry, Tobirama," Hashirama's tone was filled with a resigned laugh. "I might have to disappoint you. This might just be a brief reunion. Because my life seems to be truly insignificant in the long history... hahaha."
His gaze swept past his brother and rested on Shirou, his face showing an unprecedented respect. "But in this world, there still exists a brilliance of life that even a god must respect. The Sage of Six Paths has asked me to apologize to Lord Emiya."